The Effect
"The effect being that a chosen card is shuffled into the deck, which is then dropped into a brown paper bag. The cards are shaken around, and the magician attempts to pluck the selected card from the others - but has no success. Eventually, he pulls out a pole which shows the three of hearts, but the spectator again says that it is not the selection. The magician comments that he hadn't finished, and keeps on pulling, until a five foot pole is out of the bag!
Not only that, but the pole now shows the Ten of Hearts - the selected card! And as an optional finish, you can then tip the pole and have the spectator remove the selected (and signed) card from the end."
Cost
£30 postage included
Available from
www.magic-mirror.co.uk
Difficulty
(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)
3 - basic sleights only used here so as long as you are not a complete newbie you'll be rocking and rolling straight away
Review
I Ordered this along with another routine, Henry Sugar (already reviewed here and highly recommended) and I recieved the package very quickly and oddly the trick was contained within an empty Bran Flakes box. Anyway the package contains the long card pole gimmick, the brown paper bag and a set of instructions.
This is one of those routines which is quite basic in the skill needed to perform but with the right performer and some funny patter and banter can be stretched into a nice performance piece as you can really build up the "routine going wrong" before you reveal the pole in its full glory (all 5 ft of it).
I must admit I was a bit disappointed when I first got this but after trying it out on a few people I realised the fun that can be had with this. I do think however this is only for a comedy type performer of magic due to the nature of a 5 foot long pole printed like a playing card coming out of a small paper bag.
The only snag I find with this is the noise that is made from within the bag once the pole is nearly out due to the gimmick but I think that with more careful handling this can be minimised. Mind you no one I have ever performed it for so far has asked.
So overall it is a cracking little routine that can really be milked for laughs and with the spectators signed card in the end of the pole as a kicker for a more magical ending you cannot go wrong. A little pricey for what you get but I'm not one to complain
Overall
An 8 out of 10 I reckon