* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New
Zealand)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Issue Number: #1621
Date: Sunday 30th May 2021
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
================================
Hi here is the latest news
================================
1.
Editor's Message
2. FISM World Championship Of Magic & FISM NA
3. The Magic Word Podcast
4. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
5. The Mystery Of Magic's Greatest Card Trick
6. Mind 2 Mind - John Carey #120
7. Luis de Matos Online Show
8. U.K. Magicians Autobiography
9. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #13
10. The Orchante Saga - Beginnings
11. E-zine Archives
12. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice
--------------------------------------------
1. Editor's Message
--------------------------------------------
If
you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in HTML
format
go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2021-Jan-to-Dec-2021/1621-May30-2021.html
If you would like to write a regular column for Magic New
Zealand or have some magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com
--------------------------------------------
2. FISM World Championship Of Magic & FISM NA
--------------------------------------------
Message by Ryan Joyce (Canada)
What
magicians need to know about FISM World Championship of
Magic & FISM NA
Important
April 2021 Updates for FISM World Championship of Magic
and North American FISM Qualifying Championship Updates
with Renée-Claude Auclair!
Table
of Contents
0:00
- Welcome
0:43 - What are the 5 North American FISM Member Societies?
0:55 - North American FISM Qualifying Championship Explained
2:21 - Qualification to FISM World Championship of Magic
2:35 - Combined 2021 Convention
2:47 - 28th FISM World Championship of Magic
3:43 - How countries are chosen for FISM
4:52 - Pandemic Impacts
5:05 - Convention Hotel
6:10 - Magic Festival & Week of Magic in Quebec
6:45 - Can magicians still compete?
7:40 - Young magicians contest
8:28 - How to register
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuY5N5_LkKI
--------------------------------------------
3. The Magic Word Podcast
--------------------------------------------
Message by Scott Wells, M.I.M.C. with Gold Star (US)
Franz
Harary and Rob Lake on The Magic Word Podcast
Last
week we featured a great conversation with mega-illusionist,
Franz Harary. There were so many paths that we could have
taken so we covered as much ground as we could in our allotted
time. We talked about outer space and NASA, working and
living in the home of Michael Jackson, traveling with large
illusions around the world, his theatre in Macau, his many
television appearances, performing in arenas and stadiums
and so much more. Plus he revealed some stories never before
discussed publicly. It was an episode you are sure to enjoy.
You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, but for more
information (and get a link to the video of the podcast),
visit:
https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/613-franz-harary
This
week we continue discussions about stage illusions with
Rob Lake. He is a young performer with tons of credits to
his name despite his young years "in the biz."
He has appeared on network and independent TV shows including
"America's Got Talent" [sic] where he advanced
close to the big prize. He had a residency in the Bahamas
for three years at a casino, performed in London and in
Japan just to name a couple foreign destinations. You can
hear our discussion and get links to our video chat at:
https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/614-rob-lake
----------------------------------
4. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
--------------------------------------------
Message by Connie Boyd (USA)
Renée-Claude
Auclair, President Canadian Association of Magicians
Renée-Claude
Auclair is the Canadian Association of Magic's (CAM 2.0)
current President, she is also the current President of
the Quebec 2022 FISM World Championships and the Co-Organiser
of FISM which will be held in Canada July 25-30, 2022. This
will be the FIRST time, ever, that FISM (Federation International
Society of Magicians) also known as "the World Championships
of Magic" will be held in North America.
In
this talk Renée reveals her plans & hopes for
the future for CAM 2.0. She discusses Joan Caesar and her
importance to magic in Canada and the magic community. Plus,
tips and lessons Renée has learned from experiences
creating festivals, magic conferences & shows and working
within organisations. Please comment & let us know what
you learn from Renée's talk.
