Marc pulls a great show out of his hat.

Magic has seen a resurgence of late. The likes of Derren Brown, David Blaine and various young punk magicians doing street tricks on Channel Four programmes has enlivened what had become something of a D-list celeb of light entertainment. But an audience used to TV prestidigitators, able to rely on retakes if a trick doesn't go smoothly, can be a one for those brave souls trying to create magic live on stage.

We saw a little of that as Marc Oberon, European Close-up Magic Champion, took to the stage on Saturday. Affable and chatty with the audience, the black-clad Oberon's sleight of hand was excellent. Silver balls and gold coins appeared out of nowhere, as did a foot-long key and in one instance -and I have no idea how he did this- a bowling ball, dropped heavily on to the stage to prove it was the real thing. Oberon even played on the audience's knowledge that in live magic there's always a chance it can all go wrong, pretending to fluff a couple of card tricks before a flourish revealed he'd fooled us all along.

At £10 a ticket this 90 minute show was good value family entertainment delivered with aplomb by Oberon, a man whose title suggests he is quickly rising up the ranks of his profession.

A magic start to a life on the stage

One budding star is having a magical introduction to the world of show business- at the age of eight. Xavier Oberon will assist in his dad Marc's magic show. The schoolboy will be on hand to help with new secret tricks involving a wand and missing coins. And will even have his own spot, making a piece of rope come alive. Marc, 41, of Arnold, said: "Xavier has the potential to be very good. He is definitely a show off. He has always wanted to be my assistant and has offered criticism with his six-year old brother, Torin, when I rehearse.

"I won't just ignore what they say but go with their suggestions. They have seen a lot of magic so they know what's good. People will be impressed by the magic Xavier can do." Marc was the European Champion of close-up magic in 2005 and is competing in the World Magic Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, at the end of next month.

Xavier attends Underwood Church Of England primary school and said he was looking forward to his stage debut. "I have always wanted to be a magician like my dad and make lots of money," he said. "The best thing about being a magician is making the audience laugh along with the tricks.

"When dad shows me tricks I will say if I can see something wrong or sometimes to make it better for the kids who will be watching. My favourite trick is one where we follow these lights with our wand and make them disappear."

A rising star! -Marc set to levitate 30ft above stage.

You're going to like Marc Oberon's latest trick, not a little, but a lot! The magician is set to levitate himself 30ft above the stage at Nottingham Arts Theatre on a spectacular one-off show. And he has Paul Daniels to thank for turning him into a rising star. he first vowed to levitate when he saw the magician perform the illusion on TV 30 years ago.

"When I saw the levitation by Paul Daniels I just thought it was the most amazing thing ever," said Marc, from Arnold. "It's the part of magic that's always interested me the most. If you make someone vanish or transform or something then it's just a quick 'wow' but with levitation the wonder is prolonged."

Marc has been perfecting his routine in his back garden by passing a hula-hoop over friend Marsha Hunt. Marc plans to use the 33-year-old full-time mum in his show. Marsha, also from Arnold, said: "There's a feeling of weightlessness. I know part of what goes on but I can't divulge that to anybody. I have never done anything like this before and it's all very exciting." In February Marc was named European Magical Close-up Champion. Since then he has been expanding his repertoire for his one-off show on September 23rd. He will also be asking audience members to take part in his tricks that involve mind control, similar to TV illusionist Derren Brown.

In October he will be travelling to the magic castle in Hollywood -the American HQ of The Magic Circle to represent Britain. Ian Rowland, 44, is a member of the circle and writes on contemporary magic. He said: "Marc is using methods in his levitation that a lot of other magicians aren't even aware of. There are many different ways of levitating, but Marc's methods are the most impressive and innovative. That's why he's been selected to join this delegation to America." And Paul Daniels has been following Marc's progress. The 67-year-old said: "I haven't seen Marc perform but everything I hear is pretty good."

Marc Oberon has been named winner of the inaugural European Magical Close Up Championships, held at this year's Blackpool Magic Convention.

Oberon was chosen ahead of Feco from Hungary in second and Jorg Alexander from Germany in third, as part of a nine-entry line-up.

The 53rd annual Blackpool convention reported a record attendance of 3,500 and was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest magicians' convention in the world.

Marc Oberon has become European champion of close-up magic - beating off eight of the world's best magicians.

In the clutter of Marc Oberon's study lie black top-hats, magic playing cards, and the odd crystal ball.

The tools of the magicians' trade.
But sitting proud upon the desk is something very special. A large, silver trophy emblazoned with the words 'European Magical Close-Up Champion 2005'.

"It's just been amazing, " said 40-year-old Marc.
"This is definitely the proudest moment of my career. At the end of the show we were all called up to give a bow and I received a loud cheer from the crowd.
"Everyone had said I'd won, but I didn't want to believe them.

Marc's moment of glory came on Friday evening when he enthralled an audience of 550 at the Blackpool Magic Convention.

The convention is the largest of its kind in the world and Marc picked up a £1,000 cheque for seeing off his eight competitors.

His success followed an invite from the competition's organisers.

They noticed he came third at the prestigious Macmillan International Competition last year.
This time around Marc decided to add a new trick to his repertoire by having a sponge ball thrown randomly around the audience.

And to make matters more difficult Marc's every move was relayed on to a giant plasma screen to be scrutinised by the judges.

"I think that really amazed the audience. The ball proved there were no stooges involved, but I am not going to say how I did it.

"The Hungarian magician Ferenc Galambos beat me in the last competition I entered, but he came second in this one."

