KEYRINGAUGUST21.

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KEY AUGUST 2021

TAROT TIME

CAROL CONTINUES
IMPALED ILLUSION
PICNIC PARAGRAPHS
WIZARD’S WASHING
www.britishring.org.uk
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AUGUST 2021

RiNG officers
KEY

25

President: Alan MASKELL COUNCIL

40 Lanton Drive, Glasgow G52 2EW Richard CADELL
T. 07999 537686 E. richardcadell@hotmail.com
E. alan.maskell@gmail.com Clive MOORE
President Elect: Oliver TABOR T. 01332 763 206
Sutton Hall, Shopland Road, Rochford, Essex SS4 1LH M. 07711139479
T. 01702 543242 Email: otmagicfx@hotmail.com
E. clivejeanmagic@gmail.com
Vice President: Edwin DAWES
Carol TYNAN
Immediate Past President: Brian LEAD
T. 01704 533 768
55 Saunders Road, Blackburn, Lancs, BB2 6NP
E. ibmbritishring25reg@gmail.com
T. 01254 52070 E. b.lead@btinternet.com
Graham COLVAN
Executive Secretary: Moira FLETCHER
T. 0780 937 3746
40 Lanton Drive, Glasgow G52 2EW
E. graham.colvan@gmail.com
T. 07771 613894 E. moira1.fletcher@gmail.com
James HOBART
Assistant Secretary: Ajay VORA
T. 028 9185 2760
27 St Barnabas Road, Barnetby, N Lincs DN32 6 JB
E. j.hobart@btinternet.com
T. 07771752000 E. vora110@aol.com
John RUSSELL
Treasurer: Rick TYNAN
Communications Manager
12 Kempton Park Fold, Southport, Merseyside PR8 5PL
T. 0191 416 4152
T. 01704 533768 E. ibmbritishring25treasurer@gmail.com
E. john@kirsand.co.uk
Hon. Solicitor: Clive CULLUM
Oliver TABOR
25 Martin Grange 5 Otley Road Harrogate HG2 0DL
T. 01702 543242
T. 01423 525093. E. magic.cullum@btinternet.com
E. otmagicfx@hotmail.com
Chaplain & Welfare Officer: Alan CLARKE
Aidan HERITAGE
Bear’s Den, 22 Blackcliffe Way, Bearpark, Co. Durham DH7 7TJ
T. 07903 931967
T. 0191 659 9114 E. alanbearsden@gmail.com
E. aidanheritage@britishring.org.uk
Webmaster: Aidan HERITAGE
Robert MOSS
T. 07903 931967 E. aidanheritage@britishring.org.uk
T. 07926 182 756
Key Ring Editor and Advertising Manager: Geoffrey NEWTON
E. robert.mosseng@gmail.com
The Quills, 146 Ashton Lane, Ashton Upon Mersey, Sale M33 5EZ.
T. 0161 969 8222. E. geoffreynewton@uwclub.net
Child Protection Representative: Rena FLETCHER
T.07798 524662 renafindlay@gmail.com

Benevolent Fund Trustees: The British Ring IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Eddie DAWES, John PYE, is proud to be a Moira FLETCHER Membership applications,
Alan J CLARKE and Keith COOPER. member of FISM changes of address and general British Ring
correspondence.
Rick TYNAN Annual subscriptions, benevolent
Past Presidents *Donald Crombie. *Tony Shelley. *John Palfreyman. fund donations and all financial enquiries.
*J. Milton *Will Ayling. Mike Gancia.
*Oswald Rae. Woodward. *Hamilton Kaye. *Cynthia Neptune. Aidan HERITAGE Website contributions.
*Herbert Collings. *Paul Graham. Brian Miller. Don Beattie. Alan J CLARKE News of members recovering,
*John Ramsay. *Tommy Rowe. *Rovi. Mark Raffles. ill, or deceased.
*His Honour Ernest *Revd. Michael *Peter Scarlett. John Styles MBE.
Wethered OBE. Seacome. *Clem Bailey. *Derek McFaull. Geoffrey NEWTON Public relations, news,
*W. G. Stickland MBE. *Geoffrey *Robert Sinclair. Trevor Lewis. advertising enquiries, copy, payments,
*Harry Kaye. Buckingham. *Ron MacMillan. Shirley Ray. Key Ring articles/letters, Broken Wands,
*John Gambling. *Harold Taylor. *Ken De Courcy. Keith Cooper.
*Oscar Paulson. *Ron Bishop. *Alan Shaxon. Brian Miller.
and requests to switch over to
*Geoffrey *Alastair Oliphant. Geoff Ray. *John ‘Sly’ Smith the e. key ring etc.
Robinson OBE. Dr. Eddie Dawes. Terry Herbert. Neil Roberts Contact details shown above
*Eddie Dexter. *Alfred Gabriel. *Les Nottle. Alan Astra
*Jeffery Atkins. *Ted Whebell. *Tom Owen. Paul Ray
*Les Levante. *Duncan Fletcher. John Pye. Clive Moore
*Archie Tear. David Berglas. *Bob Hayden. Richard Cadell
*Wilfred Tyler. *Edwin Hooper. Derek Lever. Brian Lead
THE DIGITAL KEY RING
*Francis Haxton. *Ali Bongo. *Richard Stupple. Direct links to websites, videos and other articles.
*Peter Warlock. *Cliff Townsend. *Louis Martelle. * DECEASED Help save the environment by going paperless
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 3

RiNG contents
KEY

25 August 2021
The Official Magazine of The British Ring No. 25 of
The International Brotherhood of Magicians For Private Circulation

PAGE 5

Features
5 Brian’s Bulletin: don’t do this at home
6 Collaborative Conjuring: the boys are all mixed up
PAGE 8 8 Tarot Time: fame or fortune
11 Picnic reports: full report
16 Carol’s Convention Carousel: a first for Aidan Heritage
18 Truxa Plus: Scandinavian magician called Truxa
20 Rick’s Magic Musings: Rick goes on a new journey
23 A Bit Moore Magic: more then a bag of tricks
26 Ideas time: over the garden wall
29 Broken Wand: Dave Shaw
PAGE 11
29 Welfare: Alan Clarke reports
OBC Three Book Challenge: Paul Bromley’s choice
Tricks
24 Kids’ Corner: Wizard's Washday
Regulars
2 The Editor’s View
3 President’s View
PAGE 20 4 From the Executive Secretary

THE EDITOR and council accept no responsibility for the opinions expressed in articles appearing in the KEY RING. Its contents are copyright and
must not be reproduced in part or whole without permission of the author/contributor and editor.
KEY RING REVIEWS POLICY: As the KEY RING is a members only magazine, and space is limited, only items that have been advertised in KEY RING
(excluding Smalls) or the current convention brochure will be reviewed. Reviews must be submitted from a satisfied customer, or send the item to the editor
with a stamped SAE for its return.
KEY RING CONTRIBUTIONS POLICY: When sending to the editor enquiries or items for publication on flashdrives etc. and/or props that you wish
to be returned please enclose a stamped SAE. Also, please try to email the editor your effect, article etc. for publication. This should not prevent
members without computers from getting involved, but do enclose a stamped SAE for the return of ANYTHING that you would like back.
IBM FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/IBM.BritishRing25 BRITISH RING TWITTER PAGE: http://twitter.com/IBMBRITISHRING
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 4

THE EDITOR’S VIEW

Tnormality.
he world of entertainment seems to
be back on track for a return to
I keep hearing and reading
McGee has appeared on adverts for
Kitchen Magic and I have heard that
reports of more and more theatre Philip Schofield appears on a magically
shows (although with social distancing) connected gin advert, although I have
being produced. Clearly things are not seen this myself. Heinz sauces etc
moving in the right direction, so let’s have presented Add a Little Magic and
hope there are no more hurdles to another is the Miracle Gro, Patch Magic
encounter. (for lawns). If you spot any, do send
It could well be time to celebrate, so them in.
here’s a challenge. Take an unopened Here’s a ½ way line
bottle of wine and ask someone if they can take a puzzle to while away a
drink from the bottle without withdrawing the few moments. Take a
cork or unscrewing the cap, as the case may be. square piece of paper.
Make sure that there are some bar type items on This can be as small as
the table by the bottle. Anything is ok, just for set a Post It note or a piece
dressing, but there must also be a jug of water. of A3 (cut square) or as
Make sure the wine bottle you use has the big as you like. Mark
normal recess for the lees (most do). Turn the the centre point of two Paper must be square.
bottle upside down, pour some water into the adjacent sides then Cut along dotted lines
recess and drink it. You draw lines as shown. and then reassemble. It
have taken a drink from Cut through these lines makes it more difficult if
the bottle without to make four triangles. the paper is the same
removing the cork or Now ask a friend or colour each side
cap. Now see how fast colleague to
you can run! reassemble the pieces to make the original
I have noticed, over square. It’s harder than you may think; just try it
the years, that magic on yourself first. Even you will find it difficult and
has become an remember it was you who cut he paper!
increasingly popular Enjoy the summer.
part of television
commercials. If I
remember correctly, Geoffrey NEWTON editor
some time ago M & S The Quills
started using the 146 Ashton Lane,
slogan Magic and Ashton upon Mersey,
Sparkle around Sale M33 5EZ
Christmas time and T. 0161-969 8222 or 07769 884109
they seemed to keep E. geoffreynewton@uwclub.net
this alive for a few
years. Argos, for When submitting articles send to the above
Christmas 2020, had a address. When writing to the editor, please
magic slogan. On more enclose a stamped SAE if you need a reply or if
recent occasions, Debbie you would like photos etc. returned. Thank you.

