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Close-Up Competition 2

The second part of the competition started early at 9.00am, necessitating me skipping breakfast as I had woken up late due to lack of sleep!

Os 4 de Pau, Card Magic, Portugal - Clever double act that took the format of a trick with a cod explanation using someone in the role of a scientist, and a plant in the audience. The effect was Signed Card to Spectators Mouth, then a gun was fired at a deck and the bullet pierced the signed card, again this was followed by a funny mock explanation.

J-Philippe 'Michel', Parlour Magic, Spain - Balloon Model Hat and Fishing Rod, fish for signed card in hat which was caught on the end, Pat Page Glass Production, Folded Card appeared inside a balloon dog.

Rob Mollien, Micro Magic, Netherlands - Dice Stacking, 4 then 6 then 10. Finally he was blindfolded and managed to stack no less than 20 dice, apparently breaking a Dutch record!

Gregory Wilson, Card Magic, USA - Greg had his usual Office setting, with a picture of his Girlfriend (Queen of Hearts!) and a Punch in Clock, he started by producing Hot steaming Coffee from his Card Case, and Sugar from a Playing Card. He then performed his Phoneix Aces and *** FISM Aces?. He found all the Spades in order from a shuffled deck and then performed a very visual vanish of a card, that was just held in his palm one minute, and the next minute had disappeared, it was found inside the picture frame on his table. Finally he used his clock as a card fountain and impaled a Royal Flush onto his fingers in a Card Sword manner.

Toshi Ikeda, Micro Magic, Japan - Four Ace production, Open Travellers, 3 Card Monte, Magically solved Rubiks Cube, Ring on Rope routine.

Bodie Blake, Invention, Argentina - Visual rise for the Ambitious Card, and lots of uses for Roughing Fluid, including a Call to the Colours routine and an ending to the Brainwave deck.

Chris Joker, Mental Magic, Germany - I don't mind admitting this act fooled me badly! Which is a nice feeling for a Magician... Chris started off by asking the women for advice on a potential date he was going on. The spectator chosen at random with a flying heart cushion, made a number of choices, what they should do on the date, what he should wear, what wine they should drink and what subject they should avoid. The wine and colour tie were both predicted with physical objects, and the whole outcome was found written in a letter on view since the start.

Etienne, Card Magic, England - Etienne is a very funny guy who started off with two great Magician gags, one was a take on the Splash Bottle, the other was a funny matrix routine with Thumbtips! He then performed a repeat card to pocket, a signed card and a blank card fusion, and ended with the signed card appearing in a bottle.

Jansenson, Card Magic, Argentina - Jansenson had a very nice script for his routine, which consisted of Haunted Deck, Colour Changing Deck, Card to Number and a climax of reciting all the cards in the deck, in order, without looking at the faces.

Tobias Heinemann, Parlour Magic, Switzerland - Tobias used some video footage from the Hitchcock movie Psycho, he then proceded to use that them in a very well executed card stab routine to find three selections whilst blindfolded.

Larry, Invention, USA - Larry showed us his FISM time clock, with which he was able to stop time by picking off the numbers on the LCD display.

Ferry Gerats, Micro Magic, Netherlands - A running gag throughout the act was the vanish and reappearence of his bowtie, he started with some Dice Stacking, and finished with Gaeton Blooms Ring Flight and a Fusion effect of two signed cards becoming one.

Gustavo Raley, Invention, Argentina - Old Radio turns into a new modern Radio. Pouring out Coke from a Can he vanished a silk, which appeared back in the can and he turned a normal Coke into a Diet by pouring out sugar. This was based on a very clever can which acted like a change bag.

Alain Nu, Mental Magic, USA - Unfortunatley Alain ran over time, but he treated us to some very visual spoon bending and twisting, including a spoon that he bent and twisted into a dog shape!

Lecture - Manuel Muerte

I had seen Manuel lecture at the Blackpool convention, but this time he had The Flicking Fingers behind him to elevate the lecture into what was an hilarious hour. He started by showing us his practical Ring on Wand effect, and Grandpa's Card to Box, with a magical ending of a Business Card becoming stapled to the signed selection.

He then demonstrated his commercial Coin in Marker routine with some visual changes and an instant reset. A nice idea for Childrens Workers came in the form of 20th Century Silks on a CoatHanger.

Then came the really fun part of the lecture, Manuel performed his coins to purse and under watch routine, and it was then the turn of The Flicking Fingers to step in to give the explanation in the style of a slow motion replay being commentated on by two of the members of FF whilst Manuel and Pit Hartling went through the effect in slow motion!

Next it was the turn of Pit to perform his Card Party routine, with the explanation taking place infront of the same two members of FF who this time acted as though they were drunk spectators. This was a very funny way of living up an already entertaing lecture, and for me was one of the highlights of FISM!

Manuel closed his lecture by explaining his card to sock routine, Bill to Cigarette and finally his version of the Healed Coke Can.

Lecture - David Berglas

David showed us some clips of his past TV shows, and explained the hows and whys behind each effect. These clips included a Blinfold Drive, Chair Prediction, a lesson on Equivoque, Hypnosis and Balloons with Cards inside for a coincidence effect.

David finished his lecture by inviting six people onstage with their packs of cards. He then ran through a series of Think-a-Card routines producing the cards in various ways, the climax was that all the decks ended up with the same card on top.

Dinner Party

The FISM team had kindly laid on a free Dinner Party, with food and free drink. There was lots of different styles of food to be had, and entertainment in the form of music, dance and a Robot figure who made noises from his mouth that sounded like an animal being run over by an express train! After Dinner we decided to call it a night to get some well needed sleep...