Latest news from Magicians.co.uk

It seems our Illusionists are being given a run for their money…by a table!

Here is a great explanation of the effect:

If you want to make your own this book will get you started!

Superstar magician Dynamo returns to Watch for the second series of his celebrated TV series ‘Dynamo; Magician Impossible.’ The first show of the series airs tonight at 9pm, so don’t miss out!

The face of magic has changed, from old fashioned magicians pulling rabbits from hats to a new wave of exciting, trendy performers, who have captured the imaginations of youngsters across the country.

The Young Magicians Club, youth wing of the Magic Circle, is reporting record numbers of young people joining (membership has risen 60% over the past year, from 350 members to 550), hoping to learn the skills to make them the next David Blaine or Derren Brown.

A contributing factor to this is the increasing line-up of TV shows such as Penn & Teller: Fool Us, ‘Help! My Supply Teacher is Magic’ and of course Dynamo: Magician Impossible, which will be coming back this month for the second series.

Kevin Doig, chairman of the Young Magicians Club, which is open to people aged 10-18, said: “There is now more magic on television than there has been over the last decade, with BBC1, ITV and CBBC all having shows. YouTube is also huge for magic. And magicians such as Dynamo and Penn & Teller appeal to young people, as they are seen as cool.”

With the increasing popularity in magic we are looking froward to seeing the next generation of magicians, who will be looking to push the boundaries of magic further every time! For information about joining The Young Magicians Club, click here.

Here is a great video from psychologist Richard Wiseman (check out his blog for amazing illusions, puzzles and loads of other interesting stuff!) showing you ten bets that will perplex your friends and empty their wallets!

Techno-illusionist Marco Tempest takes us on a magical adventure where digital technology and illusion brings to life one of the world’s greatest inventors, Nikola Tesla. The video below demonstrates how magic can bring a story to life, using video mapping, pop-up design and various magical techniques.

Nikola Tesla in Sound and Light from Marco Tempest on Vimeo.

You can also see a fascinating “making of” documentary about the video above here.

If you have your own message that you want to present in an unusual and memorable way, Magicians.co.uk can create custom magical presentations for live events or digital use that will have a lasting impact on your audience.

So call our team on 0845 00 62442 now, to talk about your idea and let us show you how we can transform it into a magical reality!

Dynamo returning to your TV screen on July 5th – check back soon for more information!

Jochen Dehn, the performance artist whose lessons, demonstrations, workshops and experiments, are consistently doomed to partial failure (total failure would constitute too much of an achievement), will be hosting a class at the London Southbank Centre from 11 June to 11 July.

Guaranteed to be highly entertaining, the class will explore the basic techniques used to execute magic tricks and illusions.

By using simple gestures of both attention and distraction, Dehn will show how to reshape, close and refill an empty drink’s can; make three different playing cards become one; show how solid objects can become penetrable; and demonstrate how to make someone disappear in a box. The class will look at simple objects (and techniques) in an attempt to create new uses for them and to evaluate their potential for magic.

For more information about the class and many others like it, you can visit The Wide Open School website here.

A new competition for UK young magicians has been announced by Rotary International that it will run alongside their national competitions for young artists, chefs, musicians etc. as part of their New Generations initiative promoted through schools.

The first years event will be held just in Lancashire and Cumbria as a pilot, but is expected to expand to a regional and national competition next year.

The project is the brainchild of Rotarian Sue Hind and magician Shaun McCree and is open to young magicians aged between 11-17 regardless of any magic club membership – there are two age groups and both close-up and stage performances are eligible.

You can find rules and more information here, or contact Sue Hind at s1ueh@aol.com or Shaun McCree at shaun@mccree.co.uk for further information.

Watch have just confirmed that the highly-acclaimed Dynamo: Magician Impossible will return to the channel for a second series in July. The first series was a huge success and our phones have been ringing ever since, with people wanting to book Dynamo for their own event!

The four-part series will follow Dynamo as he visits the World Poker Tour in Venice, as well as travelling to Las Vegas, Rio and Los Angeles, to impress celebrities and members of the public.

Dynamo has also released a mysterious teaser for the series. Check it out here:

With the Olympics just around the corner the excitement is starting to build and Magicians.co.uk are proud to have already entertained guests at a variety of Olympic events in the run up to the 2012 games!

Our magicians have created a range of amazing 2012 Olympics themed illusions and effects that will amaze guests and fit perfectly with any Olympic theme.

From impossibly linking the five Olympic rings during close up entertainment, through to utterly unbelievable stage shows that combine mind reading and unbelievable predictions about the Olympic events, Magicians.co.uk is the first choice for entertainment at the Olympics this year!

If you would like to discuss ideas for entertainment at any Olympic event or find out how we can create bespoke Olympic magic for your own event, you can contact our team here.