Contents
00:00
- 00:19 - Introduction of Renée Claude Auclair
00:19 - 03:20 - the new vision for CAM 2.0
03:20 - 05:05 - Joan Caesar's contributions to Magic
05:05 - 05:38 - Working on the bid for FISM Quebec, Canada
2022
05:38 - 05:54 - Call to Action - Please Subscribe
05:54 - 08:37 - Renée's Advice to Magicians
08:37 - 10:59 - What Renée has learned from Mistakes
10:59 - 11:21 - Call to Action Please Subscribe
Renée-Claude
Auclair
President Quebec 2022 FISM World Championship LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/renée-cla...
Photo Credit Renée & Pierre: Quebec Scope Magazine
President: Canadian Association of Magicians (CAM)
President & Co-Organiser: FISM aka World Championship
of Magic 2022
President: Club Magie du Quebec & Festival of Magic
Quebec City
https://en.festivaldemagie.ca
FISM:
https://fism.org
FISM Quebec 2022: https://en.fismquebec2021.com
CAM: Canadian Society of Magicians: https://www.cammagic.org
FaceBook FISM Quebec: https://www.facebook.com/FISMNACM2020
FaceBook FISM: https://www.facebook.com/fismmagic
FaceBook FISM Europ: https://www.facebook.com/FISMeurope
--------------------------------------------
5. The Mystery Of Magic's Greatest Card Trick
--------------------------------------------
Article forwarded by Marvin Berglas UK)
NYTimes.com
At
94, the magician David Berglas says his renowned effect
can't be taught. Is he telling the truth?
Decades
into his retirement, he has revealed just about every secret
in his long and storied career. This includes the time,
in 1954, that he made a grand piano vanish in a London hotel
banquet room filled with guests. (Distracted, the audience
turned their focus in time to see a pianist, who seemed
to be playing the instrument a moment earlier, fall facedown
to the floor). But even now, when the subject of Mr. Berglas's
famous effect is raised, he remains as cryptic as ever.
"It's
not a secret I can give to anyone because it's not a secret
as such," said Mr. Berglas, a formal and intense 94-year-old,
at his home in North London. "It's like asking a musician
who can improvise to teach you his improvisation, which
of course he can't."
The
trick is a version of a classic plot of magic, called Any
Card at Any Number. These tricks are called ACAAN in the
business.
ACAAN
has been around since the 1700s, and every iteration unfolds
in roughly the same way: A spectator is asked to name any
card in a deck - let's say the nine of clubs. Another is
asked to name any number between one and 52 - let's say
31.
The
cards are dealt face up, one by one. The 31st card revealed
is, of course, the nine of clubs. Cue the gasps.
There
are hundreds of ACAAN variations, and you'd be hard pressed
to find a professional card magician without at least one
in his or her repertoire. (A Buddha-like maestro in Spain,
Dani DaOrtiz, knows about 60.) There are ACAANs in which
the card-choosing spectator writes down the named card in
secrecy; ACAANs in which the spectator shuffles the deck;
ACAANs in which every other card turns out to be blank.
For
all their differences, every ACAAN has one feature in common:
At some point, the magician touches the cards. The touch
might be imperceptible, it might appear entirely innocent.
But the cards are always touched.
With
one exception: David Berglas's ACAAN. He would place the
cards on a table and he didn't handle them again until after
the revelation and during the applause. There was no sleight
of hand, no hint of shenanigans. It was both effortless
and boggling.
With
one exception: David Berglas's ACAAN. He would place the
cards on a table and he didn't handle them again until after
the revelation and during the applause. There was no sleight
of hand, no hint of shenanigans. It was both effortless
and boggling.
Mr.
Berglas has always and categorically denied using a stooge
for this effect, and no one has ever stepped forward to
say, "I stooged for the guy."
Further,
over the years, a number of magicians have reported private,
one-on-one performances of the Berglas Effect that left
them stupefied. The magician and mentalist Barrie Richardson,
for instance, described a 1977 visit to Mr. Berglas's home
in his book for magicians, "Theater of the Mind."
