The Cambridge
News (UK) has a great piece on the long and greatly appreciated career of
magician Claude Perry.  Mr. Perry entertained the students at John Falkner Infant School for 38
years.

But pupils at John Falkner Infant School will not have that treat to
look forward to this year – Claude, 84, has decided it is time to hang up his
magic wand.

He always got his young audience, aged four to seven, involved in his
conjuring.

“The tricks are geared for their age. There are tricks with silk
handkerchiefs, with paintings, with packets of seeds.

“I always finished up by pulling the rabbit from the hat. Against a black
opera hat a pure white rabbit shows up ever so well, but I’ve definitely given
up the show this year. The rabbit is getting on a bit – though he’s not 38!”

Headteacher Chris Ingham said: “I’ve been here 20 years, Claude was coming
here for 18 years before that and I saw no reason to change. We’ve enjoyed
having Claude and he has enjoyed coming here.

To the kids, Mr. Perry was a special treat, to their parents and former
students, he was a wonderful constant in a world of change.

The students likely did not appreciate the depth of Mr. Perry’s talent. He is
a member of the Inner Magic Circle and the International Brotherhood of
Magicians, he is also president of Cambridge’s Pentacle Club for magicians.

Those accolades did not compare to the reaction he received from his young
audiences once a year.

“The children look at him in awe. It is wonderful to look at their
faces when Claude is performing.”

One of his trademark tricks for older audiences is the Troublewit, an
intricate paper-folding trick from which he produces a vase, a fan, a party hat
and other shapes.

The paper notes, “some fellow magicians believe his 38-year booking at the
school may be a record.”

If it is not a record, it is certainly fitting testament to a performer who
has stood the test of time and never went out of date.

We wish Mr. Perry the best in his retirement and hope he will continue to
inspire and produce awe.

Magic News Magic Magic Circle

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Magicians, audiences, booking agents, students, and even film producers all consider Whit Haydn their first choice.

When Caesars Palace chose its opening roster of magicians for their $60,000.000 Magical Empire, they picked Mr. Haydn. When the world's most prestigious cruise ships — including the Queen Elizabeth II, the Norway and the Westerdam — needs a great performer, they select the same person Jerry Seinfeld, Loretta Lynn and Gallagher hired, Whit Haydn.

His work is respected by audiences and professionals alike. He consulted and contributed to the Discovery Channel's documentary, Houdini: They Came to See Him Die.

When the Canadian Discovery Channel wanted someone for their 30-part series Grand Illusions, they selected Mr. Haydn. PAX Television in the US sought his help in their series Masters of Illusion.

Mr. Haydn consulted on David Copperfield's television specials, was the chief magic consultant for the Norman Jewison film Bogus, starring Whoopie Goldberg, Gerard Depardieu and Oscar-Winner Haley Joel Osment.

Magicians know him from his lessons, lectures, and great routines. Mr. Haydn's in-person lectures are sold-out and we know of few magicians who have do not own or have not seen a copy of his lecture notes, videos, or DVDs.

He is a featured performer and lecturer at conventions and seminars around the world. In his spare time, Mr. Haydn teaches magicians to find their inner-scoundrel through his School for Scoundrels. He has offered lessons in Three-Card Monte, Fast & Loose (The Endless Chain), and the Three Shell Game live and through his books, lectures, and videos. (Of course all lessons are for entertainment purposes only).

We first met Mr. Haydn while vacationing on the last voyage of the Queen Odyssey. The Seaborn Cruise Line purchased the luxury yacht from Royal Cruise Lines and scheduled the cruise to transition it to Seaborn's service.

Seaborn wanted to impress the loyal Royal Cruise Line passengers and not disappoint the equally loyal Seaborn Cruise fans. The hired only one non-musical act for the voyage, Whit Haydn. Seaborn's executives knew the evening shows had to be perfect, and so they booked the perfect show.

Mr. Haydn selected the beautiful spouse of this writer for his classic Four Ring Routine.

Mr. Haydn's legendary magical skills combine with a natural sense of timing to make each presentation memorable. He credits Dai Vernon for his natural approach to performing magic. His moves never look like sleights and perhaps that is why his routines look like real magic.

Quinlan's Inside Magic launched its new "Celebrity Interview" feature in 2002.

We wanted the very best subject available and begged Mr. Haydn both in person and by email to give us a shot.

He was characteristically gracious and helpful at a time when most of the "stars" in our business would not return our emails or calls.

The interview that follows evidences Mr. Haydn's kind spirit and considered philosophy of magic.

We readily admit we are given to hero-worship. But in the…

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Jonathan Goodwin – “Stupid Like a Fox”

Certain articles cry out to be read.  The February 1st edition of Communication Quarterly published a study report, “Get ‘Real’: Does Practicing Speeches Before an Audience Improve Performance?” was one. 

Public speaking texts and instructors typically encourage students to practice speeches as a means of managing anxiety and enhancing performance. The effectiveness of various speech practice methods has received little attention. In addition, students who practiced their speech before larger audiences received higher evaluation scores than students who practiced before smaller audiences.

The other article is from Catherine Jones of Wales Western Mail.  Its title “I’m with Stupid” is a real grabber. 

Jonathan Goodwin is a 24-year-old escape artist who one day hopes to be a 25-year-old escape artist. 

Unlike Billiard Ball production or Silk Fountain presentations, those who practice the theatrical art of escape (as opposed to fleeing felons) are required to innovate in some new death-defying manner. 

For us Billiard Ball guys, we’re kind of tapped out at approximately four balls for each hand. 

But for the escape artist, it is now commonplace to be securely bound, wrapped in really itchy wool blankets, tied to the back of a drunk spring-break student, and given only minutes to escape before the student falls from a hotel balcony in his drunken attempt to climb to another room. 

So how extreme does Jonathan Goodwin take his craft in an effort to be seen and loved? 

We are not making this up.  You can read the article for your own self.  Mr. Goodwin suggested to Channel 4 he “be sewn up inside a dead cow and have to escape through its backside.”

Channel 4 said they would not air the escape.  We agree with them.  Now, if Mr. Goodwin came out some other opening in the dead cow carcass, we could see how it might have educational purpose.  Still you have to hand it to the guy (hopefully he has washed his hands), he’s on the edge.

Where do you go after pitching a live presentation of the old Sewed-Up Cow Carcass escape?  By the way, we note U.F. Grant used to sell a similar escape so perhaps Mr. Goodwin’s idea is not that novel.  [In fact, we saw two of Grant's Whale Intestine Whopper Escape on eBay just this weekend.  One looked well-used but the other was still new and in its protective wrapper -- of course it will be bid up to some crazy amount thanks to the magic collectors].

So, Mr. Goodwin moves from the rejected and perhaps cliche cow carcass escape to “being tied up, from a vacuum-sealed plastic bag buried in a…
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