THE MAGIC

Magazine of The Magic Circle July 2013

BRIAN SIBLEY
Conjuring With Words
 THE MAGAZINE OF THE MAGIC CIRCLE
Issue 1164 Volume 107 July 2013
EDITORIAL 07507 275 285
EDITOR Will Houstoun
Editor@[Link]
40 Derby Road, London, SW14 7DP
ASSISTANT EDITOR Tim Reed
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Anthony Brahams, Dr Edwin Dawes,
Scott Penrose, Ian Rowland, David Tomkins
CONVENOR OF REPORTS
Mandy Davis
Mandy@[Link]
PAGE 196 PAGE 209 PAGE 213 PAGE 215 DESIGN 020 8521 2631
ART DIRECTOR
FEATURES John Hawkins
[Link].7@[Link]
200 Eggsasperating – Bob Loomis 104d Grove Road
Walthamstow E17 9BY
204 Brian Sibley – Will Houstoun PROOFREADERS
209 An Odd Story About Will Goldston and Paul Bromley, Julie Carpenter,
Other Happenings in The Archive – David Hibberd Barry Cooper, Tim Reed, Lionel Russell,
Mary Stupple, Rob James, Darren Tossell
211 The Magic Circle Five-Foot Shelf of Magic – Matthew Field PHOTOGRAPHERS
John Ward, Mark Hesketh-Jennings,
ADVERTISING 07767 336882
REGULARS BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING MANAGER
Scott Penrose
194 President’s View Advertising@[Link]
194 Circular News 17 Berkeley Drive, Billericay Essex CM12 0YP
MISSING AND BACK ISSUES
196 In This Month – Will Houstoun 01923 267 057
197 Clever Devil Corner – Harold Cataquet Michael Candy
Sound of Music, Harthall Lane,
198 The Cecil Lyle Award – Douglas Gibbard Hemel Hempstead,
202 Circular Mentalism – Ian Rowland Herts HP3 8SE
208 From The Magic Circle Collection – Will Houstoun PRINTED BY
Perfect Imaging Ltd 020 8806 6630
212 Club Night Events – Mandy Davis
Copyright © 2013 by The Magic Circle. All rights reserved. No part
216 A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities – Edwin A Dawes of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the
219 Reviews prior permission of the Editor of The Magic Circular.
Views expressed in The Magic Circular are those of the
220 My Favourite Books contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of
The Magic Circle unless specifically stated. Whilst every effort is
made to ensure the accuracy of all information published in
221 The Magic Circle Cares – David Hatch The Magic Circular, the Editor, Art Director, Staff and The Magic
Circle cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.
222 Council Minutes Contributions must reach the Editor six weeks in advance of
publication if it is essential that they should appear in the
second month following’s issue and should be sent via email,
224 Forthcoming Club Events – Ian Vallance on computer disk or on CD whenever possible.

Cover
BRIAN SIBLEY
Photo: Darren Tossell
THERE IS A WAY
Will Houstoun MIMC
Published by
The Magic Circle
12 Stephenson Way
London NW1 2HD
VAT Reg No 233 8369 51
All enquiries
T 020 7387 2222
W ell it seems that summer has finally arrived and,
amongst other benefits like pleasant walks outside
and drinks in pub gardens, it also brings the most
return to featuring an individual Circle Member but the
theme of broader aims and interests continues.
Brian Sibley’s work for The Circle, in a variety of
significant improvement in day to day life – it is possible capacities, certainly makes him worthy of praise from
to practise sleight of hand with cards and coins as you Members, but it is the wide variety of inter-related
stroll from place to place rather than having to encase interests that he brings to his own fascination with magic
your hands in the protective warmth of a pair of gloves! which make him so interesting to talk with. It is
The last two issues of The Circular have both featured particularly intriguing to see how his views on magic
magical projects that are broader than an individual were shaped by prior interests in other fields and, for me,
performer’s career or interests – May concentrated on the is a fantastic reminder that, even within magic, it is often
work that Breathe Magic has been doing using magic, in external interests that really define what you do.
a clinical setting, as a therapeutic tool, and June
celebrated our own Headquarters’ fifteenth anniversary
and the process by which it was obtained. This month we
 CIRCULAR NE
PRESIDENT’S VIEW
NOMINATIONS FOR
MAGIC CIRCLE AWARDS
The Awards Committee will soon
Jack Delvin MIMC be deciding who are to be
recipients of the 2013 Magic Circle
Awards to be presented at a
ceremony on 19 October 2013.
This year the Committee is asking
the Membership to be part of the
Awards process by suggesting

H ave you noticed how many ‘istics’ there are

around these days?
While The Magic Circle is doing very well thank
be allowed to vote at the Annual General
Meeting. It is confidently expected that, in the two
years they are able to remain Apprentices, they
suitable names for consideration.
The Awards are:

you, it does have its problems in trying to carry will gain the confidence and ability needed to The Devant
out its commitment to preserve our great magical pass the audition for actual Membership. For International Magic
heritage in terms of its history, secrets and Monday Nights are not so packed that we can’t The Maskelyne
performance. We have taken on premises to house cope with a few more. The main benefit to the For services to British Magic
the archives, artefacts, books and posters of the art. Members is that the increased income could well The Carlton
We also have a theatre, function room and eradicate the need to put up the subs. The For Comedy Magic
clubroom, in which to learn, perform and discuss Apprentices would also be a welcome addition to The John Nevil
magic to keep it alive as a major entertaining art. audiences for our various activities like Meet The Maskelyne Prize
Some are pessimistic and think we are fighting a Magic Circle, Seasons of Magic and the Christmas For Contributions to Magic
losing battle. On the other hand others are Show. The current economic situation makes it Literature
perhaps being too optimistic and think it’s essential that we put on more shows and attract
all so simplistic. bigger audiences. Please send your proposals and
Luckily your Council are realistic and see the All the shows are in the hands of Richard recommendations by mail or e-mail
way forward is to take the holistic route. Pinner, the Executive Producer of Public Events for to the Secretary at
The art of magic, like all other arts, has its The Magic Circle, the General Manager of the secretary@[Link] or
beginners and old hands, its amateurs and Centre for the Magic Arts The Secretary, The Magic Circle,
professionals, academics, practitioners and I know that they have some great surprises 12 Stephenson Way,
supporters. The challenge is to keep them all up their sleeves that you may well be planning Euston, London, NW1 2HD.
happy and even increase our numbers. Did to support by the time you get this issue of Previous recipients are listed on
I hear someone say statistics? The Circular. The Magic Circle Website, click on
Actually we already run things on a holistic The Publicity Committee, under the ‘Clubroom’ and then ‘Awards’.
basis but realise we can always do better Chairmanship of Andrew Eborn, has had a
and will try to improve on all fronts going particularly successful year with the PRO PROUD TO BE A
forward – futuristic. gaining coverage on television, radio, press TMC MEMBER
On the teaching front, The Young Magicians and the Internet.
Club is flourishing with its excellent house Holistics as far as The Magic Circle is concerned
magazine Secrets, workshops, special days, means that it is absolutely vital that the Officers,
competitions and over six hundred members. Council and all the Members, work together on
Chairman, Kevin Doig, has got an excellent team every front to make everything we do bigger,
and the future can only be bright. better and more successful than ever.
The Monday Night Committee is determined to I’ve heard it said that some magicians are
keep up the standards already set for excellent egotistic, some are materialistic while others are
lecturers and entertainment. Seeing what other spiritualistic. There is one ‘istic’ that all magicians
magicians do and how they do it is an important undoubtedly are, that is mystic!
part of our education.
I guess that by the time you see this it will be Being a Member of the World’s
common knowledge that your Council are keen to premier magical society is
welcome a trainee level in The Magic Circle and something to be proud
the proposed name is Apprentices. of. Unfortunately, there are a
The idea is that magicians eager to become number of non-Members who
Members pay the full membership subscription in falsely make this claim. Since
return for all the benefits except that they will not President@[Link] January this year, six cases have
been identified and corrected. This

194 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

WS
is partly due to Bristol and Leicester Kieve has been working on two
Trading Standards. If you suspect a Broadway musicals that have just
magician is falsely claiming to be a opened in New York. Matilda, also
Member, please forward any currently playing in London, opened
information, in confidence, to at the Schubert Theatre on 10 April
Secretary Steve Price to rave reviews and received twelve
(Secretary@[Link]) Tony Award nominations. Pippin,
and he will take appropriate action. the first Broadway revival of the
1972 Stephen Schwartz (The Magic
PLEASE NOTE: Some magicians use Show) penned production, which
more than one performing name opened 25 April at The Music Box
and may, therefore, be legitimate Theatre, received a total of ten Tony
Members. Award nominations as well as
excellent press notices.
ILLUSTRATING FOR Meanwhile The UK tour of Ghost
SIXTY YEARS the Musical opened in Cardiff on
12 April and is currently playing at
The Wimbledon Theatre before a
one year tour. This features many of Circle at the Whitby Convention last [In the News section of the
the illusions from the West End month. Roger is looking forward to May Circular an overzealous red
production. his year of office, visiting many of pen led to the suggestion that
the affiliated societies in the North The Modern Mystic League’s
THE MODERN MYSTIC of England and is already booked centenary is this year. In fact,
LEAGUE PRESIDENT to talk to the Northern Magic Circle whilst the club was founded in
Congratulations to Member Roger Junior sections in Newcastle Upon 1913, the first meeting was not
Woods who was appointed Tyne and Ilkley as well as other held until 1914 so the centenary
Magic Circle Member, Dennis President of the Northern Magic local magic clubs. will be celebrated next year. Ed.]
Patten, is celebrating a sixty-year
career providing illustrations for THE CARD has been created based on Warren contains room for some
various forms of magical literature. FINDING DUCK Hamilton’s invention, Jo-Anne the fascinating, in-depth research. If
Dennis started illustrating magic Following on from The Magic Card Duck. The exhibit takes a you haven’t visited The Museum
publications in 1953 with Max Circle Museum exhibit on Tenyo fascinating look at a subject that, recently make sure you take a
Andrews’ The Magic Magazine and items a new temporary exhibit whilst trivial at first glance, in fact look to find out more.
has since illustrated dozens of
books, many now considered
classics, as well as providing
illustrations for a variety of
magazines. Congratulations!

MUSICAL AWARDS
In addition to receiving the 2013
Magic Castle Creative Fellowship
Award, as noted last month, Paul

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 195

 IN THIS E very single person reading this article was very nearly a

MONTH Member of an organisation other than The Magic Circle –

The Chapender Magical Society.

The idea of creating a London-based magic club was championed

by Neil Weaver and Martin Chapender in 1905 but Chapender
Will Houstoun MIMC died, at the age of just twenty-five, between the announcement
that a club would be formed and the first meeting. Following
Chapender’s tragic death, at a July meeting, Weaver suggested
that the club be known as The Chapender Magical Society in
tribute to his friend. The other magicians attending the meeting
did not like the suggestion and, eventually, Louis Nikola
suggested the name The Magic Circle of Great
Britain, diplomatically pointing out that
Martin Chapender and Magic Circle
share the initials MC. The name was
agreed upon and, at the following
meeting, ‘of Great Britain’ was
dropped and The Magic Circle was
settled upon as the society’s name.

So The Magic Circle, in name if not in

concept, is one hundred and eight years
Photos: TMC Archive

old this month – and who knows how

those years might have been different if we
had been The Chapender Magical Society
instead...
From left to right: Martin Chapender, Louis Nikola and Neil Weaver

196 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 CLEVER DEVIL magic that he was doing and the overall look

CORNER of that magician. The two didn’t seem to go

together. He’s young, so in a few years, I’m
sure that the magic and look will blend as he
develops his unique style… Some magicians
are really good at picking a trick that suits
Harold Cataquet AIMC them. Others pick a trick, fall in love with it,
and then add it to their repertoire, even
though it doesn’t really fit their style. That
trick will stay with them for a while, and then
Is it you? magic. When I first heard the latter term, it was they’ll abandon it as they come to the
Recently, I had the pleasure of watching Dani being used by Simon Lovell over twenty years conclusion that the trick doesn’t suit them.
DaOrtiz perform and lecture. His performance ago. In his approach, Simon really didn’t know Worse yet, some time later, they’ll probably
style is very relaxed, and I can clearly see the what he was going to do next, but it appeared rediscover the trick and reintroduce the trick
influence of both Lennart Green and Juan as though he was in complete control. So, back into their repertoire, wondering why
Tamariz. As Dani explained some of the the two approaches are really mirror images, they ever took
effects, I could see the cogs in the brains of and therefore the tag seems very inappropriate I took up it out in the
my fellow magicians slowly turning, quickly to me. first place…
church bell
followed by the belief that they could easily Every performer has a style, and that style is My starting
repeat these tricks. But the real secret of usually developed over time and hundreds of ringing. Since point in
Dani’s magic performances. At the beginning, you might have then, I’ve close-up, which
Dani’s manner is not his a certain style in mind that you think might suit
been working should be
methods – the you. For example, I have no doubt that there are credited to
at this point main magicians that (having seen Dani’s on a set based Bobby Bernard,
in the ingredient performance) will start saying “Why?” and on that hobby was the casino
performance that makes his “Why Not?” as they give cards to their school. I
magic spectators. But these catchphrases really belong developed an act that was based on poker
clearly powerful is his to Dani. If someone else were to use these in chips, cards and dice.
indicates that delivery. For the same way in front of other magicians, then If you have interesting hobbies (other than
he doesn’t example, the the audience would see the performance as an magic) or an interesting profession, then that
care how many method of one
trick involves
imitation (or rip-off). While there may be tribute
acts when it comes to singers and bands, I’ve
could help generate ideas for developing your
style and choosing tricks for that audience.
cards you take giving five never heard of the equivalent in magic. Sure, For example, a couple of years ago, I took up
spectators magicians will perform in the style of other church bell ringing. Since then, I’ve been
exactly ten cards. However, in performance, it performers in competition acts, but these are working on a set based on that hobby. In bell
appears (and more importantly, the audience usually caricatured. God forbid that a magician ringing methods, only two adjacent bells can
feels) as though the number of cards taken ever tried to replicate an act. Do I really need to switch positions from one round to the next.
by each spectator was entirely their choice (or remind you about the Ukranian magician who So in a tower with four bells, the initial round
at least completely random). Dani’s manner replicated John van der Put’s Piff act!? So, it’s of 1234 could be followed by 2143 (each
at this point in the performance clearly important at an early stage that you try and pair of bells switches position). This is very
indicates that he doesn’t care how many develop a unique easy to replicate with four cards (Ace to four
cards you take, but for the trick to work, he developing style. One performer of one suit) by just showing them in order,
needs to make sure that every spectator I know frequently 1234, and then dealing a second, a top, a
takes exactly ten cards. I would be willing to
your style performs other second, and a top, to place them in the order
bet any amount that if you tried to do it the also requires magicians’ tricks 2143. Bell ringers will instantly recognize the
same way that Dani does, the audience you to exactly as per the new order of the bells, the method is called
would not feel the same way, and you’d
probably raise suspicion as you tried to force
perform the DVD performance.
His argument is that
“Plain Hunt on 4”, and you could then
continue to illustrate all eight rounds of the
having ten cards selected five times in a row. right type no one is ever going method. In fact, if you know the method, and
And yet, I know that magicians are going to of tricks to see the original have the right number of cards, any method
try to do exactly that. trick, so when he can be magically replicated by the cards, with
The term that many magicians are using to performs it for them, the audience gets to see a the outward appearance that you are just
describe Dani’s style is ‘jazz’ magic, but I really great magic trick. But the problem is that counting the cards one by one, with no funny
think that’s a bit unfair. Dani knows exactly he’s only a pale imitation of the original. moves whatsoever. l
what he’s doing, but he makes it look as But developing your style also requires you to
though he’s just making it up as he goes perform the right type of tricks. I recently saw a
along. I think Dani’s magic is probably better young magician perform for an audience, but
described as ‘directed chaos’ rather than jazz there was a real contrast between the type of

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 197

 Six Square Bingo

Effect
You correctly predict the outcome of a bingo game: the winner, the winning line and who will receive the lucky charm.

