Home Counties Magical Society

Last year this event was the first Fringe show to sell out in advance. The idea is fantastic, a cruise along the Thames from Henley past all the amazingly extravagant houses of the rich and famous (including Paul Daniels and Debbie’s home) while being entertained in the sunshine by three comedians on the open air deck, and all for only £12! Sounds like a great evening doesn’t it? So I booked four tickets for myself and my partner and two magician friends.

Conjuring Up Comedy with VAT (Very Amusing Tricks) played to an enthusiastic audience last Saturday evening at The Swallowfield Parish Hall when Ian Keable presented his one man evening of comedy and magic. Sorry that no other members were present to both enjoy and learn from a skilled master of his trade, who performs to a standard that we should be seeking ourselves.

The first half was a well arranged performance of various effects which illustrated the different aspects of the magical art interspersed with the decidedly wicked humour that is Ian’s trade-mark. All without giving any offence due to the slight smile and tongue-in-cheek delivery. Cut and restored rope, torn and restored newspaper, coin pail, a cod cards up the sleeve routine led into Sympathetic Silks (good to see this classic effect) flowing into a combination of audience-thought items which culminated in Ian’s very personal presentation of Confabulation. A Dictionary Test, Add a Number led to a Telephone Directory revelation followed by a baffling Newspaper Headline Prediction to close the first half.

In the interval I was able to talk with other members of the audience and the unanimous verdict was “great baffling entertainment”. Ian opened the second half with the first trick he ever presented, Chinese Sticks (with Value Added) which “made” the effect for me. The 3 card trick with 4 cards followed and lead effortlessly to the Classic Watch, Wallet and Ring, which led easily into the linking finger rings.

The shrinking & growing head illusion was presented at the request of Parish Clerk Celia Adams who had enjoyed this item at the afternoon family entertainment, now enjoyed equally as much by the slightly bemused audience. Moving swiftly on as had the whole show, we enjoyed a burnt & restored (eventually !) note before another Classic, Cards Across with the two volunteers who then became the key players in a pleasingly different version of the Electric Chairs.

The closing effect was a very, very long Salt Pour which brought the evening to a close, from remarks around us (Dorothy was with me) more would have been welcomed. The audience were in the main local and known to each other which gave a good “family feel” to the show. From my seat it was great to see a fellow magician working with an audience of “real people” and to see their reactions to the magic and comedy.

If you have nor yet bought Ian’s book, Stand Up, then make sure you buy a copy when he visits the Society in October. Great to see the author in action, and I’d recorded Britians Got Talent so we didn’t miss that either !