MELBOURNE TO HOST MAGICAL HISTORY EXHIBIT

Hocus Pocus: Melbourne Magic, Mystery and Illusion will appear at City Museum in Melbourne on December 6th and will celebrate Melbourne's golden era of magic, circa 1850 to 1950. Curator Simon Gregg was interviewed in The Age regarding the research and preparation that went into making this exhibit happen. "I've been blown away by how many of the greatest magicians of all time actually came to Melbourne," Gregg says. "I hadn't realised how central magic has been and how intricately woven it is through the history of the city. When you read about the history of magic, you actually learn about the developing culture of theatres, you learn about the entertainment habits of Melburnians." Magician Gerald Taylor is acting as a consultant for the exhibition with the goal of insuring that the display of such illusions as Pepper's Ghost is handled without giving away any secrets. The article contains several amusing anecdotes related to performers like Chung Ling Soo, Harry Houdini and Gustave Fasola.