Simon Drake's House of Magic

15/06/2024

Huge congratulations to Little Kiran Shah on being awarded an MBE for services to the film industry. As many of you know Kiran and I did a magic act together in the years before Simon Drake's House of Magic for nearly a decade. Kiran may be shorter than many but has a bigger heart than most!

17/04/2024

Huge feature in Mojo magazine out today about the early days of Kate Bush’s career. I am included talking about her 1979 Tour of Life which I had a part in conceiving the visuals of as well as playing seven characters on stage with her. It wouldn’t be ethical to copy and post the article but as I had never seen this photo before I thought it may make a few of you smile. ‘Oh England my Leotard’ indeed, ha ha! Not being the young buck anymore I am semi-retired from performing, so my show here on the 27th April will be the last one till September. It’s fairly well sold but still a bit of room for more and don’t worry I shall not be wearing a leotard! (website in bio for tix)

06/03/2024

Recently my stepson Theo got mugged. He wasn’t physically hurt thank God but was understandably upset and had his phone stolen. He didn’t want to burden his parents by asking for a new phone but had the idea to set up a ‘go fund me’, which his mum did. I took on Theo when he was about 2 and if you search ‘Theo 2 year old car expert’ on YouTube you can see him in my office naming cars in a magazine which he had never seen before. His main use for his phone was for his TikTok about high end cars, which has had 8.6 million likes. It seems there is nothing about cars he doesn’t know even today! He hopes to make a living in motor engineering/design. Please help if you can, thank you. https://gofund.me/f344a7ba

01/03/2024

At the start of lockdown I learned to cut my own hair using electric hair clippers in a few mins on YouTube. Just done it again with new clippers I bought myself for my birthday! I have never been all that keen on posting selfies but I guess today is special so here’s me now and a few pics from yesteryear which may surprise a few of you…

25/02/2024

My Lagoon automaton is looking good with the dome on it finally. Moving it up from the workshop to the drawing room this evening to be on display for visitors. It was pretty challenging work but fascinating and enjoyable.

19/02/2024

Came up from the workshop for a few mins yesterday, covered in resin dust, to pose with the delightful cast and crew of Nina Atesh’s new play, Horne’s Descent. They were here to do some promo shots for the new play opening at the Old Red Lion Theatre this April.

16/02/2024

2 months into work on the Lagoon automaton. Pictured left is the control system. It’s elongated shape is made to fit under the base of a piece of furniture in the drawing room. It’s how my brain feels by now. Top right is an improved stone wall made in my office during the recent cold spell, way too cold to heat downstairs. Bottom right a view down into the ‘water’ without the resin surface. Looks like it may be finished within a fortnight. I’m not doing as many public shows this year so I hope some of you will come see it in our show on 27th April.

11/01/2024

Just up for a breather from the workshop (it’s a shed really). My new automaton ‘The Lovers Lagoon’ is going very well… sadly not much left of the lovers due to a severe crocodile attack. I looked in the mirror and was shocked how grey I seemed to have become and then realized it was mostly dust from power filing resin. Just opened the mail, some kind soul sent me to this book… a strange synchronicity. If anyone missed the vid of my last automaton here’s a link https://youtu.be/-5JKBpVIZSk?si=6Q12vfXQWrdiOrKq

24/12/2023

22/11/2023

Links for tickets here https://www.sharedchristmasparty.co.uk/

16/11/2023

Yes I know Halloween is over but could this, spotted recently, be the House of Magic Ghost… (Or just heralding in the start of a ‘Spooky Xmas’ campaign?)

tickets going fast! https://www.sharedchristmasparty.co.uk/

07/11/2023

A selection of this year’s Halloween looks, which was thankfully a pretty busy season and today we have the terrific young band, Newdad shooting a video which promises to be rather special. Next for myself and the team at the magic house are the Xmas shows. Link here https://www.sharedchristmasparty.co.uk/

25/10/2023

Bambi and Alice have been busy making fab pumpkins for our (nearly) sold out public Halloween Fancy Dress event this Saturday night. They didn’t make the one with smoke; I just really liked the picture… Ticket link: https://www.houseofmagic.co.uk/

20/10/2023

With the first of a couple of Halloween events being tomorrow it’s great to see our chicken getting in the spirit of it all by skilfully creating a skull shaped.. errr.. poo
Only a few tickets left now for our main Halloween Fancy Dress event on the 28th Oct.
Click the link here https://www.houseofmagic.co.uk/ (ha ha! here's an ad you have never seen before!)