2 KEYRING AUGUST 2021

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PRESIDENT’S VIEW
Isome
t is August and summer is truly upon
us. Normally we would be taking
holiday as well as being in the
last stages of planning the annual
convention, but holidays are, of course,
limited. However, we did get the chance
recently to visit some of my family in
East Anglia which was good. I hope that
you have the chance to get some
relaxation and possibly a change of
scene too. Travelling south also gave us the
chance to look at another possible venue for my
President’s Dinner which we are starting to look
at now as a possibility for next year. We will let
you have details as soon as things start to come
together. Next year we should also get the chance
to gather in Eastbourne for our convention too, but
first we have another great Nonvention to look
forward to, this time complete with
an A.G.M.
In my Presidential role I
recently had the pleasure of
presenting a history of
magic talk and magic
themed quiz over Zoom for
the Modern Mystic League
Chairman’s Day. With an
audience including, amongst others,
Brian Lead and Roger Woods it wasn’t a surprise
to have some high scorers in the quiz!
On the book front, I have recently been reading
Jon Racherbaumer’s In a Class by Himself – the
Legacy of Don Alan. It is a fascinating read about
this pioneering close-up and
television performer who
deserves to be better known
by the current generation of
magicians. Alongside the
tricks, or ‘sneaky stuff’ as
Don refers to them, it is
thought provoking to read his
comments on exposure and
the ease of obtaining props
and material. There are clips on
YouTube of some of his television work
in the 1960s, when he appeared on the
Ed Sullivan and other shows, including
his own Magic Ranch series. Don Alan
brought the chop cup to the attention of
magicians, altering its size to suit
himself, so it was of interest to see a
recent magic news item in which it was
announced that one of Paul Daniels’s
chop cups, with provenance, had sold at auction
for over $19,000!
June brought the sad news of the passing of
Dave Shaw. Dave, along with his wife Joy, was
not only a performer and prop maker but also a
great supporter of The British Ring and will be
greatly missed. It was also sad
to hear of the passing of Eric
Lindsay, better known to
magicians as illusionist Zee. I
saw him perform his highly
polished act live at the
Cambridge Theatre Seven
Dials and in The Magic Circle
Christmas Show 1979/80.
Finally, congratulations and
a certificate go to Brian Clarke,
winner of the President’s
Challenge for June. August’s
challenge is a simple one and
one that fits in with the gradual return of live
performances. Just post a photograph of yourself
performing magic of any kind, and in any
situation, on The British Ring members’
Facebook page.
Keep well and enjoy your summer,
Alan
Alan MASKELL
40 Lanton Drive, Glagow G52 2EW
T. 07999 537686
E. alan.maskell@gmail.com
AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 3
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

ISecretarial
t has been lovely to hear from so
many members following my previous
with regard to long serving
membership. I have received phone
calls and emails and it has been so nice
hearing stories of your time as
members. It will be a delight to have
certificates ready for these members for
presentation at our AGM in September. If
you have been a member for 25, 30, 40, 50, 60 or
more years please do let me know so we can
arrange for a certificate in recognition of your
loyalty to our organisation.
One member who has devoted a considerable
amount of time and
effort over about 60
years is Ian Adair. He has
attended most of our
conventions, compiled
The British Ring Parade
for The Linking Ring
Magazine for many years
and has also submitted
innumerable articles for
our own magazine, both
Ian Adair as The Budget and the
Key Ring. At a recent Council Meeting it was
agreed that due to his continued contribution to
our organisation he has now been given Honorary
Membership of The British Ring. We are delighted
that we do not have a full record of all
our past Council/Committee meetings.
We are unsure where the Minutes of
the past meetings may be and at
present we only have Minutes going
back to 1985. I am therefore wondering
if any member who has been a
Council/Committee member in the
past might still have their own copies
of past Minutes. If you do by any chance have
any Minutes from prior to 1985 can you please
get in touch so we can try to expand our
records for posterity.
We were excited that over 60 members joined
the Picnic at the end of May and given that it was
such a glorious day I feel this was a fantastic turn
out. Hopefully you will get a flavour of the event
from the reviews elsewhere in this issue.
We are now working towards the Nonvention
in September and hope many of you can join us
then. Talks are also underway with regard to our
events for 2022 so keep your eyes open for more
information about these coming out as soon as
we have any details finalised.
You’re braver than you believe, stronger than
you seem, and smarter than you think –
Winnie The Pooh
Moira FLETCHER

O N
to be able to recognise his many years and 40 Lanton Drive, Glasgow G52 2EW

NTI
continuing service in this way. T. 07771 613894

V E
Also at a recent Council meeting we realised E. moira1.fletcher@gmail.com

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4 KEYRING AUGUST 2021

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BRIAN’S BULLETIN THE IMPALER by Brian LEAD

V lad III, otherwise known as Vlad
Dracula (the inspiration for Bram
Stoker’s Dracula) lived from 1431 to
1476, and took over as the ruler of
Wallachia from his father, Vlad Dracul,
in 1448. As ‘Vlad the Impaler’ he was
noted for this particularly cruel form of
execution, with which he killed many
thousands of his enemies.
The American Ken Whitaker usually gets the
credit for presenting this gruesome idea as a
magic illusion in the
1970s. Russ Stevens
laid claim to performing
it for the first time in
Britain, in his Mystique
show at Blackpool, with
Simon Drake later
including it in his Secret
Cabaret television series.
After violent abuse, his
assistants finally got
their revenge on him at
the end of one of the
episodes. David Copperfield and Wayne Dobson
also performed it on themselves.
Of course, the observation that there is nothing
new under the sun also applies in our world of
magic. Les Levante (Australian Leslie George
Cole, 1892-1978) claimed credit for the initial
‘impaler’ concept. According to his own account
(see Levante: His Life, No Illusion by
Kent Blackmore) he drafted out the
plans in 1939, intending to present the
illusion during the Christmas season of
1940, and posters were duly prepared.
In the event, the project had to be
shelved owing to the War and was never
revived.
Three swords are used in the Levante
version, standing vertically in a row. An assistant
is placed upon the points, with the swords at her
neck, waist and ankles. The neck and ankle
swords are removed, and the girl revolves slowly
on the central point before slowly sinking until
several inches of the blade
protrude upwards through
her body. At the end she
slowly rises again. The
modus operandi can be
found in an appendix to the
Blackmore biography. The
later version has a more
dramatic jolt, with many
adaptations leaving the
performer still skewered at
the end of the routine;
although Charlotte
Pendragon, as the victim,
was revived with a kiss
from Jonathan in true Snow White fairy-tale style.
Intriguingly, I recently came across the
accompanying advertisement
which predates Levante by a
couple of years. It was
printed in Goldston’s Magic
Quarterly in November, 1937.
Captioned ‘Zara – Passing a
solid steel rod through the
body of a woman without
covering and down stage’, it
was said to have been
invented by Henry Baines.

