Incroyable Talent Semifinals- The Angels Vs Theo Dari

With Dressing Flash and Alpha having performed (and been eliminated) in the last two live shows, two magic acts were left to compete this week- The Angels and Theo Dari.

How Did The Angels Do?

The Angels were the act I was most looking forward to in the live shows, but they disappointed. The problem was not their tricks, but their timing- they spent too long on their dance routines. Their first trick, making a member appear from inside a pyramid frame, took over a minute when it should have taken ten seconds. Their other illusion, which involved making a motorbike appear from a translucent shadow box was also ruined by a slow build up. If The Angels had cut out about a minute of unnecessary dancing and filled the time with solid illusions, they might have been more popular with the judges and audience, as their tricks, whilst pretty generic, were large-scale and well-presented.

How Did Theo Dari Do?

Theo Dari did what most viewers hoped he would- he upped his game while keeping what the viewers loved about his act- he used more lasers in more creative ways. The best and most original trick he did was at the end, where he created a rainbow of light above the stage and appeared to vanish into it, only to reappear on the platform he was using for his performance moments later. He fared far better then The Angels, and looks like a decent contender for victory.

What did the Judges Say?

The Angels received 2 X's from Gilbert and Sophie - All the judges agreed that they had wasted too much time dancing instead of wowing people with their magic.  Theo Dari, however, received nothing but praise-Even an initially ambivalent Dave claimed he enjoyed watching his act.

Who Got Through?

The Angels were unsurprisingly eliminated, but Theo Dari beat favourites Abkari and Brahem to get through to the final, which will be held later this week.

Incroyable Talent semifinals - Alpha

After Dressing Flash's disappointing performance last week, Alpha was the next magician to perform live, in the Second Semifinal.

HOW DID ALPHA DO?

For his semifinal routine, Alpha did a pirate-themed routine. Beginning with a trick where he made a skull and crossbones appear on a flaming black cloth, he then proceeded to produce a number of birds, caged and uncaged, from under a number of cloths and silks. The birds were pretty and the productions were solid, but Alpha didn't up his game enough. His audition started slowly but ended well. His live performance started well, but ran out of steam as it progressed. The endless bird productions got a bit repetitive, and, in what has been a common problem for many magicians in Incroyable Talent, a number of interesting props stood in the background, adding to the mise-en-scene, but went unused, even though they could have been the basis for some great tricks. The assistant was also kept in the background, merely handing out silks and handkerchiefs. In short, Alpha lacked the scale and spectacle he needed to impress. Whilst I appreciate he's a close-up magician, the best close-up magicians (e.g former Incroyable Talent finalist Florian) are more creative, more imaginative and more professional. Alpha's presentation was good, but there was little imagination or excitement, and many of his productions can be figured out if you think about them for long enough.


WHAT DID THE JUDGES SAY?

The Judges all claimed that Alpha fooled them, but had little else to say.

HOW DID ALPHA DO?

Despite the judge's praise,the viewers were unimpressed by Alpha, and he was eliminated.

Incroyable Talent Semi Finals- Dressing Flash

Dressing Flash were the first magic act to compete in the live shows in this year's series of Incroyable Talent.


HOW DID THEY DO?

Dressing Flash's live show routine was an improvement on their audition, because it had more personality, and incorporated skills outside of Quick Change. However, it was still a weak performance. The duo did a routine to a medly of James Bond themesongs including "Goldeneye" "Diamonds Are Forever" and "You Know My Name". There was plenty of clothes changing, but the majority of the routine was centered around a simple transpostion trick where the female member got into a box covered by a screen, appeared to remove her clothing, and vanished. The male member then appeared to walk through the box, before it was revealed that the two members had switched places- The woman was in the man's clothes, and the man was in the box.It ws a solid trick, but not particularly great. Some of the clothes changes were creative, but the routine failed to convince as a homage to James Bond- why didn't the male member wear the Tuxedo, White Shirt and Bow Tie combination associated with Bond? All in all, their performance was decent, but not great. Dressing Flash showed range and creativity, but not enough to stand out or impress the audience

WHAT DID THE JUDGES SAY?

Dressing Flash  recieved to X's from judges Sophie Edelstein (Herself a magician) and Gilbert Rozon. Sophie felt that the costume changes were unconvincing and that she had seen it all before, whilst Gilbert felt they weren't ready yet. Fellow judge Dave, though, praised their performance.

DID THEY GO THROUGH?

Unsurprisingly, given the judges negative comments, Dressing Flash failed to make the next round.

La France A Un Incroyable Talent- Semifinals Preview

La France A Un Incroyable Talent, the French equivalent of Britain's got Talent and America's Got Talent,  has returned to French screens for its Seventh Series. The Live shows are about to start, and four magic acts are among the thirty who have been selected to compete for the 100,000 euro prize. They are...

1. Theo Dari

Theo Dari is not a traditional illusionist. Instead of cards and boxes, his act is exclusively focused on laser manipulation. It is daring and unique, and Theo looks to be a major favourite at this point. But how can he take the act to the next level?

    2. The Angels

An all-female Magic and Dance act, previously seen of the Dutch version of the show, The Angels are not the first all-female magic act seen on Incroyable Talent (the previous female magicians to make the live shows were Series 5's Julia Webb and Series 6's Amelie And Sylvie, neither of whom lived up to the promise of their auditions), but they still stand out as unique, coming across as a group of assistants taking control of their own act. The tricks they performed at the audition were strong and the delivery excellent. Dads and young women are likely of voting for this act, which could help them do well in the competition, but they need to really deliver in the live shows to earn this support.

   3. Dressing Flash

Dressing Flash are a quick-change duo similar to David And Dania from Americas Got Talent, and Soul Mystique from Australia's Got Talent. Their act is well presented, but Quick Change is not as new to Incroyable Talent as it was to the Aforementioned shows (Amelie and Sylvie specialised in Quick-Change too), and, anyway, Dressing Flash don't appear to be particularly original or exciting. Will they be able to up their game and stand out against bigger and flashier acts?

   4. Alpha

Alpha impressed in his audition with a small-scale but impressive trick involving floating fireballs. Though the beginning of the trick was slow and not very convincing, it improved as it went along, with an excellent finish. The presentation was strong, but Alpha is neither as grand nor as contemporary as his immediate rivals. His live performance needs to be flawless if he wants to compete for the title.

To find out how these acts, plus their fellow competitors, fare in the Live shows, be sure to check out our blog over the next few weeks.

AMERICAS GOT TALENT SEMIFINALS-PUCK

For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers

With Eric Dittelman's failure to make the finals, Puck became the last magic act left in Americas Got Talent

How Did Puck Do?

Puck upped his game considerably for the semifinals. Beginning by having Howard sign his handkerchief from the previous performance, he made it float into his hand, then tied it to his assistant's wrist, proving that the ensuing performance did not use a double. He then did the Asrah Levitation, where he covered his assistant and levitated her, before the cloth fell away and proved she'd vanished. He then simultaneously made her reappear in a box, handkerchief still tied to her hand. It may have not been the best illusion seen on the show this season, but at least Puck no longer looked out of place compared with the rest of this year's semifinalists, or the rest of this year's magicians.

What Is The Competition Like?

