I MUST ADMIT TO BEING BIASED when asked to review the new DVD on Bob Read who was a close friend who I knew for fifty years and who was very kind in helping me back into magic when I retired twelve years ago. We dined regularly at Kettners which was always a delightful mix of magic, history and humour and I miss him greatly.

He was a natural clown whose stage body language, comedy and vocal talents added to his lifetime’s repertoire of magic put him at the top of our magic exports to the USA where he was in constant demand.

It’s well known that I am interested in performance a little ahead of secrets and for me this collection of fourDVD’s lovingly put together by Martin MacMillan of International Magic is one of the finest visual tributes to one of our greatest magic entertainers of the last few years. Not only his talent as a performer but a skilled magician and a passionate aficionado of magic history with one of the greatest collections of cups and balls ephemera in the world.

Filmed excerpts kindly given from private collections in Europe, from the USA, from Richard Kaufman’s private recordings filmed at Bob’s home where he explains hard-earned subtleties required to present his effects. How to stand, what shirt to wear, the secret of loading the wine bottle (you won’t believe it even when you see it uncovered). the timing, the comedy and his lifetime’s knowledge and experience.

In these four discs you will see him with routines that have lasted since he won fame in a TV talent show that brought offers of top professional engagements which he declined. The famous routine with a pocket handkerchief – come, come, come, go-go-go, the knife through the coat, the stunning bottle production, the glass through the table, the ice stacking, the false nose routine, they’re all here both in performance all over the world and in detailed explanation and tuition in private demonstration for the viewer.

Most discs these days reveal just the secret of a performer’s pet routine. This wonderful Bob Read collection brings you a man’s life and just watching him work albeit with the same effects he did for years (and some of the patter) will teach any magician aspiring to the real secret of entertaining with magic.

Testimony to his skill was confirmed when Richard Kaufman told me that he went into a bar in Japan with Bob where few spoke English and with an impromptu performance held the whole audience who laughed convulsively for over an hour. How many of us could do that? He was one of our greats.

The four discs cover Bob Read through the years – The 2002 Lecture and Private Session – Historian, collector and scholar – A private interview, the London Walk and Bob Read in Print. And as a special bonus is included full resolution pdf files of all Bob’s published routines and brochures. Thanks to Pepys – The Penultimate Cups and Balls – $100 Glass through Table – Knife through Coat – The Bottle Production – Transpo Tumblers and What you get is what I do plus Bob’s Magical London Map.

 The boxed set of four dvds comes with a printed booklet by Richard Kaufman on Bob Read. It’s outstanding value at £65.00 plus p&p from International Magic. Tel:+44 020 7405 7324. emailadmin@internationalmagic.com www.internationalmagic.com

Even putting my personal bias to one side it’s highly recommended.

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