18 January 2019

Michael Close Webinar: The Truth about Lying

From Michael Close:
Magic depends on disseminating misinformation – in other words, lying. Learn to use this important tool with rapier-like precision in this informative and fun webinar.

Michael's live webinar will run 60-90 minutes long, you will be able to ask questions, geared for all skill levels, and you can add some tricks to your repertoire right away!

What you will learn:
  • The whole truth and nothing but the truth
  • Conditional (transitional) truth
  • Verbal vs. non-verbal lies
  • Sleight of hand as a non-verbal lie
  • Sustaining a non-verbal lie
  • Lies of omission
  • Lying to distort memory
  • Strategic placement of big lies

Read more and register.


Sign-up at MichaelClose.com to receive Michael's newsletters.  I've got it on good authority that there's an interview with Matt DiSero in the January newsletter!





17 January 2019

Edmonton: Minerva – Queen of the Handcuffs

From Theatre Network:
Ghost Writer Theatre presents
The World Premiere of
Minerva – Queen of the Handcuffs
By Ron Pearson

No binds can hold her! No box can contain her! She can escape from anything… anything but the clutches of the master himself! Minerva – Queen of the Handcuffs is the true story of the world’s most famous female escape artist and her rivalry with Harry Houdini. This world premiere production features Edmonton’s own master escape artist, Miranda Allen.

Read more and buy tickets.

16 January 2019

Roger Boucher in the CBC

From the January 15th article "Magician prepares for icy escape from Emma Lake in chains and handcuffs" by CBC News.
It's hard to make a polar bear plunge into a freezing Saskatchewan lake more difficult, but Prince Albert-based magician and hypnotist Roger Boucher wants to up the ante by escaping chains and handcuffs while beneath the icy waters of Emma Lake.

"It's going to be very challenging, and I like to challenge myself," he explained to CBC Saskatchewan's Afternoon Edition.

His planned escape is part of a Feb. 16 fundraiser for the Lakeland fire department. Boucher suggested the challenge as a publicity stunt. He'll jump in handcuffed past three feet of ice with a weedy lake surface below him.


Read more.

15 January 2019

Canadians in Masters of Illusion 2019

I spy Greg Frewin, Chris Funk, The Evasons, and Murray SawChuck.  Who am I missing?

Wikipedia suggests the 2019 season is season 9, but the performers are all referring to it as season 6 as it is the 6th season with the CW.


From Greg Frewin's Instagram:

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From Chris Funk's Twitter feed:






From The Evason's Twitter feed:



From Murray SawChuck's Instagram:



14 January 2019

Guelph: Ray Chance and Mike D'Urzo

From the River Run Centre:
Saturday, February 2, 2019

Mesmerizing magicians Mike D’Urzo and Ray Chance have entertained audiences around the world with memorable mental demonstrations and incredible illusions. The pair is bringing their unique performance styles together, joining forces in a dueling magic show that’s sure to inspire awe.

“Be amazed as renowned magicians Mike D’Urzo and Ray Chance square off in a magic show designed to challenge each other and mystify audiences.” – Inside Halton


Read more and buy tickets.

13 January 2019

Random thoughts from the Kayla Drescher lecture

I should start with congratulations to Kayla for keeping her energy up through the evening after having just completed a grueling 41 show run with the recent Champions of Magic tour!
  • Hurray for Loblaws, Roots, and Canada Canadian Tire!
  • And beer, ginger beer, and Brio!
  • Colour changing bottle caps are very cool.
  • How do you define magic, art, and craft?  (Definitely not the same way I used the term "arts and crafts" in my earlier report of the show!)
  • Because ... science!
  • And bar towels!
  • Kayla gave Rosemary Reid a shout out for her video:
    (You may remember that Rosemary delighted us all with the first iteration of this speech which she shared at the 2017 Browser's Bash.)

  • Chris Westfall made a memorable entrance.  (How many elastic bands do you wear on your wrists?)
  • There was a mini Sorcerers Safari reunion with Rosemary Reid, Lee Asher, Chris Mayhew, Chris Westfall, and Jonah Babins!  (Which made Kidlet doubly regret the decision to not attend.)
  • Staff appreciation and lessons from street performers.
  • Described a fabulous pseudo-controlled study on colours that increase tips! (Also pseudo-controlled for gender with surprising results.)
  • Demonstrated a fabulous tip for bar magicians to increase probability of receiving a big tip.  (I wonder how one could design a study to see if that methodology gives the same % tip increase for a man using the technique as for a woman using the technique?)
  • Something spontaneously happened at the 1 hour 15 minute mark that Kayla was totally expecting.  (I'm not entirely convinced that it wasn't just a case of a poorly worded question.)
  • If you aren't already, subscribe to Shezam, the feminist podcast that hopes to make itself obsolete.  The podcast has great tips and strategies for young women starting out in magic (No pockets? No problems!)  Carisa Hendrix and Kayla also share entertaining anecdotes about performing and lots of pro-tips too!
  • After the break, Kayla gave a fabulous hands-on lesson for colour changing bottle caps using a technique even I can master!
  • Good times, good fun, good magic.
  • Thank you Kayla!







12 January 2019

Bill Abbott at the Chicago Magic Lounge and Blackpool

Catch Bill at the Chicago Magic Lounge Jan. 17-19 or at the Blackpool Convention Feb 15-17, 2019!


From Bill's Twitter feed:
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