Canada's Magic

24 March 2014

Review: Sankey lecture, Card collectors and Bobby Motta

Since most of us are talking as much about the weather as we are about our latest sleight of hand moves I am pleased to report that I will make a prediction.

As popular is mentalism these days it was never of much interest to me for most of my formative years studying magic. Though I do appreciate it more now than then...I still enjoy scarves changing colour and canes changes to candles, linking rings and coins and cups and balls, etc.etc.

That being said, I have decided that I will make a prediction regarding our weather. The cold will disappear by the time I write my next Blog!

Read more.

Jeff, about your prediction, I hope you're right! (And write soon!)

23 March 2014

Murray Sawchuck on Penguin Live

From Penguin Magic:

Murray Sawchuck LIVE: Sunday Mar 23rd

Who is he?

Murray’s star power has exploded onto the entertainment scene with the charisma, personality and talent of an entertainer born to be on stage and screen, after his successful run as a semi-finalist on NBC-TV’s “America’s Got Talent.”

The #1 network summer series was viewed by over 22 million fans nationwide. Murray dazzled the judges: Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel by producing a Ferrari from thin air, transforming a girl locked in a cage into a 450 pound tiger and did the largest trick ever on “AGT” by vanishing an entire 1918 steam train locomotive in mere seconds.

All of these illusions took place before a “live” and national “TV” audience, and brought standing ovations from the judges.

Read more and buy ticket.

[via iTricks]

22 March 2014

Sharing wonder with the help of Magicana

From Magicana:

Through our Tony Eng Youth Fund, Magicana sponsored two young people to attend the John Carney Lecture in Toronto on Feb 15, 2014.

The pair are actively part of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto – an organization near and dear to Magicana as past partners in our My Magic Hands program. Through a happy coincidence, Big Brother, Mike Johns, happened to hear about the lecture and thought it would be the perfect outing with his Little, Wes.

Wes is a budding 12-year old magician with a huge interest in magic and his Big, Mike – equally interested in magic – thought it would be the perfect outing for the two of them. But, limited funds proposed a challenge. Resourcefully, Mike reached out to Magicana and through our Tony Eng Youth Fund, we were able to make their attendance possible. After all that’s what the fund is all about – to motivate and inspire young people who are passionate about magic.

Read more.

21 March 2014

Screenings for "An Honest Liar: The Amazing Randi Story"

You may recall an earlier post about the Kickstarter campaign to get this James Randi documentary off the ground. And a post about with the work-in-progress trailer. And the post quoting from the Hot Docs Forum report. So it's fitting that I post about the completed film's upcoming screenings in New York and Toronto.

From "An Honest Liar":

Upcoming Screenings

Tribeca Screenings (New York City, USA)

FRI 4/18
SUN 4/20
WED 4/23
FRI 4/25

Hot Docs Screenings (Toronto, Canada)

Wed Apr 30 at Hart House Theatre
Thu May 1 at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
Sat May 3 at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1

20 March 2014

Scott McClelland's The Necromancer

Tour dates for The Necromancer from Scott McClelland.

From The Paranormal Show:

Ottawa, March 22nd
Hamilton, March 29th
Toronto, April 4th

19 March 2014

Review: The Evasons in South Tyneside

From The Shields Gazette:

Jeff and Tessa Evason left everyone completely gobsmacked as they delved into minds, pulling out the information they needed.

It’s absolutely impossible to explain how they did what they did.

Read more.

From The Journal:

Unless I’m much mistaken, there will be a few hundred people like me still wondering: How on earth did she do that?
The apparent mind-reading ability of Tessa Evason of The Evasons prompted a standing ovation to conclude this final South Tyneside International Magic Festival in style.

Read more.