Thwaites Empire Theatre, Blackburn
12^th March 2011

Reported by Steve Bellerby
Photographs by Joe Gilmour

As it approaches its Centenary year and on the heels of a successful show a couple of years ago, members of The Modern Mystic League entertained a large family audience at the Thwaites Empire Theatre at Ewood, Blackburn.

The compére of the first half was Shaun McCree. Suave looking, dressed in a three-piece, a pocket watch chain across his waistcoat that belies his sense of humour and dry wit. As well as gags, he presented one or two effects including a slick style handling of Daryl’s The Whole Truth, a wonderful effect with four large cards, two of which appear to be whole cards and two being hole cards – having holes in them.

A family show with a family audience with children dotted all around the theatre, the next act was a treat for the younger ones…… and the rest of us too! Guy-De-Paul. Paul began by asking the audience who had attended the show a couple of years previously and it was interesting to see that there were a lot of new faces in the theatre and that they’d filled it considerably.

Possibly owing to the sound problems, the next act was the weakest on the programme. Starting well with a cut and restored tyre inner-tube and an entertaining 3 card trick, Trevor Dawson’s salt transposition seemed to only bring confusion as to what was happening. If I was honest, I’d have to say that the method of Torn & Restored Newspaper used was either done incorrectly or needs to be swapped for one that works. Too many lay people in the audience were heard mentioning that they could see the restored packet all too easily. As I said though, Trevor may have been put off by the sound problems. There was a huge contrast between the front and rear ends of his act and the return of the sound problems kicked in about half-way through.

To take us up the interval, newly installed President, Donald Monk ran a game of bingo. Bingo cards with stickers for counters had been handed out in the foyer before the start of the show. The game proceeded with everyone trying to be the first to get a line across. I don’t know if it’s Donald’s reputation that precedes him, but a lot on the audience seemed to know that we were all going to win. The kids weren’t expecting it though and were screaming the house down! On realising that we were all winners, Donald announced that we’d all won a fifteen minute refreshment break, a nice line to close the first half with.

After a tap dance routine from the Zoe Taylor Dance Academy, Shaun McCree opened the second half, which was compéred by Brian Lead, with a spot full of comedy and strong magic that featured silk dying with bogus explanation, a chosen card revelation utilizing Rocky Racoon under another name, suggesting it was a ferret or stoat or something. A slick, enjoyable act displaying Shaun’s years of experience of working in the real world.

Paul Joyce followed with an entertaining spot primarily for the children. Introducing his noise-maker, which reads the amount of applause indicated by a dial on the front, Paul asked the audience to test the machine. The adults went first with a good effort that was drowned out by the children’s screams and cheers when their turn came. They cheered so loud, the machine broke!

Some chattering teeth that belonged to Paul’s grandma were placed in a bag with a piece of paper in it and after a card was chosen, the paper was shown to have pieces nibbled from it to reveal the value of the chosen card. Paul’s largest effect was a magic carpet levitation with a boy from the audience sitting upon the carpet.

The penultimate act doesn’t read overly impressive from the notes I took but comedy patter magician, Peter Dean had the audience in stitches from the start. His initial persona was a sophisticated club magician, complete with “big hair” until the wig was accidentally removed revealing a lot less hair.

A volunteer from the audience helped by using an invisible pack of cards, Invisible Deck was also used. A watch steal followed up with the watch ending up in a balloon were effects in the act. As I said, it doesn’t read as much on paper but Peter skilfully used people from various parts of the audience to select the card for Invisible Deck with fast banter generating laughs galore.

The final act of the evening saw the return of MML President, Donald Monk, who began by building a St. George dummy, an illusion in a similar style to Kevin James’ Chaplin Doll. The cabinet could have done with black cloths adorning the inside instead of black paint, as the false back was clearly only halfway into the unit. The switch was very quick though – although the doll had suddenly grown about 5 inches suggesting an understudy had had to be used at short notice. The audience lapped it up though and applauded as St. George went off to find the dragon. Just as Donald was moving on with the act, St. George returned from the back of the auditorium, riding on the dragon – a pantomime horse style dragon with fake legs for St. George, wonderfully imaginative!

It was a very enjoyable show and a fine achievement for the members of the Modern Mystic League, who produced and presented the whole event. I was glad to have journeyed across to watch live magic.

Stevie B (Steve Bellerby)

Bradford Magic Circle