talkmagic.co.uk

Hello all,

For those of us in or near London, or anyone else for that matter, it is nearly time for the International Magic convention at the end of November. Click here for details:

http://www.internationalmagic.com/pages/convention.html

I have a weekend ticket and can't wait. I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Roberto Giobbi there. I have a list of names of magicians who will be attending, so if you're interested, drop me a PM.

I'll post reviews on the weekend for those who can't make it. If anyone else does go, it'd be fun to meet up with some fellow forum members. Let me know if you are going.

Should be a good weekend,

I wish I lived in London for many magical reasons. I could visit the YMC Workshops and Davenports and a lot of other magic shope, were as I only have one. Tam Shepards

Why don;t you speak to the owner and see what he can do. I'm sure that he'll perhaps see it as an opportunity to increase sales and attract some new business.

dat8962 wrote:Why don;t you speak to the owner and see what he can do. I'm sure that he'll perhaps see it as an opportunity to increase sales and attract some new business.

i think Roy Walton is well known enough

Yes very, and I love that shop. The thing is that is the only magic shop that I know of in Scotland that mostly sells magic.

Mmmm - I think that I'm missing something here

Firstly, Ace of Kev wrote:

I wish I lived in London for many magical reasons. I could visit the YMC Workshops and Davenports and a lot of other magic shope, were as I only have one. Tam Shepards

Having one magic shop is more than some people have access to. Whoever runs it, if you're not getting the service that you want, irrespective of who owns and runs it, then say something - instead of moving house which is what the post inferred (as I read it anyway).

Second, Ace of Kev then said:

The thing is that is the only magic shop that I know of in Scotland that mostly sells magic.

I must be definately missing something with this one

I live in Oxford and we don't have a magic shop within miles! We have one shop that sells some magic as a side line but it is all poor quality chinese stuff, some of it rip offs. I would love to have the opportunity to visit a shop to buy magic instead of having to do it all over the net. At least with the forum I can get good reviews before I spend.

I live in Geneva Switzerland and I'm considering flying over just for the IMC. But I just would like some basic info like how much would it be, do I need to be some crazy elitist magician. Shoot me a PM. Also I would like to know if I need/should to go for just one day, two day or all three?
Thanks

Hi Edvuard

I help organise the Convention and would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

The International Convention is one of the Big 3 in England, the others being Blackpool and the IBM. Each has its own feel and positive points (and of course negatives too!)

The International Convention is held in central London and all events take place in The Shaw Theatre which is in the same building as The Novotel Hotel. If you stay in the Hotel there is no need to leave the building for the whole weekend! The surrounding area has many differing priced accomodation available if you don't want to be on site. Being in London many Conventioneers bring their partners who can go shopping etc in the West End of London-just a mile away- whilst they attend the Convention.
The nearest tube station has direct links to Heathrow airport so is easily accessible from abroad.

This year artists booked so far include David Regal (US), Mike Caveney (US), Tina Lenert (US), Tony Chapek (US), Michael Vincent (UK), Jon Armstrong (US), Will Houston (UK), James Brown (UK), Roger Crosthwaite (UK), Mickey Silver (US) and Ray Crowe (Australia)-with more to be announced in the next weeks.

The general time table of the Convention is 2 lectures on the Friday night.

Saturday has The Close Up Competition (£1000 /1500 Euros (roughly!) cash first prize!) and a couple of lectures (at least).

The Sunday has The Close Up Gala Show and more lectures. The dealers room is open all day Sunday too.

The Gala Show is repeated on the Saturday and Sunday night so you have the choice of which night you want to attend. Some people prefer to eat/meet with friends, or see a West End Show on the Saturday and see the Gala Show on the Sunday, others prefer to be able to start making their way home on the Sunday evening at 6pm and so see the Gala Show on the Saturday night.