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COLLABORATIVE CONJURING THE MIXED-UP PREDI CT
CHRIS: Here is an item which was
inspired by a very old coin
JAMES: It is usually deployed to
swindle.
identify how many coins are
Heads or Tails up at the end of a
CHRIS: Here we have replaced the
series of random moves.
coins with cards, so that face-up,
face-down and red or black are
added to the mix, making the
sequence seem even more
JAMES: By using cards, we have
random.
one up to three. We hope you like 4 Push the following cards
increased the predictions from
this quick baffler, which can be
used in a variety of situations.
EFFECT:
A deck of cards is casually shown,
then turned face down and cut at
a random point. A spectator is
now asked to follow the following
five instructions (printed on a card
you hand to them):
1 Deal 12 cards into a face-down
row, numbering them from one
to twelve (and from left to
right), in your mind.
2 Turn over the cards positioned
at numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10. l We BOTH have the SAME
3 Now go along the line, turning
over any SIX separate cards of
6 KEYRING AUGUST 2021
your choice. If you wish, you
can turn over any of the cards
you have just turned over in
instruction (2) above.
forward from your line, cards at
positions: 2, 6, 7, 9, 11 and 12.
This top line is mine. You have
the cards left in the lower line.
Gather up the two lines into two
piles, making sure you don’t
turn over the cards in the
process.
5 Now turn over this instruction
card to read my three
predictions…
The performer or the spectator
now turns over the instruction
card to reveal:
number of FACE-UP cards! (You
both check your piles to prove
that this is correct!)
l Therefore, we BOTH have the
SAME number of FACE-DOWN
cards, too! (This, of course, is
also proved to be correct!)
l Turning all of our cards face up,
we have the SAME number of
RED CARDS and BLACK CARDS!
(The red and black cards are
counted and, indeed, they are
the same for both the performer
and the spectator!)
METHOD:
As we mentioned at the start, this
effect is based on an ancient coin
swindle, where you are able to
reveal how many coins are Heads
or Tails up at the end. You will find
versions of it in Karl Fulves’ Self-
Working Coin Magic and World’s
Best Coin Tricks by Bob Longe, to
name just two sources. We have
merely built on the basic idea to
expand the revelations. The deck
of cards you display at the start
has been stacked, with the cards
secretly alternating red and black
throughout. As you make just a
casual display, fanning and cutting
at different points, the
arrangement is easily concealed.
The deck is then cut at a random
point and 12 cards are dealt from
the top of the deck face down.
After that, you follow the
sequence of instructions as
described in the ‘Effect’ section.
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DI CTION by Chris WARDLE and James WARD
The trick will now work itself.
All you need to do is make sure
that the spectator keeps to the
numbering of the cards as set out
at the start, so that the correct
cards are turned over or pushed
forward as instructed. (You can
count with them to ensure
success.)
When it comes to the spectator
turning over any six cards in the
row, make a point of stressing
that they can turn over any SIX
separate cards of their choice
(which includes turning over
any of the cards that they have
just turned over in the previous
instruction), as they work along
the line. This does two things.
Firstly, it reinforces the random
nature of the ‘card turns’; and
secondly, it ensures that not
all of the cards will be face
up by the end of this move.
This would make for a less
impressive climax and the
red/black alternation might be
spotted. In trialling this we
have found that spectators DO
want to turn over cards that
they have already turned over
during instruction (2). This
seems to reinforce the idea that
the cards are being randomly
manoeuvred, as they work along
the line.
All you then have to do is turn
over the instruction card to reveal
the three predictions at the end
and enjoy your applause!
(To perform this in a socially-
distanced or online performance
environment, you can deal out and
turn over the cards for a spectator,
following their verbal instructions.
This avoids a helper having to
touch anything, which, at present
– and possibly for some time into
the future – might be important.)
AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 7
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by Stuart CASSELS

Yin hisourrecently
editor contacted me research, I found many
arguments as to the
with a thought triggered
origin, so have settled
mind, when he was watching
were called carte da
trionfi (triumph cards)
and now had trump
the captions of the television rerun on the one where the cards added to the
of Tales of the Unexpected, where accounts of several existing four suits. In
Tarot cards were revolving on a reports agree. Some Florence a further
stand. Knowing of my interest in still believe that these deck was introduced
this subject, he requested me to cards originated in ancient containing ninety seven
write an article for Key Ring; so Egypt, but scholarly research has cards. In those early days of
here goes. The question is where apparently found no substance to popularity, these cards were used
to start? I was inspired by Lewis this theory. There are references for a game not dissimilar to what
Carroll in Alice in Wonderland, who to Tarot use before the invention we call Bridge today.
wrote: “Begin at the beginning," of the printing press, but this was The suits tend to vary slightly,
the King said, very gravely, "and the privilege of the well healed as depending on the region of their
go on till you come to the end: all the cards were hand coloured use. French suits are used in
then stop.” Fine, but and therefore expensive. Northern Europe, Latin suits in
this particular subject, Circa 1450, Johannes Southern Europe and German
like many, having a Gutenberg had invented the suits in Central Europe. Over the
long past, it is printing press and there is years, the Tarot deck has become
sometimes difficult to documentation the one more generally used for
know exactly that Tarot cards divination, this taking off in 1785,
where this is. started to when French occultist, Jean-
In my appear in Italy Baptiste Alliette (by reversing his
round about surname to Etteilla he created a
that time. writing name) published the first
Stuart giving These definitive guide to card reading. In
a 'reading' decks 1781 he produced a revised Tarot
deck, specifically designed for
occult purposes. He had
previously
written a book
which, in
English
reads

