Frances Got Talent- How did Xavier and Syl et Son fare?

In the final of Incroyable Talent, Syl et Son and Xavier Mortimer performed one last time with the aim of winning the 100,000 euro prize.This time, I was able to get videos of both performances quickly and easily (You can see them on the Incroyable Talent website, which now works in Britain. Hooray!), so I can tell you how they fared.

Syl et Son upped their game considerably when they performed, doing a novel version of one of the most popular (and dangerous) mentalism tricks, as Son predicted which of four cups had a spike under it. The trick was executed with panache and enthusiasm, and all three judges noticed this.

Xavie Mortimer again showed how charming and original he was with a routine themed around sticky tape, which he turned into a tie, a silk, a rose and stripes for his suit. Head judge Gilbert Rozon called him "the Fred Astaire of magic". However, the routine took a while to get going and was a bit too small-scale for the final of a national talent show. Furthermore, the number of unused cardboard boxes in the background were frustrating, as Xavier could have done some impressive tricks with those-maybe making a woman or two appear (I had the same problem with Laurent Beretta, who left a mini and Telephone box on stage without using them in his live performance). Therefore, he was a bit disappointing.

So, who won?

Eventually, Incroyable talent's winner for 2011 was revealed as teenage singer Marina, who edged out young ventriloquist Nans and another singer, Lois. Syl and Son came in at 6th, exceeding my expectations, but Xavier Mortimer came in at a diappointing 10th. Hopefully, next year will see some truly spectacular magicians, as the British, Australian and American Got Talents are about to start filming soon. Look out for more coverage of them on this blog soon.

France's Got Talent FInallists

I'm sorry that I didn't provide any news on the Incroyable talent finallists-I couldn't find any videos (This is when I hate being British). However, I can reveal that, Whilst Amile and Sylvie were amateurish and Laurent Beretta was bland, Xavier Mortimer and Syl et Son have made the final. But can they beat competitiors including two ventriloquists, two singers, two acrobats, a dance crew, a biking crew, an impressionist and model plane fliers on wednesday's final and win the prize? We will reveal all on thursday.

Xavier Mortimer

Audition: Did a trick with a disembodied hand, which drunk milk at one point
Semifinal: Did a tick with multiplying shadows and span 360 degrees in midair
Pros: Very original and inventive
Cons: not especially spectacular
Aim For Final: to do another original routine, and add spectacle
Where might he finish?: 6th


Syl et son

Audition:  Son Predicted a chosen card, a dice on a board, and an assortment of shapes
Semifinal: Son Predicted a chosen planet, state of Canada and number
Pros: Original and cute
Cons: Not winner material. A bit repetitive
Aim For final: Add some more excitement
Where might they finish?: 10th

France's Got (Plenty of) Magicians

(Before I start, I'd like to apologize for all the mistakes I made in my badly-received review of the Palladium Magic show in September. I'd also like to apologize for most of my outspoken comments on some of the acts (though I still dislike Jeff Hobson). Sometimes, it's better to look at the positives instead of the negatives.)

Of of all the versions of Got Talent in 39 different countries, the French version, Incroyable Talent, is one of the best for magicians. In the past, it has seen amazing Magicians such as Enzo Weyne, Florain, and Mohamed Chedaddi, and this year looks to be no different. In fact, we've seen more magicians then ever before! There have been four episodes of auditions so far, and there is only one to go before the top 30 is picked. 38 acts have been passed so far, and 6 of them are magicians. Although last year, just two magicians got to represent the art in the live shows, this year could be far better.

The six magicians are...

