Mandrake the Magician

Today's Exciting Edition of Mandrake the Magician - Exclusively on Inside Magic

Roberto Giobbi’s Five Volumes of Great Stuff!

Magic Student Resting on Card College Books

We were  first exposed to Roberto Giobbi’s Card College back when we ran a small magic business.

We considered carrying the entire series for sale but even at wholesale, the investment was more than we could swing.

Since we were working on a cash-only basis, we could not afford having expensive inventory on hand.

We bought three of copies of Card College Volume One and sold every one within five days.

The quick sale and high demand actually caused us to think.

We decided to read Card College Volume One.  That mean we had to take it off the shelf and buy it.  We are cheap but apparently more curious than cheap.

We were amazed by Mr. Giobbi’s attention to detail and his innovative epistemological approach.  His method of teaching was so effective that we even learned from the book.  Our ability to learn totally new sleights ended at around 18 years of age.

(Sure, maybe you kept learning new knuckle-busting moves throughout life, but we didn’t.  Agreed, that makes us terrible and not worthy of writing a Site so sue us).

Continue reading Roberto Giobbi’s Five Volumes of Great Stuff!

Melbourne’s Magic Age Featured in New Exhibit

The young, Australian museum curator Simon Gregg believes “the history of Melbourne as two parallel stories: one about the development of a modern-day metropolis and the other about the emergence of floating ladies, vanishing handkerchiefs, straitjacket escapes and a bottomless barrel of logic-defying tricks and illusions.”

Mr. Gregg is featured in a big way in Melbourne’s The Age for his new museum exhibit Hocus Pocus: Melbourne Magic, Mystery and Illusion.  The show starts next week, December 6, at the beautiful City Museum.   The focus is “the city’s so-called golden era of magic, from 1850 to 1950.”

Gold was discovered in Melbourne’s environs during the 19th Century.  And where there is gold, there are people.  And where there are people, there are audiences.  And where there is an audience, there is bound to be at least one magician.

Mr. Gregg believes Melbourne’s “emergence as a magic town came to be after the discovery of gold and the subsequent population explosion of the 1850s.”

Continue reading Melbourne’s Magic Age Featured in New Exhibit

Aaron Smith of Magic Depot Offers 20 Percent Off!

This deal of deals from Aaron Smith over at the beautifully appointed Magic Depot web site:

FOR ONE DAY ONLY buy everything you want from The Magic Depot and SAVE 20% OFF the retail price!

Simply write “20% OFF” in the order comments box during the checkout process, choose Priority Shipping, and I’ll deduct 20% off every item you buy!

- Write “20% OFF” to qualify!
- Choose Priority or faster shipping!
- Discounts factored from retail prices only!
- Doesn’t include specials prices but those items qualify!

It’s a STOREWIDE SALE that includes all categories! Some items are exempt and specifically marked exempt. Your choice of more than 6000 magic tricks, books, DVD’s, and accessories 20% OFF!

We’ll calculate the new price and bill your card automatically.

These amazing savings aren’t valid with any other offer or discount. Discounts not displayed at checkout. PayPal orders receive a store credit for their discounts!

BUY more SAVE more at The Magic Depot, but hurry.

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Hugh Jackman to Play Houdini on Broadway

Fox News tells us that Hugh Jackman is slated to perform as Harry in an upcoming Broadway Musical.

Mr. Jackman is apparently hot by Hollywood and Broadway standards and has already played the role of magician in the film The Prestige.

The script is said to be in the works and music will come from former Oingo Boingo leader and lately movie score writer, Danny Elfman.

The word on the street is Ricky Jay is already helping Mr. Jackman learn magic.  The show will call on the Australian-born actor to “replicate big Houdini tricks on stage.”

How is that for vague.

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Joshua Jay Gets Q and A Today

The Cleveland Plain Dealer gives tremendous space to favorite son, .

The interview is a great read and gives an insight into Mr. Jay’s creative background and passion for magic.

He credits his study abroad whilst at Ohio State for helping him to see, think and develop magic to be seen and thought about in a different way.

I also spent a year at the Sorbonne studying medieval art and architecture. Twice a week we met at the Louvre and every weekend visited chateaux and churches. It gets you thinking in a different way.
You realize that architects and artists had magic on their minds and they wanted to inspire people and amaze them and give them a sense of awe.
In some indirect, subconscious way, it has inspired the direction my magic has taken.

Mr. Jay describes how he was incurably infected by the magic bug early in life.

Continue reading Joshua Jay Gets Q and A Today