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MAGIC ROADSHOW - Special Issue #6

Christmas 2020

Hello Friends...

I almost hated to use the year 2020 on this issue. It

would be so easy to wait a month and have the honor
of publishing in 2021 instead. What a booger of a
year.. That said.. I am glad to still be here.

2020 has changed the world of magic. We are

performing in ways we would never have thought
possible only months ago. Zoom... what the heck is a
Zoom? Everyone knows now. I am SO looking forward
to things going back to normal.

And while I’m at it… Elections ?? I was so sick of the

political ads they could have elected Hannibal Lecter
and I would have done cart wheels.. My gosh... Enough
already...

I intended to get this issue out about May. Between

the pandemic, tremendous demands from my other
job on account of the pandemic.. and some personal
aggravation.. this was the best I could do. In the midst
of the pandemic my right eye, my good eye,
hemorrhage from a small vessel that was growing
where it shouldn't. I couldn't get all the prompt
treatment I would normally get on account of shut
downs. Normally, the doctor could go in and vacuum
out the blood.. but ALL non-life threatening surgeries
were postponed. That meant waiting months for the
blood to dissipate on its own. Not being able to see my
computer screen without a magnifying glass was a
royal pain in the ass... excuse my French. And on top
of that, my wife, Carolyn, developed breast cancer...
which made my problems seem small. She is in
chemotherapy and she is a fighter. Prayers for Carolyn
are much appreciated !!

I've caught up on Netflix and movies I recorded

months ago. I've watched more documentaries and
specials than you can shake a stick at... whatever that
means. But by far the BEST thing I've seen on TV these
many months is the Netflix limited series.. THE
QUEENS GAMBIT. If you get a chance.. watch it. It
starts just a tad slow.. but builds steam as it
celebrates the human condition in a way never seen
on TV. As of yesterday, it has been watched by 68
million viewers.. a record.
Yes.. I've been a closet mentalist for years. I love the
'mental' aspect of mentalism and the psychology and
science behind its performance. I am currently
working on a full act of nothing but mental effects..
and it's hard resisting pulling out a deck of cards. I'll
let you know how it goes. I've included a little mental
magic in this issue.

I am featuring two effects.. Rubber Band Quarantine

and Pandemic.. both which were written WAY before
the current pandemic. Very Apropos...

Questions and Comments ? Email

[email protected]

** The PDF copy of this issue contains 87 pages &

14,146 words.

__________________
Table of Contents:

• Rubber Band Quarantine – Tutorial

• Pandemic - A Very Scary Effect - Jim Canaday

• 5 Mind Reading Magic Tricks - Video Tutorial

• Which Hand - Video Tutorial
• "ACE" - Sleight of Hand by Noel Heath – Video

• Penn and Teller FOOL ME Reveals !!

• Self Working Card Trick That Fools Everyone –

Video

• Spidey's Version of Vernon's 'Out of Sight - Out of

Mind'

• Invisible ACAAN – Tutorial

• Comprehensive "ACAAN" - A Thorough Study -

Video

• Joe Navarro Poker Tells – Videos

• A LETTER TO SANTA! by George Iglesias - A Review

• The Vault - Matrix Mix by Patricio Teran - A Review

• Houdini's Last Trick - Peter Eggink - A Review

• DICEPTION by Haim Goldenberg & Matan

Rosenberg –

• Rock, Paper, Lies - Jay Di Biase - A Review

 • AIRPLANE MODE by George Iglesias & Twister
Magic

• Appearing Business Cards by Sam Gherman - A

Review

• Four Pack - John Carey – A Review - Video

Download

• The Vault - Card Sleights by Shin Lim - Video

Download

• The Vault - The Real Invisible Deck by Chris

Dugdale

• The Conjuror's Community Kickstarter Deck and

Online Experience

• Paradoxes - Paul A. Lelekis - A Review

• I AM ARRR - The Other Brothers and Abstract

Effects - A Review -

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
"I try to tell people, it's not that I do anything even
remotely better, it is that I think I have an
understanding of how to make sure the full impact of
the trick hits the spectator." - John Mendoza

"When you're always looking back... you can't see

what's coming." Unk.

'“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole

world around you because the greatest secrets are
always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who
don't believe in magic will never find it.” -Ronald Dahl

“The core practice of magic is: The execution of a

willed intent to create change in the material world,
which either defies, hastens or purifies the
consequences of natural cause and effect.”
― Zeena Schreck

/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
Rubber Band Quarantine - Tutorial
Paul Lelekis
(From Issue 174 of the Magic Roadshow)

O.K. – it’s a stupid

name, but I don’t
know what to call this
cool trick. About 15
years ago, Jon
Racherbaumer
showed me a trick
with a deck of cards
and a rubber band that was so visual that I HAD to
know how it worked! Thanks, Jon!

EFFECT: A card is selected and lost in the deck. A

rubber band is then wrapped around the deck and
then the performer inserts his hand under the rubber
band.

When the magician slaps his hand on the table, the

chosen card is found, face up on the back of the
performer’s hand, and both the hand and the card are
wrapped by the rubber band and free from the deck!

METHOD: This is a really cool trick! In fact when I was

performing it at a convention, Enric Magoo from Spain
(1991 World F.I.S.M. award winner) asked me, through
an interpreter, to teach it to him! Magoo’s, Franky,
(Frankenstein) was a great show!

Have a card selected and secretly brought to the

bottom of the deck. I use either a Peek and Pass it to
the bottom of the deck, or use Marlo’s Convincing
Control/Prayer Cull to bring the selection to the
bottom of deck.

NOTE: See my e-book Magic Tools of the Trade at

Lybrary.com for a complete list of how to perform
many sleights and controls…and tricks to perform with
them.
Included are pix and videos for a more complete
understanding of these sleights. You may use
whatever control you wish…just get the selection to
the bottom. How to place the rubber band onto the
deck:

Hold the deck in left hand dealer’s grip and buckle the
bottom card which is the selection, say, the 6 of
Hearts, with your left index finger. You may also use a
left pinkie pull-down of the 6H.

Take a #19 rubber band (same size used for The Crazy
Man’s Handcuffs), or preferably a band that is a little
smaller - but not too small - and wrap it around the
deck but above the bottom card, the selection, the 6H.
(See photo 1)

Situation Check: Deck is in left hand and the rubber

band is around the deck, but the 6H on the bottom of
deck is free of the rubber band.

The palm down right hand comes over the deck and
grasps the band from above the deck with the right
index, middle, ring and pinkie fingers grasp and pull it
over to the right of the deck, stretching it about 5”- 7”.
Your right hand will now be palm upwards. (See photo
2)

Next, the left middle finger (right-hand fingers still

stretching the band) reaches over the upper band that
comes over the top, and pulls it downward. (See photo
3)

The part of the band coming from under the deck now
comes over the top of the left middle finger as the
right hand, again, rotates counter-clockwise, 90
degrees, so that the palm of your right hand is now
facing your body. (See photo 4)

The rubber band should form an “X” between the deck

and your right hand; your left middle finger will be
trapped in the band.
Your right hand (palm still facing your body!) then pulls
the rubber band outwards and moves to your left so
that the band encircles the outer end of the deck a
second time and over the left thumb. Place (See
photos 5 and 6)

(DO NOT release the left middle finger from the band
or you’ll lose the set-up)

Your whole right hand next slips under the outer-most,

band. (See Photo 7) The left thumb still is, under the
band at this point. Now you can pull the left middle
finger free of the band!

The right hand now firmly grasps the deck and the left
hand lets go, pulling the left thumb free of the band.
(See photo 8) Your right hand needs to hold the deck
very firmly at this point.

Believe it or not, if you take your right hand (with

deck!), hold it about a foot (30 – 32 centimeters)
above the table, and then gently slam it down on the
table as you open your right fingers, the selected 6 of
Hearts will now jump, face up, to the back of your right
hand, trapped under the rubber band. (See photo 9)
The rubber band now holds the face-up selection onto
the back of your right hand, and is completely free of
the deck! (See photo 10)

Photo 1 Photo 2

Photo 3 Photo 4
Photo 5 Photo 6

Photo 7 Photo 8
Photo 9 Photo 10

You can view ALL of Paul's ebooks at Lybrary.com ..

They are, undoubtedly, some of the best values in all
of magic.. Many are considered underground classics
and several NEW publications are on the short list...
http://lybrary.com/paul-a-lelekis-m-163788.html

** PICTURES: All Ten photos are also available at this

link.. This effect was originally published in:
https://magicroadshow.com/wp-
content/uploads/2018/03/MAGIC-ROADSHOW-
174.pdf
o0o------------------------------o0o

PANDEMIC - A Very Scary Effect - Jim Canaday

Handled right, I think this could be even scarier than

Jim Pace’s The Web. It is based on
Wild Card but I am not going to
include the handling as I am sure
you all have your own favorite
version. (I use Derek Dingle’s “The
Wild Move”.