8 KEYRING AUGUST 2021

KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 11
A Way to Entertain Yourself With
a Deck of Cards. Other than
that, little else seems to be
known of him.
When it comes to fortune
telling, each Tarot card is ascribed
a meaning. Cards from the major
arcana refer to spiritual matters.
In the minor arcana, there are four
suits: wands deal with business
matters and career ambitions,
cups with love, swords with
conflict and coins with wealth and
material comforts. These are
numbered one (ace) to ten and
then followed by Page, Knight,
Queen and King. The questioner
shuffles the cards and the
fortune teller lays
out the cards in a
‘spread.’ There are
various spreads and I
am sure each operator
will have their
favourite(s). The
meaning of each card
can be modified by
whether it is upside
down or not and its
position in the spread.
A version of the Tarot was
created round about 1910, when
the Rider Waite deck came into
being. This was introduced by
publisher William Rider and Tarot
reader, A E Waite. It included a
printed guide of how to read the
deck and the meaning of each
card. Although there was a further
development in 1970, which
included a new guide book by
Stephen Kaplan, it is still very
much the one still used today.
The popularity of Tarot seems
to continually grow. I live in the
Manchester area and close by
there is a major shopping complex
called the Trafford Centre. In one
of the walkways is a Tarot reading
booth and there is always a queue
of seated people, patiently waiting
to have a reading. All I can say is;
draw your own
conclusions.
Time now for some
Tarot magic; more in
keeping with our side
of the coin, so to
speak.
We have all been
there, you introduce
yourself as a
magician, remove a
pack of playing
cards and immediately some
spectators roll their eyes or lose
interest. Sometimes, replacing the
usual Bicycle cards for a pack of
Tarot cards can make some card
tricks far more spooky and
interesting, or even help deliver a
message for a corporate
client. It can also
give you the
edge
on other performers who
“just do card tricks!”
I have been reading Tarot for
entertainment purposes at trade
shows and parties for many years
and performing magic tricks with
the same cards for almost as long;
when used ethically, they can be a
powerful tool for a magician. After
all, not everyone wants to see a
card trick, but many people are
curious to see what their future
holds.
Space does not permit me to
describe the meanings of all
seventy eight tarot cards.
However, if you are going to swap
them into a routine, I’d
recommend learning the basics of
each card’s message. Keep the
cards wrapped in silk and carry in
a wooden box. This is congruent
s
with how
AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 9
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 12
professional fortune tellers treat
and handle their cards, which
makes the routines far more
realistic. Remember that for some,
Tarot cards should always be
treated with respect, so avoid
tearing, folding or signing cards.
A search on the internet will
reveal that there are thousands of
Tarot designs available. When
using tarot for magic, I suggest
that the more recognisable Rider
Waite design is used. Most tarot
cards are larger than a standard
poker deck, meaning that many of
the usual sleights cannot be used,
but that does not preclude them
from being used for self-working
and mathematical effects.
One of my favourite effects with
Tarot cards is Poker Player’s
Picnic from The Royal Road to
Card Magic. To the audience, who
are unlikely to be experienced in
Tarot, there is very little to
separate the handling of the cards
with a “genuine” reading on
Blackpool seafront. With this
method, you can reveal almost
any message! Four Aces would
signify a fresh start. The four court
cards of one suit could signify
money, romance etc.
If you want to help announce a
marriage proposal,
10 KEYRING AUGUST 2021
stack the 3 of Pentacles, Ace of
Cups, The Lovers, and the 2 of Cups
on top. Thanks to the illustrations,
these particular cards in a RW
deck are often associated with
romance, celebration and marriage.
For a more interactive and
emotionally charged effect, print
out a 78 page booklet and have it
spiral bound to look like a Tarot
guide. Each page has a carefully
written, brief and non-ambiguous
meaning for a single card, with
each progressive card in the
stack’s explanation becoming
more powerful, until the final
card’s page is the announcement.
Imagine having the cards shuffled
and dealt by the unsuspecting,
soon-to-be engaged, whilst the
partner reads out each meaning
as each card is revealed,
culminating in the final card’s
meaning in the book reading, “Will
You Marry Me?” in large
letters!
Four duplicate cards
from identical decks allow
you to reveal the same
card, such as The World,
every time. In this case I turn
over the first card and give a
short reading. Of course the
second card is identical, of which
you are shocked as there should
only be one of each card within
the pack. By the fourth card, you
have something very memorable!
I never use the Death card in such
routines as, although traditionally
it is not indicative of the end of
life, it can often make even the
most sceptical audience
extremely uneasy.
Of course, the Tarot is perfect
for Hallowe’en performances, and
various rising card routines or
haunted deck effects with Tarot
cards would be fantastic to get
your spectators in the mood for a
night of spooky and bizarre magic.
Two such methods that instantly
come to mind are Jeff McBride’s
Kundalini Rising and Tom Wright’s
Chill.
Before you rush out to buy a
Tarot deck, please consider how
this addition will sit with your
current character and audiences.
Not everyone is comfortable with
fortune telling; some believe it is
evil, whilst others may see the
cards as a very powerful life
guidance tool. It is essential that
you are sympathetic to this and
remain ethical. All of the above
should be presented as curious
mysteries and never leaving the
spectator believing that they have
had a genuine reading.
For further information on Tarot
generally, the following may be
useful:
The Magic of Tarot (Liz Dean)
Tarot Made Easy (Nancy Garen)
Tarot for Dummies (Amber
Jayanti) please do not be offended
by the title, the Dummies series
are excellent publications Ed
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 13
THE ZOOM PICNIC
31 May 2021 collated by the PRESIDENT
With many members joining the onscreen Picnic and, following the welcome and official online opening
by the President, Alan introduced the first event of the day.
THE MARK JAMES LECTURE
Mark is a busy performer, who has successfully
moved his stand-up show online, but was even
more pleased to tell us that his live shows are
starting up again! In a lecture full of tips and advice,
he first showed videos of his performance of some
classic effects, before giving his thinking behind the
method and performance. Mark’s take on both the
Chop Cup and Sucker Egg and Silk gave a freshness
to these well-used effects that showed in his
performance clips and delighted the audience. The
lecture was followed by a Q&A session and an
introduction to Mark’s magic podcasts. In all, a most
entertaining and enjoyable lecture, recommended if
your local club is looking for an online speaker.
QUIZ COMPILED AND PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT
Rena Fletcher reports: Alan combined his eclectic
knowledge and love of magic, films and books to
pose the 26 questions related in some way to the
magical theme. Alan showed us the questions, one
at a time on our screens, some of which included
interesting illustrations and photographs. He also
provided additional background information at times
for those of us who needed help with clues! As
usual, the quiz was good fun, as well as educational,
taking some of us down memory lane at times.
When it came to the answers, Alan trusted us to
mark our own, with the final possible total being 28
Screenshots: Carol Tynan
points. Running a close second with 21 points was
Chris Wardle, although he was pipped at the post by
James Hobart with 22 points. There was no prize for
James, just the glory of knowing he had won!
THE BRAVO (BRITISH RING AWARD FOR VIRTUAL
ONLINE) MAGIC COMPETITION
Rick Tynan reports: As the organiser introducing
the acts and having prayed to the gods responsible
for all online events, I am glad to report that our
picnic competition proceeded without any major
technical glitches for our performers live or
recorded!
Many thanks to the five performers, who had all
taken great care to produce entertaining acts of 5-8
minutes duration, without the aid of camera tricks or
a safety net! The only other rule was that there were
no further rules! The performers, in order of
appearance were Philip Partridge, Brian Clarke, Alan
Philip Partridge
Browne, Aidan Heritage and Nikola Arkane.
opened with a live on-
screen performance
that extracted every
ounce of audience
participation and
humour available
through this medium.
s
Philip Partridge Aces distributed
AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 11
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 14
throughout a pack of cards and placed in a wine
glass returned to its face one by one in a very visual
manner. Jamie Balfour- Paul assisted Philip with a
very funny headshot photo opportunity that, once
‘developed’, revealed Jamie’s internal thoughts and
Brian Clarke had recorded a call to his friend,
his chosen card.
Ken. After asking Ken to think of a number, Brian
introduced a magical accomplice, ‘Tiny Plunger’,
who successfully cut exactly that number cards
from the pack. Invoking the catchphrase ‘Go Big or
Go Home’, Brian then repeated the stunt with Tiny
Alan Browne performed as ‘The (soon to be) Great
Plunger’s Big Brother and a pack of giant cards.
Albroni’, in a tongue in cheek act, characterised by
dry humour and visual magic. As a work in progress,
it came complete with voice-over commentary and
instruction from The Great Albroni’s magical mentor.
Much of the humour derived from unguarded
comments that were supposed to be undetectable to
Aidan Heritage joined a school magic club half a
the audience.
century ago and attended his first I.B.M. Convention
in 1980. Aidan’s video shared some of the close-up
effects he bought at that time and that have stayed
with him to the present day. These were a coin
matrix assembly, genie in the bottle, matches in a
box defying gravity, a coin that disappeared from a
box to reappear under a glass and, a floating pack of
cards all delivered with great charm and good
humour.
Nikola Arkane
12 KEYRING AUGUST 2021
Nikola Arkane’s video O.C.D. Cups and Balls was a
delightful silent piece, choreographed and acted
perfectly to a dramatic musical score. The scene is
set early, with Nikola using a silk to remove marks
on the magic wand and brass cups, as she strives
for a blemish free performance area. The act built,
with Nikola becoming increasingly agitated as the
magical cups and balls progressively misbehaved.
The balls disappeared and appeared at unexpected
times in unexpected places, culminating in a
surprising colour change and giant final load.
The first and second place performers were decided
by an audience vote. Huge congratulations to Nikola
Arkane on securing first place and to Philip Partridge
as runner-up! My thanks go to all the performers for
such a variety of entertaining acts.
PRESIDENT ALAN CHATS WITH MAGICIAN AND
AUTHOR STEVE SHORT
Carol Tynan reports: This part of the Picnic
schedule is always much anticipated. After all, who
doesn’t like finding out about someone else’s back
story? After lunch, a large Zoom audience was more
than ready to resume when President Alan
introduced his guest, Steve Short. They are clearly
very good friends, their paths having first crossed at
The Magic Circle Headquarters in the late 1970s.
The chat and gentle banter flowed freely, making us
all feel comfortable and privileged to be sharing this
intimate interview with them.
Steve is a consummate raconteur, with a
trademark line in ready puns and quips… and the
session was packed with them! We heard how
Steve’s interest in magic began, like most
magicians, at an early age. Unlike most magicians,
Steve did not start with a magic set, learning his first
tricks instead by delving into the pages of The Puffin
Book of Magic by Norman Hunter. He was also
fortunate to have a family, who encouraged and
supported his growing ‘hobby.’ His mother, for
example, would regularly accompany him to
Davenport’s in London. The rest, as they say, is
history!
Steve regaled us with many amusing tales from
his busy and diverse career, all illustrated with
personal photographs and video clips. These
included an early booking at Mundesley Holiday
Centre in Norfolk, where he was fortunate to meet,
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 15

and subsequently be 22nd May. Although the theatre’s 1500 capacity had
mentored by, the been reduced by around two thirds to seat 550
‘Amazing Poz’; a owing to Covid-19 restrictions, Richard reported that
stint as a Punch and the participants had experienced a real thrill, with
Judy man; touring the exhilaration of performing ‘live’ again after so
his ‘Henry’s Cat – long.

Pete Firman with comedy and bizarre magic,

Live on Stage’ show; Complementing Richard’s big illusions were

Johnny Strange who did dangerous things with

and joint ownership

chainsaws and a bullwhip, Craig Christian with

of ‘Magic Books By
Post’. All this, plus a

performing partner Elizabeth Best with her own

very successful close-up and manipulation and his Evolution
career performing as
‘Billy Biscuit’! act, encompassing mentalism, the ‘Spike’ routine
Steve Short More recently, using a broken bottle and a self-inflicted cutting-in-
Steve is well-known for his penmanship, co- half illusion. Readers of my ‘Mastering Magic’ series
authoring three highly sought-after (and sold out!) will recall that, as a pupil in the mid-80s, Craig was
books on the lives of David Nixon, Alan Shaxon and a member of my school conjuring club and it has
Johnny Hart. been rewarding to watch his progress into the
Thanks to President Alan and Steve Short for a realms of international magic.
fascinating and entertaining conversation. Our tour began in Richard’s extensive workshop,

X-TREME MAGIC
as the alarmingly heavy equipment was loaded for

Brian Lead reports: for just under thirty minutes, a

transportation by means of a huge crane. Richard

hirsute Richard Cadell took us on a behind-the- builder Mike Michaels, responsible for many new
paid tribute to the imagination of American illusion-

Jeffery Atkins on British Ring conventions over

scenes tour of his new show, X-Treme Magic, which ideas, but also referenced the presentations of
appeared for one performance only in Liverpool on

