The Effect

This is (one of) Mark Elsdon’s take on the classic ‘which hand’ effect. The premise for this utilises the Truth Teller/Liar puzzle which you may well know. Briefly, the spectator chooses whether to play the role of a truth-teller or a liar, and then hides a coin or small object in their hand. They also have the option of switching hands or not. And yet the performer is able to reveal exactly where the object is hidden.

The Pros

This is a fabulous method for this effect – which doesn’t need any of the electronic tomfoolery of some modern methods – and is incredibly easy to do allowing all effort to go into presentation. Irrelevant to the magic, but I also love the derivation of the title!

Mark explains the whole thing very clearly in the early pages of a 36 page booklet or pdf (we had the download version). I love the method and presentation. He then outlines several variations utilising slightly different objects and presentations.

And if this were not enough, we then get Colin McLeod, Peter Turner and Michael Murray’s presentations/extensions of the idea.

The variations

Colin’s version extends it to a showier piece with more participants. Peter’s uses a slightly different premise which I personally preferred. And is full of other little gems on the ways. In fact I think I might well try to combine this with one or two other effects which a related premise (e.g. Lolli Hero).

I love Michael’s work generally and applaud his desire to get a further reveal out of the thing. But I found his take a little too complicated – certainly on first reading. Perhaps it would come across more clearly in performance, or if I wasn’t reading the day after I flew to the other side of the world…

The Cons

I’m really not sure there are any really. Tequila Hustler is delightfully impromptu (you can work with the people and objects that happen to be around) and wonderfully simple. I suppose the standard drawback of all these kinds of routine is the fact that at the end of the day they are only 50/50 choices. But with good presentation and moderate repetition you can overcome that.

So I would highly recommend you grab a copy of Tequila Hustler and get hustling! It’s available as a download or physical booklet.

MagicShop.co.uk stock both – the physical book is £20.99 or the ebook is £18.99 (at the time of writing).

Review copy kindly provided by Murphys Magic to whom dealer enquiries should be directed.

Mark Elsdon – Tequila Hustler – review

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The post Mark Elsdon – Tequila Hustler – review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

The headline effect, Recreation, comes at the whole idea of ACAAN from a different angle.  Rather than a freely chosen card being at a freely chosen number, the effect is rather the revelation of a card and number remembered by the spectator from a freely shuffled deck.

It’s an interesting direction to come at the effect from, and the structure of the (original) routine requires that it take place in the context of a longer series of entertainments – with a delay between the choice and the revelation.  Some variations on the method are given which would, in theory, allow greater freedom about this.  Although the premise of the routine actually provides a logical reason for the gap which the method requires.

I enjoy the way Michael writes and this booklet is no exception. As he describes Recreation you get to the point where the routine is completed and the method still not revealed.  The method I created in my mind at that point turned out to be one of the variations described later – and I have to say that, for me, this method (and the freedom it gives) is preferable to the original idea.

It is difficult to say more without risking exposure.  Suffice to say that Michael’s idea is very sneaky, but for me I just couldn’t see myself performing it that way in the real world.  But as always with Mr Murray you get several pages of extra ideas and variations – and in these are some wonderful gems.

There are also 3 extra ‘ACAAN’ routines.  First up is TACAAN (A table top ACAAN).  You will need a little confidence to perform this one and it is not certain but it is a strong effect.  The spectator remembers a card at a number, then the pack is shuffled (freely) and their card ends up in the same place.

MIRACAAN is a variation on TACAAN but is more of a revelation of a freely thought of card and number.  PSYCAAN takes this idea a step further but is probably more suitable for using with magicians rather than laypeople.

Michael is very widely read and one of the wonderful things about reading his work is the way you benefit from his gleanings amongst the ideas of others – so there’s a really useful ‘fishing’ sequence in one of the routines and a beaut of a linguistic deception in another.

For me, then, the best thing about this release is that it stimulates some ideas and adds some more weapons to the armoury.  I don’t think I would actually perform any of these as they are in the real world.  But another performer might slot them straight in, and either way you will benefit from and enjoy reading this excellent little (23pages) booklet.

At only £5.99 direct from MindFX (who kindly provided the review copy) it is well worth a look.

The post Michael Murray – Recreation – review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.