talkmagic.co.uk

A quick and random question for y'all who is the best pro close-up worker in the country?
Cheers

In the UK, for my money it'd be between Guy Hollingworth and James Brown. Although I know Guy doesn't perform as often as he used to.

It's hard to make a value judgement like that though, there's so many people doing so many different kinds of stuff.

no such thing as 'best'....

Marc Oberon is as good as I have seen - because he does some very unique routines. You get fed up of seeing the same old stuff, no matter how well performed.

For me I'd have to name Michael Vincent.

I'd have to say Phil Jay

(Good question )

Interesting thread,

But i have seen so many good magicians, i would never be able to say who the best is, so many people are good in different ways.

It is hard to guess at who is the best but i'd go with the likes of Oberon to. I must admit some of the other suggestions, I have not yet heard of

we really are in no place to judge who is the best close up worker in the country, because 99% of the acts that we see, are not their working acts.

However I have seen Mike Vincent work to lays, and he is pretty hard to beat..... with cards, and coins.

But, ive also watched people work rooms that will probably never be mentioned on this thread, and to my mind, in general close up, they are better.

Fay Presto, is hot to trot when the tables right and has a fabulous rapport, Tim Saiet.. fantastic audience management , fantastic magic.

Darren James.. really good, ( ok, ok, i taught him much.... )

John Carey .. a great guy, and a great magician.

The best close up magician in the British Isles BY FAR is someone hardly anyone here has heard of. He lives in Ireland rather than the UK so Tony probably knows him.

He keeps well away from magicians which I consider to be a mark of sterling judgement. His name is Daniel O'Donoghue and he is world class.

I have never seen a British or Irish magician to equal him in the area of close up magic.

He knows how to sell HIMSELF rather than just the tricks. 90 percent of close up magicians haven't learned that lesson.

The ultimate BEST magician I've met in the Island of Brittania is Archie Ologist. No one can compete with him (his camel trick is a masterpiece). Is he still around ?

I have to tip my hat to Mark Lewis, right on the money. I have only had the pleasure of watching Dan O'Donoghue a handful of times, but he is something special. Its all personality and charm, and he is definitely up there with the best in the world.
I generally don't watch or enjoy close-up, but for Dan, Marc Oberon, and very few others, I make an exception.

Alas he doesn't do it any more because he didn't want to be seen as a stage Irishman but when he used to do the chop cup he was hilarious because of his patter. He would say "This ball has been bold" Bold means naughty in Ireland. He would continue, "The bold ball is being sent to bed" The bed was his pocket. "The bold ball goes to beddy bye. No more ball. The bally wally is in the pocky wocky."

He would continue in this vein and all the time he was selling HIMSELF rather than the trick. I am not even sure if he knew he was selling himself or if he was just being his normal eccentric character.

He always reminded me of something stated in Maskelyne's "Our Magic"
This classic book stated that if someone was blessed with gifts from the Gods such as a natural charisma and good looks he was less to be regarded as an artist than someone who had to sweat and work to achieve success as a magician who wasn't naturally gifted to be so.

I say this because Dan had to work twice as hard as anyone else to perfect his sleight of hand. It would take him much longer to learn than it would other people. He would fumble a new trick in an atrocious way because he had thick stubby fingers and was naturally ham fisted. However he sweated and persisted until he learned how to master the sleights and he is indeed now a very skilled technician.

I am greatly amused that probably very few people on this forum have ever heard of him. And yet I can assure you all that he is one of the greatest close up magicians in the world. Along with myself of course.

It is rare that you will hear me praise any other close up magician since I think 90 percent of them are absolutely dreadful. They can do tricks but they can't present THEMSELVES doing the tricks.

Dan can and does.