Abracadabra!

Here's a one-stop shop for magic props and equipment and a meeting place for magicians

Bangalore Times - The Times of India
May 31, 2008

By Shilpa Bansal

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We've all grown up listening to stories about fantasy and magicians. And there was a time when magic shows used to be an in-demand form of entertainment. But today with so many other options, magic and magicians are losing that place. Still, if you want a bit of magic in your life, then here’s the place.

The Magic Shop Bangalore, which has been manufacturing and exporting magic equipment for over a decade, has now transformed into an interesting concept called The Magic Space. As you enter, you see eye-catching sketches by Umesh Shebe and Prakash Shetty. Magic Space is a unique place for magicians from everywhere to see magic, talk magic, read magic, and of course buy magic.

Located at the Avalahalli BDA Park Bus Stand (off Mysore Road), The Magic Space is pitched to be a place for magicians to get together for a tête-à-tête, to exchange ideas, to read magazines and books on magic, or just share a cup of coffee.

Says Nakul Shenoy, one of the minds behind Magic Space, “We have a fraternity spread across the globe. In fact, there are 200 magicians in and around Bangalore alone. But there are not many places where they could come together and share ideas. The reason being that the magic shops across the world which earlier used to be the platform for magicians are shutting down. And with the Magic Space we’re attempting to rebuild this lost platform. The main focus behind this place is to help magicians improve their acts.”

So how do they reach out to magicians? “The Magic Space is already a known name amongst foreign magicians as well. We’ve received responses from foreign performers like Randy Schostag, Marcel Oudejans, Michael Weber, Sean Taylor and Joshua Kane. This is the place where every foreign magician visiting India drops in to meet Indian magicians from across the country,” adds Nakul.

Magic Space also has a lounge where magicians can have discussions. “We host regular closed door sessions and workshops by renowned magicians and trainers on varied topics on the nuances of magic performance. These are held once in a month and are meant only for professional magicians,” says Giridhar Kamath, another mind behind the venture. Their first special closed magical session on clowning and comedy magic will be on June 8 where Mysto Pinto from Mumbai will be performing.

But Magic Space has something for amateurs as well. “The earlier magic shops were meant only for professional magicians but we want Magic Space to become the hotspot of magic in India. So we host teach-in sessions for people who want to learn magic. These regular sessions for amateurs will be conducted by resident magicians like Suman Jadugar and other senior magicians like Prahlad Acharya, Kudroli Ganesh, M P Hashim and myself who are also associated with this project,” says Nakul.

Don’t worry about the props. They are all available here – to learn and to buy. Magic Space has tie-ups with dealers across the world so you can buy all kinds of high-quality magical wares here.

- Reproduced from Bangalore Times, The Times of India dated May 31, 2008.


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