Magic way to honour comic hero Tommy

Mar 11 2008 by Wendy Horton, South Wales Echo

TOP stars of the magic world will take to a South Wales stage later this month to pay tribute to comic genius Tommy Cooper.

Members of the Magic Circle are to band together for one night only when they perform their talents in Tommy’s birthplace of Caerphilly.

Compering the event is Tommy’s former bank manager David Ball, secretary of the Magic Circle, and among those performing will be Magic Circle President Alan Shaxton, one of the world’s top magicians.

Other members of the show, entitled Stars of the Magic Circle, include Peter Scarlett and double act Brian Miller and Audrey who were named best speciality act at the London Palladium.

The special event has been staged at Caerphilly Workmen’s Hall as a tribute to the late great comedian by his fans in the Tommy Cooper Society. It comes just weeks after a larger- than-life-size statue of Tommy was unveiled by Hollywood star Anthony Hopkins at the Twyn Square.

The town was brought to a halt as thousands turned out to watch Sir Anthony unveil the 9ft-high statue of his own comic hero.

Secretary of the Tommy Cooper Society Tudor Jones said: “The show is the next phase on from the statue and their objective is to encourage youngsters and the disabled into the performing arts.”

Magic Circle secretary David Ball, who was also Tommy’s friend, said: “It will be just nice to do something else for Tommy in Caerphilly.

“He was a prominent member of the Magic Circle for many, many years and I feel putting on a show would pay tribute to him.

“I knew him well through the magic circle and it was just a coincidence that I was branch manager at the bank where Tommy Cooper held his account.

“He was really chuffed when he knew that he had a magician as a bank manager.”

The Stars of Magic Circle show will be held on Friday, March 28, at Caerphilly Workmen’s Hall in Castle Street, Caerphilly.

Tickets are £10 or £7 concessions and are available from Caerphilly Tourist Information Centre on 029 2088 0011.

wendy.horton@mediawales.co.uk