South Tyneside International Magic Festival
Friday 13th: Saturday 14th: Sunday 15th March 2009

It is a joy to announce that the 6th annual ‘International Magic Convention’
Once again both ourselves and The Customs House Theatre have sponsored this event which is due to take place on 13th to 15th March 2009.

The convention will be hosted by the Customs House Theatre in South Shields and the Sea Hotel will again be the venue for the Welcome Evening and the Midnight Show.

e-mail us at  info@magicbox.uk.com for the 2009 Application Form

Acts booked to date (subject to contracts!)

David Williamson ~ USA
This man dazzles audiences with a unique and delightful brand of entertainment, blending heart-stopping magic with side-splitting hilarity. A born showman and an unusually accomplished sleight of hand artist. As host of the United Kingdom’s acclaimed television series The Magic Comedy Strip, David’s irresistible mix of humour and skill helped make it one of the highest rated shows in the country. He has created illusions for and performed in several commercials and has developed TV shows for Walt Disney Productions and ABC, as well as consulting for illusionists David Copperfield’s and David Blaine’s TV specials.

Banachek ~ USA
Described as the “Cream of the Crop” when it comes to entertainers, Banachek is the world’s leading Mentalist. His talents are so incredible that he is the only mentalist ever to fool scientists into believing he possessed ‘psychic powers’ only to later reveal he was fooling them.
Performers around the world such as the colourful Penn & Teller, the Amazing James Randi and television’s unique street magician Criss Angel seek his performing expertise. Companies and theatres seek him for his outstanding performing abilities.

Steve Axtell ~ USA FIRST EVER UK LECTURE AND PERFORMANCE!!
Steve Axtell has been teaching puppet workshops for years and has created a huge puppet related web resource. His puppet designs have been in movies, on television, on Broadway, on Vegas stages, and schools all over the world. Thousands of performers in the entertainment industry find Axtell puppets to be the top of the line.
After his spot in the kids show Steve will present a 1 hour lecture on creativity including showing his latest creations and inventions followed by questions and answers.

Bob Sheets ~ USA
From Washington, D.C. via San Diego, Chicago, & Aspen. Behind Bob’s humorous presentation style is experience gained from one of the most diverse work histories in Magic. Serious credentials in a variety of venues include Circus and Side Show performer, Shopping Centre Magic promotions, Magic Bartender, Street Magician, Bar/Restaurant Owner, Renaissance Festival performer, Magic Dinner Theatre entrepreneur, Trade Show crowd stopper, and Sales Meeting wake-up artist. Bob lectures and performs for magicians all over the world, including England, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Australia, Japan and India.

Paul Dabek ~ UK
From the stages of London’s West end to the elegant ballroom of Dalgatie Castle, from the theatres of the world’s top cruise lines to grand halls, audiences have been enchanted by the stage artistry of Paul Dabek. His spellbinding performances combine stage illusion, slight of hand, comedy, audience participation, flash and colour into a theatrical tour of wonders.

Jasper ~ UK
Jasper Blakeley is an entertainer who happens to be a magician. Probably best known for his Russian-esque mentalist character ‘Kockov’, Jasper will be showcasing other parts of his performance repertoire. As well as being a close-up and cabaret character magician, Jasper also works as himself as a children’s entertainer. Its part of his children’s show he’ll be performing at the convention. Not being a believer in typical children’s magic props, Jasper uses his training as an actor and professional idiot to create genuine laughter from the simplest of situations. Jasper believes by creating a full 45 minute show that fits into a shoebox he has to work harder without relying on shiny tubes and bunny rabbits.

Russ Stevens ~ UK
Russ Stevens’ career started in 1977 when, at the age of sixteen, he won the coveted Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year Competition. Later that year he starred in their annual show in London’s West-End, and was an immediate hit turning professional at the beginning of 1978.
He performed 3 seasons in Mystique at Blackpool
Last September his full illusion show was flown out to Las Vegas where he performed for 4000 delegates at the Mandalay Bay Hotel

Patrick G Redford
He’s best known in the mentalism/magic community as Patrick Redford. His forte is mentalism based magic.  He’s published various projects over the past five years that include the highly acclaimed “Triangle” a mentalism publication that focused on making the audience the mind readers and presented itself in comic book format.  He’s also had the privilege to have been a featured lecturer at Danny Archer’s Mindvention in Las Vegas in 2007.

The lecture itself features some of his best work sampled from the large body of work listed below.

There’s a hands off version of Any Card @ Any Number that will fool you
There’s a sure-fire method to make anyone forget virtually anything.
There’s a chair prediction that’s incredibly direct and clean.

And Much More

But the focus isn’t just on the effects, no. The focus is on the creation, the whys and hows, and the small presentational touches that make these things so damn powerful.

Paul Romhany

Originally from New Zealand, Paul Romhany combines his skill and artistry as a magician with his natural comic ability to bring to the stage a highly entertaining and hilarious show that is filled with original magic and illusion.

In 2004 Paul was awarded the People’s Choice Award from PCAM for his innovative performance as Charlie Chaplin. His ability to take a room full of people and turn them in to an audience, and then to elevate that audience to an extremely high level of fun and laughter is what keep this act in such high demand in the corporate market and on cruise ships throughout the world, with performances in over 54 countries and 17 national television appearance.

To see Paul Romhany on stage is to witness a magical transformation. While his skills and artistry as an illusionist are unsurpassed, Paul takes his performance to another dimension when he applies makeup as the audience watches, suddenly leaving behind Paul Romhany and becoming Charlie Chaplin.

Like a silent movie come to life, Paul brings the visual comedy of Charlie Chaplin back to life in this International Award Winning Magic Act, considered to be one of the most entertaining and original acts in magic today. His ability to communicate without words, to take a room full of people and turn them in to an audience, and then to elevate that audience to an extremely high level of fun and laughter is what keeps this act in such high demand throughout the world.

You may know Paul from some of his 40 marketed routines and effects

Midnight Show
The Midnight Show will be held at the Sea Hotel after the Gala Show on Friday 13th March. Food will be available from 10.30pm – 11.30pm.
The midnight show is available to registered delegates only and must be pre-booked on your convention registration form.
Featuring:~
Kockov and Uncle Al the Kiddie’s PalAs the inventor of 13 original performance characters, Jasper has agreed to unleash one of his most notorious and subversive creations, deranged children’s entertainer, ‘Uncle Al the Kiddie’s Pal’. This truly foul-mouthed North-East accented kids entertainer is strictly for adults, and whilst he was designed for the stand-up comedy circuit, anybody who is a children’s entertainer can easily identify with him. Embodying all that is politically and socially incorrect about a man supposedly doing a child’s birthday party, Uncle Al will shock and amuse you in equal measure. Truly offensive, truly un-PC and truly memorable. You are invited to a birthday party with a difference – prepare to meet ‘Uncle Al the Kiddie’s Pal’.

GALA SHOWS
The two shows this year will be held at the Customs House Theatre, Mill Dam, South Shields. If you require extra tickets for your friends or family you can either book them direct with the Customs House, but doing it this way you will not be able to sit together. Should you wish to sit together you need to inform me at the time of booking your delegates place and I shall organise this for you. Ticket price £13 and £12 for concessions

Other names not previously mentioned who will be appearing in the gala shows are:
John Archer and Stephen Williams + more to be announced
The theatre has a licensed bar!

Telephone 0191 454 1234 ~ this is an automative service.
If you wish to attend its simple, just download and fill in the application form and return to the address shown along with your cheque!