The Art of the Magician

At our February Speaker Meeting we were given an entertaining, mystifying and humorous presentation by Tony Griffith entitled The Art of the Magician and his catchphrase is ‘There is a Trick to every Trade but mine is a Trade of Tricks’.
Tony, who hails from Bristol, is a member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star and has lectured to magic organisations in numerous countries, throughout the UK and at the famous Magic Castle, Hollywood where he has lectured on five occasions and presented his Close Up Magic Show over 100 times. Tony first became interested in magic around the age of fourteen. He has a background in education including the headship of a primary school and researched the magic of science and philosophy of, I hear I forget, I see I remember, I do I understand. Over the years, he has performed at concert parties and children’s shows. Tony started his presentation by showing us the first trick he had perfected with a series of cards with holes and spots, a
quite amazing series of card changes that completely bemused our audience. This was followed by tricks performed with a plastic ring and length of rope, all done with speed and sleight of hand, truly baffling! We were then shown several number puzzles with audience participation and a couple from the audience were invited to help in some very clever card tricks. We heard that playing cards first arrived in this country about six hundred years ago and, after some refinements, have changed very little over the years. Tony then spoke of two magicians who inspired and amused him. Chan Canasta, born Chananel Mifelew in Krakow, was probably the first TV magician in the 1950s. He came to Britain in 1947 and, after a short time in the RAF, became a well-known stage magician taking his surname from the card game canasta. He died in London aged seventy-nine. Secondly was Tommy Cooper who was born in Caerphilly. After seven years of military service, he was demobbed and took up show business in 1947. He developed his conjuring skills, became a member of the Magic Circle and was one of the most recognisable comedians in the world. Tommy died on stage in 1984 aged sixty-three.
Tony Griffith has several publications available about the science and art of magic and we hope to invite Tony back sometime in the future for his talk entitled ‘Magic of Science’. Please visit his website for more information at www.tonygriffith.co.uk