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The Pendragons

Speaking of the Pendragons – How Did You Celebrate Pendragon Week? The Pendragons are pushing the Houdini envelope. The Coloradoan gives the Pendragons about two takes – newspaper talk for two pages of typed double-spaced text – of praise in today’s paper.

The paper shares secrets about which we had no knowledge. For instance, did you know that this week was Pendragons Week in Denver, just in time for their two shows?
The honor was proclaimed by Denver Mayor, John Hickenlooper, in recognition of their recent inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records. The Guinness folks say The Pendragons are the fastest performers in the history of magic to perform Houdini’s Metamorphosis.

Here is another secret. Did you know Mr. Pendragon was the stuntman who was standing in for John Belushi doing backflips down a church aisle in "The Blues Brothers (1980).

It’s true.

But it is not just speed and agility that gets a week named in your honor. "Charm is an under-rated element nowadays," Mr. Pendragon said in an interview from his California home.
"Knowing the secret doesn’t make it interesting. It’s the interpretation, all the presentation and the craft that comes in behind it.

"The audience should expect personality," Jonathan Pendragon said from his home near San Luis Obispo, Calif. "It’s not television. It’s not a movie. It’s the live performance where personality can come through. It’s also has charm, magic and poetry."

Read the full article here.

“Vanity”

Eyes, Lies and Illusions – A Cultural Examination of Magic’s Images. A wonderful new exhibit tracing the history of optical illusion will open in London on October 7th. Tracing the tools of magicians and those who claimed supernatural powers, Marina Warner asks “are they the work of the devil, a gateway to another world or the key to our minds?”

The Pendragons

Here is another secret. Did you know Mr. Pendragon was the stuntman who was standing in for John Belushi doing backflips down a church aisle in "The Blues Brothers (1980).

It’s true.

Read the full article here.

“Vanity”

Beginning with the concept that optical illusions are not supernatural but are mysterious, the exhibit traces how “illusions kept disrupting the boundaries between reality and fantasy.”
The art and commentary concludes that “running through the history of magic and the anxiety that it stirred runs a parallel history of optics: if the Devil was able to conjure appearances whereas God truly performed prodigies, it was imperative to establish the truth status of the vision.”

I wish I was in London to check this out.

It sounds like the kind of exhibition I would really enjoy. I am just bitter because I was dragged to see some art show featuring 24 imperceptibly different pictures of Kleenex wadded and moistened with ketchup and coated with Kibbles.

I didn’t get the point. Who puts ketchup on Kibbles? Maybe the Kleenex was to represent man’s intractable battle with the common cold?

But why Kibbles?

Check out the excellent review of the upcoming exhibition (the good one, not the dog food in wet tissue) by clicking here.

Telemus and Rebecca

Magician Telemus Performs for Boeing. Thousands of Boeing Family Day guests stood in awe when Telemus performed one of his signature pieces, the Hindu Sword Basket with Rebecca Haney and Liz Greene, his assistants. This Las Vegas-style magic show captured the imagination of young and old alike.

Included in the performance was a flawless version of Houdini’s Metamorphosis, an illusion surrounded by controversy as of late, due to the exposing of this effect at the Houdini Museum in Appleton, Wisconsin.

When asked about the exposing of Metamorphosis, Telemus said, “The magic is in the performance, not in the prop. Really, it’s the audience that is affected by such exposure." Telemus has honed his magic skills under the tutelage of such greats as Jeff McBride and The Pendragons.

Read Telemus’ press release here.

Steve and Jessie Dacri

Steve Dacri Gets Even More Extreme. Mr. Dacri reports that Las Vegas only close-up magic show is returning to the Strip for a special engagement at the Imperial Palace Hotel and & Casino’s Kabuki Lounge. The show will run from October 25 th through November 6 th with two shows, 9 pm and 11pm (dark Sundays).

Mr. Dacri’s one-man show – he’s the man, literally – features what magicians and critics agree are “the fastest hands in the world.” Mr. Dacri will have a large video screen to follow all of his incredible moves. Don’t be embarrassed if you can’t figure it out, just enjoy the moment.

Mr. Dacri has featured his award-winning sleight of hand for over 30 years and appeared on television with Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Bob Hope and countless others. He was a regular headliner at Caesars Magical Empire for six years, and most recently headlined for six months at the Orleans Hotel followed by 3 months at the Flamingo (O’Shea’s Theatre) with his ground-breaking act.

The general admission is free (with a one drink minimum) but if I were you, I’d ask about the VIP seating opportunities. Mr. Dacri’s work has influenced so many of us over the years. I am going to make a trip out to Vegas to see the act and will report back.

Check out Mr. Dacri’s incredible website here.