Showing posts with label Shawn Farquhar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shawn Farquhar. Show all posts

14 September 2018

Vancouver: Cabaret of Wonders

From The Georgia Straight:
Oct 5-6

Two-Time World Champion of Magic and the man who fooled Penn & Teller twice on their hit TV show, Fool Us brings his show, the Cabaret of Wonders, to Vancouver for a two night exclusive engagement. Shawn is presenting an evening that could only happens once in a blue moon. Interestingly enough the unique fact is it will be presented at the Blue Moon Theatre in the elegant five diamond Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver, BC.

Read more and buy tickets.

02 September 2018

W. C. Shelly

John Smithman posted a while back, that "W.C. Shelly was the second president (1944-1945) of the Vancouver Magic Circle. He was a prominent business man and politician in Vancouver who had a park named in his honour."

Not to shabby to have a park named after a magician!

Here's a photo of John at the park:





I think he started a trend, because Shawn Farquhar recently posted a similar photo!


From Shawn Farquhar's Twitter feed:


18 July 2018

TMR studios interviews Shawn Farquhar

From the TMR Productions YouTube channel:

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15 July 2018

News so big, it's worthy of a second post!

Congratulations again to Renee-Claude Auclair and the FISM Quebec team (Renee-Claude Auclair, Jocelyn Guertin, Pierre Hamon, Joan Caesar, and Shawn Farquhar) for securing the first North American FISM!!!

Be sure to visit the FISM Quebec 2021 website to take advantage of early bird pricing!


See the official announcement on Shawn Farquhar's Facebook post:

12 July 2018

Colon: Shawn Farquhar and Carisa Hendrix at Abbott's 81st Get Together

From Magic Get Together:
The Abbott's Magic Company, the Colon Lions Club and the Colon Chamber of Commerce are proud to celebrate the Annual Abbott's Magic Get-Together. The dates are August 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of 2018. Once again, magicians from all over the world will migrate to Colon, Michigan, the Magic Capital of the World, to be a part of this family oriented event. Tents and campers will magically pop up everywhere to swell this tiny little village until it appears there is no room for even one more person. Everyone scampers to be a part of this fun convention which was named the #1 Unique Convention last year in the Detroit Free Press.

Magicians will be performing in the streets, restaurants and bars. The annual craft fair will take place on Friday and Saturday. The yearly fireworks will go off as in recent years on Friday night after the show at the Colon High School. Visit the Colon Historical Museum for a special Magic adventure or take a cemetery tour where many famous and not so famous magicians have chose to perform their final act and become a permanent part of the magical history of Colon.

Read more and register.


From Ken Dumm's Facebook page:


10 July 2018

Breaking news: FISM 2021 will be in Quebec City!

Updated July 11th to add:

Congratulations to Renee-Claude Auclair and the FISM Quebec team (Renee-Claude Auclair, Jocelyn Guertin, Pierre Hamon, Joan Caesar, and Shawn Farquhar) for securing the first North American FISM!!!

From the Facebook page of Renee-Claude Auclair:

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With thanks to Lee Asher and Joan Caesar for sharing the news with me as it happened!



08 July 2018

Ben Train and Shawn Farquhar remember June Horowitz

From Ben Train's Facebook page:

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From Shawn Farquhar's Facebook page:







17 May 2018

Calgary: Mega Magic Saturday

Save the date!  July 28. With Shawn Farquhar and Ryan Michaels.

From the MEGA Magic Saturday with Shawn Farquhar Facebook event:

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22 April 2018

Remembering Harry Anderson

By now you have likely heard the news that Harry Anderson passed away last Monday at the age of 65.

Mr. Anderson was kind to me.  Back in 2003 he gave me permission to market an effect of mine that is based on one of his better known routines.  I'm grateful that I was able to thank him in person and see him perform live and lecture, when he came to Ontario in 2012.

Little known fact: David Merry and Harry Anderson are tangentially responsible for the start of this blog!

Our condolences to his family and friends.


Here's what others have to say...

From Matt DiSero's Facebook post:




From Shawn Farquhar's Facebook post:



Some thoughts from John Larroquette on Twitter:





And from his son, Dash's Facebook post:


13 April 2018

Maple Ridge: Shawn Farquhar

From the April 11th article "Two-time world champion of magic to perform in Maple Ridge" by Colleen Flanagan in the Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadow News:
All money from the show is going to the dry grad which will have a Roaring 20’s theme with video games, a dance and other activities being organized by Laurel Ross, head of the dry grad committee.

