Josh Jay's new lecture

Renowned American magician Joshua Jay delivered his new lecture in Manchester yesterday evening and very inspiring it was.

Since he was last in Britain, in summer 2008, Josh has been involved in two nasty accidents that threatened to impair his ability to perform magic but, thanks to good doctors, luck and determination, he has managed to overcome all but some minor difficulties. The tales he told of the weeks spent lying in a hospital bed, thinking up magic tricks he could do with one hand, were reminiscent of Rear Window, that marvellous film by Josh's favourite director, Alfred Hitchcock. A great mind restless in a temporarily immobilised body.

Josh has a profound understanding of what makes magic work. Apart from all the technical subtleties he uses to ensure a smooth performance, Josh's magic always has an engaging story. Even the simplest trick can be transformed into a memorable experience for those watching if there is a good story around it - and Josh has got this down to a fine art.

Although he is an extremely capable and accomplished magician himself, Josh offered us in this lecture some straightforward methods of achieving stunning effects, both new and old. A trick doesn't have to be difficult to perform in order to impress the audience: what counts is the presentation. It has to be well rehearsed, confidently executed and motivated (given a story).

Something else I like about Josh is that he applies all these principles to his lectures as well as his shows. The evening is carefully thought-out, structured and paced, and delivered with the energy and enthusiasm we hope for in a lecturer but don't always get.

It's a short tour this time but Josh has thousands of fans in Europe and I'm sure he will be back soon.