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The Vault – BOX CLEVER – by James Brown – A Review

The Vault – BOX CLEVER – by James Brown – A Review

The Vault – BOX CLEVER – by James Brown – A Review
Video Download

This is the Ad Copy:

The best card under box routine you have ever seen!

A freely chosen card, which can be signed, vanishes from the deck multiple times, appearing under the card case, inside the card case and finally the entire deck jumps into the case! ALL DONE WHILST THE SPECTATOR IS HOLDING THE CARD CASE! This is the kind of routine that gets more impossible with each phase and the closer they watch!

A master class in misdirection that is surprisingly easy to do!

My Thoughts:

James is a very well-known magician from the South of England. He has been awarded, among other things, The Magic Circle close-up magician of the year… which is quite the big deal. His style of magic is best described as a cross between close-up magic, hypnosis and pickpocketing, all presented in a humorous and casual manner.

I have not reviewed other effects by James for Murphy’s.. so I didn’t know for sure what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised…

BOX CLEVER really is a type of master class on misdirection. After a card is selected by a spectator, it strangely appears under a card box in the spectator’s hand. Somehow, after being placed back in the deck, the card again appears under the card box. Then, it’s place BACK in the deck.. and this time it appears inside the card box. After one last go-around, the card is the (apparently) only card in the magicians hand.. and the rest of the deck is now revealed to be in the card box.

Everything is achieved through smart misdirection and a very clever one-ahead. There are NO gaffs or props. Everything is strictly above board and is a very, as the name implies, ‘clever’ use of misdirection. I had to watch the video a couple of times to see what I knew was happening.

There are a couple of sleights.. but nothing beyond the average magician. James does utilize a side steal to get a card to the top.. but you can achieve the same action by simply bringing a card to the top using your favorite method. Also, there’s a time or two when you present two cards as one. That’s basically it…. James details his side steal.. if you need it.. and explains everything in detail.

I encourage you to go to Murphy’s site and watch a four minute video of a live performance… a FULL performance with nothing left as an added surprise for the buyers. The video tutorial itself is well-filmed and runs about fourteen and a half minutes. Box Clever is available as an instant download, and you can start learning immediately.

This effect is well worth the cost.. particularly if you are a walk-around or table hopping guy (or lady). It’s VERY strong.. and something you WILL use, over and over, for years to come.

$10.00 .. Available from Murphy’s Magic and their Associates.

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=69223

Review by Rick Carruth

The Boy Who Cried Magic by Andi Gladwin – A Review

The Boy Who Cried Magic by Andi Gladwin – A Review

The Boy Who Cried Magic by Andi Gladwin – A Review

This is the Ad Copy:

After spending a decade producing more than 100 magic books for some of the biggest magicians in the industry, Andi Gladwin is finally releasing his own book. And it is quite possibly the most highly-anticipated book of the year!

While Andi has released numerous effects and many popular lectures, this is the first time he has ever compiled his very best card magic routines into one comprehensive magic book. Each of the 16 full routines and 15 sleights featured in this book have been carefully crafted over a lifetime of performing for every type of audience in every type of venue.

There is something for every card magician in this incredible book from Andi’s amazing rapid-fire multiple selection routine known as “Fireworks” to his powerful thought-of cards across, super commercial “Whack your Phone Effect” and even a practical Triumph routine where the audience helps you mix the cards.

There’s also, of course, plenty of material for the most dedicated sleight of hand card magicians, including 15 techniques such as his full work on the Master Pushoff, new moves such as the UnDo Cut and UnDo Shuffle, and a unique take on the Braue Popup that you’re going to want to add directly into your Ambitious Card routine.

Beyond its remarkable contents, The Boy Who Cried Magic is quite possibly the most beautiful book Vanishing Inc. has ever produced. This breathtaking hardback book features 250 pages and 240 full color photos, all printed on premium glossy paper. The addition of a gorgeous slipcase will make this book stand out on your shelf.

“The Boy Who Cried Magic is a perfect magic book, written by the best writer in magic. The tricks are world-class performance pieces, and the book itself is stunning. Every magician should own it!”
– Dynamo

“The Boy Who Cried Magic is one of the most beautifully-designed magic books in recent memory. It looks and feels like something you’d find in an art bookstore. As for the magic, Andi Gladwin’s Undo Cut is a highly deceptive false cut that is going straight into my act.”
– Steve Cohen

My Thoughts:

The Boy Who Cried Magic is Andi Gladwin’s first book of magic. It must be quite a challenge to be in Andi’s shoes and know your first publication sets a bar at such an impossible height. I don’t know if he is considering a second book, but personally, I’d have to set a spell and soak in all the wonderful reviews of my first one.

This was a much-anticipated publication by a highly respected performer.. and it met all the expectations. Everything from the effects, to the cover, binding, pages, super sharp photos and slip cover coalesced to create a masterful product.