In terms of quality, Puck is in the middle of the field.Comedian Jacob Williams, who appeared so impressive in earlier rounds, flopped, whilst Mariachi singer Sebastien "El Charro de Oro" was bland and forgettable. All Wheel Sports made mistakes, but their cluttered act was never likely of going through anyway. Clint Carvalho and his Extreme Parrots did several cute parrot tricks, but never look like serious contenders. Shanice and Maurice weren't at their best, and All That were good, but not great. However, five acts look like contenders for the final. The Untouchables incorporated quick-change magic into their dance routine, whilst Light Wire Theater used Matrix-type effects for their blacklight pupeteering act. Tim Hockenberry is the best singer left in the competition, whilst Olate Dogs gave a high-energy routine that went down well with the judges and audience. Lastly, David Garabladi and His CMYK's did some excellent performance painting.

What are Puck's Chances?

If five acts were to have gone through like in previous years, Puck's chances of advancing would be moderate. However, with only three going through, his chances are fairly slim

Americas Got Talent Semifinal 1- Eric Dittelman

For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers

Unfortunately, Spencer Horsman didn't make the semifinals, despite his near-perfect wildcard performance. However, Eric Dittelman and Puck did make the semifinals. Eric Dittelman (Now simply referred to as "Dittelman" by the show and viewers) was first up, competing in the first of the two semifinals.

How Did Dittelman do?

  

For his semifinal performance, Dittelman used judge Howard Stern as his volunteer. Using the Self-portrait Howard had drawn in his Audition, Dittelman got him to color various parts of the picture in with marker pens of several different colors. As Howard did this, Dittelman did a brief self-working mentalism trick with his audience, where he got them to think of two primary shapes inside one another and revealed which two the audience were thinking of. After Howard finished coloring in, Dittelman revealed a prediction of which colors Howard would use where. This was another effective and original piece of mentalism. I would love to see Dittelman in the final.

What did The Judges say?

Sharon and Howie both gave Dittelman a standing ovation. Sharon called him "Fascinating". Howie called him "Amazing" and praised him for drawing the audience in. Howard said his performance was more entertaining then his last ones and that he deserved to go through.

What is the Competition Like?

Dittelman has two problems which could hurt his chances of making the final. First of all, this is a very competitive semifinal. Second of all, only three acts can go through instead of the five who normally make the next round. The judges were very critical this week, with favorites like Andrew De Leon, Turf and Academy of Villains receiving negative comments that could really damage their chances. Donovan and Rebecca, Bria Kelly and Todd Oliver fared well with the judges, but aren't likely to gain many votes from those not part of their fan base. Edon wasted his talents on a One Direction song, whilst The Scott Brothers were precise and energetic, but not memorable, and Joe Castillo doesn't look like he'll make it through with such intense competition and such tough opponents. Tom Cotter has a strong fanbase, but I have never found him particularly funny. The best act of the night, however, was instrumentalist William Close, who was a exciting and creative as usual.

What are Dittelman's Chances?

Dittelman fared very well with the judges and viewers and has a moderate-to-high chance of overcoming his tough competition and making the final.

AMERICAS GOT TALENT WILDCARD ROUND- Spencer Horsman Vs. Jarrett and Raja

For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers

In the Americas Got Talent Wildcard round, escapologist Spencer Horsman and musical illusionists Jarrett and Raja were among the twelve acts competing for the last spots in the Semifinals. 

How did Spencer and Jarret And Raja do?

Spencer Horsman went back to doing what he does best-escapology. For his performance, he was chained into a steel-suit restraint by 8 padlocks and placed in a giant glass tank, which was filled with wet cement. He managed to escape before he drowned, and best of all, escaped in style. The threat was real and the escape was genuine.It was a real return to form and I'd love to see what Spencer can do in the next round.

Jarrett and Raja also returned to form, as they did a trick similar to the one they did in Vegas. Here, Raja got into a box with a large piano inside and played it as Jarrett shut the box and it was lifted into the air. After a pause, the box was blown open to reveal that Raja and the piano had vanished from the box and reappeared in the audience. Though it wasn't particularly original or hard to figure out, I liked the creative presentation and I think that they can at least leave the competition with their heads held high.

What did the Judges say?

Spencer Horsman received a standing ovation from the judges. Howard, who chose him, called his act "Entertaining and Interesting",and praised the sense of danger to the performance. Sharon said he "Definitely Delivered" and had clearly improved from last time. Howie said he heeded the criticism he had been given in the liveshows and exceeded expectations.

Jarrett and Raja were also praised for their performance. Howie, who chose them, said their performance was "Great" and said he couldn't wait to see what they would do in the next round. Howard said the duo "Redeemed themselves" and said their trick was "the kind of illusion I'd pay to see". Sharon called them "Spectacular" and claimed they delivered.

What was the Competition like?

The wildcard heat was the most competitive night of the series so far, with no X's given, although some acts can be ruled out right away. Cristin Sandu fell off his Rola-bola tower again, Horse has reached the end of the road , Jake Wesley Rogers was dull and forgettable, and All That and Lindsey Norton didn't really stand out in my opinion. The other six acts all have a good chance of making the semifinals. The Bandbaz Brothers did a very dangerous balancing act that went to plan, but it was too short and too shaky. Todd Oliver blended the topical material Howard recommended with his family-friendly sensibilities, and his political routine had a couple of laughs. Sebastien "El Charro de Oro" did a Mariachi version of "New York, New York", and Ben Blaque shot an apple of his head blindfolded, a trick that has been tried before on Americas Got Talent, but not done this well. The only act certain of reaching the next round is Andrew De Leon, singled out as a potential winner by the judges.

What are Spencer and Jarrett And Raja's chances

Of the two, Spencer Horsman was better. His chances of making the next round are good, but his early performance slot might mean he might have to face the judges. Jarrett and Raja's chance's of making the next round are low, but the fact their performance went to plan is a success in itself.

AMERICAS GOT TALENT WILDCARD PREVIEW - Spencer Horsman Vs Jarrett and Raja

For British Viewers, This article may contain spoilers

The wildcard round in Americas Got Talent is often exciting for magic fans. The two most successful magicians in Americas Got Talent history, Michael Grasso and Landon Swank, both came through the wildcard round after initially being eliminated, and there is a real chance that could happen again this year. Two magic acts have been selected this year; Spencer Horsman and Jarrett and Raja. Both appeared to have serious potential going into the liveshows, but disappointed in their heats. This is an opportunity to make up for the mistakes they made then and reemerge as contenders

What Does Spencer Horsman Need To Do?

One of the reasons Spencer Horsman disappointed in the heats was the fact that he turned from an escapologist risking his life in front of millions to a magician pretending to risk his life in front of millions. This meant that, unlike his thrilling and dangerous performances in the audition rounds and Vegas, his live performance was devoid of suspense. If we all know he's going to make it out alive before the escape even starts, where's the fun in watching it? Spencer is not that bad a magician, but if he entered the show an escapologist, he should leave the show an escapologist. Anything else seems like a downgrade. Therefore, he needs to get back to escapology and give the most exciting performance he can. The viewers, myself included, love his escapology and want to see  him do the most exciting escape possible. If he does, a place in the next round is almost certain

What Do Jarrett and Raja Need To Do?

Jarrett and Raja are enjoyable to watch and undeniably creative- which is why it was such a shame to see them bomb in the heats. Good presentation means nothing if the secret is made too obvious, and it was frustrating to see a pair of seasoned professionals botch their trick, especially after having performed so well in Vegas. Therefore, what Jarrett and Raja need to do in the wildcard round is to rehearse thoroughly. If, in rehearsals, the Magic towels (Or whatever they'll use to conceal their trick this time) show the assistant's legs before they're supposed to reveal themselves, they need to spot the mistake and correct it before they go on air. Furthermore, they need to up their game. Producing a whole orchestra is hard to top, but they could at least give us a performance that doesn't feel like a light-hearted interlude in their show. They're not that likely of making the next round, but they should at least aim to finish on a high note (No pun intended).