“They have a hypnotist coming in, which is even funnier because the hypnotist used to be my high school teacher from Victoria,” said Farquhar who is doing another show that night.

There are only 210 tickets available for the nights performance and 100 tickets have already been sold. Farquhar also donated 200 of his DVDs that will be for sale the night of.

The show is suitable to people of all ages which Farquhar says is great because, “parents can bring younger kids so they can demystify the high school in advance.”

Secrets the Magic Show takes place at 7 p.m. on Apr. 21 at Westview secondary, 20905 Wicklund Ave. in Maple Ridge.

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at eventbrite.ca. For more information, go to secretstheshow.com.

Read more.

01 April 2018

I'll just leave this here

First, some backstory from Shawn Farquhar's December 9th Facebook post (emphasis mine):
A Letter to the Magic Community...

As Producers of Penn & Teller : Fool Us, our guiding principle is that the show is made "by magicians, for magicians." We have tried to provide a positive Prime Time outlet for magicians everywhere over the course of our 4 seasons on the air - and we've been lucky and successful enough to get an order for Season Five on the CW Network.

As always, our goal is to feature the best and brightest in the magic world, and as such, we'd like to respectfully invite you to submit a recording of a trick you perform that you believe would be good for our show. Highly original presentations and original tricks of all kinds are appreciated.


And here's a not so subtle reminder that my original effect "The Fools' Monte," was well received by (and dare I say fooled) Jeff McBride at the workshop he held at CAM in 2003. 


With that, I'll just leave you this Tweet from Teller:
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All kidding aside, April 2nd at 9pm PST the first annual April Fool Us Day Special will premiere!



From Shawn Farquhar's Facebook page:

27 February 2018

Chilliwack: Shawn Farquhar’s Cabaret of Wonders XI

From the Chilliwack Cultural Centre:

March 16, 2018

Settle in for a night of wonder and delight as Shawn Farquhar, the only magician to fool Penn and Teller twice, hosts his eleventh Cabaret of Wonders. This intimate show brings a brilliant collection of magicians to the stage, from world-renowned performers to local talent. This casual cabaret setting is perfect way to experience innovative acts, illusions, and more in a fantastical display of never-before-seen works and magical standards! Whether you’re a magic enthusiast or have dreams of bringing your own illusions to stage, the Cabaret of Wonders is a chance to see magic behind the scenes – and get up close and personal with the most talented performers from British Columbia and beyond.

Shawn Farquhar won’t be the only one demonstrating his unbelievable skills, as The Cabaret of Wonders will also be welcoming the charming James Alan, the delightful John Kaplan, and the enigmatic Henry Tom to share the stage.

Master of sleight of hand and illusions, Toronto’s James Alan will prove that the experience of magic is ideal for creating memories which last a lifetime. His goal is to prove that magic isn’t just for kids, and has created performances that are “thought-provoking, funny, astonishing and thoroughly entertaining.” He has been featured on Summerworks Performance Festival and The Hamilton Fringe Festival, and for the last two years, he has been hosting Magic Tonight.

John Kaplan, also known as the fundraising magician, has been touring Canada for three decades, performing his unique brand of family-friendly magic. His focus on fundraising through his magic shows has led to international recognition. He has shared the stage as an opening act for Jay Leno, the Boomtown Rats, and starred in the Opening Ceremonies for the Labatt National Men’s Curling Briar.

Also joining them is international award-winning Henry Tom, who is a Canadian Association of Magicians’ Close Up Magic Champion and a Vancouver Magic Circle’s Stage Magic Champion. Running a dental practice, Tom has incorporated magic into his dentistry, but has also brought his dentistry into his magic, making for a uniquely charming act!

Read more and buy tickets.

12 February 2018

Sleightly Sketchy: Steal*

Updated at 2:30pm to add a link to a post Shawn Farquhar made on Facebook today.

We're not even halfway through the second month of 2018 and already two significant conflicts regarding intellectual property (IP) rights have surfaced.  At the end of January, Shawn Farquhar posted his most recent encounter with IP theft.  A short seven days later, Michael Close posted this about his new Paradigm Shift ebooks.  (And six days after that, another incident identified in a FB post from Shawn.) And that's just Canadian magicians.

Scroll down to the end of this post to see how you can get involved in combating this type of piracy.


* With thanks to Kidlet for providing the inspiration for the last panel.