Asked for a card and a number, Mr. Richardson settled on
the seven of hearts and 42.
After
that: "He motioned me into his study and pointed to
a deck of cards on his desk," Mr. Richardson wrote.
"When I counted down to the 42nd card, I discovered
the seven of hearts. The experience was chilling!"
Magicians
lie to spectators constantly. Lying to each other is a no-no,
so these testimonials are potent. Mr. Berglas points to
them whenever the stooge question is raised.
"If
people can't find an explanation for something, they always
say it must be a stooge," Mr. Berglas said, sitting
at his dining room table. "It used to annoy me, but
it's been seen and written up by too many well-known magicians,
respected magicians. Now I laugh it off."
I
had contacted Mr. Berglas to ask if he would talk specifically
about his most famous trick, and about his life. He managed
to say yes while sounding not particularly interested, even
a little reluctant. It was as if he couldn't figure out
what was in it for him.
A
few days later, I knocked on the door of his house in the
London suburb of High Barnet. Ruth, his wife of 64 years,
answered and led me past a staircase festooned with vintage
posters from variety shows in the 1950s at British clubs
where Mr. Berglas performed. At the end of the hall stood
Mr. Berglas.
He
walks aided by a cane and speaks in a refined British accent
that carries no hint of his pre-World War II childhood in
Germany. He has a white goatee and a pair of dark eyebrows
hovering like hawk wings over his eyes. If he had a cameo
in a film, he'd be credited as "Senior Wizard."
"My
career ended more than 20 years ago," he said. "Though
I always say I didn't retire. I retreated."
Before
that retreat, he led an event-stuffed life. At 10, he sat
not far from Adolf Hitler during the 1936 Olympics and watched
Jesse Owens win three of his four gold medals. He and his
family fled Germany two years later, and he met Sigmund
Freud in a London hotel popular with Europe's refugees.
After a stint in the U.S. military, where he served in Germany,
helping to censor Nazi-sympathizing media and communications,
he discovered magic in London in his early 20s.
"I
was completely taken over by it," he said. Every night
of the week he went to a different magic club or performance.
In 1955, he was the first magician to have his own television
series, "Meet David Berglas," on the BBC. He performed
for audiences as varied as Winston Churchill and fans of
the Rolling Stones, for whom he once served as the opening
act.
He debuted what became known as the Berglas Effect in 1953.
Most magicians asked spectators to physically pick a card
from a deck, but he was far more intrigued by asking them
to simply think of a card and then name it out loud.
"By
the way," he said, casually, "mention a card,
because I'm always interested in what
people say. Mention a card now."
"The seven of diamonds," I said.
There
was a long pause.
"And
if I said give me a number?"
"Forty-four,"
I said.
He
nodded and the conversation returned to his biography. It
seemed, in the moment, like he was simply conducting a poll
to divine popular cards and numbers.
Then
I remembered an anecdote related by Steve Cohen, a magician
who performed for years at the Waldorf Astoria and will
bring his show to the Lotte New York Palace Hotel in June.
Mr. Cohen has described how, in 2002, during a visit to
London, he got a ride from Mr. Berglas to a subway station
after a night out of dinner and card tricks. As the two
neared the train, Mr. Cohen said that the next time they
met, he'd love to see Mr. Berglas's Any Card at Any Number.
With
the car parked, Mr. Berglas turned serious. Remember, he
told Mr. Cohen, "that you were the one who initiated
this - you asked me to show this to you." He added
that Mr. Cohen would remember what was about to happen for
the rest of his life.
It
turned out that the three of diamonds, Mr. Cohen's named
card, was at the bottom of a deck that Mr. Cohen was asked
to fish out of Mr. Berglas's jacket, which was draped in
the back seat. (Yes, it was the only deck in the jacket.)
It didn't escape Mr. Cohen's notice that technically, this
was not Any Card at Any Number. He wasn't asked for a number.
