My Journey to The Magic Circle

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Earning a place in The Magic Circle is a significant milestone for any magician, and this year (2025), I am pleased to announce that after a rigorous application process, I have been accepted as a Member of The Magic Circle (MMC). I still can’t believe it!

The Magic Circle

The Magic Circle was founded in London in 1905 by 23 magicians aiming to elevate magic as an art form and establish ethical standards. Today, the society’s headquarters are located at “The Centre for the Magic Arts” in Euston, where it operates under the Latin motto Indocilis Privata Loqui (Not apt to disclose secrets), emphasising its foundational principle of secrecy. Admission is either through a performance exam or a written thesis, depending on your preferences and interests.

The Magic Circle currently has around 1,700 members worldwide. This includes many renowned magicians and notable figures, such as King Charles III, reflecting its status as a prominent magic society.

Initially, an all-male society, women were only admitted in 1991, which is crazy to think about these days! The society also has a structured hierarchy of membership:

  • Member of The Magic Circle (MMC.): Achieved after a performance exam or written thesis.
  • Associate of the Inner Magic Circle (AIMC): Higher-level distinction earned via performance or exceptional exam results.
  • Member of the Inner Magic Circle (MIMC): Limited to 300 members, awarded personally by the President, sometimes with a gold or silver star for performance excellence

The Application

The journey began at the start of the year during the Blackpool Magic Convention—the world’s largest Magic Convention (that’s a whole different story, though I’ve written about it before). I saw the stand for the Magic Circle, and thought, “Why not try applying?” It is something I had always dreamt about. Having imposter syndrome, I thought it would be something worth aiming for to help myself feel… let’s say, a real magician? Odd, I know.

Once the form had been filled in and I had received nominations from two current members I know from York, I waited to see what would happen next…This felt like the first significant commitment to a goal I’d held for years.

I was first invited to a nearly hour-long Zoom interview with the admission secretary. This was a pretty in-depth talk about my history with magic, the magicians I admire, and my view on magical ethics… pretty intense for a friendly chat. I also had to perform two tricks I had pre-recorded… performing live on Zoom didn’t feel right. Pretty hard to do things on a webcam!

A week or so later, I found out I had moved on to the next stage —the dreaded audition.

The London Audition

Now it was actually time to think of an act! You have between 8 and 12 minutes to perform. One second under or over counts as a fail! You have to remember you are not here to fool them (as magicians like to say), show you are competent! That’s all well and good, saying that, but performing in front of magicians is so much more intimidating than performing in front of a general audience who have no idea of what goes into a magic trick, etc.

Until the final week, I was still tinkering with my act, changing some parts based on feedback I received when trying it out at the York Magic Circle. I wasn’t alone in my pilgrimage to the capital. I travelled down with two other magicians from the York Magic Circle, Bethan Grice-Sims and Brendan Cafferty, who were also auditioning at the same time.

There’s a certain camaraderie when you’re all facing the same daunting challenge, and their company was an absolute comfort. We met up several times at the pub before D Day, practising and talking about our routines, which really helped.

So then the time came. My name was called, introducing me, and out I stepped in front of a packed house of the famous Devant Room of the Magic Circle. Three judges sat at the front with pens poised. Gulp. I was so nervous, my hands were trembling. My nerves were turned up to 11 on the dial—I stumbled a little and felt myself losing control, but I managed to reel it back in and finish my routine. How did it go? I had no idea – my mind seemed to go blank afterwards and I had no idea what I did (apart from thinking I was awful!).


We all did our bit, performing our acts under the judges’ watchful eyes. Then came the waiting game – several weeks of nail-biting anticipation.

The Phone Call and then….

When the phone finally rang, I genuinely thought I’d failed. So, to hear that I’d been accepted was just unbelievable! I was absolutely ecstatic! Brendan, with his incredible skill, earned his Associate of The Inner Magic Circle (AIMC), and both Bethan and I were awarded the status of Member of The Magic Circle (MMC).

Come October, we made another trip down to London, this time for the official presentation of our photographs and certificates. It was a truly special day, officially welcomed into the heart of British magic.

Adrian Salamon Mmc Certificate - The Magic Circle
Getting my certificate from The Magic Circle President Marvin Berglas

Being a member of The Magic Circle is a guarantee that you are hiring a professional whose skills have been vetted by the world’s best. Whether I am performing as a wedding magician or providing party entertainment in Yorkshire, I bring that same award-winning standard to every event.

Adrian Salamon
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