The third round of the stage competition had a number of highlights. A mentalist got a standing ovation with an impossibly clean prediction effect. We also saw a very slick two person thought transference act.

Only at a FISM would the audience offer objects including a bird cage, a set of linking rings and an appearing cane! A superb manipulator from Korea got a very strong audience reaction with a fast paced and colorful act using constantly changing techniques. A Chinese fish themed act performed aerial fishing with several variations, but strangely, for their finale, produced a decorated Christmas Tree! A slow motion bowling ball production from Sweden was very clever. One bizarre act saw a Spanish magician apparently clearing out a cupboard, before playing some invisible drums, the form of which appeared under a cloth. A Ballerina produced cards, silks, parasols and flags, with cleverly choreographed steals. One of the two acts in the illusion category offered a neat effect with a giant drum and a production of a girl from a structure that looked like it was designed by Leonardo Da vinci. The other had an interesting levitation using a giant plate. One act combined quick change with video interaction, sort of David and Dania meets Tony Chepec!

We had to wait until almost the end of the Close Up competition before we saw our only British entrant. Mark Oberon, in the “Micro Magic” category, sponsored by The Magic Circle. I’m pleased to report he gave a near flawless performance of his “act as known” – any card called for, his “Bang On” effect and his midas sequence where all the props turn to gold. He got a great reaction from the audience, so fingers crossed he makes it to the final for the Grand Prix on Friday.

Another magician who got a great reaction, this time in the “Card Magic” category was Shawn Farquhar, from Canada. He performed his beautiful ambitious card routine, with a backing song by Sting, to a camera on the stage, so we watched from a perfect angle. He closed with the signed card appearing in a new sealed deck.

Overall the standard was again high. An Italian magician recreated the France v Italy world cup, using a pack of cards! Signed cards appeared in a glass of coffee beans and an iPod. A magician from Finland has his own pianist to accompany some stunning card work. A Russian performed some amazing shuffles and cuts whilst mumbling to himself. I wasn’t sure whether this was a faulty mic or eccentric characterisation. Sadly he was flashed off!

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: (more…)

Tim Ellis and Sue-Anne Webster are out in FISM and are also providing some great posts as they go, Sue-Anne’s very detailed post FISM competition reports are a great read once the event is over when she posts them, they provided one of the most complete run downs of the FISM 2006 competition acts we’ve seen.

One of the major concerns about FISM this year was danger of ‘Rip offs’ and illegal copies of effects, DVD’s and tricks.

Tim has posted some info on whats happening regarding this on their blog:

There are some dealers here at FISM 2009 who are known to be “copyists”, however all dealers were asked to sign a document where they agreed they would not sell any “rip-off” items at their stand. Not the ideal anti-piracy situation, but at least a start. Despite that, there have been a couple of minor incidents (one dealer had a brochure offering many illusions including Impaled, Origami and Suspended Dimension – another was selling homemade D’Lites… a few stands away from Rocco) but the FISM officials have handled these breaches of the rules professionally and efficiently. Every copy they are made aware of is being taken seriously and dealt with immediately.

They also talk about the Flash Photography and Video taping (our photos here are all non flash as far as we know) of the performances, and worryingly about what we feared may happen:

One of the main reasons a lot of Americans and Europeans didn’t want to attend FISM China was they felt their act would be illegally videotaped. I’m sorry to have to say it, but you were right. Not only that, but some of the local Chinese magicians told me that DVDs of FISM shows are already on sale in Beijing.

Many thanks to Tim and Sue-Anne for letting us include some of their posts here, and you can read more of their posts over at the Magic Unlimited with Ellis & Webster blog (which is a fantastic read!)

So we are back at it

Bright & breezy Tuesday morning. I am amazed how many are here for the early morning start.

Mike Close provides the musical accompaniment between acts – but FISM undoubtedly needs the magical touch of Frank Wilson, nothing could ever beat ‘magic all over the world’

Looking back – still no stand out acts.

we’re still searching for the ‘one’ that just screams ‘winner’ (more…)

Day three of FISM 2009 and once again it was an early start to see the Stage Competition. It was worth getting up early as once again there were an interesting selection of acts. We had our first act “flashed off” today. A Norwegian Manipulator failed to persuade the judges he was of FISM standard within 5 minutes. He got the usual cheer as the red lights flashed and the curtains closed!

The opening Chinese Illusion act used a combination of projected video and front and back lighting to have items from the video appear on the stage. It looked more like a special effects sequence from a west end show than an illusion act! We saw 3 mentalists, the strangest of which had a set up video and demonstrated voodoo on a captured “creature”. He also used a “shocking chair” with same victim as a parlour contestant shocked yesterday (Sue Ann Webster).

Interestingly 2 of the acts were sponsored by one of the judges! This is an anomaly of the FISM sponsorship system as the name of the president of the sponsoring society is shown. A manipulator from Japan who worked with thimbles and wands probably got the strongest reaction.

It was necessary to queue for around an hour to get into the close-up, as the organisers decided to limit numbers to comply with fire regulations. Yesterday people were sitting in the isles. Of note was a performer from Korea with underwater cups and balls, using goldfish as the final load. Other performers had a nice signed card to ice lolly, and a curious presentation centred around magicians fees.

Charlie Caper who won Sweden’s Got Talent was very strong with a cups and balls and glass to hat. His on stage volunteer was two times shock victim Sue Ann Webster. After seating her, he got a big laugh by showing a flex attached to her chair and explaining “it’s ok – it’s not plugged in”

A mentalist combined a version of the dynamite illusion with a chair test and scored strongly with the audience.

The Close Up Show for this evening was staged in the theatre to an audience of 2000! Hank Moorhouse took to the stage to say they’d not rehearsed with Chinese TV, who were doing the big screens. Considering this, they did a good job. David Williamson was MC and introduced Henry Evans, Shoot Ogawa, Miguel Puga, Lennert Green, Hernan Maccagno and Rick Merrill, the winner from the last FISM. Considering the performing conditions, it was a god show.

Today’s lectures were by Victor Voitko and Juan Tamariz. Tomorrow, Mark Oberon, our only UK contestant performs in the Close Up “Micro Magic” category. A number of us are planning to queue nice and early to ensure we’re there to support him!

Street of Cards along with Jeff McBride are doing a great job of posting video reports direct from FISM in Beijing. You can watch a more over at Street of Cards’ FISM Channel