Stage set ready for Onam Magic Fest

On 6th Sept., Magic Academy offers two magic classes, Traditional lunch, video and magic shows for magicians.

Thiruvananthapuram: As Kerala gets ready to be engulfed by the joy of Onam, its State festival, stage is being set ready for an Onam Magic Fest at the Magic Academy. The Fest is also going to be the 57th monthly PPC embellished with engrossing full day activities on 6th Sept.


Magician Leons George

Since the chief day of Onam falls on the second Saturday, the Academy has decided to shift the ensuing PPC to the first Saturday. The day will be an action packed one, comprising of two classes, one each in the fore noon and after noon; two video sessions, a grand Onam feast in the form of traditional ‘sadhya’ and magic shows. A class on Silk Magic by Leons George and another on ‘Effective Patter’ by Dibya Guha constitute the educative part of the festivities. Magic shows and video sessions add to the entertainment.


Dibya Guha

Parallel to this, held at the magic shop will be a grand Onam Sale. There will be an additional offer of 5% discount in prices of magic wares. Those who wish to avail this discount may cut the coupon given below and present it at the time of purchase. Registration fee for this Onam PPC is Rs.300.

‘Computer, the magician’ fascinates children

P. Preeth, second from left, conducts Computer Magic Camp at the Magic Academy.

Thiruvananthapuram: When the computing machine turned into a magician, kids found no limit for their enthusiasm. The Computer Magic camp held for children on 16th Aug. at the Magic Academy, has re-established a different kind of might the PCs possess. Blooming at the click of a mouse were bunches bafflement.

The teacher for the occasion was young magician P. Preeth who has been an animator with a Technopark-based institution. Suffering from a congenital disability in speech and hearing, Mr. Preeth has adopted the comfort of a laptop and screen for easy communication with his students.

When computer took the centre stage, youngsters found even the complex rope routines palatable. Limitations of human sight was exploited well to display some of the optical illusions on the screen. Many children easily learned a trick or two using coins, cards or ropes.

At the end of the class, when the director of the Academy, R. Raja Moorthy presented a memento to Mr. Preeth, it was indeed a recognition for this youth's deftness that helps him stand over disabilities. A darling disciple of Gopinath Muthukad, Mr. Preeth was one among the finalists in the Best Entertainer category competitions in the recently-held international magic festival, Vismayam 2008.

Magic Academy set to explore its alumni power

Thiruvananthapuram: 12-year-old Magic Academy is beginning to explore its alumni power. As a first step, when invitations were dropped a couple of weeks ago, several bounced back proving the addresses invalid. Turn out for the initial sit-together was meager. But the ideas gathered during the occasion were enough to energize the mission. Inspired profoundly by the debut meeting held here on 10th Aug., the Academy is now planning to call a full-fledged meeting of its alumni in the evening on 20th Sept. The proposed meeting will have all the bash and pomp, essential for such a magical reunion of an Indian Hogwart. Former students can keep in touch with the Academy at email: magicacademy@gmail.com

Vismayam 2008 video fascinates

Thiruvananthapuram: Vismayam 2008 DVDs being sent as a free gift to the early birds continue to receive overwhelming response.

Joyous mood of the convention could be regained through the CD, they say. However, the Magic Academy has decided not to place the CD for sale.

New CDs are hot cakes!

Thiruvananthapuram: Magic fraternity have responded overwhelmingly to the set of three video CDs released by the Magic Academy. The new CDs include Greatest Illusions of Muthukad, Vol. 1 and 2 and India: Magic of Harmony, a national integration travelogue on the Vismay Swaraj Yatra accomplished by Gopinath Muthukad and team in 2007. Each CD costs Rs.100, but a single order for all the three would get them for a discounted price of Rs.250.

Vol. 1 of the Greatest Illusions of Muthukad comprises of the previous editions of Mr. Muthukad’s magic feats whereas Vol.2 of the same has all the flamboyance of latest illusions. These CDs contain chiefly the Television productions of the magician. The India: Magic of Harmony shares the amazing faces of Indian people, culture and topographies as found by the magic team during their journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

The Academy has also set its eyes on establishing an association with a leading dealer regarding large scale distribution of its videos. Negotiations are already on.

Palakkad to have a Magic Festival

Palakkad: This district of the Malabar region of Kerala, will soon experience the thrills and frills of a festival of wonders. Magic Academy in association with the District Co-operative Bank (DCB) has set the stage ready for a three-day magic fair here at the Town Hall during 29, 30, 31 August 2008.

Adding glamour to the whole event will be evening performances of the brand-new ‘World of Illusions’ magic show performed by Gopinath Muthukad. The 120-minute-long show is well-knit with some of the newest illusions brought to the magic stage.

Not over, the three day magic feast will also have three days of curtain raiser events.

This will include an enchanting News Headlines Prediction magic on 22nd and 23rd at the head office of the DCB and an illusion stunt performed at the New Bus Stand on 28th of Aug.

These preludes are supported respectively by the DCB and the District Police. Revenue generated out of this festival will be set apart for the much-ambitious project of establishing a magical theme park in Thiruvananthapuram.

Directory: Last date extended to 30th Sept.

Thiruvananthapuram: Entries for getting enrolled in the Magic India national directory of magicians will be accepted till 30th Sept. The decision is because several magicians have found one month so insufficient for them to furnish the forms properly.

Since the announcement a month ago, the idea of publishing a directory of magicians has been well received by the magician fraternity. An average of five to 10 entry forms are being received per day at the Academy. With this pace, there is every chance that the directory becomes the biggest ever collection of data on the native magicians.

Editorial board of the book is ferreting out ways to publish the names of magicians in a more user friendly manner so that those who refer the book would find it easy to identify magicians. Indexing will be in such a way that it won’t be difficult for anyone to find out a magician by his professional name or original name.

Making it comprehensive
The Academy has also decided to include names and addresses of all magicians, who are already in its mailing lists. Hence, unless a letter sent from the Academy is returned, the address will find its way into the Magic India directory, too.
The Academy has requested the magician fraternity to find out wandering street magicians in their localities. Executive Director of the Academy and Chief Editor of the proposed book, Gopinath Muthukad has informed that to promote street magicians was also among the chief priorities of the Magic India directory.

Poll Results (August 2008 1)

Owing to pressure from various competitors and lecturers, the Magic Academy has decided not to place Vismayam 2008 video CDs for sale.

54% votes in favour of the decision

45% votes against

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