Following on from Andy Stone’s reports of the close up Craig Mitchell, again reports his view of the Close up competition.

Possibly the most exciting (or tense) seemed to be Yves Doumergue from France, an 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.

Craigs view of the acts are below:

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 lighter from a table.

12. Ryu Hyun Min - Cards - Kore
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.

Read all of the reporting as we get it Direct from China by clicking here

Craig Mitchell has allowed us to duplicate his reports from the Genii Forum