Richard Cadell

AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 13

KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 16
thirty years ago, when he first became hooked on
large scale magic.
Richard’s contribution to the show included
traditional favourites such as the Metamorphosis
substitution trunk (with a surprising new twist as it
finally exploded to reveal two more assistants), the
Slicer, Chain Saw Nightmare (with multiple chain
saws and looking as dangerous as it sounds) and his
trademark vanishing motorbike to close a show
timed at a briskly-paced one hour and twenty
minutes.
Things, of course, do not always go as planned. A
box-jumping assistant held up a strapped broken
finger which had created some last-minute
problems and we were let into a secret concerning
the horrific Jaws of Death illusion, in which Richard
released himself from a straitjacket while suspended
upside down from a burning rope twenty feet in the
air. As a dramatic climax, the jaws were supposed to
clang shut a split second after Richard hit the mat.
Everything had worked perfectly at each rehearsal,
but on the night the jaws had remained stubbornly
open, slightly reducing the effect and leaving the
stagehands with a dilemma. Apparently, it was all
down to the replacement of a superior-quality paper
clip!
“Why am I still doing this at the age of 53?”
Richard asked incredulously ... but we know that he
will be back on his bike again just as soon as the
coronavirus will allow.
VIDEO CHAT MAGIC LECTURE FROM WILL
HOUSTOUN AND HARRY DE CRUZ
Chris Wardle reports: This was a fascinating peek
masterminded by Will Houstoun and Steve
into the amazing online magic project,
Thompson, which over the last year has explored
ways magicians can use online platforms, such as
Zoom, to perform and use the technology to our
advantage. The project itself has been created for
charity and has already raised over $36,000, which
is magical in itself!
Will and Harry, both excellent, clear, thorough
lecturers as well as being top-flight performers,
guided us through some intriguing and highly
commercial items, including a ‘looked at’ card force,
where an apparently jumbled spread of cards
allowed only a few cards to be available for
14 KEYRING AUGUST 2021
selection, which all spelt with a different number
of letters. A chosen card to empty envelope, the
envelope itself could even be mailed out and
actually sealed by a spectator, prior to the card
appearing inside it, thanks to a modified Ted Lesley
method and some rubber cement. A clever use of
the ‘black art’ principle, to switch a card in plain
sight and finally a ‘universal masker’ which enabled
part of the screen to be masked, so a prediction
could be switched, filled it, items vanished, etc.
which has lots of applications. A modern ‘utility tool.’
With online shows and lectures proving so
popular and bound to remain with us in some form,
albeit reduced when live theatre shows are fully up
and running, these ideas are invaluable and herald
the next generation of magical thinking. All of these
ideas and many, many more, are explored in the
Video Chat Magic book, a glossy, 350-page hard
backed book (or e-book version), available from
Vanishing Inc. I have to confess, I am slightly biased,
as one of my own methods, my streamlined version
of the grid matrix force, is featured in the book, but
this collection is an amazing resource and such a
noble project that it is well-worth your attention. This
was a great lecture and Will and Harry were
generous in sharing their expertise with us.
THE CLOSING SHOW
Ajay Vora reports: The show was a lovely end to a
fun packed and busy Picnic. Organised and
compèred by Oliver Tabor, we had five acts that
First on was Chris Wilder, who started with a
were varied and very entertaining.
Rubik’s cube routine, which culminated with a
Max Fulham
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 17

sync and then freezing. I thoroughly enjoyed his

piece with a headless puppet, called ED, that he
tried to restore, but kept changing the eyes, ears
and nose, while vocalising the different looks of the
puppet. The end of his act was mayhem as he fell in
the set, with all of us in stitches (as seen with the

Mark James had the unenviable task of following

participants on gallery view in Zoom).

Mark James
surprising instant visual transformation into a solved
cube. This was followed by the classics of Torn and
Restored Newspaper and a rope routine. We were
this, but did very well with his act set in a lovely
busy backdrop of classic posters of famous
magicians from the past. Starting with his Cup and
Ball routine, as done during his lecture earlier in the
day, he then went on to perform the classic 6 Card
Repeat, followed by a very delightful billiard ball
manipulation routine. He ended his act with a
colourful bottle-glass routine, filling the screen with

Our final closing act was Danny and Stephanie as

treated to a feast at the end, with a dizzy and fast the bottle productions.
paced alternating appearance and disappearance of

Next came Nikola Arkane who had added to her

coins and pens. the world-famous Amethyst. This consisted of video
presentation, with clips from past acts, followed by a
long list of accomplishments by winning the on-line box penetration routine with Danny and Stephanie,
competition earlier in the day. She treated us to a who never seem to age! The show ended with a clip
flash production of a watch, while a large rose from their stunning new appearing helicopter act!
appeared in an empty box. This was followed by the What a treat to end a great day.
classic Cards Across but with a twist of visually President Alan then thanked all the performers,
changing while the packs were on the table, without competitors, quiz contestants, lecturers, speakers,
apparent sleight of hand, using silks to cover them. technical support, organisers and attendees, (over
This was followed by a colourful feast of cards 60 screens joined in) and formally closed another
recurrently changing colour between blue and red to successful, British Ring, online, event.
finally match an audience selected
sponge dog that had also changed
colour to match the cards. Her final
routine consisted of coins appearing
and disappearing, using a glass and
silk. Despite the fact that this was a
Zoom event, she interacted with the
audience by selecting a volunteer to
throw a pretend coin, which magically

Third in the line-up was Max Fulham,

appeared in the glass!

who many will remember with his

highly entertaining ventriloquism act
at Blackpool. We were honoured with
another hilarious act, with unusual
elements of vocalising and interacting
with an invisible fly. We were all
laughing at his poking fun at Zoom
meetings with voice and actions out of Amethyst

AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 15

KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 18

CAROL’S CONVENTION CAROUSEL EARLY ME M

Jforthis
udging by the response to the first article in
series, I may well be collating this column
many more years to come! It is a pleasure
and privilege to receive and read the personal
memories which members are so generously
sharing with me. It also means that I am able
to spend many fascinating hours searching for
illustrative material in the archives available
to all members on The British Ring website. This
is only possible thanks to the diligent work of Aidan Heritage and
Robert Moss in scanning convention brochures and back copies of
The Budget/Key Ring magazines.
So, what better way to continue this series than with recollections
from Aidan of the first convention he attended.

MY FIRST BRITISH RING

CONVENTION
I’d find somewhere to stay easily

BRIGHTON 1980
enough – this was pre-internet

by Aidan Heritage
When I left school
in 1978, I joined
the Hitchin Ace
Magic Club. I
assume that I
found out about the
I.B.M. from the Ace
Magic Club, though
memory is too hazy
to remember why I didn’t attend
the 1979 Convention. I can only
imagine I wasn’t aware of the
I.B.M. at that point! What is also
odd is that, according to the
(unofficial) record I have collated
from past magazines, I hadn’t
joined The British Ring by then.
Had you asked me before I
checked I would have been
certain I had joined first!
Back in those days I didn’t
drive, so it was a train to Brighton.
Back then I worked on the
principle that being out of season
don’t forget – so my first task
would have been to find a B&B. I’d
arrived on the Tuesday, and I do
recall trying to find the night
before party, which according to
the brochure was Ring Up The
Curtain in the Dome. I suspect I
was trying to get into the Corn
Exchange, which was where the
Dealers were to be, but whatever,
I couldn’t find a way in, so after
Nick Janson Flying Bomb Escape
some time trying, I decided to give
that up as a bad job.
On the Wednesday I managed
to find the correct entrance, and I
got a Welcome Pack with (I’m
fairly sure) a pack of cards
included. I don’t know when this
started, or when it stopped, but I
do know that we all got packs
which advertised some product or
another. Again, no idea what mine
advertised! Can anyone help?
I can remember watching the
Outside Stunt which was in the
grounds of the Dome; this was
Nick Janson and his Flying Bomb
Escape.
I can recall at least two of the
Dealers, Playtime Balloons being
towards the entrance (in my
memory) and in the opposite
corner Repro Magic, who that year

16 KEYRING AUGUST 2021

 KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 19
ME MORIES BY CAROL TYNAN
had a sensation on their hands
with the Visible Magic Painting. I
still have the original Donald Duck
insert which was what it first had,
although it was later replaced by
the clown which didn’t have the
same copyright problems. As you
will gather, I did manage to buy
one at the convention, though my
recollection is that Repro
completely sold out.
This must have been the first
time I came across Arthur
Emerson too – not sure if that
was when I bought the ‘(W)Hole
Thing’ trick that many of you will
have seen me do – and I keep
some of Arthur’s own patter lines
in tribute to him. Supreme Magic
was of course there, but oddly I
don’t recall details of their stand.
The shows sadly have faded
from my memory, although I
would have been able to tell you
that Josephine won the Shield.
I see from the brochure that
Janet Clare was in the Shield
Aidan Performing (W)Hole Thing – Ali Bongo Comp – Eastbourne 2015
Merson Grant, Andrew Sherratt and Aidan Heritage in Yarmouth 1981
Competition too, was that the
‘I don’t wear braces’ act I
wonder? Looking at the report in
The Budget I should say it was.
(I’ve used the online resources to
confirm or prompt memories.) I do
remember Dinardi with his stage
filling flowers act also recollected
by David Adams in last month’s
article as he appeared again ten
years later at the 1990 Eastbourne
Convention!
I remember the installation
‘Cocktail Party’ and indeed the
Sunday as a disappointment. Back
then we claimed that the
convention ran till Sunday. Other
than the Dealers packing up and,
apart from the Service and
Cocktail Party, there wasn’t
anything happening, so a lot of
people would have left before
either event. As I didn’t really
know anybody, the Cocktail Party
found me talking to no one but I
did stay to see Tony Shelley
installed. I must have enjoyed the
event overall because I’ve
attended every one of them since!
I don’t have any personal
photos from my first convention,
but I do have one from the
following year at Great Yarmouth.
I am pictured with fellow Ring
Members Merson Grant and
Andrew Sherratt. Thanks to the
many and lasting friendships I
have made over the years, I have
plenty of people to talk to now!
AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 17
 TRUXA PLUS
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 20