The book features 16 complete effects/routines and 15 sleights in a total of 250 glossy pages. ( I constantly felt as if I were turning two pages..) The 240 color pictures by James Went and George Luck jump off the pages.. creating a complete visual to match Andi’s narrative. I could go on and on about the book.. but I think you get the point.. There are absolutely no cut corners and no expenses spared publishing Andi’s first book. As the publisher of over one hundred books and ebooks for other magicians, Andi knew exactly what he wanted.. and how to achieve it.

The first chapter of TBWCM is a treatise titled Making Magic Bulletproof. It is an essay of thoughts and tips from the author.. detailing Be Clear, Remove Abruptness, Be Authentic, Be Adaptable, Create Conversation and Adapt To It, Overlap Methods and, lastly.. Study. These are strong thoughts from a full-time professional.

The effects are Andi’s. These are effects he uses throughout his performances and are corralled through hundreds of performances over twenty plus years. These are not add-ons or submissions from other performers. These are all directly from his repertoire. To quote: “My repertoire didn’t appear overnight. It’s impossible to see when you look at the finished product, but every effect in this book has gone through dozens of late-night sessions and incremental improvements. I lost hair over these tricks.”

Andi’s book is all about card tricks, moves, and effects. No close-up, no coins, no thump tips.. and one cell phone. These effects are not beginner effects, and anyone purchasing this book who doesn’t possess at least a good, basic knowledge of cardmanship will probably be lost after the first effect. Everything is not super-complicated.. but it’s not beginner magic either. Andi takes a great deal of time to explain several of the sleights he uses, giving everyone ample opportunity to follow.. exactly as Andi would have it. He never tries to get ahead of readers.

Undo Cut, Undo Shuffle and Cull Shuffle Control are all good examples of some of the sleights taught. Cut, Stop, Shuffle, Red/Black To The Future, and Castle Jacks are all some of the ‘At the Card Table’ effects. Whack Your Phone, Monte Python, and Pocket Mule are three of my favorite ‘Close-Up’ card effects. And Silent Movie, Supersonic, and Aura are three of the five ‘Stand-Up’ card effects taught.

Each effect is detailed. The performance and handling are highlighted, along with any and all credits. Much work was put into describing the history of each effect, its first cousins, and Andi’s contribution to its advancement.

I could get into describing the various effects individually.. but I don’t think it’s going to matter. These are first-class routines, made available to anyone willing to part with fifty bucks. The cost is totally justified in all aspects. One of the effects alone is probably worth the cost of the book. Thought Experiment.. based on Edward G. Brown’s ‘ Twelve Card Thought Transposition’, can’t be described as an ‘effect’, but more appropriately a ‘study’ of what Andi considers to be the ‘best structured card trick of all time..’. “One sleight makes a genuinely thought-of card appear to travel across the room and you don’t need to know the name of that card.”

.. And this is only one of the 16 effects.

If you truly desire to immerse yourself in a tangent and intimate world of card magic, THE BOY WHO CRIED MAGIC is your elixir.

$50.00 .. Available at Murphy’s Magic and their Associates..

https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=66402

Review by Rick Carruth for Murphy’s Magic & The Magic Roadshow..

Put a Little Magic Back Into the Lives of Magicians Impacted by COVID-19…

Put a Little Magic Back Into the Lives of Magicians Impacted by COVID-19…

Brookledge to Hold May 8th Brookledge Cares Virtual Fundraiser to Put a Little Magic Back Into the Lives of Magicians Impacted by COVID-19

 From the Historic, L.A. Estate, Brookledge, Featuring Penn & Teller, David Copperfield, Neil Patrick Harris, Dick Van Dyke, Paul Reubens & More!

Virtual Event Includes Tour of Brookledge, a Rare Glimpse Into the Location Considered the ‘Forerunner’ to World-Renowned Magic Castle Clubhouse

( Editors note.. I just received this from my friends at Greenleaf & Associates. Please note the event will be archived so you can watch it at a later date. This is the PERFECT way for magicians to help other magicians. I hope you support it and I hope to see you Saturday..  Rick Carruth )

HOLLYWOOD — May 3, 2021 — For Immediate Release:  A star-studded, virtual fundraiser, Brookledge Cares, will be held by the historic Brookledge estate, May 8 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Cost is $10 per ticket.  Presented in part by the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Charitable Foundation, supporting The Magic Castle for nearly four decades.

Proceeds from the Brookledge-style salute to variety artists will benefit the Dai Vernon Foundation, which provides financial aid to those pursuing an education; launching ambitious performance, research or historical projects; and those in difficult circumstances or suffering hardships. It also conducts community outreach via performances at hospitals and other charitable organizations. Over the years, the foundation has provided grants to hundreds of magicians, performers and employees in need, including 165 COVID relief grants over the past year.

