Schedule
Close Up Competition 2025
The Cardiff Magic Society’s annual Close-Up Competition is one of the highlights of our club calendar — a night where members showcase their sleight of hand, showmanship, and creativity in an intimate setting.
Performers entertain small groups of spectators with incredible feats of magic using cards, coins, everyday objects, and pure misdirection. Judged by a panel of experts and fellow magicians, competitors are assessed on technical skill, presentation, originality, and audience engagement.
Whether you’re a magician looking to test your skills or a magic enthusiast keen to witness the best close-up performers in South Wales, this is an evening full of astonishment, laughter, and inspiration.
Join us for a night where the magic happens right under your nose!
Lecture: Simon Sparkles
Simon is a Multi-Award Winning Magician with over 30 years experience of delighting audiences young and old with his unique blend of Comedy and Magic.
Principles of Magic
We’ll be diving deep into one of the fundamental principles of magic. Together, we’ll explore how this principle works, discuss creative ways to apply it, and share how it can elevate our performances.
This session is all about understanding the “why” behind the magic — not just the mechanics, but the psychology, presentation, and impact it creates for an audience. Members are encouraged to bring along ideas, routines, or examples that demonstrate how they use (or could use) this principle in their own acts.
Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just starting out, this will be a great opportunity to learn, collaborate, and be inspired by the depth and versatility of magical thinking.
Christmas Magic
Details TBC: Our annual christmas get together - bring on the festive magic!
Jam-uary
We kick off the new year with Jamuary – an open night hosted by the Cardiff Magic Society! This special event invites magicians of all levels, curious newcomers, and anyone with an interest in the art of magic to come along, meet like-minded people, and experience what the Society is all about.
Purpose
The aim of Jamuary is to open our doors to potential new members, showcase the friendly and supportive atmosphere of our club, and create a space where everyone can share, learn, and enjoy magic together.
What to Expect
Discover the Club: Learn about what the Cardiff Magic Society offers – from monthly meetings and workshops to performance nights and competitions.
Try Some Magic: Get hands-on with a few tricks, learn from members, and share your own sleights or routines.
Jam Session: A relaxed, informal space to chat, practice, and perform with fellow magicians.
Meet the Members: Connect with experienced magicians, hobbyists, and enthusiasts who keep the Cardiff magic scene alive.
Who Should Attend
Anyone curious about learning magic
Hobbyists looking to improve or share their skills
Performers interested in joining a vibrant local community
Past members who’d like to reconnect
How to Join
Simply turn up on the night, this event is free to attend, and all are welcome. Bring a deck of cards, a coin or two, and your curiosity – we’ll handle the rest.
Lecture: Lloyd Barnes / Lord Harri
An epic double header secure of magic creativity! As a warm up to lecturing in Vanishing Inc’s Session and Blackpool MAgic Convention respectively, Lloyd Barnes and Lord Harri will lecture at Cardiff Magic Society on Monday 26th January - this is not to be missed!
CMS at Halloween
Step into the shadows this Halloween as Cardiff Magic Society presents an unforgettable night of spooky sorcery and spine-tingling thrills. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be immersed in a world of mystery and magic, where nothing is quite as it seems. Dare to enter the Séance Room, where small groups will sit in the dark and experience the eerie chill of the supernatural, as the boundary between reality and illusion begins to blur.
The evening continues with close-up frighteningly good magic performed right at your tables, bringing the scares and astonishment closer than ever before. Then, prepare yourself for a grand stage show unlike any other – a Halloween spectacle filled with haunting illusions, chilling surprises, and unforgettable performances. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker or simply looking for a night of unique Halloween entertainment, Cardiff Magic Society promises an experience that will leave you spellbound long after the final curtain falls. 🎩✨🕯️
President's Night
Cardiff Magic Society’s President, Lord Harri will be curating an evening of magic, with performances and teaching from a selection of special guests
IBM Competition Preparation
David Gemmell will present his International Brotherhood of Magicians competition act ahead of the competition in a weeks time. We will follow this up by watching and learning some card routines from David’s last IBM competition act
Tilley's Tales
CMS will be celebrating one our longest standing members, Colin Tilley! We'll host a Q&A with Colin and explore his vast experience, tips and tricks! Not to be missed!
