A Quick Taste of the Close Up Contest...

After a visit to the "Card Trick Hotel" last night, no way could I get to the convention in time to see any stage competitors this morning. By the time I got there it was very nearly over for the day. I gave Max Maven a quick verbal assault on the fact that he was still smoking (outside the door) and then wandered around the dealers looking for the "Trick of the Convention." It doesn't seem as if there is one this year. It was going to be the toy car which would follow a line drawn on a piece of paper with a felt tip pen (if done so in permanent marker but not a water based one) until I was told you could buy it much cheaper from Hamleys toy shop. (Anything that can be bought there cheaper must be very overpriced indeed.)

After a couple of acceptable hotdogs I chatted a bit (ok, quite a bit) (I was pleased to be able to tell David Sousa how very much I had enjoyed his manipulation act) and eventually wandered into the viewing room of the close-up competition for the last few acts. It turned out to be a good move as I saw a sample of what I would rate to be the very best and very worst of this branch of magic (with some in between thrown in for good measure.)

Shawn Farquhar from Canada (in a shiny, purple suit) did a strong "signed card in sealed pack" effect (without seemingly knowing he was amongst greatness by doing it on Steve Walker) and a "look, the cups are solid" cups and ball routine. He was more excited about his act than I...

Alex Stone was a, and had a, disaster but won over Opus by shouting out "shit" on dropping something! The judges closed him down...

Kiko from Spain (and well supported) nervously did some good, original card stuff...

Simo "The Bells that get Bigger" Aalto from Finland did a "Coins that get Bigger" act...he should have known better...

Joker Magic from Hungary did an act involving a finger ring which allowed me to nod off...

VIP Magic, a male duo from Holland, unluckily did a "anything you can do I can do better" card act presumably without knowing that Helge Thumm and Topas did one so much better the night before...

Martin Eisele from Germany was brilliantly and originally funny with his "Magic Martin" act...I loved it...

and then...

Rick Merrill from the USA totally stormed it with his "I was home schooled" act with his Coin and Sharpie routine...for me it will have had to be a bloody good act to have beaten this one...but then I only saw these few acts....

...after Rick I headed back to my hotel for S L E E P briefly, on Richard Kaufman's advice, watching some of Jon Armstrong act on the monitor in the hall...I didn't stay for all of it...