The Billet Article - Secretarial

This article is taken from The Billet Issue - 450 - Sep 2009, Authored by Stephen Bellerby

Secretarial

While I’m sure those attending tonight’s meeting will enjoy Jack Delvin’s Dealer Dem, hopefully those there enjoyed the magic presented by members of Huddersfield Circle of Magicians at the last meeting. I certainly enjoyed the shows, the stand-up more than the close-up, if I’m honest.

It was nice to see Stuart Cooper in the show. He was one of our members several years ago and I noted that his performance style hasn’t changed a bit, still exuding enthusiasm.

As was mentioned during the show, Michael Jordan was awarded the title Young Magician of the Year! It is a wonderful award for a very deserving recipient. It isn’t too long ago since I first met Michael and Siobhan as High Jinx. They have come on in leaps and bounds, becoming British Champions at the British Ring stage competition and now Michael has won the biennial world famous Young Magician of the Year. Well done, Michael.

There were a few unfamiliar faces in the audience of couple of whom prospective new members. I’d met one of the couples few weeks back at Steve Gore’s Wuthering Sleights, President’s Day. They went along to the supper in the evening and where we had a chat.

It turned out that the lady’s father was a founder member of Huddersfield Circle of Magicians. That was why I’d suggested they came along. They certainly enjoyed the show and the friendship they received. They had brought along with them an autograph book. Within its pages were messages from various entertainers, including noted magicians. These included Dante, The Great Lyle and Horace Goldin. It’s certainly a treasure well worth keeping. I could have trawled through it for many hours. It would be nice if they could scan them to create an electronic record.

The barbecue was an enjoyable evening and thanks are recorded to Jon & Liz Harris for hosting the evening, not forgetting their son, Sam, who welcomed people to their house! Thanks are also expressed to Jon’s mother, who helped out in the kitchen and to Louise Bellerby for cooking on the “barbi”, not forgetting Steve Naylor for cooking those two sausages! Finally, thanks to Ken Mitchell, for bringing along one of his bouncy castles. A fuller report will no doubt be submitted elsewhere in the Billet.

In November, we welcome back to Danny and Annette of Amethyst, who will be presenting a lecture on the great illusionists from the golden age of magic. Magic and memorabilia along with a power point presentation, this will be an interesting talk and an important reminder that we are all “standing on the shoulders of giants”. Danny may also present one or two of the classic effects, it would be nice if he could present Travis Perkins’ Alice Through the Canvas Sheet but I’m not sure that he’s got it working fully yet. If you want to see Amethyst in performance, why not poop along to Skipton own Hall for this year’s Skipton Factor Variety Show, which this year, they are closing. This year’s show will be on Friday 16th October. You can get fuller details from Mark Waddington.

Onto other things, now. As secretary, I receive various forms of correspondence. One interesting item that landed on my desk was from OXO, who are intending to re-launch the stock cube with a commercial featuring a new OXO family!

I can only assume they are mail shooting all social clubs and groups. We are invited to provide a three-minute scene to their script and to submit it to them. A cast is needed, consisting of a mum, dad and two children. The winning film will be featured during a commercial break in year’s X-Factor final. Time would be against anyone submitting a video but I’m happy to submit further information to anyone interested.

I was chatting about the campaign with colleagues at work and about how they want to move away from the 2.4 children family depicted twenty years ago, with Linda Bellingham playing the mum. What should the new family consist of? Should they be a multi-racial family, adopting one of their children? A foster family, perhaps. Or how about the parents being a lesbian couple! I’d love to see all of the entries submitted. Why not, in such a changing world? I came across an example of our changing world in grammar and language. I’ve been steadily reading H. G. Wells' classic novel, The War of the Worlds. The book’s narrative is as originally written, some novels being having their narratives brought more up to date for a younger generation. At one point in the book, where panic is starting to set in and the story-teller’s brother is witnessing the commotion at his lodgings. The land-lady comes out onto the landing followed by her husband who is shouting, trying to learn of what is going on….. or, as Herbert George put it;

He heard footsteps running to and fro in the rooms, and up and down stairs behind him. His landlady came to the door, loosely wrapped in dressing-gown and shawl; her husband followed ejaculating.

And people complained about Lady Chatterley’s Lover!

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