FISM 2003 - INTRODUCTION

FISM 2003

July 21-26, 2003
Den Haag, The Netherlands
By Sue-Anne Webster

Photographs of Stage Competitors kindly supplied by Christian Niss from the German online-magazine 'Topit'. Check it out at http://www.topitmagic.net/

Den Haag was the destination for the 22nd World Championship of Magic and over 2500 magicians from all over the world gathered for this fantastic event.

Australian representatives included Sean Taylor, Phil Cass and Philippa, Raymond Crowe, Anthony DeMasi, Simon Coronel, Steve Walker, Bill Walsh, Peter Rodgers, Charles Gauci, David Jones, Tim Ellis and Sue-Anne Webster and many others!

Tim Ellis and I arrived at Amsterdam's Schipol Airport on Sunday July 20 and took the train to Den Haag. After a short taxi ride from the station to the Golden Tulip Bel Air Hotel (right next door to the Convention Centre) we freshened up and went to the Centre to check in. The place was beautifully decorated with FISM posters and logos, huge balloon tulips made by 'Twister', and a blue carpet with two inflatable rainbows leading up to the registration area.

The FISM venue was fantastic, everything was under the one roof and, if you were staying on site at the Dorint Hotel, you didn't need to go outside at all for the entire week! They had two restaurants, bars, and five or six catering stands where you could by hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos, gyros, sandwiches, ice creams and drinks. There was a free internet café for registrants, a "relaxation room", underground car parking, and plenty of space where you could just sit down and session with friends.

The FISM team was astounding. They went out of their way to make sure that everything ran smoothly and everyone had a good time. They not only had a private 'FISM Team' control room near the foyer, but they also had a cafeteria backstage where meals and refreshments were provided while they worked on the stage events. All of the stage performers and competitors were even given their own dressing rooms and, I believe, able to make use of the backstage cafeteria as well.

When we arrived, the foyer was already filled with magicians registering and sharing a drink at the bar. Registration was easy and smooth and each registrant received a great black zip up folio embossed with the FISM logo. Inside, attached with wire to the ring binders, was a fabulous 76 page full colour programme, a deck of FISM playing cards, a FISM pen, an A4 FISM notebook, a FISM paperclip, and a handy FISM z-fold schedule. We also received our name-badges on a FISM lanyard and all of our tickets plus a coupon for a free gift. What was the gift? A little plastic trick? A ruler? No, a huge box of quality magic tricks produced and donated by the 'Hanky Panky' company especially for FISM. We felt like we'd gotten our money's worth already!

Unfortunately, due to a British Airways baggage handlers strike at London's Heathrow Airport, some of our colleagues weren't quite as happy as us. Anthony DeMasi had no luggage (and didn't get it until Thursday), Phil Cass had his, but Philippa didn't have hers (and still didn't when we said goodbye on Saturday), and American competitor Richard Forget didn't have his either and it looked like British Airways had shot down his FISM dreams… thankfully his luggage arrived on Thursday night and his performance was rescheduled for Friday.

Despite the lost luggage situation, which affected many of the registrants, this FISM already looked like being the best in a very long time… and it hadn't even officially started!