Who will they be facing?

In the wildcard round, each judge chooses 4 acts. Howard chose Spencer Horsman, whilst Howie chose Jarrett and Raja. But who else has been chosen to compete?

1. Ben Blaque (Chosen By Howard) Ben Blaque's skills with a crossbow are impressive, but it's going to be hard for him to up his game, or turn his talent into an act.
2. Horse (Chosen By Howard) Watching Horse getting kicked in the groin was funny the first time, but it's already wearing very thin. No one in their right minds thinks this will make the next round.
3. Todd Oliver (Chosen By Howard) When ventriloquist Todd Oliver performed in the heats with his two dogs, Irving and Lucy, Howard recommended he use edgier, more topical material. It's good advice, but will Todd take it, especially as families are probably a huge part of his voting base?
4. All That! (Chosen By Sharon) Sharon liked All That! so much she picked them almost immediately after they lost the judge's vote in their heat. They're precise and energetic, but need to try and stand out more.
5. Lindsey Norton (Chosen By Sharon) Lindsey is a great gymnast, and might be spurred on by the success of the U.S gymnastics team at the Olympics, but can she make her routine more exciting?
6. Jake Wesley Rogers (Chosen By Sharon) Jake is a good singer, but his song choice wasn't great last time, and he may struggle to stand out against more exciting and dangerous acts.
7. The Bandbaz Brothers (Chosen By Sharon) The Bandbaz brothers were eliminated at the very start of Vegas week, because they were less professional and more nervous than their immediate rivals. However, they have hopefully used the time since their elimination to practice hard. They are the unknown quantity of the line-up.
8. Sebastien "El Charro de Oro (Chosen by Howie) Sebastien is talented, but Mariachi singing is unlikely to impress the majority of viewers, so he might struggle for votes.
9. Cristin Sandu (Chosen By Howie) In his heat, Cristin fell off his Rola-bola tower as he was mounting it. He didn't get hurt, but it was a disappointment to see him fail. This time, he needs to make sure his routine goes to plan, and he needs to up his game as well. Is there more to his act besides balancing on Rola-bola's?
10. Andrew De Leon (Chosen By Howie) The act to beat before his shock elimination in Vegas, Opera singer Andrew De Leon is undoubtedly a favorite to go far. But, with the likes of Tim Hockenberry and William Close earning high praise from viewers and judges alike in the heats, is Andrew as likely to win as previously thought?

What chances do Spencer and Jarrett and Raja have?

Based on previous performances and the nature of their competition, Spencer's chances of making the next round are good, whilst Jarrett and Raja's chances are low, but it all hinges on their wildcard performances

AMERICAS GOT TALENT YOUTUBE SHOW- Rudy Coby and Puck

For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers 

After a three-week break, Americas got Talent returned with the Youtube heat. Among the twelve acts were   Rudy Coby, the self-proclaimed "Coolest Magician on Earth", and  Close-up magician Puck. 

How did Rudy and Puck Do?

Rudy Coby proved to be yet another disappointing magic act. Like Brett Daniels from last year's Youtube heat, he had a good strong trick,but failed due to substandard presentation. For his performance, Rudy put a small clown puppet in a box, then went to the side of the stage as a giant clown puppet appeared from the box. It cut the strings holding it with a sword, then went after Rudy, appearing to decapitate him. However, Rudy was revealed to have been the clown the whole time. Though this was a creative spin on a very cliched trick, too much time was spent watching the clown dance and cut itself free of the strings. Furthermore, the music ("Puppet Boy" by Devo) was inappropriate, and ruined any chance of generating the intended creepy atmosphere. The shorter version of this trick he submitted to Youtube was much better.

Puck, meanwhile, chose to do a close-up trick with a handkerchief. At first, his routine resembled the sort of cheap magic the judges routinely reject at the auditions. By the end though, as he made the handkerchief dart in and out of his pockets and leap out of a sealed glass bottle, Puck's routine had reached Vegas Week level. He was the best of tonight's magicians.

What Did the Judges Say?

Rudy Coby received 2 X's from Howard and Sharon and was booed by some of the audience. Howard criticized the overlong build-up, telling Rudy "You can't waste that much time. The audience gets bored." . Howie, however, praised the act's unique nature. Sharon, like Howard, criticized the bad timing and Rudy's dress sense.

Puck, on the other hand, gained a better reception. Howard praised Puck's presentation, but said he needed "More wow factor". Howie told Puck "You have Talent and you have luck" referring to the less-the-stellar competition. Sharon echoed Howard and Howie's comments. All three expressed hope that Puck would go through.

What was the competition like?

This was one of the worst live shows in Americas Got Talent History. In one show, we saw almost as many X's as we saw in the last four weeks. Novelty Act Eric Buss, who released spring snakes to music, air guitarist Romeo Dance Cheetah and instrumentalist Cast in Bronze were particularly bad. Also failing were bland rock group Reverse Order, the slow and boring 7 in Unison,  and unfunny comedienne Melinda Hill. Several of the Youtube candidates shown on the Americas Got Talent website but not selected, such as Myoa Band, Brett Druck , Dayana Seitz, and Bambi Van Burch (Another magician), were FAR better then this lot. However, the act that won the viewer's vote, singer Drew Erwin, wasn't great either, trading in the unique song choice we saw in his audition video for a dull and generic one ("Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia") . Apart from Puck, there were only three acts noteworthy for the right reasons: Clint Carvalho, trained a parrot to fly from the top of a nearby hotel, into the theatre, and onto the stage, exceeding the expectations set by his dull and generic audition video. Bria Kelly is inexperienced, but has plenty of potential. Last of all were the only act in the whole episode who looked like they really deserved a place in the live shows, let alone the top 24; Academy of Villains, who blended energy and creativity with a routine that easily trumped last years most successful Youtube act, West Springfield Dance Academy. Rudy Coby and Puck were not among the worst acts of the night, but neither would have made the live shows if they had auditioned the conventional way.

What are Rudy and Puck's chance's

Rudy Coby has almost no chance of making the next round, but, in the face of such lackluster competition, Puck is guaranteed at least a spot in the top 5. He really has to up his game next time, though.

Americas Got Talent Live show 4- Eric Dittelman

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

HOW DID ERIC DO?

The magic acts in the live shows of Americas Got Talent this year have generally been either disappointing (Jarrett and Raja, Spencer Horsman) or just mediocre (Hawley Magic). But not Eric Dittelman. For his live performance, he did a trick inspired by judge Howie Mandel's show "Deal or No Deal". He had Howie choose a single suitcase out of a possible 16. He then had Howard and Sharon remove half the suitcases, before inviting Howie to change his suitcase for one of the eight remaining ones, which he did. Eric soon revealed that the case Howie now had was the only one of the 16 with "You will choose this Case" inside. He then revealed a sealed envelope, which contained a message that correctly predicted Howie's choice. Eric really upped his game with a more elaborate trick and a unique, appropriate, and professional presentation. He could get really far in this competition.

WHAT DID THE JUDGES SAY?

