talkmagic.co.uk

Price: £10.00 from Harry's website (http://www.harrythemagician.ie/magic.html)

Difficulty: 2 (for the sleights) and 4 (for the required attitude!)

They say:

Both' Selections! (A Two Selection Routine)
A hard hitting routine where two spectator's selections transform into each other, jump to packets and finally to a compartment in a wallet. A highly commercial opener with no set up.

T to the Three
A three phase, in the spectator’s hands, transposition routine. The spectator and magicians cards twice switch places. The spectator then names any 4 of a kind to act as body guards. The spectator’s card is clearly placed face-down between two of the four of a kind and all three cards placed under her hand. The same is done to the magician’s card, however with a wave of his hands the cards once again switch places, the bodyguards proving ineffective.

The Guinness Self-Indulgently Titled Almost Certainly Unoriginal Almost Burnable Top Change
Does exactly what it says!

Face Up Transpo
A simple transpo with a twist: the magicians card stays face up the whole time!

Card Under Spectator
A card is freely selected and signed. The deck is handed to the spectator for shuffling. They pass the deck around to make it even harder for the poor magician. The magician takes the deck off the spectators and makes a magic move. The magician informs the spectator it would now be impolite and possibly result in a sexual assault law suit if he revealed their card, due to the fact they are currently sitting on it. The startled and slightly aroused spectator stands up and removes a folded up card from under their *rse, they open it up and reveal their signed selection.

Polygraph
A practical twist on the Lie Detection plot based on a Lennart Green comedy routine of all things!

Subtle Trippery
The performer removes a stack of business cards and looks penetratingly at the spectator before placing one down on the table. The spectator is asked to relax and name any animal they want. The business card is turned over and matches the spectators named animal. The performer then explains exactly why he knew the spectator would choose that animal. Multiple repeat bookings ensue.

Bonus Essay
It's a bonus!

I say:

This ebook from TM regular Harry Guinness is highly recommended. Harry is a top-class entertainer, magician and hypnotist - you might have seen him on the Manchurian Approach DVDs or at various magic/hypno meets - and this ebook captures the essentials of his performance persona, i.e. lots of swearing and lots of balls.

Forget fancy sleights and "magicians foolers", this is all about ENTERTAINING people and getting maximum effect out of what you know. It's called "A Monkey with a Deck of Cards" (explained in the intro) but could just as easily have been titled "A Kick up the *rse" because that's exactly what it does to the reader. You're not ready to perform for people yet? You need to learn more sleights? Your pass isn't quite invisible yet? This ebook say "F**k that - get out there and just DO IT". Someone spots one of your moves - laugh it off! They like your transpo - do another three getting more impossible each time. Start entertaining people and earning money - NOW.

You probably already know the sleights needed to perform these routines (side steal, palm, top change, etc) but Harry shows you exactly how to get the maximum out of them. Double the reaction for virtually no extra effort on your part. "Card Under Spectator" shows you how to turn a basic revelation into real crowd-pleasing fun. You will read parts of this ebook and say "well of course" or "I know that" but, if that's the case, why aren't you out doing it? This ebook will make you realise that YOU can go out and perform paid gigs NOW. And if you are a TOTAL beginner then the sleights you need will only take a week or so to learn (get Card College).

BUT (there has to be a but...) the main thing you need to successfully perform this material (and that Harry has in unreal quantities) is BALLS. You will be doing the top change - a lot! You will also be doing a FACE-UP top change. Scared yet? Harry presents his version of the top change to help you out, but if your showmanship, presentation and misdirection are weak then you'll still be in trouble. How do you get over this? You go out and PERFORM. Practice under fire and learn from your mistakes, it's the best way to learn and this ebook will get you out there doing it.

The ebook ends with a two page essay about being "The Hypnotist", but which applies equally well to being "The Magician". This is full of Harry's trademark attitude/advice and is (suprise!) deliberately confrontational in places. Can you just go up to a group of strangers, immediately grab their attention and entertain them? Forget your XCM or carefully perfected Dai Vernon tribute - you've got a few seconds to win them over. Can you do it?

If you're a "bedroom magician" without the guts to go out and perform or if you are already a working professional then this ebook isn't for you. If you want fancy new sleights this ebook isn't for you. But if you've been doing magic for a while and aren't out there earning money then get it

It will annoy you, it could offend you, but it just might be the kick up the *rse you need. Buy it.

Cheers mate, I appreciate your thoughts. One thing I would say is working pros would get some highly commercial effects!

Great ebook and very reasonably priced.

The Polygraph is one of those 'Doh, why didnt I think of that' ideas that will go straight into my act.

