• No events.

4F Friday World Performers Show

April 24th, 2010 by Shawn Farquhar

Our first big show of the day was hosted by Gary Morton who did an great job moving the show along and interacting with the audience.  He began our adventure by introducing us to Charming Choi of Korea who using illustrations brought things to life including a red bicycle and matrix coins which moved magically after having been drawn on the drawing pad.  The coins soon became real and a wonderful coin matrix complete with Jumbos was performed.  In the end the entire tables contents returned to the pad as an illustration.  This was another fun act from FISM’s most original act!

Canada’s comic genius, David Acer, showed us a hysterically funny mind-reading act that has to be seen to be believed!  David is the true professional when it comes to timing.  The audience loved every minute they were able to share with this very funny man!

Tom Craven was up next and has the distinction of being one of only two people to have attended all 40 of the 4F Conventions. His  act consisted of three parts.  The first was a ring and rope routine, the second a mind-reading toy duck and the final was a revelation of a card using cue sheets.  It was nice set and full of magic and laughs.

Geoff Williams is another one of those people I just can’t get enough of recently.  Last year was his first year and he was super.  It would in fact have been hard for him to top his appearance last year, but he did when he presented his Going Postal routine.  Maria acted as his partner and was a born actress.  I would love to go into more detail but it is an act you have to see live to experience.

Chris Hannibal was the first recipient of the coveted Obie award back in 2000 at the IBM National convention in Buffalo.  Since then he has become one of my favorite performers and a regular at the 4F.  His card under Pringle’s and sardonic humor was perfect for the crowd.

Steve Walker, an Englishman living down-under, registered well with the audience as he bantered about with one liners and comedic stories.  He was totally on his game and was outstanding in my opinion.  He did a slow restore of a newspaper that comedically revealed a headline that was randomly called out from the crowd.  The funniest moment was just as he was about to restore the paper he stalled … looked puzzled and Gene Anderson leapt from the crowd to correct the papers orientation for the restoration. He closed with a card effect in the tradition of Dirty Harry after demonstrating his “Idiot Detector” Sharpie.

We took a short intermission to top up our glasses and we were back for more fun.

A Top Ten List of the reason’s why Obie is this year Guest of Honor was read by individual members of the show.  Highlights for me were:  #6-Hell Froze over; #4 Makes next year Guest, Steve Beam, look good, #3-Bob Markwood didn’t make parole, #1-His dedication and love for the Art of Magic.

Bebel for France opened the second half of the show and to be honest it is acts like this that make my job so hard.  I want to take notes but I can’t look down or I will miss amazing magic.  Bebel’s magic is original, clever and incredibly magical.  I’d love to describe it to you but … it’s indescribable.

Gary took a few minutes to share some fun trivia about many of the 4F members and the introduced 2009 FISM award winner Johan Stahl who was attending for his first time.  His FISM act is a clean, fun piece of magic and theatre.  He is so likable and his magic is fun.  I especially like the way he treated his assistant, Maria, with such care and respect.  I understand his new DVD on “Sleeveless Sleeving” is soon to be released.

Mark Mason changed things up by doing rope magic and midget jokes. He ended his set with an awesome card in box routine I am certain is available from his website.  Mark always connect with the 4F audience and today was no exception

Hidekazu Kimoto of Japan is a young man who was attending the 4F for his first time too.  Normally we will have a number of “first-timers” but this year only a few really international champions were admitted.  Hidekazu deserved his win as his coins, music box and ninja rings were a thing of beauty.  I’m looking for to seeing more magic from this young man.

Closing the show was three time FISM award winner Simo Aalto who present the act that won him the Gold in 2000.  It is a great act with coins and bells that is pretty, technical, clever and deserving of all it’s awards.  It was a fine ending to another outstanding show.  Soon we will all sit down to dine together for FREE.  Then ,surprise, another show …

(Shawn’s note to the reader: It may take me a bit to report the next show as I was a part of the show and watched portions of the show from the side and back.)

Follow all the updates from Shawn Farquhar from The 40th Fechters Finger Flicking Frolic as he posts them.