What you need is to make a custom set of cards (1 ½

X 3 ½). The pre-change side will have a photo of a
normal looking guy and the post-change side will have
a photo of a zombie. I went online to look for pictures
of the TV show ”The Walking Dead” and found a nice
gruesome one. I printed one side on card stock and
the other on copy paper. That way when you glue to
two sides together it is about the thickness of a
playing card. I then laminated all the cards both sides
using a transparent adhesive Contac paper which I
bought pretty cheaply at Walmart. (This is great for
any laminating you need to do for any project.)

I also found the thing that really makes the trick at a

Halloween store. These are usually only open for a
couple of months in the fall each year. The one I went
to in Venice, Florida, says they have 1000 locations
nationwide so check it out. I needed some blood
capsules and they had them. 8 capsules for three
bucks.

Routine:
“I am sure you have all seen the news reports recently
about the spread of the Corona virus. Absolutely
terrible but the CDC (Center for Disease Control) is
doing their best to keep it contained. But there is
something you don’t see on the news and your
government doesn’t want you to know.

Although it is against international law, we have

scientist creating diseases in laboratories, really nasty
strains that if released would decimate the population.
The deadliest one they currently have is called
Dystopic Necrosis, designed to disrupt a society in a
manner similar to the flesh eating virus. It causes
itching to severe that victims actually scratch off their
flesh right down to the bone. And there is no cure.
Once you get it, that is it. The scientists have
nicknamed it the Romero Fever, after George Romero,
the man who directed “Night of the Living Dead. Yep,
these guys do have a sense of humor.
Romero Fever is extremely contagious. There are four
symptoms to watch for. 1) The patient begins to
sneeze followed by 2) a hacking cough. Then 3)
unbearable itching. The victim scratches so hard for
relief that it results in severe injury making the patient
resemble one of the Walking Dead. And lastly 4)
hemorrhaging of the mouth and gums causing
uncontrollable bleeding. Then death. Let me
demonstrate for you. (Do your wild Card display to
show a bunch of normal looking people. Then pull out
an envelope marked “Property of Center for Disease
Control – top Secret – Eyes Only”. Remove the
“infected” card from the envelope.) The Romero Virus
is extremely contagious. If we add the infected Patient
Zero to this healthy group, one by one they all become
infected. (Add the infected card and do your Wild card
routine turning all the healthy cards to infected.).

Very scary stuff. For your own safety, please

remember the four warning signs..

Sneezing (Sneeze to demonstrate)

Coughing (Cough to demonstrate. This is a good time

to load the blood capsule into your mouth. If you
would like, you can load it before the routine but this
will make it easier to say the lines.)
Itching (Itch your face vigorously). And…

(Bite the capsule allowing the blood to rush out onto

your chin and show your teeth covered with blood. If
you are a good actor, roll your eyes up into your head
and keel over onto the table face down. Or have a
friend pretend to panic shouting “Someone help
him!!!!” One person laughing can get a whole group
going. Panic can work in the same way. Just make
sure no one dials 911!)

If you decide not to use the blood capsule, just use the
first three symptoms and it will work out fine.

Hope some of you take me up on this and have fun.

-Jim Canaday for the Magic Portal

o0o------------------------------o0o

5 Mind Reading Magic Tricks - Video Tutorial

Almost 30 minutes of mental magic from Rich

Ferguson. These are not complicated effects.. but
simpler effects that can be customized by the
performer to surprise an audience. It's all about the
performance silly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IIcsgj1XJo
o0o------------------------------o0o

Which Hand - Video Tutorial

Chris Ramsay teaches his method of Which Hand..

using body language. Maybe not 100%.. but close
enough to make it worth knowing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvPJoKZtwak

o0o------------------------------o0o

"ACE" - Sleight of Hand by Noel Heath - Video

This is without a doubt one of the most confounding

magic videos you'll ever have the pleasure of
watching. Noel Heath is still an underground figure..
but not for long. Keep in mind.. there are NO magnets,
wires or strings used in his performance. Everything is
pure sleight of hand. You won't believe me...

https://youtu.be/_7VWRwnpIZM

Another featuring pure cardistry...

https://youtu.be/bdMEZtSneF8

o0o--------------------------------o0o

Penn and Teller FOOL ME Reveals !!

Thanks to my partner in crime, Jim Canaday, (Magic

Portal) for the links.. This is a rare chance to learn how
Penn and Teller were fooled.. by the creators
themselves. No theory or internet speculation... just
the facts, mam....

Watch Eric Leclerc fool Penn and Teller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMwEHTeHoIA

Now watch Eric explain how he did it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4TTjsmSotU

Watch Wes Barker fool the boys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8L3EBJhXU4

Now watch as he explains just how it was done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDQOytYPi3M

o0o------------------------------o0o
Self Working Card Trick That Fools Everyone – Video

Yes, a self working trick that’ll fool everyone (almost). I

like this because the magician can perform it without
touching the deck. It does require a simple set-up, but
that’s not a problem for you guys..

http://magicmysteries.org

o0o---------------------------------o0o

Spidey's Version of Vernon's 'Out of Sight - Out of

Mind'

Here's a killer bit of mental magic with a deck of

cards. The spectator thinks of a card seen.. You know
what it is.. No gaffs and no unusual sleights. You WILL
like this..

https://youtu.be/PTy68aZSMvc

o0o------------------------------o0o
Invisible ACAAN - Tutorial

Here's a very good effect by 'A Million Card Tricks'. I

have a special appreciation of ACAANS.. and this is a
very easy one.. well thought out and very convincing.
This effect is based on an effect from J.K. Hartman's
Card Dodgery.. and J.K. is THE master of ACAANS....

https://youtu.be/t2H07KcvhRA

o0o-------------------------------o0o

Comprehensive "ACAAN" - A Thorough Study - Video

Tutorial

A comprehensive study, one and a half hours, of the

ACAAN by The Common Magician. This is a very
interesting and thorough video tutorial..

"This is a comprehensive look at the "Any Card At Any

Number" effect (also known as the "Berglas Effect" or
the "Holy Grail Effect"). I don't cover all of the
possibilities, but I deal with a broad spectrum of the
major methods and their appropriate uses."

Contents:
0:00 Demo
2:07 Intro
6:39 ACAAN v CAAN
15:48 'Berglas Rules'
18:57 Forcing An Experience
24:43 Presentation IS the Method
34:45 Method Category 1: Mem. Stack
41:32 Method Category 2: Impromptu Stack
51:37 Method Category 3: Various Substitutions
1:05:57 Method Category 4: Various Forces
1:12:20 Method Sidebar: "Get Lucky"
1:19:23 DEMO METHOD: Force Everything!
1:27:53 Final Thoughts

Again, this is an hour and a half video. Grab a deck of

cards, light the fire, and settle in for a very productive
night.

https://youtu.be/-hJiYwdlHGc

o0o------------------------------------------o0o

Joe Navarro Poker Tells - Videos

Joe Navarro was a 25 year FBI agent who specialized

in body language. He also wrote multiple books on
body language and poker tells for poker players. If you
are a mentalist, or mentalist wanna-be, and subscribe
to the Derren Brown school of reading your spectators
body language.. these videos are a prime source of
material. What Joe says sounds good when repeated
to an audience. Add a bit of authority to your routine.!

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=joe+
navarro+poker+tells+

o0o-------------------------------o0o

"Generally, magicians don't know what to say,

so they say stupid and redundant crap like,
'Here I am holding a red ball.' "– Teller

o0o-----------------------o0o

A LETTER TO SANTA! by George Iglesias & Twister

Magic - A Review
Rick Carruth

Here's the Ad Copy for A Letter To Santa:

After six years of releasing with great success "A Trip
to Cancun" and "A Trip to Circus", now George brings
us the new holiday version of this trick "A Letter to
Santa"!

Perfect for either Virtual Zoom Shows and live

performances too!

Effect:

The magician
shows some
letters to
Santa
already
made, with
different gifts, the kid get to choose in between a
beach ball, a teddy bear, a PlayStation, a magic box, a
monopoly or a bicycle!

Then the letter is mixed with the others. The magician

makes the letter vanish from the pack and travel to
North Pole! Now he shows a big poster, when he open
it we can see Santa Claus holding a letter and Rudolph
and his red nose by his side.

Now the kid will get the chance to travel to the North
Pole with his imagination. The Magician folds the
poster and the kid put his hand inside to bring his
letter back, but by mistake he then takes instead
Rudolph's nose out! The magician opens the poster...
And guess what? Rudolph's nose is missing on the
drawing.

The Magician folds the poster again, once more the

kid put his hand inside, but this time by mistake the
takes Santa's Hat! The magician opens the poster and
Santa is missing his hat on the drawing.

Finally the magician himself put his hand inside and

takes the letter out, but before doing that he get
trapped with something, he pulls hard and Santa's
belt comes out! All kids start to laugh now, but the
magician does not pay attention to them and shows
the letter selected by the kid to be exactly the same
selected before.