This was more like Named Card at Bottom of the Deck.
The
best part of this performance, Mr. Cohen said in a recent
phone interview, was the framing. You asked me - in other
words, this isn't some setup. Well, that along with the
bold assertion that what happened next would never be forgotten.
"It's
ingenious," Mr. Cohen said. "It's almost epoch
making. You're planting a landmark in people's heads. That
showmanship is really key to the story."
On
the chance that Mr. Berglas was waiting for an invitation
to demonstrate his ACAAN, as he might have been with Mr.
Cohen, I summoned the nerve to ask for a performance.
This
was a mistake.
"No,"
he said, flatly. "I don't need to prove myself, to
you or anyone else."
He
pivoted quickly from irked to indignant.
"For
somebody to come in here and ask me to perform, at my age,
I think it's out of the question. It makes me feel strange
that you need to ask that. It puts everything on a different
footing."
Then
he got angrier. With evident pique, he asked me to perform
a card trick for him, suggesting that this request might
give me a sense of his umbrage.
I
apologized and explained that I had the Steve Cohen story
in mind. A few minutes later, for reasons that I can't explain,
he softened.
"There's
a drawer behind you," he said. "There are some
cards in there which I haven't touched in a long time."
I
turned and opened the drawer. Inside I saw three decks in
their cardboard boxes. Time began to slow down. I placed
the decks in the middle of the table. He didn't touch them.
"Choose
one of these," he said.
I
picked one.
"Open
it and place it face down in front of you," he said.
"What was the card and number you mentioned?"
"Seven
of diamonds, and 44," I said.
"I'll
take a chance," he said. "I might be off by two."
I
dealt the cards myself, one at a time, face up. By the time
I reached the 20th card without seeing the seven of diamonds,
I felt a growing incredulity. When I reached the 30th, I
felt the stirrings of astonishment. By the 39th card, I
was giddy.
Forty.
Forty-one. Forty-two. I turned over the 43rd card.
It
was the seven of diamonds. I stared at it, both gobsmacked
and baffled. Gobsmacked because it seemed wildly improbable
that he'd come so close. Baffled because it wasn't spot
on.
"One
off," Mr. Berglas said, evenly.
He
didn't try to sell 43 as a triumph. On the contrary, he
said that in lectures to magicians he has always told his
audience that one off isn't close enough.
I
left his house in a muddle, and I have returned to that
muddle every time I think of this performance. Off by one
seems, on some level, more perplexing than nailing it. Off
by one implies that there is nothing automatic about this
ACAAN, that it isn't a contraption that simply works when
deployed. It's more like archery, which requires practice
and concentration and can end with something other than
a bull's-eye.
I
ran these ideas by Aaron Fisher, a highly regarded American
magician who did a commentary in July on his YouTube channel
of an old live show by Mr. Berglas. Mr. Fisher said he didn't
know what to make of 43 either. But he noted that Mr. Berglas
is not renowned for dazzling sleight of hand.
"He
messes with minds," Mr. Fisher said, "not decks."
None
of this resolved the stooge question. Mr. Berglas may have
a number of different methods, depending on the circumstances.
"He never knows what he's going to do before he does
it," Richard Kaufman writes in "The Berglas Effects"
- note the plural - a lengthy book for magicians that explains
every card trick in the Berglas canon, with one very notable
exception.
The
book suggests that Mr. Berglas is nothing if not a masterful
improviser and a born gambler. What seems like a cohesive
performance is actually a high-wire display of spontaneity
with a heavy overlay of psychological manipulation. In hindsight,
it seems likely that his anger was part of the show, a framing
device. "I don't need to prove myself" is just
a different, more contentious version of "You'll never
forget what is going to happen next."
