What Happened at the Meeting on Friday 27th March 2026

The theme of the night was "Packet Tricks", hosted by David Blunden.

David Blunden started the performances with a definition and historical description of Packet Tricks. He then proceeded to perform four different variants. First was seven letters on cards spelling out "NEW DOOR". The goal was to make one word using all of the letters, but apart from answers in Flemish, none were forthcoming. With a little magic and a card dealing sequence, the letters were indeed rearranged to create one word. This was an old Rex Sinclair effect, complete with hand written instructions. David then demonstrated the Magic Computer, where a spectator chooses a number between 1 and 64 before answering whether it appears on a series of six cards. With only the answers, the number was revealed correctly. This may be an old trick but it works using a very modern principle that we come across every day. The next trick used six cards, all face down. Three cards are turned face up, showing three aces. After a few magic words, all six cards are face down again. Even upon repetition, it still works. Finishing off with a rhyme, David turned a set of four jumbo black cards to red and back again.

Warden was next with a great performance involving a small borrowed packet of cards from a regular deck. A card is selected before the stack is arranged into a large fan. After straightening up the cards, they are pushed from the top down, flipped, then pushed from the top down again. Each time the number of cards out of line decreases until finally after five pushes, only the selected card is still on display outside of the packet. This is a really baffling effect, convincingly executed.

Mia continued the show with an empty magic hat. After showing it clearly bare, a magic incantation reveals a bunny rabbit! Moments later, the bunny rabbit disappears again and the hat is empty once more. You have to be quick to see it, it's so fast. To finish off Mia revealed a coin from thin air which made its way into the appreciative club donations rabbit.

Joel used rubber bands clearly twisted around his hands and fingers and yet right in front of an audience member they pass straight through. Impossible! This was followed by a crazy man's handcuffs routine including several repetitions and audience assistance for the final "melting through" of the bands. Some Copperfield level sleight involved here. Up next, an innovative twist on the original was to take one of Joel's business cards, fold it in half and lock it onto the top level of a "cat's cradle" created with a rubber band. With some magic, this dropped instantly on demand from the first level to the second, third and finally the bottom level of the band. The band was revealed to show that there was no abnormal configuration. Great to see something so clever! Joel finished his routine with a convincing and very dextrous colour change of scarves. All were certain there was a scarf left in the hand at the end, but sure enough it was empty.

Steve Irwin displayed a Jack, Queen, King and Ace. As he counts through, the Jack turns around, facing the other way. After another count, now it's the Queen. This is repeated for the King and then finally the Ace. Upon turning the cards around we see that every card has the same coloured back, except for one. Placed on the table, the audience is sure this is the Ace as it was displayed moments ago. Revealed, however, it is the Joker. A great twist!

David Whitson was the last performer of the night, first demonstrating the "Spots Before Your Eyes" predecessor, which is a regular sized playing card which displays one, four, three and six spots respectively across several flips. The night started with a Rex Sinclair classic and sure enough it ended with one too! David Whitson rounded out the performances with a demonstration of one court card passing directly and impossibly straight through the other. Not a piece de resistance, but a pierce de cards!