Coin Trick

By Craig Mitchell

PHOTOS BY PETER DINWell – it turns out that China is worried about fire regulations
after all. Guards are now posted at all the doors keeping the throbbing masses at
bay ( literary device alert: hyperbole )letting only the maximum 360 or so people
in. Don’t mess with the guards:

1. Charming Choi – Parlour – Korea

Charming Choi has been a regular at quite a few magic events of the years with a personality
all his own. Sue-Anne Webster reprises her role as our official volunteer ( thankfully
no shock therapy today ) and partakes in a strange DVD prediction effect involving
XXX titles and Disney favourite – The Little Mermaid. Thankfully the Little Mermaid
made it and Charming Choi performs cups & balls under water in a fishtank ending
in a cascade of goldfish.

2. Daly Tang – Micro – China

3 coin trick, appearing / vanishing cards to music ending with a card spread with
a piano design on the backs.

3. Martin Lubcke – Cards – Germany

The tuxedo should have been the first clue that things were headed downhill. A signed
card is supposedly meant to be discovered within a frozen icecream – but with the
load painfully obvious and the performer appearing somewhat ‘touched’ or ‘extreme’
as he would like to say – this was just strange.

4. Nektarios – Micro – Greece

Recorded voice-overs of imaginary telephone conversations appear to be a new trend
this year – and a warning of things to come. Pips vanished from cards, we had a matrix
with smiley faces, smiley face cards and smiley face t-shirt. Why ?

5. Sho Arai – Cards – Japan

Set to music – pips appeared on cards, the card box along with some stage style card
manipulation. Yawn.

6. Rod Chow – Parlour – Canada

The money man who takes a theme to the n-th degree. Pay cheque to cash notes – notes
to Amex – gold card to gold bar with appearing diamond ring and a drop of his production
load on the floor. Unfortunately the novelty fast wears off and becomes repetitive.

7. Ramon Rioboo – Cards – Spain

A non-English speaking performer trying to speak English which makes things very difficult.
Signed card to pocket, cards stapling themselves in a ‘homing card’ style routine
and few other things which failed to make my notebook.

8. Kif – Cards – China

Three cards are selected and in an apparent memorisation of the deck, the performer
works out the missing cards – with the aid of ‘Super Mints’ and orchestra of toy trumpet,
drum and tambourine. How ridiculous do we get.

9. Charlie Caper – Parlour – Sweden

As winner of Sweden’s Got Talent, the pressure was on ( the full act is available
on YouTube ) But Charlie wasn’t on form – dropping his vanishing cane and bowtire
steal clearly visible on the big screens. In one of the funniest sequences though
- Charlie had added an extension cord to his chair in honour of inviting Sue-Anne
‘electricity’ Webster onto stage.

10. Min Hyung Kim – Cards – Korea

Color changing liquid amidst a 4 ace discovery to the sound of Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’
with crowd singalong. Complete with Barbie doll. Bizarre.

11. Mago Bruno – Micro – Peru

The telephone rings and an imaginary conversation ensues ( warning signs flash all
over ) Repetitive and predictable with ‘jumbo’ pocket watches replacing buttons on
his jacket, manipulating giant thread and needles and the not so magical production
of a ligher from a table.

12. Ryu Hyun Min – Cards – Korea

Dressed in a bright red bow tie and waist coat, the performer could easily pass for
6 years of age. 3 card monte with appearing deck of cards, signed card in pocket in
envelope amidst general confusion.

13. Yves Doumergue – Parlour – France

The act that literally had everyone wide awake and at the edge of their seats. 3 volunteers
are brought onstage and requested to selected a dynamite looking firecracker. 4 are
real and one is a dud ( he lights one to prove it – literally shaking the CNCC convention
centre to its core with an enormous bang ) The volunteers each take one – the last
spectator inadvertently providing the magician with incorrect information as to what
number he has selected. With the magician now reaching for one of the remaining sticks
( using incorrect information as to what sticks remain ) – he places it in his mouth
and begins to light it. Some members of the audience are horrified – not knowing whether
to intervene to prevent a ghastly accident. A scream is heard and the magician’s face
is covered in blood … he had planned it all and knew exactly which one to choose.

To be honest, I felt very guilty. I should have been deeply concerned about this poor
human being about to disfigure his face by accident in the name of entertainment -
but thought, wow, this is going to make for such a great story. Oh – the human compassion.

Judges
- Dick Koornwinder, Tim Ellis ( did you know that according to the FISM brochure he’s
a Grand Prix Champion ) & Boris Wild – had their hands full !