Canada's Magic

19 November 2023

Toronto: Potted Potter [Dec 21 - Jan 14]

From the November 9th Instagram by Starvox Entertainment:

POTTED POTTER RETURNS AND CASTS ITS SPELL ON TORONTO THIS HOLIDAY!

Tickets available now!
🎟️: bit.ly/47oiJLH

No need for a stop in Diagon Alley, the cleverly curated show features perfect Potter props complete with wand and sorting hat, appearances from your favourite characters, and a live Quidditch match!

Perfect for those six to Dumbledore Potted Potter runs Thursday, December 21 - Friday, January 14, 2024.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Starvox Entertainment (@starvoxent)

18 November 2023

A peek behind the curtain with Hollie England [2023]

This is the fourth in a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour Canadian dates in:

Toronto, Ticketmaster [Dec 27 - 31] ** extended to Dec 31 **
Lethbridge, Enmax Centre [Mar 16]
Regina, Conexus Arts Centre [Mar 17]
Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall [Mar 18]
Saskatoon, TCU Place [Mar 19]
Lloydminster, Vic Juba Theatre [Mar 20] ** recently added **
Edmonton, Festival Place [Mar 22 - Apr 6]
Prince George, CN Centre [Apr 7]
Vancouver, Great Canadian Casino [Apr 8] ** recently added **

Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS! Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.

Read our thoughts about their 2022 show:

TLDR: So. Much. Fun!

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic"

In addition to her stage shows, you may know Hollie England through her:

involvement in Illusionarium in Toronto,
appearances at Late Night Magic in Vegas, or
designs at thehexclubstore.com

We're delighted to interview Hollie ahead of her Canadian Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!

A peek behind the curtain with Hollie England

Through social media, we've watched your act change and grow over time. When you have an audience tested, well-received show, what drives you to modify and advance your act?

I originally joined the show with the least experience as a magician with these 4 other performers who had developed and perfected their acts over many years. I guess, coming to be a magician later in life, I felt like I was ‘catching up’ at the beginning and so I was very motivated to try things, see what worked and what didn’t and make my acts bigger and better as fast as I could. I just wanted to be GOOD more than anything in the world. Every iteration of my acts have got closer and closer to being more ‘me’ and that’s what makes it fun to perform and also makes the audience connect and relate more.

I try to stay inspired by seeing shows and movies, watching other performers (not necessarily other magicians) and listening to Pandora stations that introduce me to new music (still within my preferred styles). I’m always trying different lines here and there when I get an idea for something funny.

Ultimately, I’ve always had this desire to create and sometimes what I create ends up being a completely new routine or it flips an existing one or it just adds elements.

Some changes have come about through dealing with venue challenges. For example, when there were theaters on the tour that didn’t allow fire, I found a way to create a similar effect but using water instead. Both versions are custom made and so they also tick the very important box of being completely unique and ‘me’.

Performing in smaller shows in Vegas and Nashville has helped me grow exponentially as a performer. From altering, tweaking material for an adult-only, small venue, late night, 'Vegas' (sometimes very drunk) audience to getting to play with crowd work (and sometimes control), interacting differently with the rest of the cast onstage in my routines and theirs in terms of finding characters plus just being able to perform so consistently in the same venue (5 mins away from my house) and develop new routines- being able to try new things out in front of a real audience. I've also been able to get hired as a 'featured act' and ‘headliner’ in other shows and it's allowed me to see how different audiences have very different reactions and how I can adapt my acts without a video camera feed.

I've been able to create my own 20 minute set and then 30 minute set, which I'd never had to do before as my acts were always broken up throughout the ensemble magic shows. I constantly needed to add routines to meet the required length of the show or alter some elements to meet the needs of the style of venue/ type of audience. I created 2 new acts and now they are some of my favorites to perform.

You come from a professional dance background. Have you studied anything else magic-adjacent?

I studied musical theater (dancing, singing and acting) at college and also performed in musicals across the UK, USA and Dubai. I took art A-level in school and have always like to paint just for fun. Although now I get to design my own merch on thehexclubstore.com.

I truly believe everything I learnt from being a dancer, singer, actor, director, producer, artist and even an office assistant has made me a better performer. It is show BUSINESS after all- being a good performer is only a small percentage of the job!

