Now, That's Magic.


Tonight’s Mostly Comedy was one of the most surreal and exciting gigs of my life.

Paul Daniels at tonight's Hitchin Mostly Comedy (photos by Gemma Poole).
I never dreamt I’d share a bill with my childhood hero Paul Daniels; least of all at my own event. I never thought I’d make him a cup of tea (milk and sugar), share a laugh backstage with the genuinely lovely Debbie McGee – and get to interview them with my equally ecstatic double-act partner, and then watch Paul perform a trick just for our benefit. The evening was packed with pinch-yourself moments; so much so, the ten-year-old inside me didn’t know what to do with himself.

Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee onstage at Hitchin Mostly Comedy (19.11.15)
We’ve played host to a lot of big names at Mostly Comedy, but somehow, PD trumped them all. The atmosphere in the room when he was onstage was electric; the roar from the audience when he let a “Not a lot” slip towards the end of his set nearly took the roof off (but it’s a pretty rickety venue). I couldn’t blame them for this; if you’re going to watch the country’s - perhaps the world’s - most skilled and famous magician, you may as well watch him in a jam-packed, hundred-seater venue, where everyone is close to the stage; even better when you got to chat with him backstage as we did. The man’s a consummate professional; no less in control of the room at seventy-seven than he was at half his age; the fact he described one of my other favourite acts, Bruce Forsyth, as “The Master” during our interview made is all make sense. He’s learnt from observing, working with and being the very best.

PD at MC.
(I don’t want to leave Bec Hill out by the way, who was also on the bill and on top form; if you haven’t seen her videos, go check her out.)

Paul Daniels hits Hitchin.

Perhaps my favourite part of the night (aside from seeing Paul’s iconic silhouette appear in the coach archway as he walked up to the venue, carrying his case of tricks) was when he sang a snippet of the theme tune from Wizbit to Glyn and me during the podcast interview. I liked that: not not a lot; I liked it a lot.

Ephgrave. Doggett. McGee. Daniels.

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