All three judges gave Eric a standing ovation. Howard said Eric kept getting "Better and Better and Better" each time and added "If America doesn't vote for him, there must be something wrong with the show". Howie called him "The real deal". Sharon finished by calling the performance incredible and saying "The whole of America will be talking about [You] tomorrow morning".

WHAT IS THE COMPETITION LIKE?

This was probably one of the most competitive Americas Got Talent heats ever. As well as Eric, two other acts gained standing ovations from the whole panel; innovative musician William Close (together with his Earth Harp Collective) was singled out as a potential winner, and dog act Olate Dogs went down well with the judges and audience despite a couple of minor mistakes. Apart from them, It's anyone's guess. Ulysses can be ruled out, however, as he gained three X's, having spent the series wasting his strong voice on an awful TV theme-tune gimmick. Horse took more blows to the genitals, and was amusing, but his act is more suited to a 10-minute office break on YouTube then a Vegas stage. Singer-and-guitarist duo Eric & Oliva are talented but bland. Series 1 veterans All That are one of the best dance acts in the competition, but risk being overshadowed by their opponents, as do Unity in Motion, a dance and contortion act who attempted to copy moves from recently-confirmed semifinalist Turf in a bid to stand out. Lindsey Norton is a solo gymnast with an act similar to Unity in Motion's. She is talented, but should head to London rather then Vegas. Human cannonball David "The Bullet" Smith is incredibly talented, and I liked his American Football theme, but his act, like so many others this week, is not suitable for Vegas. Sand artist Joe Castilo is talented and innovative, but his environment-themed routine may have turned off as many as it impressed, something you cannot afford to do in this heat. Finally, Mariachi singer Sebastien "El Charro de Oro" is talented and may gain support from a Latin fan base, but seems to be a little too young and unusual for many voter's tastes. In short, most of these acts would have easily made it through in any of the other heats (Especially the first and third ones), but here, their future looks a lot less certain.

WHAT ARE HIS CHANCES?

The competition may be tough, but Eric stood out and gained enough praise from judges and viewers to make his chances of advancing very good indeed.

Australia's Got Talent 6 Final - Soul mystique

Despite their tough opposition, Soul Mystique made the final as a judges choice. There, they pulled out all the stops in a bid to win the A$250,000 prize

What did they do?

For the final, Soul Mystique started with a mime routine, then gave us all sorts of clothes changes. They included a giant box which made them disappear, then reappear with different clothes, and all sorts of colourful cloths, suits and dresses. They finished by changing into wedding clothes amidst a shower of confetti. In short, an impressive performance. Soul Mystique have certainly came a long way since they first appeared in series 1, but have they come far enough to win a more competitive series?


What did the judges say?


All three judges gave Soul Mystique a standing ovation. Danni called them "Incredible" and said she couldn't figure their routine out. Kyle called it "spectacular" and praised the increased amount of clothes changes compared to previous routines. Finally, Brian praised the unique nature of the act and called it "mind boggling".


What is the competition like?

Unlike last years series, which was dominated by eventual winner Jack Vidgen,  there are no clear favourites this year, although the amazing gymnastics act Odyssey look the most likely to win. Also looking good are country rock band The Wolfe Brothers and singer-songwriters Joe Moore and Andrew De Silva, of whom the latter, with his more contemporary approach and devoted fan-base, looks the more likely winner. Dance crew Kookies N Kream and beat boxer Genesis are outsiders, but might fare well in the vote. Even stripper Dylan Yeandle, who looks out of place in the final, has a strong fan-base and can't be ruled out. Anyone could win this year.

What are their chances?


As a judges choice in the most competitive of the two Semifinals, Soul Mystique's chances of winning appear to be only moderate, but a strong performance and a solid fan-base mean they could spring an upset. I have a feeling they will be in the top 5 at least. 

Americas Got Talent live show 3-Spencer Horsman

For British Viewers, this article may contain spoilers


How did Spencer do?

It is common for magic acts to disappoint in the live shows, but Spencer Horsman's failure was especially frustrating, not least because, out of the four magic acts put through to the live shows, he had the most potential. For his live performance, Spencer was put in an iron straitjacket, then loaded into a mailbag, and hoisted in a box over a bed of spikes. He had 45 seconds to escape before he was dropped on the spikes. On paper, this seemed like a brilliant stunt, but Spencer made one major mistake; he chose to do the escape in shadow beneath a sheet, hiding it and turning him from the escapologist he had been in the auditions and Vegas into a magician. This meant that, unlike with his previous performances, there was never any doubt he would escape unharmed, even when he appeared to drop onto the spikes early. Furthermore, even as a magic trick, it wasn't difficult to figure out, due to the excessive amount of time spent locking Spencer inside the bag. Following Jarrett and Raja from two weeks ago, Spencer became the second magic act this year to be booed by the hard-to-please audience.


What did the judges say?


Sharon felt that the act was clever, but felt Spencer spent too much time wiggling in the bag, making the trick look boring, Howard was annoyed that he couldn't see Spencer behind the screen. Howie, however, put it best, however, when he said it "became A magic trick rather then an escape" and called it confusing


What was the competition like?


The heat was full of risky acts that could have either succeeded or failed. Most of them, however, did the latter: Rock Star Juggler Mike Price dropped a pin midway through his act, whilst Inspire the Fire lacked the personality of previous performances. Balancer Cristin Sandu's rola-bola tower collapsed within seconds of him climbing it. Jake Wesley Rogers sang a boring version of "Toxic", All Wheel Sports and their blend of biking, skating, trampolining, and cheerleading, were as cluttered as usual. Jacob Williams wasn't as funny as he was in previous rounds, whilst drag queen All Beef Patty was more boring then expected. The other four acts were solid, but with the exception of glow-in-the-dark puppeteers Light Wire Theater, none stood out. Elusive was a talented dancer, but is likely to be upstaged by other, better acts. The Untouchables, an offshoot of last years finalists Miami All-stars were as technically proficient as their predecessors, but, if they go through, will owe their place to a lack of adequate competition. Finally, rap-rock group Wordspit the Illest sang an original song, but were criticised for being too unconventional.


What are his chances?


Due to his highly disappointing performance, Spencer's chances of making the next round are pretty low.

Australias Got Talent series 6 semifinals-Soul Mystique

Australias got Talent is back in full swing, with the final drawing ever closer. Three magic acts made the live shows, but whilst comedy illusionist Pip and mentalist Anthony Laye didn't get through, quick-change duo Soul Mystique made the semifinals.

How Did they do?

Soul Mysique had a burlesque theme for their semi-final performance, and utilised jets of smoke, feathers and clothes racks for their costume changes. Whilst quick change is a pretty narrow field of magic, Soul Mystique's clothes changes were fresh and original. Unlike their equivalents from Americas Got Talent, David and Dania, who essentially repeated their audition performance throughout their run on the show,  Soul Mystique do something different and impressive each time.

What did the judges say?

Danni Minouge called it "Beautiful" and praised Soul Mystique for upping their game. Kyle Sadilands called it "fascinating" and hoped the duo made the final. Todd Mckenney, standing in for judge Brian Mcfadden, said he was "A mad fan", but voiced the only critisism, wondering if the busy nature of the act made some of the changes less spectacular. The performance also went down very well with the audience and host Grant Denyer

What is the competition like?