Tea Party with Hollie

Do you remember the specific moment when you knew you could or wanted to perform magic full time?

Magic has been the thing that has kept recurring in my life. It’s like the universe has been gently nudging me towards being a magician since I was a kid, when all I wanted was to be a dancer on the West End. Maybe that’s why I was able to achieve that goal early on (in a magic show no less), so I was then forced to find a new and bigger dream/ goal!

I always loved being the assistant or at least somehow assisting in the ‘magic effect’ as a dancer since I was on tour with Hans Klok back in 2008. I loved seeing ways to enhance the magic on stage while I was associate directing The Illusionists tours and Illusionarium.

I was originally asked to be a magician when I was producing but, at the time, felt like I had no business standing next to these giants in the industry that I hugely admired and had perfected their craft over decades. However, it definitely ignited a desire in me to at least consider the challenge. When these magicians were the ones telling me I should be a magician, I finally started to take it seriously (although it wasn’t until years later that I actually started to work on it).

I had some permanent injuries from being a dancer but I still very much wanted to perform. Everything about magic just felt right- I already had a pool of the best magicians, producers and directors in the world as close friends and colleagues, I had worked on ‘both sides of the table’ and so I felt the most prepared and abundant with resources. When I finally put out clips of me performing magic, the response was overwhelming.

What is your most memorable performance misadventure?

I feel like there have been many... Young and Strange leave a small puddle of water at the front of the stage in the one of their acts before mine and I happened to walk straight into it one show and completely fell over like a cartoon character.. with the closeup camera right on me. I think I naturally just bounce up again, but as I get older, it's harder to do!

What sets Champions of Magic apart from other touring ensemble magic shows?

Our producer comes from a stand-up comedy background and also used to run a pyro company so… the show is very funny and as one article said ‘has more pyrotechnics than a KISS concert!’ We also all perform some acts together ‘Now You See Me’-style, we interact with each other, we all have very individual characters and personalities that feed and bounce off each other in the show. We don’t take ourselves too seriously!

Hollie striking a pose

Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?

Normally I have an ongoing D and D app game to stay connected with my partner. I watch a lot of the true crime YT channel ‘That Chapter’ if we are on the tour bus. I’m known for my morning ritual of making a bagel with a cup of tea. In Canada, I just have to go to Timmy Horton’s of course!

One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home for a lengthy tour. Do you bring a special something from home with you?

My backpack is always full of British tea because that is one daily ritual that is mandatory! I also bring a blanket for travel- you never know when you’ll want is as a pillow on a plane, plus the company gets very divided on the optimal temperature on the bus!

Every performer experiences some level of post-show blues. Post-tour blues, we expect, are on a whole different level. Do you have any tips for touring entertainers with respect to re-entering one’s non-touring life, after an extended time away from home?

Try to maintain a routine and daily habits on tour and off. Eat healthy. Get good sleep. Take your vitamins and ashwagandha and magnesium. Get a massage. Go for walks. Exercise or do something active that makes you happy. Invest in self-care (cut your hair/ get a facial etc) If you can afford it, invest in a therapist. Journal. Meditate. Read. Allocate time to spend with friends/ family. Schedule things to look forward to.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Canada’s Magic?

Regardless of how many shows, or billboards or how much money I'm making, I ultimately just want to be creative, and weird and me. I'm trying to do things like no-one else does. As Marilyn Manson once said, 'The key is to change what is popular. That's why rather than submit to the mainstream, you have to become it- then overcome it.'

Thank you Hollie, for making the time to answer our questions!

Learn more about Hollie at HollieEngland.com and follow her on Facebook, and Instagram.

Champions of Magic
Catch Hollie in Champions of Magic touring across Canada in 2023 - 2024:

Toronto, Ticketmaster [Dec 27 - 30]

Lethbridge, Enmax Centre [Mar 16]

Regina, Conexus Arts Centre [Mar 17]

Winnipeg, Centennial Concert Hall [Mar 18]

Saskatoon, TCU Place [Mar 19]

Edmonton, Festival Place [Mar 22 - Apr 6]

Prince George, CN Centre [Apr 7]
Vancouver, Great Canadian Casino [Apr 8]

Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS! Check the Champions of Magic website for updates.

