* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #196 Date: Sunday 7th September 2003 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.alan-watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor’s Message 2. 2004 New Zealand International Magicians Convention Update 3. Billy McComb’s Schedule 4. 200 Wands In The Collection 5. After Six Tuxedos There For $90 6. You may want to hear this news from Variety: 7. Looking For Magicians To Perform In The Philippines 8. Auction Of The Act Of Richard Ross Has Started 9. Daytona Beach Festival Of Magic - Oct. 24 - 26 10. South Eastern Association Of Magicians 11. Rare Photos Of Vernon 12. SUPERDAY Weekend Of Magic - 27th, 28th September 13. BIG TOP Ranch In Newberg 14. N Z Personalized Number MAGIC 2 - Offers? 15. “Xtreme Close-Up Magic” 16. Clive Court - Professor Retires 17. Stories From The Road......When Pranks Backfire 18. The Trick Of The Year Award In The Linking Ring 19. Have Them Line Up For Your Psychic Readings 20. Robin Hood To The Rescue - Peter Marucci 21. The Amazing ‘Orchante’ Saga - Vol. Two - The Australian Years 22. e-zine archives 23. Subscription Management ------------------------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One The Celebrity Roast of the Mad Butcher The big event for the New Zealand entertainment industry will be in Auckland Tuesday 9th September at the Ellerslie Convention Centre - the Celebrity Roast of the Mad Butcher, Peter Leitch. Peter Leitch is a well known personality in New Zealand and does a lot for charity, he is extremely quick witted and is an ideal person to roast.  The panel this year consists of Sir Howard Morrison, Tom Sharplin, Debbie Dorday, David Hartnell, Murray Deaker, Mark Bennett, Leighton Smith, Mary Lambie and Phil Gifford. We’re expecting a huge turnout and tickets can be purchased from any Mad Butcher store for $25.  Michele and I will see you there. -------------------------------- Bill Seagraves and his wife Marlene (originally from Scotland and now living in Taupo, New Zealand) has received excellent publicity - front page of “Taupo Times” with coloured photo on his promotion to The Magic Circle’s highest degree, Member of The Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star (M.I.M.C.). A week later he received a double page spread in the “Taupo Times” again with numerous photos tracking his magical career.  Great publicity for Bill and Marlene Seagraves and also great publicity for magic. -------------------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ---------------------------------- 2. 2004 New Zealand International Magicians Convention Update ---------------------------------- Message from Mick Peck (NZ) Planning is well underway for the 2004 New Zealand International Magicians Convention - to be held on Auckland's North Shore on Queen's Birthday Weekend the 5-7th of June 2004. We have a fair idea of who our overseas headliners will be, but are still keen to hear from any overseas magicians that may be interested in attending the convention and are willing to present mini-lectures, host a breakout workshop etc. Contact Mick Peck at micknz@xtra.co.nz for more information. And local magicians - book it in your diary now: The 27th New Zealand International Magicians Convention Queen's Birthday Weekend - June 5,6,7 2004. ---------------------------------- 3. Billy McComb’s Schedule ---------------------------------- Message from Billy McComb Sept 26 till Oct 1st I'm opening for the Amazing Jonathan in The Flamingo Las Vegas. 6th-12th October in The Palace of Mysteries "The Magic Castle" Hollywood. Next week (2nd October till 7th October) in the Early Parlour of "The Magic Castle" ---------------------------------- 4. 200 Wands In The Collection ---------------------------------- Message from Bill Spooner (US) I need help on a project that has grown significantly over the past 2 years. I am writing a book on magic wands. The sole focus is on gimmicked or trick wands. Currently, I have over 200 wands in the collection that I have entered into an extensive database. This number does not include wands referenced in books, journals, and catalogs. I would like to hear from anyone who has knowledge on vintage or unique gimmicked wands, including those of recent manufacture. I wish to be as inclusive as possible. It is very likely that wands exist that have not been documented in my research. A major problem is identification of the make of wand. Instructions are often missing or unidentified. I have several vintage wands that no one has been able to identify in respect to function or make. Thanks for any help or information you can provide. Bill Spooner bill@spoonermagic.com ---------------------------------- 5. After Six Tuxedos There For $90 ---------------------------------- Message from Jack Browne (US) This isn't really magic news, but The Oakland (California) Magic Circle newsletter for this month reports that Tuxedo Discount of San Diego had a room at the SAM Convention in Las Vegas in July and was selling new After Six tuxedos there for $90, tux shirts for $8 and ties for $3. They apparently ship anywhere. Their prices are a bit more expensive on their website, www.tuxedodiscount.com. Maybe their best prices are at magic