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rhysjones wrote:Bish Bash Bosh from fiveofheartsmagic.co.uk is Smash 'n' Stab with an egg instead of a spike.

Sure sounds a lot safer to me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaUXxadeo4c

I bought Bish Bash Bosh to be on the safe side and as soon as I had the method I had to then buy Smash and Stab.

Five of Hearts now do a set where you get both versions and I'd give this some due consideration depending on the type of audience that you perform to

Despite the methods being exactly the same for both there is a lot more tension in the audience when performing the spike version.

Dave I love the idea of the spike but you can make a mistake.

You may have seen me do a version with eggs and you can select the wrong one in the heat of performance.

It actually happened to me last week, if it had been a spike I would have been injured, as it happened I always set the eggs up so I know which is which so as soon as I saw he egg I knew it was the wrong one and joked my way out of it.

If a spike is under a cup it can go wrong however simple or obvious the method. Your mind says that's the one yet you pick it why I don't know!!

Its magic wrote:you pick it why I don't know!!

It's because you've been visited by the Smeg Up Fairy....

I recently purchased the Sharpie Edition, and would have preferred to have seen a video demonstration with the 5 markers rather than the 3, rather than resort to Youtube to find David Penn's demo in the World Magic Shop.

The effect itself, however, seems to be high end mentalism, and I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of polystyrene cups I purchased from a catering website, and the 100 cups should be more than enough to last a long time. However, as a hobbyist essentially, and someone who is highly unlikely to wear a bum bag or other bag to carry apparatus, the opportunities to perform this in public or walkaround settings are extremely limited, as I can't see me carrying polystyrene cups if performing on a night out with friends. Even at the rare magic gig, there is a certain elegance to simply donning a blazer, as opposed to lugging a metal brief case of props, which I have seen some Talk Magic members carry at the equally rare regional meet I attend. Incidentally, new years resolution is to attend more of these: I've had issues in my personal life that has overtaken magic, but now resolved I am very much keen to regain the magic bug, and that includes again posting on Talk Magic.


The layman's perception of carrying a pack of cards is zany enough, but a four inch spike, five wooden blocks and polystyrene cups is not only hugely eccentric, but also takes up much coveted pocket space!

The potential drama of this effect is something I would relish in padding out however, as I can see lots of scope for faux NLP, body language reading, etc. Like Tom Lauten's 357, I think the key would be to use apparent different techniques, possibly some reading skills on one, a "lie detector" style for another smash, or to feign complete lack of knowledge and pot luck on some. It adds variety, which is the spice of life.

A fellow magician once performed a similar effect, which I presume is Smash and Stab, as my hand was used. I was genuinely scared as his then girlfriend was in on the act, and they were talking about how X had to go to hospital, before asking as potential damage limitation which hand I valued more.

In theory the spectator's hand could be used after first working out which cup has the spike in, although it would be more clumsy in handling.

All in, this, like Coinvexed, seems to me to be of the highest calibre of effect, not only because it moves away from traditional card effects, but because there is scope to pad out, window dress, expand, create an emotional hook and possible spectator involvement, which is why it takes it into mentalism, as it puts them at the centre of involvement. Key is to maximise spectator involvement as much as possible. I'm so excited about using this at some point.

Rufio wrote:high end mentalism

That sounds positively horrible.

Also, just to nit pick, but the Sharpie Edition black bag was obviously designed to hold the three bases, and is too small to hold all five. Clearly World Magic Shop have simply just added an extra sheet of written instruction, along with the additional 2 bases and Sharpie, although everything else, including the DVD was for the original version.

Being pedantic, it does frustrate that the bag cannot carry all five spikes. I suppose if I wanted I could carry them separately, although as to portability the polystyrene cups would be the deal breaker if your aim is to simply wear a blazer jacket, with all modus operandi being invisible. Whilst sleight of hand is much more satisfying to use than gimmicry, the reality is that many close up effects employ gadgetry or gimmicks (e.g. the Extractor) to achieve stellar proportioned reactions. In each pocket, there is therefore enough compact effects (the use of plastic 4 pocket wallets to carry packet effects, although I limit total pocket space to one wallet) so giveaway bulges aren't on show. To the layman, it appears as if one is just wearing a normal jacket. If mugged, however, it reveal a plethora of unusual gimmicks!

I think high end mentalism sounds pretty swish! As with magic, there's "Uncle Charlie Magic": perhaps there is equally "Uncle Charlie Mentalism", and I tried to convey "high end mentalism" as something beyond that category.

On the subject of Uncle Charlie Mentalism, I regularly employ the character of Uncle Charlie as per the routine of Alakazam's Heirlooom!

For me it conjures up images of corporate suits performing "mentalism" with absolutely no conviction...but hey.

I love the russian roulette concept, but I never got on well with the idea of having a big spike under a cup and smashing your own, or even worse, the spectators hand down onto it. Just not for me I guess...

I came up with my own one with thumb tacs and smarties in matchboxes which works well, and the presentation is one that fits me perfectly.