Vol. 1, No. 5, November 2005; 72 pages.
Cover: The Twins
Welcome to Magicseen. Mark Leveridge tells us what's in the magazine, just in case we skip the table of contents. He reminds us that this is the special Australia issue.
Copyright information. Staff list. Reproduction of the cover, in case you didn't notice it on the way into the magazine.
Letterbox. Letters from readers. Some controversial, some not. At least one letter on a previous issue's feature on magic in France. Some harsh words about an IBM convention.
Table of Contents.
Two pages of news, which was current at the time of publication. For instance, it tells us Roy Horn is walking again and "the Prestige" is about to be filmed.
After a two page break for advertisements, "News" continues with information on episodes five and six for a British show called "Dirty Tricks." Seems to be a magic show where the magicians damage themselves
A short biography of Norman Hunter, creator of Professor Branestrawm and a couple of magic books. The Professor starred in a series of novels which were turned into a successful television series.
"In the Phonebox" is a telephone interview with Jonathan Goodwin, one of the featured players on the aforementioned "Dirty Tricks." We'll be reading more about Jonathan on the next page.
A little bit more of that "Phonebox" interview, and then "Mental Magic Week on E-4." My British friends will consider me ignorant, but I can only guess that E-4 is a TV station or network. The shows aired on "Mental Magic Week" have only one show which might be considered mentalism. Still, the previously mentioned British friends tell me that "mental" can mean "looney" over there - that definition fits the shows listed: "The Seven Stupidest Things to Escape From" starring Jonathan Goodwin. (See Told you we'd be reading about him again.) "Rajan and His Evil Hypnotists." And "When Magic Tricks Go Wrong."
The next four pages are taken up with "Falling Under the Spell of Hugh and Hypnodog." Really. A dog which helps with hypnosis, and has been doing so for at least six years to large audiences.
How many current Australian magicians can you name One Two These three pages list quick bios of "Ten Present Day Australian Magicians."
If you're ready for more things Australian, here are "Ten Things You Never Knew About 'Magic' Australia." It's a short read at two pages.
It's not "Grandma's Necklace," but "Grandma's Purse" that Sean Taylor explains (as well as "Colossal Card Memory" in "Aussie Masterclass." Tim Ellis also features and explains "Wifeswapping," something that has a better ending than you probably expect. This lasts until page 32, where we have...
more News, one column's worth. Then a column of "the Five Golden Rules for Illusionists," which is supposed to be funny - but some of those rules are all too true!
Here are "the Twins" and the inevitable subtitle of "Seeing Double." Gary and Paul Hardy-Brown are the twins in question, "a bit of an urban legend" as they describe themselves. Big vanishes, large productions, and the infamous "twin telepathy" come out in their interview. Eight pages.
Four pages of reviews
The Electric Ouija Board - The Lebanon Circle
The Absolutely Impossible Kaps Wallet Combo - Ken Brooke
Match - Wayne Dobson
Silver Where - Stephen Tucker
Mind Control Secrets Revealed - Jonathan Royle
Some More Tricks - Anthony Owen
The Chameleon Deck
Pyramid - Stephen Tucker
Wait a minute! We skip a couple of pages and we repeat a review of the Chameleon Deck! And Magic for Under 5s, Twister, and Miracle Monte. That's two pages. Then we skip another couple of pages.
An abridged extract (That's what they call it. Sounds a bit like a cough medicine to me.) of Mark Leveridge's A Simple Guide to Creativity. One page.
Advertiser's Index on the left, an extract from an interview with Simon Lovell (from Radio Magic) everywhere else.
Two pages of "Fighting Talk" debating the statement that "Children's entertainers only perform for kids because they're not talented or skilful (SIC) enough to do anything else."
"The Dealer's Booth" spotlights Practical Magic. The shop, not the movie. One page and a column.
Along with the last part of "the Dealer's Booth," two columns telling you to subscribe to Magicseen.
Do you miss Dear Abby Then you'll love "Moaning Merlin," which has questions but no answers. A one-panel comic appears on this page, but I won't tell you the punch line. One column tells us of the winners of a contest held in issue #4. It's too late to enter now.
