talkmagic.co.uk

spooky! I was reading magic monthly volume one last night

( Im trying to get them all. preferably bound)

There's no point in knowledge unless you do pass it on.

Or use it to make yourself stinkingly rich.


But serious, you spend all your time learning and discovering - you should at least find one person to pass it all on to. Especially if you do something to such a degree that you are perhaps an expert and see those things in a different light to other people. And not just magic. If a scholar discovers new ideas and theories, etc, and keeps them to himself then they die with him. What was the point of ever learning it? It's extremely selfish and only serves to provide the owner of that knowledge with an inflated view of his own abilities.

I hope I'm making sense here.

When I made my will first in 1982, I left all the magic apparatus and the several hundred books to a young professional magician; my closest friend and currently in his 7th. time as President of Nottm Guild.
All the extensive Dante collection; programmes, pics,reviews,articles, his press book, one lot of musical arrangements,autograph, recordings & copies of the 3 films Dante, made to the Magic Circle Museum; no I am not a member. I should have joined when younger but left it too late..
Also, to the MC, my collection of Kalanag material; again with pics, programmes,adverts reviews, 4 of his Theatre Audience brochures, sound recording, and some 3 to 4 hours of video.
Added to this the props books, programmes, publicity, pics & video of my own Dante Tribute Show.
NOT to preserve my name but for some future, young or older magic student to read them and know that somewhere in the past a magician cared.
The only book left to my wife to dispose of is Magic of Robert Harbin.
I did say at the time, it will probably pay for my funeral.
I bet she gives it to our heir.

I have read,many times in the past, of magician's 'stuff' being simply thrown in the dustbin or skip.

I have often wondered what happened to the papers, books, scrapbook etc of my great friend the late Val Andrews. He did not leave a will.
There are 2 items on paper of no real value to anyone else, I dearly wanted.
One, to do with Kalanag, he promised to send when he last stayed with us and the other he told me he had & would send me a copy of, 3 weeks before he suddenly died.

Allen Tipton

i won this on ebay...





the inscription says, to Bobby Bernard, with best wishes.. De vega.
Its not a great read, but its funny.

only because inside, clearly writen by Bobby in large red letters is teh word "DANGEROUS".

It hasnt come from Bobby, or the recent sale of his things.

but its mine now, and brings back some happy memories of sitting with Bobby chatting about his old times.

Allen - you may want to chat to martin breese about Val..he may have some info...

Allen really is a great teacher! I am so lucky that I got to know him and he decided to help me with my magical progress.
Thank you a thousand times, Allen!

Thank you for the suggestion Iain but afte Val died, Matrin Breese rang me twice & e mailed me to say 'thank you' for the obit I wrote.
Martin then mentioned that he thought I knew more facts etc. about Val than he did. This possibly because I doubt if Val ever talked to Martin, his publisher,except about the books he'd written, business arrangements & general chit chat.

I asked him about Val's effects but he had no idea what happened to
them so the play Val had written about Kalanag (on whom I lecture at times) and the original script of the Dante Show are perhaps lying in
ashes on some rubbish dump. Sad and for me angry making

Val had given the Kalanag play at one point to John Fisher with a view to
having it presented on TV. Alas, there was not enough money left in the 'coffers' to do this at the time.
Val did send me, some years back, a copy of a letter from an old respected journalist, revealing the origin of the Dante show script.

I also have all the letters Val sent me. from 1979 onwards. Abour 6, written on an old typewriter ( he refused to consider a computer or word processor) have faded. They make fascinating reading.
Also I still have one sound tape (we often exchanged these) in which he gives me advice on my projected Dante Show and other magical matters.

As Val stayed with us about 5 times we talked and talked. My wife adored him and we both miss the regular phone chats with him & Terri Rogers, the lady ventriloquist.
Barbara rarely takes to magicians...her great experience in Theatre and often their lack of Stagecraft, Presentation & their little use or lack of knowledge of 'Theatrical' Performing Techniques. And I don't mean performing just on a stage but in every branch of Magic


Allen Tipton

Well my values in magic, are to be the best magician I can be, and share my magic with as many people as possible.

I also know that I can't show everybody in the world my magic, so I want to help other people experience good magic, by helping others to become better performers. Add to this that bad magic makes us all look bad - I understand different styles, and I understand tact, but I cannot and will not stand for bad magic - no no no no no.

Reading this makes me want to join a magic society!
Does anyone know of such things in cheshire?

Alan, I know for a fact that you have given me more than a few bones to chew on over the years; your friendship and guidance (not to mention the many times you've helped me with research) has been cherished but then I am a glutton when it comes to knowledge of this craft -- all of it!

You are very much on mark about giving back to the community, a role I've tried to fulfill over the past 12 or so years I've found myself not knowing which end was up in my own life, but magic gave me a point of focus; it was something I "knew" and loved to share with others. Many of my friends encouraging me to simply expand on the role I've known for most of my life, that of technician and guide -- a choreographer and developer of magic who helps others find that special part of themselves that takes them closer toward their vision when it comes to performance and quality. An effort that has more than a few times, given me that proud parent feeling as these "students" move beyond what I'm able to lend -- there is no greater gift in life than knowing you have empowered someone, in some simple way, to evolve in life as well as the craft.

I'd love a mentor / teacher / someone to share my ideas and knowledge with, - wish I lived somewhere near someone like you Allen - but I am tucked away in rural Westest Wales, nearly 2 hours drive from Cardiff (my nearest magical society), and there is the odd TM meet in Swansea, but that is 1.5 hours drive too! so if anyone out there feels the need to help I could really use some! I've been to the Cardiff society once, and it was great, but it's a damn long way to go for an evening, and most of the evenings are not necessarily about learning stuff...
I'd happily drive that far if I could sit down with someone with lots of experience and actually go through some routines, get some real feedback from someone who knows about magic...

Tommy maybe I can help you.
I will pm you
Allen Tipton

I have been VERY lucky in this department - When I went to university I joined the Sussex Magic Circle and was befriended a man named Reg Howes, who (in his 70's) is just as eager to learn the latest routines, watch the newest DVD's and discuss (for literally HOURS at a time) all kinds of magic tricks and ideas.

he has pretty much done everything in his life, magic or professional and has been a true inspiration to me re: getting gigs, how to handle crowds, how to dress, approaching venues (even a french diner one time when they had NO INTEREST at all we ended up getting a free meal out of them).

I have moved back home now and its a good 200 miles away from Brighton, where Reg lives - we regularly commute to and from and chat via emails etc all the time, but I would love to be an active member of a society which encourages this kind of behavior - this forum is a shining example of the good that can come of sharing knowledge etc, which all to often is spoilt by a youtube bedroom magician revealing and satisfying the masses - I guess its just nice to have a meet and greet and chat on a deeper level than you ever could with a muggle

Dan

Allen Tipton wrote:Tommy maybe I can help you.
I will pm you
Allen Tipton

Thanks Allen you have mail...