178. A Magical Evening, Magic Circle, 8 May 2024

Victoria Joseph, Consort to the Master Baker, arranged for a group of Consorts plus guests to attend a President’s Evening at the Magic Circle.  Who could have guessed that such an unprepossessing entrance, down a slightly dubious-looking side street near Euston, housed such a place of wonder?

The Magic Circle has over 1,700 members worldwide, including familiar faces such as David Copperfield, Derren Brown, Fay Presto and the lovely Debbie McGee.  Less well-known members, possibly, might be Stephen Fry, Nigel Mansell – and King Charles III! 

We were greeted personally at the door by President Marvin Berglas, and given a playing card.  After assembling in the bar, the scene of weekly meetings of magicians where secrets are shared, we were divided into four groups, according to the suite of card we held.  Our group began in the basement museum, where we spotted artefacts belonging to household names such as Houdini, Tommy Cooper, David Nixon, Sooty, and Harry Potter. 

The Magic Circle was founded in 1905 after a meeting of 23 amateur and professional magicians at Pinoli's Restaurant in London.  David Devant and John Maskelyne were among the founder members; their names have been given to prestigious awards from the Magic Circle.  Posters relating to early shows are very rare by their very nature – designed to be pasted on walls for a short period, then pasted over.  Those that have survived are highly prized.

We returned to the bar where we were treated by several magicians to a variety of mind-bogglingly “simple” card tricks.  Then, the four groups reunited, we proceeded upstairs, via a most spectacular (unusually, left-handed) spiral staircase, to an intimate space generally used for auditions to the Magic Circle, where Prince Charles successfully performed the “cups and balls” trick to gain entry in 1975.

There we were treated to sleight of hand, card tricks and mind-reading games, leaving us reeling as to how these tricks were performed – such as five steel rings, about 25cm in diameter, which were verified by a member of the audience (my husband!) as being completely inflexible – yet they could all be linked to each other, in varying complex patterns, and unlinked, apparently just by blowing on them!

And there was more to come.  We moved up to the top floor, to an intimate theatre.  There, an Indian illusionist made a lady vanish and reappear.  We had more amazing card tricks, and a turn from the Young Magician of the Year 2024 – Harry Merlin Piper.  At only 13, he was a most accomplished performer, complete with patter.  More astonishing mind-reading was carried out, and the old rope trick presented in a very humorous way, with assistance from Chris Searle, Immediate Past Master Distiller.

As can be seen, it was an evening of great fun!  Many thanks to Consort Victoria and Clerk Camilla for their organisation in arranging this – and do investigate an evening at the Magic Circle on one of their open nights.  Highly recommended.