Fringe Follow Up

Speaking of Friends from the Fringe, this Friday (apologies for an altogether artless alliteration) Victoria Murdoch is celebrating her birthday this Friday night and the world is invited. She caught everyone's attention in Hamilton as she promoted her show making all of her appearances in costume as Dawn, the 50s housewife with a naughty secret... or twelve.

Victoria is a modern renaissance woman - actress, comedienne, playwright, gluten & dairy free chef extraordinaire (try the chocolate mousse, I dare you). In celebration of her birthday, there will be a Cabaret Birthday Bash at the Winchester. Dinner & mingling starts at about 8pm with a stage show starting at about 10. If you're available to drop in, it's a PWYC event.

I'll be performing later on along with some other very talented and funny people.

Fringe Friends

I spent a good chunk of last weekend in Hamilton at the Hamilton Fringe Festival. Having participated in the Hamilton Fringe last year, I was hoping to bump into old friends... and I did! One of the productions that made a hit last year was Harold Pinter's Betrayal. It's a wonderful story which was so appealing to me because it took place backwards in time (Like a love story version of Memento, written thirty years earlier.) It was also a very large ensemble that went all out in terms of set and lighting design (compared with some productions, like mine, which consist of only a performer, a stage manager and a technician.) It was also one of the festival's longer productions at ninety minutes.

This year, the same company took another shot at an even larger production: Death and a Maiden. This a seriously dark and chilling play, definitely not intended for children. I loved it and the almost-two-hours flew by. While the Hamilton Fringe is over, Death and a Maiden is appearing this weekend in Toronto at the "One More Night Festival" at The Box Friday and Sunday night. If you have the chance, go check them out:

Death and the Maiden Friday, August 2 @ 9:00 PM Sunday, August 4 @ 7:00 PM Tickets $10 - limited seating

My only regret is that because of the late shows, I missed the official Fringe Talk-Show at the Baltimore House and the presentation of the coveted Larry Awards. Oh well... there's always next year.

The next Abracadabaret

This Sunday, I'll be hosting the next Abracadabaret at the Winchester in Cabbagetown. I'm particularly excited for this show because it features one of Canada's most unique talents: Paul Wildbaum.

Paul blends magic with mime, movement and comedy to produce an act unlike anything you've ever seen before.

We also have Shawn DeSouza-Coelho. Shawn has written some terrific shows including Oh Ryan! and my favourite, Magic and Lollipops.

Sunday, July 28, 2013 - 7:00 PM The Winchester - 51A Winchester Street, Toronto Tickets $10

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Jekyl & Hyde Present a Free Show

Next week, I'll be performing at a special show organized by Jekyl & Hyde (2340 Dundas Street West, Toronto). This is a FREE event open to the public.

Thursday, July 25, 2013 @ 9:00 PM

Hosted by David Nelson

Featuring James Alan Phil DaCosta Ken Margoe

The evening includes a stage show as well as close-up table-side magic beforehand, so feel free to come early and join us for a drink. We're expecting a large group, so please feel free to phone ahead and reserve a table: 416.535.0547.

Wendy's Magic

Back in June, along with several other magicians, I was asked to film a series of short pieces to help promote a new product being introduced by Wendy's Canada - the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger. Tied in with the magic is the chance to win a trip to Las Vegas. This was originally intended to be a project using faked magic (actors performing with camera tricks) but instead Wendy's opted for real magicians performing with no trick photography. Everything was shot continuously in one take (although there are multiple camera angles for better visibility). The result was the online ad campaign Expect to be Amazed.

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The hardest part of the project is the name: try saying "Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger" over over again - it's hard to say on camera, and I don't think any of us got it right in less than three takes.

Now that the product has been launched, the videos that were shot here in Toronto are being released one by one every few days through Wendy's Canada's Facebook page and YouTube Channel. You can watch my performances along with Mike Segal (Canada's Magician of the Year) and David "Baldini" Grossfield. More are coming, so follow and like to see them all.

And of course, get yourself to a Wendy's so you can try the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburgerbefore they all disappear.

Part 1: An Empty Paper Bag

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XZhR3G5WQA&w=560&h=315]

Part 2: The Cups & Balls

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhYpg9vIkDs&w=560&h=315]

More performance video...

Performance Update

My one-man show, Lies, Damn Lies & Magic Tricks will be featured this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Winchester in Cabbagetown. If you're in the Toronto area (and it's not raining cats & dogs down on you) please come out and see it. Tickets are available online or at the door. The show starts at 8:00 but you can come early and sit down for dinner. Looking forward to a great night.