Details and performance

Six spectators are given a type of bingo card on reasonably stiff card. (See Figures 1–6 which we shall call A, B, C, D, E, & F).

6 21 43 32 6 21 48 13 25 39 19 21

39 48 29 19 31 17 45 29 17 13 3 31

45 14 10 27 19 14 43 3 29 45 43 49

17 31 6 32 8 39 42 32 24 10 48 27
Fig.1 (A) Fig.2 (B) Fig.3 (C)

8 11 14 50 24 3 13 39 43 48 29 45

13 2 7 12 8 11 14 50 8 31 24 27

3 16 9 6 32 17 43 48 13 32 19 3

10 5 4 15 21 6 45 29 21 6 39 17
Fig.4 (D) Fig.5 (E) Fig.6 (F)

A seventh spectator, let’s call her Polly, is of those taking part and relay them to the their numbers as they are called out. The bags
persuaded to act as a caller for the game. The audience. The caller mixes and distributes the contain one of the following: a pebble, a safety
spectators are sat three either side of the bingo cards. You then give each of the players pin, a coin, a die, a marble or an attractive lucky
chair on which the caller is sat with a small an identical small drawstring bag and a charm which you describe. You tell them that
table in front of her. You establish the names coloured permanent marker with which to circle the lucky charm was given to you by a little old

198 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 THE CECIL LYLE AWARD

Douglas Gibbard AIMC

lady who you helped across the road. You have players call a line at the same time then we
been able to see which of the players has the will continue to turn over numbers until one
board with the number 8 in the top left hand of these players gets a further number.”
corner and make sure you remember their After the numbers 8, 27, 14 and 42 have
name, for this description Sandra. This will be been called you ask how many players have
the winning board and you ensure that the circled two or more numbers. You then ask
player with the winning board receives the bag whether anyone has circled three or four. The
containing the lucky charm after they have been player with card E has three numbers circled.
mixed. You can identify the correct drawstring The number 10 is now turned over and you
bag by a slight extra length of the string above ask, “Has anyone else increased their number
the knot. The other five have identical lengths. to three circles.” When you discover that
You say that you would like to try to predict another players now has three numbers
who will be the winner. On a clipboard holding circled you ask if either of them has the
a piece of card you write down “Sandra [or numbers in the same line. You discover that
whatever the winning spectator’s name is] this is the case for the player with board D.
will be the person with my lucky charm and You express excitement and make suitable
will win with a line involving the numbers comments. After 24, 11 and 50 have been
8, 11, 14 and 50.” called, Sandra and the person with board B
You now introduce a deck of Piatnik number will call out, “Line”. If one or both of them
cards pointing out it contains the numbers 1 to fail to shout you say you will quickly run
50. Do not case them but have them circled by through the called numbers for players to
an elastic band. There is a set up at the top of check their boards. They will now realise they
this deck as follows: locator card, 8, 27, 14, 42, have a completed line. As per the rules, you
Figure 7
10, 24, 11, 50, 33, 1 and 15. (For the locator I point out that the first of these two players to
have used the central portion of the multiple locator card to the bottom of the deck you can get another number will be the winner.
number card from a second deck stuck onto its tell her that was correct but this time she must After Polly turns over numbers 33, 1 and
duplicate: ie the rectangle with numbers 21, 22, think, “It’s thanks to me that a particular person 15, Sandra will shout that she has an extra
27, 28, 33 and 34. (See Figure 7.) will win.” As you say this you casually cut the number, namely 15. Thus Sandra is the
You turn the deck face-up spreading them locator back somewhere near the centre of the winner. You now reveal that your prediction is
and showing them to the players and the caller. deck. Polly will get it this time. If you’re really correct expressing Sandra as the winner and
You then say that in case they memorised them unlucky you can cut it to the centre yourself the winning line as 8, 11, 14 and 50. You
you will mix them further. You may now shuffle with some appropriate remark. You must then continue to show that Sandra is also
them face up retaining the eleven card set up at emphasise the fact that Polly has determined holding the bag with lucky charm which she
the bottom. You turn them face-down and the final outcome. is allowed to keep. l
apparently mix them further with a series of Polly is now asked to turn over the cards one
untidy cuts from top to bottom finally cutting at a time placing them face up on the table [If you have a trick that you would like to
the locator card to the centre of the deck. You calling out the number of that card as she does submit for The Cecil Lyle award then contact
hold out the face down deck on one hand and so. Players are told that to win they must get The Editor at 40 Derby Road,
ask the caller, Polly, to cut the deck onto your four circled numbers in a line. The line can be East Sheen, London, SW14 7DP
other hand and complete the cut. You point out horizontal, vertical, or on a diagonal. You or editor@[Link] – Ed.]
to the players that she is now responsible for borrow a bingo card to demonstrate a couple of
who is to win the game. If Polly doesn’t cut the examples. You then continue, “If two or more

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 199

Eggsasperating by Bob Loomis AIMC

M agic can destroy your illusions, and be eggsasperating! What do I

mean by that? Here’s an eggsellent eggsample:
It all began when I foolishly told your Editor I’d send him an article on
three words reminded me of Anne Davenport and John Salisse’s 2001
book on the Hall, St. George’s Hall. Did they have my date?
Anne and John revealed that the egg trick was a new Devant item in
the centrepiece of our Headquarters’ Devant Room. Yes, distinguished September 1909. They explained that its success relied on Devant’s
sculptress Faith Winter’s wonderful life-size bust of our first President, personality and his ability to work with children.
David Devant. He is portrayed holding eggs between his fingers to Having come unstuck many times over the years, I searched the magic
symbolise his signature trick, so I decided to start with, “David Devant magazines around September 1909 to verify their date. The Wizard for
invented his famous ‘Boy, Girl, and Eggs’ in [date?].” October 1909 corroborated Anne and John’s date. The Editor had visited
To discover that date I looked in Devant’s own books, My Magic Life, Maskelyne and Devant’s on Saturday, September 4, and saw “Mr.
and Secrets of My Magic. David called it “one of the most successful Devant’s side-splitting egg trick.” At last, I knew when Devant had first
tricks I ever did from the point of view of presented it, 1909, and should have had the sense to leave it at that, but
Unfortunately, raising laughs.” He performed it at the instead I went on to become completely eggsasperated. Why? Read on to
because they first ever Royal Command Performance, in discover the answer.
1912, using his daughter Vida, and Jasper I was curious about Waters’ mention of Howard Thurston doing the egg
were both Maskelyne as the children. Unfortunately, routine. Now that I had a definite date to work from, September 1909, I
familiar with because they were both familiar with the decided to see when Thurston had “acquired” the trick. Another lesson
the trick, they trick, they ignored Devant and gazed at I’ve learned is that you need a system to locate anything in the
the Royal Box. ever-expanding mass of magical literature, otherwise you go around in
ignored Devant I could use that anecdote, but didn’t circles getting completely sidetracked. So, I decided to attack the magic
and gazed at find the invention date. So I looked in the history books in alphabetical order, by author, starting from the letter ‘A.’
the Royal Box major magic encyclopaedias. T A Waters’ The answer had to be somewhere in The Magic Circle Library, or in my
Encyclopedia of Magic and Magicians said own hoard of books. Fortunately, our Circle Library has the magic history
‘Boy, Girl, and Eggs’ was Devant’s name for a large production of eggs books shelved separately from the others.
from a hat. The eggs were given to the children to hold until the quantity I soon spotted a clue to Thurston’s first eggs performance in David
grew so large they overflowed their arms, dropping onto the floor. Sadly, Bamberg’s excellent book, Illusion Show. David remembered acting as the
Waters then spoiled my illusion by revealing that Devant’s ‘audience boy in “The Eggs from the Hat (a la Devant).” Bamberg’s father Okito
volunteers’ were always cast members’ children. He did it out of kindness, toured with Thurston from 1910 to 1912, so Thurston was doing it by at
to avoid embarrassing an unsuspecting child. least 1912, which was the same year Devant performed the trick before
Chris Woodward told me that famous bandleader Billy Cotton Royalty. Although Thurston did not use Bamberg as ‘The Boy’ before
mentioned the trick in his autobiography. When Billy was a child, Devant 1910, he could have employed other lads earlier. Bamberg also destroyed
hired him to act as the boy. Cotton’s wages were a shilling, and a book of another of my illusions. He described how Thurston reprimanded him for
Devant’s tricks. He was disappointed though because the book didn’t dropping an egg before he was given
explain how the trick was done. Some years later Billy Cotton and his He described the signal to do so. So much for
band also appeared on a Royal Variety Show. how Thurston spontaneity!
Waters’ Encyclopedia added that Howard Thurston also featured the Continuing my search in the letter “B”
routine. I made a mental note to check if Thurston had ‘borrowed’ the
reprimanded section I found eggsactly (sorry) what I
trick without recompense. him for was looking for. Braun’s book, Of
I still had no date, but then recalled Sam Sharpe’s book, Devant’s dropping an Legerdemaine and Diverse Juggling
Delightful Delusions. Sharpe said the egg trick may have begun around Knacks, contained reviews of Thurston’s
1907, but he didn’t have an exact date. But Sharpe did mention that
egg before shows for the years 1911, 1909, 1907
Devant presented it while touring at the beginning of 1912. So, as that he was given and 1903. From past experience, I
was the year of the Royal Command performance, I chose 1912 as the signal looked first at the last one I would have
somewhere to start from. examined, 1903. No egg trick. So, I
Sharpe declared that Devant had made the simple egg trick into a moved to the latest 1911 review, and found “Devant’s Eggs from Hat
principal entertainment. He also reprinted George Johnson’s tribute to with boy and girl assisting.” So, Thurston had been doing it two years
Devant from a 1941 Magic Circular. Johnson had wanted a statue made after Davenport and Salisse’s 1909 date, and Braun referred to it as
of Devant’s prodigious egg production. I’m sure he would have very been Devant’s trick. Next I looked at the earlier review, Thurston’s 1909
very pleased with Faith Winter’s sculpture. Checking out that Circular, I ‘Wonder Show of the Universe.’
found that even while near the distressing end of his life, in The Royal That 1909 evaluation contained a trick entitled ‘Eggs Extraordinary.’
Home for Incurables, Devant still recalled his egg trick. A gift of eggs to (What a waste! He should have called it ‘Eggs Eggstraordinary.’) Was it
David got the reply, “Isn’t it rather like bringing coals to Newcastle.” the same trick as Devant’s? I turned to the magnificent posters in David
Devant’s “keen sense of humour had harkened back to those glorious Price’s book, A Pictorial History of Conjurers in the Theater. After getting
days when he plucked eggs out of the air at St. George’s Hall.” Those last only slightly diverted by those superb magicians’ advertisements, I found

200 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 a poster for ‘Eggs Extraordinary.’ It showed Thurston removing eggs from
a top hat and handing them to a little boy whose arms were so full he
was dropping them. (But no girl!) That poster was dated 1910. The review
in Braun was for a show dated February 1909. February was slightly
worrying because Davenport and Salisse had said Devant introduced the
trick in September of that year. Then I made a crucial mistake!
Instead of closing Price’s book immediately after looking at the poster, I
foolishly turned the page. There was a Thurston programme dated May
11, 1908. It listed Eggs Extraordinary! I looked at the Braun review for
1907. It showed Thurston performing ‘The Boy and the Eggs’ on
December 1, 1907!This was almost two years before Davenport and
Salisse’s first date for Devant! I recalled Sharpe had said Devant might
have originated the egg effect in 1907. Was Thurston’s 1907 performance
the reason for Sharpe’s earlier, unsubstantiated date? I had to know, so I
returned to the books.
I was turning pages, and getting more and more eggsasperated, when I
realised my blunder. I had checked the general magic encyclopaedias, but
not the one on Egg Magic. In Colucci’s The Encyclopedia of Egg Magic I
discovered ‘Eggs From Bowler Hat.’ He said David Devant made the trick
famous, but two magazines had asserted Thurston had originated it! With
the help of our Club’s brilliant library, I was able to look at those magazines.
The first, Will Goldston’s The Magician (November 21, 1910) called it a
capital trick invented by Howard Thurston. Goldston had exposed many of
Devant’s tricks without attribution, so I was still slightly sceptical.
I looked at the second magazine, Hugard’s Magic Monthly. Milbourne
Christopher (in the July 1952 issue) wrote: “Thurston’s production of eggs
from a derby was such a good trick with youngsters from the audience

Photos: TMC Archive

that even David Devant asked permission to use it.” More believable, but
Thurston’s poster had shown a top hat, not a derby. I had to know where
that information came from.
As Thurston had been doing the trick in 1907, but apparently not in
1903, I hunted for something connecting him to it between those dates.
From mid-1905 to mid-1907 Thurston had toured the world, starting with
Australia. Had Charles Waller, the great magical spectator from
‘down-under’, seen Thurston’s 1905 full evening show? He had, and
reviewed it in his book Magical Nights at the Theatre. Waller said
Thurston: “was the first to show in Australia the inspired piece of magical
humour known as The Boy, The Girl and The Eggs.”
So, Howard Thurston had performed the trick nearly four years before
David Devant. Yes, another of my illusions shattered. Now I had to verify
Christopher’s statement that Devant had sought permission to use the
trick, so I returned to the books. After only getting sidetracked a few times
(okay, a bit more than a few) my quest ended when I reached the letter
“O.” In Olson’s The World’s Greatest Magician, under Eggs Extraordinary,
he referred to a Howard Thurston letter in the April 1919 Sphinx. It read:
“Regarding the egg trick with the boy and girl on the stage. This trick has
been claimed by several magicians. I wish you would state that I claim it
is my original trick. I did it first in Sydney and sold it several years ago to
Mr. David Devant, and anybody else who has used it has done so without
my permission. I was the first to use this trick and they have taken my
method, patter and everything.”
Yes, another illusion destroyed! David Devant had not invented his
signature piece. Of course, he never claimed he did. Some of us just
assumed he had. He was extremely ethical; he bought it.
So, there you have it, Howard Thurston apparently premiered it in
Australia in July 1905. l
Photos: TMC Archive

NOTE: I’m not going to tell you David Price declared that Thurston was
not an inventor; and how several lawsuits were brought against him for
infringement. Why? Because if I do, then I’ll have to search for another
possible originator of the egg trick, and in the process eggsasperatingly
destroy even more of my illusions!

