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Magic Bar owner is celebrating 10 magical years in Bristol’s Clifton Triangle

The owner of Illusions Magic Bar, the UK’s only dedicated magic venue, is celebrating being in business for 10 years this September – and is also hoping to win a coveted award at the same time.

Magician and entrepreneur Mark Bennett opened Illusions in 2007 after spending many years travelling the country performing magic tricks. His aim was to bring magic to the public in a unique setting, and so he decided to settle in Bristol and open his bar in the city’s popular Clifton Triangle area.

Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, members of the public can enjoy regular magic shows at Illusions, all with free entry, and the venue has also become known for its famous magic wand cocktails. In addition, since the magic bar first opened its doors, world famous magicians such as the late Paul Daniels have also performed there, and international magicians also take to the stage three or four times a year.

Following the success of Illusions, Mark went on to open sister venue Smoke & Mirrors in Denmark Street in Bristol in 2012. The magic theatre pub is home to The House Magicians comedy magic show, which entertains audiences for two hours on Friday and Saturday nights and has received many five star reviews on Trip Advisor.

Speaking of Illusions’ 10th birthday, Mark said: “I am so excited to celebrate Illusions 10th birthday this September. In the last decade, my business has gone from strength to strength, thanks to the support of my fantastic team, our House Magicians and of course the people of Bristol. In celebration of this, we are throwing a huge party at Illusions on Thursday 14th September from 8pm until late – we look forward to seeing everyone for what promises to be a great night!

“In addition, I am really excited that Smoke & Mirrors has been nominated as one of six finalists in the Best Entertainment Pub category at the Great British Pub Awards in London on Thursday 7th September. Illusions has previously won this national award, so we have our fingers crossed for another win – it would be a lovely birthday present if we do.”

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Smoke and Mirrors help Dexter’s wish come true

Smoke and Mirrors and TV magician Jamie Raven, a finalist in 2015’s Britain’s Got Talent, helped to make one little boy’s wish to be a magician come true last month.

Dexter, who is seven and from Bristol, is fighting stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that mainly affects children. His family contacted children’s charity Make-A-Wish® UK who help grant wishes for seriously ill children, to ask them to help grant Dexter’s wish.

Jamie, who narrowly missed winning Britain’s Got Talent in 2015, spent the day with Dexter and his family at Smoke and Mirrors. He even brought the President of The Magic Circle, Scott Penrose, along to make the day extra special.

Dexter’s magical day began with an intimate workshop with Jamie where he shared his magic secrets with Dexter, his Mum Lucy, Dad Andy, Older brother Matt, and Dexter’s Uncle Rob.

The family were then whisked off to lunch in a limo, where they met up with more family and friends before all heading back to the Smoke and Mirrors bar for a private magic show with Jamie.

Dexter helped Jamie to perform some of the tricks on stage using a special magic wand, a gift from The Magic Circle. The day was captured on film and shared on the Make-A-Wish website.

Speaking about the day Jamie said, “When situations are very, very serious and someone has asked you to help them, there is no higher honour.”

Scott Penrose, President of The Magic Circle commented, “It was wonderful to be part of the process. I’ve never been involved in anything quite like this before, but it’s a real eye opener to witness the impact that it has, not just on the individual concerned but the rest of the family.”

Dexter’s Mum Lucy added, “The time and attention that Make-A-Wish has given Dexter and us as a family has been insane! It’s been so immense, they’ve been amazing. They took Dexter’s little wish and they just made it explode into this amazing day.”

The wish had such an impact on Dexter, who was receiving treatment in hospital at the time of his wish, that he practised his newly learnt magic tricks straightaway, from his hospital bed. The family shared a video with Jamie, who in turn shared on his own Facebook page to try to turn Dexter into the most popular magician in the world!

More children are turning to Make-A-Wish than ever before and this year the children’s charity hopes to grant 1,000 wishes, with more than 25 of these for children like Dexter, whose wish is to unlock their imagination and transform them into whatever or whoever they wish to be.

To sponsor a wish make a donation or to become a #WishMaker and help make wishes happen, please visit make-a-wish.org.uk or telephone 01276 40 50 70.

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Introducing… Matthew Brady, one of our House Magicians

For the next blog post in our series about the Smoke and Mirrors team, we ask Matthew Brady, one of our House Magicians, how he first got into magic. Read on to find out more about him below:

1. How old were you when you first got into magic? What inspired you to start?

I started working in a magic shop when I was 12. I got to immerse myself in magic in a way that others wouldn’t have had the opportunity to. Magic was something less ordinary, something that made me wonder, and I wanted to make others 'wonder' in the same way that I did.