Once
you've been told that a demonstration is "out of the
question," you're ready to leave empty-handed. Compared
to nothing, off by one isn't just thrillingly close. It's
amazing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/23/style/berglas-effect-card-trick.html?smid=em-share
-------------------------------------------
6. Mind 2 Mind - John Carey #120
-------------------------------------------
Message by John Carey (UK)
http://www.johncareymagic.co.uk/
This
effect is basically a homage to the maestro, Mr John Bannon.
In his book Mentalissimo he has a wonderful effect called
After Shock, which is basically a super strong location
of a genuinely thought of card. I truly love it and urge
you to study it. John's effect is based on restricted choice,
an open index and a beautiful switch called the touch switch.
I wanted to eliminate restrictions and have the spectator
think of a card freely with the deck in their hands. Also,
I wanted to create the illusion of reading their minds step
by step before taking back the deck. Intrigued? Then read
on...
Hand
out the deck for shuffling and ask your helper to turn the
deck face up. Then direct them to start slowly pushing off
cards with the faces towards them and to continue spreading/pushing
and stop when they see a card they like and to lock the
image of that card into their mind and then
square up the deck. All you have to do here is estimate
the approximate area of the deck where they stop spreading.
It isn't difficult as a few trials will prove.
Take
back the deck and execute any convincing deceptive false
shuffle or false cut you use before tabling the face down
deck. Now to create the illusion of mind-reading before
even picking up the deck. We will utilize a couple of verbal
deceptions, which if casually performed are quite potent.
Credit to Max Maven and Jerry Sadowitz here I believe: 1.
"Be honest, you're not thinking of a red card are you?"
I smile and scratch my chin as I say this. If they say yes
I reply "I thought so." If they say no I respond
"I didn't think so." Either way you've got secret
information. Attitude is key here and a relaxed performing
style helps.
2.
We now segue into the Sadowitz gambit, popularized by Derren
Brown. "Keep saying the suit of your card over and
over in your mind, like Hearts, Hearts, Hearts." Or
if their card is black I say "Like Clubs, Clubs, Clubs."
If you get the suit right here you will inevitably get a
facial reaction. If you don't, then you know it's the opposite
suit. The lovely thing here is that you have nothing to
lose, but when you get the hits it really does seem like
you are tapping into their thoughts. Be bold and brave!
Pick
up the deck and turn it face up. Start spreading the cards
with the faces towards you, pausing here and there as you
look at your spectator. Stop spreading a few cards before
the estimated area of the deck and upjog a card about two
inches. Then continue spreading leaving the indexes of the
cards below the jogged card in view, in readiness for Bannon's
open index concept. "Right, I've made a commitment,
now it's your turn. What card are you thinking of?"
When they name their card smile as you look at them.
Then
look back at the deck and locate their card in your open
index. Secure a left pinky break beneath it as you square
up. We will now use the touch switch to bring the effect
home successfully. Bring your palm down right hand over
the deck and push the jogged card square. As an immediate
continuation lift off all the cards above your break and
revolve the right hand palm upwards. The left thumb peels
off the top card of this packet and then allows it to drop
to the table. As you execute the sleight you lower your
hands. Smoothness rather than speed make it deceptive.
There
mustn't be any hesitation. "So at the very beginning
you shuffled the deck and you thought of a card and then
the deck was mixed some more. That is as close as I could
get." They are asked to turn over the tabled card and
the mystery is concluded.
--------------------------------------------
7. Luis de Matos Online Show
--------------------------------------------
Message by Luis de Matos (Portugal)
Dear
Friends in Magic,
Today
I would like to announce our most recent adventure
"Luis de Matos BACKSTAGE". A fully virtual show
that will be performed live from ESTÚDIO 33, including
a behind-the-scenes tour throughout our daily playground,
with moments of the show happening in different areas of
the studio, and with a Q&A segment at the end of the
performance.
In
order to be able to well receive our friends from around
the world we'll present one of the shows in ESPAÑOL
and another one in ENGLISH. All the others will be in Portuguese.