Iusehave
from the editor

always been intrigued by contained his advertising inside My Ideas

what physical aids entertainers
to market themselves. The
business card has served many
professions for a long time.
Advertising pens have
had their place,
but when the ink
runs out, then so
does the advert! In
more modern
times and with the
constant
advancement in
technology,
perhaps the days
of the physically
printed advert is
rapidly becoming a
thing of the past.
Spare a thought,
for this item, which
has been sent in by our member,
David Willitts. It was a piece of
promotional material produced by
a Scandinavian magician called
Truxa, with whom David had
worked over fifty years ago. It may
still be of interest today as it is not
only advertising, but something
over which to puzzle as well. I
have a couple of ideas of my own
based on this style, which I will
come to later.
Truxa used, what we would call
today, a double DL sized brochure.
Folded to a single DL size, it
and on the outside, as shown in I thought this could be useful for a
the illustrations. The star is shown compère item. Take two pieces of
in position 1 to the audience. The flexible magnetic sheet and fix
brochure is then them to each side of a piece of
placed behind the stiff board. Cover with red Fablon
performer’s back, and mark up the boxes with black
turned 180° sticky tape or lines drawn with a
horizontally and Sharpie. Now cover a piece of the
brought out magnetic sheet with black Fablon
again, now and cut out two stars. Place these
showing the star as they appear on the printed
in position 2. copy. Go through the routine as
Returned to described and, towards the end,
behind the back palm off the star on the side
and turned 180° facing you. Turn the card round
vertically in the announcing that one star has now
same plane (i.e. disappeared. Finally, palm off the
turning it upside second star, which will be on the
down) when brought side facing you. Turn the prop
forward again, the star is in
position 3. Returned to the back
for the final time and rotated 180°
vertically, then brought forward,
the star appears in position 4. The
brochure is then handed out as a
souvenir. Truxa had the procedure
printed on a separate advertising
sheet. Each recipient, therefore,
became an advertising agent for
him! Exposure? Maybe at that
time, but by today’s standards,
with so much on the internet
showing how magic works, it is a
very small case to answer.
Anyway, I see it more as a puzzle
than a trick.

18 KEYRING AUGUST 2021

KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 21

H
FRONT BACK

H
H
1
round for the final time as you say,
“The second one has vanished
too!”

2
My idea with this is to make it
stage size, the only criteria being

H
dependent upon the size of your

3
hands, to palm off comfortably the
stars, without risk of them being
seen.

My second idea is to make this
up as a dry wipe board and to
draw the stars on it with a suitable
marker before performance. You
may be restricted to a white
background here, as I am not sure
if coloured ones are made. I know
there are coloured markers. This
way, at the end, the stars are
removed with a wipe from the ball
of the thumb and there’s nothing
to palm off!
Finally, in both these cases, it
could be made as a folder. Deliver
the lines up to the vanish of the
stars and then say something like,
“These stars may have vanished,
but the star of our show is yet to
come. Please welcome Hans Van
Esha” (or whoever it is). The board
is opened up to show one big star,
with the name of the show topper
on it.
I presume Truxa invented this
item, but there again, you may
know differently. If so please
advise me so I can make the
readers aware.
I thought it would only be fair,
before leaving this subject, to
mention a little about Truxa. He
was born as Erik Bang on 7
November 1919 and died on 12
September 1996. His early
introduction to magic came at a
4
The printed brochure item
HANS
VAN ESHA
The compère item opened
young age and whilst reading a
book entitled Leg og löger, which
contained some simple tricks.
During the 1930s in Copenhagen,
there were a number of venues
where young talent could perform
and compete. He won first prize in
one of these competitions in
1939, resigned from his job in an
insurance office and became a full
time professional magician. Whilst
working in a circus that year, he
met Gulli Johansson whom he
married and she became his stage
partner. By 1946, he had changed
his name to Truxa and his career
really took off with him performing
in variety shows in national parks
Clip corner for
ease of opening
and on Nordic television in
Truxaxisionen and theTruxa Show.
He appeared on 100 television
programmes, 200 radio shows
and his mind reading act led to
international success. He was also
an accomplished escapologist and
his biography was written by
Michael Frederiksen, documenting
the detailed career of this popular
Danish magician. Clearly he was
not as well-known in the UK as
some other greats of the time, but
nonetheless he was a successful
entertainer in his own right, with a
long performing life.

AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 19

KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 22
RICK’S MAGIC MUSINGS THE JOURNEYMAN MAGICIA N
Ifornarticles,
this pair of
magical
the quest
dominance and
excellence
continues… or
perhaps there is an
equally valid
approach and goal
for aspiring
magicians!
Someone told me there’s a grace
that leads you straight from place
to place And you always leave the
road behind you…
When you see the race is run and
the dark has just begun Come on
with the few and leave the
many…The Journeyman’s Grace,
Fairport Convention, 1971.
I am pretty certain that Fairport’s
song was about a late-night
Photo: Edward Hilsum
Lance Burton and Mac King
20 KEYRING AUGUST 2021
gatekeeper, keeping
watch and guiding
travellers into town.
However, in medieval
times, the term
Journeyman referred
to time served
member of a trade or
craft guild. Both types
of Journeyman were
likely to be skilled,
fully competent, and worthy of
trust. Later the term also came to
imply that, although skilled,
Journeymen were, perhaps, risk
averse and might be found doing
routine work in the employ of
more visionary master craftsman.
That may reveal a certain amount
of jealousy. Medieval Journeymen
were well paid, always in work,
and were often very rich.
Does the idea of the Journeyman
have any application to magic?
Perhaps not, especially if you see
magic solely as an art form. It is
not a bad thing to aspire to the
position of the ‘master magician’
inspiring the work of others.
However, if you also allow that
magic can be perceived as a craft
that can be learned, then the
Journeyman
Magician is a
useful concept.
Certainly, reading
Teaching Magic –
A Book for
Students and
Teachers of the
Art by the late
Eugene Burger
(with additional
material by Larry
Hass) encourages the idea that
better magic can be taught and
learned both as a craft and an art.
In current times, to be considered
a Journeyman Magician.– time
served, skilled and worthy of
employment.– could be
something to aspire to. The
amateur, semi-professional or
professional status of the
magician is not an issue here, only
their professional standards.
However, if Journeymen exist in
magic, how do they serve their
apprenticeship and who decides
when they are time served? Many
roles contribute to a successful
show.– magical inventor, script
writer, maker, producer, director,
roadie and performer.– which may
be adopted by a single person or
many people, but an apprentice
magician needs to consider all of
 KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 23

IA N PART ONE BY RICK TYNAN

them to some extent. Some might

argue that this is where magical
societies could, and often do, have
a function. Many are very
influential amongst magicians.
However, it is also true that many
magicians do not join a society. In
reality, it is audiences that tell
magicians when they have
successfully mastered the
complexities of magic and are
Journeymen. The audience
provides the magician’s criteria for
success, which seldom take
account of magical society
memberships or competition wins.
Successful magicians often stress
the need to take all the
opportunities presented to
perform for people as often as
possible to learn successful
magic, most recently and those?) Phil Jay, a very busy entertainment was explored in
entertainingly by Lance Burton performer from Wales, said his depth by Eugene Burger and
and Mac King at the 2019 best advice for those wanting to Robert E. Neale in their book
Blackpool Convention. (Remember improve their magic was to sit in a Magic and Meaning. Peter
locked toilet cubicle with a Lamont and Jim Steinmeyer’s
notebook after each show Secret History of Magic. – The
and listen. True Story of the Deceptive Art
If there is an argues strongly that the historical
apprenticeship evidence indicates that audiences
for magic, what is have never experienced any
the curriculum? difficulty distinguishing magic
Can there be one? performed for entertainment from
Magic and its other types of magic, and that
relationship with entertainers were never in any
audiences change real danger of coming to the
continually. The attention of the Witch Finders.
origins of magic However, fashions for what
performance linked to audiences find entertaining in
religious ritual and magic come and go and you
experience and its would expect most Journeymen to
later be flexible. There will be more
development as an thoughts about this next time.

AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 21

KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 24
ABITMOOREMAGIC
Ihaveguess
as
magicians, we all
our own
specialities with
tricks and effects
that really fire our
imagination.
Although I am wide
mouthed when it
comes to baffling magic, my
particular interest is with tricks
that take everyday objects,
vanish them and find them in
impossible locations.
These objects can be
banknotes, watches, rings and
playing cards and the nest of
boxes is a great prop for
rediscovering an item that has
previously been vanished.
I think my first interest in this
field was back as a schoolboy,
whilst watching on my small
screen black and white
television, a magician
rediscovered a lady’s ring in a
block of concrete. To this day, I
have never found out who the
22 KEYRING AUGUST 2021
Clive MOORE
BY
performer was, but it
was a jaw dropping
experience. This
sparked my interest for
things to come, and
started me on a large
collection of rings in
things. In fact, it was
the name I gave to a
lecture I presented to the Northern
Magic Circle a few years ago, but
of course there are downsides of
working with borrowed rings,
particularly rings with a stone.
I know at least one performer
who, whilst performing the Flying
Ring, lost a diamond. He
apologised to the lady he had
borrowed the ring from and retired
to the gents to try and retrieve it.
Luckily the diamond had got
lodged in his trousers and, he was
able to return it to the lady
unharmed, and he did offer to pay
for it to be remounted.
In my early career I too had a
mishap, losing a chap’s ring when
performing on the Watney Mann
Talent Trail. The jerk of the pull
caused the ring to go under a
nearby speaker and, as luck
would have it, a spotlight reflected
on the gold surface, just caught
my eye. By pushing back the
speaker on the castors I was able
to do the big reveal, which went
down well, so much so that the
club manager, who had seen
everything over the years, was
totally baffled and asked me to do
it again. Needless to say, I declined.
I feel that some of the greatest
types of such effects are best
achieved with bank notes and
many reading this column will
have their own version of these to
an impossible location.
Presumably the fact that you are
working with something with a
unique serial number makes the
mystery stronger.
Watching Paul Daniels in
cabaret in the 1970s blew me
away with his borrowed £10 note
and vanishing it in a burst of
flames, later to be discovered in a
walnut inside an egg, inside a
lemon produced from an empty
Chop Cup. What a great effect.
I later discovered a version in
Alan Shaxon’s wonderful book, My
kind of Magic and set about my
own version, using Alan’s principle
as a guideline, along with some
help and advice from various local
magicians. Although fiddly in
construction the overall effort was
worth it.
Even a trick like this can find
you in trouble, as I discovered the
hard way when, on one occasion, I
did not have time to set the effect
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 25

ADVERTISE
Normality could be just
round the corner and
you can

your events in this

magazine:

properly and had substituted the

lemon for an orange. All went well
at this Inner Wheel ladies evening
in a large hall.
Taking the debris that this
messy trick created backstage, to
be disposed of in a bin, I was
chatting to the ladies and not
really concentrating on what I was
doing. I saw the black bin under
the table, so I scraped in the
contents of my tray, which
included a peeled orange and an
egg. No problem until the ladies
started going home, when one of
them was desperate to find her
handbag, which was black with
draw strings on the top. Yes
you’ve guessed! I had tipped my
debris into the lady’s bag! I will
leave it to your imagination as to
what she said, and I have never
been asked back!

Please contact the editor for rates

In fairness, she took it all very
well and between us, we
managed to clean her bag out.
Ah well, there’s no business like
show business.

AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 23

KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 26

KIDS’ CORNER FLIP (MY VERSION OF ‘SOFT SOAP’ FOR KIDS) by Ian
S
AD

oft Soap, an effect which
was very popular during the
1950s and 60s, has been
around for a long time. Most
magicians presented it in front
of adult audiences. However,
it’s ideal for kids’ shows and
this easy to make version is
different from the original.
would do, I’ll do that as well.” The
performer does this and ends with
the box upside down, the children
noticing this.
As the box is opened the
performer quips “My friend tried
to clean his socks using this make
of powder. He used some ‘Flip’
and they came out a flop”.
that these almost become hinged
doors, one opening to the right,
the other to the left. (Take care
when using knives, especially
this type as they are
particularly sharp.)
You will need to make a tube
with a central divider, very much
like a large dye tube, except

EFFECT:
Watch the black marks go there’s no flexible tape in the
Soon they’ll be as white as centre as it has a solid divider in
The magician tells the children snow! the form of a fixed disc. This tube
that when he performs his The three white silks are is attached to the back of the rear
magic tricks he often finds that removed one by one, the ‘door’ of the box, as illustrated.
some of his silk hankies get performer opening them fully to Six 300mm (12”) white silks.
very dirty. In fact, he displays show that the black marks have Using black ink or Acrylic paint,
three white silks (called hankies completely vanished. apply bold splodges all over three
during the presentation) which At this stage the children of the silks. The remaining three
have several black marks become suspicious as they have remain as they are just plain white.

SET-UP:
splattered all over them. “Oh noticed you opening the opposite
dear, he says, I can’t use these end of the box. Could there be
in my shows, I’ll have to wash another set of hankies inside? Load the three clean silks into the
them. Surprise, surprise, the box is bottom end of the tube, so that,
It is further explained that a ripped apart revealing it’s when the box stands upright,
washing machine is not used completely empty. these will be ready to be produced

REQUIREMENTS:
and there’s no water involved. from the opposite end of the box.
That’s when a box of soap The dirty silks should be nearby.

WORKING AND PRESENTATION:

powder called ‘Flip’ is That’s the effect as seen by the
displayed. “This is the very children, plus some suggested
latest washing powder on the patter lines, now for some brief Display the box, and bring attention
market. They say it washes details on how to make the towards the name of the powder.
whiter than white. Well, can you special soap powder box. Open the flap on the top of the
imagine what is whiter than This can be converted from a box.
white, anything transparent, I regular soap powder box. You will Display the three stained silks
suppose, or even invisible.” As find you can open both ends if you fully, opening them out for all to
the performer reads the do it carefully (empty out the see, then start placing them into
instructions on the back of the powder first, of course!) the box one by one (really going
box, he says “Place the dirty Using a sharp craft knife (or into the empty compartment of
hankies inside the box. Well I’ll Stanley Knife) cut down away the the tube.)
do just that!” as he tucks them edges of three sides of one side of Hold the box between both
inside. “It says that you must the box, leaving the other as a sort hands and shake it back and
shake the box round and round of hinge. Repeat this process with forth. Now revolve the box and
just like a washing machine the opposite side (the back.) Note make sure the bottom of it is at

