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I haven’t reviews anything for a while so here we have this little gem from Mark Wilson’s complete course in magic.


The Effect

Torn and restored napkin on page 305 of Mark Wilson’s complete course in magic. Take two napkins and say to the audience I am going to teach you a trick. Show them how you scrunch one napkin in your hand while ripping the other one up to shreds. Show them how you swap the torn one for the good one. Then show the ripped on is all better. Take that.

Cost

I have the soft back version of this book £14.99


Difficulty

I say a 2 you have to sell this effect

(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)



Review

This is a little gem of a trick that I stumbled on going through the book. It great for walk around and epically restaurant work. It is almost impromptu a little bit of prep bout takes 2 seconds. it’s a real sucker trick. That I feel has been over looked the specs love it when you say I am going teach you a little something here. They lean in and you keep the air of mystery about you. And its not the most complex trick to pull off. But worth the reactions I believe ok you not going knock them dead with and have people running around saying you are the next. Houdini , Blaine or who ever. But it packs flat and raises a laugh or two. Go on try it I know you want to



Overall

8 out of 10 not bad is it? Its one of them effects if you find you can use at a load of working gigs well where you find napkins. Doing it down the local laundry may get some odd looks.

I've not come across that one yet in the book, I'll have to look it up. I always love to start a routine with a 'I'd like to teach you a little magic' trick. Great way to break the ice and launch into your routine.

Go for it Lady of Mystery

I have that book ( acquired recently ) .. too much info!! Cant wait to start it.. some of the effects.. like this one.. look quality

This is a nice trick, used it a few times. You do really have to go all out with the performance for it to look good though.

Not sure if it was inferred from the original post, but here's how I perform it. I perform the trick first (torn and restored napkin), then I go into the Sucker Torn and restored napkin (the piece reviewed).

As sucker effects go, this one is a blast to perform, as you can get everyone at the table to "follow along." And since you are teaching them how to do it, all heat falls off of you. You could move an elephant into the room, and they wouldn't notice.

I think this effect deserves a 9, simply because of how easy it is to do, and the reaction I've gotten off of spectators.

Thanks Markdini. I'd been looking for a good "I'm going to teach you a magic trick" effect and actually had this one noted down to find in a book or develop my own version.

Since Wilson's Complete Course was already on my list of "to buy" it's gotten bumped up a few spots.

Nice review.

One why havent you already got it? and two yeah its a great little trick i ve been messing around with. But you really need to sell it to the audiance....

I don't have it largely because CUPS has left me with a rather sizable stack of books I'm still working through - I work at a bookstore, which allows me a discount, unfortunately, it costs me more money than it saves me!

It is one of the greatest text on magic if you used it with mordern coin magic and royal road to card magic you be well on your way to mastry of magic. If you can go for the hard back version i got the soft back and its looking a bit tatty now.

Actually, now you've touched on the top two things on my "to get" list.

The first being royal road book, which is currently on order.

The second is complete course, which I think I'll pick up if I don't find it under the Christmas tree since my girlfriend saw me eying it.

The third is Royal Road DVD, which I've been told is a necessity as well.

I think that is why this book needs to be in all magicians libraries. A quick flick through every now and again brings out little gems.. Maybe a good thread would be to see what tricks everyone uses from this book. Hmmmm



I must say I've never done this trick but tonight I shall look it up and have a go!!!

Thanks for the review!!

I used this for years in NOISY restaurants, often as an opener. BUT WITH NO PATTER. I would make sounds and noises to represent the words. Like, "Would you like to see a trick" This done with little whistles.
"Here is a serviette" make up your own sounds with tongue clicks, sharp intakes of breath etc, but always with the words in mind, matching the sounds to them.
He was given the serviette with the grain one way, mine was the other ( carry your own serviettes. I used kitchen roll) So when I tore mine, the tears were straight down. When he tore his were all jagged (lots of tut, tut, tuts, sharp intakes of breath ) Then it was restored. THEN shaking my head ,I'd do it again. he waved over mine and MINE WAS STILL IN PIECES and HIS WAS RESTORED.
Thus the sucker element and a give away of a magic principle was avoided
[u]. It helped centre attention on me in a noisy atmosphere, though it works in a quiet situation as well and it was a little bit different.
Allen Tipton

I do this trick and a couple of other "I'll teach you a trick" sucker effects/tricks either in my Restaurant work, at Children's Birthday Parties, or even for smaller "Parlor" type stages (up to about 30-50 people, no microphone required). Whenever I do a trick where I state that I'm going to "teach" the secret, I always remind them that Magicians Must Never Reveal their Secrets and the only way I can show them is to make them all "Honarary Magicians". This is accomplished by an official ceremonial "pledge" that goes something like this:

"OK Everyone, in order for me to teach you the trick, first I have to make you all Honorary Magicians because Magicians can never tell non-magicians how to do the tricks!" I instruct everyone to raise their right hand (gets a great reaction from other diners when I do this for a large table of 15-20 people). "OK, repeat after me. I (wait for them to all say, "I"), State Your Name," (Almost EVERYONE gets this and goes along and literally says, "State Your Name) "Do solemnly swear," at this point, you will be able to gauge how far you can take this next part. "To Never Ever Ever Ever" (I'm counting off on fingers, both hands, feet, whatever I feel I can get away with) "Ever Ever Ever Ever" When you judge it's time, end with one final, "Ever" and continue with, "Tell anyone how to do the 'XYZ' trick!". You finish up by saying, "Now that we're all legal, let's begin. Everyone Pay Attention, there WILL be a test!". I then go into whatever patter the trick requires. This may seem a bit "long-winded" and "stretchy" (can't help the Balloon Puns, I'm a Twister through and through), but it gets GREAT reactions from both kids and parents alike. I'll occasionally stop, break patter and ask if there's anyone who's not "getting it" or to scold anyone that's upsetting the "class" by talking or being otherwise disruptive (Thanks to Whit Haydn for those last 2 ideas, adapted from the Mongolian Pop Knot).

This gets great reactions, and when done in a Restaurant situation, I often hand out cards (and BOOK PARTIES) to other tables that were NOT involved with the performance of the trick.

Dr. B.A.Loonatic

This can also be a full stage presentation with NEWSPAPERS! Complete with the sucker explanation.

See "Magic for the Millions" by Greer Marechal and the recent Paul Potassy book.