The past 14 months have been very different at our ESTÚDIO
33, like everywhere else in the world.
Like
all of us around the world my team and I have tried to stay
active and creative trying to fight the adversities and
finding alternative ways to do what we love.
Since
the beginning of the pandemic we enroll in several different
projects. Exactly 1 year ago today we premiered the ESTÚDIO
33 DRIVE IN concept. No only it was the home for over a
dozen performances of our own show but we also hosted major
national stars for Drive In concerts that included music,
humor, theatre and so many other entertainment areas.
Later in 2020 we came up with another concept
"Luis
de Matos CONECTADOS". The first ever really hybrid
show that combines theatre audience and their own guests
at home around the world. We've presented it for several
weeks in Lisboa (December), Coimbra (January) and Porto
(May).
In
case you would like to take part on "Luis de Matos
BACKSTAGE", please follow the bellow button, choose
the date and follow the instructions regarding the place
in the world you'll be watching it from
Portugal or
Outside Portugal.
These
are the dates:
Performances in Portuguese
28 May | 11 June | 18 June | 25 June | 2 July | 9 July |
16 July
Performance in SPANISH
23 July
Performance in ENGLISH
30 July
All
performances start at 21:30 (WEST)
(Western European Summer Time | UTC+1)
Total
running time: 75 minutes.
Essential
Magic Collection <info@essentialmagiccollection.com>
--------------------------------------------
8. U.K. Magicians Autobiography
--------------------------------------------
Message by Paul Rushworth
90
year old England, U.K. magicians autobiography. ALL money
goes to Alzheimers Research
My
dad (Geoff Ray, real name; Geoff Rushworth) will be 90 yrs
old in July. Dad has taken 12 years to write his autobiography!
It has a forward from 'the lovely' Debbie McGee.
Mum
and dad were professional magicians for many years, and
travelled all over the World performing magic starting in
Social and Working Mens Clubs, rising up to the London Palladium
and World Cruises.
My
lovely mum sadly passed away in November from Alzheimers.
Dad
has taken 12 years to write his autobiography! It has a
forward from 'the lovely' Debbie McGee.
He
grew up in Castlefields, Shrewsbury and taught himself Judo
and Magic from books.
Despite
being the victim of a hit and run accident when he was 24
years old, which left him practically deaf, Dad was the
first ever Judo black belt in Shropshire (1962) He taught
himself Judo from a book! He ended up as a 5th Dan black
belt.
He
is a Member of the Inner Magic Circle, Gold Star.
The
book is packed full of interesting stories from Wartime
in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, to performing magic for Cary
Grant, Pricilla Presley, Tony Curtis and Muhammed Ali.
We
are selling the book with ALL profits going to Research
into trying to find a cure for the awful, wicked disease
of Alzheimers.
Alzheimers
is currently affecting nearly one million people in the
U.K. alone, and is rising every year.
We
would appreciate any mention you could give us please in
your Magazine.
Please
feel free to ring me anytime.
Many
thanks,
Paul
Rushworth.
07761 542 401 ... 01743 231735
--------------------------------------------
9. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #13
--------------------------------------------
Message by Paul Stone (US)
If you are a regular reader of my weekly articles, you will
already know that I prefer to describe my own memories of
some of the great performers, many of whom were my close
friends, and without doubt one of my very closest was Peter
Reveen.
It
is impossible to do justice in one short article to Reveen
because he had such an incredible career. Reveen was one
of the great showmen, with a huge onstage presence, and
a wonderful speaking voice. He was a world-renowned hypnotist
and an outstanding magician and illusionist. But even with
all his many achievements and amazing success as a performer,
it was Peter Reveen the man that I remember most. He was
a unique human being and one of the kindest and most generous
people I have ever met.
