ALTHOUGH I WAS IN ADVERTISING and publicity all my life this was an obvious ploy for the close-up magician for increasing business, that was tipped to me that master of magic and marketing Martin Sanderson.
Question. Why do you have business cards printed? To give to people who enquire about your services. Wrong says Martin. And this [...]

Posted on March 13th, 2008 by John
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DAI VERNON was one of the greatest creative magicians of the last century who as a teenager could perform nearly everything in Erdnase. He was a master of brilliant sleights and moves that baffled magicians everywhere.
Yet whilst he was entertaining on a cruise ship which called at Acapulco he was asked by the staff captain [...]

Posted on March 12th, 2008 by John
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HERE’S A GREAT PIECE OF PUBLICITY MAGIC that I have used with great effect in heightening my awareness and getting bookings.
I have a publicity card, postcard size with my picture (portrait) on one side and action pics and details on the reverse. I cut one of the cards in half and on the face of [...]

Posted on March 11th, 2008 by John
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“Keep the circus going inside you. It’ll all work out in the end.”
                                                                                     David Niven
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Posted on March 10th, 2008 by John
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HAD THE PLEASURE of travelling with John Styles to see Ian Keable’s touring One Man Show “Conjuring up Comedy”  and full marks for his sheer ability to stand alone on a stage with a rural audience of around a hundred and keep up a continuous flow of laughter and genuine entertainment for over two hours.
I purportedly do a comedy patter [...]

Posted on March 9th, 2008 by John
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I work many Jewish clubs and social events and the following happened to me recently at a Jewish birthday  party.
I approached a table and said to a lady guest ( I always work to ladies for you get the best reception) “May I ask your name?”
“Ruth” she replied. 
“May I call you Ruth – like next [...]

Posted on March 6th, 2008 by John
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I’VE BELONGED to a few magic clubs in my time and lectured at many throughout the country and on the whole they’re very good. Friends meet, chat, have a drink, show the latest acquisition, go out for a curry and then home. It is the lifeblood of the UK magic community.
But I believe the real core of creativity [...]

Posted on March 5th, 2008 by John
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No, this is not a cookery recipe for a new style Cornish Pasty but a brilliant idea from my late, good friend Jack Avis which can transform an Okito Box routine into a smooth presentation.
Any Okito or Boston Box routine requires the magician to replace the lid and at the same time secretly turn the box over. [...]

Posted on March 3rd, 2008 by John
Filed under: Magic Ideas, Magic Thoughts | 3 Comments »

“If you’re not living on the edge – you’re taking up too much space!”
Go for it!
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Posted on March 2nd, 2008 by John
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HAVING LEARNED THE SECRETS and technique of magic do you give the same amount of time investment into presentation and stagecraft? Whether you perform on stage or at close-quarter, how people perceive you and how you present yourself is critical to magic success in my view.
I recently enthused on this aspect about Geoffrey Durham’s new book – [...]

Posted on March 2nd, 2008 by John
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