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 BATTERIES OF MENTALISTS

T he English language is full of odd collective nouns, such as a

‘glaring’ of cats and a ‘fluther’ of jellyfish (according to Wikipedia).
I don’t know what the correct collective noun is for mentalists. Maybe
sessions. The idea was that we’d have the creative chat and then try out
the new and hopefully improved material in live performance. This worked
out rather well. At the risk of embarrassing him with too much praise,
we should just make one up. I’d like to suggest a ‘scrawl’ of mentalists John Archer proved to be a particularly insightful contributor to these
– based on everything ever written with a nailwriter by anyone not sessions, with a rare knack for spotting subtle yet significant ways to
called Marc Salem. Another good one, based on the sorry prevalence of make a good routine even better.
hi-tech toys in the art, would be a ‘battery’ of mentalists. Whatever the All the shows and performances were successful and well supported by
correct term is, I was recently lucky enough to be involved in two such the islanders. For me, there were two clear highlights. One was seeing
gatherings. James Brown perform a wonderful set that featured some instant
The first took place on the sunny island of Sark, a place I’ve hypnosis plus his incredible new creation, Hide And Seek. The second was
mentioned once or twice before in these pages. In case you’ve never seeing John Archer performing his variation on Bill Abbott’s Celebrity
heard of Sark before, all you need to know is that it’s the fourth-largest Smart-Ass routine, which was simply
of the Channel Islands ie it’s a really small island. About 550 people live You know when glorious.
there. If you ever want to create a theme park based on The Wicker you’re seeing If you aren’t aware of the ‘Smart-Ass’
Man, Sark would be the perfect place to do it. You wouldn’t have to principle, I strongly recommend that you
build or change anything. Just stick up a sign saying ‘The Wicker Man the best there go to Bill Abbott’s website to check it out.
Experience’ and you’re done. is, and Barrie For now, let me share the basic gist of the
Every once in a while, a devoted patron of the magical arts flies eight Richardson is it idea. Imagine a blank-faced deck of cards
performers out to the island for a Sark Magic Weekend. (Trivia fans take on which you have written anything you
note: eight mentalists arriving on the island actually boosts the want to base a routine on: celebrities, movie titles, famous landmarks or
population by 1.45%.) The deal is that our wealthy patron spoils us whatever. You openly show that all the cards are different. You give these
rotten with lavish hospitality, featuring plenty of fine wining and dining, to a spectator to mix and shuffle freely. The spectator eliminates packets
and in return we put on a couple of shows for the locals. This year’s of cards however she wants (eg divide the cards into two halves and
Sark magic extravaganza was the third such event, following similar throw the unwanted half over her shoulder on to the floor!) When the
jaunts in 2005 and 2010. spectator is down to just three cards, you take these from her. You don’t
The performers selected for the Sark Magic Weekend have been add or change anything – you’re genuinely working with the spectator’s
mostly, but not all, mentalists, including such brilliant entertainers as last three cards from among those she has been handling and shuffling
Banachek, Barrie Richardson, James Brown, Romany, John Archer and all along. The spectator has a genuinely free choice of any of these final
Marc Paul. I was delighted when Romany came along in 2005, for two three cards. You turn it over and the name on the card matches your
reasons. First of all, just because she’s awesome. Secondly, because as sealed prediction (the other two are seen to be different).
things worked out she was the first act on
the very first show and she absolutely
stormed it, leaving the rest of us looking like
shambling also-rans. If memory serves, she
did her entire set while wearing vertiginous
six-inch heels. Maybe this is the key to
greatness. I shall order a pair immediately. I
was also delighted in 2010 when Barrie
Richardson and his lovely wife Janie came
along, because not many people this side of
the pond have had the immense pleasure of
seeing Barrie’s impeccable work in front of a
live audience. You know when you’re seeing
the best there is, and Barrie is it.
At the risk of stating the obvious, I get
invited along to these shindigs not on the
basis of any perceived merit but simply
because I’m friends with the organiser. This
just goes to prove, yet again, that it’s not
what you know but who you know.
For this year’s Sark Magic Weekend, we all
agreed to bring along some new-ish material
John Archer Performing
to serve as fodder for collective brainstorming

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 CIRCULAR MENTALISM

Ian Rowland MIMC

It’s the fairest force I’ve ever seen. If you want a ‘one from many’ force shown at a few film festivals over the summer and will then be shown
that looks exactly what a fair selection would look like, this is it. I expect on BBC television in the autumn. I expect it will be well worth
I’ll be using this principle for many years to come. watching.
Having bade farewell to Uri and to Reading, my friends and I finally
Road Trip reached London where, on Day 4 of our trip, we attended this year’s
Not long after I returned from Sark, I was involved in my second ‘battery’ Change Phenomena conference. This is organised each year by Anthony
of mentalists. This took the form of a short road trip I enjoyed with three Jacquin and Kevin Sheldrake (of [Link]), and is a
good friends who are all excellent mentalists and performers: Karl Scott ‘must go’ event for anyone interested in hypnosis as used for either
from Newcastle (aka “the James Dean of mentalism”), Harry Lucas from therapeutic or entertainment purposes. Frankly, I’d say it’s worth going
Vienna and Jorge Garcia from Buenos Aires. along to the conference just for the chance to hang out with Ant and
Our trip involved four events in four days. We started by travelling to Kev themselves. Not only are they two of the most likeable guys you’ll
Birmingham to see my old friend Eddie Izzard’s gig at the National Indoor ever meet, but there just isn’t anyone else around who knows as much
Arena. This was part of Eddie’s Force Majeure tour, the largest solo about hypnosis as they do. That having been said, I bet even they don’t
stand-up tour in history involving countless shows in about twenty five know the correct collective noun for a group of hypnotists. A ‘stare’ of
different countries. I had never previously visited the NIA, which turned hypnotists? Or a ‘ruse’? I welcome your suggestions.
out to be a popular aircraft hangar filled with red plastic seats from a
cut-price 1950s holiday camp. The acoustics of the place are quite QUICK TRICK
magical – instantly transforming any sound into something akin to whale The second article I ever wrote for this wonderful magazine appeared
song heard through a cone of baking foil. in July 2005. In it, I mentioned the notion of ‘psychic paper’ – paper
Eddie rose magnificently to the challenge of being funny in a space that can brainwash anyone into seeing whatever you want them to see.
that seemed to be hostile to any form of entertainment or pleasure For example, you approach a security guard outside somewhere important
whatsoever. If you catch the tour, or if you buy the DVD when it comes and display an ID holder containing a blank piece of ‘psychic paper’.
out, please see your physician beforehand to ensure that excessive The guard thinks he sees the relevant security pass and lets you in.
laughter will not harm you. Otherwise, at least two sections of the show, Psychic paper doesn’t exist, but there are ways of pretending it does in
‘Musicals’ and ‘Olympic dressage’, will actually kill you. order to bewilder your friends (which is what I wrote about back in 2005).
On Day 2 of our road trip, my three mental friends and I went to see Karl Scott has come up with a neat variation on this idea that will
Derren’s latest show, Infamous. This was by any standards magnificent. interest my younger readers, if I have any. Nightclubs often apply a
There were plenty of miracles to leave the muggles dumbfounded and rubber stamp to the back of your hand as proof that you have paid the
plenty of ingenious ideas to satisfy those of us in the trade. price of admission (they mean in financial terms, not in terms of having
One thing I love about mentalism is creating an enormous gulf abandoned all sense and dignity). Karl’s idea is just to visit the
between what the audience perceives and what’s actually going on. On nightclub earlier, unknown to your friends, and ask them to stamp the
one of his DVDs, Andy Nyman gives the splendid example of an palm of your hand instead of the back. Later, you return to the club
Annemann routine that is played as a stunning demonstration of with your friends. You say that rather than pay to get in, you will use a
clairvoyance yet involves nothing more than a grain of rice in an envelope. simple mind control trick to gain admission. You are in front of your
For this reason, my favourite part of Infamous involves a completely new friends, so they are watching you from behind. You go up to the guy on
way to demonstrate mastery of Rubik’s Cube (presented as one element the door, and wave your palm in front of him in the manner of a Jedi
of a larger ‘super mind’ routine). This involves the performer doing Knight toying with the mind of an enemy. You confidently say, “Clearly,
absolutely nothing at all – not even giving the cube a single twist – yet I have already paid, you think.” The doorman, while he may think
wins gasps of stunned amazement from the crowd. It is quite gloriously you’re a bit weird, sees the stamp on the palm of your hand and lets
ingenious, not to say witty, and will doubtless be ripped off by vast you in past the velvet rope. To your friends, looking on and unaware of
numbers of inferior performers once word gets round. the stamp on your palm, it looks like you’re using some sort of weird
Day 3 of the mentalists’ road trip involved a pleasant ride from mind control or hypnosis. l
Birmingham to Reading to call in on Uri Geller. Uri was the perfectly
gracious host, as usual, and showed us around the new extension to his Invitation
If you have items, stories, jokes or vicious rumours of interest to
beautifully palatial home. The highly acclaimed film-maker Vikram Jayanti
mentalists, please drop me a line (ian@[Link]). If you can’t
(whose amazing body of work is well worth looking up online) has afford Derren and want to hire a fairly good also-ran mentalist, or you
recently completed a new documentary about Uri’s life. This is being just have time to kill, please visit [Link].

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 203

B rian Sibley MIMC is an author and
broadcaster with an enormous
knowledge of magic both in in film and
rope that’s been cut or a newspaper that’s been
torn up – they are, in essence, playacting that
most primal and persistent myth concerning
literature as well as in performance. He death and rebirth.
is also the current Chairman of The
Magic Circle Council and has been Will: Why do you think so may magicians
involved in numerous roles working for distance themselves from this undercurrent?
The Society. Brian and I corresponded to Brian: These are uncomfortable associations
discuss his love for conjuring, both in a society that is multicultural and, at the
literary and literal. same time, increasingly secular. To admit that
magic has its origins in anything other than an
Will Houstoun: I believe your interest in entertainment and an amusement – akin to
magic developed in a rather unconventional juggling – is clearly not going to provide the
way... average table-hopper or stand-up comedy
Brian Sibley: Just as millions of youngsters magician with many useful patter lines. But I
today have become interested in magic through believe that performers would have a better
With Walt Disney's daughter, Diane Miller
reading the Harry Potter books, my introduction understanding of the potency of their craft and
came through the magic in classic fairy tales Collectors’ Day at the TMC headquarters then in how it impacts on spectators if they better
and in one book above all others, Lewis Chenies Mews, where I met Francis White and understood the journey that tricks and illusions
Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. others and got my first tantalising glimpse into made from the past to the present.
Read aloud to me when I was four years old, it the secret world of this great magic society.
was the first of many books that became Will: Did you ever want to be a magician?
life-long friends: books that I’ve remained loyal Will: When were you first aware of magic in Brian: No! But I wanted to be a lot of other
to, re-reading over the years (long beyond the performance? things: first a Punch and Judy man, then a
age when more ‘grown-up people’ would have Brian: Like hundreds of kids, I had an uncle zookeeper, later a cartoonist and an actor. I
consigned them to the loft), always discovering who could produce coins from behind your ear never succeeded in selling a single cartoon,
new things in them, allowing them to lead me or down your nose, but – apart from him and although I still doodle; but I have, over the
off in search of knowledge of their authors, seeing a lack-lustre magician at a party for the years, acted (in a casual way) on radio and
illustrators and the times in which they were children of staff at my Dad’s firm – my love of stage. In 1989, I collaborated with composer
written. And they’ve richly repaid my friendship magical performance really began with David Hewson on To Sea in a Sieve, a musical
in terms of projects for books and programmes. television and, across a couple of decades, the play about the Victorian nonsense writer,
In the case of Alice, I fell instantly in love respective talents of Sooty, David Nixon, Paul Edward Lear, and played the role both on the
with the nonsense, the topsy-turvy logic and the Daniels, David Berglas, Ali Bongo and Simon Edinburgh Festival Fringe and in London. In the
fantastical transformations. Many years on, I Drake. I also had a fictional hero, illusionist Tony show I attempted (rather badly) a couple of
came across Martin Gardner’s The Annotated Black (Bill Bixby) in The Magician, and two small tricks but, like most of my public
Alice, and began studying the life and work of heroines, Samantha and Endora in Bewitched! performances of magic, including the Chinese
the man who was ‘Lewis Carroll’ – Charles My interest in magic acquired a rather more Pom Pom Sticks in a tribute show to Ali Bongo,
Dodgson – discovering along the way that he personal focus when, twenty-three years ago, I they are best forgotten.
had a keen interest in magic. Having joined the met and became friends with my eventual
Lewis Carroll Society, I subsequently became its life-partner, magician David Weeks. Will: Outside the magic world you are
Secretary and, in 1973, invited John Fisher to probably better known as a broadcaster and as
speak to our members about his new book, The Will: So what are your main areas of interest a writer of books and also for radio. How did
Magic of Lewis Carroll. As a reciprocal gesture, within magic? that career develop?
John invited me to the inaugural Magic Circle Brian: I enjoy watching all kinds of magical Brian: There’s no short answer to this
performance but I am much less interested in question! Soon after Lewis Carroll, I discovered
how magic works than why it works and what a whole series of authors who wrote about
s

makes magicians tick. The history of magic ‘magic’ in some shape or form as well as falling
fascinates me and I’ve learned a lot about the
origins of magic from books such as The
Discoverie of Witchcraft, The Golden Bough
and Religion and the Decline of Magic. I’m
intrigued by the way in which, whether we are
willing to accept it or not, the art of magic is
dealing with deep-seated desires, fears,
superstitions and beliefs that are as old as
civilisation.
Producing coins, cards, flowers, animals and
human beings out of nothing and nowhere are,
perhaps, an unacknowledged simulation of the
creation stories common to many cultures. And
when magicians saw people in two and put
With Julie Andrews them back together again – or simply restore a

204 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 Conjuring With Words
Interview by Will Houstoun MIMC

The Radio Times mark

the beginning of Brian's
dramatisation of The Lord
of the Rings, Launching
It's Magic on the cover of
BBC Worldwide,
Performing at The Magic
Circle in The Ali Bongo
Tribute Show

