Deep Astonishment II "The Gypsy" by Paul Harris & Rodney Whitlock
http://www.alakazam.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000 ... 1548#a1548
Price: £34.99
Difficulty: 2-3 out of 5
They say:
Everything About Deep Astonishment Has Been Improved, Simplified and Beautified.
You display a leather gypsy envelope and a beautiful old gypsy fortune telling deck. Each card has a fortune printed right on its face. You ask your "client" to utter the name of a special someone to create a relaxed fortune telling atmosphere. Let's say her special name is "Rose."
You then do a short three card reading for your client. The first card predicts good luck. The second card indicates an impending mystery. The third card hints that this impending lucky mystery might have something to do with an envelope. Could it be referring to the leather envelope lying on the table?
You open the leather envelope and remove a small packet of fortune telling cards. Their backs are a different color than the cards you've been using!
You slowly and cleanly deal the cards from the envelope on the table. The first card has a large hand drawn "R" on its back. The next card an "O". The nest an "S". The final card an "E"...spelling "Rose"!
No one says anything for a very long time. Then a single word escapes your client's lips. "HOW?"
NO Cue Cards!
NO Memorization
NO Mnemonics
NO Lead-in Effect!
NO Cards to Hold!
Totally Angle Proof!
Completely Streamlined!
Includes a custom-made leather envelope and a full-color gypsy fortune telling deck!
I say:
Personally...I feel this is an effect of frightening beauty.
The instructions present it as light-hearted but trust me...done well this could have a profound effect on spectators.
The word revelation is a truely magical moment and quite eerie. Of course one could handle it in a ham-fisted way with no style and it would appear to be an amusing puzzle at best but that's down to the skill of the performer.
The props are of top quality for an off the shelf item...quite convincing. The "envelope" in genuine leather and quite substantial. The cards are a tiny bit hokey but the faces are really nice.
The method is diabolical and well hidden. What is most impressive is the way that the workings and method is so well integrated into the credible routine. This is the real improvement. Everything works in unison with everything else, so much so that the trick becomes an issue of performance only. Perfect.
Overall:
One of my favourites.
"DA II" suits my personal style much better, one of story telling from a personal perspective, e.g. "
My Great Uncle used to work as a shill in a sideshow..." etc. (he did actually).
The props are convincing and lend themselves to a "storyline" more easily than "DA I's'" props. The story also allows for a more..."credible" series of "moves"...everything seems to be in context with the premise.
Having said all of this, "DA 1" is still a fine effect and may well suit people who prefer a "slick cardician" approach, for them a set of old fortune teller cards would be very much out of place.
If you like tricks with the feel of "Free Will" and other semi-bizarre/mentalism effects, this is a perfect addition to your collection.
Rating: A
solid 9.5 out of 10