2. What was the first magic trick that you learnt and who did you perform it for?

The first trick I learnt was probably a coin trick called 'coin unique', so that I could demo it to people at the magic shop. It took me about 2 weeks to get it to the point where I could show customers - the reactions that I got back then are definitely not the same as what I get from the audience at Smoke & Mirrors these days though!!

3. What other magicians do you look up to/admire, and why?

I really admire David Blaine, Paul Daniels and Tommy Cooper for their style and ability to captivate an audience for a whole host of reasons. Mark Bennett has also been a real inspiration by giving me the space I needed to hone my craft in a way that I never could have done without Illusions Magic Bar and Smoke and Mirrors. He has spent the last couple of years guiding me and setting me up to be the magician that I have become today, and I’m really grateful for that.

4. What is your favourite thing about performing as part of the House Magicians Comedy Magic Show at Smoke & Mirrors?

I love the team that I work with! The support and advice we gain from each other is invaluable. That said, as cliché as it sounds, there really isn’t anything better than the applause you get from an audience when you know you've worked hard and pulled off a great show!

5. What is your top tip/piece of advice for young magicians who are just starting out?

Get out there and perform! The first few times you’re going to mess up and you’re going to get it wrong, but that’s how you learn. It’s not just about how to cope with that but how to think on your feet and get to the point where you can get things wrong and your audience never knows! Once you've got to that place, believe me when I say there's no stopping you!

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Introducing... Richard Newman, one of our House Magicians!

If you’ve been lucky enough to come along to one of our weekly Comedy Magic Shows (rated #1 on Trip Advisor don’t you know!) then you will have experienced the work of our team of House Magicians first hand – and we’re sure the magic tricks that they performed left you in awe too!

 In the first of a series of new blog posts for Smoke & Mirrors, we thought we would help you get to know the members of our team a little bit better, starting off with Richard Newman – one of our House Magicians who has been performing at Smoke & Mirrors since the Comedy Magic shows first started. Read on to find out more about him below:

Q. How old were you when you first got into magic? What inspired you to start?

Growing up with a big brother who was heavily into magic and being a test dummy for the majority of his tricks, my life has been magical from as far back as I can remember.  I always wanted to know how he did it and sometimes he would let me in on the secret too! As time went on and we both grew up, I watched some of his performances for friends and family and also people that booked him to do magic at private events. 

 When he decided to move to London, I asked him for his blessing to become a magician too, and he said "As long as you take it seriously".  After that I spent months practicing with cards and learning tricks - I can even remember showing him the tricks that I learnt and him smiling and saying that I "did a good job" which I really appreciated. From that point on I never looked back - I did magic wherever I could and was lucky enough to get booked for several gigs and children's parties.  I eventually joined Illusions Magic Bar in 2007 and then Smoke and Mirrors in 2012 - I have been very lucky!

 Q. What was the first magic trick that you learnt and who did you perform it for?

I can remember doing little tricks for my school friends while growing up. At break time if there was a deck of cards around I would try to do magic, usually it was the "Six Card Repeat" - however I do remember that it didn't always work!

 The first tricks that started my career would have been the "Two Card Monte" (where two Aces switch with two Queens in the spectators hands) and the "Ambitious Card" (where a selected card jumps to the top of the pack several times) - these were the tricks that I performed for my brother in order to show him that I wanted to become a professional magician.

 Q. What other magicians do you look up to and why?

There are plenty of magicians that I admire (I have been lucky enough to make some great friends in the magic community) however I would say at the top of my list would be Penn & Teller. Not only do they perform great magic but their showmanship is outstanding.  I would also say the late Paul Daniels – he played a big part in inspiring me to get into magic and watching his TV show while growing up definitely had a big impact on me. 

 Last but not least would be my brother, Kevin Newman. He is the one that has supported me ever since I picked up a deck of cards and his help and positivity while learning the craft was essential in helping me get to where I am now. Without him, I wouldn't have the life I have and I will be eternally grateful to him because of it!

 Q. What is your favourite thing about performing as part of the House Magicians Comedy Magic Show at Smoke & Mirrors?

The best part of performing as part of the House Magicians is the fun that I have doing it. As soon as the curtains open I have a big smile on my face and that doesn't leave until several hours after I get home.  My style of magic is very laid back and I believe that if the audience can see that I am having fun on stage, they will have fun watching it!