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 205

 Associate back then meant that I had the chance
to meet many magicians and learn about the
origins and history of the art, all of which provided
me with opportunities to make programmes.
A major six-part series (unoriginally entitled
It’s Magic!) was broadcast on the World Service
in 1993 and told the stories of the great
magicians of the past interwoven with the
views of current magicians, among them Fay
Presto and Michael Vincent, and a hatful of
aural magic tricks! A cover feature for the World
Service’s magazine showed Jack Delvin
levitating yours truly on Chislehurst Common: a
stunt that almost got the pair of us (and the
BBC photographer) arrested for trespass as was
reported in the May 1993 issue of this
magazine! I also wrote and presented a
two-hour celebration of TMC’s 90th birthday for
Radio 2 featuring then-President David Berglas
On stage in To Sea in a Sieve with Polly March and a number of Circle members, and a
Halloween documentary on the life, magic and
s

under the spell of that movie magician, Walt chronicling the making of Peter Jackson’s movie death of Houdini, entitled Are You There, Harry
Disney. These have been the love affairs that trilogies of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Houdini? These programmes formed my
have fired and fuelled my passions, turning me submission for entrance to membership, and I
into a self-educated expert and enthusiast on Will: Can you talk about the relationship became a MMC in 1994.
subjects that, through a series of accidents and between conjurers and literary figures? I was soon writing for the Circular – only
coincidences, led me to a career as a writer. One Brian: I have always been interested by the giving up when my occasionally critical reviews
of my first radio programmes for the BBC, in relationship between writers and magic, from of Club Night events starting getting decidedly
1978, was about Lewis Carroll’s enchanted W S Gilbert, amateur magician, who with his bad reviews! I later wrote the visitor’s booklet,
dream worlds and an early radio play was an theatrical collaborator, Arthur Sullivan, wrote Inside the Magic Circle, and other jobs jobbed
adaptation of J B Priestley’s The Thirty-First of the opera, The Sorcerer, to Norman Hunter, a have been Front of House Manager, Chair of the
June, a novel involving magical time-travelling professional magician and magical author who Club Night Committee and on-stage interviewer
spells and a lot of medieval hocus pocus! wrote the comic adventures of Professor for TMC and YMC events with guests including
Much else followed: award-winning radio Branestawm. Geoffrey Durham, Max Somerset, Ali Cook, Roy
dramatisations including J R R Tolkien’s The I am especially fascinated by two amateur Davenport and Derren Brown.
Lord of the Rings (featured on the front cover of prestidigitators: Charles Dickens and, not
the Radio Times) and C S Lewis’ The Chronicles surprisingly, Lewis Carroll. Dickens brought a Will: From your background as a writer and
of Narnia; stage adaptations of Dickens’ A magician’s eye to his descriptions of the radio presenter is there any useful advice you
Christmas Carol and Tolkien’s The Hobbit; and, spectres haunting Ebenezer Scrooge in could give to magicians?
as a broadcaster on BBC Radios 2, 3, 4 and the A Christmas Carol, and in 1862, the last of his Brian: If I had the temerity to give advice, it
World Service, dozens of documentaries, ‘Christmas Books’, The Haunted Man, was would be to say: love what you do and,
features, magazine programmes and quiz shows staged in London with special effects employing whatever your style of magic, try to convey that
as well as the opportunity to interview several the Pepper’s Ghost technique. love: enthusiasm is an infectious and highly
literary magicians including Roald Dahl, Philip As for Carroll, if he hadn’t been an enthusiast contagious disease, so pass it on! What was I
Pullman and Terry Pratchett. of magic, I doubt if Wonderland would have saying about temerity? Oh, well, I’ve started, so
My obsession with Walt Disney led to my featured white rabbits, watches, top hats, fans I might as well make a few more enemies…
co-authoring the official history of his studio and playing cards not to mention babies turning And, if you want me to like you as a performer,
and books about Mickey Mouse and Snow into pigs and Cheshire Cats vanishing and please – at all costs – avoid falling into the trap
White and the Seven Dwarfs, lecturing and reappearing! And for almost 150 years, stage of being a smug, cocksure, smartass!
presenting TV programmes and radio series on dramatisations of his book have provided
aspects of Disney magic and regularly popping countless opportunities for magicians to conjure Will: What do you see as the biggest strengths
up as a commentator on Disney DVDs including up his literary illusions on stage! and weaknesses in the average magician?
Fantasia (with its famous ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ Brian: Your greatest potential strength is the
sequence) for which film I provided the audio Will: How did magic fit in with your other power to amaze and delight, to evoke a sense
commentary. Also for Disney, I collaborated with areas of work? of thrill and wonderment, to lift the observer
the author P L Travers on a (to date unfilmed) Brian: I joined The Magic Circle as an out of the predictable and mundane and give
sequel to Mary Poppins. And talking of that Associate without any hope of becoming a full them an experience that is unexpected and
magical nanny, one of the most unforgettable member (unable to drive a car and hopeless inexplicable. Your greatest potential weakness is
days of my life was interviewing the with all machines, my manual dexterity is zero) not believing you can do that or doubting that
incomparable Julie Andrews. and it amuses me now to think that, as TMC is your audience will believe it. You are working in
More recently, the wizards of Tolkien’s Middle currently organised, I wouldn’t even have got a the realm of ‘make-believe’ and, like an actor,
-earth re-materialised in my life as I set about foot in the door today! Anyway, being an you must first learn to suspend your own

206 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

disbelief if you are going to convince others to and the amazing legacy we have inherited. I
suspend theirs. stood for Council several times without success
and on one occasion (to make an important
Will: How can these strengths be best utilised political point) put up as Secretary. Having,
and the weaknesses eradicated? many years later, finally made it onto Council I
Brian: To my mind it doesn’t matter whether found myself in the curious position of being
it’s a small, intimately performed trick or a Deputy Chair and then, a month later, taking on
grand illusion, you have to reach an the role of Chair itself. They were interesting
understanding about how and why you would days: the elder statesmen who had led the Club
begin doing those things if you could truly do for years had passed away or retired from the
them. If you understand the story of your trick scene leaving a serious ‘experience vacuum’. My
and why you’re doing it, the magic will become concern then was to help us – ‘the successors’
yours as opposed to something learned from a – stick together, understand what we were
book or a DVD. supposed to be doing and try to get on with
At Walt Disney's Desk
Also know yourself… As a broadcaster, doing it.
rather as a singer might, I took a while to Now, however, it’s time for new blood, new own personal magical partner – through whose
discover the secrets of my voice and to learn ideas, new energy, and – after fifteen years in work I vicariously enjoy performing!
how I could use it in the most effective way. In our headquarters – a Council who can set
my experience, the best magical performers about defining a vision for what TMC might Will: Who are your biggest non-magic
have come to terms with both the potential and become over the next decade-and-a half. It’s for influences?
limitations of their voices, bodies and personalities others to shape that vision and it may need a Brian: Walt Disney remains one of the most
and made them into the tools of their trade as radical re-think of how we generate our future powerful influences on my life; I have written
valuable as the most expensive props. income and what we do with our premises, but more about the man, the company and the
But there’s only one way to do that: step out however we adapt and evolve, I hope we’ll films than about anything else and the lasting
of the comfort zone provided by applause and always be a society, accepting of amateurs and magic from those early cinema-going
watch what you do and listen to what you say professionals alike, who are devoted, as our experiences (seeing Pinocchio six times in one
with the same critical eye and ear that you founding fathers put it, to: ‘the elevation and week!) led to an enduring love of film in all its
might give to someone else’s performance. You protection of the – Art of Magic’. forms and moods. I’d say it was a direct result
have to be willing to keep demolishing and of Uncle Walt exerting his hold over my
rebuilding, because the most dangerous Will: What, for you, would be the ideal burgeoning imagination that I fell for the
adversary to self-improvement is embodiment of our art? enchantments of so many other movie
self-satisfaction. Brian: This is not so much an answer as magicians, among them Orson Welles, Frank
And, while I’m on a roll with alienating something to ponder: it is, perhaps, no accident Capra, David Lean, Hitchcock, Spielberg and
readers, I have to say that I think magicians are that Derren Brown’s ‘experiments’ baffle and Lucas. Certainly, my love of watching pictures in
not very good at being team players. That’s astound in a way that other performers doing the dark resulted in numerous programmes and
probably inevitable since it takes ego to have similar effects can only envy; or that the an opportunity to interview a galaxy of movie
the confidence to stand up and perform but humble, unassuming, self-effacing, Dynamo has folk from Angela Lansbury to Franco Zeferelli.
teams have to suppress the individual ego in achieved a reputation denied to a zillion The other influences are all those literary
the interests of collective achievement. ego-driven magicians. And if you doubt the magicians from Lewis Carroll onwards and
power of focusing on creating a formidable especially the American fantasy, sci-fi writer, Ray
Will: You are just stepping down as Chair of moment of magic rather than demonstrating Bradbury (a devoted Disney fan and, in his
Council, why did you want to become so your mastery of your craft or your superiority youth, yet another aspiring magician!) to whom
involved with the organisational aspects of over your audience, just remember Uri Geller. I wrote a fan letter that was the beginning of a
TMC? thirty-year friendship. The author of Fahrenheit
Brian: I care about this organisation: I value Will: Who are your biggest magical influences? 451, The Martian Chronicles and Something
its history, the diverse talents of its membership Brian: My love for magic has been shaped by Wicked This Way Comes taught me the thrill of
numerous performers, past and present, and conjuring with language, summoning vibrant
those who’ve charted the history of the art, images of people and places, producing sparkling
among them Maskelyne and Devant for their similes and metaphors with the literary
inviolable principles (‘The magician’s art… equivalent of the magician’s sleight of hand.
consists in what he does with the things he Of course, I’m nowhere near as adept and
uses, not those things themselves’); Milbourne dexterous as I’d like to be, but I still enjoy
Christopher, Eddie Dawes and John Fisher for pulling words out of thin air in the same way I
providing my first historical perspectives; would do with silks, doves, cards and coins if I
Eugene Berger and Geoffrey Durham for were only a real magician! l
expanding my perceptions of magic; Martin
Gardner for encouragement in unravelling To find out more about Brian and his
puzzles: numerical, literary and logical; and Jim work visit [Link] If you
Steinmeyer (to one of whose books I had the would like to listen to Brian’s radio show
honour of contributing a foreword) for his It’s Magic! visit
ingenuity of invention and his insights into the [Link]/brian-
With Peter Jackson art of showmanship. And, of course, I have my sibley/sets/magic

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 207

 From The
Magic Circle Collection
by Will Houstoun MIMC In some ways this little box is reminiscent of
many pieces of Victorian conjuring apparatus
but the effect it creates, and particularly the
method utilised, are rather intriguing. In
performance the box is given to a spectator
containing four coins and they are asked to
close it. The magician then produces a coin
and, when the box is opened, only three coins
are inside. The spectator closes the box again,
a second coin is produced and, when the box
is reopened, only two coins remain. This is
then repeated with the third and fourth coins.

The method is that each time the box is

closed one coin disappears with the spectator
opening and closing the box actually effecting
the vanishes. For further explanation of the
mechanics one might look to Professor
Hoffmann’s Modern Magic where the effect is
described under the heading The Mysterious
Casket. The Casket’s Mysteries, however, will
endure as all Hoffmann has to say on the
device’s operation is that the coins are made
to vanish using “an ingenious mechanical
arrangement in the interior, which it would
take too much space to describe at length...”
Photo: Darren Tossell

208 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 An Odd Story About Will Goldston and
Other Happenings in

by David Hibberd MIMC

Photos: TMC Archive

W ork in The Archive continues and Alan Astra
and myself are usually in the Inner Sanctum
on Mondays. Why not look in to see us?
As usual, my main task is The Magic Circle The Will Goldston story is as follows: The
Digital Archive which now comprises over 15,000 Magic Circle recently received an email from
images. I am working my way through the files a lady who asked: “I wonder if you can help
and hope to scan a further 3,000 photographs, me. Some time between 1910 and 1916 my
programmes, brochures and letters before the end grandfather became friends with the owner of
of the year. I am currently scanning photographs a magic shop in Leicester Square, London who
of magicians having surnames beginning with the was apparently President of The Magic Circle.
letter T. I was most surprised to find that we have Are you able to supply me with a name?”
no fewer than twelve having the name of Taylor. Allen Tipton as Dante I replied saying that it was almost certainly
By far the most of any one name. Will Goldston who had a magic shop just off Leicester Square. However,
I keep on saying this, but do I have a photograph of YOU? I cannot he was not President of The Magic Circle but was the leading light of The
state this often enough but I really do want to have more photos of Magicians’ Club, which was a successful club rivalling The Magic Circle at
present day Members. I will be delighted to hear from you. that time.
I recently met Granville Taylor for the first time. In his younger days, The lady said that she was editing her grandfather’s memoirs and sent
Granville assisted both Lyle and Murray during Summer vacations and me this extract from his diary:
then built up a lot of experience with a cabaret and illusion act. After he I was walking through Leicester Square one afternoon when I noticed a
changed his professional name to Faust, he established a full evening magic shop – all sorts of tricks were displayed in the window. Having
illusion show which made several successful visits to Japan. His always been interested in conjuring, I entered the shop and there, behind
autobiography is well worth reading. Over the years, Granville has kindly the counter, was a little man who looked so ill and pale that I remarked to
donated photographs and publicity material to The Archive and we have him “You don’t look very well, shouldn’t you be in bed or in a hospital.”
s

recently received some posters for which we are most grateful. “Not on your life,” he replied, “No more hospital for me. I was discharged

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 209

 s
only yesterday. You would be surprised what those doctors did to
me. My bowels are now like Clapham Junction. Joined to my stomach
It pays to in some miraculous manner. Anyway I seemed to have survived their
experiments.” “Well,” I said. “I expect they did a short-circuiting of your
ADVERTISE in stomach. What we call a Gastric Enterostomy or a partial Gastrectomy,
you see, I happen to be a House Surgeon myself!”
“Well I apologise” he said, “if I have said anything derogatory against
your fraternity, but I have been through Hell.” “Now” he continued,
“My greatest wish is to see this operation performed on someone else
– would that be possible?” “I will see what I can do” I said. “Give me
your telephone number and I will let you know when I see a similar
To reach 1500 magicians around the world case to yours on the daily operating list.”
costs less then you think In a few days one materialised. I phoned the little man and told him
to be in the Hospital Square at 1:30pm sharp. He turned up in good
time but looked so ill and forlorn that I hesitated saying: “Look, I don’t
Full page from £100.00 want to have to carry you out if you faint, are you sure you will be all
Half Page £55.00 right?” “I don’t mind a drop of blood” he said and we climbed the
Quarter page £30.00 steps of the theatre and both peered down through the glass to watch
all prices subject to VAT the operation. “Gee” he said “did they do all that to me?” “Yes, I
assume so” I said. “Well I never” he remarked. “Now” I asked “have
you seen enough?” He enquired “Is this the only operation or the last?”
For full details contact the Business and
“No” I replied “they continue to 6pm.” He then watched the next three
Advertising Manager Scott Penrose
operations until at 5pm I suggested that he came down to the students
on 07767 336882 restaurant to have tea with me. While we were talking he put his hand
or email advertising@[Link] in his coat pocket and handed me his card. He was an important man
in the world of magic and President of The Magic Circle. [This, of course,
was not correct.]
“Now” he said, “One good turn deserves another. You have given
me one of the most interesting afternoons I can recall. Here are two
tickets. You see we magicians meet once a month to show each other
our new tricks and illusions. The whole audience will be magicians, but
you and a friend will be my special guests.” So my brother and I went
to see a very exclusive show at a City hotel and I am sure we enjoyed it
far more than our little friend watching the art of surgery.
What an odd and unsettling story. As someone who feels faint at the
thought of hospitals and avoids television programmes like Casualty
and Holby City like the plague, I find it extraordinary that Goldston
relished operations as he did. Ughhh!
The Archive has just received an unexpected bequest from Allen
Tipton of Nottingham. Allen had a tremendous interest in the illusion
shows of Kalanag and Dante and, over the years, built up a sizeable
collection of photographs, programmes, videos, DVDs etc. Three large
boxes have come to us.
Our Headquarters Conventions I never met him but I remember having correspondence with him a
few years ago. Allen was a teacher by profession and in 1980 produced
DRESS CODE and performed a recreation of the Dante Show, playing the part of
Smart attire is required at all events in the Headquarters. Dante himself and with his students being the assistants. The show ran
MOBILE PHONES
in his school theatre for a week and I remember seeing a favourable
Please ensure that you switch off your mobile phone before
entering the Headquarters. If you must make a phone call, please
review by Goodliffe in Abra.
do so outside the building. Allen was not a Member of The Magic Circle but wanted his
PHOTOGRAPHY AND SOUND RECORDING collection to go to ‘a good home.’ I am very pleased and flattered by
The use of any form of recording equipment, audio or visual, this and will do my best to display everything attractively. Watch this
including cameras and mobile phones, is not permitted in any part space.
of the Headquarters except by special arrangement. Another unexpected donation, this time from Ben Pearse in New
GUM Zealand. He has sent us some images of an escapologist and magician
Please refrain from chewing gum of any sort in the Headquarters. named Deville who Eddie Dawes wrote about some years ago. A very
SMOKING good addition to our Archive.
Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the Headquarters. As I write this, I have unearthed some marvellous 1941 and 1942
We all benefit from these conventions, so please respect and
letters from Walter Jeans to Chris VanBern which I am transcribing. Also
abide by them to avoid being turned away. Thank you for your
I have heard from another relative of Willane who has supplied us with
l
understanding.
about twenty new photos. Work goes on!

