From the April 14th Instagram post by Billy Hsueh:
Excited to share the stage with my friends @thegabriellalester and @jasonverners !
If you are free come hang out with us at the Cabaret of Wonders for an interactive magic experience!
18 April 2023
New Westminster: Cabaret of Wonders with Lester, Verners, and Hsueh [Apr 24]
17 April 2023
Canada's Got Talent: Getting to know JP Parent
Next in the the series of Canada's Got Talent contestants is Montreal's JP Parent!
Who inspires you that is not a magician?
I think passion is so important in life and it emanates through someone’s work when someone’s passionate about their art. Anthony Bourdain was a good exemple, Martin Short, Dave Chapelle, Eddie Izzard, Ricky Gervais, Steve Martin (started as a magician), Kristen Wiig, Jim Carrey to name a few.
I think passion is so important in life and it emanates through someone’s work when someone’s passionate about their art. Anthony Bourdain was a good exemple, Martin Short, Dave Chapelle, Eddie Izzard, Ricky Gervais, Steve Martin (started as a magician), Kristen Wiig, Jim Carrey to name a few.
What is your first memory of magic?
My very first memory of a magic trick was my father making a penny disappear inside his arm , then making it reappear in my ear I must’ve been 5 years old. Completely mesmerized!
Who from the magic community inspires you?
So many people inspire me, but for me Paul Harris for his incredible creativity, JC Wagner for his way to adapt his work with the environment that he’s in, Harry Loraine for his close up magic but also his memory lectures (incredible BTW), Lennart Green for his ground breaking techniques and logic, Alain Choquette incredible performer but also a serious magic creator , Penn & Teller for their unique style and of course David Copperfield who I think is still to this day the leading name in magic.
Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming a magician?
When I started to get really interested in magic I was 9 and my father took me to my very first magic shop in Montreal called Perfect Magic. This sweet lady showed me a card trick and my selected card ended up printed on a silk. I was hooked! Then I had Mark Wilson’s complete course in magic that was my very first “real” magic book, then came VHS tapes with Michael Ammar’s easy card miracles such a great series for beginners, everything and I mean everything by David Williamson the guy is a Genius worker. My very first lecture was Paul Harris he was so funny but also incredibly good. I was 17 when I attended my first magic convention, Magie Montréal where I met all these other super passionate magicians that would generously share their art with myself and
others. That’s when I met this older magician that started talking about working on cruise ships. Little did I know that 3 years later I was about to embark into a 25-year cruise ship career. Alain Choquette and Greg Otto have been mentors throughout my career, always there to give insights and advice through the different aspects of our art.
Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting magic?
Not really to be honest. I was never really good in school so when I thought of quitting college to do magic full time my father was really supportive of my choice (thank God lol).
Not really to be honest. I was never really good in school so when I thought of quitting college to do magic full time my father was really supportive of my choice (thank God lol).
Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals?
I work around 30 weeks a year on ships. In a 7 day cruise they ask us to do 2 different 45 min shows twice a week. So one night you do your first show 7pm and 9pm and another day you do your other 45 min again twice.
The day of the show we have a rehearsal 2 hours prior to the show, checking the sound, equipment and if there are illusions in the show, we run the numbers full out with the sound, lights and automation. I usually eat 3 hours prior to the first show and then after the second show. I don’t go to the gym on that day. I practice around 1 hour every day especially for close-up. But apart from that I don’t have a special ritual.
The day of the show we have a rehearsal 2 hours prior to the show, checking the sound, equipment and if there are illusions in the show, we run the numbers full out with the sound, lights and automation. I usually eat 3 hours prior to the first show and then after the second show. I don’t go to the gym on that day. I practice around 1 hour every day especially for close-up. But apart from that I don’t have a special ritual.
What inspired you to be a part of this season of Canada's Got Talent?
I wanted to be able to try something new and establish myself a little more on dry land.