To reach the final, Soul Mystique will have to beat some tricky opposition. Three acts stood out in particular. Flowers For Midnight did an excellent version of "With a little help from my friends", The Nelson Twins are the funniest comedy act ever seen on Australias Got Talent, and Kookies N Kream could follow in the footsteps of previous champions Justice Crew. The other four acts weren't as good, but have significant fanbases. George and Noriko are a unique east-meets-west guitar act, The Wolfe Brothers sang an original song, Rhys Tolhurst is a young crooner with a strong voice, and Andrew De Silva is a very modern singer-songwriter. Unfortunately for Soul Mystique, this is the stronger of the two semifinals (they are one of six acts in this heat who got through by public vote)

What are their Chances?

Soul Mystique's Chances of reaching the final are only moderate, due to their tricky opposition, but they certainly deserve a place there

Americas Got Talent live show 2 - Hawley Magic

For British viewers, this article may contain spoilers

How Did Hawley Magic do?

For his live performance, magician Johnathan Hawley performed a version of the "Impaled" illusion. He balanced his assistant horizontally on a sword in the middle of the stage. He span her on the tip of the sword,  but she appeared to be impaled by it. However, Johnathan revived her and lifted her off the sword with barely a scratch. Like most of Hawley magic's tricks thus far, it was pretty routine, but, as far as I know, hasn't been done on Americas got talent before (At least not in this form). The presentation was humdrum, but the trick was executed flawlessly.

What Did The Judges Say?

Howard said Hawley Magic's illusion was strong, but called the presentation "Old school". However, he said it was an improvement on their Vegas performance. Sharon, though, felt the presentation was dated. Howie agreed with Howard and Sharon on the presentation,but said the trick was "Tremendous".

What Was The Competition Like?

The level of talent this week was stronger then last week, which is bad news for Hawley Magic. Whilst the talentless Big Barry can safely be ruled out, and The Lisa Clark Dancers, Aurora Light Painters and The All Ways disappointed, the other seven acts all have a chance  LionDanceMe were technically impressive, but came across as boring, and their act seems limited. Dancer and contortionist Turf is very talented, but needs to turn his two talents into an audience-pleasing act. Danielle Stallings gave a decent performance. Last week, she would have definitely gone through, but this week, her place in the next round looks uncertain. Comedian Tom Cotter applied his edgy and outrageous approach to common expressions. He was mildly amusing, but never laugh-out-loud funny. Finally, crossbow artist Ben Blacque made no mistakes,but prop malfunctions (A balloon he hit failed to burst properly) and the limited nature of his act could cost him.The other two acts, however, will almost certainly make it through. Acrobats Donovan and Rebecca performed an electrifying Ariel routine, whilst Tim Hockenberry applied his distinctive voice to a Katy Perry song and was as good as ever.

What are their chances?

Due to the mixed comments and strong competition, Hawley magic's chances of getting through to the next round are low.

Americas Got Talent Live show 1- Jarrett and Raja

For British viewers, this article may contain spoilers

How did Jarrett and Raja do?

Jarrett and Raja did a modern spin on the Spirit Pyramid trick. As Raja played "Singing in the Rain", Jarrett sang along, then went into a shower cubicle. He produced two assistants from under bath towels, before vanishing from the cubicle to reveal himself under a third towel. The cubicle was reopened to reveal Raja inside. The presentation was unique and interesting. However, it was marred by mistakes, with two particularly large problems: First, we could clearly see the legs of the assistants and Jarrett under the towels, and second, we didn't see Raja at all from the his introduction at the start of the performance to when he appeared in the shower. For all we know, he could have walked from the piano or gone down a trapdoor in plain sight. The latter mistake was probably due to the TV crew focusing on Jarrett, but it doesn't help the duo much, particularly as the errors they made led to a large section of the audience booing them. In short, their performance was very disappointing, and also frustrating, as, had a few mistakes been spotted and corrected in rehearsals, they would have came across a lot better to the audience, the judges, and the viewers at home

What did the judges say?. 

The judges generally criticized Jarrett and Raja's performance. Howard Stern said he felt "People thought they could figure out how to do that" and said they needed to bring "The pizzazz [they] had over in Vegas". Sharon Osbourne said it was "Cheesy" and that the duo needed "Longer towels". Howie Mandel disagreed with Howard, Sharon and the audience, saying "It was a good trick" and praising the showering theme.

What is their competition like?

With the exception of Michael Nejad, who created instruments out of household objects and got 3 X's, Jarrett and Raja's competition was superior, though generally mediocre. The Distinguished Men of Brass would be great in a parade, but don't seem to be real competitors. Ventriloquist and animal trainer Todd Oliver was criticized for his weak material, whilst Niki Jensen didn't do as well as she did in Vegas. The Scott Brothers and Edon were talented but unspectacular, whilst Lil Star was felt to be too young and inexperienced. American BMX Stunt Team and 787 Crew fared well with the crowd and judges, but appeared to take a conservative approach after making mistakes in Vegas. The best performances of the night were from the charming and talented father-daughter duo Shanice and Maurice Hayes and energetic dancing painters David Garibaldi and his CMYKS.

What are their chances?

Due to the bad reception from the audience and the judges, Jarrett and Raja's chances of making the next round are very slim indeed. 

Americas Got Talent- Vegas Round

For British Viewers, This article may contain Spoilers

Over Vegas week, seven magic acts competed to gain a spot in the live shows. But who went through?

1. Judges Favourites

Mentalist Eric Dittelman started things off by predicting the name of a (Fictional ) first crush of Sharon's, terrifying and amazing her and the rest of the judges. He was followed by two more traditional illusionists. Taylor Reed gave it his all and made a helicopter appear, whilst, on the other end of the price scale, the previously unseen Justin Riviera did a cut-price version of the "Modern Art" illusion with cardboard boxes. The presentation was interesting, but he made mistakes which spoiled the trick. Last up was Spencer Horsman, who escaped from a water tank in what was probably the scariest performance in all of Vegas Week (In the best possible way)

2. StandBys

Hawley Magic started proceedings with a double levitation. This was a clever spin on the classic illusion, but it wasn't particularly original or hard to figure out. Mentalist Giani followed and disappointed. Although he predicted which Number, city and name the judges chose correctly, he misspelt the name of the Judges chosen city, "Millan" as "Billan". Last up were Jarrett and Raja (Who I mistakenly called "Dirk and Roger" in my previous article). Having barely scraped through the auditions, they had a lot to prove in Vegas, and their performance was a huge improvement on their auditions. Raja got into a large box and played a small piano. Jarrett closed it, spun the box around, and made a whole orchestra appear with Raja. Whilst we've seen this sort of trick several times before, the excellent presentation made it stand out for the better.

Who went Through?

A record 4 magicians were put through to the live shows. They were...

1. Eric Dittelman
2. Spencer Horsman
3. Hawley Magic
4. Jarrett and Raja

I wish them all the best of luck in the live shows!

AMERICAS GOT TALENT-VEGAS WEEK

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS ,THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Americas Got Talent has reached the Vegas bootcamp stage again, and, as usual, a large number of magicians have made it through to compete for a spot in the top 48. 5 magic acts had their auditions televised, either in full or as part of a montage, and there will probably be more waiting to compete with them in Las Vegas. The five acts we saw were...

1. Dirk and Roger (Dirk and Roger are the first act in this montage)

Dirk and Roger impressed the judges with their unusual routine, which blended old-fashioned stage magic with piano playing. Their act is unusual and creative, but doesn't seem very exciting, and might not have the same potential as other acts.

2. Johnathan Hawley (Johnathan Hawley is the second act in this montage)

Johnathan Hawley had a strong stage presence, but his two tricks, making an assistant appear inside a cage and switching places with her from within a clear box, were strictly run-of-the-mill. Hopefully he should up his game, but will he be able to stand out in Vegas?