 The fun doesn't just stop with the audience though - as part of the House Magicians I feel like I am part of a family.  Not only do I have great respect for all of the other magicians (we all have our own personalities when we are on stage) but we are also great friends too. For example, I've known Mark Bennett (the owner/creator of Illusions/Smoke and Mirrors and a fellow member of the House Magicians) for almost 10 years. He has helped to shape my style of magic and also bring my performances up to the next level - his guidance has been invaluable to the pure joy that I have when performing.

 Q. What is your top piece of advice for young magicians who are just starting out?

The best piece of advice that I can give is don't just practice the moves to tricks, practice the patter as well - make your tricks mean something.  A good trick is like a good book as it has a beginning, middle and an end.  I see so many people that do not realise that each trick is a mini story, everything should flow and there should be a reason for each section.  Most of all though, have fun while you do it and never take yourself too seriously!

 If you fancy seeing Richard perform some magic tricks for yourself, then visit our shop to see when he is next going to be on stage as part of the House Magicians Comedy Magic Show or our new Family Magic Show too!

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3 ways to make sure your Christmas party goes to plan

It might be hard to believe, but December is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing – Christmas party season is almost here! If you’ve been given the highly important task of organising the do for your company this year and understandably want to make sure it’s a success, we’ve put together three key tips that you should definitely keep in mind.

1.       Planning is key

They key to any successful Christmas do is planning – and to start with that means finding out what your budget is and how much you have to spend before you hit Google and start researching possible venues for the big night. Once you know your magic number, the next step is to work out how many people you need to invite, and make sure there’s room for everyone too – no one wants to spend the evening sitting too close to someone they’d rather not!

2.       Location, location, location

This one is so important that we have repeated it three times. When it comes to choosing the venue for your Christmas party, location is everything. If you work for a company where people live in several different areas, choosing somewhere central with good transport links is really important, like the city centre for example (rather than a country pub in the middle of nowhere!) This should mean that it’s much easier for people to be able to get to the venue and then get home again easily afterwards too. It can also be helpful to make sure there’s parking nearby in case people choose to drive, and depending on the location ensure that the party doesn’t start too early in the evening to allow for any rush hour traffic.

3.       Remember food and entertainment

No one likes being hungry – and being bored and hungry is even worse. That’s why it’s really important that you don’t forget to organise food for your Christmas party (whether that’s just some basic nibbles, canapés or a full buffet or sit down meal) as well as some entertainment to ensure that everyone is kept happy and smiling. Nowadays there are loads of options for entertainment that you can choose – whether you fancy hiring a DJ, going to a pub quiz, or even going to a see some comedy or a magic show, the possibilities are almost endless and you are guaranteed to find something that your colleagues will love.

Now that you know what you need to do to make your Christmas party a success, if you want to make sure it’s even more special this year, then at Smoke & Mirrors (located on Denmark Street, just off the city centre) we think we’ve got just the package for you. We can work with you to provide a truly magical party that you and your colleagues will never forget – and we’ll take the hassle out of organising it too! Add a touch of sparkle to this year’s festivities and experience our hilarious House Magicians Comedy Magic Show for up to 48 people, available from Wednesdays – Saturdays during December, including our delicious 3 Tiered Party Platter and live music in the bar after the show. To find out more about what we can offer, contact a member of our party planning team today by filling in the enquiry form here.

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3 of the world’s most famous magic tricks

If you’ve been to see The House Magician’s comedy magic show at Smoke & Mirrors, then you’ll know how magic tricks have the power to leave you almost speechless and impress even the most skeptical audience.  Here we take a look at three of the world’s most famous magic tricks, which have inspired many of today’s most well known performers, including some of the magicians that you’ll find at Smoke & Mirrors!

David Copperfield

The legendary TV showman is most well known for performing a range of spectacular tricks, such escaping from a flaming raft as it fell over the Niagra Falls, appearing to make the Statue of Liberty vanish, and walking through the Great Wall of China. However, perhaps his most famous illusion is his ability to make a crowd appear to completely vanish. He’s performed the trick as part of his Las Vegas shows for over 15 years, and over 100,000 participants have taken part during that time – but how does he do it?!

CC Image courtesy of shoot me jim on Flickr.

