This is the last call for you to come to the 73rd Annual Convention of the British Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians starting in eight days time 23rd September.

For those of you who have not previously been to the Convention in Southport, the venue is the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre and can be found along the Promenade adjacent to the Marine Lake in the centre of the town. The Promenade runs approx. 300 yards to the northwest and parallel to Lord Street, the town’s main shopping centre.

There is still time to register on line from this website or by making contact with the Registration Officer Neville Johnson by telephone on 01202 873234 or e.mail: nevillejohnson25@aol.com until Friday 18th September.

After that date registrations for the Convention can be made at the Registration desk from 10.30am onwards on 23rd September. The desk will be situated in the Waterfront Suite entrance adjacent to the Ramada Plaza Hotel. This is also the location for you who have pre-registered to pick up your registration pack.

If you are unable to attend the whole of the Convention a day registration is available for each of the four days at £50 per day, £40 for British Ring members and their partners and £25 for junior magicians 18 years old or under. It should be noted that a day registration for Saturday does not include a ticket for the International Magic Show. Should you wish to see the show tickets will be available from the Southport Theatre Box Office as are tickets for the Children’s Showtime.

The British Ring Convention, takes place this September 23rd – 27th 2009, full details and booking can be found at The British Ring site. We will be providing more information during the run up to the convention, A guide is now available detailing where the HQ hotel and convention center is, along with hotel booking and local information. We will also be working closely with The British Ring to help make Southport 2009 a success.

Junior Magicians attending the IBM British Ring Convention are in for a treat as for the Junior Workshop on Saturday 26th at 5pm, the celebrity tutor will be Hayashi.

There are few performers who are able to combine highly skillful card magic with situation comedy, one who can is Hayashi.

He is one of the most entertaining around and has been extremely active on the European magic scene since 2003 being the first performer in history to have held five 1st place European National Titles for Card Magic. This was the same year he won the MacMillian International Close-up competition with an act that even today remains vividly in the minds of the majority who saw it. You can read more on Hayashi here. Hayashi is appearing at the convention performing both close up and stage magic.

Mandy Davis is hoping that she will be able to secure another star of the convention to attend the session as well. Remember that this session is strictly for magicians aged 10 and over to 18 years of age.

For more information and to confirm your place please contact Mandy Davis – mandy@themagiccircle.co.uk

The British Ring Convention, takes place this September 23rd – 27th 2009, full details and booking can be found at The British Ring site. We will be providing more information during the run up to the convention, A guide is now available detailing where the HQ hotel and convention center is, along with hotel booking and local information. We will also be working closely with The British Ring to help make Southport 2009 a success.

Andy Stone recently listed 20 reasons to attend this months IBM British Ring Convention in Southport:

The International Magic Show: A top class convention gala show featuring magical talent from around the world with the magical transformation act of David & Dania and as an added bonus the Hula Hoop act of Dania. There is Ivan Netchperenko’s original F.I.S.M grand prix winning act, the offbeat magic of Hayashi, the high tech winning magic of Timo Marc, the mental magic of Sean Taylor and the startling new illusion act of Martyn James. Hosting the show and new to the British Ring is one of Ireland’s best known entertainers Aonhgus McAnally.

The Ali Bongo Micro Magic Marathon: A real world close-up magic competition and tremendous fun, when the performers stroll and the winner is decided by the audience vote.

Balloon Modelling Workshop: Mike Stokes returns with his workshop on this popular allied art.

Stage Competition: The British Ring Shield Competition with a chance to see new and original acts with additional awards for comedy, originality and manipulation. Steve Evans introduces the acts and tells a selection of jokes sent in by the conventioneers, the best joke winning a prize.
(more…)

Our Interactive Map and Guide for the IBM British Ring Convention Southport is now up. It includes an interactive map of the convention area, showing food, drink, the convention center and local shopping, banks and other things you may need during the convention.

It also includes the popular voucher section that we have run previously, this lists any deals at local bars or restaurants for cheaper ways to eat. click print and take them with you. We’ll add more as and when we find them.

click here to view the guide and map for IBM Southport, and we hope you find it useful. Keep checking it as we’ll be updating it most of this week as we get more info in.

John Lenahan will be joining the long list of headline magical performers at this year’s British Ring convention in Southport.

John came to Britain in 1984 from his native Philadelphia for a short trip and has never quite made it back. From an inauspicious beginning John has become a successful corporate entertainer. Grabbing headlines in 1994 when he was the first person in 85 years to be expelled from The Magic Circle. Following an appearance on the BBC 1 Show ‘How Do They Do That?’ explaining a the Three Card Monte. He considered it to be, as did many others, to be more of a gambling con than a trick. His subsequent TV appearance in his own 1997 series for BBC 2 ‘Stuff the White Rabbit’ drew rapturous praise from the press. This series achieved record ratings for the slot and was responsible for influencing a number of youngsters to become magicians.

2004 saw him starring in the BBC 1 Show ‘Secrets of Magic’. He has played the voice of the Talkie Toaster in the first series of Red Dwarf and made guest appearances on everything from TFI Friday to Celebrity Squares and has regularly compered and topped the bill at London’s Comedy Store. He has also fronted Hoax Busters an ITV network show lifting the lid on scams and hoaxes.

John’s first novel ‘Shadowmagic’ was published last year. ‘Shadowmagic’ is a fantasy adventure novel very loosely based on Irish mythology where every chapter ends on the edge of a cliff (or at least on a high curb). It has been widely recommended.

You can listen to our interview with John by clicking below

Standard Podcast [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You can order John’s book ‘ShadowMagic’ on Amazon, or visit JohnLenahan.com to find out more about John.

The British Ring Convention, takes place this September 23rd – 27th 2009, full details and booking can be found at The British Ring site. We will be providing more information during the run up to the convention, A guide will be going up soon detailing where the HQ hotel and convention center is, along with hotel booking and local information. We will also be working closely with The British Ring to help make Southport 2009 a success.

Congratulations to Pat Fallon who earlier this morning (4th September) was awarded the prestigious Merlin Award for Family Magic Show of the Year from Tony Hassini, president of The International Magicians Society.

Pat was surprised with the award during his breakfast show TV appearance to publicise his upcoming Rabbits, Hats & Big Boxes show. Pat joins an illustrious list of previous recipients which include among others the likes of David Copperfield, Doug Henning, Chris Angel, Penn & Tellar and Siegfried & Roy.

Ireland’s most successful all round magician Pat Fallon (MIMC Gold Star) talks about his career, being the pioneer of close-up magic in Ireland and touches on the effects his marriage break-up with his then assistant had on him. He talks about how he has coped & come through the other side and tells us all about his upcoming appearances all over the globe and of course his much anticipated evening show – Rabbits, Hats & Big Boxes – appearing at The Mill Theatre in September ’09.

With the return of the Fringe at the British Ring IBM convention in Southport 23rd – 27th of September. Pat Fallon will be one of the featured artists on night two of the fringe.

After receiving his award IrishMagicNews.com caught up with Pat and IMS president Tony Hassini for a few words.

We appreciate the help and permission from IrishMagicNews.com for letting us use these two interviews, and recommend following them for all the latest Irish Magic News.

You can listen to the interview they did with Pat previously, and after his award by clicking below

Standard Podcast [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

With kind permission of www.IrishMagicNews.com

We will be providing more information during the run up to the convention, A guide will be going up soon detailing where the HQ hotel and convention center is, along with hotel booking and local information. We will also be working closely with The British Ring to help make Southport 2009 a success.