The kids now start to ask and beg the magician to

open the poster and show them what's inside, the
magician denies to do it, but by mistake the poster
unfolds to show Santa with his pants down!!!

A very funny and interactive routine, very easy to do.

Excellent quality. Very well-made props, poster
plastified, it will last a lifetime of performances. All
props made with high detail too.

Includes:
1 Special poster
12 Special Letters to Santa (2 Sets of 6 plastified
cards each)
1 Santa's belt
1 Santa's hat
1 Clown's nose (Goshman)
1 Instructional online video

My Thoughts:

The world needs A Letter To Santa right now. George

Iglesias, the creator of Airplane Mode and A Trip To
Circus, has created the ideal effect for little ones in
need of humor and escape. I will start my review by
saying I will definitely recommend this effect to all my
friends performing for children. This is not a cheap
effect, and it shows...

I am not going into detail about the performance. The

ad copy does a good job of explaining all the workings.
It plays exactly as written. I would recommend going
to Murphy's Magic site and watching the video and
checking out the pictures if you need a little additional
info.

What I like about A Letter To Santa is it can play

strong live OR via Zoom. I think allowing kids to
participate always adds a little something to the
effect.. but.. that's not always possible right now. So
many effects lose their soul when played over Zoom,
but not this one. I prefer live... but...

This effect is recommended for intermediate

performers. I agree, although it is not a difficult effect
to perform. It will play better when performed by
someone with enough experience to script and
perform a longer effect like this one. You won't
perform this well straight out the package. Work on
your script and work on your handling. A very famous
magician once said performing for children is like
performing in a lion's den.. dressed in a hamburger
suit..

All the props are well suited and ideal for this effect.
No, it's not a real belt or a real adult hat.. but it's just
right for fitting inside the poster. You're trying to make
kids laugh... not outfit them, or yourself. The poster is
first class. It is a plasticized poster designed to last for
years. Even the sponge nose is a Goshman...
Santa is timeless. Although I do wish I'd gotten my
hands on this item back about September.. I'm OK
with the end of November. I suspect most performers
will find themselves performing this half the year.
Again, kids are willing to write a letter to Santa
anytime.. particularly if there's something slightly
naughty involved.. although this is appropriate for all
children.

I like the way George teaches his effects. His videos

are always interesting and colorful, not to mention
thorough but to-the-point. The instructional video for A
Letter To Santa is online and runs about 20 minutes.
Everything is typical Murphy's quality.

If you perform for children.. this is intended for you.

Eighty Five bucks isn't cheap.. but if you are an
intermediate performer you understand the power of a
solid five to seven minutes... longer if you are a good
conversationalist. The kids will love it.. and the parents
will love you for making their lil' darlings laugh.
Everything you need is included. No DIY and no
frustrations. George has you ready to perform!

$85.00 From Murphy's Magic and their Associates...

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=68
293
o0o-------------------------------o0o

The Vault - Matrix Mix by Patricio Teran - A Review

Review by Rick Carruth

Matrix specialist Patricio Terán delights us with a

combination of his routines so that anyone can
perform them. The video explains how to make the
system and the tricks that can be made. Simple and
complex version, these are the games:

- Matrix element plus

- Hurricane Matrix
- Domino Matrix
- Matrix dice
- Extra video chink to chink flash

"Objects jump, travel and get excited. Keys open

doors, jumping dice, Rings that compromise travels
and others elements will play to the matrix
compases."
- Bruno Tarnecci

"I think Patricio revolutionized what are the Matrix,

great impact visual magic"
- Federico Poeymiro
(Additional Inexpensive Supplies May be Needed to
Perform These Effects.)

My Thoughts..

Patricio certainly has the matrix down to a science. I

have long admired coin guys who could perform
flawless matrix configurations with halves or silver
dollars. My fat fingers are a good enough excuse to
keep me out of the sandbox.. and I'm sticking with
that excuse. Patricio has destroyed my lack of
nimbleness and taken away my crutch. Shame on
Patricio..

There are NO coins.. well, actually there's one coin, in

his matrix routines. Furthermore.. there are GAFF's
that take away the joy of spending months learning to
manipulate objects in a convincing display of dexterity.
One routine uses a coin, a key, a ring and a die.
Another uses four dice. And yet another uses sponge
bunnies. One last routine uses a very small gaff,
created in seconds, to complete a chink to chink flash.

The elephant in the room is the gaff. Patricio goes into

great detail to show you how he creates his gaffs. They
are not complicated and can be easily constructed
using double sided tape and a small razor knife. Most
folks who read my reviews know I am NOT a fan of
DYI.. but the gimmicks are easiy enough to create that
doubling the price of this download and mailing you
gimmicks would not be a wise investment.
Patricio does not speak throughout the 34-minute
download. It's not necessary. You learn everything you
need to know through his thoughtful demonstrations.
At one point, he uses clear cards so you can see
precisely what happens behind the curtain. You see
his grip, finger position, how he transports objects
from point A to point B.. and in a couple of instances
how he moves objects, like the one coin, without
picking it up.

Inspired by Reuben Moreland, Nicholas Einhorn and

Homer Liwag, Patricio has created a very nice
collection of routines that even a middling beginner
can perform with a little practice. I am going to
recommend this to all the Magic Roadshow readers ,
as well as my FB review readers. This is a great buy for
ten bucks and I'm confident you'll be glad I pointed
you to MATRIX MIX.

(Go to the url and watch the performance video to get

a good idea of the content.)

$10.00 At Murphy's Magic and dealers who carry

their line...
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=66
852

o0o-------------------------o0o

Houdini's Last Trick - Peter Eggink - A Review

Gimmicks and Online Instructions
Review by Rick Carruth

This is the Ad Copy:

From your wallet you remove a picture of the Great
"Houdini" - everyone is
familiar with the fact
that Harry Houdini was
the world's greatest
escapologist and still
is a huge inspiration to
every magician in the
world.

You begin to tell the story that you've shot this

"instant" picture from an actual picture of the iconic
magician, during your visit at the "Houdini Museum":
Analog pictures are known for their ability to capture
energy and other spiritual phenomena.
You are introducing your spectator to "Houdini's
famous card trick": You explain that Houdini would
have a spectator think of any card and then magically
revealed the chosen card in his breast pocket of his
jacket.

Here is where the experiment starts... the spectator

holds the picture in between her hands to "connect"
with the master magician's energy (or the picture can
be set aside so no one is able to touch it again).

Next, ask your spectator to memorize any card from

the deck.

As if Houdini's spirit actually came through, your

spectator feels a strange sensation...when you ask
your spectator to open her hands and take a close
look at the picture again, eerily and magically their
chosen card has now appeared and is revealed inside
Houdini's breast pocket in the photograph!

In the end the photo may be fully examined.Houdini's

Last Trick comes complete with the ready to go
gimmick, photograph and online instructions.
This is really a beautiful, brand new rendition of
Peter's ingenious "Ghost-Tag" which was a blockbuster
release 15 years ago.

"Houdini's Last Trick" opens up for a great patter and

emotionally involves your spectators throughout the
routine with an nostalgic, spiritual feel to it.

You will LOVE this.

Special engineered gimmick!
Self working!
EERY and MAGICAL card revelation!
Fits inside your phone case or wallet!
Always ready to go!

My Thoughts:

I have a soft spot for effects that appear truly magical.

Sometimes one needs a bit of science to pull that off.
Houdini's Last Trick has the gimmick and the story to
add something very unique to your routine.

First, although magician's say anything can be

performed for a large audience with proper
presentation, I would recommend this effect for close-
up and walk around. It's great for restaurant work too.
The gimmicks are fairly small, and the visual is even
smaller, and perform best in small groups.
As described in the ad copy, the performer tells a story
of Houdini and a photograph the performer took at the
Houdini Museum. He relays a story of an effect
supposedly made famous by Houdini, where Houdini
ask a spectator to name a card... and then pulls that
card from his jacket pocket.

The performer introduces the photo and a deck of

cards. The ad copy implies the spectator has a free
choice of any card in the deck. Actually, the spectator
has a free choice where he/she cuts the deck.. or
something similar that allows the spectator to find a
specific card.

After a card is selected, the spectator holds the photo

in his hands, and after a few seconds sees his chosen
card slowly appear in Houdini's breast pocket. It's
definitely magical and will stun your spectator.

I don't think it's a big secret that the power of thermal

technology is at work here. Holding the card in the
hand causes the card to appear. It's been used in
other effects to one degree or another, and I think this
is one of the very best uses I've seen. I think the idea
of using the Houdini photo is smart thinking and will
resonate with the audience.
I'm going to show my age here.. I had to use a
magnifying glass to see the identity of the card in
Houdini's pocket. Like the markings on some marked
decks.. some of us have a little trouble reading small
print. Having two pictures, one gaffed and one not, lets
me show the ungaffed picture beforehand and lets the
spectator examine it with the magnifying glass to their
hearts content.

