This write-up is to introduce magicians and magic fanatics to the prosperous heritage of magic in Singapore. It honours the noteworthy achievements, prominence and significance of local magicians from the previous and present.
The commencing of Contemporary Magic in Singapore
It is the basic consensus that modern day magic in Singapore (put up Entire world War 2) started with the late-Ng Bo
Oen AKA The Great Wong. Details on neighborhood magic pre-war is extremely scarce. The only info discovered has been on The Great Wong carrying out at the New Planet Amusement Park (then positioned at Kitchener Road) in the thirties.
The Fantastic Wong was born in 1908 in Shanton, a metropolis of the Guangdong Province, China and immigrated to Singapore in 1933. He was the only specialist magician of his time in Singapore and done throughout South East Asia. He was identified for his sharp phase magic, Linking Rings regimen and Sword Basket illusion. He was also an professional craftsman who constructed all of his props by hand. He experienced the reward of figuring out the mechanics and methodology of magic props and fabricating them from scratch.
In 1962, The Great Wong manufactured a important contribution to the global magic neighborhood by publishing his famous linking rings program with English script composed by Tudor Brock. Davenports Magic in London distributes his manuscript to date. In 1982, he was invited by the Federation Internationale des Societes Magiques (FISM) to complete at the 15th Planet Congree of Magic in Lausanne, Switzerland.
(For a lot more information on The Fantastic Wong refer to ‘The Wonderful Wong Story’ in The Intercontinental Brotherhood of Magicians Singapore Ring a hundred and fifteen The Quantum Ring Golden Jubilee Concern)
Yet another regional magician who was instrumental in increasing present day magic in Singapore for the duration of the beginning was the late-Tan Hock Chuan. He was a trainer by profession but carried out for yearly particular events, charity displays and non-public events. He was (and even now is) internationally recognized for his magical innovations. His results and concepts are even now marketed vendor items nowadays and have been published in numerous publications (of that time) these kinds of as Gen, Spinx, Pentagram, New Pentagram, Swami Mantra, Abracadabra and even Tarbell’s Course in Magic. He is the first Asian magician to obtain the Spinx Award (1936-37)
The two The Wonderful Wong and Tan Hock Chuan have been critical influences to a lot of of the very first technology of Singapore contemporary-magicians who have paved the way for potential generations.
1950s
It was only soon after the war and for the duration of the British Armed forces Administration that magic in Singapore began its increase to where it is right now. 1950 was the calendar year that the Singapore Magician’s Club was fashioned by a group of novice magicians, comprising of English-educated specialists.
In 1951 the Singapore Magician’s Club acquired their constitution from The Intercontinental Brotherhood of Magicians HQ in The us and was from then on was officially recognized as The Intercontinental Brotherhood of Magicians Singapore Ring a hundred and fifteen. Founding associates of the club at that time integrated Tan Ewe Chee (President), Yeo Quickly Kian, Lim Kim Tian, Lim Hap Hin, J.H Stafford, L.A Joseph, J.W Jackson (Vice-President) and Tan Hock Chuan (Secretary).
The 50’s gave start to Singapore’s first generation of modern magicians. Besides the founding customers of the IBM Ring and The Wonderful Wong (who joined the Ring in 1952 by invitation), some well known initial technology magicians included Lim Hap Hin, Tan Choon Tee, Tan Bah Chee, Yeo Soon Kian and his student Michael Lim.
The Fantastic Wong operated the first magic store from his house cum showroom/ workshop in Singapore at 255-A Jalan Besar where he marketed his very own handcrafted props as well as imported seller objects from Japan. (This home/ store was ruined in a fireplace in Dec 1988 creating him to get rid of most of his guides and props)
nineteen sixties
Throughout this period of time, magicians like The Excellent Wong, Tan Bah Chee, Lim Hap Hin and Tan Choon Tee carried out magic courses at the National Theatre Club and the YMCA. They ended up dependable for creating active magicians these kinds of as Charles Choo, Wong Fok Choy, Chia Hearn Jiang, Gwee Thiam Hock and the late-Vijeyacone.
The early 60s also observed the ‘Golden Age’ of magic with magicians performing at diverse venues across the region. Aside from local magicians doing in evening golf equipment, international magicians such as Socar performed a grand illusion demonstrate to a total home at the Capitol Theatre (along Stamford Street) and The Great Nicholas at the Sky Theater in The Excellent Entire world Amusement Park at Kim Seng Street (Now, Excellent World Metropolis).
