28 members and 6 guests were treated to ‘Science Magic’, the theme for this evening’s meeting with Tan Jui Kuan aka JK Tan as the host. Following a magic jamming session held by Enrico Varella, event announcements were made. The Yellow Ribbon Run (YRR) would be held on 1 September, while the FISM Asia competitions would be held from 24 to 28 Sep in Shenzhen, China. JK Tan encouraged members to participate in the YRR as performing magicians as it was a meaningful project. Kenneth Chia advised members interested in FISM to register with him before the end of June to secure the early bird rate of USD 200 each.
John Teo introduced Brandon Tanner, who was our Ring 115 member more than 25 years ago when he was studying in Singapore. After completing his study, he went back to the USA, worked there and got married. Now, he and his wife Brooke, were visiting Singapore and some countries in S.E.Asia. Also present was Barry Khoo from Penang, Malaysia and his grandson. There were 2 guests, a brother and sister from Thailand, brought by our patron Robert Kee.
Gician Tan conducted a teach-in on how to glimpse and top-palm his way to create a match between his prediction card in his pocket and his volunteer’s randomly chosen card. He demonstrated two versions; one with a specially prepared deck of cards and another with a regular deck. He ended with an elegant production of four Aces routine act accompanied by a colour-changing lamp.
JK Tan, in a white lab coat and wig, looked every bit like an eccentric professor as he demonstrated the intriguing science behind air in magic. With the help of volunteers, he showed how to use a straw to blow a ping pong ball out of a wine glass effortlessly, make a sound by swinging a long plastic hose around, create aerosol effect by blowing through a straw at a second straw in a bottle with water, and quickly fill up a plastic bag with air by simply blowing into it from a few cm away. He also showed how static electricity could help keep a cup suspended in mid-air between two palms and the toner to print ink on a paper. He also showed how a regular coin could slide down an aluminium slate faster than a magnetic coin due to eddy current generated by the latter which slowed it down and how changing direction of a magnet cutting through a metal could cause the bulb to light up at either end.
Chew Liang Huat presented a beautifully self-designed mystery glass box which allowed a pointed object eg a pen to penetrate the glass panel and yet left no physical hole on the glass when the object was removed.
John Teo demonstrated the principle of oil not mixing with water and that oil would float on top of water if both were mixed. Using two picture blocks to represent ‘oil’ and ‘water’ respectively, he placed the water block on top of the oil block and covered them up with a tube representing an empty tumbler. When the tube was removed, the oil block had mysteriously floated above the water block. He then demonstrated this principle with 3 black cards and 3 red cards representing oil and water respectively. Mixing up the cards such that each red card was sandwiched by black cards and vice versa, he gave the packet a shake. Surprisingly, the red cards would all come together. Likewise for the black cards. Even with 2 cards removed from the deck, the remaining 4 mixed up cards would also separate into red and black cards respectively. He then brought all the 6 cards together, and arranged them into two piles – 2 red and 1 black; and 2 black and 1 red. He then magically transformed the piles such that the 1st pile now comprised all red cards and the 2nd pile now had only black cards. He amazed the audience further with a final twist, by changing the originally red backs of the red cards into blue ones; and the blue backs of the blue cards into red ones!
Young Codie invited a volunteer to spell “Magic Time Is Happening” with two piles of cards on the table. He could spell a word each time by counting off the number of cards (from either pile) based on the number of letters in that word. Surprisingly, after completing the spelling of each word, the spelled word would be revealed in the next card!
After the break, James Pang illustrated the expanding wormhole concept, by passing a metallic ring through a much smaller hole on a paper. He then dropped a card signed by a volunteer and himself into a covered glass representing a wormhole tunnel. Retrieving the card, he wrapped it with a red scarf and secured it with a rubber band. He then dropped it into a 2nd covered glass representing another wormhole tunnel and placed this 2nd glass on top of the 1st one. Mimicking the wormhole effect, the wrapped and secured item penetrated the 1st glass and emerged in the 2nd glass (ie. a different space and time). When opened up, the content was revealed to be the signed card.
Enrico Varella delivered an insightful lecture on scientific principles applied in magic. Adding to JK Tan’s demonstrations of science in magic, he shared that magic has drawn from various aspects of science. Understanding human anatomy, psychology, chemistry and physics concepts for instance, can provide the magician with a repertoire of tools to apply in his magic performances.
Joseph Then invited a volunteer to deal a deck of face-down cards into 4 piles. He then followed Joseph’s instructions – picking a card from any pile and replacing it, placing that pile over any other pile and then placing the remaining piles over them. He then dealt them into 4 piles, face-up. He then placed his hands over any 2 piles to be removed. The remaining piles were further dealt and cards removed in similar ways until only 1 card remained and this last card matched the volunteer’s chosen card!
Goh Yin Xian highlighted the Animal Book Test and a Magic box with 5 keys, available at special prices at his dealer booth.
The evening of exciting magical edutainment ended with a lucky draw where 5 members walked away with prizes sponsored by John Teo, and members continued with their magic shopping and jamming.