Library Night
For the first time - The Cardiff Magic Society Library will be brought to our venue for members to explore. The collections spans over 200 books cover all sorts of genres of magic, with some incredible vitage volumes through to modern day must haves! There’s also a collection of DVD’s for the more visual learners.
Members can take a look through the collection, we’ll discuss some of the titles, pair up to learn some effects from within the pages and members can perform some magic!
CMS Night Out (Friday)
With no club night on the Monday of this week due to the bank holiday, we’ll be getting together for a social night out on Friday 30th May. We’ll meet in Cardiff City Centre and have some fun catching up socially, performing magic and maybe even some even do some magic based challenges!
An evening by David Gemmell
CMS member and award-winning magician David Gemmell will lead this club night showing up all sorts of magic!
Situation Magic - Lord Harri
Lord Harri will lead this night on situational magic - never again will you say ‘I’ve got nothing on me’ when asked to see some magic
Consulting on Magic Releases
Our experienced members will discuss what it’s like to consult on magic releases - from the ins and outs of supporting and creating an effect to building relationships with creators, producers, and suppliers.
Member Experiences / Adapting to Groups
Our members are invited to talk about their experiences of the Cardiff Magic Society, how it's helped them and where they are now…
We’ll then take a look at how we can all adapt our magic to work with different size groups.
Workshop Night
Our always popular workshop night! Three of our members will take the lead on leading workshops on a topic of their choice - giving us an opportunity to learn something new!
We’ll have lock-picking this year too!
New Stuff Night
Our first meeting of the new year!
A chance to catch up and share any magic that Santa may have left under our trees
Cardiff Magic Society 70th Anniversary
**Cardiff Magic Society's 70th Anniversary Celebration!**
Join us on the 12th of December as we celebrate an extraordinary milestone—the 70th anniversary of the Cardiff Magic Society! This special evening will kick off with a festive meal, accompanied by mesmerizing close-up magic to entertain and enchant. After dinner, we’ll make our way to The Small Space, where the legendary Jasper Blakely and the comedic marvel The Great Baldini will take the stage for an unforgettable show filled with laughter, astonishment, and magical surprises. It promises to be a fun, engaging night of magic and memories in honor of our society’s incredible journey. Don’t miss this spectacular celebration!
JONO BLYTHE MAGIC TALK
The amazing Jono Blythe will talk us through his journey in magic and how it’s helped him with Asperger's
Rubiks Night and Sideshows
Join us on Monday, 28th October, when Lord Harri will teach us Rubik’s cube magic that will melt s! mind. We’ll also get to see some sideshow acts from some of our members, including bed of nails, broken glass, block head and straight jacket escapes!
Rich Relish Lecture
Prepare to be amazed as Cardiff Magic Society proudly presents an exclusive lecture by the extraordinary **Rich Relish**, the master mind reader and creative genius in the world of magic!
Rich Relish has captivated audiences worldwide with his unique blend of intelligence and creativity. He has released stunning commercial magic effects with top industry names like **Alakazam** and **The 1914**, and has many more exciting projects in the pipeline.
### Why You Can't Miss This Event:
🔮 **Innovative Techniques**: Learn how Rich takes common principles and adapts them for the modern magician.
🔮 **Exclusive Insights**: Get a sneak peek into Rich's creative process and discover the secrets behind his mind-blowing effects.
🔮 **Inspiration Guaranteed**: Whether you're a seasoned magician or just starting out, Rich's lecture will inspire and elevate your magic to new heights.
### What to Expect:
- In-depth demonstrations of Rich's latest effects.
- Step-by-step explanations of his creative adaptations.
- A chance to ask questions and interact with Rich Relish.
This is a rare opportunity to learn from one of the brightest minds in magic today. Don't miss out on this magical evening that promises to leave you spellbound and eager to incorporate Rich's innovative ideas into your own repertoire.
