hope so before the rapture comes

Number 301 - 1st April 2006

David Copperfield: Destination Moon. Illusionist David Copperfield is
to team up with Sir Richard Branson www.virgingalactic.com on the
inaugural flight of Branson's Virgin Galactic SpaceShipOne in 2008
(promotional video clip: Click Here, broadband users Click Here). On
27th September 2004 at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London's West
End, Sir Richard Branson and Burt Rutan made their announcement to the
world's media that Virgin Galactic was now in a position to commence a
programme of work that would result in the world's first affordable
space tourist flights. Just two years on and the Virgin publicity
machine has gone into overdrive, inviting the world's foremost
illusionist to be a part of the team. David Copperfield will be aboard
the inaugural flight in his own "egg pod" that will leave the mother
ship and head towards the dark side of the moon. At this time, during
a live transmission that will be seen by many millions across the
globe, David will make the moon disappear. Viewers will simultaneously
be invited to watch the moon's disappearance using normal telescopes
directed at it, from their homes - ruling out once and for all the
"it's all done with camera tricks" line that has plagued magicians
since the early days of televised magic in the 50's. "We still have a
few small technical issues to overcome, but we're nearly there and
it's all very exciting; I'm thrilled to have been invited 'on board'
by Sir Richard Branson."

David Copperfield will start his training mid 2007 in both the USA and
France and the whole project will culminate in a major three-hour TV
special David Copperfield: Destination Moon in 2008. Branson, a magic
fan for many years, said: "We hope to create thousands of astronauts
over the next few years and bring alive their dream of seeing the
majestic beauty of our planet from above, the stars in all their
glory, and the amazing sensations of weightlessness and space flight.
The development will also allow every country in the world to have
their own astronauts rather than the privileged few. What a wonderful
way to launch my dream." One small step for man - one large step for
David Copperfield. For a reservation form, not for this specail
inaugral flight but future flights, Click Here. 1.4.06

The Bristol Day of Magic in Weston-super-Mare is just six weeks
away... and they've got a great lineup this year! Moving away from the
usual 'trick lectures' the day will feature a new 'One Man Show' event
in the afternoon, this year starring the brilliant Graham Jolley. An
interactive children's workshop and lecture will be staged by Louis
Baerts, who received excellent reviews following his FISM appearance
in 2003 and magic star Michael Finney and incredible quick change act
David & Dania (both from the States) will star in the evening gala
show together with Dave Jones, Peter Wardell, Roy Davenport, John
Archer, Steve Della, the Balloon Brothers and Richard Cadell. Close-up
rooms will feature specialist performers in specific areas of close-up
magic. Plus magic dealers and more. 14th May 2006. Visit www.bristolmagic.co.uk
for more information and to download a PDF registration form, or
telephone Andy Mac 0117 9422449 for registration details. 1.4.06

RSVP, the UK exhibition for live events, took place at Olympia,
London, last week. Among the official exhibitors were psychic
entertainer Alex Crow, the UK's leading magical entertainment company
Dynamic FX (photo) and Laura London from TV's Playing Tricks - all
busy taking orders. For effective ways to sell yourself to the
corporate market visit the Corporate Zone Magic Day website:
www.corporatezonemagicday.co.uk. 1.4.06

The Lord of the Rings. "It cost $27 million to produce and clocked in
at a robust 3 1/2 hours, but for fans of JRR Tolkien's trilogy, The Lord
of the Rings, it was worth every second and penny. Thursday's gala
premiere drew an eclectic audience that included Canadian luminaries
and even a descendant of Tolkien, the visionary author of the works."
To read the full story and watch a video clip, Click Here and for a
review from Canada.com Click Here. The Lord of the Rings is due to
open at the Dominion theatre, London, in March 2007. Behind the scenes
Click Here. 1.4.06

"Vizage" illusionists are appearing in "A Night at the Music Hall"
with Paul Shane, Rosemary Squires, Freddie "Parrotface" Davies and
Andy Eastwood at The Grand Theatre, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton
WV1 1DE (Map) www.grandtheatre.info from Tuesday 18th April to
Saturday 22nd April 2006. Performance Times: Matinees 2.30pm (No
matinee on Tuesday 18th), Evenings 7.30pm. Ticket prices: £4.50 -
£16.50p Box Office: 01902 429212. 1.4.06