3. Spencer Horseman

26 year-old magician and escapologist Spencer Horseman wowed and terrified the crowd, escaping from a straitjacket upside-down before a spike trap could close in on him. Australia's Got Talent finalist Cosentino waited until the final to perform this trick. If this is just Spencer's audition, I can't wait to see what he will do in Vegas.

4. Eric Dittelman

Eric Dittelman is the first known Mentalist  featured on Americas Got Talent (Although Landon Swank used mentalism in his Semi-final performance last year). Like most Mentalism acts, his routine is very hard to figure out, but not particularly showy. The unique nature of his act more then compensates for this though.

5. Taylor Reed (Taylor is the third act in this montage)

Taylor Reed's magic trick was hard to figure out and well-presented. It was also fairly traditional, however, which is why we didn't see much more of him. He is a real dark horse, but needs to do something truly unforgettable to get far.

To find out how these acts have fared in Vegas, and which ones have made the liveshows, visit this blog again soon.

Britains Got Talent Liveshows - Brnolf and Ljung

Magicians Brynolf and Ljung performed in the 4th Semifinal of Britains Got Talent. They started their routine by having judge Alesha Dixon pick a DVD at Random- Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. They then did a host of tricks themed around this choice- They made a group of violinists appear, playing the Harry Potter theme song. They then put together two boards standing on the side of the stage throughout to reveal a picture of  Harry Potter's Glasses. Brynolf then appeared to go up on a platform with the violinists, but then appeared at the front of the stage next to Ljung, with a Harry Potter lookalike in place. The performance was not perfect, but it was too slick and entertaining to matter. Though there is little competition, they are the best magic act Britains Got Talent has had so far. The judges agreed, with even Simon Cowell admitting he "Literally went "Wow" when you did that". Although Brynolf and Ljung didn't quite make the final, they still did the magic community proud.

Britains Got Magicians

Got Talent season is starting early this year, and, as a result, Britains Got Talent has entered the live shows three weeks earlier than usual. Among the 45 acts competing for the top prize of a place in the Royal variety show are a pair of Swedish magicians, Peter Brynolf and Jonas Ljung. Magicians haven't normally fared well on Britains Got Talent ( With the exception of David and Karen from last year's series), but Brynolf and Ljung were finallists on the Swedish version in 2009, and appeared on Penn and Teller: Fool Us last year. In the auditions, Brynolf and Ljung performed the same trick with which they fooled Penn and Teller-"The World's Most Difficult Card Trick". In it, Ljung covered Brynolf's head in duct tape. Brynolf tried to select a chosen card from the deck, but appeared to fail (In impatience, judges Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon X'd them, but rescinded the X's after the performance). Brynolf then removed the tape from his head and revealed the signed card in his mouth. The performance was great, and they deserve their place in the top 45, but can they keep it up and make the final?

What they need to do

1. Continue to up their game. For their semi-final performance, they will need to do something big and stand out. When on Sweden's Got Talent, however, they went backwards, doing a water tank trick in their audition, but finishing off with what was merely thumbtip magic. They will need to avoid this to stand a chance against their competition, which includes several talented singers and dance acts
2. Avoid being X'd, Even a single X can really damage an act's chances. The judges (especially Simon) dislike cliched magic acts, so Brynolf and Ljung will have to remain exciting and unique to stay in the game.

My Prediction

Brynolf and Ljung are the dark horses of their heat. If they do really well, they might spring a suprise and make the final.

The Magicians-Episode 6

In the final episode of the series, our magicians really pulled out the stops, as we saw all sorts of wonderful tricks. But only one magician could win...

Jason Latimer + George Sampson (Streetdancer and Actor)

LIVE GRAND: Latimer and George manipulated water, shaping it into balls and a couple of roses. They then made several fountains of water appear, as George finished with a dance routine. Hard to figure out and very original

STREET GRAND: George vanished 5 volunteers inside a moving lorry, and Latimer made them appear inside another lorry just in front. An amazing trick, and very hard to figure out.

STREET CLOSE: At Manchester airport, George turned several foreign banknotes into British ones, and Latimer turned a leaflet into more money. The presentation was good, but the trick was routine.

LIVE CLOSE: George and Latimer vanished a volunteers ring. They then showed a prediction box suspended in an elastic cord. They removed it, anticipating that the ring would be in the box, but it wasn't. Instead, the ring was revealed as holding up the elastic. A clever spin on a classic trick that made it just a little bit harder to figure out.

Pete Firman + Joe Swash (TV personality)

LIVE GRAND: Pete cooked a chicken using magic, then turned Joe into an over-tanned old man with a malfunctioning tanning machine. A funny and entertaining trick

STREET GRAND: In an aquarium, Pete got into a tank, and predicted a fish thought of by the volunteer. He then walked through the glass without causing any damage to the glass or leaking water. Quite hard to figure out, especially in the controlled environment

STREET CLOSE: Pete and Joe did a spin on the Card in window trick. They had a volunteer pick a card, and a card in a shop window turned itself over to match the chosen card. They then had another card picked, and made that card switch places with the one in the window. A good trick, well performed.

LIVE CLOSE: Pete ate a maggot and made it appear in his eye. Yuck!

Barry and Stuart + Ed Byrne (Comedian)

LIVE GRAND: Barry and Stuart made Ed appear from a shadow box. They then repeated the trick, with a split screen showing the views from in front and behind (This view exposed the workings of the trick). However, this time, two assistants had appeared in the box with Ed. An amusing trick, but the twist was not hard to figure out.

STREET GRAND: After doing a cut and restored rope trick with the rope holding a balloon. Ed went onto a ledge for a bungee jump. Barry and Stuart cut the rope, but it restored itself, preventing Ed from hitting the ground. A great spin on an old favourite.

STREET CLOSE: Barry and Stuart had a volunteer choose a card and sign it. They then put it in an air cannon. As Ed raced past on a minibike, they fired the cannon, and the signed card appeared in Ed's visor. A pretty creative trick.

LIVE CLOSE: Barry and Stuart did mentalism with piranhas. First of all, they revealed a volunteers chosen animal by chewing holes in a slice of meat to form its name. They then had a volunteer pick a question from a trivial pursuit card at random. Barry put his hand into the tank, and the piranha bites formed the answer to the chosen question. Amusing and original, but some aspects of the trick are easy to figure out on repeated viewings (The way Barry holds his bitten hand makes it look fake)

Were there any guests?

Hans Klok, star of Last years Palladium magic show, beat his own record with a staggering 12 tricks in 5 minutes (The world record is 15, set by JC Sum and Magic Babe Ning in Singapore in 2009) He did the following tricks...

1. Appearing from a levitated cardboard box
2. Making an assistant appear in a glass tube
3. Making another assistant appear in a chair
4. Making a third assistant appear in a cage
5. Switching places with an assistant chained to a wall
6. Tuning a giant diamond into another assistant
7. Switching places with an assistant from inside a locked box
8. Card Manipulations
9. Switching places with an assistant from inside a glass box
10. Vanishing an assistant in a chair
11. Making a fifth assistant appear from thin air
12. Switching places with an assistant from inside a locked box suspended in midair

Pretty impressive, huh?

Who Did the Forfeit?

Latimer was announced as the winner of the episode (And the overall winner of the series, with three victories) Whilst Barry and Stuart lost and had to do the forfeit for the first time this series. Barry and Ed bent an iron bar with their teeth, before Stuart took Barry's place and broke an arrow held against his neck.

