Working Magic

Archive for May, 2009

As many of you will know, I’m currently hosting a radio show on Resonance FM here in London, which is also broadcast via the internet.

I was fortunate enough to interview the legendary TV magician Paul Daniels about his career and his take on TV magic and I’m pleased to announce that you can now hear that interview on the radio show’s website.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE MAGICAST

You can also download the podcasts via iTunes as well as at www.smokeandmirrorsradioshow.com

Simply click the link above to go to the website or go to the iTunes Store and type ‘Matt Duggan’ in the search bar. From there you can subscribe to the podcasts and hear all the previous episodes.

I’ve just uploaded a new video on the site where I perform some interactive magic with you, dear viewers, while you watch.

You can see it on the video page of WorkingMagic.co.uk or on the Working Magic YouTube Channel.

Let me know what you think, either by clicking ‘Comments’ in the bar below this post or by e-mailing me at Matthew@WorkingMagic.co.uk.

Enjoy!

I’ve just got in from a delightful gig for Speedo International Ltd., the sportswear company who – it turns out – are based just 5 minutes from my front door.

There were some great reactions from the international delegation of guests, particularly the French contingent who were doubly impressed by the magic and (for my next trick) the fact that I could magically transform into a fluent French speaker. Truth be told, I lived in Paris for three years, but don’t tell them.

Many thanks to Rebecca, Nikki and Kelly for arranging the entertainment and hiring me to entertain at their post conference party.

Now of course, I’m not one to drop celebrity names into conversation (much) but I was invited to perform at a party last week which was being held for the launch of a new theatre project. The project was in collaboration with The Old Vic, a fine theatrical establishment on the South Bank of the river Thames here in the capital.

Anyway, the artistic director of The Old Vic is one Mr. Kevin Spacey, he of The Usual Suspects, The Negociator and The Life of David Gale (if you haven’t seen that last one, go and seek it out – Truly brilliant).

Anyway, it turns out that Kevin – I say, pretending we’re now friends – was at this little soiree and so I wandered over to show him and his entourage some magic. They were appreciative and Mr. Spacey seemed to like the one effect he saw (he was being whisked around to talk to people all evening).

Also at the party was Chris O’Dowd, the very funny actor who is one third of The IT Crowd, a UK TV series set in the technical department of a large company. Chris loved the magic and gave a very funny commentary to one of the effects I performed for him and his friends to the point that I virtually stopped talking and let him do the patter while I did the moves. It might be genius.

‘Til next time, when there’ll be significantly fewer glamourous name-checks…

Paul Kieve, the backstage wizard of stage and screen, joined me in the studio for this episode of my radio show on Resonance FM.

Although you may not recognise his work, you will almost certainly have seen his magic. For example, Paul taught magic to Daniel Radcliffe and the cast of Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban as well as being magic consultant to director Alfonso Cuaron in order to produce some ‘real’ magic in the finished movie. During the discussion, we looked back through the ages at this largely unknown side of magic and discussed some of Paul’s heroes, as well as his own illustrious career.

SIMPLY CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW or download it on iTunes.

Listen in to my radio show on Tuesday 5th May at 6pm GMT for a rip-roaring episode of Smoke & Mirrors on Resonance FM. I’ll be joined by mentalist and mindreader Marc Paul to discuss all things mental (well, in a magic sense at least).

Marc has been voted ‘World’s Greatest Mindreader’ and as well as discussing his remarkable skills, he will be sharing them with us by performing live in the studio.

Tune in on Tuesday at 6pm GMT via Resonance FM or on 104.4FM in London.