Reveen
was born in Adelaide, Australia, and he first made a big
name for himself in that country. But it was in Canada where
he was ultimately to leave an indelible mark with his legendary
one-man hypnosis show. For many years he toured Canada with
his sold-out shows at every major theatre. Not content with
building an unsurpassed reputation for himself as a hypnotist,
Reveen also produced and starred in Magik, a huge and spectacular
Illusion show.
As
Reveen's own amazing performing career was winding down,
he returned to Las Vegas and became Lance Burton's personal
manager. He was instrumental in helping Lance move from
the Folies Bergère show at the Tropicana to his own
show at the Hacienda Hotel and Casino and then on to his
fabulous show at the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino. This
record-breaking show ran for fourteen years and over five
thousand performances.
It
was largely due to Peter's vision and impressive knowledge
of the theatre that he persuaded the Monte Carlo to design
and build a superb showroom for Lance that was modelled
on a London West End theatre. It was a spectacular showroom
and ideal for a master magician like Lance.
During
the time that Peter was working with Lance, he decided to
fly to Vancouver for a couple of days to check out a show
featuring some friends of his. Peter asked me to join him,
which I was happy to do because it was always fun to spend
time with him.
Arriving
at the airport in Vancouver, we had to go through customs
and show our passports. When the customs officer looked
at Peter's passport he asked him if he was the Reveen. When
Peter confirmed that it was indeed him, the customs officer
proceeded to tell us in great detail the exact date and
theatre where he and his family had seen Peter's show. He
said that it was the greatest show they had ever seen, and
that Peter had also cured him of smoking!
Whether
we were in a restaurant or a hotel, Peter received the same
reaction at virtually every place we visited while we were
in Vancouver. He was always modest and gracious to anyone
who recognized him.
Peter
walked me around Vancouver, a city he obviously had a great
affection for, and he showed me all the theatres he had
played. The largest and most impressive was the five-thousand-seat
Orpheum Theatre, which over the years had featured literally
every major entertainment star.
Reveen had played there on several occasions, including
an eight-week, six nights a week, sold-out run in 1962.
Peter took me to the stage door of the Orpheum where there
was a brass plaque naming the three entertainers who had
played this magnificent theatre most frequently. The third
most was Victor Borge; the second most was Bob Hope; and
the most, by a country mile, was Reveen - a wonderful record
that he holds to this day.
Peter
was also a joke teller par excellence. Some of his jokes
were not for the easily offended, but were always hilarious.
When I was living in England it would not be uncommon to
receive a phone call from Peter, often in the middle of
the night, to tell me his latest batch of jokes (which could
last for a couple of hours).
Sadly,
for the last few years of his life, Peter suffered from
Alzheimer's, but he always managed to raise a smile and
a kind word. It was difficult for all his friends to see
him like this, but I was fortunate enough to spend a lot
of quality time with him and got to appreciate his friendship
even more.
Reveen
was undoubtedly one of the greatest showmen of this or any
century. He knew instinctively what it took to fill a theatre
and his publicity stunts always caused a sensation. One
stunt that created massive publicity for his show was when
Coral, his wife and leading lady, lay on a bed of nails
for several hours in the shop window of the main department
store in the city.
Having packed the theatre to capacity he would then deliver
an exciting and hilarious one-man family-friendly show that
ensured people would come back to see it again and again.
One thing is for certain, we will always remember Reveen!
-------------------------------------
10. The Orchante Saga - Beginnings
-------------------------------------
Written by the late Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)
Sally
Ann Phillips
Sally
became Mrs Metzger when she married Derek Metzger in London,
England in 1986. Derek is another, well-known New Zealand
singer, who is making a big name for himself in Australia,
where he and Sally now reside - in the beautiful harbour
city of Sydney. I will be documenting Derek's story later;
meanwhile, it's back to Sally - my very dear friend since
1965, which is now 37 years ago. That is one hellava long
friendship!
