FISM 2018 - Day Five

[CraigMitchell]

FISM 2018 - Day Five

It’s hard to believe that our FISM adventure is slowly drawing to a close. Just two more days left of “magic all over the world”. It’s been a truly enjoyable time and so wonderful to catch up with so many friends from across the globe.

Sources tell me that the best was kept for last for the stage contest. Let’s hope so as the overall stage standard has been worryingly lackluster.

*Yunke - Illusion - Spain

Set in an Air Force hangar - appearance of person in pilot seat, a ridiculous “ironing away” of a covered lady on a plane wing ( we always have our steam irons on standby in the Air Force ) finished off with a cable through torso and a startlingly visible separation of the torso from the trunk whilst attached to a giant industrial blade. The get ready was flawless and caught everyone off guard ( myself included )

*D Albeniz- Manipulation - Spain
A surprisingly poorly lit act with completely unforgettable card manip. Just because you know the moves does not mean you have an act.

*Jimmy Delp - Comedy - France
Rudy Coby meets Sylvester the Jester in France complete with annoying laugh featuring “shades of” Copperfields disembodied torso.

*Nataly and Dmitry - General - Russia
An interesting shopping themed act that started off in red buzzer territory including our first snowstorm of the contest - but saved itself with a giant red dress and quirky pyramid that turned into a bicycle taxi that rode off stage. Magicians are forgiving when a prop piques their interest.

*Txema - General - Spain
Slow act that took forever to get to the feature - jacket coming to life on hat stand as Ray Crowe meets Tina Lenert.

*Mingzhu Zhu - General - China
Paper plane card manipulation with a cascade of paper jets, helicopters with actual rotating blades, explosion of even more paper jets and appearance of a scale Wright brothers aircraft for the finale.

*Tuttilifamili - General - Spain
A quirky and ‘things you only see at FISM’ act featuring a sofa that comes to life and the ensuing love romance between the occupant and the sofa. Started off strong but became confusing and muddled by the end.

*Nathalie Romier - General - France
A French songstress faces her arch nemesis of a toy chicken in a fun act that will never have me look at a rubber chicken the same way again

*Minkyu Jeong - Manipulation - Korea
Wands, silks and juggling in a mix of everything that is instantly forgettable.

*Disguido -Comedy - Italy
Duo act cinema themed chapeugraphy.

*Manolo Costa - Spain
I have no words. Duo act with male partner in pink dress forced in sword box ending with a sign that reads “violence tears us apart”

*Chris Randall - General ( Invention )- USA
I’m confused what the invention was. Linking rings were examined but then duly switched behind a chair followed by card manipulation which unfortunately pales in comparison to the Asian contenders.

*Patrick Lehnen- General - Germany
Pixar lamp comes to life in an act with so much potential but sadly not yet realized. The lamp is a true mechanical marvel with such range of motion and emotion that you can’t help but believe it to be real.

*Eric Buss - Comedy - USA
It’s the world championships of music after all. Rap with looper meets FISM in a bizarre act complete with needle through balloon that may not be tongue in cheek after all.

*Niek Takens - Manipulation - Netherlands
Self-rolling sleeves, ball to smoke, ball to cards, breathtaking card to confetti, color changing cards and a standing ovation.

*Gaia Rossi - General - Italy
Silence of lambs face mask meets card manipulation with bizarre robot reveal. I’m lost.

*Read Chang - General - Korea
A pipe smoking magician with some incredible vanishes and appearances of pocket watches including a visual midair vanish of a watch which is phenomenal. Book to top hat and lots of eye candy. Standing ovation. Note to performer - ditch the pipe. You are far too young and it adds little to the character.

*Nestor Hato - Manipulation - France
A fast paced high energy card manipulation act with confetti sparks, color changing cards, signature color changing hair ending with cards rewinding from floor to hands and a standing ovation.

*Miguel Munoz - General -Spain
We have a Grand Prix winner. Poetry in motion. Performer impossibly appears from beneath a giant plastic sheet billowing as an ocean wave. A stream of water flows from the roof and three crystal balls appear from within the stream. Each melt away before our eyes in a slow explosion of water. The plot is simple, the performance exceptional. Original, measured, beautiful.

*An Ha Lim - Manipulation - Korea
The king of high energy manipulation returns with a breathtaking performance that is without equal.


A 100+ acts later and so ends the contests for FISM 2018. A short break follows before the much anticipated Closeup Gala Show. Stay tuned ...

[CraigMitchell]

CLOSEUP GALA SHOW

9 performers ... over two hours of closeup magic performed for 2000+ people. If ever there was a time that less is more - this is it.

Highlights: Will Tsai’s AGT act ... it really does look like CGI and Cyril’s FISM marshmallow roast complete with a real inferno from palm!

Whilst the show featured some top notch names - Boris Wild, Asi Wind, Woody Aragon, Pit Hartling etc FISM fatigue has unfortunately set in and made it very difficult to fully appreciate the acts in less than ideal ‘closeup’ conditions.

KOREAN STAGE GALA SHOW

In a word - INCREDIBLE.
Yu Ho Jin. Ted Kim. Young Min Kim. Han Seol Hui. EG Lee and more.

The number of FISM champions sharing a single stage is mind blowing. The energy was through the roof, the performances sublime and the sheer sense of love and joy from the performers astonishing.

To Casa and his team - Korea delivered the goods like no other country can. What a phenomenal showcase. Thank you!

[observer]

FISM 2018 - Day Five


*Nathalie Romier - General - France
A French songstress faces her arch nemesis of a toy chicken in a fun act that will never have me look at a rubber chicken the same way again

All these reports have been fascinating but for some reason that item caught my attention ….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BXeKtjxlpA

A few glimpses of the chicken in the second half.

By the way, "quick change" en francais is "quickchange". Weird, hein ?