 From Michael Close's Facebook page:




17 January 2018

Chilliwack: Shawn Farquhar's Cabaret of Wonders IX, X, and XI

From the Chilliwack Cultural Centre:
SHAWN FARQUHAR'S CABARET OF WONDERS IX - January 19, 2018
SHAWN FARQUHAR'S CABARET OF WONDERS X - February 16, 2018
SHAWN FARQUHAR’S CABARET OF WONDERS XI - March 16, 2018

All shows are at the Rotary Hall Studio Theatre.

Read more and buy tickets.



From Shawn Farquhar's Facebook page:

11 December 2017

Shawn Farquhar on why the world needs magic

At the end of the post, check out the "What's So Funny?" podcast with Shawn.

Watch the 2015 video on The Society of American Magicians YouTube channel:
Shawn Farquhar has been entertaining audiences around the globe for over two decades. His magic has been seen on Television shows like the X-Files and Highlander, in Motion Pictures like Spooky House and the Fly II, for corporate clients like IBM and Konica, and on the most luxurious cruise vessels such as Norwegian Star and Radiance of the Seas.

Shawn is a Life Member of The Society of American Magicians and the Dean of the largest Assembly in Canada and is the 2014-2015 International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and immediate Past President of the Canadian Association of Magicians.





From What's So Funny?:
Everyone knows Shawn Farquhar is a master magician. One of the absolute best. He's fooled Penn & Teller twice. He's a 2-time world champion of magic. He's the former president of IBM! No, not that IBM; the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He travels the globe most of the year but he dreams of one day being able to open up a little magic theatre here in his home province. Hey, but did you know this: Shawn started out performing comedy magic with comedians like Brent Butt and Ian Boothby and Ian Bagg in comedy rooms around BC. He tells us about the time he tried his act without the magic part. And he's got tons of other great stories, too. Plus we play a round of Talk About, a game show he and his wife were contestants on way back when. We could have gone on for another hour easily.

Read more and listen to podcast.


24 November 2017

Five minutes with Shawn Farquhar (at Magi-Fest)

Not to be confused with my series of "Thirty seconds with ..." interviews.


From Magi-Fest:
Magi-Fest: You have performed at virtually every major convention around the world. We’re HONORED to have you at Magi-Fest. You have also organized dozens of conventions yourself. What, in your mind, is the secret ingredient to a great convention?

Shawn: I love magic conventions! I think it is the one place, other than the stage, where I truly feel at home.  No two conventions are ever the same, and what sets them apart is the vision of the organizers.  Some convention have become stale as they stick to “working formulas” while others try new things that sometimes fail.  I’d rathe be at one that tries new things and fails as they are far more exciting and fresh. The one thing all great conventions have in common is talent that is approachable.  I don’t go to a convention to see the act do their signature routine, since I can watch that on YouTube or their DVD. I go to the convention to experience them as performers.  On and off stage.  The chance to rub shoulders, ask questions and hang out is what makes a convention special for me.  I have seldom left a convention without feeling inspired and motivated.

Read more.


26 October 2017

Vancouver Magic Circle mentioned in "It Takes Two"

From Shawn Farquhar's Facebook post:
Walking through Orlando airport, yes an airport... surprise, I saw the book “It takes two” by Jonathan and Drew Scott. I’ve seen it lots in book stores and decided today I would buy and read it as I’ve known Jonathan since he was a teenager from the Vancouver Magic Circle. I was browsing the book on my way to the counter and was thrilled to see he mentioned the club on page 84, right next to a photo of Drew in drag! It made me smile...

Read more.



10 October 2017

Vancouver: "MAGIC! 75 Years of the Magic Circle"

From Straight:
Nov 4, 7-9 pm
Nov 5, 7-9 pm

Join the Vancouver Magic Circle as they celebrate their 75th Anniversary with a magic show featuring the finest magicians from around the world. You've seen these magical artists on shows like America's Got Talent, TEDx talk, The Magic Castle in Hollywood and even Penn & Teller's Fool Us. Featuring:

  • Jeki Yoo - South Korea
  • Hannibal - North Carolina
  • Andrew Goldenhersh - California
  • Shawn Farquhar - Master of Ceremonies

Read more and buy tickets.

25 August 2017

[Guest post] Random thoughts about "UNBELIEVABLE! A Magical Experience"

The following is a guest post from an author who wishes to be known as The Magic Demon. 

--
"UNBELIEVABLE! A Magical Experience"

Running nightly at 7:30 pm in the Pacific Coliseum at the PNE in Vancouver, BC until September 4th. Free with admission.  [The PNE is closed on Monday, Aug. 28th.]