conventions. ---------------------------------- 6. You May Want To Hear This News From Variety ---------------------------------- Message from Bruce Kalver (US) Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World helmer Peter Weir is in talks to direct The War Magician, a WWII epic for Paramount and producers Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner. The Peter Buchman-scripted adaptation of the David Fisher book tells the story of a patriotic British stage magician who volunteered his illusionist abilities to help battle the Nazis. After proving his potential value to skeptical commanders, Maskelyne and a few cohorts were sent to North Africa, where British troops were being pounded by Gen. Rommel. Maskelyne helped halt Rommel's charge through a campaign of deception. He camouflaged a key British-occupied harbor by creating a bogus one that bore the brunt of nightly bombing raids; shielded troops in the Suez Canal through a system of anti-aircraft searchlights and mirrors that blinded Nazi pilots; and camouflaged British weaponry and used props to give the appearance of a stronger fighting force. The film was originally set up as a starring vehicle for Cruise, but he plans to limit himself to producer at this point. ---------------------------------- 7. Looking For Magicians To Perform In The Philippines ---------------------------------- Message from Jovi C. Zarate Executive Director philwyd@yahoo.com I represent a corporation in Manila, Philippines that is currently engaged in Amusement and Carnival Management. We are looking for some performers/magicians who might be available to perform in Manila this end of the year. We hope you would be able to help us and be able to create a magical working relations together. ---------------------------------- 8. Auction Of The Act Of Richard Ross Has Started ---------------------------------- Message from Véronique Ross (Holland) The auction of the act of Richard Ross has started. It will be there for 5 days. The bidding will be anonymous, so nobody will know who is doing the bidding. The reserve price will be kept confidential in fairness to all bidders. If you want more information you can look at: http://www.magicart.nl/sales/, where there are some more pictures. The auction address on Ebay is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2190428879&rd=1 Best wishes! Véronique Ross ---------------------------------- 9. Daytona Beach Festival Of Magic - Oct. 24 - 26 ---------------------------------- Message from Harry Allen (US) The Daytona Beach Festival of Magic. Oct. 24-26 2003 Booked, Tony Chapek, Oscar Munoz, Daryl, Kohl and Co., Harry Allen, Dan Sperry and Great Scott More details on www.daytonamagic.com ---------------------------------- 10. South Eastern Association Of Magicians ---------------------------------- Message from Barry The SEAM Convention (South Eastern Association Of Magicians) will be held at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, in Chattanooga TN; on September 18-20 2003 featured performers are Allen Ackerman, Card Specialist extrodinaire, Vito Lupo and more. This will be the first magic convention in Chattanooga in 25 years. If you are near the area we would like to see you there. ---------------------------------- 11. Rare Photos Of Vernon ---------------------------------- Message from Tony Spina (US) As you may know I have sold Louis Tannen Magic to Steve Brown. Kind of retired, but after 60 years I think I have made a wise move. Started to work for Lou Tannen in 1944..stock boy, packer, counter man, small percentage of the business, then 50%, then sole owner since about 1985. I was way from Tannen's when I served in the Korean war back in 51, and for a short time worked for relatives in the automobile business for about 7-8 years before rejoining Tannen's. The hardest part was to rebuild Tannen's when we burned down while on Broadway. The country home I purchased is in the Catskill mountain area, where I started to perform 50 years ago..talk about coming full circle. My basement is 1400 square feet, which slowly but surely becoming a magic museum with rare photos of Vernon when he was teaching at Tannen's, and many personal photos with Cardini who became one of my best friends ---------------------------------- 12. SUPERDAY Weekend Of Magic - 27th, 28th September ---------------------------------- Message from Sean Taylor (Aust) Registrations With a little over three weeks to go until the Weekend Of Magic, the tickets are selling extremely well and it looks like being an absolute ripper. There is plenty of space for full weekend registrants but if you are intending to bring a guest for the evening show, I recommend you book as soon as possible (we have a waiting list for these tickets and they will be released if you don't snap them up). There are some places left in the close-up competition if you are still thinking of entering. NEW TRICKS I have a big batch of new items for release on this weekend (some great kids tricks too) so the dealers dem will be very interesting. BOB READ Any of you who read last month's MAGIC will know that this is effectively Bob's last tour of the famous comedy lecture/show which has made him a legend in Magic circles. Don't miss this