Read our 2023 interviews with:
Alex McAleer
Michelle Mazzarella

Read our 2022 interviews with the cast:
Hollie England
Alex McAleer
Sam Strange
Fernando Velasco
Richard Young

Learn more about Champions of Magic at ChampionsOfMagic.co.uk and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

17 November 2023

Broken wand: Micky Hades

Updated November 27th to add:

Read Brent's Smith's touching Tribute to Micky Hades

Updated November 24th to add:

From Dignity Memorial:

"It is with heavy hearts and tear filled eyes that the family of Micky Hades regretfully announce that he passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at his home in Calgary at the age of 97 ½ years.

"He was an internationally known magician, magic dealer, and magic book publisher.

"Further details will be available in the Linking Ring magazine."

We were just informed of the recent passing of Micky Hades.

We will update this post as more information becomes available.

Our sincere condolences to Micky's family and friends at this difficult time.

From the November 17th Facebook post by Brent Smith:

My Dear long friend and teacher past away Micky Hades. He was 98 and a giant among mere mortals and for the people who never took the time to know him don’t know what the magic communtiy just lost. I’m not in shock but saddened …. damn I’ll miss the stories this guy had . He did more for magic than most people ever will … Including me

From the November 17th Facebook post by Scott McClelland:

Today, one of the most important people in Magic passed away. The Great Micky Hades.

Micky Hades was an innovator in magic, creating new and exciting ideas in illusion and mentalism. He built Reveen's Illusion Show and also some of Doug Hennings magic seen on TV.

Apart from that, Micky Hades had the largest publishing company of Mentalism books in the world. And he mentored some of the finest magicians in the country, including Dale Harney, Murray Hatfield and John Kaplan.

I was introduced to Micky at the 1977 International Brotherhood of Magicians Convention by my grandfather. 2 years later, I got my first job collating and printing many of Micky's publications. When I was 17 he asked me to illustrate two books for him, on a book on Key Bending and another a Magic Illusion catalogue.

Micky also wrote articles in the Linking Ring Magazine (a magic magazine) and had his own special periodical called the Hade-Gram.

One of the things back in the 70's and 80's all the magicians looked forward to was the Micky Hades Fun and Film Festival.

Micky was one of the most influential magicians in the magic community and a great supporter of new upcoming talent.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Micky for over 45 years and my life has been enriched with his wonderful friendship and knowledge, a true Showman and Magi and someone I will never forget.

I love you Micky like a grandfather, and I am so glad that we lived in the same time period of history to know each other, you will be missed.

Rest now Micky, fore you worked every day of your life.

An inspiration to us all.

Toronto: An intimate workshop with John Bannon [Dec 1]

From the November 9th Instagram post by IBM Ring 17:

Dealing With It: An Intimate Workshop with John Bannon

— ♣️♥️♠️♦️—

When: Friday December 1st, 7PM
Where: Agricola Lutheran Church - 25 Old York Mills Road
Tickets: $100

We are honored to be able to host an intimate workshop with John Bannon for a limited number of participants. If you are interested, please email the club to arrange payment: ibmring17@gmail.com  
It’s been said that all you need to perform card magic is a pass, a palm, and a top-change. That may have been good advice a century ago, but modern card magic requires a different mindset … and skillset. John Bannon will share his modern magical mindset in which construction is as important as sleights, and where how you think about a trick can make a real difference. Let’s take advantage of a broader, but easier skillset, for maximum effect.  
During the Workshop, we’ll look at a wide range of tricks whose common thread is that they use a regular deck and many are impromptu. There will be discussion on how certain tricks were put together and what tradeoffs were involved. John will also answer all questions, help with the few moves required, and talk about any topic or trick requested. 
John hit the scene in the early 90s with the smash hit books, Impossibilia (1990) and Smoke & Mirrors (1992), followed by his best-selling trick Twisted Sisters (1993). His book, Dear Mr. Fantasy (2005) is widely hailed as one of the best magic books of that decade. His collections High Caliber (2013), Destination Zero (2015), and Mentalissimo (2016), had enthusiastic receptions and quickly sold out. 
Now in its seventh year, John’s cutting-edge column, “Dealing With It,” in Genii Magazine continues to highlight his streamlined, yet elegant card magic.  
John’s highly-acclaimed 2023 card trick collection, Very Hush-Hush, sold out in a matter of weeks. Its second printing is underway.