One of Gloucestershire’s best-loved entertainers is to appear at the Subscription Rooms in Stroud later this month.

The award-winning magician and entertainer Colin Dymond will be running a workshop on 15th August giving children an opportunity to learn the art of performing magic tricks. “The children will be learning some great tricks,” Colin said. He continued: “All the tricks that I teach them are able to be performed with everyday objects like coins and elastic bands so there’s no need for parents to be buying expensive accessories. Magic is a performing art, so I teach the children to focus on their personality and how to put on a real show.

“For any aspiring magicians I advise them to get as many books as possible and really commit to reading and learning. Nowadays there’s an amazing number of videos you can watch on YouTube, but if you’re not careful you end up becoming a parrot and just copying. If you read from books you get your own ideas. Once you’ve got the basics it’s all about commitment and dedication. If you work hard you can make it.”

Colin has enjoyed a 20-year career as a magician and ventriloquist and has appeared at the prestigious Magic Circle in London as well at several prestigious venues closer to home. “I enjoy what I do and feel like I’ve developed my skills over the last couple of decades. As each year passes you learn new things. Nowadays I don’t spend as much time learning new tricks, but I do spend a great deal of time reading books on the philosophy of magic and the art of performing.”

Magicians such as David Blaine and Dynamo have earned worldwide fame thanks to their stunning acts but it’s more traditional magicians that Colin admires. He continued: “I think Penn & Teller are fantastic. They’ve stood the test of time. There’s also a magician called Geoff McBride who’s not only a great performer but one of the very best teachers of magic. I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with him a few times, every occasion was an amazing experience.”

Having enjoyed a hugely successful career where he’s played at some of the leading performance venues in the country, Colin says the best part of his job comes when he has the opportunity to perform for a much smaller audience. He added: “The most rewarding shows I do are in hospitals. I work alongside a charity called ‘POD’ that put entertainers in hospitals across the country. I regularly perform in hospitals in the south-west of England. It’s a real privilege to be able to bring a bit of fun into the lives of children who are going through some very tough times. The best part of my job comes when I speak to the parents in hospitals who tell me how much their child enjoyed my show, that means a hell of a lot.”