Dynamo in this weekend's Guardian Guide on Saturday. Dynamo talks
about growing up in Bradford, meeting some of the biggest artists on
the planet and starring in his own TV special 'Dynamo's Estate of
Mind' which will be broadcast on Channel 4 and E4 towards the end of
May in the feature. Next week he heads off to New York alongside
cartoon band The Gorillaz and De La Soul. The Gorillaz are to play a
five-night gig at New York's legendary Apollo Theatre, and Dynamo will
be performing magic backstage throughout the event. www.dynamoworld.com.
1.4.06

Dobson's Choice - TV Stuff Volume 2. We've got a clip from Wayne's new
DVD this week, Click Here. Volume 2 in this three-part (to be) series
features both original TV footage and newly shot commentary from Wayne
and once again there's some brilliant material here, including Wayne's
vent work in his Ring on Rope routine. Featuring the Pyramid, Coin in
Bottle, Silk in Cigarette, Ring on Rope, Egg Bag, Passage of Time,
Amazing Tale, Ringo Rabbit, Invisible Deck, Sam Shovel and bonus
footage: Sawing in Half and Banana Drama. Worldwide playback, highly
recommended. Order from: www.waynedobson.co.uk. 1.4.06

NightIllusion.com are now advertising with MagicWeek. Night Illusions
was the brainchild of magician Terry Knight MMC. Terry has been
performing magic professionally for over 12 years and in that time has
adapted and redesigned many of his working effects. Originally a
design engineer by trade, Terry is more than equipped to design his
own range of easy to use magical effects. The site includes a number
of demonstration video clips, visit www.nightillusions.com today!
1.4.06

The Order of the Magi Annual Dinner and Cabaret 24th March 2006.
Reported by Geoffrey Newton PRO: The Order of the Magi Annual Dinner
and Cabaret continues to be the highlight of the society's year. For
the fourth year running the Irish World Heritage Centre was full to
capacity with diners enjoying this annual event. Guest of Honour was
actress/director Noreen Kershaw (photo left with President Peter Moran
and his wife Helen) from the BBC 'Life on Mars' and ITV 'Watching'.
Another distinguished guest was Tony Warren, the creator of Coronation
Street. After a fine meal and witty speeches the cabaret consisted of
Steve Dela, The Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year, Comedy
Juggler Steve Royle and Illusionist Andrew Green. All of which brought
this wonderful evening to a resounding close. The Magi dinners
completely sell out very fast these days and the date of the 2007
dinner is Friday 23rd March. Tickets go on sale on 12th December 2006
so make a note in your diary now to avoid disappointment. 1.4.06

Kockov wins with a bang! Jasper Blakeley has won this year's Cardiff
Magical Society Cabaret Competition. It's the second time he's won by
playing his Russian alter-ego, Monrokvian Master-Magician - Vladimir
Dimitri Kockov. Despite strong competition from great acts, including
escapologists, linking ring performers, levitators, mentalists and
balloonologists, it was Kockov's original four gun Live Russian
Roulette Routine that pulled the most marks. Kockov will compere this
Saturday night's C.M.S. Dinner in Cardiff, followed by a charity
performance of his one-man 90 minute show at Barry Town FC on Friday
April 7th. There are only few tickets left for the show (£5.00 each) ,
email magic@jasperblakeley.co.uk or call 07973 731335 for more
information. 1.4.06

Brand new balloon twisting website launches. Gordon Drayson has just
launched a brand new site for Balloon Twisters. The site is designed
to inform and cover everything "Balloon Twisting" related and readers
are invited to register on the site (free). Members will then be able
to add a link to their websites, add a location marker onto the world
map, view and add to the calendar of events, join in with chat via a
dedicated mail-list chat and much more. Members can upload their
creations onto the photo gallery to share them with fellow members.
Visit www.balloontwisting.co.uk for more information and to join.
1.4.06

Welsh Witches of Eastwick. At the New Theatre, Cardiff, from the 18th
to the 22nd of April, the Orbit Theatre Company www.orbit-theatre.net
will be performing the Welsh premiere of Cameron Macintosh's West End
show. The magical consultant for the show was Steve Sanders, Click
Here. 1.4.06

Tony Parx, Ricky McLeod (photo) and Alexander Allan lecturer at the
SAMS 2006 Convention in Greenock, Scotland on 28th-30th April. For
more information visit www.scottishassociationofmagicalsocieties.co.uk.
1.4.06

John Palfreyman is enjoying his 80th year by presenting his "Before he
hangs up his wand lecture tour." Recent appearances include The
Cornish Magicians, The Hull Magicians' Circle, and The Shropshire
Magical Society, and upcoming bookings include lectures in Hereford
and Surrey. For more information and to book John's lecture for your
club, email j.palfreyman@btopenworld.com. 1.4.06

