The World is a Magical Place 8th April

The Speaker was former President and current Secretary of the Club, Gordon Wowk, whose subject was 'The world is a magical place’.

Gordon explained that the history of magic as entertainment is a long, winding story developing alongside ritual, science, theatre and popular culture.

The deliberate creation of events that appear to flout physical laws for the purposes of wonder, astonishment and narrative -magic- has its roots in antiquity. In many ancient cultures the distinction between “magical” ritual, religious display and entertainment was fluid.

Egyptian tomb paintings and textual sources indicate performers who produced tricks and displays for both temple and court.

Greek and Roman writers describe itinerant jugglers, sleight-of-hand performers and stage trickery.

Through the Middle Ages and Renaissance conjuring was a common feature of fairs, marketplaces and courtly entertainments. Travelling entertainers — jongleurs, jesters, and tricksters — combined sleight of hand, acrobatics, and comic patter.

The 18th and 19th centuries saw the transformation of magic from fairground diversion and private salon parlour effects into professional theatrical entertainment.

The late 19th century was a golden age under illusionists such as John Nevil Maskelyne (1839–1917) and Etienne-Gaspard Robert, while the transition into the 20th century saw professional organisations emerge -The Society of American Magicians (founded 1902), the International Brotherhood of Magicians (1922), and The Magic Circle in London (founded 1905). Gordon named famous magicians: escapologist Harry Houdini (1874–1926); Canadian David Verner born in 1894 who was known for exceptional sleight of hand and deep understanding of the psychology and presentation of magic; and in the age of television and mass media David Copperfield, Tommy Cooper, Derren Brown.

To finish, Gordon astounded the meeting with an elaborate card trick.

Colin Brown gave the hearty vote of thanks.