The device arrives neatly packaged in an understated black box – and when you open it you may well wonder what on earth you have bought! Instead of the usual instructions or DVD, there is a business card inside with the details of a secret website which contains all the documentation you need to get using the Secret Servante.

There is a wonderfully honest section on the development of the gimmick and then detailed descriptions of how it works, how to attach it, how to use it, and a few illustrative routines using the device.

There is an elegant simplicity to the device itself – which I would say is typical of Sean’s thinking – he never overcomplicates things. One of the great advantages of this device over some similar devices on the market is that it will attach and detach from you clothing very easily. So you can move it from jacket to jacket, shirt to shirt, or wherever else you might use it.

Do make sure you get it the right way round though. When I first put it on I wasn’t paying attention – not only does it make the device almost impossible to use, it makes it attach much less securely. Can’t say more without tipping the method – suffice to say you are unlikely to be as daft as me!

In operation I have to say it is extremely intuitive. The required move to ditch or retrieve requires almost no movement and the object is neatly deposited just where you need it. There is very little ‘talk’ – even using coins – which is another big bonus.  I think this is a very useful little device which will lend itself to many applications.

I try not to spend a whole review gushing, so I should mention two tiny negatives. Firstly I do wonder how long the device will last. There isn’t much to ‘go wrong’ but I do wonder whether the plastic it is made from will perish at some point. It’s the ‘hinges’ I’m worried about. It’s hard to comment properly without giving it some really robust testing which we haven’t had time to do – but I would have thought you would certainly get several years out of it. Sean assures me he has no worries on that front – and to be honest I was working quite hard to find something negative to say!

Secondly, two of the routines performed required additional (dealer) items in order to perform them. They are both good routines (and extra items worth having!) but it would have been nice to include some routines which don’t require any extra props (there is a coin ‘routine’ but it’s not really a routine more of a demonstration of the device). I’m sure if you’ve been around in magic any length of time you’ll quickly come up with uses (and I suppose you are buying a utility rather than a trick) – but it wouldn’t have taken much extra effort to add one.

But these are very minor quibbles and I would suggest that if you do any kind of walkaround magic then this is going to be a really useful device for you. Why not get a couple and have one attached on each side? Richard Pinner who knows a thing or two about magic called it “Possibly the most important gimmick so far this century.” And Nick Einhorn, Michael Vincent and Jon Allen are all fans. So don’t just take my word for it. But do go and buy one!

You can get them the from Merchant of Magic at£31.50 (at the time of writing).
Many thanks to Sean for supplying us with a review copy.

The post Secret Servante – Review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

I had the pleasure of meeting Sean Goodman at our visit to Davenports Magic Kingdom this summer. He’s a softly-spoken and engaging entertainer and we’ve enjoyed his previous releases (Genetics, TickTock and Star Struck) – so we were looking forward to the chance to review CelebriDate.

What’s the effect? It’s a little misleading to describe the effect, since a number of possible presentations are possible. The one we’re most likely to use would look a bit like this: you hand out a diary which is filled with the birthdays of 366 celebrities; a spectator then writes down a special date on a business card; another spectator freely selects a card from a deck of cards; this card reminds you of a famous person which, of course, turns out to be the one at the date selected by the spectator.

The common theme in Sean’s work is simplicity – he always takes the simplest route to the outcome he is looking for. If you’re the sort of magician who is only excited by the latest and greatest new-fangled method then this won’t excite you at all. But if you remember the first rule of magic – that it’s the effect (on the spectator) not the method that matters you will want to look at this.

You are provided with a nicely printed (unfeked) paperback diary. My review copy arrived with a slightly battered corner – and my impression is that if you’re using it a lot then you will probably have to replace it before too long – but it looks convincing enough. There are a good variety of different kinds of ‘celebrities’ in there – from historical figures like Rembrandt to current actors and sports stars.

The DVD explains the ‘structure’ of the routine and then outlines a number of different methods for each part. There are pros and cons to the different routines suggested – the one I have described is the one that works best for me, but you might prefer a different one. Sean explains everything clearly with all the detail necessary.

It is quite difficult to review this kind of mental magic since often the ‘baldness’ of the method can sometimes makes it hard to imagine the effect on the audience (and I haven’t had a chance to road test this yet). However, my suspicion is that the structure of the routine will sufficiently obscure the method, and the use of someone’s birthday will automatically create an emotional hook/interest – so this really ought to get some good reactions. You could even combine it with StarStruck to make a really pleasing routine.

I already perform a ‘traditional’ (i.e. playing card based) diary trick, but I can see lots of advantages to the celebrity theme – especially with a younger or family audience. Well worth a punt at £23.99 (at the time of writing). Available from MagicShop.co.uk.

PS in case you are wondering, 19th September is Sean’s birthday! And no, I’m not some kind of obsessive stalker – but he does mention that more than once on the DVD. Happy Birthday Sean!

The post CelebriDate by Sean Goodman review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

The effect

The effect looks like this – your spectator names their star sign, and you remove a metal token from a small velvet bag which has been in view throughout – the spectator turns it over and it matches their star sign.

There’s lots to like about this effect. Anything involving the spectator’s personal information immediately provides a strong emotional hook. It takes up little space in the pocket, is very easy to do (only basic handling required) and gives you plenty of opportunity to engage with your spectator. Re-set is all but instant and it can be repeated with a different outcome every time.

You are provided with all the necessary props and a nicely produced DVD (though for my money it has somewhat overdramatic music!) The DVD explains the development of the routine (which is always of interest – and also shows that this is an audience tested idea, not just another ‘churn them out’ trick), a couple of variations on the handling and also some ideas for extending the routine or incorporating it into other routines. Sean has an easy manner, explains things clearly and is enthusiastic.

