What Happened at the Meeting on Friday 20th February 2026

The theme of the night was "Ropes and Stuff", hosted by Noel Clair.

Noel started us off with an intricate rope routine. Knots were created magically at both ends of a rope before vanishing. Next, a knot made within a fully enclosed loop turns into two regular knots. Some dexterity was required to create a knot in a swaying rope. Another complete loop was created with the ends of the rope separating away into another rope before a knot appeared in the middle of the original rope loop. It could only be magic. Somehow Noel managed to undo the knot in the looped rope before adding a length of rope to the loop and restoring the rope to a single length with two ends for the finale. Loopy!

John Ferguson offered up a number of books with magic instructions, including some very old translated magic notes and manuals. Also on offer was a large number of convention notes, some internet prints, a collection of pamphlets, including "Happy Magic" magazines, some magic for teaching and various other rare materials. The translated olde English explanation of tricks formerly believed to be witchcraft is a good read.

Raquel demonstrated a card trick with Neal as a volunteer. Neal selected a card before Raquel created a number of piles or shapes with the cards and asked the audience whether a card was in each group. She then put the cards in two piles with a little help from Neal, before eliminating a pile, dividing again, choosing again and eliminating again, all with the help of Neal's hand which was hovering. After a few more eliminations the correct card was revealed.

Mia's magic was so fast we almost missed it. She shows a single large die in a jar which suddenly turns into numerous small dice after a shake. A second performance was required so the whole room could capture the magic.

Joel Howlett performed a dextrous and polished routine, starting with a blue magic 'wishing' flash paper that turned into a genuine large coin. The coin disappears with some help from a magic sharpie. The swift routine includes the coin becoming a pen, the pen becoming a coin, a knuckle coin roll and coin through hand with some impressive sleight. The coin then appears and disappears again behind a scarf. Just when we thought the coin would show up again, a whole shoe appears behind the scarf. What?! Next came some audience participation. John Ferguson just thinks of a card and one card appears under the box, it's the Joker (Wildcard). Moments later we try again and now it's the chosen card under the box. Following this, the box and card turn into just the card and the stack of cards appears underneath the deck over the other side of the table. This act is 100% ready for Vegas!

David Whitson showed a change bag with an empty zippered bottom. A set of colourful scrunchies go in and come out linked. Now the scrunchies go back in and come out as a single length with multiple colours. David then performed the equal unequal ropes (aka Professor's Nightmare) with thick ropes. Of course, the ropes become the same length then moments later revert back to short, medium and long. David also demonstrated the equal unequal ropes with magic wand style crotchet props. The next trick involved two red ropes, one short, one long, which quickly become a single rope. Rapid fire magic! David continued the routine with a rope that knots itself as it is passed through a clear tube. After the five knots are untied manually they then turn into four new knots upon repetition. David finished his act with four coloured ropes which, after being tied into four separate loops, are revealed as a single multicolored circle.

Steve Irwin told a story about Egyptian cotton. The cotton shown is rotten and keeps breaking. A wizard pharoah took all the broken pieces of cotton and magically put them back together into one piece. An impressive effect from antiquity.

Noel rounded out the night with a medium ring and shoelace style string. The intricate routine starts with rope through finger, before the ring joins the string and is removed magically. Even with a loop knot the ring passes straight through again. With help from a volunteer, the rope is double looped onto the ring but is pulled dirctly off once again. The ring is placed onto the string again right up in front of the eyes and in slow motion. One last time, the ring goes onto the string under the light and at a slant, something that is very clearly impossible and rather stunning! Noel's last trick was with a green shoelace which he calls the security rope. A small ring is legitimately threaded on but comes straight through immediately. It melts straight through on a second repetition as well. Even with the ring wrapped onto the rope, secured, and with a volunteer holding the rope, the ring still comes through. The conclusion was a fast removal of the ring one last time and then an instant return. Very impressive!!