The Magic Circle (organisation) facts for kids
The Magic Circle Theatre
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| Formation | 1905 |
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| Type | Club |
| Purpose | To promote and advance the art of magic |
| Headquarters | Euston London, NW1 U.K. |
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Membership (2023)
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1,534 |
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Official language
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English |
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President
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Marvin Berglas |
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Main organ
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The Magic Circular |
| Remarks | Motto: Indocilis Privata Loqui ("not apt to disclose secrets") |
The Magic Circle is a special club in Britain for people who love and perform magic tricks. It helps magicians get better and share their skills.
To join, you usually need to pass an exam where you show off your magic. Or, you can write a detailed paper about a type of magic. Once you pass, you become a Member of The Magic Circle (M.M.C.). There are also higher levels, like Associate of the Inner Magic Circle (A.I.M.C.) and Member of The Inner Magic Circle (M.I.M.C.). Only 300 people can be M.I.M.C. members.
The Magic Circle started in 1905. For a long time, only men could join, but that changed in 1991. There's also a club for younger magicians called the Young Magicians Club.
Contents
The History of The Magic Circle
The Magic Circle began in 1905. Twenty-three magicians, both hobbyists and professionals, met at a restaurant in London. They decided to create a club for magic. They thought about naming it after a young magician who had recently passed away, Martin Chapender. But they chose "Magic Circle" instead, because it had the same first letters as his name.
Their first official meeting was at a pub called the Green Man. Later, they met at St George's Hall, a place where famous magicians like David Devant and John Nevil Maskelyne often performed.
David Devant became the first president of The Magic Circle. In 1906, Maskelyne started a magazine for members called The Magic Circular. This magazine is still published today and is known as the longest-running magic magazine ever!
For many years, only men were allowed to be members. But in 1991, members voted to let women join. Interestingly, a woman named Sophie Lloyd had already joined about 18 months before this vote. She pretended to be a man to get in. When she revealed she was a woman after the rules changed, the club voted to remove her for "tricking" them.
In 2024, the club's first female leader, Laura London, tried to find Sophie Lloyd to apologize and invite her back. Sophie Lloyd was found in 2025 and rejoined The Magic Circle under her real name.
As of 2024, about 5% of the 1,700 members are women. In 2014, Megan Knowles-Bacon became the first female officer and the youngest person elected to such a role. In 2021, she became the first female and youngest president of The Magic Circle, using her stage name Megan Swann.
The Magic Circle's Motto
The club's motto is a Latin phrase: indocilis privata loqui. This means "not apt to disclose secrets." It's a promise that members will not tell magic secrets to just anyone. They can only share secrets with other serious students of magic. If a member breaks this rule, or any other rule, they can be asked to leave the club.
The Magic Circle Headquarters
Since 1998, The Magic Circle has had its own building in central London, near Euston Station. This building is used for meetings and special events. It was even voted the best venue in the UK for hospitality in 2008!
The Magic Circle's headquarters has a theatre, a library, a museum, a dining room, and clubrooms. The museum is full of cool magic items. You can see old magic tricks, props, posters, and photos from magic history. Some famous items include Robert Harbin's original "Zig Zag Girl" illusion and a sound recording of Harry Houdini. You can also see a set of cups and balls used by King Charles III when he took his Magic Circle exam in 1975! You can visit the museum by booking a tour.
How to Become a Member
Magicians who want to join The Magic Circle can spend up to a year as an apprentice. They need to know two current members for at least a year. These two members then help them apply. You must be at least 18 years old to apply.
After applying, you'll have an interview. If you seem like a good fit, you'll either take a performance exam or write a thesis. In the performance exam, you show your magic skills to a group of judges. If you choose to write a thesis, two examiners will read it.
The final step is a vote by the club's Council. If they approve, you become a "Member of the Society" and can use the letters M.M.C. after your name.
Many famous magicians are members, including Dynamo and even King Charles III. However, the famous magic duo Penn & Teller are not members. This is because they sometimes reveal how magic tricks are done in their shows, which goes against The Magic Circle's rules.
Members promise not to reveal magic secrets to non-magicians. If they do, they can be expelled. For example, Dominic Wood, a former Young Magician of the Year, was expelled for publishing books that explained magic secrets.
Associate of the Inner Magic Circle
Members can take another exam to reach a higher level called Associate of the Inner Magic Circle (A.I.M.C.). This shows they have even greater skills. Sometimes, if someone does exceptionally well on their first M.M.C. exam, they might even be awarded the A.I.M.C. straight away! If they get it through a performance exam, they receive an A.I.M.C. with a silver star.
Inner Magic Circle
The highest level of membership is the Inner Magic Circle. There are never more than 300 members in this group. You can only become a Member of the Inner Magic Circle (M.I.M.C.) if the President of The Magic Circle invites you. If you are a performer, you might get an M.I.M.C. with a gold star.
The Young Magicians Club
The Young Magicians Club is a special club for young magicians aged 10 to 18. It started in 1996 and is supported by The Magic Circle. Members meet every month at The Magic Circle's headquarters in London for workshops. About 200 young people are members.
The club has its own magazine called Secrets, which comes out every two months. Young magicians from all over the world can also talk to each other on a special online forum.
It's easy to join the Young Magicians Club – there's no interview or exam! Adult members of The Magic Circle teach the young magicians at the workshops. When members turn 18, they can join The Magic Circle at a lower cost, but they still need to pass the full membership exam.
Every October, the Young Magicians Club holds a big event called 'J-Day'. It includes talks from famous magicians and competitions. Awards are given for stage magic, close-up magic, comedy magic, and original ideas. Famous magicians like Derren Brown and Dynamo have given talks at J-Day.
The popularity of the Harry Potter books and movies helped The Magic Circle grow a lot. Membership doubled after the first Harry Potter movie was announced in 2001!
Presidents of The Magic Circle
| Years | President |
|---|---|
| 1905 – 1906 | David Devant |
| 1906 – 1924 | Nevil Maskelyne |
| 1924 – 1928 | Clive Maskelyne |
| 1928 – 1931 | Herbert J. Collings |
| 1931 – 1935 | Oliver Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill |
| 1935 – 1954 | Evelyn Seymour, 17th Duke of Somerset |
| 1954 – 1958 | Herbert J. Collings |
| 1958 – 1989 | Francis White |
| 1989 – 1998 | David Berglas |
| 1998 – 2003 | Michael Bailey |
| 2003 – 2008 | Alan Shaxon |
| 2008 – 2009 | Ali Bongo |
| 2009 – 2014 | Jack Delvin |
| 2014 – 2019 | Scott Penrose |
| 2019 – 2021 | Noel Britten |
| 2021 – 2023 | Megan Swann |
| 2023 – present | Marvin Berglas |
President Timeline
See Also
- Academy of Magical Arts and its headquarters, The Magic Castle
- American Museum of Magic
- List of magic museums
