A magical night out is promised by the Douglas Rotary Club on Friday, 17th January. A two-hour show, staged by the Magicians of Mann for the Rotary Club, takes place at the Palace Hotel and starts at 7.00pm. Paul Martin, who has been chairman of the Magicians of Mann since 2002, explained that 8 members of the local club will be mystifying the audience. Also appearing are Michael Daniels, Keith Greenland who is a member of the Rotary Cub of Ramsey, Bev Michelson, Chris Burns and John Cain from Peel, Mike Clague and Lexi Watterson.” Like Paul, Lexi and Mike are members of The Magic Circle. Compering the show will be Bev Michelson, a member of the Douglas Rotary Club and the Magicians of Mann. Paul added “There will be a real mix of magic styles, from sophisticated sorcery to fun-filled children’s entertainment, so it’s a show for everyone aged 5 and over.”

Magic is enjoying a revival at the moment, with the successes of David Blaine and Dynamo making an impact on the art and magicians regularly staging shows on Cruise Ships. Paul said “High profile magicians and shows like The Illusionists have created renewed interest in this, one of the oldest forms of entertainment. Lots of magicians performed at the Palace Theatre at the height of the tourism boom. The original Palace is long gone unfortunately, but it’s nice to think that conjuring continues to be performed on the site.”

Tickets, available from The Arts Store in Strand Street, are only ?5 for adults and ?2.50 for children. Family tickets are a bargain at ?12, and doors open at 6.30pm.

The Magicians of Mann meet on the third Tuesday of each month at the Catholic Columba Club in Douglas. New members are made very welcome and anyone interested can contact secretary Mike Clague on 878328 or contact@ymom.info for information. Mike can also provide details of the Young Magicians of Mann, a separate magic club for 11 to 18 year olds who meet at the Youth Arts Centre in Douglas on Wednesday evenings.

Photo - Lexi Watterson, Member of The Magic Circle.