210 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

The Magic Circle Five-Foot THE MAGIC CIRCLE FIVE-FOOT SHELF
OF MAGIC BOOKS – APRIL, 2013

Shelf of Magic
Harlan Tarbell
The Tarbell Course in Magic (now 8 volumes)
Edwin Sachs
Sleight of Hand
Maskelyne and Devant
Our Magic
by Matthew Field MIMC Jean-Eugene Robert-Houdin
The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic
Eugene Burger

W hat magic books should the presumably

superior Members of The Magic Circle
have read? After all, the self-described “most
books and added eight others which had been
published since 1935 as a suggested starting
point, a total of nineteen. Eventually, fifteen
Mastering the Art of Magic
J B Bobo
The New Modern Coin Magic
exclusive magic club in the world” requires an individuals responded with lists and comments Henry Hay
audition (or proven reputation) as a precursor and, with myself as compiler and unabashedly The Amateur Magician’s Handbook
to Membership, and the subscription (dues) opinionated editor, a list of twenty-eight titles Bruce Elliott
costs are not inconsiderable. Should a Member, comprising thirty-six volumes was assembled. Magic Made Easy
or prospective Member, ask for a recommended I would reiterate that this is not a complete Tony Corinda
book list, what might The Circle provide? library of everything there is to know about 13 Steps to Mentalism
This question was of some interest to me, a magic. Rather, it is shelf of magic which, having Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
self-confessed magic bibliophile. I asked The been read and absorbed, will give a magician a The Royal Road to Card Magic
Magic Circle’s erudite Executive Librarian, my grounding in a broad range of various areas of John Northern Hilliard
friend Peter Lane, the question and he challenged magic – including close-up, platform, stage, Greater Magic
me to make a list. My goal however, was not to illusions, mentalism, children’s magic, magic Various
compile my list, but a list representative of a history, magic theory and, because this is meant Stars of Magic
more general group chosen from the for Members of The Magic Circle, The Magic Milbourne Christopher
Membership of our Society. Circle itself (including Maskelyne and Devant). The Illustrated History of Magic
Then I recalled another list. I’m not sure the list meets Annemann’s goal of Dr Edwin A Dawes
In May 1935 Theodore Annemann published, covering “every phase and known principle The Great Illusionists
in his magazine The Jinx, what he necessary to a modern John Fisher
termed his “Five-Foot Shelf of Should a Member, performer”, but it does, I Paul Daniels and the Story of Magic
Magic”, describing the or prospective hope, provide a resource Hyla Clark
thirty-seven volumes listed as “a for learning the things The World’s Greatest Magic
working library on the art of Member, ask for every magician should Paul Curry
mystifying.” Annemann stated a recommended know. Magicians’ Magic
that his goal was to cover “every book list, what It is my hope that this Mark Wilson
phase and known principle list, idiosyncratic as it is, The Mark Wilson Course in Magic
necessary to a modern performer. might The Circle will stimulate discussion Lewis Ganson
[...] Bring me a person who has provide? among our Membership The Dai Vernon Book of Magic
assimilated the knowledge and encourage people to Dr Edwin A Dawes and
contained within this list and I’ll back him delve into books they have never read or would Michael Bailey
academically against the world of magic like to read again. Then, I hope that the list will Circle Without End
to-day”. circulate to other magic organisations and Martin Gardner
Obviously, in the almost eighty-five encourage those groups to develop and share Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic
intervening years the literature of magic has their own Five-Foot Shelves. We’ll see. Patrick Page
grown considerably. I know that Members who I extend my sincere thanks to those who The Big Book of Magic
have a particular interest, such as cards or joined me in giving their time and effort to this Henning Nelms
children’s magic, will have read books (or project: David Ben, Andi Gladwin, Jim Magic and Showmanship
watched DVDs) relating to that specialised area, Steinmeyer, Scott Penrose, Jonathan Allen, Jeff Jim Steinmeyer
but what are the books that would give an McBride, Graham Reed, Bob Loomis, Paul Hiding the Elephant
overall grounding in magic as a whole? Daniels, Mike Caveney, Alexander Crawford, Ken Weber
In September 2012 I wrote to twenty-three Peter Lane, Dr. Edwin Dawes, Noel Britten and Maximum Entertainment
Members of The Magic Circle, in the UK and Will Houstoun. The recommendations from the David Kaye
abroad, and asked if they would participate in individuals were often extraordinary. Seriously Silly
compiling such a list. I described the criteria as I hope you’ll look over the list, make your Juan Tamariz
being magic books all Members should have own assessments, check your shelves and, if you The Five Points in Magic
read in their lifetime – not individuals’ Ten can get to The Magic Circle Headquarters, Tommy Wonder and Stephen Minch
Favourite Magic Books. In my email, I whittled descend the steps and check out my favourite The Books of Wonder Volumes 1 and 2
Annemann’s list of thirty-seven down to eleven room in the building: the Library. l

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 211

 15 April – 13 May

MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 Nielsen who recalled Channing’s time at the MONDAY 22 APRIL 2013
A TRIBUTE TO CHANNING Chavez school. “He was shy; he didn’t smile ARTHUR BENJAMIN LECTURE
POLLOCK BY NOEL BRITTEN much – but he had huge charisma” was one of Reported by Jacob Banfield
Reported by Tim Barnes Norm’s overriding memories.
It was around this time that Channing started When I read that there was a lecture on mental
to experiment with the production of doves maths at The Magic Circle, something didn’t
after having seen Mexican magician, Cantu, quite add up. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself!)
produce doves from a serape-style sash. We However, after witnessing the awe-inspiring
saw, too, images from the dove acts of mathematical magic from Arthur Benjamin’s
Copperfield, Burton and Karvo, each of whom mind, I’m glad I went. Readers Digest described
has acknowledged their debt to Channing. Arthur as… “America’s best maths whizz”, he
Noel then took us through Channing’s rise to has given numerous TED talks and resides as
fame – including his introduction to Lew Grade the Professor of Maths at Harvey Mudd College,
who oversaw his move to Europe, three California. Therefore, he has the credentials.
appearances at the London Palladium and his Arthur jokingly began the lecture by asking
1955 Royal Command performance for HM the who had brought a calculator? Little did we
Queen. We were then treated to Channing’s full know, there was a living calculator standing on
seven-minute act on the Andy Williams Show, the stage before us. His first trick involved him
followed by a double sawing in half illusion calculating the squares of two and three digit
from a 1965 TV show. In the same year, and at numbers faster than a speeding bullet, and then
the peak of his profession, Channing Pollock he managed to decipher the missing digit of a
retired, aged just forty-three. seemingly randomly generated seven digit
Noel then welcomed to the stage Guy number. Admitting that spelling wasn’t his
Hollingworth who shared his thoughts of strong point, he proceeded to create a magic
Channing’s influence on his own career. Guy square with an audience member’s birthday in
told us how at the age of fifteen he would
come home from school, remove his tie, push
up his shirt to look like a wing collar and don a
tailcoat he had recently purchased. Then he
would repeatedly watch a video of Channing’s
performance whilst practising a sequence of
four card vanishes and productions in front of a
full-length mirror. Guy then pulled the tailcoat
Guy Hollingworth
from his bag, the same one he’d bought
On this evening we were celebrating the twenty-four years previously – it still fitted! He
magic of Channing Pollock; our host was proceeded to flawlessly perform the four-card
Noel Britten. Channing was regarded by routine from Channing’s act for the first time in
many as one of the greatest magicians of the nearly twenty-five years.
twentieth century. This was a fascinating evening about a
Born in California in 1926 he was inspired magician who Norm Nielsen described as “…
to take up magic after watching a Svengali set[ting] a standard that has never been
card pitcher at a local fayre. From there he equalled”: and of whom Robert Harbin Arthur Benjamin
invested in his art by attending the Chavez pronounced “utter perfection.” Our thanks must
School of Magic, in Los Angeles, where his go to Noel, for bringing us this long-overdue less than sixty seconds. Later in the lecture,
skill in the manipulation of cards, cigarettes tribute, and to all those Arthur revealed his method for the magic
and billiard balls was carefully honed. As part who contributed to such square and it was probably the most
of his presentation Noel shared with us a an entertaining and straightforward, easy and real way of doing it
number of rarely seen audio and video clips. informative evening. I’ve ever come across. Arthur could also work
First to speak was Channing’s friend, and out the day a person was born just by hearing
fellow magician, Patrick Martin who [The Hands on Pre-Show their date of birth. He could even tell you what
explained the early influence that Cardini had in The Devant Room day the Discoverie of Witchcraft hit the shelves
on Channing. Next was video of Norm Roy MacKenzie featured Roy MacKenzie.] of Ye Olde Booke Shoppe. After a series of

212 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 CLUB NIGHT
EVENTS
Mandy Davis MIMC CONVENOR OF REPORTS
Mark Hesketh-Jennings PHOTOGRAPHER

miraculous mental maths demonstrations, mattered and he offered many anecdotes

Arthur admitted that the material was his hard regarding some of the detailed preparations
and fast opening, the same material he’d been he sometimes went to just to be able to
doing for the last thirty years. “It works” he said. perform something ‘off the cuff’ – or land an
After the performance, we broke out into a additional performance punch on those in the
question and answer session where we know. In each case the prep was carefully
discovered that Arthur’s maths skills were explained to us and, for those requiring that
mainly self-taught, learning from none other special something, these were invariably on
than Corinda’s 13 Steps to Mentalism before he sale afterwards.
went to college. Originally he began performing The magic was good but what were of
as a children’s entertainer; however it was his even greater value were the insights from this
father who suggested he use his maths magic highly experienced performer. Physically
in a cabaret act. Arthur stated that one of the moving spectators at a reception so that they
main reasons he closes his eyes when are brought into your space, rather than have
calculating is because he didn’t want magicians the discomfort of a performer entering theirs,
to think he was using a stooge. Next we was enlightening. Approaches that condition
learned how to square two and three digit a spectator to being touched were bold and
numbers very quickly and that if you shuffle a very effective. And Greg’s response to people
deck of cards, it has probably never been who ask how it’s done was equally intriguing.
shuffled in that exact order before by anyone, Greg Wilson Out go the pat lines such as, “If I told you
ever. Something to do with the size of fifty-two then I’d have to kill you” and in come brief
factorial. Finally Arthur closed the show with emerged in stages onto blank paper with each but complex explanations of psychological
the amazing mental feat of squaring a five digit unfolding; the magnetised locking of a principles which, whilst no more revealing,
number – 74,638 to be precise. The fascinating borrowed coin onto two others; a version of really increase the level of interest.
aspect of this feat was hearing Arthur do his Alan Rorrison’s Smoke; a stretching and then A great evening – and one that really did
mental calculations out loud, a genius at work. flattened borrowed finger ring; coins in pocket offer something for everyone.
Just under three minutes later, Arthur stated the that match a total chosen by a spectator; Card
answer correctly: 5,570,831,044 – but you Warp with a coffee cup sleeve; the transposition TUESDAY 7 MAY 2013
already knew that, right? of a spoon and fork; a Rubik’s cube prediction; NOT HOW, BUT WHY –
and a jumping finger ring routine. STEVE PRICE
MONDAY 29 APRIL 2013 The most intriguing item, for this reviewer, Reported by Tim Barnes
THE GREGORY WILSON LECTURE was a wooden coffee stirrer, broken and
Reported by Tim Barnes restored, inside a Starbucks paper bag. How Secretary of The Magic Circle, Steve Price,
was it done? Well exactly as most people would promised us a lecture that focused not on
Greg Wilson commenced his lecture with a assume – based on a similar, simple trick widely tricks, and how to perform them, but his
performance of Something for Nothing, the performed by those first starting out in magic. motivation behind his choice of effects, and
super-clean, multi-phase appearance and Greg’s version, however, offered a wonderful the thinking behind their presentation.
disappearance of a poker chip. This set the ending that operated as a convincer to show First up was the Hydrostatic Glass. I’m not
standard for the evening with straightforward that it didn’t use the assumed approach, even going to explain it, Steve assured us but,
plots, seemingly impromptu effects and very though it did! following a deft performance, that’s exactly
baffling outcomes. Whilst almost all the magic was seemingly what he did. And judging by the questions –
We were also shown and taught a dozen or impromptu, each item needed either some “How do you drill the hole?” “How do you
so other miracles, including a biro that up-front prep or a special something to achieve drill it quickly?” “How do you make the
repeatedly flipped end-for-end; a banknote the result. As Greg explained to us, it’s the feke?” “Who can make it for you?” “How do
routine where the twenty pound note image perception of an effect being impromptu that you stop the drips?” – a walk-through of the
s

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 213

 THE MAGIC CIRCLE
SHOWCASE

sales
l Magic Circle Umbrella. Navy blue with silver coloured
handle and printed silver logo. Automatic opening. £14.95
l Magic Circle Playing Cards. Poker size with black backs
and gold coloured logo. £3.95 each or £6.95 for two.
l Magic Circle Key Ring. £1.95
l Postcards. Four styles depicting posters from The Circle
Collection, namely Soo, Devant, Le Roy and Hertz.
£2.00 for a set.
l Bob Read’s Magical London Map. £2.95
l Inside The Magic Circle. Souvenir booklet. £1.95
l Tie £10.00
l Moleskine pocket ruled notebook with de-bossed
Magic Circle logo, 192 pages £13.50
l Moleskine large plain notebook with de-bossed
Magic Circle logo, 240 pages £17.50

MEMBERS ONLY
*please state your Degree when ordering
l Button Badge* £3.95
l Deluxe Gilt Button Badge* £5.95
l Jewel with or without Star* £13.50
l Cufflinks* £13.95

These items can be purchased from the Showcase at

The Magic Circle Headquarters on a Club Night or can be
sent by post to your address (P&P extra). Credit cards
(Visa and Mastercard) and cheques drawn on a UK bank
accepted (cheques payable to “CMA Ltd”).