• Syl and Son - Father and son mentalists.Their act is impressively unconventional, but I wonder how far it could go.
•  Xavier Mortimer- Did an inventive spin on the disembodied hand trick. A part involving it drinking milk was particularly effective
• Aldo Nicoloni- A finalist in Italy's got Talent, Aldo's signature routine involves making his head drop off. It's very funny and clever, but I wonder if he will be able to do anything else
• Laurent Beretta - Did an effective spin on the levitation trick, but does he have the talent or ability to innovative he needs to go all the way?
• Drago- Did a version of the Aquarian illusion, which most magicians do on these shows (e.g David and Karen in Britain, Landon Swank in America,Phoenix in Australia).However, compared to those magicians, it was pretty weak.
• Amile and Sylvie- An all-female quick-change act. Unique for this show, but the changes have been seen before, and quick-change acts are notorious for lacking range (American quick-changers David and Dania did the same routine each time they were on the show)

I'm sorry I couldn't find any videos of the acts (you can watch the full episodes on YouTube, though) but I can assure you, it was worth the struggle to find these clips online.

With one episode left before the live shows, there is still a chance of new magicians before the ones who go into the liveshows are picked, however, it is very likely that at least two of those through already will make the next round. I predict that Syl and Son and Xavier Mortimer will go through, and Laurent Beretta will if there's room for three in the liveshows  (Provided a new and better magician doesn't emerge in this week's episode.

Continue coming to this blog for more coverage on Incroyable Talent in the coming weeks.

The Magicians is Back!

With ratings consistantly over 5 million when it aired in Janurary, it's no surprise that "The Magicians" will return for a second series next year. This time it will be better then ever!

The format will be the same as last year (3 magicians and their celebrity guests compete to avoid a sideshow-style forfeit) but with some major changes.

First of all, the show will be aired to a live audience, and we viewers will get to vote on who does the forfeit

Secondly, two new magicians, comedy magician Pete firman and inventive US magician Jason Latimer will join Barry and Stuart in the battle to avoid a the forfeit.

There will also be a new presenter. Darren macmullen is a risky but wise choice to replace Lenny Henry. He can currently be seen hosting ITV2's Minute to win it and has proven himself an excellent host in that and all sorts of American and Australian shows.

Finally, and most important of all, the tricks will be bigger and better then before. According to Mcmullen, they are "Vegas Style" and will include making the London Eye disappear. I cannot wait!

The magicians will return soon. Be sure to check out our facebook and Twitter accounts(both called Rtotal magic) nearer the time for more information.

Palladium Magic- Exclusive Review

Last night, I went to the Palladium theatre to see one of the hottest events in magic history for years. I was really excited about it, but, as can be expected from a variety show, it was a mixed bag. Some performers were great, and others were abysmal. The magic was good, but the comedy was excruciating.

100 magicians were billed as appearing. However, only 15 acts performed on stage, 5 of whom weren't magicians. The other 85, including Penn and Teller:Fool Us star Chris Dugdale, did close-up magic to people in the aisles during the build-up and interval. I didn't see any of them in detail, though, which was a bit of a shame. The ones I did see were mostly ring and rope affairs and wholly meh.

As well as these 100, there were several iconic variety performers in the audience, including the magicians Wayne Dobson, David Berglas and Roy Heard, and the ventriloquists Roger De Courcey and Paul Zerdin.

However, the show was about the main 15 performers. Were they worth the centre billing?

FIRST HALF

The show started with a performance from the "Palladium Magic Dancers" . Like the acts that tend to open a Britain's Got Talent live show, they were technically proficient but meh and forgettable.

Following, and beginning the actual magic, was Erix Logan (Above). Logan performed several loud and exciting illusions, including making a singer appear from 5 small boxes stacked together and impaling an assistant on a giant pair of scissors.

Then came Yelena Larkina, a hula-hoop performer. Her performance was beautiful, amazing, faultless, and one of the best of the night.

She was followed by the first (And Best) of three American performers, Michael Finney (Below). He did some hackneyed but amusing card magic, and finished by making his head "vanish".

The next performer came from another distant land- France. Mikael Szanyiel did musical magic involving bow tie manipulations, sponge microphones and lots and lots of paper.

Whilst the stage hands were cleaning up, legendary magician Silvan did some of his signature card manipulations.

