Ladies n Genminminmin' please welcome to The Good Listening To "Clearing" the warm, witty & wise Actor, Magician & "Magic Advisor" to the likes of Derren Brown & David Blane - Peter Clifford!“Peter Clifford is one of my favourite magicians and one of the loveliest people I know… Do everything you can to get tickets!”Derren BrownIn the intimate and exciting shows Peter Clifford weaves his magic around stories of life, conjuring and the wonders of the world. "We join him as he plays with puzzles of perception and prestidigitates for you pleasure. Let your grip on reality slip for a moment and be transported into something far more fantastical and exciting. You really have to see it to not believe it!"“Peter Clifford’s love of the art resonates throughout the field of magic bringing life and hope to us all.”David Blaine“Fuck off!… I, absolutely mean that as a compliment!”Richard Branson“Peter Clifford is a constant delight.”Time Out LondonA regular Actor also here in Bristol, playing 12 Seasons with the wonderful and world renowned "Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory" over their 21 years of Productions. Peter Clifford is a magic man. Born in Plymouth over 50 years ago, he can trace his ancestors for over 200 years in the village of Cherhill near the famous White Horse on the Downs. They were often sextants or gravediggers. Peter’s more immediate family of origin has had a profound effect on him. His grandmother taught him to play pontoon when he was only 5 years old! His obsession with cards started there. His parents were both teachers. Time and money were in short supply but life was still very good. Peter sought affirmation and familial approval by creating card tricks that his family could not see through. His education was disjointed, with a strong element of discontinuity. Naturally quite shy, he was always something of a loner. Habitually an observer more than a participant, Peter joined a foundation course in acting in order to improve his stage presentation of magic. Nevertheless he played different parts in Shakespeare’s Twelth Night twice in one year! Later a short lecture he delivered at a magic convention led to an offer from David Blane to work with him in New York. A twenty minute presentation created rewarding work for Peter for no fewer than 6 consecutive years. Magic! He was attracted by what he could learn from the experience offered by working with David Blane as well by what ideas he could help generate. It was inspirational. As was the birth of his first child. Peter gave up alcohol in the year before to remove any risk that the new baby or toddler might ever imagine it was responsible for his darker moods. Now over 18 years without a drink later Peter says: “Practice makes permanent.” He begs that we approve the direction of travel before we commit to creating any new pathways for ourselves. A fascinating man. A true original, with unique insights to share. A surprising someone who hopes to end somewhere  in the middle of his own story rather than ‘sit on his arse for 40 years and hang his hat on a pension’ - as the poet Louis MacNeice once put it. Highly recommended.Reg Starkey Editor, Health Triangle Magazine."Your Life & Times With Me Chris Grimes!" The adventure continues!“The Good Listening To: Your Life & Times With Me Chris Grimes!” is the Show & Podcast series that features “The Clearing”:Where all good Questions come to be asked - and all good Stories come to be told…With some lovely juicy Storytelling metaphors to also enjoy along the way:The Clearing itself - a Tree - a lovely juicy Storytelling exercise called “5-4-3-2-1” - some Alchemy - some Gold - a cheeky bit of Shakespeare - and a CAKE!So it’s all to play for! Hurrah!(…and indeed Huzzah!)Enjoy!