opportunity to see a true comic magic genius. SUBJECTS Over the weekend, in the various lectures and workshops there will be in depth coverage of a huge range of magic including of Cards, coins, mental magic, kid's magic, stage magic, misdirection, history, rope magic, comedy. Pretty much the whole box and dice! DINNER On Saturday there is a 2 hour break to eat before the evening show. Chatswood has some fine eateries but none finer than Rocket Restaurant. We have a special deal for registrants with a 2 course meal plus coffee and a glass of wine for $40. Space is limited so if you want to add this to your rego call me now. www.taylorsmagicshop.com ---------------------------------- 13. BIG TOP Ranch In Newberg ---------------------------------- Message from Stan Kramien (US) APRIL 23, and 24, at the BIG TOP Ranch in Newberg Oregon,,,,hopefully starring REVEEN the impossiblist and LOTS more...BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE, I'll miss you if you are not there..lots of new surprises for you,,and LOTS of new magic. Stan the man ---------------------------------- 14. N Z Personalized Number MAGIC 2 - Offers? ---------------------------------- Message from Ivan Hannah (NZ) N Z personalized number plates read \as follows--- MAGIC 2 ---Offers? Ivan Hannah magicpair@clear.net.nz ---------------------------------- 15. “Xtreme Close-Up Magic” ---------------------------------- Message from Steve Dacri MIMC (US) “Xtreme Close-Up Magic” Is Extended At The Orleans Hotel & Casino - Moves To Sazio For Dinner Shows LAS VEGAS (August 27, 2003) - After 3 incredible weeks of successful shows, this refreshing new show for all ages will continue at The Orleans until December, as a dinner show, in Gustav Mauler’s SAZIO, as the world’s greatest sleight of hand artist, Steve Dacri presents in your face and under your nose magic in an intimate setting, combined with a fabulous 3-course meal, the Orleans Hotel & Casino announced today. Dacri is known worldwide as the man with “the fastest hands in the world.” The magic happens up close, often at a table among the audience while a roving camera projects close-up views onto TV screens for all to see. An International stage and television performer with a unique comic style, Dacri has been appearing in Las Vegas since the early 1970s opening for Tom Jones, Bob Hope, Tony Orlando and others. He most recently starred for six years at Caesars Magical Empire at Caesar’s Palace. Considered to be the world’s foremost sleight of hand entertainer by his peers, Dacri’s uncanny magic defies belief and has earned him numerous awards and accolades worldwide. In 2002, he was awarded the highest honors ever bestowed in magic with the “Member of The Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star” by The Magic Circle in London. Dacri has demonstrated his skills on the “Tonight Show,” “Merv Griffin,” “Live with Regis Philbin,” and made hundreds of other television appearances during his 30-plus year career. He has written two best-selling books for magicians, starred in three critically acclaimed instructional video tapes, and lectured to magicians’ groups in over a dozen countries. “Xtreme Close-Up Magic” is magic like you’ve never seen it performed. Full of laughs, surprises, audience participation and fun for ages 8-98, “Xtreme Close-Up Magic” is presented in Gustav Mauler ’s SAZIO at The Orleans Hotel & Casino beginning Friday, Sept. 12, 2003. Show times are Friday through Monday at 8 pm. Tickets priced at $49.95 (plus tax & gratuity) include salad, choice of entrée, coffee, tea and soft drinks, and can be purchased at The Orleans Box Office. A limited number of VIP Front seats are also available for each show, priced at $59.95 (plus tax & gratuity). Children (10 and under) tickets are priced at $35.00 (plus tax & gratuity). For more information call The Orleans Box Office at 702-365-7075. www.stevedacri.com ---------------------------------- 16.  Clive Court - Professor Retires ---------------------------------- Message from Clive Court (Canada) Professor Retires What's Magic Got to do With it? RICHMOND, BC, Aug. 30 /CNW/ - Come Tuesday, Kwantlen's University College Richmond campus will be a busy place. The bustle of new and returning students in the halls saying goodbye to a carefree summer and hello to schoolwork is one of many transitions we make in September. For communications professor, Clive Court, however, this September will bring a whole new experience. Court is pleased with his teaching career, but is ready to move on. "As a teacher, it's been wonderful to see the impressions you can make on students' lives", Court remarks. "But the fun part was learning from them. It made everything worthwhile." He keeps track of as many students as he can, and it isn't unusual for one to call or write to him for advice even years after graduating. Students from years back came together to organize his retirement party at the Arbutus Club in Vancouver back in May. Says former student Monisha Khanna of ACD Systems in Victoria, "The two most important things I've taken away from his program are to always produce high quality work and have a winning attitude." As Canada's largest university college (25,000 students in 90 programs) PR students