Looking for some great magic to distract you over the summer? Here are some more recommendations from Bicycle-Cards.co.uk
Mark Elsdon is undoubtedly a clever man with a great knack for creating effective mental magic. On a previous occasion we reviewed the excellent On the Mark so this month we will highlight his effect Uncanny. We haven’t looked at it in person, but the video I saw looked very clean. A freely chosen card and number are permanently printed on a prediction in full view all the time. Great mental magic with Bicycle Cards. £20.99.
This double DVD by David Forrest – The Trickery – is not new. However we flag it up because it is currently on special offer. Dave’s magic is direct and often very visual, and there is something for every one on this double DVD. Amazing value at only £12.50
I hope you will forgive us for veering slightly off our playing card heart-land here. But I assume that most of the magicians reading this site are interested in close up magic generally and not just cards! In my experience table-hopping you do sometimes get asked for something that doesn’t involve cards, and you could do worse than considering this clever coin trick – Pressure – which has been featured by the magician of the moment, Dynamo. Quite simply two coins fuse together in a very clean way. On pre-order with more due in August – and they sell out very quickly! £24.99.
Mark Elsdon is well known for coming up with straight forward and powerful mental effects. Regular readers will know of my slight obsession with ‘named card in wallet’ effects (second only to – and in some strange ways parallel to my obsession with ACAAN effects!) – and I have used and enjoyed a good number over the years – from the venerable and devious Kolossal Killer (and its wonderful variation Heirloom) to Marc Oberon’s ’somewhat blunt’ but nonetheless effective Bang On. But in On the Mark I think I have found a new favourite.
The plot, of course, is familiar – the spectator names the only card in an envelope in your wallet. Presentational possibilities are various – but the suggested one works well. No real surprises here.
And the same could be said of method. You are not buying a radically new idea here. If you have been in magic any time at all you will likely be familiar with the various elements of the method. However, they work really well together! There is some good thinking here, and some subtleties which, in my mind at least, make this a stronger effect for the spectator than some of the alternatives. The method is straightforward, which means you can concentrate on selling it – which is the way I like it! I am fully expecting to put this into my ‘working routine’.
A word on the supplied props. The wallet supplied is of a good quality and will readily slip into use as an every day wallet. You don’t have to use this wallet – but it works well for the requirements. Can’t say more than that. The envelopes are fine – and could be replaced if you preferred a different colour. I was a little disappointed with the quality of the cards – but not to such an extent that it would put me off using them.
The bottom line is I think this is a great little effect. If you like strong card magic with a mental leaning grab it’s time to get On the Mark now!
