20^th June 2007

It is an honour to be asked to write the report on the junior members, night. It is also an honour to be associated with one of the few societies left that has a junior section, because I believe we should promote the magic art in the young and nurture it so the art of performing magic never dies.

The meeting was opened by the current President of Leamington Magic Society, Mr Mick McCreath.

After the initial introductions etc the first performer entered, Master Izzy Parker Bailey. He called up five volunteers and gave each a small packet of cards from a full deck. The volunteers then shuffled their packets, each volunteer kept a card and gave the rest of the packets back.

Izzy then predicted that two of the cards were black and the volunteers stepping forward confirmed this. He was then joined on stage by Master Elliot Green who carried on with more predictions all being confirmed by the volunteers stepping forward. The volunteers leave the stage along with Master Izzy Parker Bailey.

Master Elliot Green then continues with a torn and restored newspaper routine after which he leaves and Master Izzy Parker Bailey enters and performs colour-changing silks, Master Elliot Green re-enters and claims to show the audience how the colour changing silk was done. He performs the colour changing silk routine with a dye tube showing hands empty at notable points.

Elliot leaves and Izzy re-enters and borrows a credit card from the audience, spins it and floats the card in mid air. Izzy leaves stage.

Miss Angela Hicks enters and performs the vanishing bandanna/banana trick, with unbelievably funny facial expressions as the tape of instructions played. She leaves the stage.

Master Jamie Koronkiewics enters and to laughter performed a silent card to mouth using a clipboard with messages on, which the audience read. Elliot then enters and performs bottle of water from tablemat, Angela takes the water from him as he leaves and performs small square circle, tipping the water in to the circle and then producing a bottle of wine.

Elliot returns and performs minute paddle routine, and then apologises, and performs a larger one, then a larger one, lastly asking if everyone saw it. When he gets a positive response he said great that means there is no need for this one, showing a paddle the size of a tennis racket.

Izzy enters and performs finger chopper. Angela then enters and performs hand chopper with Izzy’s hand. Jamie and Elliot then produce a life-size French Guillotine and perform it to end with.

The juniors – Master Izzy Parker Bailey, Master Elliot Green, Master Jamie Koronkiewics and Miss Angela Hicks then took an extremely well-deserved final applause. It should be noted that as Master Elliot Green has now reached the age of sixteen, he is now old enough to become an adult member of the Leamington Magic society. The Society’s committee members deemed that due to the high standard of his performance it would be taken as his entry audition and President Mr Mick McCreath welcomed him to the Society.

After a splendid buffet supplied by the members, Mr Mark Traversoni performed a cabaret set.

The Meeting’s MC was Vice-President Mr Keith Pearson. The juniors were guided and instructed by Mr Steve Buxton.

President Mick McCreath then closed the Meeting with people leaving still talking about how wonderful the show was.

Matthew Redmond (Hon Librarian, International Society of Magicians (British Ring) and Librarian Leamington and Warwick Magic Society)