Gut Buster by Andrew Mayne
Posted: Aug 19th, '06, 10:31
Gutbuster
Price - $74.95 (£40) from ellusionist (please remember that you will have to pay import tax on this too and potentially P&P)
Difficulty 2
(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)
What they say
Andrew Mayne in collaboration with Paul Harris present a stunning new illusion that can be performed up close, on the street, or on stage.
You step behind your assistant and then forcefully, instantly proceed to shove your hand straight through their body. The audience watches in awe as your real hand visibly breaks through their skin and emerges from the middle of your assistant's stomach.
You extract your hand from the open, gaping wound. A moment later, your helper lifts their shirt to show that their stomach is completely healed. Perform it completely surrounded-- anywhere, anytime-- with less than two-minutes preparation.
If you'd prefer, a volunteer can even shove their hand through your body.
Now we know what you're thinking: which version should you perform? Which do we recommend? Go with your gut-feeling...
In addition, you'll learn the three mindblowing variations:
Gut Buster Unplugged – The impromptu ungimmicked version
Gut Buster Solo – Perform Gut Buster on yourself
Stranger Gut Buster – Gut Buster with a random stranger
The Gut Buster gimmick is designed to work with people with a medium to thin build. Performers who fall outside this range can use Gut Buster on an assistant or perform Gut Buster Unplugged on a random volunteer.
What I say
This is a nice effect I really like the potential that this trick has, Andrew Mayne has obviously worked really hard to create an effect that covers all areas of potential problems and will leave the audience with lots of questions. Like most of the best tricks on the market it is really simple but has lots of little touches that shows a product well thought out.
The gimmick is sturdy and will last you a long time and all the components are very easy to source.
The DVD was a little dissapointing, The instructions for building the effect were good and covered all areas of potential problems (the gimmick will take about 5 min to build). The main effect - magician performing effect on volunteer - is great and probably the only effect you will perform with this effect. Gut buster unplugged is ok but is an old effect which (and this is only my opinion) the audience will guess unless you are really specific on the type of volunteer you use. Gut buster solo, the angles are really sensitive on this trick and i doubt you will use it as your audience unless they have been locked in a small room for most of their life will get the effect, Stranger Gut Buster a stranger performs Gut Buster on you. This is a nice variation on the Main effect your volunteer may guess the effect but the audience will be impressed. One of the best bits of the DVD is the building process of how Andrew came up with the idea of gutbuster and developed it. nice touch that added a lot to an otherwise unimpressive DVD
With Gut Buster possible more than a lot of tricks the way you act and perform the trick is more important than the mechanics of the actual effect. You will have to put in a lot of work to get the effect looking convincing. i personally don't perform the stranger gut buster as i think the normal variation where you put your hand through a volunteer is far more convincing.
I think that the product is a little over priced but not much the really kicker comes when your import tax bill comes in and adds another £20 on top of the 40-50 you have already paid
Overall
As far as effects go this is a great trick, well thought out and easy to perform with some prep, as much as i don't like the added tricks on the DVD I think Andrew deserves a lot of credit for putting them on the DVD as he obviously wants this trick to reach as full a potential as it can. I think if you get this you won't be disappointed.
9/10 recommended