We have our 2025 Close-up Competition on Thursday 20th February 2025.

Our hosts this year will be The Kingston Bowling Club. The address is 20 Ash Grove Beverley Road Hull HU5 1LT

There is limited street parking but the car park will be open.

Drive to the bottom of the street turn right and gate is almost immediately on right.

Ash Grove from Beverley is second right after Clough Road / Cottingham Road Junction near to HERIB sight Support

The close-up competition

Shirley Watts donated this award in September 1962. It was the expressed wish of the donor that at all times one of the judges of this competition should be a lady, and it is therefor desirable that this competition be held on an Open Night, preferably a Ladies Night.

All competitors must give written notice of their intention of entering, to the Secretary no less than seven days prior to the date of the competition.

For the purposes of this competition, Close-Up Magic should not include tricks suitable for platform or stage use, and the inclusion of any such trick will result in a loss of points. It has to be entertainment for the most intimate audience.

2(a) The judges will consist of two magicians and two ladies, who shall be the only ones empowered to award points. In addition to the four Judges, there shall be an official timekeeper and a Chairman of the Judges. Each Judge shall keep his/her own record on an official score sheet, and no comparison with any other Judge shall be allowed.

2(b) At the conclusion of the competition each Judge shall hand his/her score sheet to the Chairman of the Judges who, in conjunction with the Time-keeper , shall calculate the total points awarded and from their findings shall announce the name of the winner and the runner-up only.

2(c) A statement of the total points for all competitors, in each section, shall be kept by the Chairman of the Judges. This is to be available for examination by any competitor on request, following the announcement of the results.

2(d) All Judges score sheets to be confidential to the Chairman of the Judges and Official Timekeeper, and to be destroyed on the night of the competition.

The length of a performer’s act shall not be less than four and not more than eight minutes in duration. The timekeeper shall give a warning signal when seven minutes have elapsed. Should any competitor fail to comply with the above time limits, a penalty of one point per Judge will be deducted for every minute or part of a minute over or under-timed.

In order that each competitor may understand how his/her act is being judged the following sections have been evolved and Judges will award marks based on the following criteria - a. The overall magical content of the act

b The entertainment value of the act

c Patter and Presentation of the act

d Whether or not the act is truly "Close-Up Magic"

Please can you let me know no later than the 13th February 2025 if you would like to enter.

secretaryhullmc@gmail.com