Robert Crisp – answered the cry of Show us a Trick. Robert aimed to be able to perform without needing special equipment or bulging pockets. He showed a trick using a feature of some mobile phones to perform a prediction. He used a Hindu Shuffle force, but suggested a number of other ways of proceeding.

Domanic Li gave a neat display of speed and skill in Darwin Ortiz’s The Quick and the Dead using a Si Stebbins setup. He then gave an advanced class in Darwin’s Si Stebbins Secret to show us how to set up Si Stebbins from a brand new deck, which only required two perfect Faro Shuffles! Roland Tuplin, handicapped by a bandaged finger, showed a number of elegant ring and rope ideas. Richard Morrell repeated his Paul Curry effect Probability Zero. Thomas Davey showed us Harry Lorayne’s Challenge Aces, and Matthew Bentley followed with his own method of reversing a chosen card placed back in the pack. After predicting the card, Mathew showed he identified it because it was face down in the pack.

Introducing Roni, Eddie Dawes said he was Israel’s leading Magician, who was the guiding light of Uri Geller and Guy Bavli. He excelled with his Dinner and Manipulative acts, and was going to talk this evening about Cold Reading. Roni opened by explaining he had started Cold Reading to give himself an edge on other magicians, and because the psychic market was very lucrative. Roxanne Broadbent had been coaxed into volunteering for a demonstration, and Roni showed how he normally proceeded, careful not to embarrass his subject. Tools used were numbers, letters and hand reading, but his real aim was to both make friends with his subject, and to closely observe dress and behaviour. He set the atmosphere with Crystal Balls, although he never used them, and often trusted his feelings in entering the unknown.

Eddie Dawes thanked Roni for his fascinating talk, and for revealing some of his lifetime’s observations. Roni had shown the need for close observation, quick wits and playing to the individual.