Nicola McBride
(Cunningham)
Stage names:
Nikola Arkane
FizzWizzPop
Date of birth: 21/121985
Physical Details
Height: 5 ft 3”
Eye colour: blue
Hair Colour: Red
Equity PL number:
M00246506
Mobile:
(U.K) +447878775690
(Sweden) +46 70-3095168
Email:
fizzwizzpop@googlemail.com
info@nikolaarkane.com
Web:
FizzWizzPop: www.fizzwizzpop.com
Nikola Arkane: www.nikolaarkane.com
Instagram
@FizzWizzPop
@nikolaarkane
Education / Training
Foundations with Hyunjoon Kim South Korea January 2025. ACNI SIAP Support the Individual Artist Project Funded.
Exploring the Act led by Peter Groening. Sweden August 2024. ACNI Lottery Funded.
Conjuring C Course led by Tom Stone and Leif Olberius in Sweden August 2023
Further Conjuring course led by Tom Stone in Sweden August 2022.
Art of Magic 1 & 2 Conjuring course led by Tom Stone in Sweden 2018-2019.
2.1 – BA Honours Degree at Queens University Belfast 2006-2007
16 Distinctions – BTEC HND Performing Arts (Theatre Studies) at BIFHE 2004-2006.
3 A-Levels – A*, A, A. 2002 – 2004
10 G.C.S.E’S – A* 3 A’s and 6 B grades 1997 – 2002
AWARDS
| Title | Place | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Participant in F.I.S.M European Championships General Stage (U.K) | 16th | 2024 |
| Sweden Magic Champion in General Stage Magic | Grand Prix | 2023 |
| Sweden Magic Champion in General Stage Magic | 1st | 2023 |
| Sweden Magic Champion in Parlour Magic | 1st | 2023 |
| Allan Slaight International Rising Star | N/A | 2023 |
| Jonny Lon Memorial Competition | 3rd | 2023 |
| Associate of the Inner Magic Circle with Silver Star | A.I.M.C | 2022 |
| Ali Bongo Micro Marathon close-up | 1st | 2022 |
| Jonny Lon Memorial Competition | 3rd | 2021 |
| BRAVO online British Ring International Brotherhood of Magicians | 1st | 2021 |
| Member of the Magic Circle | M.M.C. | 2020 |
| British Close up champion for the International Brotherhood of Magicians | 1st | 2019 |
| Ali bongo Micro marathon close-up | 1st | 2019 |
PUBLISHED WORK
| Title | Design | Funded | Year |
| Pop Nikola Arkane | Anders Moden | Arts Council N.I. | 2022 |
| In Plain Sight | Nikola Arkane & Stefan Eriksson | Self Published | 2021 |
| The Chaos Within | Nikola Arkane | Self Published | 2020 |
| Becoming FizzWizzPop | Anders Modern | Self Published | 2019 |
TELEVISION
| Production | Company | Production | Year |
| Penn & Teller: Fool Us | CW Network | Season 10 Episode 20 | 2024 |
| Semi-finals 1 | Fremantle (TV4) | Talang | 2022 |
| Auditions | Fremantle (TV4) | Talang | 2022 |
| Consultant | The Foundation BBC | Millie In-between | 2015 |
THEATRE
| Production | Company | Role | Year |
| The Showman is Coming | Peter Corry Productions | The Great Illusianna | 2023 |
| The Isolation Creation Station ARTS COUNCIL NORTHERN IRELAND AND LOTTERY FUNDED | Nikola Arkane | FizzWizzPop | 2020 |
| The Jethi Stone | Dramagic | FizzWizzPop | 2020 |
| Danny Carmo’s Mathematical Mysteries | Cahoots NI | Cast | 2016-2018 |
| Home Visits Magic Menu | Cahoots NI | Cast | 2015-2018 |
| I-Predict | Cahoots NI | Cast | 2014-2015 |
| No Business Like Shoe Business | Jimmy Fox | The Girl | 2015 |
| Lights Camera Math ‘a’ Magic | Cahoots NI | Cast | 2009-2014 |
| Hoffmans Christmas Mystery Palace | Cahoots NI | Hermione Hoffmann | 2013 |
| Lost Things | KIC Project | Principal | 2010 |
| The Family Hoffmanns Mystery Palace | Cahoots NI | Hermione Hoffmann | 2009 |
PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE
| Company | Employer | Role | Year |
| Charlie & the Chocolate Factory | BSPA & Peter Corry | Magic Consultant | 2024 |
| KIC Project (Kids in Control) | David Calvert & Grainne Woods | Stage Manager Welfare Officer Assistant Director | 2007 – 2012 |
| The Belfast Festival Elmwood Hall | James C. McFetridge | Stage Manager | 2008-2010 |
ACHIEVEMENTS / SKILLS / PERFORMANCES / LECTURES
- Guest Artist at The Christian Magic Conference February 2025. Lecture, Interview and Gala Show Performance.