For more information Email

ShowcaseSales@[Link]
or telephone 0207 387 2222

214 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 speed that Scott managed in order to cover so
much ground.
Somewhat unfortunately he began with a
trick that involved a play on words between
‘Bayer’ which is a brand of aspirin not available
in the UK, and ‘bear.’ It was a sponge bear
routine, the bears appearing from a packet of
Bayer aspirin. The point Scott was making was
that magicians should try to think out of the
box and find offbeat presentations, not
necessarily new tricks.
We must try to find different places to work.
Scott told us that he got himself ‘ordained’
(online, and for about $35!) in order to be
licensed to officiate at marriage ceremonies.
Then, when he is booked to conduct a wedding,
Photo: Darren Tossell

he asks if the couple would like to have magical

entertainment at their party. He told us that he
is one of the few magicians in the USA who
Steve Price performs at wedding parties.
Scott performed a number of tricks and
mechanics was exactly what his audience though is the pedantic detail embedded in showed how he altered their presentation to fit
s

wanted. Steve exuded enthusiasm as he everything he does, and how some tiny tweaks in with the event at which he was appearing.
explained everything. I suspect we were always can make a big difference to the effect created. He also explained how to open a Fortune
going to get the mechanics – he just can’t help Thank you, Steve. Cookie (wrap it in a damp cloth and place in
himself – but it was the deeper level of thinking microwave for about sixty seconds) so you can
that was really fascinating. The bowl may just MONDAY 13 MAY, 2013 then put in your own prediction. We were
have been a cheap plastic one but it was a ALTERNATIVE STREAMS OF shown a book test using paperback books, that
specific translucency – see-through when empty REVENUE – SCOTT WELLS can be prepared in a few moments, and given
– whilst not being quite so – and of a perfect Reported by Geoffrey Shisler paper napkins to fold into Dan Harlan’s
size that enabled him to hold it just by his ‘Starcle.’ Scott concluded by showing us the
fingertips, yet with a strong grip. He carries a A problem that lecturers have at The Magic extra pockets he has sewn at the level of his
towel for spills, and his own soap too, enabling Circle is the need to finish before 9.00pm. Since fingers on the sides of his trousers.
his fingers to gain a better seal on the prop and we begin at 7.30 this means that almost every Scott was clearly aware of the pressures he
not trusting what may be available at his one of them has to condense what they usually was under and, perhaps, should have been
venues. Nothing was held back and the present as a two or even two-and-a-half hour content with giving us a cut-down version of his
complete outfit was on sale afterwards lecture. If a fire-drill is called, two minutes after usual lecture. Since he tried to cram in as much
including a tough carry case and also a couple you have started, this makes the task even as he could, it came across as being rather
of Steve Price promotional cards to use as mats greater – and this is exactly what happened to haphazard, and many of us left the theatre
to cover the glass! Scott Wells! But it’s only someone like him, from feeling somewhat shell-shocked from the pace
Next we saw Steve’s use of the Professor’s Houston, Texas, who could have talked at the of the evening. l
Nightmare as a way of identifying spectators
who would be suitable for the various routines
that follow. A piece with a giant deck of cards,
goggles, a loaf of bread and a toaster followed.
Again all explained in considerable detail and,
whilst the toaster was crudely gaffed with a
timer mechanism, bent coat hanger and a
super-strong spring made from a modelling
balloon, it was most effective.
Steve’s final piece was the old Multiplying
Bottles trick. There were some new moves with
multiple silks on the bottle necks, and in the
glass, all achieved through using an eight bottle
set to produce just six of the bottles. Again what
impressed was Steve’s fanatical attention to
detail, such as the use of thin strips of tape inside
the bottle necks to ensure the labels were always
perfectly orientated to the front for each bottle
reveal. I never really liked that trick, now I do!
This was a great lecture with some
thoroughly entertaining magic. What stands out Scott Wells

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 215

 416. MAGICIANS IN HULL IN THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES
Part 6. BUCK, SINCLAIR, MASKELYNE & COOKE, THE SISTERS ANDERSON, AND DR LYNN

I n July 1851 Professor J M Buck, who seemingly had previously

visited Hull with a Dissolving Diorama show, appeared at the
Queen’s Theatre with his Temple of Magic. An advertisement in
previously recorded in Rich Cabinet No 338 (Dawes, 2006)] appeared
in Hull at the Mechanics’ Institute in George Street in October 1857
and had a rather unusual style of advertisement in The Hull Packet
The Hull Packet on 4 July announced: on 16 October.

OPENING OF THE QUEEN’S THEATRE MR. SINCLAIR’S NOTICES

ON SATURDAY NIGHT
BY PROFESSOR BUCK MR. SINCLAIR, Wizard of all Wizards
All the World is going to the Wizard’s Temple of Wonder, Mystery, MR. SINCLAIR, Love’s greatest Rival in Ventriloquism.
Delusion, and Magic.
FACTS ARE STUBBORN THINGS! COME AND SEE, AND JUDGE FOR MR. SINCLAIR will present to his audience every Evening during his stay
YOURSELVES! in Hull, very valuable Gifts, consisting of first-class Gold
SUSPENSION BY ETHER! and Silver Watches, Time Pieces, Electro-plated and China
Professor J. M. Buck will, for the Second Time here, Exhibit his grand Tea Services, Easy Chairs, Bedsteads, Chimney Glasses,
Dissolving Diorama of Sacred, Alpine and Rural Scenery. Papier Mache Tables, Trays, Writing Desks, Work Boxes &c.
Gallery 3d, Pit 6d., Lower Boxes 1s. Private Boxes 1s.6d. Silk Moire Antique Dresses, and innu-merable other Gifts.
Doors open at Half-past Seven, performance to commence at Eight,
and terminate at Eleven. MR. SINCLAIR will shortly give his Entertainment for The benefit of the
Indian Sufferers and the Hull General Infirmary, when the
According to Clarke (2001), Buck was or posed as a Frenchman and whole of the proceeds will be devoted to these
first came to notice as a member of a variety company at the Strand benevolent objects.
Theatre, London, in 1837. He toured as Buck and Le Bucke in the early
1840s and “with some success” between 1851 and 1853. It has been MR. SINCLAIR, the renowned Flutinist.
claimed that Buck was the father of William George Smith of Bristol, a
conjurer who adopted the name of Döbler around 1865. MR. SINCLAIR, – Go and see his Wonders.
The magician Mr Sinclair, Wizard of all Wizards [who we have
Photo: TMC Archive

J N Maskelyne plate spinning

216 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 A RICH CABINET OF
MAGICAL CURIOSITIES
Edwin A Dawes MIMC

It will be seen that Sinclair had adopted the Gift Show format in order to there is chance in the matter – 500 to 1. I have heard nothing about
attract audiences and this led to a long engagement with an unhappy being paid for my evidence. Detective Coulson said, on leaving on the
sequel, as we shall see. night in question, “Have you paid 6d for this nonsense, or to get a
The Local Intelligence column of The Hull Packet (4 December) noted at prize.” I answered, “to get a prize of course.” Next day I received my
the Mechanics’ Institute: “Mr. Sinclair, Wizard and Ventriloquist, is still summons.
giving away monstrous gifts. Legs of mutton (for Sunday lunch), tea, After some further evidence to the like effect,
coffee, sugar, tons of coal.” Mr Stipendiary TRAVIS said – He found the defendant guilty of
But on 1 January 1858 the same newspaper reported: keeping a lottery, contrary to the statute. For that offence he could now
commit him for THREE MONTHS. He would, however, suspend the
CONVICTION OF MR. SINCLAIR, judgement on Mr Sinclair’s promising not to repeat the offence in this
THE WIZARD, OF KEEPING A LOTTERY. borough, and more particularly on his promising that the public
Charles Sinclair was charged with gambling. proceedings announced for the next evening would not be held.
Mr ROBERTS, who defended, wished to ask the opinion of the magistrate Mr Sinclair immediately made that promise.
as to whether the Acts of Parliament under which the present information Mr TRAVIS said the warrant would be made out, but its execution
was laid were not repealed by subsequent ones? Mr R quoted the acts to suspended. If the proceedings advertised for the next evening were
which he referred. performed, the police would have orders to take the defendant into
Mr TRAVIS, the stipendiary magistrate, said he was clearly of the custody.
opinion that such was not the case, and that he had full authority to Mr Sinclair said they certainly would not. He begged to thank the
adjudicate in the matter. magistrate for his decision, with which he was exceedingly well
Mr ROBERTS requested that a note of the objection might be taken. satisfied; and as a mark of his gratitude, and also of his regard for the
Mr TRAVIS said he would do so; but at the same time he promised that poor of Hull, he begged permission to
if the defendant was convicted he would send him to prison as sure as fate. hand to his worship a five pound
Mr ROBERTS hoped his client would not be convicted. note to put into the poor-box.
The evidence was then proceeded with: Mr TRAVIS declined receiving the
Frededrick George Cooper, marine store dealer, Salthouse-lane, was the money, and the defendant, having
first witness called, and said: – I appear here by summons as a witness. I paid the expenses, left the court.
attended the Mechanics’ Institute last week. I have been three times
altogether. I was there on Thursday night last. There was an entertainment Maskelyne and Cooke, who had
which lasted about an hour, after which, the prizes were given away. In started their entertainment in 1865,
the first place I gave 6d for a ticket of admission, after which, at a second paid their first visit to Hull in
door, I got a second ticket, with a number on it, in exchange for the first. November 1868 at the Public Rooms
At the end of the performance Mr Sinclair had a box full of tickets, out of in Jarratt Street, and The Hull Packet
which he drew a number and called it out, and the party who held the on the twenty-seventh of that month
corresponding number got the prize. Before putting his hand into the box carried a report of their show.
he said “Now this is for the pig.” On the night in question there were
four live pigs given away. The same plan was continued throughout the “This week Messrs Maskelyne and
whole of the prizes. The performance commences at seven o’clock, lasts Cooke have been giving at the Public
while nine o’clock, and the gifts are given away until ten o’clock. I should Rooms, before large audiences, what
say there were 2,000 persons present. Hundreds have to go away without they very properly call a ‘melange of
any prize. It is the prizes that draws the large audiences. If he had no science and mystery.’ It is an
prizes he would not have twelve persons. astonishing exhibition; the feats performed quite bewilder the
Cross-examined – I felt disappointed because I did not receive a prize. audience. The juggling tricks and illusions are gone through in a very
According to the terms of the placard I expected one. If I had not skilful manner, not to be surpassed. Mr. Maskelyne exhibits the
expected a prize I should not have gone. I cannot say whether prizes is Japanese Butterfly trick, top spinning, &c., in a way quite equal to that
mentioned in his bills or not. I will not swear whether it is “gifts” or of the original performers, and shows himself to be an expert juggler.
“prizes.” As I entered the room, one party took my ticket, for which I had The ‘decapitation extraordinary’ is a wonderful illusion, so much so that
paid 6d, and another person gave me a numbered ticket. I consider that the less strong-minded members of the audience turned their heads
s

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 217

s away, not having ‘nerve’ sufficient to witness the apparent beheading From 7-19 July 1873 The Sisters Anderson, Daughters of Professor
of a real man. The scene ‘Lady and the Gorilla’ is an astonishing one, the Anderson, who had seceded in the previous year from their father’s show,
performers undergoing the most astounding metamorphosis. were at the Public Rooms in Jarratt Street with their new Mystical Séance
The feats exhibited in this scene are similar those performed by the ‘Wonderland’. Although not named in the advertisement, they were Lizzie,
Davenport Brothers. Messrs Maskelyne and Cooke are bound hands and Ada, Sophie and Louise and proffered Second Sight, the Japanese
feet, placed in the ‘mysterious cabinet,’ after it had been inspected by a Butterflies, the Rings of Witchcraft, An Angel’s Flight through Mid-air and
committee from the audience, and they extricate themselves immediately One Hundred other Feats of Magic and Mystery, all of which they had
the doors are closed. They are also locked and corded in a box and a performed in their father’s shows.
barrel, and escape in a like manner. The performance is varied each The Christmas of 1873 brought to the Public Rooms in Jarrett Street
evening and will be continued every night during the coming week, what actually was the last visit of the Great Wizard of the North to Hull,
with the exception of Monday.” with Professor Anderson’s Great Holiday Entertainment ‘World of Magic;
or, A Night in Wonder-World.’ The ailing Wizard had been recuperating
The enterprising duo returned in 1871 with their ‘Melange of Science from the illness that cut short his engagement in York in October 1873,
and Mystery’ and the reviewer for The Hull Packet again gave them a but was still too weak to present the whole show himself and for part of
knowledgeable and very good report. the programme sat on a chair on-stage while his principal assistant Alfred
Holmes performed the tricks, assisted by Miss Maggie, the Great
“Messrs Maskelyne and Cooke have been astonishing and delighting Enchantress, as the Oracle of Delphi, and Miss Victoria, the Electric
large audiences at the Public Rooms, and the Phenomenon.
entertainment they provide is such as none The show opened on 26 December and
should omit witnessing. We cannot promised New and Astounding Revelations
conscientiously say that the illusions performed of the Humbug Spiritualism, introducing the
are either new or original, but they have Phantom Drum, Spiritual Bell and Rapping
decidedly the merit of enabling all classes and Table. The Davenport Brothers were to be
ages to spend a thoroughly enjoyable evening, eclipsed by The Mysterious Manacles of the
while the neatness and dexterity with which Rosicrucians and the Wonderful Chest of
the various tricks are performed defy detection. Cagliostro, in which Holmes would escape
Messrs Maskelyne and Cooke come before the from the Manacles and enter the smallest
public with the special advantage of having box (covered, corded and sealed up) that had
improved on the opportunities afforded them ever been exhibited before the British Public.
by the scientific discoveries of men such as Doubtless Holmes’s previous experience as
Professor Pepper; and in a jaunty, but the contortionist Flexmore served him well in
unostentatious, way they turn them to this last feat. On 12 January it was
profitable account. To wit, the Protean Cabinets announced that a new item had been added
wherein is enacted the exciting scene of to the repertoire, The Fairy and the Gorilla.
‘Beauty and the Beast.’ However, the This would appear to be a version of
performances throughout are so thoroughly Maskelyne & Cooke’s The Fair Lady and the
good in themselves, that they not only amuse Monster Gorilla and, if so, would be the last
the eye and puzzle the wit, but disarm the item of the many that Anderson copied
criticism of the cleverest among us. There is one during his long career. The season continued
especial recommendation to favour which these Dr Lynn until 24 January, although Anderson
performers merit, and it is this – they do not foist themselves upon the travelled to London on Thursday 22 January, leaving Holmes to carry the
public either as ‘mediums’ or ‘spiritual’ agents. Had the Davenport show; it is not clear whether Sir Henry Cooper, his Hull-based medical
Brothers done the same they would have acted wisely, and have saved adviser, was in London at the time or whether he was seeking another
themselves much ignominy and contempt. As it was, they chose to medical opinion.
assume – clever as they were, and we have seen none to equal them in From Hull Anderson moved to Darlington to fulfil his next engagement,
ocular deceptiveness – they preferred to have it supposed that some and he died there on 4 February.
occult power directed their movements; but as is usually the case with our Dr Lynn was the next magician to arrive at the Public Hall in Jarratt Street
practical strong-minded islanders, they came to grief. Astounding as were heralded by a long advertisement in The Hull Packet on 7 January 1876:
their illusions at first sight, they provoked stern enquiry, both from
scientific knowledge and common sense, the result of which was the DR. LYNN
expulsion of those experts from a free-thinking country. However, as The Wonder Worker of Ancient and Modern Mysteries,
Barnum tells us, John Bull likes to be humbugged; and the puzzles which whose performance, says the Times, is
Maskelyne and Cooke have in store are such as delight while they THE MOST WONDERFUL AND AMUSING
astonish all who witness them, whether juveniles or ‘children of larger that ever composed an Evening’s Entertainment, and
growth.’ Some capital sketches are given in exposition of ‘spiritualist the Standard says nothing in the time of the Pharoahs
manifestations’; the pretty butterfly trick is so explained that a child may ever created such profound astonishment, gave
practise it after the directions given; and, in fact, the whole programme is TWELVE SEANCES WEEKLY
brimful of entertainment and instruction. Mr Behnard is a clever AT THE
ventriloquist, and his mimicry is original and laughable in the extreme. The EGYPTIAN HALL, LONDON, FOR
encouragement shown to these artistes has been such that they are NEARLY THREE YEARS.
induced to remain open a few evenings longer, and we can safely promise These Marvellous Seances attracted people from all parts of the
those who attend an unusual and agreeable treat.” World, and even the celebrated P.T. Barnum admitted that he never

