October/November 2014
VANISH
International Magic Magazine
MAT FRANCO The Million dollar magician
this edition
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DAVID REGAL Creativity never sleeps - writer, producer, director, performer and creator. 1
INTEFULLY MAGRACTIVE AZIN E
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VANISH - International Magic Magazine
learn great magic tricks a selection of amazing magic tricks you can teach yourself www.VanishMagazine.com
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Jeff hobson Experiences while on tour with The illusionists
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Top Tricks & Picks Your Next Standing Ovation Is Right Here... “Trust me, it doesn’t get any better than that as far as a card revelation goes. Very Highly Recommended.” Paul Romhany – Vanish Magazine Review “This is a routine for professionals, by professionals who perform for laymen...if you’re looking for a nine-minute interactive routine filled with comedy, successes, failures, and an unexpected finish that leaves them with a hard copy souvenir, your $80 will be well-spent on HEADLINE.” Danny Orleans, Genii Magazine Review “I used your Headline trick for my 11th Royal performance yesterday and it killed.Totally brought the house down and The Duchess Of York (Sarah Ferguson) proudly took it home with her after showing it off to everyone!” Christopher James Dugdale
Get Murray Hatfield’s HEADLINE at MagicTrick.com
Ring & String Jay Sankey shares his secrets in this awesome collection of sleights and routines. The ring and the cord can be closely examined, before, after, and even DURING your amazing performance! This monster project features OVER 2 HOURS of mind-bending, hyper visual magic!
OCTOPALM
Amazing new gel for anti-gravity palming ability and miracles at your fingertips. Now in stock.
Devil’s Tail includes the teaching DVD, plus the perfect ring and string props to perform over 25 effects.
Now with 9 3 6 8 magic items 9 ready to ship worldwide. 3
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October/November 2014
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Internatonal Magic Magazine
Contents FROM THE EDITOR
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NEWS 10 THE MILLION DOLLAR MAGICIAN MAT FRANCO
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CO-EDITOR Nick Lewin
10 Tips for Professional close-up magicians
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CO-EDITOR Ben Robinson
The confusing magic trick
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Farewell to joanie spina
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Ten Little Secrets
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Lost in translation
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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul Romhany
David Regal: Creativity never sleeps
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ART DIRECTOR and LAYOUT Paul Romhany
Married in magic
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Balloon Art
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RED HOT ACTS - JASZ VEGAS
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When there’s no bang for the buck
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MENTALISM: An Adventure in Mysticism
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Harpo marx magic
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The Marx Brothers TV Collection Review
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Playing Big
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FINDING JUST THE RIGHT MUSIC
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EDITOR Paul Romhany
PRODUCT REVIEWERS Paul Romhany & Friends COVER PHOTO DESIGN BY
Paul Romhany ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Paul Romhany/Sydnie Anderson SENIOR MARKETING SPECIALIST Steve Hocevar
PROOF READERS Richard Webster, Mick Peck E-READER VERSION www.revizzit.com TO ADVERTISE IN MAGAZINE Contact Paul Romhany for more information at: editor@vanishmagazine.com
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Lost in Translation
Experiences from touring with The Illusionists by Jeff Hobson
MAT FRANCO
We sit down and chat to Mat’s mentor Jeff McBride
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Outerbridge - media appearances
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Bricks and mortar shops
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Magic Mind Magic maps
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HEAd for drinking
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Performing table 2
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One Ahead
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Match up
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Hotel hydrostatic glass
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Magic Reviews
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David Regal
Creativity never sleeps by Nick Lewin
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Jasz Vegas
From Burlesque to prime time television in the UK
OUTERBRIDGE
How to handle the media and get in the news.