Registration is available for 1,2, or 3 days with extra Gala Show tickets if you want them. No events (apart from the Gala Show) are repeated, so if there is something you particularly want to see and you're only there for a day-make sure it's the right day. No events clash either so you can get to see everything over the weekend-no decisions on whether to watch the close up OR a lecture.

Details of registration costs on http://www.internationalmagic.com/acata ... ation.html


All lectures, evening Gala Shows, Competition and Close Up Gala take place in the Shaw Theatre - a tiered 500 seat theatre - and for the Close Up and lectures we have large screen projection. All events can be seen clearly from the comfort of a theatre seat-no standing and trying to see something over someone's shoulder!

I'll post again with more names as they are booked.

On a personal note-the International Convention was the first Big Convention I went to as a kid-the first one I saw Fred Kaps, Richard Ross,
Goshman, Tamariz and Bob Read! It is a real honour to have been involved in performing there for the last 8 years and helping organise it for the last two. I remember those first Conventions so fondly and always want to try and create that same magic as I experienced in those early years

Over the years the Convention has been the first in England to book(amongst many others) David Williamson, Gary Kurtz, Rick Merrill, Kostya Kimlat, Bob Sheets, Chad Long and this year alone there are nine first time performances to the UK over close up, lectures and Gala Show apearances-we are always trying to find new performers and try not to book the same names you may have seen many times before.

Being a family based Convention it also means an intimacy that few other Conventions offer. The friendly nature of, and high regard in which the Convention is held has meant many memorable one-off events over the years including Paul Daniels being assisted by Richard Ross for his Linking Ring Routine (in which Ross took the rings off Daniels at one stage to show him how to do it "properly!)! Last year a Q&A answer, which included a mind blowing performance, by Derren Brown was an unbilled surprise for the Conventioneers.

Let me know if you have any questions.

All the best, Noel

ok thanks a lot

awwww so expensive

but it's a magic convention in London!

but it's £75!

but it's a magic convention in London!

&c. &c.

Kati

noelbritten wrote:The general time table of the Convention is 2 lectures on the Friday night.

Saturday has The Close Up Competition (£1000 /1500 Euros (roughly!) cash first prize!) and a couple of lectures (at least).

The Sunday has The Close Up Gala Show and more lectures. The dealers room is open all day Sunday too.

Great information Noel, thanks a lot!
I have a few questions:
1) I have been looking for the sceldule, without success. Do you have the timetable yet? I have to fly from abroad and I need to know when I have to be there on Friday so I won't miss the beginning.
2) At what time do you start on Saturday and Sunday and untill when are the lectures?
3) Do conference guests get any special rate at the Novotel Hotel?
4) Which gala is usually bigger and which is usually better?
5) The sale boths, do they sell directly over the counter or just take orders to be sent later?
6) Do they accept credit cards or debit cards - or cash only?
7) Any magicians from TM performing or holding lectures?

All the best!

I'll tell you what I can based on last year...

Times (roughly)

Friday: 7pm - 10pm - Lectures

Sat: 10am - 10pm - Lectures start in the morning, then in the afternoon they hold the close-up competitions and results. There's a break, and then the evening gala show kicks off around 7pm with about 8 acts. The gala shows are the same for Saturday and Sunday

Sun: 10am - 10pm - Lectures start in the morning, and there was also a special guest appearance by Derren Brown. The trade show is open all day, and it's over the counter, so what you buy, you take away with you. There's lots of stalls, and the guys are only too happy to demo anything you want to see. I took cash, but I'm pretty sure they accept credit cards too. The gala show kicks off at the same time as on Saturday.

Hope this helps!

mark_c1975 wrote:I'll tell you what I can based on last year... (snip)

Wicked! Thanks a lot!
Do you know if there were as many at the gala for Saturday and for Sunday last years? Do people tend to flock more to (or prefer) one or the other, even though there is the same program on both nights?

I only went to the one on the Saturday night, which was packed full.

If I was travelling, then I'd go to the Saturday night gala, so you can make arrangements for going home Sunday night, and not have to book another night in a hotel.

Hope this helps,