We visited Blackpool in February to attend the world’s largest magic convention. Over 3,000 magicians were there over the four day event.
There were plenty of lectures and shows to watch, as well as the opportunity to see the latest magic tricks being demonstrated in the two dealers halls.
The Blackpool convention is always a great place to catch up with friends and other magicians; and also a chance to meet some of the big names in magic.
One of our highlights was Paul Zenon’s “Linking Rings”, a wonderfully unique and moving performance.
We also had a little bit of fun at the Magic Circle’s stand, where Jay found out what it was like to be the assistant for a change!
We had a wonderful time, and can’t wait to go back again next year!
We’ve had a great time taking part in the autumn pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears in the amazing theatre at the North Pier in Blackpool.
Jay joined the cast of the Magic Light Productions show, playing the role of the magical Spirit of the Circus
There was lots of hard work involved in setting up everything for the shows: putting up lots of posters and banners; transporting the scenery all the way down the pier and then putting it in place on the stage, getting all the props into their correct places; rehearsals and sound checks to make sure everything was just right.
As well as the traditional pantomime elements such as songs and jokes, there were unique elements such as the Magic Light Productions puppets that brought some of the characters to life.
There was a spooky forest filled with ghosts and monsters, that seemed to float about with a life of their own.
There was also lots of magic, including an illusion; and Jay performing some magical effects as the Spirit of the Circus.
You can get more information on Magic Light Productions’ other shows here:
If you missed your chance to see the show in Blackpool, then why not come and see us in Llangefni! Tickets on sale now for shows from the 26th to the 30th of November. You can book by calling 07727 246 417. Full details to follow soon.
We’re delighted to announce that Jay will be joining Magic Light Productions at the North Pier Theatre in Blackpool in Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
A family show, full of magic, comedy, puppets, and song; this is a show not to be missed!
Featuring Libby Edwards as Goldilocks, Stuart Loughland as Dame Gertie, Steve Bloor as Muddles, Hannah Prosser as the Evil Ringmaster, and Jay Gatling as the magical Spirit of the Circus.
Date: from 12th October to 2nd of November Time: 11am and 3pm Venue: North Pier Theatre, Blackpool Price: standard £10.50; family of three £25.50; family of four £30 Tickets available from :
Jay and I had a holiday in Blackpool last week. We saw the tower, and the piers and the beach. As you can tell, it was a bit windy!
But we weren’t just in Blackpool to see the sights. We were here for this:
FISM stands for the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques – and every three years they hold the World Championships of Magic. This year it was held in the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
2012 is the first year the convention has ever been held in UK. We arrived on the Sunday, and went to the registration desk to pick up our name badges and tickets. We also got a FISM bag, with all sorts of goodies in it, including a miniature Tommy Cooper teddy bear.
The main part of the convention is the competitions – there were 100 entrants in the stage competition, and 50 in the close up. The stage competitions were held in the Opera House and were very popular, as you can see. The Opera House is a very beautiful theatre. The standard of magic was amazing. We mainly watched the stage competitions, as that is where our interests are. We watched one of the close up acts via a video link, as the actual hall it was being held in was so busy. The crowd were applauding so loudly that we could hear it through the walls of the building!
There were over 100 magic dealers from all over the world, each with their own stand. They were spread out across the Empress Ballroom, The Arena, and the Ice Room. This is a photograph of the stands in the Empress Ballroom, plus one of the ceiling. (I love old buildings, and I tend to get a little distracted looking around sometimes…)
We also went to several lectures over the week, learning new tricks and picking up interesting ideas. Conventions are a brilliant way to meet other magicians, and we met some well known magicians – Eric Jones, Shoot Ogawa, and our favourite, Topas. We also met up with some friends from our local magic club, the North Wales Magic Circle.
One evening, there was a special trip to the Blackpool Tower. There were drinks in the Tower Ballroom, and then we all went to watch the Tower Circus. The whole audience was made up of magicians, which created a wonderful atmosphere. The show itself was absolutely amazing, full of incredible athletic stunts and brilliant clowning. The show closed with the famous water finale, where the entire circus ring fills with water and dancing fountains.
The finals of the competitions were held in the Opera House on Saturday. All the acts were absolutely breathtaking, and there were several well deserved standing ovations. The winners were announced on Saturday evening, with Yu Ho Jin from Korea winning the Grand Prix for stage magic, and Yann Frisch from France winning the Grand Prix for close up magic.
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