Random Thoughts For Canada's Magic
by The Magic Demon



It's UNBELIEVABLE... that a whole year has gone by since the first edition of Unbelievable! debuted in 2016.

It's UNBELIEVABLE... how fast the 90 minute coliseum-size magical extravaganza whizzed by.

It's UNBELIEVABLE... again how good it was.

Performance viewed on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017.

Murray Hatfield and Teresa have returned to the annual summer PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) with their second incarnation of Unbelievable! - a  magical phantasmagoria of illusion, pyrotechnics, music and sheer wonder.

Joining them on stage are American magicians Chipper Lowell and Danny Cole and Canada's own Shawn Farquhar - all performing at the top of their games, combining unique energies to synthesize an evening's worth of spectacular visual entertainment.

I don't propose to review the show element by element  but I would like to refer to a few hastily scribbled notes and mention a few memorable highlights.

Murray and Teresa  - first and foremost and as always, magnificent performers, classy and compelling to watch. I love all their often fire-enhanced big box illusions. At one point they featured three big box illusions at once on stage (which must be some kind of world record!) Later they also did a show-stopping, breathtaking up to date version of "Metamorphosis." I've not seen it done in person since Doug Henning and his version for me was the one to beat. I think I can honestly say that they have finally done so. I was also truly impressed by Murray's innovative and suspense-filled variation of an effect familiar to some of us. I won't give away which one -- but when I saw it I marveled at his sheer brilliant audacity for turning such a classic close up effect into a coliseum-sized miracle. Murray, I salute you!



Chipper Lowell. What does one say about such a comedic phenomenon? He quickly won the audience over with his outrageous antics. We were soon laughing at all his seemingly spontaneous frenetic presentations. His very verbal style is ideally suited to such a massive forum (seating 10,000 at full capacity). It is hard to describe -- it's very "over the top" and somewhat "camp" but extremely focused even when it looks like he's made a mistake. (Hint: He doesn't.) It's hard to combine magic and outright comedy. To make it also look so easy and effortless as Lowell does is the mark of a real pro.

Another impressive talent is American Danny Cole. His silent act (done to the pounding beat of contemporary Latin dance music) assisted by his graceful wife, borders on the poetic. His suits change colour, his ties take on a life of their own, coat hangers behave most mysteriously, chairs defy gravity, CDs multiply, appear and disappear. Throughout these visual impossibilities appearing right before our eyes (and magnified by the two huge screens to each side of the stage) Cole remains the epitome of stylish, sophisticated elegance. This is a magician's magician.

For me, perhaps the most enjoyable moments of the evening were courtesy Canada's own Shawn Farquhar. His opening effects performed from the audience directly to the cameras were stunning card manipulations done to cleverly mirror the lyrics of an accompanying song. The audience loved it. But where he really excelled were his interactions with audience members. His version of "Topsy Turvy" bottles was a genuine delight because of his interaction with his audience volunteer. And it was his "Dancing Hankerchief" routine with a cute little five year old girl picked from the audience to assist him that so won everyone's hearts and unconditional appreciation. You could tell his volunteers really liked him and trusted him and the audience picked up on that. It was an invaluable lesson for all performers.

TIP: Bring earplugs unless you want to go partially deaf early in life. The music is loud.

I said it last year and I see no reason not to repeat myself again this year. Good advice is good advice!  If you are in or near Vancouver run (do not walk) to the PNE and see "Unbelievable! A Magical Experience." You will not regret it.

Congratulations to Murray and Teresa for masterminding another outstanding success.
 

 ~~~~


Thank you The Magic Demon for guest posting at Canada's Magic!

20 August 2017

Murray Hatfield in The Georgia Straight

From The Georgia Straight:
Murray Hatfield’s career trajectory was set back at his childhood home in Calgary, when he saw a 13-year-old magician perform at his younger brother’s birthday party.

“Well, I’m in my 50s now, and I still haven’t had a real job,” the Victoria-based magician tells the Straight over the phone.

Starting this week, Hatfield is producing and performing in Unbelievable! A Magical Experience, with nightly shows at the PNE’s Pacific Coliseum. He’ll be joined on-stage by colleagues Chipper Lowell, Shawn Farquhar, and Danny Cole—as well as his wife, Teresa, Hatfield’s on-stage partner and creative collaborator.

Read more.

[via The Magic Demon]