The summer is often a quieter time for some, but much busier for others. Whether it’s relaxing on a personal holiday or frantically rehearsing for the Durham (or Edinburgh) Fringe, there has certainly been no let-up for our growing magic club!
Just over a week ago, on Saturday 25 July, after a break of more than 13 years, Newcastle Magic Circle returned to the stage for a much anticipated Stage Competition. Weeks of preparation came together at the Market Pavilion in Blyth, where Hayden assembled the team, with invaluable support from Tom McCowie and the Mad Magic crew. With everything set, Martin opened proceedings and handed over to the performers.
Tom Bolton began the evening with a confident excerpt from his full act. His relaxed style quickly won over the audience, who responded warmly to his polished card work and were left quietly astonished by his PK touch.
Simon followed with a burst of enthusiasm and energy, bringing plenty of laughter with his Cards Across routine, cleverly framed with a nod to theoretical physics in the form of the C.A.D.I.S. device.
Kendrick brought the first half to a strong close, combining striking visuals with a flowing card sequence, before presenting his sword cabinet illusion to appreciative applause.
During the interval, drinks were enjoyed and raffle tickets continued to sell well in support of the RVI Children’s wards. Anticipation built for the second half.
Rob opened proceedings with his usual lively presence, producing a bowling ball and sharing a moment of warmth with the audience. Sadly, just as his Rubik’s cube routine began, he was taken ill. Thankfully he is now well, though his absence was keenly felt.
Stepping in seamlessly, Tom Daws lifted the room with some balloon work recommended by his counsellor, soon involving the entire audience in a playful test of torn card magic. He followed this with a thoughtful and personal prediction piece, before increasing the pace with a superhero themed finale.
Harry closed the evening with a technically ambitious set within a workshop style environment. Featuring electrical elements, a step ladder prediction, restored cabling and a dramatic light bulb sequence, his performance provided a fitting conclusion that left the audience wanting more.
Almost £200 was raised for the RVI Children’s wards,
and Simon was deservedly voted the winner of an excellent evening.
It was a memorable return to the stage, with members and guests alike recognising the strength of live performance within the club. Roll on the Christmas Show.
Mega Audition Night
Five brave souls stepped into the spotlight for a Mega Audition Night that had more twists than a well handled linking rings routine.
Matt opened with a wonderfully oddball single eye puppet, blending classic props like the egg bag and rings with a floating Zombie eye.
James followed with a clever fusion of tech and art, a QR code led us to a “random” song that somehow landed on John Lennon’s Imagine, while an upside down drawing of the man himself quietly came to life. Nothing to see here, of course…
Taylor delivered a slick routine, producing a bowling ball from a suitcase before weaving Tom’s borrowed ring into a multi phase prediction with coloured pens, a drawn character, and even a matching costume.
Sean then fired through five punchy card effects, including a cheeky “marked deck” moment, a recovery from a “slight wobble” (not at all), and a strong Out of This World finale that proved intuition is alive and well.
Aidan brought along Colin the pigeon, who clearly refuses to miss a club night. From two blokes and two cups (with just enough chaos) to a mind reading moment involving car keys, plus a card revelation via juggling clubs, it was delightfully unpredictable and full of character.
Elsewhere, the Stage Competition got a well earned review, with Hayden receiving the first gold “Power of You” award for pulling it all together – a real piece of magic behind the scenes.
All in all, a night packed with invention, personality, and just enough mystery to keep even the sharpest minds guessing.
Ian Campbell Magic Show
On Friday 3 July, I had the pleasure of watching Ian Campbell take to the stage at the Little Theatre in Cleadon Village. It was a packed venue, and before Ian’s performance we were also entertained by NMC member Andy Munro. Looking very dapper in his suit, Andy performed engaging close-up magic at the tables before the show began.
Ian immediately put the audience at ease, opening with some classic material including a jumbo card version of the Six Card Repeat, complete with a strong kicker ending where the cards vanished entirely. He involved the whole room, moving around the theatre and selecting spectators from across the audience. His rapport and spectator management were excellent, supported by creative use of props, including inflatable Nemos.
The evening was split into two halves of around 40 minutes each, with no filler, just a strong range of well-paced material. There was also time for refreshments and a raffle draw in support of the Chloe and Liam Together Forever Trust, which raised over £1,000 on the night.
If you have not yet seen Ian Campbell’s show, it is well worth adding to your list.
Well done to Ian and Andy.
Gary
Dinner Tickets are on sale… Get yours fast!
Reminders from Colin:
The next Saturday Jam is 15th August.
Our next meeting is on Monday 24th August and we’re being entertained by the Neptune Magic Juniors.
Come along and support the next generation of magicians!
