MNW #71 :: SHAWN FARQUHAR

Magic Champion Shawn Farquhar, the competition winner at this weekend's MacMillan's International Magic Convention joins the ranks of Canadian performers appearing on the Magic Newswire. He talks about his lifelong journey in the world of magic. He shares stories of competing against Juliana Chen after helping her to create her act and shares one of the best anecdotes on meeting Dai Vernon that we've ever heard on the show. Lance Burton, Larry Jennings, Bruce Cervon and Ed Marlo also make an appearance. Congratulations to Shawn on his most recent win!    

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LISTEN TO OUR INTERVIEW WITH SHAWN FARQUHAR: WATCH SHAW PERFORM HIS SIGNATURE EFFECT "SHAPE OF MY HEART" ::

LIFE PHOTOS OF MAGICIANS ONLINE

I just became aware of the fact that Google has been archiving many of the amazing photos which appeared in Life Magazine during its' publication which ended in April of 2007. Among these are some real gems from the history of magic including Orson Welles performing, Tony Curtis as Houdini, Herbert Easley, Pierre Cartier, David Copperfield and many, many more. Enjoy this great resource.

MNW #70 :: SHAUN DUNN :: PAPER CRANE PRODUCTIONS

I've referred to Paper Crane Production's "Infant" as the best magic trick you'll never see performed in public. Now we bring you a chat with the lead performer in the film, Shaun Dunn. Shaun talks with us about his beginnings in magic only six years ago,  the creation of Paper Crane Productions, and of course, the back story on "Infant."

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LISTEN TO OUR CONVERSATION WITH SHAUN DUNN: TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT "INFANT":
Infant by Shaun Dunn from Paper Crane Productions on Vimeo.  

WORLD MAGIC AWARDS 2008 TONIGHT

Just as a reminder, the 2008 World Magic Awards will be broadcast tonight at 8PM EST on My Network TV. Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, the show will feature appearances by Hans Klok, Lance Burton, Steve Valentine and other top illusionists perform to benefit Feed the Children as honors are handed out for categories such as Best Escape Artist, Best Cabaret Magic, Best Comedy Magic and Magician of the Year. Watch this short promo for the show:

HUGH JACKMAN LEAVES PRESTIGIOUS AUSTRALIA FOR HOUDINI

Hugh Jackman, star of the new film Australia is headed to broadway where he'll return to the world of magic and star as "Houdini." "The main thing is that Hugh is already working on magic routines. The show, when it materializes, would include Jackman replicating big Houdini tricks on stage. Hugh has already played a magician in the movie, “The Prestige,” so he’s up for it. Magician extraordinaire Ricky Jay is said to be giving him advice. At some point the producers may reach out to David Blaine and to Cirque du Soleil for help." According to Variety, "They don’t yet have a firm sense of the scale of the musical. It seems likely, though, that the show will fall on the higher end of the Rialto budget continuum, somewhere north of $10 million." If Cirque, gets in on the project, will we Believe in Houdini? 

MAGIC AND THE BRAIN

The December 2008 issue of Scientific American Magazine features an article on the research that neuroscientists are doing to study misdirection and how it impacts brain function. The article highlights the work of  Johnny Thompson, Penn & Teller and Richard Wiseman. Listed as the Key Concepts are : Magic tricks often work by covert misdirection, drawing the spectator’s attention away from the secret “method” that makes a trick work. Neuroscientists are scrutinizing magic tricks to learn how they can be put to work in experimental studies that probe aspects of consciousness not necessarily grounded in current sensory reality. Brain imaging shows that some regions are particularly active during certain kinds of magic tricks.

BROKEN WAND :: CHRISTIAN FECHNER

FISM winner, film producer and writer Christian Fechner has passed away at the age of 64. According to Richard Kaufman of Genii Magazine, Fechner had a bout with cancer some years ago which had been in remission, but had been ill all summer. Fechner was also the author of a biography on Robert Houdin entitled "An Artist's Life." Fechner also maintained an extensive collection of magic which has been sold over the years by the Swann Galleries.

MNW #69 :: JOHN CARNEY

John Carney is no ordinary magician. John is a performer, creator, writer and philosopher when it comes to the art of magic and has received more awards from the Magic Castle than anyone else in their long history. Carney talks with us about his evolution as a performer and what it takes to be a truly good student of magic. His mentors included "The Professor" (Dai Vernon), Faucett Ross and many more legendary figures from the history of our craft. Carney's "Book of Secrets" is being re-released as well as a new DVD series that he developed with Jim Steinmeyer.  MNW69 WITH JOHN CARNEY:


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THAT SILLY, SILLY INFANT

Several days ago we posted a story on a video which seemed to be marketing a "new effect" from Paper Crane Productions called "INFANT." It was obviously a joke, we thought, and this was confirmed in our recent interview with Shaun Dunn. Shaun told us, "Typically, our videos are produced in such a way that we appear to take ourselves, and our products, very seriously. We'd just finished shooting another product video and thought it would be fun to produce a spoof of our own work to let people know that we had a sense of humor as well." Watch for the complete audio interview with Shaun to be posted to our podcast feed in the next day or so. UPDATE: (11/25/08 - 16:36 EST) Our friends over at iTricks.com have also been reporting on this story and have an interesting update from Mandy Hartley of Paper Crane Productions

"ONE OF THE GREATEST MAGICIANS LIVING"

Teller appears on the cover of the Las Vegas weekly and is profiled in one of the best pieces covering a magician that we've come across in some time. Subtitled "How a small but beautiful trick illuminates the mind of a master magician," the piece uses Teller's "Red Ball" trick as the centerpiece. "After Penn walks offstage, Teller, hoop in hand, slowly coaxes the ball to life and makes it do his bidding. Over the course of the trick the ball goes from indifferent to awakening to willing playmate. Though the narrative has Teller getting the ball to jump through his hoop, the ball’s most singularly beautiful moment is when it attains a perfect balance on the edge of the hoop. Audience applause achieved, the ball turns mischievous and follows Teller across the stage as if in need of more play. Teller tries to treat the ball with affection as he sits on a bench, gently petting it. But the increasingly aggressive ball finally chases the magician off stage: A little red ball brought to life and then pursuing its creator, a Frankenstein’s monster. It is all very magical, or would be if Penn had not told you there was a thread involved."