at Kwantlen have won 25% of the graduation awards since 1994, including top scholar in 2002. Court began his working life as a comedy magician in the late fifties when he studied television production and advertising in England while doing club shows and audience warm-ups for BBC Television. In the sixties, after working on Granada TV's Coronation Street, he traveled the English-speaking world as a TV entertainer and even "magished" his way through university in the United States where he earned a master's degree in television. Court's studies on the economic development and regulation of broadcasting led to the founding of the New Zealand TV Workshop for media training and pubic access, and the New Zealand National TV Awards to recognize excellence in production there. In Britain, he also campaigned for the introduction of educational television. By the time Britain's Open University was established, Court was in New Zealand and Australia lobbying for a communications training college and an educational TV system. (The Australian Film and Television School opened in 1971.) His passion to encourage and strengthen the production and broadcasting of high-quality Canadian television programming led to the establishment of the Telefilm Broadcast Fund in Canada more than 20 years ago. Now called the Canadian Television Fund, it operates on an annual budget of close to $230 million a year.  Court is eager to contribute to the committee's work by reshaping some of the policies in place, thereby allowing more applicants access to the funds. "In Canada, we tend to lend support to people who have an aversion to working with Canadian entertainers. Their agenda seems to be to run movies, sports and American shows. Have a look at the fall line up this season.  We have great talent everywhere in Canada, except in management. Unfortunately many Canadian artists still have to pursue a good living in other countries!," he says. As classes are underway, Clive will be splitting his time betweenVancouver and Las Vegas working on his magical persona, "The Funslinger", a popular traveling comedy magic act from the Old West. "At my age, I have nothing to lose," Court muses, "It's full steam ahead and damn the torpedoes," he chuckles. Clive's story can be found at www.funslinger.com. ---------------------------------- 17. Stories From The Road......When Pranks Backfire ---------------------------------- Message from Nick Nickolas (Aust) Staggering back to door 117 one early morning, finally finding my key after searching through an array of assorted coins, receipts, tissues, playing cards and pizza, I enter the digs. This weeks accommodation isn’t as plush as some we have had recently. I don’t know how long I have been on the road of late or how long the road is, I don’t know exactly anything anymore, the last weeks/months have become a blur. I am at the end of a Canadian tour, days/weeks/months on the road, hours on stage, hours being on, off stage.....and a multitude of nights with assorted vinaigrettes. Room 117, 4 paces long by 3 and a half paces wide, single bed tucked under some cupboards and heading towards the Venetian covered window. This is one of about 200 rooms situated amongst a maze of concrete halls and tunnels connecting gymnasiums, conference rooms, tennis courts, canteens and students,,,well normally students. Not this week though, no, this week it is home to 30 or so professional purveyors of personal polished percepticals which to the untrained eye means, street performers, travelling troubadours, vaudevillian vagrants, buskers, techno gypsies.... Unicycles, stilts, make up, trunks, cheese, emotional problems and dirty underwear are their accoutrements. Inside this concrete maze they are allowed to reside on the proviso they go out and perform in the streets of Waterloo NB, ...the home to the Amish People who could be described as professional purveyors of personal polished percepticals. Yes here we all are, many have been together on the road for weeks/months, pranks have been played, card games won and lost, gags eaten, stolen and thrown..... there are some newcomers to this merry flock of jokers who can be easily spotted by there inane grins, constant twirling and clean underwear. Now where is all this getting to you may be saying to your self mmmmm, back to the beginning I think. Clambering over my 3 day old kit scroon across the room I declothe. Clothes are off and carefully filed in the floor folder and I’m ready to close another showbiz day, Sleep encompasses me and I enter a mental cloud of skittles, mountains, road signs, turtles, coloured concrete croissants, character clowns, tea leaves, gerbils.....Gerbils!! I wake up in a fluster with a book on ‘How to Care for Your Gerbil’ stuck to the underside of my head with a mixture of sleep sweat and earwax “How to Care for Your Gerbil?” Tossing the manual aside I drifted back to the cloud of rainbow tiles and onion bread. Nothing was mentioned about small rodents the next day at breakfast, lunch or dinner in fact there wasn’t a hint or flicker about gerbil’ s all day. Everyone seemed to have their attentions waning towards the group of 19 yr old cheerleaders that have taken house. This seems strange amongst this gregarious