Page 28 - link magazine

28 The Link Magazine • October 2001
Success is no illusion for magic family
Five years ago Phil and Heather Walker appeared on the Link front page in the picture below left under the headline 'Marriage takes on magic
quality' after Heather decided to join Phil in his developing magic and illusion business.
Eighteen months earlier, in a boost to launch burning rope ing on the type of booking. "Nowa-
March 1995, Phil, soon to be re- his alter ego Dr sixty feet in the days we have a team of organisers
dundant from the RAF and look- Aculard Hem- air. It takes him so that we can just turn up and put
ing for a civilian career, appeared lock. The family 30 seconds but on the show," said Phil. "Jayne has
on our front page dressed as a had just arrived in involves pain- moved away now, but who knows
vampire appealing for a stage as- Freshbrook from fully dislocating what would have happened with-
sistant.JayneCandlinfromGrange RAF service in his shoulder, so out the original Link article. Never
Park responded and bookings start Germany, where he keeps this part in my wildest dreams did I think
to roll in, until she became preg- Phil had put on F of the business we would be where we are now."
nant and Heather stepped in. comedy hypno- . quiet. Hemlock also has a young pro-
But we go back to our front page tism and table p "It's amazing tege in the making. Greendown
in 1993, when we featured Nadia magic shows at '"^ how things have student Daniel Walker, already ex-
Foster from Freshbrook, alias Anna NATO bases for a grownfromliter- perienced in TV commercials, is
Kazan, the youngest member of few years, and +" ally an illusion," keen to join in when he is ready.
the Magic Circle, which gave Phil Nadia was able to said Phil. The in- To book company and hotel
provide tips and + '' formation we events or a childrens party, call
Phil and Heather on the October 1996
contacts within 2 sent out in the Hemlock Productions on 881430.
British entertain- Hemlocks newest act featuring early days was so Phil and Heather as children's enter-
ment circles. Knights in armour fighting with good that when tainers Absolutely Amazing Magic
Dr Aculard has razor sharp swords and damsels in club promoters
retired, though called us we told
distress
vampires have a them that we had
tendency to return for a taste, but bookings for months ahead and
Hemlock Productions has grown they needed to send us a deposit.
into a monster entertainment busi- We had twenty bookings before
ness based in West Swindon. Phil we could buy any equipment. Now
and Heather can put on cabaret, we get two or more gigs for every
hypnosis and magic shows, as well one we do and use equipment cost-
as a disco, at large corporate events ing thousands, with full lighting
or turn up at a children's party as a and the works."
couple of clowns. Hemlock Productions now em-
And if paid enough, Phil is will- ploys twelve part-time assistants
ing to escape from a straight jacket, and a whole range of other per-
dangling upside down from a formers and entertainers depend-

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