11/10/2023

Tickets going fast this year! https://www.houseofmagic.co.uk/
10% DISCOUNT Code: Magic10

Simon Drake's House of Magic is London's most magical & enchanting venue. Public shows monthly at a

10/10/2023

Join us for our fantastic Halloween Fancy Dress Party! Tickets here: https://www.houseofmagic.co.uk/ 10% DISCOUNT Code: Magic10

Simon Drake's House of Magic, a top London entertainment venue for corporate events, private parties and spectacular monthly public entertainment.

07/10/2023

When I was a kid I used to love that page in National Geographic magazine where you had to guess the object from obscure photos. 2 VIP tickets for our fab Halloween event on 28th Oct or one of our Xmas shows for the first person to DM with the correct answer.

24/05/2023

Just hosted another enjoyable photography shoot with another site visit for one this w/e. Beats working for a living! Talking of which the next show at the House of Magic is on 17th June and then no public shows for 4 months. As times are tough for many we are offering 2 for 1 deals if you DM with the answer to this: On which channel did The Secret Cabaret first go out.

09/04/2023

Yesterday Alice and I joined a few friends on an 'Alice in Wonderland' hunt in Covent Garden. Seeing the buskers there reminded me of my lean years in the 1970’s. Each day I would cycle in to Covent Garden from way over in West London to earn a few quid performing in the street along with the likes of Eddie Izzard, Julian Clary, Andy Cunningham, Philip Herbert and many others. I can’t remember exactly why but I did a little work delivering things for an advertising agency. One day I spotted a huge pile of white rabbit suits in their store cupboard. I asked if they needed them and they said not so I offered them £5 for each one. Over the next while I cycled far and wide to various costume hire shops selling each suit for £45. I sold all but one of the 14 fluffy suits. I made about £500 which was easily the most money I had ever seen at that time. I kept one suit and here I am wearing it many decades later! Happy Easter to you all x

09/03/2023

Congrats
to the folks from The Creative Hub on a successful 2 day photo shoot here last w/e. Lovely models, stunning costumes, great make up, lighting etc etc. (Discounted tix to the HofM show coming soon)

01/03/2023

On this morning, way back in 1956, my dear mother very kindly gave birth to me at the University College Hospital, Gower Street, London. Here are both my parents as well as, *cough cough* myself. Sadly my father died in 1968 but my mum is doing well and living in NZ. She will be 90 this year!

13/02/2023

Just got back from my first holiday in nearly 2 decades just in time to wish a Happy Birthday to my worst ever magic student but easily the most fun; movie star Oliver Reed who was born 13th February 1938 in Wimbledon. I made 3 short videos detailing the outrageous month I spent with this great movie actor, here is the first, the others are easy to find on our channel. https://youtu.be/_6P16lHsxFA

16/11/2022

CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS
*DECEMBER WILL BE MAGIC AGAIN*
20% DISCOUNT CODE: MAGIC
https://www.houseofmagic.co.uk/

11/10/2022

Our amazing Halloween fancy dress spooktacular! Book here for the last few tickets: https://www.houseofmagic.co.uk/

14/09/2022

I am delighted to be giving over my venue for an evening of wonder and merriment to Vice President of The Magic Circle, as well as being senior HofM team member, Miss Katherine Rhodes. Katherine is massively in demand for private events, so this is a rare chance to see a public show. Click this link for tickets. (By the way only about 4 tix left for my show this friday, thank you!) https://www.ticketline.co.uk/order/tickets/13363993/

31/08/2022

I was called to help out director Terry Gilliam for his production of Into the Woods now playing at Bath’s Theatre Royal to great reviews. I first met TG in 1978 when he told me my impersonation of John Travolta’s Staying Alive with a 6ft expanding appendage was the funniest thing he had ever seen. For his current production I was summoned to work out how to achieve a lot of blood from a severed toe (Cinderella's golden slipper scenario) without damaging the very elaborate costumes. I couldn’t say no to my old frined so I dipped my own toe back into the world of theatre advising and my consultation was well received. More stage blood but no severed toes to be witnessed on our next p***c event on 17th Sept. https://www.houseofmagic.co.uk/ only one VIP table left now, after that its Halloween.

22/07/2022

Stevie has worked as a comedy butler at our venue for about 15 years. He is not just a valued member of our team but also pretty much a family member now due to his wonderful nature, loyalty and warmth. On 3rd July he was knocked off his bike in a horrific hit and run incident which has left him in pretty bad shape. He is incapable of working and going to need extensive dental treatment but also in the longer term rehabilitation of his right hand, so essential for his day job as a massage therapist. Please see this link for more details and help repair his lovely smile if you can. Thank you. https://gofund.me/70604732