gang. Shows have been shown and drinks been drunk but not a whisper.. I know I have to be on guard but as of yet there seems to be no tell tale signs from the flock about small mammal instruction manuals. “Stay stum” “Keep it all under your hat, say nothing” I think to myself.... thinking that if something is afoot the best tactic is silence, the culprit will then be revealed....... Sniggers and evasive looks go by the next couple of days amongst the circus chaos the few times I quietly drop the ‘G’ word but not a whisper of information. The subject has been dropped from the forefront of my thinking as I sit down in a quietist corner with a bottle of Poets beer and a cigarette. It’s the wrap party, cheese on sticks, ice in bags, a fridgeful of booze, platefuls of sarnies, bodies dancing’ and bouncing to the beat of the box attached to the wall, a swirling kaliedofog of egos and talent has filled the room. I take another sip of Poets and look out, the bottle leaves my lips... half full, a shadow makes itself known, entering from the kaliedofog. “Have a seat” I gesture “Do you want a Poets?” I’m asked He sits there staring, I sit and stare back, the lighting of cigarettes, breaks the silent tension across the table. “Why didn’t you look under the bed ?” He asks.... “What bed ? Who’s bed ? My bed ?...What ..!?” I exclaim. The fellow troubadour puts down his beer unzips his jacket and proceeds. “Okay, I own up, I put the gerbil book in your room last week, had a gerbil hidden in my room for days ready for stage 3, but you didn’t even flicker, not even a nibble” he replies. “Stage 3?” I question He continued “You could have taken the bait mate I’ve been through madness the last few days” “Look” he says putting the beer down again. “You were meant to react, start freaking out, asking questions making enquires but not even a peep. Then I was going to put the Gerbil into your room for stage 3, a live gerbil in your room what a prank! But that was not meant to be was it ?” He then went on to explain the last few days of his life “After travelling and searching for a pet shop in this Hicksville town I scored a gerbil, keeping it alive in my top drawer feeding and watering it and letting it out for runs around the room under supervision.” “All the time the instruction book was in my room” I jutted in. “Yeah that as well, then one evening as I went in with it’s daily rations of food and water I found that it had gnawed its way out of the drawer and escaped into my room, I searched, man I searched, under, over, in, out, left and right for hours...then in the corner of the skirting board I noticed a hole...a perfect gerbil sized hole in the corner of the fucking floor, the little bastard had escaped into the compound!” “Then what ?” I query trying to stop beer from exiting my nose. “Then what! Then What! I had a gerbil loose in the compound, a fucked up gag and a my ego on the line. So I went and told the producer who then told the campus security who then told the rodent catchers, by now everyone knew but you! Eventually the rodent men did what rodent men do and caught our little friend amongst the hysterical cheerleaders, walkie talkies and concrete tunnels.” He explained. “What happened to the gerbil” I ask, by now giving up on my bodily functions and letting the beer spurt from my nostrils to join the tears of joy exiting my eyes. “They took him away my friend, took him away” he said sitting in a sullen slump. “Why didn’t you look under your bed ?” he again enquired “My bed? What’s that got to do with gerbils?” I once again ask inquisitively He then concluded “I left an overturned box of straw and droppings under your bed , that was stage 2. You were meant to find that, freak out more then I was going to release or little friend into room 117 Badaaaaang! badooom! what a prank it was to be”. “But why me? Why gerbils?” I asked drying the mess on my face... “I don’t know. Why? That's the problem I don’t know why?” He replied with an inane grin. I couldn’t help noticing Martin’s fresh clean underwear trying to exit through the tear in his rear of his Levi’s as he twirled off into the kaliedofog in search of a couple more Poets. www.nicknickolas.com ---------------------------------- 18. The Trick Of The Year Award In The Linking Ring ---------------------------------- Message from Joe Riding I have just won "THE TRICK OF THE YEAR AWARD in THE LINKING RING. That was mainly the reason I emailed you to tell you I have published it FREE on my web page for those who missed it.  In fact the entire first teach in newsletter is published FREE on the web page. PS  Don’t buy my memory course  I don't think its working very well. http://joesmagic.co.uk ----------------------------------  19. Have Them Line Up For Your Psychic Readings ---------------------------------- Message from Joe Riding Yes whenever you are talking to people about having a psychic reading, if you follow up with the simple ideas I can show you, I promise you that, not only will you get more readings, but it will be easy to charge much more for each reading, than you did previously. This idea came about when I did the lottery a few months ago. In the UK you have to pick six numbers for a winning card which will give you a couple of million  dollars, (plus a bit of loose change) Incidentally I am always on the look out for any loose change. Just thought I would mention that, in case you win the lottery. I checked my card I had got two winning numbers and the other four winning numbers I had missed each and every one of them, by just one number.  