Derek Lever organised the competition.
He said:"His performance was absolutely stunning.

"To perform close-up magic to a table of eight or nine is very difficult, but Marc managed to keep an audience of 550 captivated. His win was the popular vote. We expected him to may be some second or third but not to come first.

"Marc has really done exceptionally well and he has a big future in close-up magic. I am sure he will go on to great things."

When he is not touring, Marc can be seen performing at the Lakeside Centre in Papplewick.

arc Oberon is a shy, family man. Like many other 40-year-olds, he lives with his wife and two children in a suburb outside Nottingham .

But unlike many of his peers, Marc's understated discretion belies the powers of a profession shrouded in mystery.

For Marc is a magician. And no ordinary magician at that.

He is an award-winner who last month received worldwide recognition when he came third at the MacMillan's International Magic Competition at London's Shaw Theatre.

Psychological illusionist Derren Brown finished third in the same contest the year before he broke into TV.

"It's nice to be recognised by my peers," Marc said, "I was also relieved because I had practiced 30 hours a week leading up to the competition.

"I was worried that I wasn't even going to get placed."

The show, in its 21 st year, had 12 elite entrants and was won by Hungarian Ferenc Galambos.

Although Marc, from Arnold , only received a cheque for 100pounds and a silver trophy, the result has far-reaching effects for his career.

He is now eligible to compete in the world championships.

He has also been invited to perform at exclusive conventions in America and Austria .

Marc's performance was watched by 500 people, with the judges three rows from the front.

A big screen enlarged the competitors, making the smallest mistake disastrous.

But Marc's achievements have not come about over night. He has been working at magic for 32 years from the age of eight.

At 12, he began lessons with private tutor David Charles who taught him the art of stage manipulation.

This involves the creation of an illusion through the manipulation of spectators' perceptions using quick hands and body language.

But it was when Marc, who has one O-level, went to Corfu to ply his trade that his career really took off.

He said: "I always wanted to be a magician because I have always loved magic.

"I went to Corfu and toured the island doing magic. It was a bit like being a red-coat for Butlins."

Now he uses a combination of his family, mirrors and a video camera to perfect the art.

He said: "My sons Torin, who is five, and Xavier, who's six, are very good because they never lie. They always tell the truth. Xavier wants to be my assistant."

Marc is also supported by his wife Catherine, 38, a volunteer with the charity Home Start, who helps judge his performance. "I never think of magic as trying to fool anybody," he said.

"I try to give those who watch an experience of wonderment. The magic occurs in the mind."

"The magician will do anything to accomplish that emotion."

"If you as me if I believe in magic then I would say what I believe in is an actual emotion. But I don't attend any rituals and run naked through the woods in the middle of the night."

Marc's winning show involved making gold balls multiply and vanish, as well as a trick with gold keys, in which he turns several three-inch keys into a large 18 inch key.

He also wowed judges with a fresh variation o the trick the begins by asking a member of the audience to name a card.

In a flash if fire, the chosen card appeared in his hand.

Martin MacMillan, the competition's organiser, said: "Marc has done incredibly well to come third."

"Two people who have won it have gone on to win the World Championships."

"It's a magicians' competition. The best magicians in the world enter and we check the credentials of everyone who applies because we don't want beginners."

When he is not entering competitions Marc spends his time performing for corporate clients and at the Lakeside Centre in Papplewick.

He has also staged shows at Punchinello's restaurant in Nottingham ."Most people are into magic, "Marc said. "They like people like Derren Brown and David Blaine."

"But there is a small percentage of People who don't."

"They feel their intelligence is being questioned."

"They are not prepared to suspend their disbelief and just enjoy it."

Without doubt, The Wizard (Marc Oberon) is the most unusual UV act I have seen. Far removed from the usual cutesy style associated with UV acts. The story of a wizard and an alien girl unfolds on a very small and especially constructed stage of black velvet. The music is menacing, the costumes are amazing and the magic unexpected. On first view it is so gripping that you forget to follow the storyline, which does not really matter, because the overall effect is so stunning. A very difficult act to describe. It was original and memorable.

He's the guy who can make fluorescent pink fish fly, transparent female skeleton dance, masks jump from one face to another and ghostly illuminated figures rise and rest in midair. He's not Uri Geller nor Paul McKenna, although he does admire them, he's Marc Oberon - The Wizard an ultra violet illusionist and probably the only person capable of capturing the full and silent attention of a club packed with up for it ravers!

Very little is new on the Dance scene these days and when it is, it is immediately imitated by all the others. We've all seen the bands, all heard the DJs, all been to the top clubs and sampled the atmosphere.
So when on our visits to Ireland the M8 crew kept hearing about Marc Oberon, The Wizard, the rave illusionist who has taken the Irish scene by storm, we thought it was time to investigate. Something new for the Scottish crowds we thought. The Wizard has filled all the top Irish clubs, Charlie Heggarty's, Kelly's, Circus Circus, etc. and has built up such a reputation in the provence that he sits alongside Ultra-Sonic, Q-Tex and The Rhythmic State, the biggest crowd pulling names.
The whole spectacle of the Marc Oberon show cannot be described it has to be seen, and even then you won't believe it. No wires, no hoists and no matter where you sit you won't work it out. You'll see the lovely girls dancing on stage then - Whaw! their heads jump six feet in the air leaving their bodies to continue moving to the music. Then the lights go out and all of a sudden a neon green serpent twisting and turning in midair. This is followed by an orange demon from hell..........