Personally.. I give the spectator a deck of cards, direct

them to a cross cut force, and I remove the top half for
them after the cut. While they are looking at the top
card of the 'bottom' half.. I apply a small piece of two
sided tape to the top of the packet in my hand. I drop
it on top of the half on the table and ask them to drop
their card on top of the entire deck.

I get them to cut the deck a couple of times. Now, I

ask them to hold the deck at eye level and look at the
side of the deck. I ask them to give the deck a little
squeeze and estimate the thickness. (..about a inch ). I
ask them to cut it another time of two and bring it to
eye level again and give it another squeeze. I try to
convince them the deck looks slightly thinner, maybe
by just a card or two.

I get them to turn the deck face up, spread it, and find
their card. They can't. I haven't touched the deck. After
a little patter, I get the spectator to take the
magnifying glass once more and examine the Houdini
picture. There's his card ... in Houdini's pocket. This
adds a vanish, in the spectator's hands, to an already
strong trick...

The photos are quality, the teaching is thorough, and

you should get many performances from the
gimmicks. Again, I like to see technology used in
magic. It adds a little something rarely seen by the
spectator. I recommend this for Roadshow readers.

$39.95 From Murphy's Magic and all their

associates...

https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=67
674

o0o------------------------------------------o0o

DICEPTION by Haim Goldenberg & Matan Rosenberg -

A Review – Instant Download
Review by Rick Carruth

This is the AD Copy.. followed by my Thoughts..

A quick new way to force for any number with the
most organic of props that laymen recognize...Dice!
Use one, two, three, four or even more dice!

Know with absolute certainty that the force will work.

The VOLUNTEER will ALWAYS stop you on the right

number.

Read minds!

Make killer predictions!

Be ahead of your audiences. in routines like mental

epic, book test, ACAAN where knowing a number in
advance can make or break a routine --this knowledge
is invaluable.

Two different methods, with countless variations full

routines learnt, routines that will knock the socks off
audiences.
No assistant
No special dice
No lighting issues.
Simple construction
Almost self working !
Could be taught to a layman in 3 minutes, it's that
easy and that effective
Two methods are provided allowing you to perform in
all different types of ZOOM settings!

NO angle issues and all of the camera angles are

solved for you!

One method works with the direct overhead camera

setup only whilst the other works with all angles
without restrictions.

Both methods are extremely easy to make and

perform!

This is just perfect for ZOOM!

When we do get to do a live show again this method

can work perfectly in a parlor setting or on stage with
a projector and camera.

This method of forcing is essential whenever you need

a quick almost procedure free choice of number

My Thoughts:

Despite the introduction of several electronic dice

effects in the past year or two, I am a big fan of dice..
and all the seeming randomness you can achieve with
dice. Everyone has heard of 'loaded' dice.. but few
folks expect you to actually have loaded dice... and if
they knew what we know.. they'd know loaded dice
are very unpredictable.

Haim Goldenberg and Matan Rosenberg both have

that same appreciation for dice, and recently decided
to share their thoughts with one another.. which lead
to this project and sharing their ideas with all of
magic.

I really didn't know what to expect when I read the ad

copy and realized DICEPTION was an instant
download. I was expecting magnets or some such, and
not DIY. What I got was.. DIY.. combined with a
plethora of heavy though. Folks who follow my reviews
know I am not a big fan of DYI.. I think it is generally
laziness on the part of the developer. That said.. after
watching the Diception video, I understand why this
has to be a DIY affair. Each 'gimmick' or prop will be
created by the end user to suit their particular needs.
It HAS to be this way.. unless you are content with an
effect that forces one number only. With the
instructions included with Diception, you will learn how
to create your own props, and you can create multiple
props capable of forcing multiple numbers.

Let me back up a little. Diception is designed with

ZOOM performances in mind. And the props for the
first effect taught will work ONLY on ZOOM. If you are
performing online, this method is one heck of a
method. You can force the numbers on however many
dice you can get into the bottom of a glass.. and you
can force the numbers with 100% accuracy. The prop
is not hard to create.

The second prop is actually created with a paper cup

instead of a glass.. and is my personal favorite of the
two. This method.. and I'm sorry I can't go into
descriptive detail.. is ideal for ZOOM -and- live
performances. The handling is quite easy, almost self-
working, and can also be created easily- even by those
of us who are DIY challenged.. This method is 100%
effective also.

After teaching these two effects, Goldenberg and

Rosenberg discuss several methods of using a forced
number to achieve your goals. They use cups, books,
coasters, nail writers and cards. They have some
smart ideas related to using cards and dice together
to pull off some fancy-do stuff...

I happy to say I don't have a problem with Diception's

ad copy. Everything they claim is achievable. I might
add that the claim of 'no angle issues' doesn't apply to
the first effect. There IS an angle issue.. but the issue
is eliminated by the position of the camera.
I had a few reservations about the cost of this video.
Most downloads are not $36.00. Then again.. most
videos don't include the number of effects in
Diception. After watching the entire video and taking
in everything taught.. I don't have a problem any
longer! When you take the possibilities into account,
they could charge more and be justified. What they're
giving you are several valuable 'tools' to enable you to
do some serious magic. I am a fan of Diception and
recommend it to my Roadshow readers..
(This is not a paid review. I was furnished with a review
copy and my recommendation is well-deserved)

This video runs almost fifty minutes and both the

video and audio are typical of Murphy's Magic
products.

$36.00 Available from Murphy's Magic and dealers

who carry their line..
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=68
310

o0o--------------------------------o0o
Rock, Paper, Lies - Jay Di Biase - A Review
Available as a DVD..
Review by Rick Carruth

ROCK, PAPER, LIES. A classic

Rock, Paper, Scissors game...
gone mental!

The mentalist turns around

while two spectators are
playing rock, paper, scissors
(or even an imaginary game),
NO WAY he could know who
won and what symbols were played, and yet using
their body language he can reveal everything! Rock,
Paper, Lies is a rock, paper, scissors game where you
will not only be able to guess who is the winner, but
also which symbol they played with and who is lying
and who is telling the truth. Jay Di Biase gave a new
life to a well known method creating a mind blowing,
propless mentalism routine.

NO PEEKS
NO PRESHOW
NO DUAL REALITY
NO INSTANT STOOGE
COMPLETELY PROPLESS
PERFORM ANYTIME/ANYWHERE
PLUS SOME GREAT BONUS EFFECTS FROM ANTONIO
CACACE

"Usually when someone says they have improved an

effect they have only improved it in their mind to the
detriment of the original routine or effect, in this case,
this is not true. This improvement takes the liar logic
problem into a whole new arena opening up doors for
many more applications... well done."
Banachek

Jay Di Biase's RPS is great! Based on Banachek's

liar/truthteller effect, Jay has taken the basic idea and
added a wonderful take with the Rock, Paper, Scissor
game. When he first showed me this in Italy last
month, I was knocked for a loop even though I knew
the original effect! It all seems so innocent and yet you
know everything! It's the perfect anytime/anyplace
effect. If you need further recommendation, let me
just say I have added this effect to my repertoire and I
am doing it everywhere! I love it!
Richard Osterlind

This is the best application and improvement of the

liar/truth teller method that I have ever seen! This is
propless mentalism at its best!
Luca Volpe
My Thoughts:

ROCK PAPER LIES is a completely propless mentalism

effect based on the classic Rock Paper Scissors game
played around the world. It is based on Banachek's
'Ring Of Truth' and improved upon by Jay Di Biase.
Produced by Titanis Magic, it is a major uptick from
the original.

Straight up.. Rock Paper Lies performs best when

performed by a mentalist. It is not just a 'trick', it is a
performance piece displaying the skill of the
performer. Jay's performances link it to the 'body
language' method, which works well if you are
establishing yourself with your audience as someone
with great foresight and intuition. My opinion is..
simply performing Rock Paper Lies and then moving
along to cups and balls is a disservice to Rock Paper
Lies.

This is an effect that builds on your 'skills' as a

mentalist. You will need two spectators, preferably
familiar with rock paper scissors. It takes away from
the effect when you have to teach the audience how to
play the game.. in the midst of explaining the specifics
of the effect. Keep things simple.. both for you and
your spectators.
You will turn your back as the two spectators play a
game of rock paper scissors. Both will designate
themselves privately as a truth teller or a liar. This
applies as you turn and ask both spectators a couple
of questions. Both spectators are asked the SAME
questions to alleviate suspicion by the audience you
are pumping them for info. Since both are asked the
same questions, and you do not know the liar or truth
teller, you cannot possibly discern useful information
from either.. right?

In truth.. you will know the truth tellers and/or the liars
(they may both be the same); you will know who won
the game; and you will know which of the objects each
participant possessed. All this from simple questions..
as you 'study' their responses carefully for hints of
nonverbal communication!