I think magic is a very special art, one that brings people together and help them escape for a few minutes from our everyday lives. I think it’s more important now then ever.
Thank you JP, for making the time to answer our questions! Break a leg on CGT!
Learn more about JP at his website JPParentMagician.com and follow him on Instagram.
16 April 2023
Anastasia Synn: Guinness World Record holder (The most technological implants in the body (female))
Congratulations Anastasia on your Guinness World Record!
"The most technological implants in the body (female) is 52 and was achieved by Anastasia Synn."
A magical number indeed!
From the April 9th Tweet by Anastasia Synn:
Weeeee! I can officially announce that I'm the world's most technologically implanted human! Since it's a first, they had to create a new record category. 🤖✌️🫶 pic.twitter.com/1TC3bjmJ2N
— Anastasia Synn (@SiaSynn) April 9, 2023
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This brings the number of Canadian World Record holding magicians to sixteen!
- Doug The Great: Heaviest Stilts Mastered. [Guinness World Record]
- Scott Hammell: Highest Suspension Straitjacket Escape. [Guinness World Record]
- Lucas Wilson: Fastest Suspension Straitjacket Escape. [Guinness World Record - 2011]
- Carisa Hendrix: Longest duration fire torch teething. [Guinness World Record - 2012]
- Michael Francis:
Most one-handed coin rolls in a minute. [Guinness World Record -
2013], and The farthest distance to "walk the dog" with a yo-yo.
[Guinness World Record - 2023]
- Mark Correia: Longest Amount of Time Wearing a Straitjacket. [World Record - 2014]
- The Sentimentalists: (Chris Mysterion and Steffi Kay) Most items transferred from one mentalist to another. [World Record - 2017]
- Gordon Precious: Oldest heli-skier [World Record - 2019]
- Big Trick Energy: (Led by Chris Ramsay, Eric Leclerc, Wes Barker, and Alex Boyer) The largest online video chain of people performing a magic trick. [Guinness World Record - 2021]
- Rod Chow: Owner of the World's Narrowest Commercial Building [Guinness World Record - 2021]
- Aaron Matthews and Christoper Campbell: First Danger and Thrill Show performed within the Metaverse. [Online World Record - 2021]
- Anastasia Synn: The most technological implants in the body (female) is 52 and was achieved by Anastasia Synn [Guinness World Record - 2023]
15 April 2023
Toronto: Eric Jones lecture [cancelled]
Updated April 26th to add:
- Please read the Browser's Den newsletter regarding the cancellation of this event.
From the Browser's Den of Magic newsletter:
Date of Lecture: Sunday, April 30th @ 5:30pm
Location: Browser's Den of Magic
Lecture Ticket: $25.00
To Buy a Ticket: Call the shop 416-783-7022 or CLICK HERE
Eric Jones is a beast in the world of coin magic. He's had several releases over the last decade through companies such as Ellusionist, Penguin, Theory 11, and many others. From Mirage et Trois, to Metal, to Entrapment, and so much more, we're sure you've seen his stuff (and been badly fooled by it). He's also an accomplished card magician, with several card releases (including the very cool Twizted). In addition to releasing material for magicians, he's performed on AGT and Disney Cruise Ships, Masters of Illusion, and Penn & Teller's Fool Us!
We've had the fortune of Eric lecturing twice at the shop in the last 13 years, and both lectures were well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by all. If you were at either (or both) we know why you'll be coming back. If you weren't at either, here's your chance... don't miss out 3 times.
Toronto: Roy Kueppers Day [Apr 29]
From the Browser's Den of Magic newsletter:
Date of Event: Saturday, April 29th from 1pm-4pm
Location: Browser's Den of Magic
You know his work, and you love it! The master coin craftsmen himself will be paying a visit to the store on Saturday April 29th. Roy will be bringing some coins with him, including some that we don't normally carry in-store. He will also be here to answer any questions you might have about any of his products. We are lucky to have Roy making Canadian trick coins, as without him we'd all be stuck using Kennedy Half Dollars!