What did I think of this Series?

This series of the magicians was great. The live format worked, the performers were great, but above all, the tricks were superb. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have.

The Magicians-Episode 5

In the penultimate episode of The Magicians, we had another impressive array of tricks, including a unique taste test, a disappearing donkey, and a portal to America. But who won and who ended up having to do another dangerous forfeit?

Pete Firman + Arlene Phillips (Choreographer/ Former Strictly Come Dancing Judge)

LIVE GRAND: Arlene got into a box with a compressible inside, which Pete put two brooms into and compressed, revealing the box to be empty. Arlene then appeared in the audience. A simple but solid trick with good presentation, though not great.

LIVE CLOSE: Pete vanished a signed card and made it appear beneath a volunteer. Said volunteer was posing as the magician, and the cards Pete used were too large to palm easily. A very hard trick to figure out.

STREET GRAND: On Weymouth beach, Pete and Arlene made a donkey vanish in a tent and reappear on the pier. Another clever trick, which was amusing and quirky.

STREET CLOSE: In an arcade, Pete and Arlene vanished a volunteer's ring and made it appear in a randomly chosen rubber duck. I like it, but the English seaside theme had already been used in Pete's donkey trick, making it a bit boring.

Barry and Stuart + John Torrode and Greg Wallace (Masterchef judges)

LIVE GRAND: A large scale version of the find-the-pea hustle game, where Barry and Stuart had a volunteer try and pick which of three giant cups had Greg's head under it. However, after a few games of it, Greg's head had vanished, and it was revealed that Greg had vanished completely from the cabinet the cups were on top of, to be replaced by John. Greg was in a nearby crate. It is a trick that is far better to watch then describe, and very hard to figure out.

LIVE CLOSE: A meh interactive trick, where they did the "Take x steps in this direction to a (Not actually) random choice" effect, and predicted the foodstuff chosen using this method with a fake barcode.

STREET GRAND: At the Tate Modern, Barry, Stuart and Greg vanished a volunteer's iPhone. It appeared in a bag held by John, who was suspended in a harness above the building. Very hard to figure out.

STREET CLOSE: At London's Medieval banquet, Greg mentally conferred the taste of food he was eating into the mouth of a blindfolded volunteer with only a stick of plain chewing gum in her mouth. A very original and effective trick.

Jason Latimer + Phill Tufnell (Cricketer and TV Personality)

LIVE GRAND: Latimer and Phill Did a walking-through-a-mirror trick, then produced a volunteer's distant cousin (Who lived in America). Another talking point trick. Whilst it was clear the volunteer was not chosen at random, the trick was still impressive, with the sides and base of the mirror being seemingly too narrow to accommodate a person.

LIVE CLOSE: A chosen card vanished from a deck and appeared in Latimers pocket. Latimer was in a glass booth for the whole trick. Not hard to figure out, but well presented.

STREET GRAND: Latimer and Phill  had a volunteer choose part of a specially painted mural, then revealed a correct prediction in a variety of ways: In a sealed canvas,on a cup, on a shirt... The one problem was the volunteer claiming to be unimpressed at the end (She felt she should have chosen a more distinct part of the mural). However, we can still tell she was amazed by it!

STREET CLOSE: Latimer linked rings worn by three volunteers in a wineglass. He unlinked them, then passed one onto the stem of a wineglass. Wow!

Who were the guests?

Les Chapeux Blancs, a French magic combining mime, black lights and imagination to perform a string of unique levitations, appearances, and vanishes. Best guest appearance so far!

What were the results?

Latimer got his second win, but Pete and Arlene were less lucky, having to do the forfeit, which this time, was pretty spectacular. An archer shot an arrow off Arlene's head, William Tell Style. If that wasn't enough, he did it on a revolving platform, as well as catching Arlene's ring, which he put in the apple, on the arrow. Cool.

NEXT WEEK: In the final episode of the series, streetdancer George Sampson, Comedian Ed Byrne, and TV personality Joe Swash join The Magicians. But will Barry and Stuart or Latimer get the most wins this series? And who will do the forfeit?

The Magicians- Episode 4

Episode 4 of The Magicians featured several card tricks, a piano and even a few animals. But who avoided the forfeit, the threat of which was emphasised even more then before (If that was possible), and who ended up having concrete smashed over their head?


Barry and Stuart + Tina Hobley (Television Actress)

LIVE GRAND: Tina got into one of two boxes, which was watched over by five blindfolded spectators.  everyone except them saw Tina got out of the box and went into another. However, when the "Trick" had finished and the spectators took their blindfold off, it was revealed that Tina had vanished from that box and reappeared in the first one! It was a little bit similar to the Ninja trick Latimer did  with David Hasselhoff a few weeks ago, but it was better because Barry and Stuart were funny, and Hobley is far less irritating then Hasselhoff

STREET CLOSE: Barry, Stuart and Tina made a frog vanish from their hands and appear in their mouths. It was a good trick at first, but they did it too often (We saw it done about 10 times, and they claim to have done it about 40 times during the day at the end of the video).

LIVE CLOSE: Barry performed the Bowl-o-Rama Illusion, making a bowling Ball appear from a sketch-pad.The dating patter was good, but it was just too much buildup to what is a good opening effect, but not an act in itself.

STREET GRAND: Barry and Stuart did a ghost hunting trick for a terrifying monster- Santa Claus ( It helps that the European portrayal of Santa is often pretty scary). There was vanishing milk and levitation, which made the performance effective.

Jason Latimer + Myleene Klass (Singer and Pianist)

LIVE GRAND: Latimer made Myleene vanish and reappear in a picture frame. In between, he brought a dress to life. It was a nice trick, but not great.

STREET CLOSE: In an ice rink, Latimer made a signed card vanish and reappear under the ice. A very clever and impressive trick

LIVE CLOSE: A card, with its features randomly chosen by three volunteers, was revealed by Latimer inside a sealed prediction box. Oldie but goodie.

STREET GRAND: Latimer and Myleene were cuffed together inside a cage which was lowered into the river. When it was brought back up, they had vanished and reappeared on a nearby bridge. Dangerous and spectacular.

Pete Firman and Adam Woodyat (Eastenders star)

LIVE GRAND: Pete and Adam did a medley of several tricks with a Vegas theme. They made a girl appear in a cage, pushed spikes through Pete's body, and did the Geometrix illusion, where they put three tubes through an assistant, and removed her from the box unharmed before making three more appear. A pretty amazing performance.

STREET CLOSE: Pete and Adam had a volunteer choose an animal, which appeared in a prediction box. A good trick, but it didn't wow me.

LIVE CLOSE: Pete and Adam performed the "Hospitality illusion, where they poured several random drinks from a single orange juice carton. Simple but really impressive

STREET GRAND: Pete and Adam performed a card trick with a deck of cards an 52 cars with a giant card printed on the roof. They had one spectator choose a card an a car, and revealed that the card in her hand and the one on top of the car matched. It was an inventive trick, but it could have gone further (For example, matching more people to the cards)

Were there any guests?

Quick-Change act David and Dania performed their act. Their routine was slightly different to the one I have seen online hundreds of times before, but not enough to really stand out for me, although the viewers who haven't seen their performance on Youtube probably enjoyed it a lot

Who Did the forfeit?

Pete and Adam won (The first victory for the Middlesbrough Magician) and Barry And Stuart and Tina Came second, Leaving Latimer and Myleene to walk over glass and have a concrete block broken over their heads. A tough forfeit, but not the scariest.

