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Symbologic by Hen Fetsch (Another Review)

PostPosted: Oct 8th, '05, 16:37
by Renato


Symbologic by Hen Fetsch

The Effect

"An Incredible Demonstration of Psychic Connection

You display two sets of ESP cards. Both sets contain the five classic ESP symbols-a circle, cross, three wavy lines, square and a star.

You and the spectator mix the cards completely and you correctly predict what card the spectator will place down first. This is repeated with the second card, then the third, the fourth, and finally the fifth! With the turn of each card the effect is more incredible. Symbologic is so clean and direct it will astonish even the most hard-to-please audiences.

Each and every card is predicted with 100% accuracy

No tough moves or sleight-of-hand

No forces or multiple outs"

Cost

£8.99

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)

Available from

http://www.alakazam.co.uk/acatalog/Mentalism_17.html


Review

Sometimes, it’s refreshing to open up a magic effect and not be overwhelmed by the vast array of gadgetry and numerous sleights needed to pull off an effect, and Symbologic was just the soothing magical breeze I needed after fiddling around with the magic I’d been purchasing of late. Some may have opened the package and found nothing more than a slap of disappointment. They shouldn’t have. Put simply, this is a simple effect. It’s method is brilliant, it’s handling easy and it’s effect impossible. There seems to be no way this effect could have been accomplished other than the psychology/ESP etc. you mention in your patter. I may be wrong, but I can never imagine anybody figuring this out. Now, don’t take that as a definite fact, but nobody has sussed it in the time I’ve been performing it. They’ve been too knocked back to even consider thinking about working it out.

I guess it is possible to make up your own cards so if you don’t care for the star pattern on the back that adorns each card you may be able to overcome it. I haven’t found the back patterns to be an issue, though.

There is one point in the effect which the instructions don’t really explain adequately - if you get muddled, the effect is lessened (those who have it will know what I mean) so you may wish to pay some attention to that part, working through it with the cards in hand. It’s nothing too much, and nothing a simple sleight won’t overcome.

One thing though - you need to spend time with this developing good patter. Given the fact that it’s five selections, it’s quite a lengthy effect, and with weak patter it just won’t make the distance. The effect’ll work, but your audience will be quite bored. So work out some good, quality patter which will see you through the effect and you’ll have a stonker on your hands. It’s a brilliant effect, but it needs the right presentation.

Recommended, there’s nothing odd about you carrying the cards together in the little ‘wallet’ that comes with it as they are ESP cards and you have no reason to carry a whole deck of ‘em. Ideally requires a table.

Overall

9/10


PostPosted: Oct 9th, '05, 13:14
by i1011i
This sounds interesting. Derren Brown did a trick EXACTLY like this for a crowd to apologize for them not being able to be apart of his show, since his morning show went late. (They were filming for the new series) So I wonder if he did this or used his own version. Or made his own version off of this. I think I might just buy it and give it a try.

1011


PostPosted: Oct 9th, '05, 16:31
by Renato
Ah - if it's the one I'm thinking of (the one he did onstage in his last tour SWTWC) then it might not be the EXACT same method, although from an audience's POV I can't imagine them noticing much difference. I may be wrong, he may have been using this effect - or he may have found his own handling, as DB sometimes does. It is a great piece of mental magic, though, at a cracking little price.


PostPosted: Jun 9th, '07, 19:46
by Partypaul2007
I have a book, Entertaining Sensory Perception, which has an almost identical effect to this. It is written by Patrick Page and Ken deCourcy and I think cost £10 with a deck of ESP cards from Davenports in London. It also contains a whole bunch of other effects and so maybe better value than the above effect.
I cannot say whether the effcet is beter or worse, just that it is very similar.


PostPosted: Jun 9th, '07, 20:13
by jdcarr
Yes, this is a great effect. A simple approach, an old-as-the-hills method, but a real stumper. The only negative, as you say, is the look of the cards. Done completely face-down using the plain black-backed cards from Beyond ESP 2 (which is how I do it, as part of a larger ESP routine) it looks like a real miracle. Well, real mind-reading anyhow!

Great price too. Can't go wrong.

John


PostPosted: Nov 29th, '07, 08:43
by jbtrickytree
You definitely can't be disappointed with this trick. I haven't seen any other versions, but this one works so well you wouldn't need to look at any.
Very easy to use, and the effect on the spectator is amazing. As mentioned above, the only thing you do need to work on is the patter, and not make the trick drag on too much.


PostPosted: Nov 29th, '07, 11:45
by DrTodd
Fraid I am not too keen on the gaff myself. Other methods/routines are gaff free and more natural IMHO.


PostPosted: Nov 29th, '07, 12:24
by Lord Freddie
Is this effect radically different enough to Beyond ESP2 to warrant a purchase? Or, is the general consensus that BESP2 a better method for this kind of effect?


PostPosted: Nov 29th, '07, 18:05
by DrTodd
I would stick to BESP2....


PostPosted: Nov 29th, '07, 19:19
by storm01
Freddie

I have both effects and to be honest if you have Beyond ESP 2 you really dont need any other. The cards are far more superior in B2 and with a little imagination you should be able to figure out symbologic and utilise your B2.
Hope this helps

Kev


PostPosted: Feb 12th, '09, 22:25
by talkmagicguy
Question: will the pairs always match up perfectly in every performance?