Enigma

Hello dear blogger, the weekend is with us and as I look outside on this dull dreary day, it's raining yet again so no gardening today. I am fortunate however because last night my world was lit up with the magic and mystery of Derren Brown. Above is a copy of his programme cover. The act included magic, psychology, simple showmanship and astonishing entertainment and I was blessed with the company of four good friends, Steve, Tammy, Shirley Ann and Barry.

I don't know whether or not you've heard of Derren Brown; if you haven't, you may want to look him up on Channel 4s website and see if you can catch a glimpse of this guy - his tour show is called Enigma which in many ways represents him. I can't and wouldn't want to describe his show to you, that would spoilt it for him and many thousands who are yet to visit a theatre near them and marvel at the psychological dexterity of which he is capable. I recall his TV shows often started from a position where he was happy to divulge that his 'act' was magic, misdirection, tricks and many other things but however he does it, try not to exercise too much brain power trying to work it out because even if you had an inkling, you'll never really know.

Derren himself is a larger than life character in a thin body damn him, who is articulate, obviously highly intelligent and yet often displays a nervousness and energy which is surprising considering the the amount of public facing exposure he has. There is something slightly vulnerable about him and yet the contradiction is the amount of confidence he must have to achieve what he does. He is personable and witty, sometimes outrageously so and clearly a supreme con man (in the professional theatrical sense), but boy, would you trust him? I am not sure.

This is the guy who gets Tote bookies to pay up on losing tickets, who makes someone not able to see the London Eye when you are stood right next to it and can hypnotise you with a touch of the hand. An amazing and I suggest unique set of talents all rolled up into one man. If you get chance to see his show - go just for the experience.

Today's story is inspired by Derren.

A second rate magician was on board a second rate cruise liner doing his magic show. In the first trick he was making a woman disappear in a box. The ship's parrot was at the back of the audience on its perch and it squawked, "There's a hole in the floor, there's a hole in the floor." The audience murmured and a fuming magician moved on to his next trick.

The next trick involved making a card disappear. Again the parrot squawked, "Its up his sleeve, its up his sleeve." One or two boos rang out from the audience and a increasingly angry magician moved on to the next trick which involved sawing his assistant in two. Remorselessly the parrot piped up, "There's two of them in the box, two of them in the box." The audience began to leave and the magician was forced to abandon his show.

During the night, the ship hit an iceberg and sank with all hands save for the magician and the parrot who were afloat on the high sea on a plank of wood. After two days of silence the parrot finally said to the magician, "Okay, I give up, what have you done with the ship?"

Chat soon

Ta-ra!