talkmagic.co.uk

The Effect

This is what the blurb on the tin says...

In the vast literature of magic, a surprisingly small portion of it deals specifically with stand-up magic; that is, magic that is performed on a stage or platform and suitable for entertaining and engaging audiences large and small. Thus, finding quality material has always been a challenge for performers who endeavor to present magic in front of a group of spectators. For the first time, the very best stand-up effects, performed and explained by artists who have fine-tuned these pieces to reputation-makers, have been collected in one place. These are tricks that are suitable for platform, stage and parlor presentations. So, whether you perform in living rooms, banquet rooms or on the world's largest stages, you'll find an amazing assortment of performance-ready masterpieces here just waiting to be the centerpiece of your own show. These performers are among the best of the best and on this unprecedented collection, they're providing you with their signature routines. Everything you need to be a successful performer is right here; you just need to add some practice and a stage.

Cost

£11.59 from www.world-of-magic.co.uk

Difficulty 2-3
(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 quite a nice DVD, running for just under 2 hours it contains a very good selection of effects that are designed to be performed for the larger audience on a stage. Although a couple are also perfectly suitable for a close-up performance too.

The effects on the DVD are;

Bank Night - Richard Osterlind This is a nice effect where by four members of the audience are each given the choice of any one of five envelopes. One envelope contains a £10 note, the others are all empty. The audience are given a totally free choice and can swap envelopes as they wish but the money is always in the fifth envelope that the magician has hold of. I love this effect, the method is so simple yet it's something that could be adapted for all kinds of uses.

Koran Medallion - Johnny Thompson Another brilliant effect where 3 numbers chosen by the audience are found to be inscribed on the back of a medalion which has been worn by the magician and in full view the whole time.

Standing Ovation ID - Bill Malone This is Bill Malone's presentation of the classic ID. There's nothing all that new here if you already know the ID but Bill's performance is brilliant. If you perform the ID, this is well worth watching just for the performance.

A Day At The Circus - Harry Allen Now this I was very disapointed with. Three members of the audience are called onto stage and each given the part of a circus performer and have a card corrisponding to that performer. For me the story was long and drawn out although very funny which seemed to build towards a big finish. Only to be left wiuth what for me was a big anti-climax.

Bill in Potato - Paul Potassy Another classic effect this one, the Bill in Potatoe. I'm sure you know the story, a note is borrowed from the audience, vanishes and is found inside a potatoe. Now this isn't something that I'd perform myself but is a very entertaining routine to watch. Even though I wouldn't perform this, I've watched this one a couple of times now just because I love Paul's performance. Great if you're likely to perform it, still worth watching even if you're not.

Burnt Banknote Routine - Terry Seabrooke This is a clip from one of Terry's lectures and is a part of the DVD that I really didn't like all that much. I can see that the routine could be a good one but I didn't like Terry's presentation, just too cheesy for me. The explaination seemed to skip about abit and was quite difficult for me to follow.

Gypsy Rope Mystery Escape - Falkenstein and Willard Another routine that I really didn't like. A girl is tied up, an audience member is stood in front of her, the two of them are covered up and finally the girl is seen, still tied up but wearing the audience member's jacket. The effect is nice enough but to me just seems too drawn out.

Linking Silks - Petrick and Mia This is a routine that I really like, the title says it all really. A number of tied silks link and unlink. I'm not sure that I'd perform it on it's own but it'd go really nicely in the middle of a longer silk rountine.

Overall 8/10

This is quite a nice DVD which has something that will suit everyone. You probabaly wont like everything that's on it, as I didn't but for the price it's well worth getting, even if you don't do any more with it than just watch and enjoy some of the brilliant the performances.