The effect is pure logic. It works every time, regardless

of the spectators efforts to fool you. There is a small
amount of methodology on the part of the performer.
You must remember four simple rules, which become
automatic after you play it out several times. Also,
there is zero hyperbole in the ad copy. Everything is
exactly as advertised.

Jay includes PDF files for anyone wanting to make

visual aids for the audience. Although not necessary, it
is a good tool to have. There is also one page with the
'rules' for the performer. If you want to make a simple
cleat sheet, this is perfect. There is NO fine print. The
entire cheat sheet is four lines, twenty words total.

There are additional instructions for using the same

logic for a 'which hand' effect for two or three
spectators. Once you have it committed to memory,
it's a breeze.

Overall, this is a 'tool' for mentalists. Richard Osterlind

said he added this to his routine as soon as it was
shown to him. That's a good recommendation. Of
course, anyone can perform this. I don't want to
pigeon-hole it. Audiences will be fooled and
reputations will be enhanced.

The total running time of this DVD is about 25

minutes. Once the basics are explained, the rest is
gravy. It is typical Titanis and Murphy's Magic quality.
As far as I know, it is NOT available as an instant
download.. so you will receive a DVD in the mail. I like
that..

I have a soft spot for propless magic and mentalism..

particularly if it leaves the audience clueless. I
recommend ROCK PAPER LIES to my friends and
readers!!
$24.95 From Murphy's Magic and their associated
dealers
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=55
863

o0o------------------------------o0o

AIRPLANE MODE by George Iglesias & Twister Magic

Review by Rick Carruth

Here's the Ad Copy for Airplane Mode:

George Iglesias does it again! A great not only trick

but, a full
powerful
routine!
Packed with
lots of
mentalism,
comedy gags
and

entertainment! A total sold out at Blackpool Magic

Convention 2020!
"A First Class Act"
- David Copperfield

Design to amaze, Airplane Mode by George Iglesias is

a new and great multi-phase mentalism routine
involving real life props and a travel experience! A
modern act that combines many mentalism plots that
will fit perfect in your shows from small to big
scenarios!

Do we write our own destiny or is it already written for

us?

Effect:

A spectator is invited to participate in an amazing

experience in which he will travel using his
imagination. First of all, the magician mentions an
item you find inside of an airplane that we always see,
but we never read, and we should, we are talking
about the emergency card. This is always located in
front of our seats and we are too lazy to read it, but it
can save our life in case of an emergency. This
information is very important, therefore the magician
hand out a real emergency card and invites the
spectator to open it and actually read it, while the
spectator does so, the magician addresses the
audience to say that a destination will now be secretly
chosen by the spectator. The magician now displays
many boarding passes with different tourist
destinations, boarding groups and seat numbers. The
viewer selects one completely at random and the
journey begins.

The announcement of the pilot ready to take off is

heard, the spectator is asked to buckle up and enjoy
the flight. The magician asks the spectator to close his
eyes to, relax and get some sleep, but a second later
he asks him to open them again (There is a baby in
the back-seat crying) so to relax he now shows him a
list of different drinks available at the flight, he will
now choose one.

The magician now shows a tray with a bag and invites

the spectator to say out loud the drink he has chosen
(example: whiskey). When the magician lifts the paper
bag, he has failed because there is only one orange
box juice there. Now the magician continues and ask
him to take the airplane magazine that has all the
movies available inflight and to please secretly choose
one. Now he asks him to focus on the film, the main
actor, the soundtrack and other details, magically the
magician begins to read the spectator's mind
revealing one by one all the things he is thinking. Then
the magician guesses the exact number of the
airplane seat where he is on, his boarding group and
finally the destination of the flight, city and country he
is traveling to. At the end magician finishes with a
question.

Do we write our own destiny or is it already written for

us?

At the beginning the magician handed over an

emergency card and asked the spectator to read it,
but did the spectator really read it? Now when the
emergency card is opened you can see in the drawings
of the entire printed card everything that has just
happened, all the "free choices" of the spectator are
printed on the card and even better to be more sure,
now the magician opens the card and it becomes a
giant poster that reveals everything that just
happened in the routine!

But wait, there is more, now the magician asks the

spectator again which drink he had originally chosen,
the spectator will say whiskey and now the magician
to the spectator's great surprise, will lift the orange
juice box that turns out to be just a giant shell to show
that inside there was a whiskey glass since the
beginning of the act.

Maybe our destiny is already written, don't you think?

Includes:
1 Special airplane emergency card
1 Special set of 30 boarding passes
1 Airplane movie magazine
1 Airplane drinks list
1 Orange juice box (for a kicker ending)
1 Instructional online video
Easy to do! Pack very flat, plays very big!

My Thoughts:

Well.. I couldn't have asked for a more complete ad

copy. Rarely does ad copy spell out the effect so
meticulously. Almost everything you need to know..
aside from my opinion, is included.

I suppose what's on the mind of some of you is... how

true is the ad copy? I can honestly say it is totally true.
There isn't an iota of exaggeration.. almost. When they
say it's "..easy to do", they say so in a physical sense.
In a literal sense, this is easily a ten minute routine..
more if you are a conversationalist. Learning all the
components IS easy. But, you still have to put it all
together. That will take a little practice on your part.
There is scripting involved, and timing, and getting
everything to come together in a harmonious way. This
isn't a problem.. as George spells out, carefully,
everything you need to do and say. But, if you think
you're going to perform ten minutes of strong magic
'on the fly'.. think again.

I'm not trying to scare anyone. I'm just saying you

need to go over everything a number of times to get
the flow of AIRPLANE MODE down pat. Please don't
get in the middle of this very strong routine and lose
your train of thought because you watched the video
twice and think you know it all. This is true of ALL
magic. But, because Airplane Mode is one continuous
routine, you don't have the luxury of getting all jazzy.
Just learn the steps in order, (easy enough) plan your
patter, and slay your audience.
Video: The training video is online. It runs about 38
minutes of solid instructions. George has a very good
mastery of English and you'll have NO problem
understanding his instructions. Not only that.. but he's
a downright likeable guy. The video itself is top quality
and very easy on the eye. This is the first video I've
reviewed from Twister Magic, and I'm already a fan.

Props: For seventy bucks, you expect first class props.

That's precisely what you'll get. Everything is made to
last.. and to be visually appealing to the audience. The
booklets, boarding passes, movie guide and drink list
are all heavy duty laminated plastic.. designed to look
good during your performance and to travel well from
show to show. Credit is due for their realism.
Methodology: George has taken some of the
standards of magic and combined them into a routine
that works. A couple of 'classic' methods you're most
likely already familiar with are employed to do some
of the heavy work. There's nothing to learn as far as
sleights are concerned. There IS a little 'handling'
involved.. positioning of this and that.. but simple,
simple. Again, everything is explained in detail to
enable even a total beginner to succeed.

Impact: Honestly, I was concerned when I first opened

everything I was going to learn a very ABC effect with
minimal impact. Not that Airplane Mode looked
cheap.. it's just that it reminded me of other high
dollar effects that were all glitter and no guts. My act
depends on the power of the mind.. and not
paranormal positioning. The ending of Airplane Mode
surprised even me.. and fits perfectly with my style.
Without giving too much away, after the spectator
makes a number of choices he/she can be shown
where ALL their choices were either predicted or
influenced in advance. Fits me like a glove..

Overall: I highly recommend AIRPLANE MODE to my

friends and readers. If you are a seasoned mentalist,
or new to mentalism, this is a great effect for your
routine. I believe you are considerably better off
investing in one strong effect than investing in several
lesser effects. This is a multiple phase routine that
plays like several effects.. but ties everything together
in the end with a climatic reveal. Save your pennies
and buy Airplane Mode. Everything you need is
included.. aside from a paper bag and a drink glass
with an appropriately colored beverage. (Generally, a
half glass of iced tea will suffice.. as you only need
something that can pass for whiskey).
I cannot recommend Airplane Mode for Zoom
performances. There may be a way to pull it off, but
you're going to lose something in the process. Giving
the spectator the airplane emergency card and having
them both open it and read it is an integral part of the
effect.. and it would be hard to achieve via Zoom. Now,
if you send your Zoom attendee's a participation
package.. you might have yourself one nice little
performance. Because of the various props involved,
you need a little table of some sort.. so performing it
during walk-around or strolling is not feasible. This is
the ideal effect for a parlor or home show. You could
also perform Airplane Mode in a smaller theater
sitting. You want your audience to be able to see the
realistic props. It adds greatly to the overall effect.

