So how DID Derren Brown Predict the lottery ? have a look at derrenbrownlotteryprediction.wordpress.com because after securing over 3 million viewers for the 10 minute slot on Wednesday night… ideas are abound on exactly how he did it…

Wiggling Balls ? Mass Hypnosis? Bribery? You decide…

If there’s anyone who can put on a truly wonderful mix of showmanship, entertainment, and just pure darn cheekiness.. its Derren Brown.. My other post on The Events some months ago, has been getting a huge number of hits and some comments.. (and yes i still have those ‘events’ tickets..!) and I’ve written quite a bit on iTricks.com about it over the last few weeks and months.

Everything comes to a huge climax, or at least the start of one.. tomorrow, when Derren predicts the national lottery numbers.  It will be simulcast on all of Channel 4’s channels., and if your not near a TV, then it’s also being physically played against the side of buildings in the following open air locations below:

London (Tate Modern), Manchester (Premier Lodge/back-up Deansgate Lock), Birmingham (5-ways Entertainment Complex/Bull-ring, Moor St Side as back-up) and Edinburgh (Hunter Square/back-up Museum of Scotland).

Its interactive to.. you can take part and be part of the whole mental fun ride over at derrenbrown.channel4.com

That should give you an idea of just how much planning, deception, cunning and thoughts gone into this… its huge.. huger than huge..

its Derren Brown… and if you still need more info… you just need to know where to look...

From the rumors and rumblings on the internet, we know that Derren Brown is producing a new four part special, each program being one hour long, and ending up with we think some sort of live stunt..

The title is intriguing, ‘How to Control The Nation’…

No NDA, or other paperwork, but Filming, Audio, Photography and Recording is strictly forbidden..

Stay tuned..

We’ll find out more next week!!!!

Previously I would have covered it all on this blog, but as you know I now run MagicConventionGuide.com, so all the updates as they happen will be posted over there in the International Magic Convention live blog.

I’d like to also thank the Macmillans for their help in reporting this years event, and of course, if you want your convention reported on..

Let us know!!

As you may have known a few weeks ago I took my Magic Circle exam, for entry into one of the worlds most exclusive clubs..

It was actually possibly one of the nerve wracking moments yet (I’ve yet to find out if I’ll be as nervous tomorrow!).

My routine consisted of a opening coin effect (commonly known to most as a three fly), an ambitious card routine with some twists, and a closing mentalism effect..

In total four of us took our examinations to become MMC (Members of The Magic Circle), and three took their AIMC (Associate of the Inner Magic Circle), unfortunately it was judged that none of the AIMC’s were are at required level to pass to that level, but the phone call I received was to tell em that I and all four of us at MMC level had passed. Joining the ranks of the 1,500 other Magicians Worldwide that are members of The Magic Circle.

I can now officially say that I am a ‘Member of The Magic Circle’, use the letters MMC, and logo, and of course head up to London to the HQ on Monday nights. In all it’s actually more a confidence thing as well, saying that I am of the level required to be a member, and because its an examined process, involving three judges, a marking scheme, and discussion with The Magic Circle Council, I feel very honored, and proud to have been accepted into The Magic Circle..

Simon of course brought the wonderful and now cult following ‘The Secret Cabaret‘ show to Channel Four in the 1990’s and started up a venue in London a number of years ago to perform him gothic, horror and stage act for corporates, before starting to open it up for public.. This was the perfect venue!!!

We headed up, Simon had been kind enough to sort out us with some special tickets..

The House of Magic, is a full evenings entertainment, entering through the enchanted garden you start off with tours of the haunted cellar, fortune telling from the whispering chair, and some lazying about in the drawing room, and red room, before some excellent food is served, alongside in our case champagne (lots!)

The evening show is something very special. Simon’s turned the entire Victorian pub into the theatre space, using not just the stage, but also the surroundings into his performance space. The opening act ‘amateur transplants’ was hillarious, a surgeon sining some dark parody songs..

Following this Simon put on his full evening show, a mix of his signature dark horror magic, along with some of his classic routines as well (so it’s not all gore).. I wont go into what he did, as that will spoil it for those of you that should go and see it.. except to say it’s possible one of the best magic shows I’ve seen for some time.. and it will stay with me as a very special show..

After the show, Simon went out of his way to make me and my party feel so welcome.. even taking us up into his flat and personal living space.. We even got to see the Captains Cabin, and spent some time of top of the building looking over london in a strange ‘Mary Poppins’ type experience (Us, Simon Drake and Chimneys!).. you can see my flickr set for some more photos, or check out the gallery on The House Of Magic site

Simon Drake’s House of Magic is somewhere you HAVE to go if you are in London… full details on his site

Simon of course brought the wonderful and now cult following ‘The Secret Cabaret‘ show to Channel Four in the 1990’s…

The show was excellent, and featured a huge number of fantastic names, for years it was only possible to watch the series on tape if you’d recorded it, but last year Simon managed to negotiate the rights to his portions of the show to create a DVD of the two series.

The bad news is that for a number of reasons the license for this is coming to an end..

So again the Secret Cabaret will vanish, as mysteriously as it appeared.. However there is a plus point though… Simon will be selling the remaining stock of the DVD’s at half price (£12.50+p&p) from his website.

Tonight’s going to be great.. my friends.. Magic, Simon Drake and a few drinks.. I’ve never been to the House of Magic, but heard great things, and when I spoke with Simon he was all up for letting me have my stag do there, and have go out of his way to help us and be the ‘ultimate host’…

..you can’t ask for much more!!!!

The doors open at 5:30pm for close-up magic in the bar, and the show starts 7pm sharp.

Simon Alexander will introduce international Illusionists ‘The Molins‘, Simon Williams will present Comedy Magic, and Ian Souch will demonstrate his awe inspiring Mind Reading.

Clive Winterton and Robert Bone will provide additional closeup magic before the show and during the interval.

Tickets are £10 and full details and maps can be found at www.berkshiremagicians.co.uk

Both videos feature some nice magic with the Nokia phone’s

It’s nice to see magic coming back into the mainstream again.. and it’s nice to see it’s the UK guys working in conjunction with companies like Nokia to bring it to the public eye..

If you read my blog, you’ll be aware that Dynamo did his first UK lecture last year at the International Magic Convention in London