International Magic are running a special offer on Bicycle Cards
throughout April - available to personal callers only. Click Here for
details, or call in to International Magic, 89 Clerkenwell Road,
London EC1R 5BX (Map). 1.4.06

James Brown's DVD "Fancy a Pot of Jam?" is now available to pre-order
from his website (see the "Magicians Only" section which includes a
trailer). James is currently lecturing across the country and welcomes
enquiries from magic club secretaries. www.jbmagicman.co.uk. Produced
by www.alakazam.co.uk. 1.4.06

Ray Roberts - From Goldilocks to Goldin. Bolton Magicians' Club are
pleased to announce that Ray Roberts will be presenting his lecture
entitled 'From Goldilocks to Goldin' on Wednesday 5th April at the
Cotton Tree, Prince Street, Bolton at 8.30pm. Ray will deal with
aspects of children's magic through to cabaret magic and illusion.
Visiting magicians from other societies are welcome. There will be an
entrance fee of £3. Further information: www.bolton-magic.co.uk or
telephone Jim Hodgkiss 01204 522651. 1.4.06

Another Bite of the Cherry: Cheetah's Handbook Volume 2 is reviewed by
Rich Aviles this week. In ebook format it features work from Jamie
Badman, John Bodine, Luke Dancy, Andi Gladwin, Rob James, Kostya
Kimlat, Colin Miller, Robert Moreland, Jack Parker and Tyler Wilson
over 70 pages. "The Cheetah guys deliver the goods with this release.
I believe even more so than in the first volume. It's a limited
release so my advice is to get it while it's hot (while you can!). You
will be rewarded with an ebook packed from beginning to end with very
creative, practical material that not everyone on the block is
performing." To read the review Click Here. 1.4.06

Derren Brown Trick of the Mind Series 2 - just released on DVD. The
award-winning Derren Brown returns with more Tricks of the Mind,
combining psychology with showmanship and a pinch of magic, with
ambitious visual stunts and celebrity guests. 2 hours 22 minutes, 16:9
Anamorphic (get your Plasmas out), and Dolby Digital Stereo, available
from Amazon.co.uk in association with MagicWeek Click Here. The first
of the new series went out on Sunday evening and once again Derren has
upped the ante - brilliant stuff. 1.4.06

Tony 'Doc' Shiels. News from Quentin Reynolds: One of the founders of
bizarre magick, Tony 'Doc' Shiels retired from active performing
twenty years ago. Moving to Co. Kerry in south west Ireland, he
devoted himself to painting (like Chan Canasta) and has had a number
of exhibitions in Ireland and Cornwall, where he had lived for many
years. Recently he has been working on a screenplay with a magic
background, based in Blackpool, where Doc started his performing
career. With the help of Prof. Eddie Dawes I have been able to track
down some lost articles of Doc's. If you Click Here you will find
links to two articles, "Puzzlers or Paranormalists" a discussion on
whether performers of mental magic claim to possess genuine psychic
powers, and another on "Telling Ghost Stories." More articles will be
added shortly. 1.4.06

Cowell goes for variety with new TV show. "Simon Cowell's new TV
talent show promises to be a real circus. Singers, comedians,
jugglers, animal acts and anyone else hungry for stardom will be
welcome on 'America's Got Talent,' the summertime series that Cowell,
the tart-tongued judge on Fox's 'American Idol,' is producing for NBC.
Group acts or singles, old or young all are eligible to try for the $1
million prize, he told a telephone news conference Monday. 'You can be
2 years old, 100 years old. You can be the next Destiny's Child, you
can be the next Jackson 5 or you can be the next David Copperfield,'
Cowell said. To read the full story from ABC News Click Here. 1.4.06

DMI Productions have a customized illusion base for sale, which they
produced but never actually used, for details visit: www.dmiproductions.co.uk/illusion
* The College of Magic, South Africa, received full page coverage in
the New York Times last week as well as receiving a front page feature
on their website, to read the full story Click Here and for a PDF
Click Here * Jon Allen lectures at the Mid Essex Magical Society on
Thursday 6th April at 8pm * Phoa Yan Tiong passed away on March 22nd
2006 aged 79. Born in Batavia, Indonesia and of Chinese origin in his
prime days he travelled all around Europe with his magic and he
lectured in the USA * "Summer reading with a magical twist" Click Here
* That's it for this week, see you next week, Duncan
mail@magicweek.co.uk. 1.4.06

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