Bottom Line: Don't overthink it.. just Buy It... You're

welcome!
$70.00 Thanks to Murphy's Magic for providing a
review copy. Available from Murphy's Magic and there
wide assortment of associated dealers.
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=68
112

o0o-------------------------------o0o

Appearing Business Cards (Celebrity Pack) by Sam

Gherman - A Review
Review by Rick Carruth

This is the Ad Copy:

Imagine the following. Show an envelope to the

audience, and announce that you have a prediction
written inside. You hand a business card to a
spectator. Tell them to imagine that a celebrity's
name is printed on the card, and that you'll send them
that name with your mind. When they have a name in
their mind, they let you know. The card is placed in
your hand, and it never leaves the sight of the
audience. Volunteers are invited to examine the blank
card - they will find nothing printed on it (the card is
NOT switched - there is absolutely nothing written on
it). Yet, the spectator accurately receives the
celebrity's name, announces it, and when the
prediction envelope is opened, the names match!

This is but one use of these amazing cards. Your

imagination will come up with other effects that will
astound your audience.

This 36-card pack comes with 3 x of the following 12

cards:
Brad Pitt
Michael Jackson
Tom Hanks
Frank Sinatra
Leonardo DiCaprio
Ben Affleck
Tom Cruise
Beyoncé
Marilyn Monroe
Julia Roberts
Madonna
Bill Gates
How does this work? There's an amazing secret that
you'll find out when purchasing this set. These cards
do the work for you.

They are printed on 100# (270 GSM) eggshell white

cover stock.
NOTE: This effect is designed to work for indoor
performances only, and you will need to purchase an
inexpensive item.

"A great product and perfect for workers." -Paul

Romhany, *Reviews Vanish Magazine"

My Thoughts:

This is NOT your typical 'trick'. This is perhaps more of

a method and a prop. Regardless... I like it. I like
sudden magic. I like magic that actually LOOKS like
magic. With Appearing Business Cards you get a stack
of 36 business cards on heavy stock that are
imprinted with the names of twelve celebrities. You
can see the twelve names in the ad copy. They also
make sets titled Prediction Pack, sort of like a magic
8 Ball; City Pack, with the names of twelve different
Cities around the world; and ESP Pack, which includes
Zener Cards.

The thing about Appearing Business Cards (ABC) is..

you create your own magic. Yes, there are a couple of
brief effects included on the eight minute instructional
video, but ABC frees you to use your noggin' for
something other than a hat rack. I'm not sure if other
reviewers disclose the 'secret' behind ABC.. but I will..
as I feel it's necessary. I wouldn't try to sell you a prop
and not tell you what the prop is for.. and how it works.
Knowing how it works is paramount to knowing if you
can use it in your act.

ABC is imprinted with twelve different names. When

you open the pack you will see all twelve names on
different cards. The ink is thermal in nature and
disappears with Heat. Sort of the opposite of what you
would expect.. but similar to Frixon Pens. To operate
properly, you need a heat source of some sort. A small
hand warmer is recommended. The instructions show
a hand warmer placed in a wallet, along with the
cards, and everything is ready to go upon removal of a
card. You can purchase hand warmers similar to
cigarette lighters on Amazon, or the single use hand
warmers for about .50 cents each that last for a
number of hours. Experimentation will show you how
long you have after the card is removed from the
warmth before it becomes visible. Holding the card in
the hands slows the process.. and placing it on a
metal surface increases the reveal time.

There are so many possibilities. A good friend uses a

small flippable tablet imprinted with the names of all
the celebrities that has every other page short-cut to
allow a name to be forced. You can use your
imagination and create the perfect scenario for you
and your routine. Spectators love watching a name
appear from nowhere.. particularly if it's a name they
think is their totally free choice.

The instructional video isn't top-of-the-line, but it

serves the purpose. It could have been an audio file
considering there is really nothing to show.

Yes, the cards can be used over and over. You should
get many uses from a single pack. The only no-no is..
you can't leave the cards in sunlight. It does
something weird to the ink.

For fifteen bucks.. I recommend Appearing Business

Cards. All you need is a small investment in a heat
source and ample imagination.

$15.00 From Murphy's Magic and their Associates...

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=63
807

o0o-------------------------o0o

Four Pack - John Carey – A Review - Video Download

Review by Rick Carruth

This affordable collection is ideal for those of you

trapped at home and looking for something of
substance to get you through this... mess.. The Ad
Copy reads:

Description:

Four slices of brilliant, doable, practical card magic at

a bargain price!! Grab this instant download video and
get learning a quadruple punch of amazing card tricks.
Running time - 36 mins

John Carey has a well-earned reputation for creating

elegant and commercial card magic and these four
routines will show you why.

1. Triple Prediction: Another beautiful construction as

this time John predicts three cards and the actions of
a spectator in a delightfully devious fashion. Super
strong and commercial.
2. Deja Boo!: An uncanny demonstration of Deja vu
using a lovely presentation and a beautiful Larry
Jennings move. Squeaky clean and so practical!
3. Ambitious O'Henry: A beautiful multi-phase small
packet ambitious card with a very sweet off balance
transposition! Simple, subtle and strong.
4. Time Traveller: Watch Carey demonstrate time
travel with this awesome little piece. Utilizing a
brilliant but little known Brother Hamman idea, you
will add this to your repertoire immediately!
My thoughts:

Triple Prediction...
This remake of a Jim Swain effect is, as the ad copy
promises, the most commercial of the four. I will say it
is also my personal favorite. I thought I knew the
premise of this effect when I first saw the video.. but I
was wrong... and I'm glad. It uses an
Al Leech move.. (Al created, among other effects, Red
Hot Mama) which is the only real move in Triple
Prediction. It's not difficult, and shouldn't deter anyone
from a purchase. The effect uses three marker cards
and three predictions in an envelope. The spectator
dictates where the marker cards go in the deck, and
the location matches the three predictions. And No,
it's not achieved like you think. I think you can even
perform this one for your magician friends... Very
recommended.

Deja Boo !!...

Features a Larry Jenning move.. and a very good one
at that.. Three cards are fairly selected from three
portions of the deck.. and when they are placed back
in the deck.. the spectator is allowed to pick three
more cards from the deck.. and guess what? The
results are the same. A true deja boo moment.. I'm
sure many of you will pick this as your favorite of the
bunch. It will be well worth you time to learn..

Ambitious O'Henry
This is a Cameron Francis inspired effect.. and I have
yet to meet a Cameron effect I didn't like. I like packet
tricks during walk around.. and this is a nice packet
trick with the four Aces. It's, as the copy states, an off-
balance transposition.. and I couldn't agree more.
Take the time to learn this one and you'll use it over
and over.

Time Traveller
Time Traveller is a quick effect that looks darn near
impossible. It Uses a convincing card control to work
an Ace of Spades through the deck. The Ace turns into
another card.. and then back into the Ace. I think this
is the type effect that will strike some of you hard..
depending on you style.

All four effects are worthy. There's nothing here that

shouldn't be. And for the money.. it's a very nice value.
John is undoubtedly one of the very top presenters in
all magic.. and you can't go wrong with this super-
affordable packet.

$10.00 From Murphy's Magic and dealers who carry

their Line of Magic..
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=59
446

o0o---------------------------o0o

The Vault - Card Sleights by Shin Lim - Video Download

Review by Rick Carruth

The Ad Copy for Shin Lim's video reads as follows:

Shin Lim's 'go to' routine with a deck of cards!

Learn what Shin Lim does when somebody hands him

a deck of playing cards and asks him to perform. Fast.
Effective. Amazing card magic at its finest. Taught to
you by a master. Download the video and learn from
Shin Lim!

My Thoughts:

If you aren't familiar with Shin Lim... I'm not sure how
you found this review, or why you're reading it. That
said, I'll dismiss the introduction and long list of
accomplishments for someone so utterly young. If you
watched Shin Lim on Americas Got Talent and Penn
and Tellers FOOL US, you know he's a natural talent..
born to perform magic at a level most of us could
never achieve with a lifetime of practice. Fortunately
for us, Shin Lim didn't have a mentor.. nor was he
heavily into magic books or dvd's. He learned most of
his magic via YouTube and also understood the need
to utilize his artistic talent to develop each effect into
a small work of art and pride. That led to the
development of a personal style that can't be outright
compared with any other magician. In other words...
Shin Lim is an original.

Like many great performers, Shin Lim has a plethora

of differing sleights, props, utilities and gaffs to aid his
performances. But.. when someone hands him a deck
of cards and ask for a mini-performance, and he must
perform solely with what's at hand - this is the routine
he uses.

I'll tell you beforehand he actually uses sleights most

of you are already familiar with, and aside from a
Queen of Spades tattooed on his chest, presents a
routine you can duplicate with regular-guy abilities.
Actually, you could get a temporary tattoo, like Shin
Lim used initially, and perform tit-for-tat...

Shin Lim doesn't waste time. He begins this 22 minute

video performing his routine for a pretty, young lady..
and doesn't slow down till he's ready for the
explanations.
I'm not going to delve into all the effects, as you've
probably seen him perform everything on TV.. but I'm
going to explain the sleights he uses, to give you an
understanding of the lack of complex sleights and a
truly killer routine based on classic moves.

