1st review here for moi...
The Effect
The easiest is to see it by your self:
http://www.mathieubich.com/images%20et% ... nterHI.wmv
For those who don't manage to see it, basically you balance a pack of cards impossibly on your forefinger, with your fingers spread out.
Cost
16.5€ (~£12)
For that you get the gimmick and an instructional video (on CD ROM).
You can buy it in various retailers (magictrick.co.uk etc), but I believe the cheapest and easiest would be off Mathieu's website:
www.mathieubich.com
Difficulty: 1.5
(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)
Basically you need to get used to the gimmick and the handling, but nothing difficult. You need to work on your angles.
Review
Mathieu Bich is a French magician (and a friend of mine), who got a price at FISM this year for his inventions.
This trick looks really good when mastered, although, it needs a gimmick to be done.
As a working close-up magician, I try to stay as far away as possible from gimmicks, as I like to feel clean (well depends with who I hang out, te he he). So I have to admit that I haven't performed it yet for general public.
Although, I did show it to my girlfriend who loved it. I am thinking about using it as an opening, as it is a good way to introduce the pack of card...
So basically, the handling once mastered, looks pretty natural to the audience, then the deck is balanced, and then you spread out the card, and ditch the gimmick in your pocket once done.
The only part that makes me feel uncomfortable is the angle thing. It is clean from almost all angles, and even if people caught a glimpse on the "hot spot", I am not sure they'd see it; but if it is more than a flash, you'll get caught.
I find it difficult to practice in front of a mirror for the angle; what you (the magician) see is not the same angle as your audience... So I guess you need to perform it to see if your angles are good...
Besides that, the effect is fab, and changes from the usual "pick a card" trick. Again, I think that's a great opener, and I will try to insert it as an introduction of my cards.
Overall
The gimmick is very simple, and could be made by yourself (like most of the greatest gimmicky tricks), but I think it is definately worth the money.
The demo video shows quite well the angles where your audience can stand.
Well... buy it...
Mathieu's got a range of VERY visual tricks, more or less gimmicky, but the effects are VERY strong, and get STRONG reactions.
If he got a price at FISM, that shows that he isn't a joke.