The Magic Circle Presents A Grand Night Of Magic - Andrew Eborn Introduction to VIP interviews

Media Release from The Magic Circle, London

Sunday 6 October 2024

Derren Brown honoured as comedy magician Matt Edwards wins top prizes at The Magic Circle


The renowned mentalist and illusionist Derren Brown has been presented with the first David Berglas Award for Showmanship, Originality and Creativity from the The Magic Circle. The award is named after the late former President of The Magic Circle and shortly before he died last November, aged 97, David himself suggested Derren be the first recipient. After receiving his award Derren said: “David has been a huge inspiration to me and I owe so much of what I have done on stage and TV to him.”


The trophy was presented by David’s son Marvin, the current President and it was one of the highlights of A Grand Night of Magic at the Clapham Grand in London - an event combining The Magic Circle’s annual awards with its Stage Magician of the Year competition. Six different acts vied for one of the most coveted prizes in magic and the winner was the magician Matt Edwards with some extraordinary comic and emotional card magic, It was a night of double celebration for Matt, who also won the Carlton Award for Comedy Magic.


The judges for the stage competition included Downton Abbey star Jim Carter, himself an accomplished magician, Debbie McGee, the lifelong partner of Paul Daniels , TV presenter Radzi Chinyanganya together with Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE an entertainment entrepreneur and top magicians Michael Vincent, and Russ Stevens. The chair of the judges was Noel Britten. Among those in the audience were ex Arsenal and England footballer, Tony Adams, the Royle Family and Death in Paradise star, Ralf Little, and radio and tv presenter Nick Ross.


The judges had a hard time choosing Matt from the other five - the illusionists Jay and Joss, the mentalism duo Mind2Mind James Harrington and Marina Liana, the parlour magic of Edward Hilsum, the manipulation of Yollin Lee and the general magic skills off Filiberto Selvi.


Beside the title the winner is invited to perform at top magic various venues and engagements around the the world next year - The Rhapsody Theatre in Chicago, the House of Illusions in Salou Spain, the Forte Village resort in Sardinia, the Gala Show at the Blackpool Magic Convention, the world’s biggest and The Magic Circle Convention itself.


Here is the full list of the winners of The Magic Circle 2024 Awards


The David Berglas Award for showmanship, creativity and originality in magic: Derren Brown, the British mentalist and illusionist


The David Devant Award for outstanding contribution to magic on an international level: Gay Blackstone, widow of Harry Blackstone Jr. she is a tv producer, director and former president of the Academy of Magical Arts in Los Angeles.


The Maskelyne Award for services to British magic: Michael Vincent, one of the world’s most distinguished card magicians.


The Carlton Award for Comedy Magic: Matt Edwards, a winner of the Golden Buzzer on Britain’s Got Talent and a sought-after performer worldwide.


The John Neville Maskelyne Prize for contribution to the art or literature of magic: Julie Eng, the Toronto based magician who has been the executive director of Magicana, the Canadian arts organisation, who are publishing The Rich Cabinet Collection of the late Eddie Dawes. Recently Julie has been appointed executive director of Genii Enterprises, publishers of Genii magazine.


The Chapender Award for services top the wider community using magic: Paul Kieve, the illusionist whose consulting work for both stage and screen has revolutionised how magical special effects are approached, He is also Head of Collections at The Magic Circle.


The Cecil Lyle Award for the best item published in The Magic Circular: Ian Keable, Steve Biddle and Megumi Biddle for their piece showing how to reproduce Claude Chandler’s Paper Face - a ventriloquist’s ‘dummy’ made of a sheet of paper.


The Silver Wand for outstanding service to The Magic Circle: Noel Britten, a former President.


Marvin Berglas, President of The Magic Circle, said of the event: “We are delighted to see such creativity, diversity and talent in magic. Our winners are all great examples who promote excellence in magic, one of the core aims of The Magic Circle.


The night was hosted by Paul Martin and the producers were Rodney James Piper and Lee Hathaway. Magicians who entertained the audience included Chris Harding, David Penn, Magic Singh, Megumi, Michael J Fitch, Etienne Pradier, John Duffett, Fay Presto and Brendan Rodrigues. The show started with a performance from the Young Magician of the Year Harry Merlin Piper and ended with speed painter Jon Hicks painting a picture of Tommy Cooper - upside down.