I like trippery, Need to practice the handing and get confident with the various outcomes, but I can see it working well.

I'm just starting out on the hypnosis side and I always thought that a sucessful hypnotist needed to have subjects with the right attitude. It turns out, from the essay, that its the attitude of the hypnotist that is more important. Something for me to work on.

I'm off to polish my side steals and try some of the other ideas...

Not following the review format here, at Stoner already posted one in that style...just a sort of...literary review...

It’s weird isn’t it? Every once in a while, magic finds a new area that becomes very popular, DVDs are released, names are made and eventually, it becomes cliché. Just look at the Derren Brown phase. He came out, did his thing and got absolutely brilliant reactions from everyone, magicians and laymen. Mixing traditional mentalism with the psychological approach seemed to appear new, although those well read will realise it’s not at all, and everyone was presenting their bog standard mental effects with a new psychological twist.

Alas, we come to a time in magic where the buzzword is “worker.” Everything is a worker, the so called elite call themselves workers and if you aren’t one, your opinions and ideas are worthless.
The one difference between this phase and the psychological Derren one is that this really earns money. Rather than idolising and imitating, it seems that these e-books and DVDs are actually going to inspire people to go out and work with magic, earning a living. I guess that can only be a good thing.

Before I go for too long and start name dropping those who are starting to drive me mad, I better get on to the product in question.

“A Monkey with a Deck of Cards” is a 20 page ebook from Harry Guinness. A young Irish bloke who has taken a slightly different approach to magic. In recent years, a strong misdirection camp of magic has spawned, probably due to the interest in James Brown’s work. Mixing technical strength with strong body language, misdirection and sheer balls, a new style of “worker” magic emerged. It is clear from the outset that Harry has been heavily influenced by these new concepts.

However, don’t be fooled into thinking that we are looking at a lesser, Irish version of Mr. James Brown. Influence doesn’t mean imitate, and the style here is a step further.

What you get: 6 effects, a couple of cheeky moves, advice from a “worker” and what I personally view as the most valuable of the lot? An insight into the body as a huge player in misdirection and magic.

Whilst this sold as, technically, an ebook of effects from Harry’s repertoire, I believe that there is something deeper that really is worth your attention. However, for traditional review purposes, I better get through the effects first…

I was going to do individual effect reviews here, but I don’t feel that I can fairly portray them seeing as I haven’t yet gone out and performed.

Card under spectator is definitely a brilliant effect, good thinking and sound advice.

The Polygraph effect is again, very clever. I did a similar routine before but with a slightly different presentation, certainly a good ‘un.

The Burnable Top Change is a move you’ve probably come up with yourself, at least accidently.
I don’t like it much, it seems like a lazy man’s top change, but I can see it being useful for some.

So, with a solid set of effects, you would wonder what else this could contain?
Well, as mentioned earlier, it contains invaluable information of the way Harry uses his body as a tool for misdirection, direction and audience attention. Always standing, Harry creates a brilliant use of what we all have.

I would honestly say, truth be told, that this whole production could have been replaced, or at least, should be followed by, a full ebook detailing the many techniques and ideas he uses. These could be accompanied with effects and perhaps even videos demonstrating the principles in use, but that is one for Mr. Guinness to give some thought!

Overall, a solid set of effects. Perhaps not for everyone, they are bold and cheeky. Whilst not sleight heavy, sleights such as the side steal and card folds are expected. Therefore, it isn’t exactly for the avid beginner.
I stand by however, even if you do not take a single effect from this product, extremely unlikely as it is, the information and insights more than make up for it. It is a solid product with a very unique selling point

I would give it a 7.5 out of ten for effects and a solid 9 for the info contained about body language etc.

I may just add, I strongly disagree with The Stoners point about...

But if you've been doing magic for a while and aren't out there earning money then get it

I think most of this material needs a confident approach and experience within the working field. You need to be very at ease with the paying spectator and this just isn't something that will give it to you. It's more suited for a performer who has already built up a working experience and is looking for a step forward, in effects and ideas.

I must say, Monkey with a Deck of Cards is a great addition for the working magician, as well as the amateur magician showing to friends and family. You get a lot of so called "sponge ball reaction" where the spectator almost jumps from his seat in surprise and uncontrollable reaction.

As stated above, the routines are all workable and tested on real spectators, not only thought up behind the computer. The sleights are not difficult at all, only a few that are easy peasy, but well thought of and well presented routines ... you get your money's worth for sure.

I would give MWADOC 9,5 out of 10, as I'm not particularly found of italic font in a book. That's all I could pick on, so to most of you it would probably be 10/10.

Very reasonable price, only a tenner, so GO GET IT HERE!