Booker: Nick Lear
- Cover Artist on Vanish International Magazine January 2025
Article Written by: Connie Boyd Editor and Producer: Paul Romhany
- Guest Artist at Illusions Magic Festival, Denmark October 2024. Lecture, Family and Gala show performance.
Booker: Steen Pegani.
- Qualified and competed in The 2024 European Championships of magic representing the United Kingdom.
Sponsored by: Moira Fletcher and Philip Partridge I.B.M. British Ring.
- Guest Artist at S.A.M.S (Scottish association of magicians) convention and International Magic & Variety show in Largs, Scotland.
Booker: Fraser Stokes, President of S.A.M.S.
- Artist in residency Palace of Mystery at The Magic Castle Hollywood Los Angeles, U.S.A. March 2024. 29 performances.
Booker: Jack Goldfinger and Melody Robusto.
- Guest Artist at The Session Magic Convention London, 2024
Bookers: Andi Gladwin and Joshua Jay owners of Vanishing Inc Magic.
- Guest Artist at The Curious Cabaret in Nottingham, January 2025 and 2024
Booker: Chris Wilder.
- Toured with Peter Corry production The Showman is Coming in 28 theatres across The Netherlands in October 2023.
Booker: Peter & Fleur Corry.
- Awarded The Allan Slaight International Rising Star Award May 2023
- Featured on the Cover of Genii Magazine April 2023
Article Written by Tom Stone. Editor and Producer Richard Kaufman.
- Guest Artist at Festival of Fools April 2023
Booker: Georgia Simpson, Circusful.
- Artist in residency at The Magic Circle, London Christmas Magic Shows in London, England. December 2022.
Booker: Katherine Rhodes.
- Guest Artist and lecturer at the Israeli Magic Convention in Tel Aviv, Israel. December 2022.
Booker: Lior Manor.
- Guest Artist NMU Dutch Magic Festival and Championships in Zeist, The Netherlands. October 2022.
Booker: Rene Laurent.
- Competitor in Magic Mania Festival in Riga, Latvia. October 2022.
Booker’s: Dace and Enrico Pecolli.
- Artist in residency at The 654 Club Chicago Magic Lounge Chicago, U.S.A. October 2022.
Booker: Benjamin Barnes.
- Artist in residency Parlour of Prestidigitation The Magic Castle Hollywood Los Angeles, U.S.A. September 2022.
Booker: Jack Goldfinger.
- Guest Artist in “Sunday Night at the Magic Circle“ London, England. September 2022.
Booker: Michael Fitch.
- Nikola Arkane U.K. Lecture Tour September 2022 (8 dates)
Bookers: Moira Fletcher, Eastbourne. Neal Austin, Portsmouth. Hugh Newsam, Cambridge. Matthew Garret, Wellingborough. Kevin Peel, Sussex. The Magic Circle, London. Matthew Bennett, Bristol. Alex Fisher, Manchester.