In the late 60s, Wee Peng Guan (Uncle of Charles Choo), opened the next magic shop in Singapore at a shop property alongside Robinson Road. Close to that time, common entertainer Victor Khoo’s father Khoo Teng Heng who was a magician, a ventriloquist and hypnotist opened his magic store at Bras Basah. (where Carlton Hotel stands presently).
During this decade, Tan Choon Tee was producing a title for himself in the international magic community in the discipline of Mentalism. He received many intercontinental Linking Ring Awards for his A single-Guy Parades and has two books published by Micky Hades. He was also a normal contributor to numerous global magic magazines these kinds of as Gen, New Pentagram, Magicgram, Magicana and The Linking Ring.
Abroad magicians whom handed via Singapore included Milo & Roger, Milbourne Christopher and Maurice Fogel.
seventies
The nineteen seventies observed the delivery of the next technology of Singapore magicians. Some properly-identified magicians who received commenced throughout this time incorporated The Wonderful Wong’s son Ng Kee Chee, John Teo, Tang Sai Thong, Ng Seow Kiat, Tang Yeng Exciting, Bob Chua, Eric Leong, Tan Teck Seng, Lawrence Tham, Tan Tuan Seng, Lawrence Khong and Andrew Kong.
The Singapore Affiliation of Magicians was launched on ten March 1973 in helpful ‘rivalry’ to the IBM Ring. The club was led by Tan Bah Chee with notable founding users these kinds of as Lim Hap Hin, Tan Hock Chuan and Charles Choo.
Magic retailers in Singapore commenced to spring up throughout the late seventies. Ng Kee Chee set up a magic stall at Yaohan in Plaza Singapura and Wang Leng opened his shop in Peninsula Plaza. Charles Choo opened his shop in August 1978 on the 6th flooring of Far East Buying Centre. (It would move a number of instances to various malls but eventually returned back to Significantly East). His store would soon become an institution exactly where magicians would purchase various magic products as nicely as meet up with up and understand from each other.
It was a variety haunt for a lot of magicians in the many years to arrive until the shop shut in the new millennium.
Throughout this period, The Tropicana Night time Club, which was positioned at Pacific Plaza, was a location that had regular magic performances. Many famous magicians also visited Singapore in the 70s. In 1970, John Calvert executed at the Nationwide Theatre. In 1972, Albert Goshman frequented Ring a hundred and fifteen to give a lecture. In that exact same yr, “The Professor” Dai Vernon also frequented Singapore, lectured and interacted with regional magicians. Other checking out magicians provided Andre Kole, Billy McComb, and Ali Bongo.
By the eighties, the regional magic scene was flourishing with healthier memberships for the two major magic golf equipment as nicely as a surge in the variety of carrying out magicians. A lot of of today’s veterans made their title in the 80s. Common names like Richard Ang, Patrick Wan, Patrick Ng Wang Lin, Tan Hai Yan AKA Gician, Paul Koh, AB Francis and Gordon Koh had been doing often at public and personal displays in the course of this 10 years. Common nearby venues for community magic demonstrates by magic golf equipment held on a standard foundation at that time incorporated the Drama Centre and the National Museum Theatrette.
The acceptance of magic retailers also grew and in 1982, Chew Kin Song opened a Magic & Novelty Corner at the Chinese E-book Segment of Common E-book Co Pte Ltd on the 4th Flooring of Bras Basah Complex. Gician Tan also opened up his initial magic store at Parkway Parade which subsequently moved to Marina Square and was managed by Richard Ang. Apart from this primary store, he distributed magic products and sets through department retailers
in Singapore and South East Asia.The Singapore viewers was also exposed to globe-class magic through numerous magic tv shows and collection that ended up aired on neighborhood Television which includes the David Copperfield specials, Magic Magic and The Best of Magic.
International magicians who frequented Singapore throughout this time incorporated David Copperfield, Mark Wilson, Ben Harris, Paul Daniels and Gene Anderson.
nineties
The commencing of this decade observed the introduction of the country’s 3rd generation magicians into the regional magic scene. Prominent budding magicians included Enrico Varella, Sherman Tjiong, J C Sum, Joe Yu (Chan Ee Kang), Nique Tan Li Keong, Prakash Puru, Kiki Tay, Alex Tan and Jeremy Pei.
The regional chapter of International Magicians Society was shaped, launched by its President, Tan Bah Chee though the club’s existence in Singapore was brief-lived.