218 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

 as there are some nice subtitles included as

REVIEWS well as some alternative handlings.

The only real negative for this effect, which
is referenced by Dan during the tuition, is
that it’s best viewed straight on by two to
three spectators. If you have a larger crowd
that surrounds you, then you won’t be
performing this effect. The rings are also
Lewis Starnes MMC pretty chunky, fitting in perfectly for a
performer far cooler than I who wears a few
silver rings with various designs. However, on
my un-jewelled hand, I can’t help but feel
GROWING RING Thomas’ Ring Thing or his Banded effect, this slightly conspicuous wearing it.
by Dan Hauss may be a fitting finale for you. If you already perform some ring effects
Props with instructional DVD. $35 (£23) You receive what appear to be two good this could be a good ‘impromptu’ effect for
from your favourite dealer. Dealers contact quality ungimmicked silver finger rings (not real smaller audiences and great climax for your
Murphy’s Magic supplies, silver presumably given the price of this existing routine. If you don’t, I’m not sure this
[Link]. package). One ring is a standard size for single effect, on its own, is enough to
Reviewed by Lewis Starnes an average gent’s finger whilst the suggest you think about changing this.
second is the oversized jumbo
As the title suggests, the magician ring. The third item you receive COMBUSTION
lets the audience examine his finger allows you to make up a gimmick by Arron Jones
ring before retrieving it and which mimics the rings you receive Props with instructional DVD. $31.50 (£21)
proceeding to ‘grow’ the ring visually and delivers the all-important from your favourite dealer. Dealers contact
in front of the spectators. Once the ‘growing’ aspect to this little illusion. The Murphy’s Magic supplies,
ring has stopped growing it can be accompanying DVD teaches you the relatively [Link].
handed out for examination in its ‘jumbo’ ring straight forward sleight-of-hand needed to pull Reviewed by Lewis Starnes
form. My first thought is if you perform this off convincingly. The teaching is thorough
routines with your own ring, such as Garret and you can tell the routine has been worked in Combustion was one of the sell-out DVDs at

s
saw the equal of Dr. Lynn. The whole Press of England and the produces an egg, and when, in the course of the performance the egg
United Kingdom, as well as the American, French, German, gets broken, he seeks permission of the gentleman to get another, and
Australian, and, in fact, the press in every portion of the globe, have once more produces another egg from the gentleman’s chin, asking him
also freely admitted that “if this is a fresh-laid one?”
DR. LYNN HAS NO EQUAL IN THE MYSTIC “A beautiful trick is performed with flowers. Any person in the audience
ART MODE OF PERFORMANCE calls out the name of a flower, and when a goodly number has been
Original and Witty Sayings. mentioned the whole of them, in the shape of a beautiful bouquet, are
N.B.- Dr. Lynn has presented his illusions in presence produced from a flower-pot over which a hat has been placed, and which
of the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, flower-pot has been previously submitted to the inspection of the audience.”
and other members of the Royal Family. “Some extraordinary spiritual manifestations are presented, and after
each astounding feat, Dr Lynn exclaims, “Oh! That is nothing to what you
There followed six quotations from The Times, Illustrated London News, will see.” And truly, each feat surpasses the preceding one. Altogether Dr.
The Standard, Daily Telegraph, Lancet, and Land and Water all testifying Lynn presents such an entertainment to the public of Hull as to excite
to his remarkable attributes. their wondering faculties to the utmost. And every one who wishes for an
In the same issue appeared the following review of the show: intellectual treat should take an early opportunity of visiting this
miracle-working gentleman.”
“DR. LYNN IN HULL – A great master of the art of legerdemain is at
present in Hull, and he proves his mastership by the neat and simple He couldn’t have wished for a better review! l
manner in which he laughingly deceives his audience. With a ready fund
of wit, he at once puts himself en bon accord with his audience, whom he (To be continued)
pretends to take into his confidence, only to turn around and laugh good
humouredly at them. Each evening a varied programme is presented, and REFERENCES
some of Dr. Lynn’s feats are simply astounding. “See the simplicity of it,” Clarke, S.W. (2001) The (Annotated) Annals of Conjuring. Seattle: Miracle
says Dr. Lynn. And one naturally looks out for a flaw in the execution Factory.
which shall lead to the “way in which it’s done,” but all efforts at Dawes, E.A. (2006). The Magic Circular 100, 392-394.
discovery are vain, and Dr. Lynn looks into the puzzled faces around him
with a most provoking air. Most professord of this art are accompanied by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
a paraphernalia of apparatus, but this gentleman ignores all such aid in I am grateful to David Hibberd for the use of images from The Magic
the larger number of his tricks. For instance, walking up quietly to a Circle Archive in this series and to Michael Dawes for his assistance with
gentleman in the audience, he touches the gentleman’s chin and newspaper searches.

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 219

s this year's Blackpool convention. It has probably best to set aside a full afternoon and LIBER MENTIS: PSYCRETS
recently had its first TV airing make two or three times this amount if you're BRITISH SOCIETY OF MYSTERY
and you can find a clip serious about the effect as the prep process is ENTERTAINERS 2007 – 2012
on YouTube by quite involved. Edited by Steve Drury
searching for The second drawback for me is the safety 387 page casebound book with b&w
‘Arron Jones aspect of the trick. For starters you'll need a photographs and illustrations. £100 plus p&p
Combustion.’ If well-ventilated area to do the preparation – available from
you don’t have the using your kitchen or living room could be [Link]/spotlight/psycrets
World Wide Web dangerous. You'll also need to consider where Reviewed by Will Houstoun
handy, the effect is as you safely store the kit after use, as you
follows: a match is lit and wouldn’t want the household items that were Psycrets is a British organisation for people with
blown out by the performer before used slipping back into everyday use. Again, this an interest in mentalism, bizarre magic,
being handed to the spectator. After thirty could be dangerous and the DVD has been hypnotism, storytelling, readings, spiritualist
seconds or so the match begins to smoke listed as an 18 certificate for a reason! performance, and other similar forms of magic
before bursting back into flames. It really is as One final consideration is that during tied under the banner of ‘mystery
clean as described; you can be ten or twenty performance you'll need to keep an eye on your entertainments’. To celebrate their fifth
feet away from the spectator or even in another props because if one of the prepped matches anniversary, the organisation has published a
room and the match will still inexplicably crumbles, without your noticing, the entire collection of routines, essays and ideas in Liber
reignite. matchbox could combust in your pocket. An Mentis.
“What's the catch?” I hear you cry. Well, unlikely scenario, but certainly something to As the contributors to Liber Mentis are not
there are two drawbacks to the trick. Firstly, consider. just magicians a large range of material is
there is a significant amount of preparation If you're sensible, have somewhere you can covered. Of the forty-five items in the book the
needed that requires a variety of products. Most prepare this, and the effect appeals to you, majority are traditional mentalism or bizarre
of these can be found around the house but I would encourage you to check this out as it magic but there are also a good number of
two key ingredients will be trickier to source really could come across as unbelievable essays as well as just under ten pieces about
and you'll need to get online or head to a impromptu magic with everyday objects. If, presenting readings. Personally, I dislike the idea
specific retailer. For £15-20 you should have all however, you are averse to lengthy preparation of giving people advice that may substantially
you need. Arron suggests you can prep twenty and possible fire hazards, probably one to affect the course of their life, especially when
or so ‘performances’ in an hour, but it’s avoid. the validity of the advice is demonstrated using

MY FAVOURITE variety acts and includes some scandals!

Michael maintains a very enjoyable patter during his comedy act and
BOOKS so chose Just Say a Few Words by Bob Monkhouse which contains
great lines and starters. Continuing at a great rate, Michael talked
Michael Pearse AIMC about his juggling which was self-taught: Juggling or How to
Become a Juggler by Rupert Ingalese was very useful at this time
Reported by Terry Wright AIMC
along with The Art of Modern Juggling by Anglo aka Angelo T
Horton, “a man whose life finished with a suspended sentence.” But
when it became time for Michael to teach juggling to others, now in
The first magician that Michael ever saw perform was magician/quick Bromley, Kent, then George DeMott’s Want to be a Juggler was a
change artist/mentalist/juggler/mentor to Billy McComb, Edgar Benyon. great teaching tool.
So his first book was Same Man Different Clothes! by James V Reilly. Michael moved on to his favourite parts of magic starting with The
Inspired by Edgar, Michael became an amateur magician and toured Ring & Rope Book by Phillip R Willmarth and a demonstration of how
with The Great Virgil and (not to forget as she was essential to the act) to knot a loose ring onto a rope in one move. He continued to talk
Julie. His second book was therefore The Great Virgil by David about the borderline between magic and juggling and chose The Dice
Charvet and ‘Julie’, which reminds him of those times. The future Mrs Stacking Book by Todd Strong as book number twelve. It was no
Pearse was also touring with the troupe and can be seen as the Ring surprise that Knot Throwing by Bill Fry followed with more skilled
Master on page 167 of the book. Whilst touring, Michael learned much demonstrations and then The Great Wong’s Routine for Chinese
about the performing world and enjoys Famous Magicians of the Rings by Tudor Brock (Ed: Fergus Roy). Commenting that he was at The
World by Arnold Furst as he remembers the world in which those Magic Circle, he chose tricks in Card
famous magicians lived. His fourth book was a bound copy of Concepts by Arthur MacTier for fun and
Stanyon’s Magic Magazine, a really good description of magic and demonstrations, but not really for Michael’s
magic performances of the time, a compilation which led Michael to public performances. Finally his sixteenth
say that: “there is, almost, nothing new in magic.” book was The Art of Close-Up Magic by
As his career progressed Michael took up juggling with magic more Lewis Ganson. He finished with the
of a sideline and so his next book was Juggling: The Art and Its comment that there are many brilliant tricks
Artists by Karl Heinz Ziethen and Andrew Allen. Variety, such as the in this last book, tricks no longer seen but
Leeds City Varieties, became a major part of his life especially when which should be picked up again, and all
Michael arrived in Birmingham. His sixth book was Michael Kilgarriff’s those practising magic should learn from
Grace, Beauty & Banjos, a book which describes many interesting the book. A true tour de force.

220 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

a magic trick. This means there are several items your business card, the prediction is correct. The well be applicable to the walk-around close-up
that I dislike – although I can imagine their clever bit is that you have also secretly performer. Daniele Nigris also provides an
effectiveness. discovered the spectator’s age and house interesting essay about the power of universal
Ignoring my own bias against the psychic or number, without either figure ever being spoken questions.
‘real’ material, Liber Mentis does contain a out loud! In addition to the items already mentioned
fantastic range of different routines, ideas and Doc Hilford’s contribution will be of interest there are other interesting effects and essays
opinions from a great selection of contributors. to both historians and performing magicians. from the likes of Barrie Richardson, Banachek,
One of the first items that really stood out for Hilford shares a routine that was used by Atlas Brooks, Bob Percy, Professor BC, Drew
me is a technique used to secretly gather Hitler’s psychic, the infamous Erik Jan Hanussen, McAdam and Marc Paul.
information on a spectator that David Berglas that is both historically and practically The production values of the book are pretty
contributed. You claim intriguing. Alexander Marsh’s Two Tenners is much standard for print on demand, which is
that you have the another exceedingly clever, if slightly less less than you might hope for with a price tag of
ability to foretell a polished idea. Marsh’s routine is based around over $150. Of course it is the material that you
randomly generated a switch of the performer’s banknote for the are paying for and I think that most people who
number and write a spectator’s in which they will perform the entire read Liber Mentis will find at least some of the
prediction on the back switch and still be fooled! contributions thought provoking. At the price,
of your business card. Moving to essays and concepts, Scott however, I think that only those with an
A number is generated Grossberg and Sheila Lyons provide two incredibly serious interest in everything that falls
in the fairest possible interesting pieces that examine the practicalities under the ‘mystery entertainments’ banner will
way and, when the of offering readings to large groups of people. get enough value from the book to choose it
spectator looks at Both examine different techniques that could over many other currently available offerings.l

THE MAGIC
I recently received a request to change the photograph that
accompanies this column, as apparently I look too happy for the sad
CIRCLE CARES
news that usually follows. A straw poll of ‘Monday Nighters’ however
suggests that most Members don’t want me looking glum, so perhaps David Hatch MMC
the answer is for readers to send me more items of good news!