Are there any buts?

Only a couple of small ones. The metal disks are nicely made and their size makes the handling very easy but I wonder if they could have been slightly larger for greater impact at the reveal. Also, the ‘two custom gimmicks’ look as though they will easily deteriorate. For the price, I wonder if something slightly longer lasting could have been provided.

Overall we think this is a very commercial routine. Apart from those questions about the longevity of the props (and let’s face it – if you’re using it a lot it would probably be worth investing in a spare set anyway) we think this has the potential to be a very strong effect.

Available from MoM (With thanks to MagicDirect who kindly supplied the review copy) for £32.

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The end of the year is also a time for reflections.  And our two favourite DVDs of the year are going to be our first recommendations.  BBM’s Ultimate Self-Working Card Tricks was a superb release (see our review here) with some killer effects which are easy to do (£19.99).

And Mark Bendell’s The Unknown is full of really clever magic which is extremely workable (£25.50). Both would make great stocking fillers for you or your magical loved one!

Favourite tricks of the year are harder to pick.  On the shortlist is definitely Genetics (see our review here).  Easy to do, entertaining – what more could you want.  And a great wedding routine (£26.99).

This isn’t a trick, but would look great on your bookshelf. An Impossible Bottle, containing a deck of Bicycle Cards is hard to beat for a ‘must have’ non-trick item for the magic lover. We’ve got one on our shelf! (£59.99 – also available in red)

We can’t close the year out without mentioning at least one deck of Bicycle Cards!  There have been so many released this year that it is very hard to choose.  But in honour of the year that was, why not grab a deck of London 2012 cards.  The Blue Crown produced limited runs of these decks with a Gold, Silver or Bronze case design.  Why not get one of each to remember a really significant time for the UK? (£9.99)

Choosing a Magic Set for a child

We promised you some recommended magic sets for any young would-be magicians you know. If you’ve got a bit of money to spend, then you could do a lot worse than the Fantasma Legends of Magic Set. Some of the items in this are of pro quality – and it seems to get away from the plasticky feel of some of the more common sets. At £59.99 it feels like quite a significant investment, but it should keep their interest.

The Secret Magic Set is a cheaper option and comes in a nice case, but the props are of less good quality. At this price you might also consider the Marvin’s Magic Fifty Greatest Magic Tricks – which contains some classic effects and is more widely available.

If price is an issue, then the Joshua Jay books are worth a look. He is a great teacher and the combination of book and DVD is a killer.  And they are readily available at Amazon (see below)

The post Trick of the Month – December 2012 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

They say:

“A fabulous effect to show to a couple! You explain that men and women think differently and like different things. To illustrate this, you show some cards which have pictures of various items such as a dog, cat, iron, whip etc. and suggest that some will appeal to men and some to women.

The cards are mixed and then offered one at a time to the man and woman alternately. Any cards they don’t want are discarded. At the end, to their amazement the man’s selections are turned over and they all have BLUE BACKS, and the woman’s have PINK BACKS!”
If you’ve been in magic any length of time, you will probably already know the method.

But nevertheless there’s lots to like here. It is easy to do, which means you can focus on the presentation. Always a plus. It is a rare trick in that it will appeal to men and women alike. There is the opportunity for bags of audience interaction. Oh, and did I mention it is easy to do!

The packaging is attractive and styled after a movie release. The DVD explanation is extremely clear with appealing and obvious navigation. Sean comes across well and I enjoyed his discussion of the creation of the effect. And you will find his habit of nodding to camera at the end of each section to show that it is over either endearing or annoying!

In addition to the basic presentation, there is an alternative presentation, and a bonus effect which could be incorporated into either. For my money, the alternative presentation isn’t as strong, but it would still go down well. And it will help you to think about other possible routines, because, without giving anything away, there is scope with these cards for a number of effects. I am also pleased to see a live performance with ‘real people’ – since that gives you confidence in the effect.

The cards provided are nicely produced and the graphics, in particular, are very pleasing. I have some doubts about how long the cards would last if used regularly – and I know of some folk who have decided to laminate them for this reason. For the price of the effect (£26.99) I do wonder whether some slightly more hard-wearing cards could have been provided. Perhaps they will offer ‘refill’ sets in the future.

My only other minor criticism is to do with the ‘self-working’ nature of the effect. Presentation is important above all things with this kind of effect (well with any effect really), and for the less experienced performer, I wonder whether Sean could have provided a little more advice on this. You do get the opportunity to watch him performing it live, but maybe one or two more specific tips would have been helpful.

A ‘reset’ is involved, between performances. But there is an alternative way of handling the routine which would avoid this. I would have to use both in the real world to comment on this. Similarly a table is preferable, but you could use people’s hands as a stand in. So I don’t think either of these things are issues.

All in all this is a great effect – and it will certainly be making its way into my working set. Highly recommended, especially if you do a lot of wedding/round the tables type maqgic.

Available direct from the producers at MagicDirect.com

The post Sean Goodman’s Genetics – Review appeared first on Bicycle Cards.

If you are in to your card magic then J K Hartmann’s work is always worth a look. Card Dodgery is his latest (and final?) book and promises something for everyone – whatever your level of experience. £27.99

Cards, cards, cards, cards… The stylish Doomsday deck is now available in blood red. A hint of the Mayan adds intrigue to this new limited edition deck of Bicycle cards. £9.49

And if you like to see all the latest variant cards, how about a Silver version of the Bicycle Steampunk – £6.50.

We really like the look and premise of Genetics. Not going to say more now because hope to do a proper review in the next week or so… Watch this space, or purchase it now for £33.99.

The post Trick of the Month – September 2012 appeared first on Bicycle Cards.