14 April 2023
Checking in with Shawn Farquhar and Lost in the Shuffle
You may remember some time ago we posted that Shawn Farquhar and Jon Ornoy embarked on a journey to create a documentary. Their project, Lost in the Shuffle, is "a multi-faceted look at this remarkable 400-year relationship that’s seen these simple playthings provide an endless source of miraculous inspiration for magicians throughout time."
"At the same time we want to uncover a 500 year old cold case murder mystery."
The project team, which also includes Alexandra Duvivier, Juan Tamariz, Richard Turner, and Michael Vincent, spent the last few weeks filming around the world.
Earlier this week we caught up with Shawn, who kindly answered our questions and gave us an update on the project.
Why is now the right time to share the story?
April 7th marked the 525th anniversary of the death of Charles VIII and we filmed on location where he died. The idea that the history we know might not be the true history, is an intriguing thing, in a time when so many people are screaming fake news. At the same time the fascination with magic continues to grow and now a whole new audience is emerging with the popularity of cardistry. It’s an ideal time to explore the world of cards and try to unravel the mystery at the same time.
April 7th marked the 525th anniversary of the death of Charles VIII and we filmed on location where he died. The idea that the history we know might not be the true history, is an intriguing thing, in a time when so many people are screaming fake news. At the same time the fascination with magic continues to grow and now a whole new audience is emerging with the popularity of cardistry. It’s an ideal time to explore the world of cards and try to unravel the mystery at the same time.
Who is the target audience for this project?
Our goal is to make a documentary that is appealing to everyone. To show the world the passion that we magicians have for something as simple as a deck of cards. At the same time we want to uncover a 500 year old cold case murder mystery. In doing so we hope to make people more aware of the common everyday object we take for granted and maybe then we will all see things in a different way.
How far along are you in this project?
As of Easter Monday we have completed principal filming. We are in the process of the animation sequences and there is a lot more to be done. We need the movie score, the editing, and tons of of things to make the final feature.
To
be honest we are also in need of more funding. We had some major
hiccups with strikes, plane cancellations, timing issues, etc. So while
we continue to work on the film we are also actively looking to find a
couple more major investors who would like to be Executive Producers of
the film. For as little as $10,000 Canadian they can become equity
investors in the project. We have had some wonderful friends help us and
with the help of just a couple more we should reach our goal.
[emphasis added]
[emphasis added]
What surprised you most during your recent filming?
I think the biggest surprise I found on my recent travels was just how open people on the street were to seeing magic. We all know magic has a universal appeal, but I couldn’t believe how easy it was to break out a deck of cards in front of Buckingham Place and draw a crowd! I was also pleasantly surprised to discover many people knew me from TV and YouTube. I had no idea my reach was so big.
Were there any touring mis-adventures that led to a serendipitous beneficial circumstance?
There were a tremendous amount of mis-adventures on the trip, but none lead to good things… okay driving for fourteen hours straight to keep our schedule was a great way to get to know each other much better I guess.
There were a tremendous amount of mis-adventures on the trip, but none lead to good things… okay driving for fourteen hours straight to keep our schedule was a great way to get to know each other much better I guess.
Is there anything else about Lost in the Shuffle that you'd like to share with the readers of Canada's Magic?
I
have so much to tell you and the readers of Canada's Magic, but I am
told I have to save it for the movie. For now I’d ask you to follow us
on all social media platforms and to check out our official website www.lostintheshuffle.film
To invest in Lost in the Shuffle please email Jon Ornoy at
"jon @ animalmotherfilms dot com"
To learn more about Lost in the Shuffle visit their website LostInTheShuffle.film and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
13 April 2023
Thank you to our personal sponsors for April 2023!
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, Jokers, George Blott, Noah Nogueira, Ryan Edwards, Aaron Matthews, and Colin Geddes 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.
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