24 KEYRING AUGUST 2021

 KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 27
n ADAIR
top position. Recite the two-line
rhyme, (if you wish) and open the
lid. Look inside and smile, then
remove the silks separately, each
time showing the children they
are nice and clean.
Don’t be surprised to hear
some mutterings amongst the
children, that’s what you want!
Audience view
Fake
Audience view
Dye tube type fake
but with solid disc
in centre
They will think there’s
another set of silks inside.
We don’t actually rip the
box apart (then you won’t
require replacements, ever)
you simply pull open both hinged right and look through the
‘doors.’ First the rear one (which centre. It appears to be empty.
contains the hidden tube) opens to Close the box, first folding in
the left, then the front one to the the front ‘door’, then the other.
Bird’s eye view
Remember: Back door opens first!
Box top folds down
Flip
Flip
Flip
You may like to consider inserting a
cardboard gusset at these corners to
stabilise the prop when opened.
Coloured the same as the inside of the
box they would hardly be noticed
AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 25
 Ideas Time
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 28
Tthehere aren’t fairies
at the bottom of
garden at a
house in a cosy cul
de sac in Leyland,
but there is magic
and on a regular
basis too. To activate
this, all that is
needed is a tap on
the door of former Blackpool
Tower Ringmaster, Harvey
Seager, by one of the local
children on their way home
from school. When Harvey
makes his appearance,
anything can happen, from
items appearing from
one of their ears to a
silk handkerchief
vanishing and
reappearing in a
26 KEYRING AUGUST 2021
BY Brian BERRY THE P
sealed glass bottle!
Harvey has been
entertaining the local
children in this way for
several years now but,
of course, the
lockdown put a stop to
the almost daily
routine, much to the
children’s
disappointment. Unperturbed,
Harvey’s solution was for him to
perform his magical mysteries in
his front garden, with the children
on the adjoining footpath. With the
no-contact ruling in place, it put a
restriction on Harvey’s usual and the like. Consequently, he
approach. One day he looked round the garden, saw a
was caught unaware couple of stones and did the
and couldn’t ad lib stones to pocket effect, with
with the coin from several variations. The reaction to
ear, hand vanish this simple trick far exceeded its
expectation and sent the children
away with more proof that they
did, indeed, have a real magician
in their midst! This set Harvey’s
fertile magical brain in motion!
Whereas before he had worked
from the doorway of his house,
now using the garden and its
contents presented entirely new
opportunities.
Out in the garden, he went and
collected as many objects as he
could find; it’s surprising what you
can find when you want to! Back
inside and ideas came thick and
fast! Take a leaf; what would YOU
do with that? Harvey remembered
 KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 29
E PRESTON PRESTIDIGITATOR
an idea
of Leslie
Melville, who
had persuaded
Bill Thompson from
Blackpool to adapt the
traditional Stickman effect, where
a straw-made figure rises on your
hand, to a realistic looking leaf.
The effect of the leaf (which had
apparently been plucked from a
living bush) slowly and
mysteriously rising of its own
accord on Harvey’s outstretched
hand, was mind blowing and,
indeed, real magic. Bill only made
a few of these and they came in
an envelope with The Green Man
Plant Show on the front. I haven’t
the Leslie Melville routine/story so
if you have I would appreciate a
copy,
One of Harvey’s favourite
routines is the bending I’m sure many of you will be
pencil, which also grateful to Anthony Hoare,
diminishes, enlarges who, e-mailed me with this
and vanishes. A twig priceless information. He
was substituted for writes: “With reference to the
the pencil and the May Ideas Column about
stones/pebbles programmes on the wireless,
were useful for the BBC is currently running
various magical happenings.
An old penny conveniently aged in
the soil could vanish and appear
at will. A piece of string had many
possibilities far beyond its
simplicity; scraps of paper
for balls over the head
had blown in the
wind; an old key
(subject of a future Ted Ray
article), which slowly
turned on the hand was
amazing; and rubber bands
dropped by an obliging postman
could be used for a multitude of
penetrations.
If you think of more, do let me
know – brianberry@tiscali.co.uk
or 01772 421816, Ken Dodd
lots of these, such as Ted Ray,
Peter Brough and Archie
Andrews, Ken Dodd, Take It
From Here, Life with the Lyons
and many more. These
programmes are on Radio 4
Extra (on DAB radio) and
Channel 708 on your TV. They are
running throughout weekdays
8am – 9am and repeated 12 –
Peter Brough and Archie Andrews 1pm and 7pm – 8pm.”
AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 27
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 30
BROKEN WAND
Dave SHAW 21 August 1936 – 4 June 2021
There was much more to Dave Shaw. We all
know he made exquisite props. Most of us
remember his Chinese act assisted by his ever
smiling wife Joy. Those that got to know him
discovered beneath the outgoing exterior was an
exceptionally kind and caring man. If it wasn’t for
his generosity I know many magicians would
have struggled.
Let me explain. I first met Dave when I was
fifteen, when there was no way I could afford any
of the wonderful things he was making. I was
twenty three when I finally asked him to quote
me on the motor bike vanish- I still couldn’t
afford it but Dave wasn’t having that.– he told
me he’d build it and to worry about the money
later. He let me take it with hundreds of pounds
outstanding and let me pay him as I worked.
Every other illusion he built for me was on credit.
28 KEYRING AUGUST 2021
I thought I was getting special treatment until
several of my friends admitted to me that their
entire act had been built by Dave and they hadn’t
paid him a penny! Dave just wanted to get them
out working. He was so trusting. Once I called in
to see him and casually mentioned that me and
my brother were trying to expand our other
business and purchase a rollercoaster but the
bank wouldn’t lend us enough. Dave came
straight out with “how much do you need kid?”
If it wasn’t for Dave we would never have
managed to buy it. When we were short staffed
he jumped in his car with Joy and came and
helped us; in fact he and Joy ran that
rollercoaster for at least two years!
Dave would often travel miles to watch my act
and then give his valuable critiques. I remember
one early morning after the opening night of a
KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 31

THE EDDIE
DEXTER
WELFARE
SERVICE
big Summer Season he knocked on my caravan
door. I was sharing with a couple of crew and we
were barely awake but Dave steamed in! He was
super excited and couldn’t stop marching up and
down, talking loudly about the show and things
we could improve. We kept trying to interrupt him

but it was impossible. Five minutes later when
we finally managed to get a word in, we told him
that he had been continually stomping dog poo
all over the caravan! I remember him hopping
out calling for Joy as we opened all the windows!
We laughed together about that for years.
In recent times Dave built all my props for the
Sooty show which he did so brilliantly.The iconic
little blue box that Sooty lives in was built by
Dave and every time I use it I think of him.
In the last few weeks of Dave’s life he had
restricted visitors to family but Joy had a word
and Dave agreed I could call in. I didn’t know
what to expect but I was delighted to be greeted
by the same Dave I knew and loved and he didn’t
seem unwell at all. We talked magic and played
with some unusual props as Joy kept the tea and
biscuits topped up. We all laughed about all the
things we have done together. He was very
upbeat although he was totally aware that his
time was running out. He had a wonderful
attitude which I don’t think many would have
the strength to replicate should they be faced
with such a situation. He told me he had had
such a wonderful life and he was so grateful for
his family and friends and all the things that he
done. He said best friends had been made
through magic. I told him that was the same for
me which is why I was sitting with him thirty
eight years later! Dave’s memory will live on
through the hundreds of props that he built, and
in the careers of so many that he helped. Sleep
well my dear friend xx.
Richard CADELL
ISecretary
first knew of Dave
Shaw when I was
of the
Cambridge Pentacle
Club. I helped plan
a convention, at
which Dave and
Joy performed their
Chinese act. It turned out to be also the
day of my Ordination in Durham, so I
didn’t see the act on that occasion. I know
that a full appreciation of his skill as
craftsman and performer will appear in
this edition.
I have also learnt of the death of David
Hibberd. 23 February 1932 – 6 May 2021.
David had been given a magic box at the
age of 8 from an uncle and he enjoyed
sleight of hand with coins, cups and balls
and the egg bag. He was the archivist of
The Magic Circle and gave interesting and
informative talks to organisations such as
the WI. David had a long life and a short
illness. We send condolences to his widow
and family.
Sincerely,
Alan
Alan J Clarke
Bear’s Den, 22 Blackcliffe Way
Bearpark, Co. Durham DH7 7TJ
T. 0191 659 9114 E.
alanbearsden@gmail.com

AUGUST 2021 KEYRING 29

KEYRINGAUGUST21.qxp_Layout 1 19/07/2021 11:32 Page 32
THE THREE BOOK CHALLENGE
PART1
Fwould
Introduced by Alan MASKELL
rançois Truffaut said that “Three films a day,
three books a week and records of great music
be enough to make me happy to the day I
die.” Part of my President’s Challenge for May was
for members to write about their three favourite
magic books, and I have had some interesting
responses that I would like to share with you over
the next few issues of the Key Ring. Some of these
books you might know well, while others may be
new to you. Whatever your acquaintance with
those that follow I hope you will find something of
interest be it a new or rediscovered connection.
The first three favourite magic books come from
Paul Bromley:
Authors Jean Hugard and Frederick
Braue set out in ‘The Royal Road to
Card Magic’ to provide a
comprehensive guide to sleights and
techniques for card magicians of all
abilities from novices to experienced
performers. This was one of the first
magic books I bought, and it has been
a steady and reliable companion
throughout my magic career. As well
as clearly written text, the book contains illustrations
by Frank Rigney which show the various hand
positions for the sleights. The book is well worth a
re-read, not least for the section on routines which
demonstrate the elevation of a series of card
effects into an entertaining performance piece.
Coin magic aficionados could do no worse than
start with ‘Modern
Coin Magic’ by J. B.
Bobo which boasts
116 sleights and 236
tricks with 510
illustrations. The work
was originally
published in 1952 but it is testament to the quality
of the content that many young magicians still use
it as the basis for learning coin vanishes and
reproductions. The illustrations take performers
through each stage of a routine. What I particularly
like are the variety of methods and series of
versions of performing the same effect such as
Coins Across or The Miser’s Dream.
Adding my third choice is ‘Mark Wilson’s
Complete Course in Magic’.
The book covers every
aspect of performing from
close-up to stage illusions,
from rope effects to
impromptu magic.
I find myself returning to this
book over and over again.
Some are effects I have
forgotten, and others never
found their way into my repertoire, but all are
quality items which can be easily learned and
performed with a bit of practice. I have found
myself scouring the pages looking for items which
can be used directly or adapted for Zoom shows.
Altogether these three books provide the basis for
a variety of entertaining and interesting magical
effects. I am sure many British Ring I.B.M.
members will have owned copies of these books
at some point in their career and, many may still
have them in their library.
Now I hope members agree with that my choice
of books encompasses a wide range of magical
effects. As a final flourish I would encourage
everyone to re-read this entire review and pay
particular attention to the first letter of the first
word of each paragraph for a bonus magical
effect!
(Series continues next month Ed.)