The Stage

58th Annual Convention of the Blackpool Magicians Club

Published Thursday 25 February 2010 at 13:10 by Elizabeth Warlock

When 3,500 magicians gathered in Blackpool for the largest annual magic convention in the world, they were able to take part in a feast of eye-popping magic from an array of international stars. There were 20 lectures, four competitions, stage and close-up shows, a vast dealers fair and an illustrated talk by former television producer Johnny Hamp. There was also an audience with Wayne Dobson that ended with Joe Pasquale carrying him off the stage and then dragging him back again by his feet, which had the audience howling with laughter.

In keeping with the current trend, close-up magic was a major feature, with two great shows where cards cavorted, coins appeared, vanished and invisibly jumped from one hand to another, banknotes floated, a glass of water was produced from a borrowed jacket, rubber bands penetrated each other, forks and spoons visibly bent themselves and a borrowed finger ring vanished only to be discovered tied to the performer’s shoelace.

In the competition for the British Magical Close-up Champion, the winner was Min Hyung Kim from Korea, who wowed everyone as he changed the colour of the liquid in a bottle and then continuously made the screw top vanish and reappear while he produced aces and then changed them to kings. Second was Sweden’s Johan Stahl, who with his engaging personality, an assistant from the audience and using just a sugar cube, cup and pen, the magic just seemed to happen. Our own John Van Der Put was third, with some great comedy as he had a card chosen, revealed it incorrectly and then visibly changed it little by little in his hands.

The initial half of the first stage show was devoted to the competition for the Intercontinental Stage Magic Champion. This was won by the Korean Hyung Joom Kim, with some incredible and fast-paced card manipulations which he interacted with the production and vanish of coloured balls, finishing with colour-changing cards. Second place went to another Korean, Jung Min Lee, with drumsticks that appeared and vanished, changed size and changed colour at the end. Third was Sandro Rivoli from Austria, who was more traditional, with card manipulations, the linking and unlinking of steel rings and the cut and restored rope.

The second half of the evening was Cirque du Magie, with some wonderful comedy from juggler David Kaplan, who had fun with a bowling ball and balloon with a ten-year-old assistant from the audience. Clive Webb and Danny Adams presented an old-style slapstick comedy act as The Dodgy Decorators, which had the audience helpless with laughter as they threw water and buckets of white gooey liquid over themselves, and David Williamson swallowed needles and thread, only to pull them out all attached, and then did an hilarious routine with a number of children on stage. In a more serious vein, Banachek presented entertaining mental magic and quick-change artists David and Dania showed why they are still the best in the world in their fast-moving act.

Tony Stevens as emcee kept the audience entertained with his comedy between the acts and Victor Michael gave some fine vocals before the show and during the interval.

The Gala Show is the highlight of any convention and, unusually, there were two illusionists. Closing the first half was Russ Stevens, late of his Mystique show, which ran in Blackpool for some 14 years. He cut a girl into eight sections, produced another through a large TV screen, and then vanished her in a small box. Franz Harary from the States gave us outsize illusions that have wowed audiences in the Far East for many years. Numerous girls were suspended, appeared, vanished and changed places in boxes and cages. He smashed a vase into fragments and then magically restored it and was crushed by giant rods, only to appear seconds later running from the back of the theatre.

There was so much more, such as Han Seol Hui, who produced and vanished CDs and had them reduce in size and change colour so fast that if you blinked, you missed it. Levent had a great routine with a toy rabbit in a general mixture of magic, Yo Kato from Japan was brilliant manipulating canes and wands where the tips became thimbles and changed colours, and Huang Zheng, dressed in traditional Chinese costume, gave us grace and beauty as she produced hundreds of flower petals, leaves and cards in yellow and orange colours that filled the stage. David and Dania gave another quick-change performance.

There was comedy, too, from David Williamson in a short skit with Wayne Dobson, David Kaplan with more juggling and Clive Webb and Danny Adams in another madcap act, this time involving magic.

In a non-magic act, the vivacious Dania was brilliant, twirling hula hoops as she danced around the stage. Also appearing was Ken Dodd, who, after presenting his Comedy Award to Clive Webb, proceeded to say a few words in his usual way.

Mick Miller emceed with some great gags and stories and violinist Salene entertained before the show and during the interval.

The Murray Award was presented jointly to Jack Delvin, president of the Magic Circle, and John Pye of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

The organiser of this great magical feast was Derek Lever, assisted by Arthur Casson, David Plant and Andrew Green. Alan Coventry presided.

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