NEXT WEEK: A group of genuinely recognisable celebs join in the action, including Cricketer Phil Tufnell, Former Strictly come dancing judge Arlene Phillips, and Masterchef judges John Torrode and Greg Wallace.

The Magicians- episode 3

In This week's episode of The Magicians, One act walked on water, one turned water into wine, and one...Just dressed as a giant banana. But who avoided a forfeit?

Jason Latimer + Kimberly Wyatt (Pussycat Doll member and Got To Dance judge)

LIVE GRAND: Latimer levitated Kimberly on a table, as per standard, but then turned her and the table around 360 to prove that he wasn't using metal wires. It was a clever spin on the old favourite

STREET GRAND: The two walked on water in a fountain, with Latimer using the jets of water as steps. As good, maybe even better, then the version  of this trick Dynamo did for Magician Impossible in June.

STREET CLOSE:  Latimer and Kimberly Passed a straw and glass through a glass table. Interesting and hard to figure out.

LIVE CLOSE: the two Turned several blank cards into a card chosen by the spectator. A very clever Sleight-of-hand effect

Pete Firman + Mel Giedroc (Great British Bakeoff host)

LIVE GRAND: Pete and Mel Had a volunteer write the name of a fruit. Thinking it was a banana, the two overzealously revealed a whole Vegas Show with a banana theme, including themselves dressed as Bananas. When the volunteer told them the fruit he had actually chosen, Pete revealed a scroll which correctly predicted the chosen fruit. I must admit, I found it really funny.

STREET GRAND: Pete walked through a wall of baked beans in a supermarket. His clothes got extremely messy, but the wall stayed intact. Inventive and hard to figure out.

STREET CLOSE: In a trick done on Brighton Pier, Pete had a volunteer put her phone in one of four envelopes. He threw three of them into the sea, but the fourth didn't have her phone in. Instead, it was inside a claw game in the arcade. I liked the twist at the end

LIVE CLOSE:  Pete had four random volunteers pick a card each, then predicted all of them correctly. It was a neat trick, but not particularly spectacular.

Barry and Stuart + David Haye (Champion Boxer)

LIVE GRAND: Barry and Stuart did an oversexualized (And wonderfully shambolic) Version of the Slicer illusion, where they divided an assistant into ninths, A very funny version of a strong trick, which amusingly parodied the sexuality inherent in the art of magic, especially when Barry and Stuart stripped naked.

STREET GRAND: Barry and Stuart manipulated the lights in a tower block to spell out the name of a volunteer's friend, then made the friend appear from thin air. It was a spectacular trick that viewers will be talking about all week

STREET CLOSE: Barry and Stuart made a Tattoo appear on a volunteers arm. Original, but rather painful.

LIVE CLOSE: Barry and Stuart turned water into wine whilst pouring it, before Barry made a glass of milk appear in a coat sleeve.. The first trick was excellent, but the second is too familiar to me from several amateur magic books.

Were there any guests?

World Magic champion Juliana Chen did card and mask tricks, similar to Hiroki Hara's two weeks ago, but with added spectacle and professionalism stemming from her increased experience. the aim of the performance was to encourage girls to take up magic, and will succeed in doing this

What was the Forfeit?

After Latimer and Kimberly were announced as the vote winners (Following two straight victories for Barry and Stuart) Pete and Mel were revealed to be the losers. They had to lie in on top of a bed of nails, with another placed  spike-side down on them. Several audience members (and David Haye) walked over the beds on their midriffs. The extra bed made this spin on the stunt more interesting then most.

NEXT WEEK: Adam Woodyat, Tina Hobley, and Myleene Klass join the magicians for more great tricks.

The Magicians- Episode 2

For the Second episode of the magicians, we had a magic ninja, a brass band, and a giant balloon among our magic props, and levitations, explosions and dancing galore. But how did our magicians fare and who avoided the forfeit?

How Did the Host Fare?

Darren Mcmullen was on top form this week, making several jokes about the performers and especially the guests. (I liked the joke about Craig Revel Horwood's (Lack of) Fans)

How Did The Magicians Fare?

Jason Latimer and David Hasselhoff ("TV Personality")

LIVE GRAND: Hasselhoff got into a box, and Latimer did a set of ring tricks. Hasselhoff appeared to get out dressed as a ninja, and accomplished a set of ring effects which Latimer did on a volunteer (All but the volunteer saw Hasselhoff). "The Ninja" then levitated to the ceiling, but we soon saw that Hasselhoff was in the box all along, with two assistants as well!  Despite my dislike of Hasselhoff, I liked this trick.

STREET LIVE: Hasselhoff and Latimer gave shirts out to four audience members at random. The shirts spelled the name of K.I.T.T, Hasselhoff's car from Knight Rider , then produced it from thin air! The trick was solid, if another monument to Hasselhoff's colossal vanity

LIVE CLOSE: In the world's Largest card trick, the two did a set of shuffles with four cards. The ones each spectator thought of were reversed in the deck. A bit hard to follow, and not particularly amazing

STREET CLOSE: Hasselhoff and Latimer predicted chosen cards with fire; Latimer with a fire blisters in the shape of the cards, Hasselhoff with ashes on the arm. A bit meh.

Barry + Stuart and Craig Revel Horwood (Strictly come Dancing judge)

LIVE GRAND: Barry and Stuart placed Craig In a Guillotine. The device appeared to chop his head off, but he was soon seen on the other side of the stage, head in tact (But with a neck brace on). Don't try this at home!

STREET GRAND: Barry and Stuart duct-taped Craig into a car boot and rolled it off a cliff. As You might have expected, he later turned out to be unharmed. They really hate him, don't they?

LIVE CLOSE: A chosen-card-on-tip-of-sword trick with a pirate theme and lots of bad dancing

STREET CLOSE: Craig got into a giant balloon, which Barry and Stuart passed a driving licence into. Very hard to figure out.

Pete Firman and Julia Bradbury (Countryfile host)

LIVE GRAND: Julia passed through a solid steel fan. The healing products theme was interesting, and the trick is great as it is, but the we-didn't-do-this-in-rehearsals patter is a bit old (Barry and Stuart did it Twice today)

STREET GRAND: Pete predicted a chosen song on the side of a drum, and made a whole brass band appear playing a chosen song. Interesting and hard to figure out

LIVE CLOSE: After some unconvincing animal-cracker mentalism, Pete extended the neck of a sheep drawing to get a giraffe. Very funny and clever, but a bit similar to Latimer's card trick last week.

STREET CLOSE: A levitation. I've seen it all before, but the ordinary baroom spin is interesting (Some methods of the trick are easier to get into a pub then others).

Were there any guests?

During the counting of votes, we were treated to a performance from Helt Magiskt contestant Mikael Halvarsson. He may have been my least favourite of that show's three magicians (I preferred Charlie Caper and Joe Labeno) but the trick he did was good. After some sponge magic, he made a volunteer's watch vanish and appear in a bag dangling below an RC helicopter

What was the forfeit?

Latimer and Hasselhoff had to do the forfeit, due in part to Latimer showing too much respect to his unpopular guest (Barry and Stuart's abuse of Craig gave the voters perfect wish-fulfilment), and the two had to walk across swords, lie on a bed of them, and have a melon sliced over their chests. Not for the faint hearted!

NEXT WEEK: A boxer, a TV host, and a Pussycat Doll join The Magicians