Following was Mac King, who did some very strange card magic, including the cards across effect and a signed card in several places trick.

Baton Twirler  Nathalie Enterline (Below) followed with a very good performance, then the first half finished with a Finnish magician. Marko Karvo did some excellent bird magic with flair and skill to allow the audience to go to the intermission impressed

SECOND HALF

On paper, this seemed like a better half then the first, but, untill the very end, was far, far worse. The dancers danced again (yawn), then came one of the worst acts of the night. John Calvert is 100 years old, and I honour him for both his past magic and his coming onto stage at that age, but his performance was still awful. After struggling to find his seat for half the performance, Calvert did a simplistic Scarves-on-rope trick.

The next act, top british magician Paul Zenon, should have been a blast. He begun excellently with his cut-and-restored microphone lead trick, but the performance petered out, as he spent nearly all the remainder swinging a glass of beer over his head. The patter meanwhile, was at times too edgy for the large family audience, but not edgy enough for the late-night club Zenon usually performs to.  In short, he was a bit dissappointing.

However, no one was more dissappointing then Kris Kremo. I was really looking forward to this legendary juggler's performance, but it was a mess. His ping-pong and scarve juggling was very good, but he made mistakes juggling hats and cigar boxes, and, in attempting to redo the failed moves, caused the show to drag on. It was a bit sad to see, and I think that he's beginning to lose his magic

Thankfully, the following performance was short, but also unessecary. Ben Stone was introduced as a singing magician, but just sang a meh number. He should audition for the X Factor, but not perform on this sort of show.

However, none of the above three performers, dissappointing as they were, were the worst of the night. That dubious honour goes to Jeff Hobson. The magic-some card stuff and an Egg Bag routine - was OK, but the presentation was horrific, with Hobson's presentational approach basically amounting to "Look at me, I'm soooo gay!" I don't understand how Vegas theatregoers put up with him for over an hour.

Thankfully, the final performer made the evening worthwhile. Hans Klok mixed card manipulations and sleights with lavish illsuions, including the "Eclipse"(one of my all-time favourite tricks) and his versions of the "Suspended Animation" and "Spiker" illusions. His act gave everyone something to talk about (For the right reasons) as they headed out of the theatre.

HOW WOULD I RATE THE EVENING?

The performers make a show like this. Some, such as Hans Klok and Yelena Larkina, justified the length of the show (3 and a half hours!) and the price of the tickets. Others, such as Jeff Hobson and John Calvert, were disasterous, and it saddens me that they were even on the bill at all. Meanwhile, some performers, such as Marko Karvo and Erix Logan, were better then I expected, but Kris Kremo and Paul Zenon were real letdowns. Due to this inconsistency, the show as a whole was niether great nor terrible, so I would give it a 3 star rating.

HOW WOULD I RANK THE PERFORMERS (From worst to best)

15. Jeff Hobson

14. John Calvert

13. Ben Stone

12. The Palladium Dancers

11. Mack King

10. Kris Kremo

9. Paul Zenon

8. Silvan

7. Michael Finney

6.Mikeal Szanyiel

5. Nathalie Enterline

4.Erix Logan

3. Marko Karvo

2. Yelena Larkina

1. Hans Klok

Americas Got Talent top 10- Landon Swank

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

WHAT TRICK DID LANDON DO?

Landon Slowed down the tempo, but still delivered an impressive trick.After a simple but clever beginning of turning a goldfish cracker into a real goldfish, Swank took the fish in his hands. He passed it through the tank, making the fish vanish as he did so. He then removed the hand. The trick was a little similar to the mirror trick that failed to get him through the quarterfinals, but the water was an impressive addition. There were a couple of minor faults (Some water came out as Landon was withdrawing his hand, and many people are arguing about whether the fish was supposed to vanish). But it was still a neat trick.

WHAT DID THE JUDGES SAY?