- Guest Artist in “The Sooty Show and Friends.” Close-up gala and Lecturer at Eastbourne September 2022.
Booker: Moira Fletcher on behalf of the I.B.M British Ring
- Lectured at Magician’s of Man in the Isle of Man July 2022.
Booker: Paul Martin.
- Guest Artist at Mystique Stockholm, Sweden. April 2022.
Booker’s: Leif Olberius and Martin Hansson.
- Guest Artist at Davido’s Magic Bar in Oslo, Norway. April 2022.
Booker: (Davido) David Fevåg.
- Guest Artist at Trix in the Stix In Gobowden, Wales. April 2022.
Bookers: John Kimmons and Gary Dunn.
- Guest Artist at Uppsala Magic and Comedy Festival in Uppsala, Sweden. April 2022.
Booker: Johan Ståhl.
- Semi-finalist in Sweden’s “Talang” March 2022.
Producer and main contact Caroline Sörenson.
- Lectured and performed at “The worlds largest magic convention” in Blackpool, England. February 2022.
Booker: Russ Brown.
- Guest Artist at Magialdia Festival in Spain October 2021.
Booker: José Ángel Suárez.
- Featured on the cover for the I.B.M International Brotherhood of Magicians Linking Ring Magazine, May 2021. Volume 101: Number 5.
Written By Larry Lipman For: The International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.)
- Performed 35 shows in The Close Up Gallery at the world famous Magic Castle in Los Angeles, U.S.A. in September 2019.
Booker: Rosie Buada and Jack Goldfinger.
- Guest Artist with “Mystique” magic ensemble in Stockholm Sweden. August 2019.
Booker’s: Leif Olberius and Martin Hansson.
- Performed a weeks residency at the Chicago Magic Lounge theatre in Chicago, U.S.A. July 2019.
Booker: Benjamin Barnes.
- Guest Artist at Davido’s “Magic Bar” in Oslo, Norway. January 2019.
Booker: (Davido) David Fevåg
- Member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians British Ring April 2020 to present.
- Organised and ran Belfast MagiCon in 2016 bringing artists from around the world to collaborate with magicians for a weekend in Belfast.
- First female chair of the Ulster Society of Magicians since 1942 (2012).
- First official professional female magician in Northern Ireland.
- Director and creator of FizzWizzPop: Magic business and character for children in Northern Ireland since 2008
ARTIST FUNDING AWARDS
Mystify Magic Festival Scholarship March 2025
Amount awarded to cover my hotel and full convention ticket
Awardee: Rachel Wax (scholarship co-ordinator).
Support the Individual Artist Fund 2024-2025
Amount £7164.00
Funding Body: Arts Council of Northern Ireland & the Exchequer funded.
Travel Award June 2024.
Amount £147.00
Funding body: Arts Council of Northern Ireland & National Lottery Funded.
Allan Slaight International Rising Star Award 2023
Amount: $3000 (Canadian Dollars) & iPad
Awardee: Julie Eng and David Benn.
Emergency Artist Grant Programme 2020.
Amount £800.00
Funding body: Arts Council of Northern Ireland & National Lottery funded
Art’s Council Resilience Fund 2. 2021.
Amount £1600.00.
Funding Body: Arts Council of Northern Ireland & the Exchequer funded.
REFERENCES
Current Arts officer and representative from The Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Gavin O’Connor
EMAIL: goconnor@artscouncil-ni.org
Referees that have worked directly with this artist
Referee’s that have worked directly with Nikola Arkane
Peter Corry MBE
Artistic Director of Peter Corry Productions. Singer, producer, director and mentor from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Contact: 028 4272 1349
Email: info@petercorryproductions.com
Tom Stone
Award winning Magician (Creative arts Fellowship AMA) lecturer, author and magical consultant from Sweden.
Contact: +46703095168.
Email. info@tomstone.com
Grainne Woods
Company Manager at Kids in Control (Rogue Encounters).
Contact: +447909536906
Email: Grainne@kidsincontrol.co.uk