AL HIRSCHEL who was hosting the magic, with the theme “Paper
Magic and Everyday Objects”, started with Newspaper Tear. This is a spectacular item, but some of us
don’t have the courage to tackle it, because it can go wrong. To visually tear up something as large as a newspaper
and then restore it, is close to a miracle!
Al continued with one of his favourite items in which he cut a business card in such a way
that one can put one’s head through it!
The next item he did was the vanishing salt cellar – a salt cellar is
covered with a serviette, then the magician slaps his hand down on top of the
salt cellar and it is not there.
JOHN FERGUSON did some “challenges” (also known as “bar
betchas”). He set up a line of three
glasses with water in them and three glasses without water – the challenge was
to achieve a glass-with-water next to a glass without, right down the line by
moving only one glass. Next, he balanced
a credit card on the edge of a glass.
You had to add a coin to the outer side of the credit card without it
falling. He set up a tower of coins with
a copper coin on top, and a spare coin.
You had to make the copper coin go to second place without touching the
tower, only using the coins in the tower. (You flick the spare coin at the
tower to knock out the bottom coin, then place that on top.) Finally with some
difficulty, he managed to balance a coin on the edge of a glass using two forks
splayed outside the glass.
MICHAEL BLAKEMAN did a card trick – he loves doing them! He
had a card chosen, and showed his prediction, that had been in full view. The prediction was wrong! He took a cigarette lighter and heated the
words of the prediction, and they changed to be the correct card…. a very
clever outcome.
DAVID WHITSON took some paper, scrunched it into a ball and
placed it in a box. He drew from the box
not torn paper, but a rainbow streamer.
Next, he wrapped a tie around his neck, made a magical gesture, and
pulled the tie right through his neck.
David then did his prediction of a famous person – this time the
spectator chose “Frank Sinatra” and David showed a picture of him – as a
baby! Another item was a picture of a
black cat on a dark night – a black square.
When “the lights were turned on” the cat was shown in vivid colour – (which
was a useful road safety effect).
STEVE IRWIN showed an eerie matchbox. As he gestured at it, the tray of the box
opened by itself, then closed by itself.
It was sitting there on his hand, working by itself! Next, the matchbox turned around in a circle
on his hand. A mysterious effect.
JEFFREY CLARK, a visitor, said he had been to Macdonalds,
and showed us a bag from there. He
produced a red D’lite from the bag, and proceeded to eat it, again and
again. He had written his final message
in Invisible Ink, which he developed for us to see.
