From All Events In:
Nathaniel Rankin - Canadian champion of magic
Award winning magician & circus artist. He has entertained audiences around the world.
10 November 2022
Hastings: Nathaniel Rankin [Dec 3]
09 November 2022
Edmonton: Laugh-a-cadabra [Nov 20]
From the November 1st Facebook post by Jay Flair Magic:
In JUST THREE WEEKS, Alberta's FUNNIEST MAGICIANS take the stage at @yukyuksedmonton!
On November 20th, my friend Jeff is hosting @Jeff Newman LAUGH-A-CADABRA at the Century Casino, and we have a night FILLED with amazing magic, incredible mind-reading, and stunning sleight of hand, thanks to, Ryan Pilling Jimbo Jordan . Not only will we blow your minds, but we'll split your sides!
This is a show you DON'T want to miss, and tickets are going to go FAST...luckily, you can get them in this link!
https://www.yukyuks.com/?action=club.comicDetails&comedianID=2337&venueID=2480
See you there!
08 November 2022
Thank you to our personal sponsors for November 2022!
A quick reminder of our earlier Mail as Medicine request for Katie Hunt. If you have the time, Katie and Doug would both benefit from hearing from their friends!
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Thank you to John Harrison, Richard Lyn, Joan Caesar, Ian Crawford, Matt DiSero, Doug Hunt, John Smithman, Robin Dawes, Eric Bedard, Loran, Peter Mennie, Graeme Reed, Gwyn Auger, Chris Gowen, Cam Dix, Jokers, and George Blott, for being Friends of Canada's Magic!
It's good to have friends like you.
You too can Be Our Friend for only $20 per year!
Donations of any size are always welcome.
or
07 November 2022
Victoria: Jason Verners live at Ecologyst [Nov 18 & 19]
From the October 21st Instagram post by Jason Verners:
In case you missed the announcement on @chek_news, I am excited to announce that I have partnered up with @ecologyst_ for an exclusive run of intimate magic shows on November 18/19th in their retail space in Victoria, BC! Honestly, this is my best work yet- the show has my favourite pieces across all of my past productions. I am so excited to share these evenings with you. The room is small, tickets are moving fast & are available at: jasonverners.com/tickets (or check out the link in my bio)! See you there. xo
06 November 2022
Remembering Max Maven
In case you missed the sad news, Max Maven passed away on November 1st.
Our sincere condolences to Max's family and friends.
From the November 3rd post "A Legend" at Magicana:
Max Maven was a giant in the world of magic.
His love for this art. His devotion to creating exceptional magic. His passion for magic history. Max Maven will be remembered for many tremendous contributions. As a performer, as an educator, as a mentor, and as a colleague, Max Maven was incredibly special, to so many.
From the November 3rd Facebook post by Michael Close:
From the November 2nd Facebook post by David Acer:
From the November 2nd Facebook post by Alex Zander:
From the November 2nd Facebook post by Matt DiSero:
From the November 3rd Facebook post by FISM Québec 2022:
05 November 2022
A peek behind the curtain with Sam Strange [2022]
This is the last of a series of interviews leading up
to the Champions of
Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour shows in Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1], Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and Peterborough [Dec 9].
Canadian tour to start April 2023!
Read our 2019 interview where Sam shares:
- his interests outside of magic
- about pre-show rituals
- keeping performances fresh
- and his Broadway role of choice
- his interests outside of magic
- about pre-show rituals
- keeping performances fresh
- and his Broadway role of choice
What is your favourite thing about going on tour with Champions of Magic?
Champions of Magic is now a bigger show in scale, production and crew numbers than ever before. Because of that, it is such a vibrant circus to be a part of. Even on the days off, or travel days between shows, there is always a good-spirited atmosphere with lots happening. Travelling in a large group with a shared passion for the show unifies everyone too. Needless to say that performing the actual show is an amazing buzz in itself, so that is a tempting first answer to give.
What is your most important self-care practice while on tour?
The most important thing for my own mental health and self care is to ensure Young and I get the biggest cheer and reaction during the final curtain call. As we are unlikely to receive that through our own ability as performers, we have to lower the standard of the other acts. Sabotaging props and playing complex mind games backstage often lowers their personal contribution to the show, therefore peacocking Young and I into a stronger position. Failing that we just pay off the sound technician to pipe in extra applause through the speakers.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about performing in Canada?
We once did a show in Saskatoon in January and by the time the trucks had made it over to the venue, everything inside was frozen. The extreme temperature over a prolonged trucking time had caused mayhem with so many of the illusions! Bolts wouldn’t move, batteries had failed and the technical crew setting up the lights, pyro etc were encountering countless problems. It really was a period of extreme whether and something I had never experienced before.
[Editor's note: They say you haven't truly toured Canada unless you've had your equipment wheels freeze making load in, urm, challenging.]
In 2018 we managed to get a spot performing our illusions at the Toronto New Year's Eve celebrations at Nathan Phillips Square. We had been booked to perform at 11.40pm on the main stage. It was windy, raining and the DJ had to stop his set for us to do our introduction. Almost everything went wrong in that performance and it really wasn’t what 10s of thousands of people in the square wanted to see! We did our time but were rightly heckled throughout for killing the vibe in the lead up to midnight. We have never spoken of that night again...
