The Magic Circle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may require cleaning up to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: wikify. Please improve this article if you can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (January 2011) (Consider using more specific clean up instructions.)

This article needs references that appear in reliable third-party publications. Primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject are generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please add more appropriate citations from reliable sources. (January 2011)

For other uses, see Magic circle (disambiguation).

The Magic Circle
The Magic Circle Theatre
Motto	Indocilis Privata Loqui (not apt to disclose secrets)
Formation	1905
Purpose/focus	To promote and advance the art of magic
Headquarters	12 Stephenson Way, Euston
Location	London, UK
Coordinates	51°31′35″N 0°08′08″WCoordinates: 51°31′35″N 0°08′08″W
Membership	~1,450
Official languages	English
President	Jack Delvin
Main organ	Elected Council
Website	TheMagicCircle.co.uk

The Magic Circle is a British organisation, founded in London in 1905, dedicated to promoting and advancing the art of magic.^[1]

[edit] History

The Magic Circle was founded in 1905 after a meeting of 23 amateur and professional magicians at London's Pinoli's Restaurant. At this founders meeting, chaired by Servais Le Roy, those present decided upon the name of the Society — it was initially felt that the name of the Society should be the Martin Chapender Club, in memory of the noted performer, and founding member, who had recently died at the age of twenty-five. However, it was then agreed that the name "Magic Circle" would be more appropriate and that this name shared the same initials as those of Martin Chapender.^[2] The first official meeting was at the Green Man public house in Soho, but meetings were later in a room at St George's Hall in Langham Place, where David Devant and John Nevil Maskelyne were regularly seen performing.^[3]
Devant became the first president of the Magic Circle, and in 1906, Maskelyne edited the first issue of The Magic Circular magazine, a regular feature for members ever since. The Magic Circular claims to be the longest running regular magic magazine in conjuring history.
The club was male-only until 1991, when more than 75% of members voted to admit women. There are around eighty female members of The Magic Circle, including Paul Daniels' wife, Debbie McGee. ^[2]