Fortunately I can begin with some positive news. Michael Symes

MIMC has been given the all-clear by his doctors and we hope he can I have one death to report this month, that of Vinicio Raimondi AIMC
begin to enjoy life to the full again. Mel Moore MMC is responding to in Italy. Performing under the name Magus Junior he was particularly
chemotherapy, and at his last visit the cubicle curtain was drawn back well-known for his cigarette illusions. He was formerly director of the
to reveal all his nurses lined up to congratulate him on his ninetieth Italian Magic News.
birthday. It’s good to know that there is a warm heart buried
somewhere in the NHS. Peter Scarlett MIMC’s wife is now home from Just a thought: “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can
hospital but he may need to have a stair lift fitted. afford to be stupid with them”. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Bill Jenner MMC is unable to get to the Headquarters on Monday Contact Addresses:
nights as his wife needs twenty-four hour care, but he does manage to (see website for Members’ details)
get to Bexhill magic club. Bob Auld AIMC, one of the longest serving
members of The Magic Circle tech crew had a relapse after initially If you hear of Members or their families who are sick or facing hard
making good progress following brain surgery. After re-admission to times please contact:
hospital for emergency surgery he is now home with his wife, Sue, but David Hatch MMC (Welfare Officer)
can’t drive pending revue of his condition. Roy Field AIMC tells me 6 Darnley Road, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 9HU
that his wife has fallen and broken her leg, forcing him to become her T 020 8504 4134
carer. Francesco de Cristofaro MMC (Franco) is also suffering E WelfareOfficer@[Link]
health problems. Henry Lewis MIMC is visiting Dr Ian Fletcher AIMC
regularly and tells me that he is becoming increasingly frail. Bob Chaplaincy:
Wooding AIMC, whose wife has been in poor health, now fears his son Revd Peter Liddelow AIMC
may be developing Multiple Sclerosis. Malcolm Carmichael, the 23 Kings Road, Barnet, Herts, EN5 4EF
steward whose cheerful face greets us on Monday nights, has also T: 020 8441 2968
been having treatment, but is hopefully well on the way to recovery by E: Chaplain@[Link]
the time this issue is printed. Jean Purdy MMC, recovering from a hip Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler MMC
replacement, suffered the misfortune of having her house struck by 10 St Petersburgh Place, Bayswater, London W2 4LB
lightning, causing fairly devastating damage. Fortunately no-one was T: 020 7229 6215
injured. We send our good wishes to all these Members. E: Geoffreyshisler@[Link]

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 221

 MINUTES

Wednesday 1 May 2013

MINUTES OF THE MAGIC amended their websites. Bristol iv Promotions – none team satisfy themselves that the
CIRCLE COUNCIL MEETING Trading Standards were actively v. Correspondence: candidate was reasonably likely to
HELD AT THE involved with one outstanding case. A letter had been received pass their MMC exam in that
HEADQUARTERS 6.34pm BS said an item could be placed in regarding the administration of period and (iii) approval by Council
the Circular asking people to keep Young Magician of the Year of each election as
PRESENT an eye on others to prevent passing Competition tickets. On Associate/Apprentice. AC proposed,
Jack DELVIN (arr 7.46pm) off. investigation, it appears that FP seconded. For AC, FP, KD, SH, KP,
Brian SIBLEY (Chair) RP asked for an update on online matinee and evening tickets SK, AM, SP. Against MD, JF, KR, StP,
Scott PENROSE (SP) voting. SH said he would try to get had not been kept separate. We RP
Steve PRICE (Hon Sec) an accurate timescale. StP said have not had similar issues
Stephen KENNARD Council and Returning Officer all with the Christmas show or 8. CLUB NIGHT COMMITTEE
(Hon Treasurer) keen to proceed. BS said any online Stage Magician of the Year Council thanked Noel Britten for his
Keith PAIN voting would be alongside ballot Competition and therefore input over the past few years. MD
Mandy DAVIS papers as there are a number of Council are happy to continue said we have a programme through
Kevin DOIG (arr 6.57pm) members who are not online. JF using the same ticketing to September, but we need
Alexander CRAWFORD said we need to encourage company. KD mentioned that someone to take over now. RP said
(arr 6.54pm) members to stand for Council. some tickets had been sent out we need new blood. FP said we
Fay PRESTO SP reported that CMA could and then cancelled with the should ask on Monday nights. MD
Will HOUSTOUN engrave MIMC jewels with the message replacements were to said committee members need to
Alan MASKELL recipient’s name (and date if follow but these never arrived. be active. JF said a request could be
Katherine RHODES (arr 6.55pm) desired) with the cost to be borne A letter had been received from put in The Circular.
Sebastian HUNT by TMC. This could be done going Joy Ball thanking Council for
Richard PINNER forward, but not retrospectively. JF condolences expressed on the 9. MINUTE TAKING
James FREEDMAN (who proposed the initiative) death of David Ball, MIMC. David Weeks will stand down from
offered to assist so that previous minute taking in September.
David WEEKS (minutes Secretary) recipients could also benefit and 6. MISLEADING PUBLICITY Council need to consider a
TMC could raise funds. SP to liaise Following discussion, it was agreed replacement now.
1. APOLOGIES with CMA to move this forward. that general guidelines for
Andrew EBORN, Matthew SP had produced posters owned members be printed in the Magic 10. ANNUAL GATHERING OF
GARRETT, Will HOUSTOUN by TMC on canvas. Those with input Circular. JF offered to draft and 50 YEARS + MEMBERS
could contact Darren Tossell. bring these to Council. An offer to re-launch the annual
2. DEATHS SK reported that a meeting with gathering had been received. JF
Ed Hill MMC. Members of HS2 will take place next week. 7. POSSIBLE proposed that CMA should donate
Council stood in silence as a Information would be fed back at RE-INTRODUCTION OF the use of TMC Headquarters. BS said
mark of respect. the next Council meeting. ASSOCIATES/APPRENTICES we should pursue this in principle.
In the absence of MG, AC proposed FP agreed to help provide input.
3. MINUTES 5. SECRETARY’S REPORT that Council approve this in
On a proposal by AM, seconded i New Members – (See attached principle, and subject to seeing the 11. DEVON MAGIC CIRCLE’S
by KP, the minutes of the schedule) final wording, that a rule change be 65TH ANNIVERSARY
meeting held on 3rd April were ii Reinstatements. John Wilkinson proposed for the AGM that would Ozzy Dee had written asking
approved with amendment. MMC, David Monk MMC, Carl allow the re-introduction of whether it might be possible to
Those who did not attend the Pettman AIMC, Masayoshi Associates or Apprentices (with the arrange a visit for approx 25
last meeting abstained. Tsuchiya MMC, Michael name to be finalised), with the members of Devon Magic Circle. JF
Williams MMC following explicit restrictions: (i) a reminded Council of the existing
4. MATTERS ARISING iii Resignations. Robert Martin strict two year maximum term limit on the number of guests that
StP reported that 6 non-members AIMC, Gerald Hughes MMC, available once per person, (ii) a may attend Club Nights. JD
passing-off as TMC members had Stuart Fell AIMC requirement that the examination proposed removing the cap on

222 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

visitor numbers. Seconded by JF. for our members. StP suggested be produced using performers from one too many. SP said with 8 acts
Agreed unanimously. “Find a consultant” webpage. It the show. + a guest act would be too
MD asked if we would charge was agreed to continue the FP expressed concern over the much. It also allowed the bar to
our standard £15. RP said we could discussion at the next Council response we give to members of be open twice. The proposal is to
invite them to perform for us. StP meeting to allow time for all the public asking for “free shows”. run the competition again in 18
said there was nothing in the relevant details of the Find a FP will talk to Peter Scarlett who months time (autumn / winter
correspondence to indicate that Magician initiative to be collated. handles enquiries. 2014) as the competition had
they were necessarily wanting to AM reported a good YMOTY been delayed this time round.
perform. MD said that the Regional 14. REPORTS competition. Sebastian Walton was JD suggested a web based
Rep might be well placed to choose AC circulated a report from CMA the winner and had accepted the initiative targeting magicians and
any performers. Committee regarding discussions Irving Schneider award to attend bona-fide students of magic
It was agreed that StP would between TMC and CMA in relation Jeff McBride’s school next year. Jeff which he felt could raise public
invite Devon members to attend a to the proposed new agreements. McBride had donated a copy of his awareness of TMC and drive
Monday night. Club Night AC proposed we approve the Showdoctor book to TMC libary. traffic to our website. JF had
Committee will help arrange an proposals and the route to Many thanks to PRO Darren Tossell previously raised a connected
appropriate date and event. completion set out in the report, for arranging TV, radio and idea and suggested that perhaps
seconded by StP. All in favour. SP, newspaper coverage. the two could be combined. JD
12. PUBLICITY STUNT JD, MD and JF abstained (SP and JD SP reported that Davenport’s and JF will liaise and report back
A proposal for a publicity stunt to on CMA board). Magic Kingdom is opening in North to Council.
promote a magic show had been AC reported that Marvin’s Magic Walsham later this month. They had
made to Council. RP thanked SP for do not wish to renew the licencing requested a copy of the David Meeting ended
the work he did investigating the agreement relating to magic sets. Devant film footage, produced by 10.02pm
viability of the stunt. Council AC and SK will agree the Bob Hamilton. Council agreed, Date and time of
decided that, whilst it would have termination process with Marvin’s subject to a 2 year license (which next meeting: Tuesday
liked to assist the member in Magic. would terminate if Davenport’s 4 June 2013 at 6.30pm
promoting the show, the proposed CMA have again requested Magic Kingdom closed). TMC HQ
stunt was not appropriate. Council to waive the requirement The Stage Magician of the Year
Nevertheless, Council wished the for an audit of CMA’s accounts. Last Competition was won by Piff the New members on
performer the best. year a similar request was granted, Magic Dragon (John van der Put) 1 May 2013
however on a proposal by SK, with James More second and Oliver
13. POLICY REGARDING seconded by AC, it was agreed that Tabor third. The Devant room was
CONSULTANCY WORK it would be inappropriate to waive deliberately left half-empty for the
TMC had received a request for a the requirement for a formal audit public to enter, but it felt closed off.
magical consultant. When a request for a second year. All in favour FP said having two intervals was
for a magician is made, clients are except SP and JD who abstained
directed to our “Find a magician” (as they are CMA board members).
webpage. TMC cannot be put in a KP reported that 12 dealers are
position of “recommending” booked for Dealers Day. A further
anyone as a consultant. The nine are required before the event
possibility of commission being breaks even. FP had suggested an
paid back to TMC for work received evening event following the Dealer
as a consultant was raised but AC Day. RP (in charge of public events)
said that TMC is not an agent and offered to consider all proposals.
accordingly if any remuneration MD was willing to arrange an Ali
was received it should be solely a Bongo Show and KR happy to
directory listing fee (as with “find a consider a members event too. JF
magician” to avoid any suggestion offered to speak with them all and
of endorsement, but suggested to collate ideas to be brought back to
enhance the quality of information Council.
supplied to potential clients, RP said we are planning 15
members could submit CVs which Christmas shows this year (+ one
could be supplied. JD said we are charity show). Tickets would be £30
not a union. We do not find work each. A “learn a trick” DVD would

[Link] JULY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 223

 July Monday 15
FORTHCOMING TABITHA WEBB AND CHRIS WARDLE
Tabitha Webb will join us to share the secrets of stage presence. She is

CLUB EVENTS well qualified on the subject from her early success as choirgirl of the
year, through her experience playing the lead part of Christine in the
West End production of Phantom of the Opera and her role in the
recent film adaptation of Les Mis. Tabby will be demonstrating her
singing talents for our entertainment and then relating her stagecraft
July 2013 skills to the world of the magician.

Chris Wardle has had his effects appear in magazines, books and even
on stage and TV. Here he will explain how to make some useful utility
props and tricks, all with minimal DIY skill! Covering close-up,
mentalism and children’s show items, there will be something which
every Member can use.

July Monday 22

T he Headquarters is open on Club Nights from 3:00pm until

10:30pm. Unless otherwise stated, events start promptly at 7:30pm
and are scheduled to finish between 8:45pm and 9pm.
TODD LANDMAN AND FRIENDS
Join Todd Landman and other members of Psycrets: The British Society
of Mystery Entertainers ([Link]) for an evening of
Club Nights are principally for Members, so entry is by Membership mentalism. The evening will include a variety of performance pieces
Card. A bona fide magician guest may attend any evening that is not and explanations ranging from ‘straight ahead’ mentalism to deeper
marked ‘Members Only’ on condition that he or she is able to show forms of mystery entertainment. The line-up features Looch (fresh back
membership of a magical society. A non-magician guest may only from his Penguin Magic Lecture), Barry ‘Magic of the Mind’ Cooper,
attend evenings that are marked as ‘Show’. Guests may only attend Simon Shaw (creator of Director’s Cut), and Alex McAleer (creator of
two evenings a year. No guest may attend unless the CMA is told Hybrid Mentalism, Triptych, and Three Envelope Test).
in advance, so if you wish to bring a guest please phone
(020) 7387 2222. All guests must pay a £15 entry fee at the door and
respect our Conventions. Indeed, it is your duty as their sponsor to Please note that with so many speakers this evening will start at the
ensure that they do. The Magic Circle reserves the right to refuse entry. earlier time of 6:30pm.
See our website for all the latest event details and to subscribe to a
weekly email reminder of upcoming events. July Monday 29
DR MATT PRITCHARD AND IAN VALLANCE
This is a night for Science and Magic. Dr Matt Pritchard is an
July Monday 1 award-winning magician, comedian and science & maths
GEORGE KOVARI AND TIM SAIET communicator. His amazing performances both inspire and inform.
George Kovari has put together a short history of the illusion, Shooting Matt will be sharing his love of the combination of science and magic
Through a Woman, and has promised six recorded presentations from and promises an ‘explosive’ evening.
Kalanag, Wayne Dobson, The Great Levante, Kovari, Freddy Starr and
Paul Daniels. If you come for no other reason ensure you turn up just to The second part of the evening will be presented by the Summer
hear the story of how George shot his wife! programme’s organiser, Ian Vallance. Ian will be reminiscing about
‘Thursday Nights at Kaymar’ where he sat at the feet of some of his
The evening will be hosted by Tim Saiet. Tim describes himself, first and favourite magicians and will share some of the magic he soaked up.
foremost, as an entertainer and has performed from some genuine
superstars as well as earning a great reputation working as a Looking Ahead to August
professional magician in London.
August Monday 5
July Monday 8 JOHNNY BALL AND MIKE AUSTIN
MARK STAFFORD AND KABIR KHAN
‘It’s not Magic But...’ begins in earnest with Juggler Mark Stafford. August Monday 12
What sets Mark apart from many jugglers is his training at the famous ROGER DAWES, DANNY SCHLESINGER AND DOMINICK ZWOLINSKI
Academy of Circus Arts in France. As well as watching Mark perform
and talk about his career we can look forward to hearing about some August Monday 19
of the performance techniques he picked up during his time at the DAVID HOLMES AND MATT STIRLING
academy.
Change of address? Please login to your account at
Magical entertainment will be provided by Kabir Khan. In 2011, Kabir [Link]. Under “Quick links”, click on “Profile”.
made history by being the first ever Malaysian to be personally invited At the top, under “Edit” you should be able to select “update your
to perform in Hollywood and Las Vegas. Impressed with his profile”. You can contact webmaster@[Link] if you
encounter any problems.
achievements, the Ministry of Tourism in Malaysia elected him to Member in need? Contact Welfare Officer David Hatch,
represent Malaysia at these prestigious venues. WelfareOfficer@[Link]

224 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR JULY 2013 [Link]

[Link] JANUARY 2013 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 000