The late-nineteen nineties observed a large surge in magic world-wide reputation because of to David Blaine’s road magic specials. Numerous folks started to ‘get into’ magic and had new mediums to understand the craft this kind of as the introduction of DVDs and the Web.
A new magic shop, Magic Castle & Promotions, opened up by Vijay Kumar at Shaw Towers quickly grew to become ‘the area to be’ where new magicians would hang out and meet up with.
During this decade, Wang Leng’s shop in Peninsula Plaza was sold to Patrick Wan. The shop was subsequently sold to Richard Ang and is now nicely known as Ang House of Magic. Patrick Wan opened his new shop, Magic Wand, which has spawned into numerous retailers in a variety of parts of Singapore. Steven Sim also opened Magic Supreme at Coronation Plaza which has subsequently moved to Park Mall.
The 90s was an interesting 10 years with many visits and performances by popular magicians. Aside from lectures by Michael & Hannah Ammar, Mark Leveridge and Wolfgang & Sonja Riebe there had been also community theatre performances by the Pendragons, Princess Tenko, Andre Kole, Franz Harary, David Copperfield, Rudy Coby and Robert Gallop. Other going to magicians integrated Larry Becker, Tim Ellis, Terry Seabrooke, Phil Cass and Albert Tham.
2000 – Current
Magic has continued to prosper at the nearby stage in this decade. New opportunities and skills have emerged to elevate the artwork in Singapore. In May 2000, J C Sum staged the 1st ever nearby full-evening theatre present ‘Magic at the Theatre’ at Victoria Theatre. Just a month afterwards, a lot more than a dozen magicians from the US and Canada came down to Singapore as element of the Magic Pageant arranged by the Malls of Centrepoint. Magicians this sort of as Robert Baxt, Rocco and Peter Gossamer executed several demonstrates at various Centrepoint Malls for above a 7 days.
In 2004, the Singapore Magic Circle (SMC) was designed by Aloysius Yeo and with its on-line discussion board drew a new pool of magic lovers with each other. SMC has since developed to more than a thousand associates and frequently organize gatherings, activities as nicely as the latest Notion:Magic Micro MAGIC Conference in January 2007.
Through a big-scale theatre magic musical ‘Magic of Love’, Lawrence Khong, a pastor with Religion Neighborhood Baptist Church and his daughter Pricilla, unfold the gospel information.
The multi-million dollar production has been staged a lot of occasions over the years across the globe to spread the phrase of Christ. Subsequently, the identical team organized two International Pageant of Magic conventions in 2003 & 2005. The 1st of its variety huge magic activities included competitions, lectures, a dealers’ room and performances. Global performers this sort of as Jeff McBride, Max Maven, Johnny Thomspon, The Pendragons, Lee Eun Gyeol and Tommy Ponder had been booked to complete at the gala demonstrates and lectures.
In current many years, J C Sum has grow to be arguably the most notable Singapore magician of this era. His magic has been seen by millions through his dwell performances across Asia as effectively as his landmark mass media tasks on MediaCorp Studio’s Ch 8 as well as subsequent ‘Street Illusions’ compilation DVD/ VCD.
His 24-episode ‘Magic in Motion’ sequence can currently be seen everyday on Singapore Press Holdings MediaBoxOffice via 2007. In the global magic group, J C has also recognized himself as an elite illusion designer from Asia with the publication of his 3 critically acclaimed illusion textbooks that have been bought in a lot more than thirty nations around the world to date.
One more proficient award-winning magician, Jeremy Pei, is increasing the profile of Singapore magic within the regional magic group with his theatre exhibits, arranged lectures, workshops and energetic participation in magic conventions & competitions in Japan, Korea, China, Thailand and Australia. His exclusive North-Asian influence fashion of magic efficiency has garnered him a pursuing with new budding magicians whom he teaches and guides. He has also released multiple authentic magic products which are offered to magicians globally.
In an additional first, award-profitable junior magician, Kyle Ravin secured a 13-episode weekly Road Magic collection, “Maya” on MediaCorp Studios’ Vasantham Central. This 30min sequence noticed him execute magic for the Indian group and superstars across the nation.
This decade has observed the introduction of even much more magic stores and dealers run by younger magicians to satisfy the need of magic lovers and magicians. These contain new ‘brick & mortar’ magic stores this sort of as Avenue Magic by Tan Wei Ping, Tough Company by Jimmy Wong, The Magic Hall by Kenneth Peh as well as on-line outlets like The Small Magic Shop by Ning.