Shin Lim teaches his:

Riffle Force and Pinky Break. Forcing the Queen of

Spades is essential to his routine.

Criss Cross Force. An alternative to the Riffle Force he

swears by...

Milk Shuffle to retain the top card. By his own

admission, this is his main control.

Twirl Change at Portrait Level. Eye candy for the

audience..

Erdnase Color Change and Subtleties. Carefully taught

since it's used multiple times.

Card to Mouth and detailed Mercury Card Fold. The

kicker to this routine.. again, taught carefully from
multiple angles.
Remember.. everything is Shin Lim's way of doing
things. There are little, obscure tips here that will help
many of you revisit sleights you learned years ago..
and abandoned in your search for 'Shin Lim type'
magic. Well.. for ten bucks.. you're going to learn it all
over again.. and kick yourself for your lack of
creativity.

There's no doubt in my mind 90% of you guys could

benefit greatly from CARD SLEIGHTS by Shin Lim
Although many of you may know how to perform
these sleights.. you don't know Shin Lim's methods.

$10.00 (Instant download) From Murphy's Magic and

their dealers.

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=66
365

o0o-----------------------------o0o

The Vault - The Real Invisible Deck by Chris Dugdale

Review by Rick Carruth

This is the Ad Copy:

The invisible deck with a regular deck of cards yours
spectators can spread themselves!
No force. Performer never has to look at the cards
after they come out of the box. The spectator can
spread through the deck and find the reversed card
themselves!

My Thoughts:

There wasn't a lot of fanfare when this effect came

out. Actually, you can see by the ad copy, there wasn't
much said about The Real Invisible Deck in general.
When I happened across this video amongst a group
of twenty or more downloads I'd received.. I knew I
needed to write a review.

The Real Invisible Deck is based on the Invisible Deck

effect.. -except- this uses a regular deck. It's a deck set
up in new deck order. The spectator names a card..
and the magi spreads the deck, showing the deck in
new deck order, until he reaches the card named by
the spectator.. which is clearly reversed in the deck.
Get this.. you can actually hand the deck to the
spectator and let him/her deal down to their card..
and discover it reversed in the deck.

That's strong stuff...

Straight up.. this isn't the easiest of effects to perform.
It IS an effect you can master with a couple of days
practice. If you are a skilled card guy.. you may be
performing this within 30 minutes or so. There are
three sleights to perform that are well known to
cardicians. Chris gives 'thanks' to Asi Wind for a
method made known by Asi.. I think on his Acaan.

I would give you the sleights, except it would be too

easy for some of you to watch the video and reverse
engineer this effect. I'm not going to do that to Chris.. I
will step out and say this.. you should probably
perform this effect within a 180 degree radius.. as you
do need to perform a turn-over pass..(not complicated)
and you have to be aware of appearances. If you can
conceal your pass.. no limits.

All else I can say is.. go to this link and watch the
performance video. This will give you a good idea of
how straight-forward this effect can be. It has my
recommendation and is worth far more than ten
bucks. This is something you'll use for many years to
come.

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=66
850

o0o--------------------------o0o
The Conjuror's Community Kickstarter Deck and
Online Experience - A Review
Review by Rick Carruth

This is a project spearheaded

by three of my favorite
names in magic: Aaron
Fisher, Adam Grace and Lee
Asher. They had a meeting-
of-the-minds awhile back
and decided now is THE time
for both a new, working deck of premium cards and
an online training session like no other.

The CC Club Playing Cards and the Out of the Box

Experience are the end result.

The cards:
The cards are traditionally cut, casino grade crushed
Bee stock in a Bicycle blue seal box. This is the same
grade used for the wildly expensive Wynn's. These
cards, unlike traditional Bee's, have the white border.
They also have traditional pips and suit cards.. which
considering the extremes to which some of the newer
cards have gone (Tech-Art).. I truly appreciate my
familiar faces. The backs are a seldom-seen antique
design from the early 1900's. Magicorthodoxy referred
to the back design as a 'mountain bike design'.. which
was new to me, but perhaps something you're familiar
with..

Don't confuse this deck with Bicycle Elites. Elites use

the crushed stock, which makes them super-pliable
out the box. But, they are thinner than traditional
cards, and this deck is the thicker Bee stock, which
holds up much better over a longer period of time. You
can compare them, thickness wise, to the Richard
Turner Gold Standard or the David Blaine Split Spades.

I give every new deck I open the 'faro test'. Honestly,

most magic grade standard Bicycle cards will NOT faro
out the box. It can take quite some time to work the
edges to the point where you can perform a
dependable faro. ( Some standard Bicycles never
conform ). The CC Club Playing Cards performed a
perfect faro on my fourth try, which I rate very highly
considering the thickness of the card.

Two gaffed cards are also enclosed, including a

red/blue backer, and a joker with an opposite color
back. Two traditional jokers are also enclosed. The
joker is, I understand, a never-used-in-modern-times
design from the 1800's. I am really fond of this
design!
The Online Events:
Included with the purchase of as little as one deck are
tickets to an exclusive 4 week LIVE online experience
in September for backers only.. You will learn a
massive amount of card effects. Everything will be
archived online so you can return again and again to
perfect your magic. This experience, called Out of the
Box Experience Online Events, will be guaranteed to
everyone who backs their Kickstarter project. If you
purchase even one deck.. you are guaranteed
admission. I don't think the times are established
yet.. but you will be notified well in advance. The dates
are:

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Saturday, October 3, 2020
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Saturday, October 17, 2020

This Kickstarter project set out to raise $5,000.. That

total was achieved in less than one minute. Right now,
as of August 29th, the total pledges are in excess of
$95,000 dollars. (You read that right..) This money will
be used to bring you the best possible training from
Aaron and the crew. If you're curious about the
Kickstarter project, here's a brief summary of the
packages and pricing.
$3 gets you a solid 5 hours of Aaron Fisher's card
magic training plus special bonus material.

$12 gets you a special CC Club Deck, plus, lifetime on-

demand access to the Out of the Box Events. And..
everything in the $3 package.

$24 gets you Two special CC Club Decks, plus

everything above.

$39 gets you a CC Club Deck plus Aaron's amazing

Pandemonium Vanishing Deck effect. This effect is
only available during this Kickstarter campaign. Plus,
you will receive all the special training sessions and
videos listed above.

There are special formulations of half bricks, bricks, 2

bricks, and case pricing available for serious cardists.

If you would like to back this project.. or just check it

out.. go to:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/conjurorcomm
unity/club-cards

I highly recommend this special offer. I know the guys

involved and their endless love of magic and the
magic community. I did receive au gratis cards for
review purposes.. but have NOT been reimbursed for
my recommendations.

Rick Carruth - The Magic Roadshow Journal of Magic

o0o-------------------------o0o

Paradoxes - Paul A. Lelekis - A Review

Review by Rick Carruth

This is the Ad Copy:

Three beautiful routines, complete with 5 videos, an

intro discussing paradoxes, as well as numerous
examples, and plenty of paradoxical pictures and
phrasings for your enjoyment.
When we, as magicians perform, we do things that are
unlikely, improbable, or perhaps even artistic. When
we perform paradoxes, we create events that are not
just unlikely to occur ... but are, instead, absolutely
impossible!

These routines are seriously strong closers (or can be

used as powerful openers) and will fool even the most
knowledgeable of magicians ... if they are not already
familiar with them. Paul A. Lelekis presents three, full
scale routines that absolutely defy all logic ... in other
words ... they just cannot happen. These routines have
full, fanciful patter and Paul guides you through every
step of the way with short videos of Paul performing
the easy-to-do sleights needed with psychological tips
and all of the misdirection required. These are very,
very clever effects.

Understand that not only are the sleights explained,

but even more importantly, the psychological
subtleties used for a confident performance - and this
is very important.

REVENGE OF THE KNERDS - A paradox with a

borrowed deck if you wish. The spectator picks out any
four cards, completely her choice, and then her signed
card is placed amongst the four unknown cards. The
performer makes that card turn invisible, and then the
spectator lays that invisible card onto the deck ... with
a magic pass, the magician makes that signed card
turn visible, right before her eyes. Then the five card
packet is counted and found to contain only four cards
... the four mischievous Jacks.

A "DILL"-Y OF A PARADOX - A plot by Paul and a very

brilliant, unknown sleight by Dean Dill that makes a
card, protected by the spectator, impossibly change
into a signed selection. This is not Bro. John
Hamman's effect. The beauty of this paradox is its
simplicity - and its impossibility.

JEWEL OF THE WILE - A fanciful journey to a medieval

time of Kings, Queens, Knerdy Knights, dungeons,
dragons, and - witches. A beautiful story about a King's
very valuable Ace of Diamonds and what he does to
protect it - with an absolutely impossible ending ... and
be forewarned ... this time the Wicked Witch wins!