Born
in Plymouth, Devon co, England, Sally's family then moved
to a village in Dorset called Wool, which is near Lulworth
Cove. Her father went to New Zealand as a diver, working
on the building of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Having seen
what a great country it was, he decided that the family
should move out there. They packed up their thatched cottage
and set sail for Aotearoa (New Zealand). The year was 1957.
Unfortunately, Sally's dad died in 1958, so he never saw
the Bridge completed.
It's
not surprising that Sally became involved in show business.
Her great-grandfather owned a circus and her grandmother,
her mother's mum, was a bareback rider. Sally's mother was
also in
the business; she was a member of many repertory theatres
and worked with the likes of Robert Morley and Rex Harrison.
In fact, Robert Morley attended a V A C Ball (Variety artists'
convention) one year and as Sally says: "He and my
mum got on famously - he said it was a pleasure to see her
again, whether or not he actually remembered her is unlikely,
however, they did spend an hour together, chatting away".
It
was in 1963, at the 'Crystal Palace' dance hall in Auckland,
when Sally (then just a wee slip of a girl), first became
involved with New Zealand show business. She met and became
friends with Helen Warren, and it was through Helen that
Sally started working in the coffee shop at the Crystal
Palace, which was owned by Helen's brother, the late Philip
Warren. He was later to become a major theatrical promoter
- entrepreneur in Auckland, when he bought Fullers Entertainment
Bureau from the late George Tollerton, famous New Zealand
Ventriloquist during
the 1940s and early 50s. 'Fullers' became a division of
'Prestige Promotions' - Phil being the Managing Director.
He eventually became one of Auckland's most famous, congenial
and influential Businessmen.
Sally
laughingly recalls that there wasn't a hot water system
in the coffee lounge of the dance hall, so they had to heat
the water up in buckets, using the gas rings on the small
stove. I
guess that if they were making coffee by the bucket load,
and the punters were happily drinking it by the gallon (and
knowing Phil as I did, they were surely paying over the
odds for the stuff), it must have tasted okay! Sally still
remembers Philip sitting in the tiny box Office, selling
entrance tickets into his establishment, the Crystal Palace
- for five shillings each; that's probably when he started
counting his first million!
A
quick aside. I remember another dance hall promoter who
was also around in those days - Dave Dunningham. He had
the 'Orange Ballroom' which, I think, was in Ponsonby. It
was managed by Joe Wheeler. I remember Herma Keil and the
'Keil Isles' played there, with Herma being the lead singer.
I think his brother Freddie was involved as well. What 'Blast
From The Past' that is. Many Auckland entertainers of my
vintage will remember the - 'Orange'. Dave Dunningham had
another venue on the North Shore, it was called - 'Surfside'.
I used to work my Hypnotism show there. That was fun!
Many
N.Z. singers, and other entertainers like comedian Ralph
Cohen, worked at the Crystal Palace in those early days,
all endeavouring to carve out a reputation for themselves.
One of
them was the late Lew Pryme, who was singing in various
clubs and dances around Auckland. He and Sally became very
close friends, which lasted right up to his much publicised
death in 1990, from an aids related disease.
It
was either on the night of Wednesday 29th or Friday the
31st of December 1965, at the Rotorua Soundshell, that Sally
and her friend Jenny (they were holidaying in Rotorua at
the time), were first introduced to us - the 'Demonos' and
Orchanté (Peter Newberry, the late Peter Taylor and
myself), by Lew Pryme, who was the compere at the Soundshell
Xmas shows that year. Sometime after that, Sally and Peter
Taylor became an item for a short while; it was through
Peter that Sally eventually ended up working with Peter
Newberry; that partnership lasted for around 10 - 11 years.
Continues
Next Week
--------------------------------------------
11. E-zine Archives
---------------------------------------------
Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e- zine go to:
www.magicnewzealand.com
Click
on the red button centre right "Archives"
When you enter the archive the e- zines are in issue order
in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt
first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the
date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999)
--------------------------------------------
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