What’s in the box?

You receive a really nicely printed set of coffee shop loyalty cards. A lot of attention to detail has gone into these – they are different shapes and sizes and colours – and have even been hand-stamped to add authenticity. No one is going to question these.

You also get access to a 21 minute instructional video which you can watch online or download, and a pdf download which contains detailed written instructions in Paul’s usual clear and easy to read style. The video-based teaching covers very much the same ground but for those who prefer to watch!

The routines

The basic routine is a mind-reading one where you can reveal which card the spectator has chosen. But there are multiple ways for the performer to discern this information – which gives you some scope for creativity.
There are some helpful tips on performing this routine – which would also have relevance for other routines you may perform.

Hidden in the cards are some other features which can be used to force numbers which might be used in other effects – for example a book test. There are also colour variations in the cards which could be used as the basis for a cold reading.

I’m sure other ideas will present themselves with use.

Like Paul, I’m a big fan of magic which can be done with innocent looking ‘props’ which you would quite naturally carry around. The nature of this effect means you can jazz your presentation a bit to fit your context. It takes up very little space in your pocket and could get a decent reaction for not much effort. Recommended.

Cool Beans is available from the Merchant of Magic for £27.50 (at the time of writing).

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

Paul Brook – Cool Beans – review

3.9 / 5 Reviewer

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The post Paul Brook – Cool Beans – review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

It is always difficult to review mentalism since so much is subjective. Props – where there are any – are often fairly everyday; principles are rarely new; so you’re trying to evaluate something which is often less tangible – and to a very significant degree depends on the qualities of the performer.

But let’s have a go at a few observations. The core routine is a divination effect, where from a ’20 questions’ type card you are able to divine a word out of ‘almost 40’ after asking only 4 yes/no questions which they never answer verbally. This is what Andreu calls his Direct Mind Reading Masterpiece.

It is certainly a strong routine – in the hands of an experienced performer – like in all mentalism there are may other skills required to ‘sell’ the effect, beyond the bare mechanics. The ‘mechanics’ are straight-forward, but will require some study (and ideally memorisation) before you will be comfortable performing the routine – this isn’t something you will be able to do straight away.

It is also possible you may need to purchase an additional effect/gimmick to carry out this routine as suggested – though some variations are provided which may avoid this.

The remainder of the book consists of some variations or applications of this principle. One with ESP symbols (to my mind the weakest variant) and then two more powerful variations involving discerning emotions or star signs. I think these last two are particularly strong – and there are some extra subtleties built in to the routine which really add to it.

There’s no doubt that this is material that Andreu has used and honed in the real world – and the careful and detailed explanations are a clear indication of this. As with any mentalism effect, it won’t suit every performer – and you may need to do some tweaking to fit your style or emphasis – but there are some solid core ideas here to get you started.

The booklet itself is clearly printed and nicely bound. Andreu comes across as a very nice guy – and he is excellent at crediting ideas and inspiration from others which is something I feel is very important. You also receive a large and a small printed card for use with the original routine – they don’t look like they’ll last for ever – but should be fairly easy to replace/reproduce if you need to.

The final word needs to be on price – a subject on which there has been much discussion on different forums. In the UK the price is just high of £50, which feels like a large price tag for a small book. Price, as everything else, is subjective – and if you’re a pro who gets a 15 minute routine out of this, you won’t have a problem spending that amount. For the hobbyist it may seem like a large figure for a 74 page book. We recommend you read the description carefully and make up your own mind of the value.

Available direct from Merchant of Magic for £53.99.

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

The post Mindsight – Review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

The good

Although I don’t like the way we throw around the word ‘organic’ today –there is something natural about using the card case for some mind-reading – which can either add variety to your card set or transition into a mentalism segment. You’re provided with a number of gimmicks which seem well made and enable more than one outcome if you’re repeating it in an evening.

The teaching is clear, the DVD simple but nicely produced, and a couple of variations are taught – including a version which will leave your business card in the spectator’s hand.

The bad?

Hmmm. I’m not sure there are real ‘bad’ points, but there are some less good things! The ‘tabs’ you are provided with don’t match current Bicycle tuck cases. Now I am not one of those who think this is a deal breaker – because how many spectators know what a tuck case really looks like? So this is probably simply overthink/magician’s guilt for some people.

To be most effective the performance does require a bit of careful scripting and a certain amount of boldness. In my mind, almost any mental magic effect worth its salt needs both of these – but I’m just warning you that you might not be able to perform the strongest version straight away. This is one of those tricky things to evaluate – it isn’t something ‘difficult’ you are required to do – but does require confidence to sell it fully.

The verdict

There’s a lot we like about this, but with a few reservations. Although Wayne describes it as a big set piece – I’m not sure that I see that. It feels like a smaller effect – perhaps, as suggested, making that transition into a set of mental effects. It has the potential to be genuinely fooling, but feels a little over-priced at £26.99 (at the time of writing).

Available in the UK direct from MagicShop.co.uk.
Review copy kindly supplied by Murphys Magic – to whom all dealer enquiries should be made.

The post Tab Test – Wayne Fox – Review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.