UK Magician Claude Perry Retires – Featured

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has stood the test of time and never went out of date.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.

  

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.

  

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