My Thoughts:

PARADOXES, by Paul A. Lelekis, is another great

example of what a great magician with magical
writing abilities can accomplish. PARADOXES features
three effects with varying levels of skill. Although none
are true knuckle-busters, they are something the
intermediate card guy will appreciate. The advanced
beginner can watch the included videos and perform
these effects after a little practice. Unlike the typical
pick-a-card effects, Paul uses his included videos to
teach you how to confound your spectator by making
them see something they don't actually see... they
only think they see you perform moves you don't
actually do. Cards are there.. and then they aren't.
Cards are in a packet.. and then they are back in the
deck. Cards are in the deck.. and then they're face
down on the table. Not your typical stuff. Paradoxes is
something a little different from Paul. And if you're
ready for something different.. Paradoxes is IT...

Revenge of the Knerds..

This is the crown jewel of the bunch. Paul provides
several videos to assist with the handling, which is not
difficult, but not true beginner level either. If you are
advanced beginner level.. you shouldn't have any
trouble. I like that this is not your typical 'pick a card'
magic, and you are sort of 'on display'. You are
displaying your magic chops with cards, and yes, the
audience does participate, but there is minimal
intervention from your audience. The magic just
seems to 'happen' as a spectator is asked to select
four cards, one at a time. The moves are utilitarian..
and you'll definitely use them in other effects as well.
Vernon's Strip-Out Switch is a keeper..

A 'Dill'-y of a Paradox
This is another slightly advanced handling of an effect
where the magician gets to show off a little.. but the
audience doesn't get to see it.. In their minds,
something very magical happens.. but they are
clueless as to how it happened. Much is thanks to
Dean Dills Turnover Switch (video provided) and a ploy
from Michael Skinner. Basically, a card is removed
from the deck and set to one side. Another card is
selected and signed, then returned to the apparent
middle of the deck. After some polite patter and an
apology.. you do your newly learned magic, the card
on the table and the signed card change places, and
the audience is left scratching their collective heads.
Great table top magic and perfect for walk around..
when you have a dry table!!

Jewel of the Wile

With Halloween coming.. this is a great trick to learn.
It uses a script.. and all you need to do is learn the
script. Initially, there is a set-up: You need the Ace of
Diamonds and the Queen of Spades on top of the
deck.. and the four Jacks on bottom of the deck.
That's it.. Other than one quick bottom deal from a
three card packet, everything is self working.. and the
Wicked Queen wins in the end. Hey, I said this was
great for Halloween !!

If you want something entertaining and satisfying for

your audience, PARADOXES will fit the bill. Your
audience will NOT know how you perform these
effects. They cannot track them on Youtube or find
them in print.. other than right here. Be unique. Be
professional. Be a Lelekis fan...

$10.00 1st edition 2020, PDF 25 pages.

Available exclusively at:
https://www.lybrary.com/paradoxes-p-923970.html
o0o------------------------------o0o

I AM ARRR - The Other Brothers and Abstract Effects -

A Review - (Gimmicks and Online Instructions)
Review by Rick Carruth

I am ARRR.. available to the

public on Nov.14th. Here is the
Ad Copy...

From the creative minds of The

Other Brothers comes an effect
that is five years in the making
- one of the very first concepts
ever developed by the
imaginative duo. Produced by Abstract Effects, "I AM
ARRR" is a unique and surprising pendulum which
provides you an opportunity to perform incredible
mentalism with a shocking reveal!

For years, pendulums have been used by mentalists

and psychics to create real magic, but now there is
one that will not only allow you to tap into the power
of the pendulum, but with this clever secret the
spectator can actually find their own selected card. If
that's not powerful enough, the pendulum will reveal
their selection in its shadow!

The Other Brothers teach you a mentalism effect using

the materials provided in "I AM ARRR" that will send
shivers through your spectators and it all ends with a
reveal like none other.

"I AM ARR" is perfect for intimate, small group

settings and can be done impromptu as it is a simple,
yet powerful tool. Prove once and for all to your friends
and families that magic is real with "I AM ARRR!"

"Killer. Insane method and so CLEAN. Love this"

-Justin Flom

"It's absolutely brilliant! Both the premise and the

method"
- Shimshi

My thoughts:

Two of my favorite magicians, the Other Brothers, are

among the most creative thinkers in all of magic.. and
that's not just my opinion. Sales is indicative of
success, and the Other Brothers sales have been
through the roof for several years. TAKEN, SNAPPED,
BARE MINI, BARE, CONTRA, HANDS DOWN, VERY
FAIR.. among other great effects, have kept the Other
Brothers at the very top of every list of best sellers. On
November 14th, of the illustrious 2020, they will
release I AM ARRR.. that's ARRR like words from a
grizzled sea captain or a pirate of old.

As you probably gathered from the ad copy.. this is a

selection of a chosen card, using a pendulum with a
kick. I think you could best describe this as a
combination of effects many of us have used through
the years... but certainly not using the methods seen
in I AM ARRR. I have the highest regard for original
thinking, and that's why I'm going to recommend this
effect to all my friends and readers.

Great effects work best one of two ways: You either

have a set of instructions that are so well formed you
are compelled to perform the effect exactly as taught.
All the work has been tackled beforehand.. and all you
have to do is shine. Unfortunately, if every good
magician takes on the same effect.. it gets old.. fast.
And then you have effects like I AM ARRR, which give
you a general location to start.. and finish.. and let the
individual skills of the performer turn the effect into
something quite special.. and quite original. I can see
many different magicians performing this many
different ways. The pendulum aspect gives this a
supernatural underpinning .. and I know how
magicians and mentalists love to run with anything
psychic.

A card is 'almost' freely selected by a spectator. Only

the magician knows the truth. A deck is divided into
two halves. This is not an ordinary deck. It is a
gimmicked deck provided with the effect. The dividing
can be performed a number of ways, and a couple of
ways are taught on the 25 minute online instructional
video. One way is for the free wheeler.. and another for
the slightly more squeamish. The beginner is
respected, and nothing beyond the beginner level is
'necessary'. The Brothers teach what they call 'the
Move' for magicians who are slightly more confident
as an added convincer dividing the deck. Then, a
pendulum is introduced, and the SPECTATOR is
allowed to do the dirty work of eliminating stacks of
cards using the swing of the pendulum until only a
couple of cards are left. Finally, one card is left... and it
is the selected card. Finally, one last little deal with
the pendulum reveals the chosen card was
predetermined before the effect began. It's a real
kicker.. can't say much more..

There are a number of ways to achieve the outcome.

You will have the freedom to customize the handling
to suit your skill level. I like that.. as I know not all
magicians are comfortable handling cards. Regardless
of your skill level, you CAN perform I AM ARRR.

There are NO magnets, NO equivoque, NO switches,

NO sleights.. although one 'sleight' is taught as one of
the possible handling methods. If you can perform a
waterfall.. you can perform this sleight. Again, it's not
necessary.

I can see the pendulum being used for other effects as

well. It is gimmicked.. but not gimmicked in a
mechanical way. As all magicians/mentalists know..
hand-held pendulums can appear to oscillate on their
own, without any perceived conscious
control. This illusion, named after Chevreul, is a result
of IDEOMOTOR MOVEMENT.

While this phenomenon was initially assumed to have

a supernatural basis, it has been accepted for over
150 years that the movements are self-generated.

"The ideomotor phenomenon is a psychological

phenomenon wherein a subject makes motions
unconsciously. Also called ideomotor response (or
ideomotor reflex) and abbreviated to IMR, it is a
concept in hypnosis and psychological research.[2] It
is derived from the terms "ideo" (idea, or mental
representation) and "motor" (muscular action). The
phrase is most commonly used in reference to the
process whereby a thought or mental image brings
about a seemingly "reflexive" or automatic muscular
reaction, often of minuscule degree, and potentially
outside of the awareness of the subject." (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideomotor_phenomeno
n)

We magicians KNOW how these pendulums work. A

little psychology, a few suggestions, a tad of
encouragement.. and you're looking at a minor
miracle. This is one of those effects that WILL leave an
indomitable impression on your spectator.

Perfect for small groups and anywhere you have room

to lay a deck. Probably not ideal for a hall full of folks..
but well suited for parlor, walk around and restaurant
work.. Everything you need is provided. No DIY, thank
goodness, and priced very fairly for the reactions
you're bound to get...

$30.00 Available at Murphy's Magic and their

fellow dealers.
https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=68
037
o0o----------------------------------o0o

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---------------------o0o

That does it for this issue. I hope you found something

to help your magic along. Remember, if you have
something you would like to see published on the
Magic Roadshow site.. send it to:
[email protected]

Merry Christmas Y'all..

Rick Carruth / Editor

Senior Professor - Camelard College of Conjuring of

Chemmis, Egypt
http://www.camelardcollege.org/
Merry Christmas from Carolyn, Rick, Zoey and the
Magic Roadshow !!