Convention

International Escape Artists Convention

Welcome to the first International Escape Artists Convention, a 2 day event jointly organised by the Global Escapology Organisation and the United Kingdom Escape Artists.

Special guests, The Handcuff Challenge, Mick Hanzlik Award, Street Cuff Award, Lectures, Museum access.

Sign up for all the latest releases

http://eepurl.com/ic8pFn

2 Day Ticket £100

Buy your ticket here for the full 2 days https://bit.ly/3UHUpyc

Hotel

Hampton by Hilton – this hotel is next door to the Museum

Special rates for guests using this link £85 per night plus free breakfast

https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/international-escape-artists-convention/

Allan Taylor, Andrew B & Cliff Gerstman

Devin Stanfield

We are proud to announce our first Guest speaker, Devin Stanfield - Technical Consultant from The Illusionists and Britain's Got Talent.

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Devin has worked in theatre and television since 1989. His technical journey has encompassed stage management, carpentry, rigging, automation and production management. He has toured internationally delivering shows in more than 400 venues across six continents. He was Technical Director for the show "The Illusionists" from 2011 to 2018, handling 70 different magicians and escape artists, providing health and safety oversight for some of the most dangerous acts in magic, including Andrew Basso's full view water torture cell.

In a 60-minute Q&A with Devin, we will cover the most important aspect of being a professional escape artist: safety. Our discussion will range from basic knowledge to the most up-to-date laws and rules one must consider when approaching a performance where risk is involved.

This is a unique opportunity for all GEO members to get first hand knowledge from one of the industries top professionals.

Ann Beedham

We are proud to announce our second Guest speaker, Ann Beedham -Author of Randini - The man who helped Houdini.

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Ann tells the story of a young Sheffield boy who became a close friend of the great Harry Houdini who helped him create his most iconic escape: The USD Straitjacket escape.

The lecture will be followed by an exclusive Q&A with a signing of the books by the author in the city where Randini was born.

Author Ann Beedham has published a remarkable piece of Houdiniana, Randini - The Man who helped Houdini. This fully illustrated 236 page book reveals "the untold story of Randolph Douglas," a Houdini fan living in the UK who created his own escapes and eventually become friends with Houdini himself.

Chris Gower

We are proud to announce our third guest speaker, Chris Gower. Master Locksmith, Houdini Historian and Handcuff expert.

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Chris Gower will be joining us to talk about Houdini and his challenge that was set by The Daily Mirror Newspaper in 1904, to free himself from a pair of handcuffs with a supposedly unpickable lock.

Chris has been interested in Houdini for over 55 years and is now recognised as one of the UK's main authorities on him. His collection of handcuffs got him into The Guinness Book of Records and part of his collection was shown on The Antiques Road Show. Chris was the first person to make a copy of the Mirror Handcuffs back in 1985 and over the past 10 years there have been some interesting developments regarding the challenge.

What could we possibly find out today?

Dave "Coxy" Cox

We are proud to announce our fourth guest speaker, Dave Cox. Dave will be lecturing on the UKEA day as part of the International Escape Artists Convention.

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Short Fat, Hobbit like creature that is obsessed with puzzles. (Dave`s own words) Got into locks via locksport and literally fell in love with the mechanisms. Discovered the additional challenge of handcuffs and then started to try and escape them. From Bench to stage in 2 years Coxy managed to acquire a handful of Online Records and a couple of Guinness Records as well. An engineer by trade, but a professional idiot as a hobby.

Coxy will take us on a journey into Gimmicked handcuffs and padlocks.

Stuart Burrell

We are proud to announce our fifth guest speaker, Stuart Burrell, who will be lecturing on the UKEA day as part of the International Escape Artists Convention.

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Stuart Burrell is a world record breaking Escapologist, Published author, an award winning performer, one of the longest serving members of the United Kingdom Escape Artists and a member of the Magic Circle in London."

Stuart will be presenting a lecture titled “Escape before Houdini” it will cover some of the more 'real world' escapes that took place before Houdini's day, and led / inspired some of his marketing.

Do you want to be crowned Handcuff- King\Queen?

Our first competition, THE KING/QUEEN of Handcuffs - speed contest.

The rules are simple: There will be 4 rounds, each round using a set of different handcuffs.

It's all about speed, the first round will be open to all*, the 10 fastest will move to the next round, then 5, then 3 until we have 1 winner. Will it be you?

Full rules will be provided closer to the date, but for now the rules are quite simple: you can escape using your own tools, no keys are allowed, no slipping the cuffs, no banging and no damaging the cuffs. Feel free to shim or pick and be safe.

Winners get the King/Queen of Handcuffs trophy and a limited-edition pair of Gold plated Peerless 95th anniversary Handcuffs kindly supplied by our official sponsor of the contest, the Doncaster Restraint Museum.

Street Cuff Competition

We are super pleased to announce that Karl, from Oscar Delta has issued us a real world type escape challenge.

For anyone that doesn't know, Oscar Delta pride themselves on being one of the main SERE providers Globally, and they have a proven track record with their equipment. They are also based in the UK.

This will be done in the form of a timed escape, fastest wins at the UKEA AGM. There will be prizes for the top 3 times.

So what is the escape? Well, its going to be as real world as we can be, in a controlled environment. The escape is an anything goes against Generic Plasti-Cuffs.

The rules are as follows:

1. Open to all attending AGM

2. It's a Generic Plasti-Cuff

3. Fastest time Wins

4. Any Method is allowed *See below for one exception

5. Hands will be fastened in front

6. Coxy can't enter

*Notes: Knives are not to be used - This is not to impede you, but is a safety concern whilst rushing / racing. This will include seat belt cutters. A knife is not a saw.

www.oscardelta.co.uk

The Mick Hanzlik Award

Mick Hanzlik was a master locksmith, escapologist and expert on all things Houdini. Mick was a member of the U.K.E.A and is sadly missed by the members. We created this award to Honour Mick and his involvement with the group and the artform. Any member can perform an escape on the day of our AGM and the other members will vote for the best escape of the day

The David De-Val Award

David De-Val was a master escape artist and magician from the UK, over his career he escaped from handcuffs and other restraints, as well as performing many spectacular escapes, many of which were from prison cells.

The De-Val award is awarded for the best Escape / public demonstration or promotion of Escapology by an Escape Artist / performer in the twelve months between the AGM meetings.