Among the most legendary frontmen ever to prowl the stage, Queen’s Freddy Mercury will again appear for audiences during We Will Rock You, a West End musical based on the group’s catalogue.

The illusion, which is said to be similar to the Tupac illusion but “not a hologram” (which is fine, since the Shakur illusion was not technically a hologram either) is most likely a variation on Pepper’s Ghost.

Quoth guitarist Brian May:

Queen guitarist Brian May told BBC News that the effect that will be used to recreate Mercury is specifically not a hologram, but rather “an optical illusion of sorts.” He also stressed that “people will come out saying, ‘Did we actually see Freddie?’”

Oh Pepper’s Ghost you make the rocking world go round…

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

David Copperfield’s company has filed a law suit over what they describe as faulty work on DC’s private island Musha Cay.

This according to Vegas Inc.

Splashes was hired to work on features called the Secret Village Entryway or the Village Tunnel Entryway, but the features it installed “have proven defective,” and Splashes has failed to correct the problems, the suit says.

There also seems to be a dispute with one particular employee.

The suit also claims Splashes principal Robert North went to work for Copperfield’s company, that Copperfield’s company built a workshop for him called an illusion factory and that North then walked off the job in April after 13 months of work.

The suit seeks an injunction barring North from working for competing magicians during the balance of his three-year employment agreement with Copperfield’s company.

It also seeks a court order confirming that North is required not to disclose trade secrets.

Copperfield’s suit claims that North breached an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in part by “forming business alliances or relationships for his sole benefit (to plaintiff‘s exclusion) with other competing magicians while still on the payroll of plaintiff.”

More on this as it develops.

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

Most folks don’t know the faces of magic celebrities. In fact, someone could go their whole life unaware they look like Ed Marlo. That just might be the case for the man above who was spotted riding the Red Line in Chicago by iTricks reader Craig Newman.

The elevated hair, the pursed lips, every thing but the iPod ear buds scream Marlo.

Sure, the Windy City legend has passed away but his likeness lives on in the City With The Big Shoulders.

If you spot a magic look-a-like in real life, send the pics on over the iTricksStaff@Gmail.

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

Quick follow up from a post that went up Monday regarding Criss Angel and the WWE. In a column today, Robin Leach adds that indeed Stephanie McMahon was discussing possible appearances for Criss on WWE programming.

Incidentally, Stephanie is talking with Criss about scheduling him for WWE appearances this year. He got his live performance start at the WWE attraction in New York’s Times Square.

A series of performances during high profile programs like RAW or a Pay Per View like Summerslam could be a big television stage for Angel. Criss last appeared in the squared circle in 2010 when he guest hosted RAW and served as the ring announcer for the main event.

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

When asked to name a card, most people only select four out of the 52 possible options. This according to a new study published in the journal Perception.

Which are they?

…the study found that when asked to name a playing card, most people chose only one of four: the ace, queen or king of hearts, or the ace of spades. Unexpectedly, women chose the king of hearts more than men did, and men chose the queen of hearts more than women. The magician’s trick is to exploit these patterns.

Most of these are fairly well known amongst the magic community. But it’s interesting to see the science back up the common knowledge.

All that being said, it’s probably still safer just to force a card.

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

Marco Tempest has taken to the streets and is challenging all comers to match their cell phone against his Lumia 800 Windows Phone. So far there are three episodes of this new web series but each follow a simple pattern of magic trick -> phone challenge -> surprise!

First episode is below and the other two are AFTER THE JUMP…

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

Our pal Dezrah submitted this photo for flagellation by the iTricks readership. You can create your own version of it here.

Link your creations in the comments if you think you can make a better one.

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

Many professional magicians (specifically those with television experience) get requests to appear on other television programs. Some of these opportunities are big, some are small, some are near and some are far. As is the nature of a busy performer, most requests go nowhere thanks to an unforgiving schedule or some other negotiation breakdown.

Here is one such feeler email, sent to us by one such magician.

The show? Magic Tricks (Working Title) to be shot in Kiev, Ukraine.

We have removed all of the identifying info for both the sender and receiver. But here is what it looks like to get approached for a reality television magic competition in Kiev, Ukraine.

—–

TV Channel CTV invites you to participate in shooting of Ukrainian show “Magic Tricks” (the working title) in Kiev Ukraine.

To learn more about TV Channel CTV please go to www.stb.ua.
In show you will perform on a stage with other magicians from all over the world. In each episode there gonna be 6 magicians. Magic act of each participant will be talked over by two magic experts of the show – world famous magicians Kevin James and Evgeniy Voronin. In the end of each episode the audience votes by sms and defines the finalist. This finalist will take part in live show with other finalists from other episodes. This show which goes on live gonna be the final show. In the beginning of this final show every magician has 0 votes, each contender performs their new best magic trick and audience votes by sms and defines the winner of the show.

The prize is trip to Las Vegas and performing in local magic show or money.

Get the rest of the email, AFTER THE JUMP…

Your busyness in the show:

1) Profile shooting – only 1 day in period June 25th – July 10th (we gonna shoot in Paris, London, Singapore and Las Vegas, so you have to come to one of these cities for one day).

2) Shooting of 9 episodes of the show in Kiev Ukraine – July 28th – August 08th. It takes 3 days to shoot one participant, so you have to come to Kiev for 3 days.

3) Final live show schedule – November 07th – November 12th. From November 07th – November 11th, November 12th – live show.

All costs that are associated with shooting of profiles, rehearsals and filming of the show will be covered by TV Channel CTV.

If you are busy on some of those dates please write us and you will help to organize the process.

We look forward to a great and mutually beneficial cooperation with you in the first season of the show “Magic Tricks”.

Please, give us your answer as soon as possible.

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

Card tricks, specifically on America’s or Britain’s Got Talent are usually a death wish. The eye rolling from the judges begins as soon as the deck gets whipped out.

And so it is at the beginning of the act for Swedish magicians Brynolf and Ljung. Although the pair recently wow’d UK TV viewers with the same routine on Penn & Teller: Fool Us it didn’t diminish the effect for the trigger happy judges or crowd alike.

In fact, both bit hard on the fake out just before the big reveal. Kudos to B&L for breaking the glass ceiling on televised competition card tricks.

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor

David Copperfield demonstrates his Origami routine on the Arsenio Hall show before sitting down for an interview that includes hilarious picture of the host’s humble magic origins.

Read Original Full Article: HERE Contributed by: Editor