I do genuinely love Canada and the Canadian people so I’m really sorry that both things that spring to mind were performances with a lot of stress and uncertainty.
[Editor's note: Oh my! Those are definitely memorable experiences, and not the good kind. You need to tour here in the warmer weather. You'll like your visits better, we're sure of it!]
We once did a show in Saskatoon in January and by the time the trucks had made it over to the venue, everything inside was frozen. The extreme temperature over a prolonged trucking time had caused mayhem with so many of the illusions! Bolts wouldn’t move, batteries had failed and the technical crew setting up the lights, pyro etc were encountering countless problems. It really was a period of extreme whether and something I had never experienced before.
[Editor's note: They say you haven't truly toured Canada unless you've had your equipment wheels freeze making load in, urm, challenging.]
In 2018 we managed to get a spot performing our illusions at the Toronto New Year's Eve celebrations at Nathan Phillips Square. We had been booked to perform at 11.40pm on the main stage. It was windy, raining and the DJ had to stop his set for us to do our introduction. Almost everything went wrong in that performance and it really wasn’t what 10s of thousands of people in the square wanted to see! We did our time but were rightly heckled throughout for killing the vibe in the lead up to midnight. We have never spoken of that night again...
I do genuinely love Canada and the Canadian people so I’m really sorry that both things that spring to mind were performances with a lot of stress and uncertainty.
[Editor's note: Oh my! Those are definitely memorable experiences, and not the good kind. You need to tour here in the warmer weather. You'll like your visits better, we're sure of it!]
What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to perform?
What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to watch?
Without doubt one of the best moments of the show to watch is when a new routine goes into the show. We always refer to it as a ‘sell out in the wings’. A new routine inevitably evolves quickly but that first night when scripted jokes are untested, magic techniques are a little shaky and you can see the subtle fear in the performers eyes, really make you appreciate live theatre. If it happens to be your own new routine or material in the show that night then it’s terrifying!
What about the 2022 show would "2012 you" find unbelievable to imagine as your current reality?
That gratitude for the show we are in and those moments of reflection really are important. In 2012 we had performed very little onstage and I think the biggest theatre we had played at that time was the Chipping Norton Theatre in Oxford, England, with a capacity of about 200. To think of the ground we have covered and rooms we are now playing with the show, it’s beyond what we imagined would have been possible. That relentless stage time also means the show (and hopefully our act within it) is only going in one direction.
There really is no secret to making a show good -- just perform it loads and try to proactively make improvements.
There really is no secret to making a show good -- just perform it loads and try to proactively make improvements.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I think all magicians fall into that trap of seeing a show once, making a judgment on it and then dismissing it having ‘seen it already.’ We have so many new elements to the Champions show now that even if you have the show before it will have evolved quickly and improved massively. So do come and see it if you can!
Thank you Sam, for making the time to answer our questions!
- Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1]
- Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and
- Peterborough [Dec 9].
Champions of Magic Canadian tour to start April 2023!
A peek behind the curtain with Alex McAleer [2022]
This is the fourth of a series of interviews leading up
to the Champions of
Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour shows in Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1], Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and Peterborough [Dec 9].
Canadian tour to start April 2023!
Read our 2021 interview where Alex shares:
- how he dealt with The Great Pause
- how COVID impacted his set
- his comfort binge
- about touring in Mexico during a pandemic
- his go-to Karaoke song
- how he dealt with The Great Pause
- how COVID impacted his set
- his comfort binge
- about touring in Mexico during a pandemic
- his go-to Karaoke song
It’s always great to get the band back together and hit the road again - there’s never a dull day. I mean, I sometimes wish there was a dull day.
What is your most important self-care practice while on tour?
Trying to remember to eat well and exercise but then rewarding yourself with a vast amount of vegan junk food and wine.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about performing in Canada?
That time we were in Saskatoon in January and I thought it would be a good idea to walk to the venue. A piece of me died that day. It broke off and I could never find it.
[Editor's note: Rookie mistake. We'll let you know if anyone in the province finds it. Be sure to leave us a forwarding address.]
That time we were in Saskatoon in January and I thought it would be a good idea to walk to the venue. A piece of me died that day. It broke off and I could never find it.
[Editor's note: Rookie mistake. We'll let you know if anyone in the province finds it. Be sure to leave us a forwarding address.]
What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to perform?
What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to watch?
In the first half of the show we are all on stage together, and that's a fun moment to watch the rest of the cast do their thing. Like Strange forgetting his lines or almost injuring himself.
What about the 2022 show would "2012 you" find unbelievable to imagine as your current reality?
Probably the amount of grey hairs that are appearing in both my head and facial hair.
 |
| Kelly
and Dave help out Alex McAleer. Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences. Oshawa 2019. |
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Canadians eat more mac 'n' cheese, specifically Kraft macaroni and cheese, than any other nation.
[Editor's note: Tru dat! According to the Daily Hive "Kraft Dinner has deep roots in Canada. A representative for Kraft Canada tells Daily Hive that the patent for a packaged and processed cheese product was invented by Ontario native James Lewis Kraft in 1916." And according to Wikipedia "The brand is popular with Canadians, who consume 55% more boxes per capita than Americans." And now we've got that Barenaked Ladies song stuck in our heads.]
Thank you Alex, for making the time to answer our questions!
- Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1]
- Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and
- Peterborough [Dec 9].
Champions of Magic Canadian tour to start April 2023!
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