Latest news from Magicians.co.uk

The line-up of performers, dealers, guests and lecturers for this year’s convention at the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre will be refreshingly international, with respected magicians and enthusiasts in attendance from countries all over the world.

The British Ring is part of The International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM),  founded in 1928 by Oswald Rae and other founder members Prof Bofeys, W W Kemp, Nelson Denys, Joe Rendell, C Ducarel and G H Turner and is now the largest Ring of The International Brotherhood of Magicians, with close to 2,000 members.

This years convention runs from 22nd – 25th September and details can be found on www.magicconvention.co.uk.

As the resident magicians at Wembley Stadium we were delighted to be entertaining VIPs at the FA Cup Final last week.

Although our entertainers at the event (Mind Reader Martyn Rowland, Former World Champion Magician Richard McDougall & Magician Mentalist Nigel Mead) probably knew the final score even before the game, they didn’t let on and instead amazed them with close up magic, mind reading and expert sleight of hand magic.

Magicians.co.uk works closely with a number of prestigious venues, providing the highest quality entertainment to match venues and clientele, so if you know of a venue that would like an extra touch of magic, contact our team now to discuss our resident magician offer.

Speakers have now been announced for the Essential Magic Conference 2011, the world’s first and only magic conference live and online! Watch the video below to see the fantastic line-up of speakers in attendance, who together bring an extensive range of knowledge, skill and experience to the conference.

The first Essential Magic Conference in 2010 marked a turning point in the history of magic conventions, surpassing all expectations and achieving an ‘Epic’ rating from registrants in the follow-up online poll. This year’s event is sure to build on that success.

If you want be a part of this highly anticipated event, running from 7^th to 9^th July, then you can register for EMC 2011 here!

Exactly 100 years ago today, a famous magician called The Great Lafayette perished in a fire in the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh. His life was extraordinary and this week, magicians are appearing in Edinburgh to pay homage to the master illusionist.

Read more here: The Great Lafayette

The Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year competition heats took place yesterday, at The Magic Circle Headquarters, with twelve of the best upcoming magicians from around the UK competing to take part in this year’s final.

The biannual event is this year celebrating its 50^th anniversary and has so far produced 26 (there was one joint first prize!) winners including Dominic Wood, who took the title in 1995 and went on to become a popular children’s television presenter and our very own Ben Hart, who has been performing magic at prestigious events around the world ever since!

The performers, aged between 14 and 18, were judged on their technique, general ability, presentation, originality, routining, magical content and of course, their personality.

With some fantastic young magicians making it through yesterday’s heats, The Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year Final, taking place on Sunday 31^st July at The Magic Circle Headquarters, looks set to conjure up something special!

Everyone here is VERY excited about Palladium Magic, a celebration of 100 years of Magic at the world famous London Palladium Theatre on Monday 19th September 2011.

The “Home of Variety” and the world’s most famous theatre has recently celebrated its centenary. Since the curtains first opened a hundred years ago, every major show business star has appeared on the stage including the world’s greatest magicians.

Palladium Magic features several of today’s top International Magic Stars and Speciality Acts, including Mac King, Marko Karvo, The Great Tomsoni & Co, Paul Zenon, Jeff Hobson, Erix Logan, Kris Kremo, Silvan, Michael Finney, Nathalie Enterline, and Hans Klok.

The one-night show will also pay tribute to many of the Magic ‘Greats’ who have played this wonderful Theatre including Houdini, Cardini, Siegfried & Roy, Channing Pollock, Chung Ling Soo, The Piddingtons, Robert Harbin, Tommy Cooper, Jack Kodell, Paul Daniels, Jay Marshall, Mr Electric, Norm Nielsen, Hans Moretti and Wayne Dobson.

And the evening will include a special tribute to John Calvert, a remarkable Showman, Movie Star and Magician who will have just celebrated his 100th Birthday!

Undoubtedly one of the magical highlights of 2011, this unique event will take place on Monday 19th September 2011 at 7pm. Tickets will be allocated on a ‘Best Available’ basis so book now to secure your seats for what will certainly be one of the greatest magic shows ever staged at The London Palladium.

Palladium Magic is being produced by Paul Stone in association with MagiCares, an International non-profit organisation that supports smaller, lesser known Charities, deserving causes, individuals and animals suffering hardship around the world.

You can support MagiCares, book tickets and find out more by visiting www.palladiummagic.com. Put the date in your diary today, it will be a night to remember.

Penn & Teller: See Us! Studio Audience tickets are now available for the brand new series of ITV1’s magical showcase Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and what’s more –  they are free! 

Hosted by Jonathan Ross, this spectacular show throws down the gauntlet to every aspiring magician in the country to perform their most mystifying trick and fool Penn & Teller.

If any magician can fool the professionals, they will win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Las Vegas to perform in Penn & Teller’s headline show at the Rio Hotel & Casino. 

The TV series will be recorded at Fountain Studios, Wembley this month. If you would like to be part of the audience then apply now, online, via www.sroaudiences.com.

An exciting short film ‘The Egg Trick’, starring Sir Ian McKellen is currently in post production after it was filmed at The Magic Circle Headquarters, where magic consultants James Freedman and Ben Hart worked with the star to create a sequence of illusion.

This somewhat surreal production is set to hit film festivals in the near future, featuring ‘The Egg Trick,’ as performed by the first president of The Magic Circle, David Devant. 

“David Devant performed ‘The Egg Trick’ on stage, with the help of a girl and a boy from the audience. During the trick he would produce masses of eggs from an empty top hat faster and faster, handing these to the children to look after. Naturally, there were too many eggs for the children to hold and they smashed all over the stage! It was during a Royal command performance where Queen Alexandra apparently laughed out loud to this masterpiece of magical comedy.

News of the films release will be posted on our website once released along with the film festival line-up, so be sure to check back soon!

Stage Illusionist David Copperfield is performing exclusively at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this year, where he will be putting on a whopping 600 shows throughout the year!

David Copperfield is regarded by many as the greatest illusionist of our time, with one of his famous stunts being the ‘Death Saw’:

If you that are planning a trip to Vegas his live show is not to be missed, so get your tickets now on the MGM Grand Website.

You can also amaze guests at your own event with a spectacular stage illusion by contacting our team now on 0845 00 62442.

Tweet us your favourite stage illusions and we will enter you into our monthly prize draw

Guests at the Governor’s Ball in The Great Hall, Winchester Castle on Friday were astonished by the skill and dexterity of pickpocket entertainer James Freedman “The Man of Steal”.

During his act James invites members of the audience onto the stage to retrieve wallets, watches and other possessions that he has stolen!

Among the unsuspecting victims at the castle was guest of honour Mervyn King who was delighted to have his valuables returned. This unusual encounter makes James the only person to have picked the pockets of The Mayor of London, The Chancellor of the Exchequer and now the Governor of The Bank of England.

He’s lucky he is not in the Tower!