I remember now I had 17 and 29 both winning numbers.  The other four winning numbers were 21 I had 22 then 28 I had 27 34 I had 35 and 42 I had 41. I thought, I cannot get much nearer than that and if I had just thought a little more, maybe with some luck I would have got the winning numbers.  Believe it or not the same thing happened to me a few weeks later. It made me think about it, and I reasoned (after mentioning this to other people) that most people think they are not really unlucky, they are just missing out, probably just by a small amount of luck, from getting what they want out of life. I thought about this and I am more convinced that people don’t think they are really unlucky in the main, they think they just need a bit of luck, or they need to change things just a little for their luck to change. That’s probably why people have faith in lucky charms etc. Although I heard of one guy who went bankrupt selling lucky charms. Most people don’t think everyone else is superior to them, they just think, if I had done things just a little differently, I would have got what I wanted out of life, or whatever. It is from this experience that I put together a little routine which has people more than eager to give you their money, (or at least their loose change) for you to show them how to change their luck. All my readings are on the positive thinking idea anyway so I just try to give the person having the reading to acquire more confidence in themselves. I talk to a person, then out of the blue I say “You know you are just missing getting what you want out of life. I don’t think you are unlucky, you make your own luck, but you lack just a bit of confidence, or a little desire to get what you want, and I think you only have to change your thinking slightly to transform your luck. Let me see if I am correct.” At this stage I go into the following patter and routine. SUGGESTED PATTER “Now I think a lucky card for you is the seven of diamonds. Seven is a lucky number and diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and they are certainly no enemies of mine, but then again neither are the girls. But let me try out my theory, and see if I am correct.” At this stage I shuffle a deck of cards, and get either the six, or eight of diamonds, (it doesn’t matter which to the bottom of the deck. Then I square up the deck and place it on the table.  I say to the person, “Just cut the cards anywhere you want” When they do this I take the original bottom half of the cut deck and place it crosswise on top of the cards the person has cut off, as you say “I will just mark the cut.”  Most magicians will have recognized this as the old crosswise force, but with my difference, which I will explain. In my method the card to force is on the bottom of the deck, and not the top of the deck.  This means when you have placed the cards crosswise and you ask them to look at the card they cut to, the person will lift off the crosswise portion, and merely tilt his or her hand and look at the bottom card of the card that they cut too. This in normal and natural and is a lot better than having the top portion removed, then turning over and looking at the top card of the remaining portion, only a magician  would do that, think about it. That is not the card cut to it. Everyone except magicians cut the cards and turn up the card they cut to, this is the card cut to and not the one left on top of the remaining pile. Now you have the person look at the card they cut to. In our example, either the six or the eight of diamonds, and you say “I said your lucky card was the seven of diamonds, and you have just missed it, I knew you would, your luck is just out”. At this point dear reader, your luck is also just out, as the foregoing was just to whet your appetite. If you really want to add to your loose change, you too will have to make a little effort. All you have to do is email me saying you would like my new psychic reading formula, and I will send you the complete routine as an E book   COMPLETELY FREE. Remember “Out of small acorns huge oak trees grow”.(But have you ever tried cutting them down)  Who knows, this may just plant the seed you have been looking for.  If not I apologise in advance for wasting your valuable time. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO REMAIN ON MY MAILING LIST PLEASE E MAIL ME, AND YOUR NAME WILL DISAPPEAR, AS THE LATE GREAT TOMMY COOPER SAID “JUST LIKE THAT”. Thank you for taking the trouble to read this. http://joesmagic.co.uk ---------------------------------- 20. Robin Hood To The Rescue - Peter Marucci ---------------------------------- Message from Peter Marucci (Canada) Too many magicians tend to neglect any sort of story line or routine when they do a show; they do a bunch of tricks, strung together with no particular rhyme, reason, or theme. They are not magicians; they are people doing puzzles. This is particularly true for children's performers. "Get in, do a bunch of tricks, get the money, and get out," seems to be their philosophy. This is bad for the audience, bad for the so-called performer, and bad for magic. Maybe the following will start some thinking along more original lines, using standard props -- and a little imagination. ROBIN HOOD TO THE RESCUE By Peter Marucci Effect: The magus gets two volunteers on stage, one to play Robin Hood, the other to play Maid Marian. (Believe me, it's best if you use a male and a female volunteer!) A string of jewels belonging to Maid Marian is stolen by outlaws and then is recovered by Robin Hood, to the relief of all concerned. Working: You'll need two strings of matching jewels -- gold or silver beads used to decorate Christmas trees are ideal. As well, you'll need a way of vanishing one set (Devil's Hank, drawer box, change bag, whatever) and something to make the other set appear (chick pan, drawer box, whatever). In this case, we'll assume you are using a Devil's Hank to vanish the jewels and a chick pan to make them reappear. Fill the load chamber of the chick pan with one set of jewels and have it in plain sight. Have the Devil's Hank and the matching set of jewels also on your table, in plain sight. Presentation: With your two volunteers on stage, you begin: "Once upon a time, long, long ago -- or maybe even before that -- there was a time called the Dark Ages. They were called the Dark Ages because there were so many (k)nights. There were also a lot of outlaws in those days, and the most famous one was Robin Hood." Introduce your male volunteer. If you want to make this a major production, this is the time to outfit him with a bow and arrow, green Robin Hood hat, cape, and anything else you can come up with to dress up the stage. "Robin lived in Sherwood Forest with his band of merry men. They stole from the rich and gave to the poor. (For an adult audience, you can add: "They were called outlaws. Today, if they did that, they would be called the government.") Robin also had a girlfriend named Maid Marian." Introduce your female volunteer and deck her out in veil, tiara and the like. If you are performing for and with children, you can get some great comedy stuff out of this, as you get the two to hold hands and act like boyfriend and girlfriend. "One day, Maid Marian wanted to go to town wearing her beautiful jeweled necklace. (Show the necklace) But Robin was worried about the other bands of outlaws that also lived in the forest. He told Maid Marian not to go because her jewels might be stolen. This made (maid) Marian (pause) very angry. (The kids probably won't get the maid-made gag, but the adults will.) So Robin got one of the wizards who lived in the forest to help. The wizard told Maid Marian to carry her jewels to town in a magic bag. (Put the jewels in the Devil's Hank.) And so Maid Marian set out for town. "Sure enough, she was stopped by another band of outlaws, who wanted to steal anything that she had. But when they opened the bag she was carrying, the jewels were gone. (Show Devil's Hank empty.) "When she got back home, with Robin Hood and his merry men, she told them what had happened. 'Not to worry' said Robin Hood, and he called for the wizard to come over. (Pick up the base of the chick pan and show it empty.) The wizard said he had put a spell on her jewels and they were safe all the time." Put the lid on the chick pan, make some wizard-like gestures and take the lid off, showing the jewels; pull out about six inches of the jewels and let them fall -- the rest will cascade to the floor in a colorful and flashy ending. Optional ending for adults: "When Robin had given the jewels back to Maid Marian, one of his merry men -- Will Scarlett -- asked him what would happen if Maid Marian went to town and the wizard wasn't around. Robin replied: "Frankly, Will Scarlett, I don't give a damn!" Second thoughts: I find this a delightful routine and you can milk it for almost endless laughs, particularly if you are using two adults and performing for an adult audience. The props -- bow, arrow, Robin Hood Hat -- should be kid-size, for maximum comic effect. Just imagine a grown man standing in front of an audience, holding a little bow and arrow and wearing a little green cap. (Needless to say, if you do this, you will have to pick your volunteers carefully -- both to ensure that they will go along with the gags and so as not to embarrass them.) For youngsters, the humor comes from the boyfriend-girlfriend relationship; usually both of them are obviously unwilling to have anything to do with the other one. Again, the comedic possibilities go on and on. This can be a featured part of any children's show; it will catch their attention because you have a couple of their number involved and because something is always happening. For adults, this will work because of the sheer silliness and because of the bad jokes and even worse optional punch line. Have fun with it -- but remember: Never have fun at the expense of your volunteers; they are doing you a favor by getting up on stage, so treat them as you would your guests (which they are). Peter Marucci 270 St. Andrew Street East Fergus, Ontario, Canada N1M 1R1 e-mail: showtimecol@aol.com ---------------------------------- 21. The Amazing ‘Orchante’ Saga - Vol. Two - The Australian Years ---------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page - 17 Just for the record, I would like to explain to those who are perhaps thinking -‘Why doesn’t he write and talk about magic and the allied arts instead of going on about cockatoo’s and other unrelated things…’ Well, ‘The Amazing Orchanté Saga’ (perhaps I should have titled it -‘The Personal Diary Of...’) is about my life and everything that has touched it - memories that I (and friends) can recall; the people, the incidents, bits and pieces - in a more or less chronological order. It is about long forgotten episodes, some sad, others amusing - that perhaps didn’t mean much at the time, that come flooding back years later from a ‘chance’ word, another’s memory, a song or piece of music, a reverie, anything. It is about the events, some not of my doing or design - ‘Fate?’ that played a significant part in the shaping of my destiny, that has at times played a small (or large) role in the course of things for others as well. I’m writing about it all, good and bad; the episodes and events that have, on one hand, had me ‘Yahooing’ with joy, thanking my good luck and, on the other, cursing the unbelievable misfortune that fate decided to chuck in my path! But, as Frank Sinatra sang, ‘…through it all, I did it my way ’! My old mate Murray Hobson summed it up thus, after reading my early writings (He and I ‘found’ each other after more than thirty years), “I wish that I had a dollar for every time someone has said ‘I wish some one would write about the experiences’, well my good friend, you have and are…!” Having got that out of my system, it's back to ‘birdie land’. After our disastrous experience with the cockatoo that hated human beings, whose idea of a good feed was munching through the wooden leg of a television, we decided to try for something a little bit more genteel. This time we went to a bona fide Pet Shop. Talking about fate, destiny and coincidences, and how they seem to play a part in everyone's life - here’s a cracker! Was it more than just coincidence that led us to the West Ryde Pet Shop? It was owned and run by a chap called Doug, whose surname I have utterly forgotten; he was an Englishman and, chit-chatting with him as you do, I told him that we were professional entertainers from New Zealand, now living in Sydney - performing on the club circuit etc throughout the country. It turns out that Doug was an original member of the famous (English) Sixties Pop Band - ‘Freddie and the Dreamers’ (who are by the way, still busy performing and touring here in England)! That was the first coincidence, a showbiz connection. The second was that Freddie and the Dreamers were due to arrive in Australia the following week and Doug, who had kept in touch with his old mates, was going to see them at their opening three night performances at the Rooty Hill RSL. Now here’s the real kicker - WE WERE AT THEIR SUPPORT ACT FOR THE THREE NIGHTS! SPOOKY! Doug’s pet shop wasn’t very big and he didn’t have dozens of every damn thing as the ‘big boys’ do but what he had was - quality. His pets were well cared for and everything was clean. Here was a man who loved all fauna - be they fish, fowl or animal. He had cockatoo, not just any cockatoo; this one was special. It was a ‘Pink Cockatoo ’ (Cacatua Leadbeateri)! It is also known as the ‘Major Mitchell’, named after the famous explorer Sir Thomas Mitchell (1772-1855). It is also called ‘Leadbeateri cockatoo’ (which commemorates Benjamin Leadbeater, a London taxidermist - 1831),’Wee Juggler’, ‘Desert Cockatoo’ and ‘Chockalott’. Considered the most beautiful and unique cockatoo in Australia, it is amongst the most stunning in the world and is rather rare and strictly protected. Although popular as aviary birds they may only be kept by recognised aviculturists and even then very much according to local Fisheries and Wildlife Department requirements, and the birds must be aviary bred. We bought the cockatoo! We became a lot poorer; Doug became a lot richer - it was worth it! After dipping my hands into the ‘swirling mists of time’ that pervades my seemingly bottomless aluminium trunk, a white piece of paper came floating up from the depths. I’m holding it in my hand now as I write; it is the original Purchasers Copy of, Form 32 - from the National Parks and Wildlife act, 1974 - Regulation 5c (3) No. 10906 (N S W) showing that on the 28th January 1978, Orchanté, of Flat 2, 7 Wentworth Rd, Eastwood, became the legal and authorised owner of 1 Major Mitchell Cockatoo! Don’t go writing to that address, we have been residing in England for eighteen years now. Ye Gods, it’s been that long? Kinda scary considering that all our friends in Australia gave us three months tops before we came back to the beautiful, tropical climes of the Gold Coast, which is where we were living before coming to England, but that is another story for Vol. Three - which is quite a ways off yet. -CONTINUES - ------------------------------------ 22. Magic New Zealand e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) ------------------------------------- 23. 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