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FROM THE EDITOR VANISH IS NOW AN APP FOR APPLE AND ANDROIDS Paul Romhany
long hours have been well worth it, and now everybody can enjoy the magazine in a variety of ways that best suits their needs. For the past year I have been working hard to get VANISH as an APP in the iTunes store and GOOGLE PLAY. I am pleased to announce the hard work has now become a reality. If you would like to have all your VANISH magazines in one place, and at the touch of a button then the APP is the way to go. All back issues are now available for those who want the entire three years as well as the ability to now offer subscriptions. Having a subscription means every time a new issues becomes available you will get notification on your tablet or phone. You can buy an issue for only $1.99 or a years subscription for only $9.99. I am having to charge for the APP version only of VANISH because it costs me money to have it in this format. The GOOD NEWS is that it is STILL FREE as an interactive PDF from our website, or you can read every issue now on your iPad or computer using the Revizzit e-reader at www. revizzit.com. The other option is to visit our website and read it as a real time magazine complete with page turning sound effects. With so many ways to enjoy VANISH I feel all the hard work and 8
The BIG news in the world of magic and entertainment is the fantastic achievement of Mat Franco who last month won America’s Got Talent. There were some great magicians on this past series and the top three did incredibly well. Congratulations to Mat for doing what was needed and getting magic back on track. What he did was a game changer for many of us, and he has brought respect back to the world of magic. The Internet was alive with positive comments on his amazing achievement, and I for one am looking forward to seeing what his next steps will be. We have a great article in this issue by Ben Robinson. I’m a firm believer that as magicians we need to expand our knowledge with music, theatre, classic movies, etc. as they have so much to teach us. I have always been a huge fan of the Marx Brothers, and what a lot of people might not know about the great comedians from the past is that many of them had a good knowledge of all things variety, including magic. Ben’s article is what VANISH is all about. He opens our eyes with knowledge and stories that we might not otherwise know and in the end will help us all grow as artists. Finally, I can reveal a project I’ve
VANISH - International Magic Magazine
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editor@vanishmagazine.com www.vanishmagazine.com been producing for the past six months. It’s almost complete but you can check out my video magic blog to get a sneak preview and find out more ...
This project is still on going and my aim is to get it finished in the next month or so. Working with Andrew Gerard on this project has been a real eye opener in to the world of filming. With his incredible knowledge and understanding as a performer, creator and producer it has been an incredible learning curve for me, and I am constantly in awe of his amazing talents. Neal Scryer, as many of you may know, is regarded as the Annemann of today. His books are probably the most sought after in the world of mentalism and some are now out of print. It’s a thrill to see this project evolve of the past several months and I’ll keep everybody posted on the completion.
Paul Romhany EDITOR - VANISH
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www.VanishMagazine.com
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NEWS
news
latest ideas • what’s on • keep up to date • stop press
Marlo The Magician makes TV appearance on Sesame Street! Not since Randi appeared on the show 45 years ago has a professional magician been on. If you have a story or a news related item please e-mail the editor at editor@vanishmagazine.com We try to keep the news as current as possible and generally this is the last piece we work on prior to the magazine going live. New York’s beloved children’s performer Mario the Magician (http:// www.mariothemagician. com) will be making an appearance on the current (45th) season of Sesame Street! Mario will be featured in a “magic school” segment with Murray Monster in the episode entitled “If Me Had That Wand.” The episode will have an original air date of
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October 30, 2014 and will air again on 11/4/14, 5/14/15, and 7/23/15. Mario the Magician is known for his handmade props, slapstick character, and a very interesting incorporation of electronic elements into this show. He’s not just a magician... he is a true maker, and he always aims to inspire children to follow their
VANISH - International Magic Magazine
creative spirits. Working with Sesame Street to create this special segment has been a highlight of his career and life. We believe this may be the first time a professional magician has appeared on Sesame Street since The Amazing Randi’s appearance on the pilot episode 45 years ago! Woody Allen’s latest movie has an intriguing title for
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anybody in love with the art of magic - “Magic in the Moonlight”. Thank you to Christina Nyman from Luxembourg for the following information. The plot is set in the 1920s. In the opening scene a famous Chinese conjurer, Wei Ling Soo, is just about to make an elephant vanish in front of a packed theatre audience. The audience is taken aback