Abbotts 48th Get Together 1985
by Bruce Posgate
The 48th Abbott Magic Get Together is now but a memory-but what a memory! The first nights show included Joe Eddie and Betty with their fast-paced illusion presentation. Ear-shattering pyrotechnics momentarily jolted the audience as did the intrepid Betty prancing down into the audience with a ten foot snake draped around her neck! It was fast and furious fun and enjoyed by all. A spontaneous standing ovation foretold the eventual winners of the Jack Gwynne trophy for all-around showmanship and presentation.
Another highlight was the full evening show of Blackstone & Co., easily upholding Harry Jr.'s popular nation-wide reputation for presenting fun, illusion, mystery with colorful costuming, drama and excitement. just one of the many thrills was his famous glowing light bulb floating freely across the footlights, right across the heads of the audience - a sight never to be forgotten.
Terry Seabrooke, Trevor Lewis and Karrell Fox each in turn and each in their own inimitable way M.C.'d different shows, with fun, humor and great entertainment. The audience was particularly charmed with Tina Lenert's superb miming. It was pure artistry. "Theatre" at its best. Several well deserved curtain calls were accompanied with enthusiastic applause.
Hans Moretti brought down the house with his sensational act. We watched him squeeze his large muscular body into a carton barely large enough to hold him. volunteers on stage thrust a dozen or more sharp pointed swords through the carton from which he eventually emerged in full clown costume and make-up, with a live chicken precariously perched atop his bewigged bald head, at the same time producing other livestock including a duckling. The wildly cheering audience gave him an enthusiastic standing ovation. Only kohl & Company could follow such an act, to close the last show of the week. Their hilarious 'spoof' of a bungling magician was a joyous conclusion to a record Get-together of magical entertainment.
I wish I had space to describe in detail the offerings of a host of high caliber talented artists who accompanied the foregoing highlights. These included Abb Dickson's lively company of cooks and chefs amidst a mélange of huge and colorful (human) garden produce!; Gordon Miller; Howard Hale (the 1985 IBM Gold Medalist); Stewart MacDonald, Piet Forton, Kovari, Tim Wright, Mike Caveney; David Ben, Peter Isaacs; Sid Lorraine, many with lectures, close-up and stage performances, all combining to present four solid days of such enjoyable entertainment that I cannot see how Greg Bordner and his staff can possibly improve on it when he comes to celebrate the 50th Get-together! But he's got the 49th ahead of him first, in 1986. We'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, keep early August 1986 open and get your registration in early.
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