Howie did an annoying spiel about how amazing the trick was, in which he tried to get the word "Conjuring" in as often as possible. Piers was uncertain about the spilt water, but said the trick looked good on the television. At this point, Landon noted that this was the first time the trick went to plan. Sharon, meanwhile, praised the relaxed presentation and the contemporary nature of the trick.

WHAT IS THE COMPETITION LIKE?

History often repeats itself on this show. Just like last year, there is an opera singer, a bike act, a talented kid, a conventional dance act and a magician in the top 10. Just like last year, the magician made it through as a wildcard and beat a rival conjurer into the top 10. Just like last year, the magician is one of five acts mentioned frequently as potential finalists. But just like last year, there are only four spots. Whilst West Springfield Dance and Miami All-Stars fared badly, and the Smage Brothers, Lys Agnes, and Anna Gracemen failed to reach their full potential and can be ruled out, Four acts could ensure that Landon's hopes of winning end the same way Michael Grasso's did last year. TEAM ILuminate and Landau Murphy Jr. Were on excellent form and will probably make the top 10. Meanwhile, POPLYFE and the Silhouettes weren't as good, and aren't cited as potential winners as often, but have strong fanbases and spoiler appeal. Let's cross our fingers and pray that Landon beats either of the last two acts (Hopefully the Silhouettes because I like POPLYFE) to the final spot. His chances are moderate

AMERICAS GOT TALENT- Can Landon Swank make the grand final?

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS,THIS ARTICLE MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS

For the second straight year, Americas Got Talent has a magician in the top 10.

Landon Swank will compete in the top 10 on Tuesday night, and will compete for a place in next week's grand finale. Last year, Michael Grasso reached this stage, but failed to make the final round, despite recieving praise for his top 10 performance

Landon has been through a strangely similar journey to Grasso (Getting into the top 10 via the wildcard round, Knocking out another magician on the way), so he will be hoping that history doesn't repeat itself. . Landon has the ability to make it to the final. His tricks have been excellent, and the presentation amazing. Furthermore, Landon has upped his game tremendously, changing his approach from simple but clever magic to exciting and dangerous tricks that appear to be taking a leaf out of Australia's got Talent runner-up Paul Cosentino's book.

However, Swank has three things to do if he wants to better Michael Grasso and make the final round.

1. GIVE A FLAWLESS PERFORMANCE- Landon's last trick was excellent, but there was one problem with it. Many online commentators felt it was a little easy to figure out, due to some minor flaws in the execution of the trick (1. Why is the box shaking? and 2.Why does he have goggles when he gets out but not in the video?). It was still a good performance, but minor mistakes like that can make a big difference in the top 10. Therefore, Landon will need to be on his guard to avoid this, and give a trick that is exciting, original, and hard to figure out
2. CONVINCE THE SKEPTICS- This is the stage where large fanbases or sob stories alone are no longer enough to help acts. They have to put on the best performances they physically can to appeal to the largest and most important group of voters-The neutrals who vote solely on the quality of the latest performance. Therefore, avoiding mistakes will be more important then ever. Furthermore, there are some people who are unconvinced that someone other then a singer or dancer will win. Can Landon change their minds?
3. BEAT THE COMPETITON-Landon has some excellent competition. The Sinatra-voiced Landau Murphy Jr., The inventive TEAM ILuminate and opera singer Lys Agnes are the ones to beat. Young acts Anna Graceman, POPLYFE and the Shilouettes are very impressive for their age (Especially POPLYFE), but some viewers may be uncomfortable about the idea of kids performing in Vegas. Meanwhile, The horror-influenced West Springfield Dance, The classic-Hollywood dance act Miami All-Stars and the Stunt motorcyclists The Smage Brothers seem like filler, but are still very strong acts.

As usual, Landon's chances depend on his next performance, but judging by his showmanship, his illusions, and the way he has upped his game throughout the contest (Something Sharon Osbourne brought up in the semifinal round), he should hopefully give an excellent performance.