Penn and Teller

This double act are noted for the use of comedy in their shows,  and have become household names in the USA thanks to their many TV series.  Over the years the duo have performed a range of stunts, many incorporating the use of comedy, as well as gore. However, they are perhaps most well known for their bullet catch illusion – something which many magicians have attempted over the years, with several dying as a result. In their own take on this daring stunt (first performed in 1996), Penn and Teller perform a double bullet catch, where they fire two bullets into each other’s mouths and catch them without any injury or fatality – leaving audience members truly amazed.

CC Image courtesy of oliv3rthor on Flickr.

Harry Houdini

The legendary master escapologist is responsible for some of the most memorable and daring illusions in the history of magic. He was able to release himself from chains and handcuffs while being immersed in a tank of water and release himself from a straight jacket while hanging upside down. However, perhaps most impressively he was able make a 5-ton, 8 foot tall elephant called Jennie seemingly disappear from a cabinet, when he performed the stunt on stage in New York in January 1918 – we’re sure you’ll agree when we say that’s no mean feat!

Now that you’ve learnt about some of the most impressive magic tricks and illusions in history, why not visit Smoke & Mirrors to witness even more spectacular magic for yourself? Our House Magician’s are ready and waiting to entertain you, and we’re certain that you’ll have an experience that you’ll never forget! To find out more about what’s on at Smoke & Mirrors this weekend and to buy tickets for The House Magician’s weekly comedy magic show on Friday or Saturday nights, click here.

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Review: Smoke & Mirrors theatre pub by brizzlekezsays

When it comes to picking a venue for a night out in Bristol, it’s fair to say that you’re almost spoilt for choice. Whether you fancy drinking cocktails, dancing the night away or listening to some great live music, the city centre has something for everyone.  I have been to my fair share of places over the years, but I have never experienced a magic bar – until now that is.

On Saturday night* four of us went along to Smoke & Mirrors’ renowned “The House Magicians” comedy magic show. Located on Denmark Street, just off the centre, this pub theatre is voted number one for concerts and shows in Bristol on Trip Advisor. This is a pretty impressive feat when you consider the likes of the Hippodrome and the Colston Hall, which host some pretty big events. With that in mind, it’s fair to say that my expectations for the evening were pretty high!

The bar was opened in 2012 by local magician and entrepreneur Mark Bennett, who has been performing magic as a career since 1992. He also owns Illusions Magic Bar on Clifton Triangle, a popular venue that has been entertaining Bristolians with close up magic shows since 2007.

We arrived at 7:30pm, ordered some drinks at the bar and were then shown through to the theatre. This is a very intimate venue that only seats 48 people, complete with low lighting, and lamps on all of the tables (which are all pre-booked in advance of the show), adding to its old-school feel. We were seated a row behind the front (phew I thought, I’m sure I won’t get picked on now!) on a mixture of chairs and comfy stools.

The room began to steadily fill up (it looked like the show was fully booked and was clearly popular) and shortly afterwards a waitress came and took our interval drinks orders (Diet Coke for me as the designated driver, pints of lager and a G&T for my friends). Then all that was left to do was to sit back and relax as the music started and the show began.

The first magician that took to the stage was Matthew Brady, complete with a lovely ginger beard (which he told us we couldn’t touch!) he began by telling us about his experience as a magician, and then proceeded to show us some pretty impressive card tricks that prompted lots of “ooohs” and “ahhhs” from the audience – things were off to a good start. As his set went on, he got members of the audience involved (audience participation is a big part of the show here) and I was asked to help him with one particular card trick – which was fun, if not slightly embarrassing when I managed to hand him the card I had picked face up instead of face down, ooops!

After a short 15 minute interval, our pre-ordered drinks arrived and then it was Mark Bennett’s turn to whip the crowd into a frenzie. More laughs ensued as he invited a Hen and a young guy who’s birthday it was, up to the stage to participate in some more tricks with a comedic twist, all of which were pretty impressive.

The show finished just after 10pm to much applause and it was clear that everyone had a great time. We decided to stay for the bar’s two-for-one cocktails, as well the live music that was just starting, and the atmosphere was certainly buzzing. I also really enjoyed the fact that another magician came over to perform some close-up magic at our table whilst we had our drinks – I think it’s fair to say that we were left almost speechless by the tricks we witnessed, it was amazing!

I can wholeheartedly recommend this venue and will definitely be back again soon – it’s the perfect place for a night out with a difference, and lots of laughs are guaranteed.

Have you been to Smoke & Mirrors before? I’d love to know what you thought! Let me know by commenting below.

*Although I was invited to visit Smoke & Mirrors for the purpose of a review, the words, thoughts and opinions stated here are all my own.