This benefit will feature a who’s who of magic and Hollywood, including Neil Patrick Harris, Dick & Arlene Van Dyke, David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, Paul Reubens, Larry Wilmore, Jason Alexander, Michael Carbonaro & Peter Stickles, Puddles Pity Party and Moby.  Special appearances by Rob Zabrecky, Marawa Wamp, Basil Twist & Ken Ard, Shoot Ogawa, Steven Banks, Aaron Grooves, Armen Ksajikian and more.  Hosted by Two-Headed Dog (Jim Turner & Mark Fite) and Liberty Larsen.

The event will also offer a personal tour by Liberty Larsen, a rare glimpse into the location considered the “forerunner” to the AMA’s world-famous clubhouse, The Magic Castle, the historic Brookledge estate, owned by the Larsen family, founders of the Magic Castle.

Donate & buy tickets at:  http://www.DaiVernonFoundation.org/Brookledge

(** Please note – the fundraiser will be archived so you can watch it at another time.. )

Although on hiatus during the pandemic, The Brookledge Follies, an invitation-only, “contemporary Vaudeville,” variety-and-magic show, is performed once a month (April-November) in the estate’s small theater. The free show has become one of the hottest tickets in town and is frequently attended by such Hollywood elite as Sophia Vergara, Joe Manganiello, Ryan Gosling, Jason Alexander, Christina Hendricks, Jason Sudukis, Danny Elfman, Matthew Gubler, Randy Newman, Paul Reubens and director John Landis, to name a few.

 Launched with a bequest from the estate of renowned close-up magician Dai Vernon—the only magician to ever fool Harry Houdini—upon his death in 1992, the Dai Vernon Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, aides, elevates and recognizes practitioners and supporters of the art of magic at all levels and in all walks of life.

 The history of the Brookledge estate …

The Magic Castle was founded by writer, actor, magician and entrepreneur Milt Larsen (formerly a writer for the 1956-77 television show Truth or Consequences); his late brother, Bill Larsen, Jr. (a former producer of the Danny Kaye and Jonathan Winters variety shows); and Bill’s wife, Irene, who remained the Castle’s ever-gracious hostess until her death in February 2016.

Members of the Larsen family have been performing magic continuously since the mid ’20s, with the fourth generation now on stage. Milt and Bill’s parents, Geraldine (“Geri”) and William Larsen, Sr., both performed as professional magicians and are noted pioneers in the art. Beginning during the Depression in the late ’30s (the Vaudeville era), the family—now including Bill, Jr., and Milt—began touring as the “Larsen Family of Magicians,” playing upscale, resort hotels in southern California.

A stage constructed at their historic Brookledge estate—built in 1933 in L.A.’s Hancock Park and purchased by the Larsens in 1942 from the founder of the Thayer Magic Company, which they also acquired—became an informal gathering place for the magic community of the day. Virtually every famous name in illusion visited and performed at the estate, often referred to as the “forerunner to the Magic Castle.” Retired from life on the road and managing the magic apparatus company, Bill, Sr., dreamed of opening an elegant, private clubhouse for magicians, but died at just 48.

In 2009, Erika Larsen (Bill, Jr.’s daughter), who resides at the estate, created The Brookledge Follies, a “contemporary Vaudeville” variety-and-magic show performed once a month (April-November) in the small theater, which holds just 60 people. Although currently on hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, attendance is by invitation only, but the free show has become one of the hottest tickets in town and is frequently attended by a who’s who of Hollywood like Moby, Sophia Vergara, Joe Manganiello, Ryan Gosling, Jason Alexander, Christina Hendricks, Matthew Gubler, Randy Newman, Paul Reubens and director John Landis, to name a few.

About her childhood, Erika recalls magic’s most famed faces around the Larsen home and laughs, “We did see the best of the best in magic, but I grew up in a bubble. My siblings and I just thought that’s what people did—Make things disappear and carry a deck of cards everywhere.”

The elder Larsens launched Genii magazine in 1952 (its circulation considered a loose affiliation of magicians that later became the AMA’s initial membership), which is the longest, continually published magic magazine in the world.

The Magic Castle was originally constructed as the Rollin B. Lane residence (a wealthy banker and his socialite wife), built among Los Angeles’ orange groves in 1909-10. Externally, the Gothic Renaissance chateau is the mirror image of the Kimberly Crest house and gardens in Redlands, Calif. The Hollywood mansion had fallen into disrepair by the late ’40s (even serving for a time as a boarding house).  In 1962, Milt Larsen approached his brother about reviving their father’s dream of a private club for magicians and, after securing a lease from the owner of Hollywood’s Yamashiro restaurant (next door) with a handshake, began restoring the landmark mansion to its former opulence.

The Magic Castle intertwines illusion and mystery with the history of the Los Angeles area. Much of the ornate décor was rescued from the wrecking ball on construction sites or from Hollywood studio sets before being dumped into the trash (long before the practice of salvaging became chic). John Shrum, former art director for NBC and The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, was also an avid Castle enthusiast. (Look for the famous talk show’s original “cityscape” backdrop in the Owl Bar.)  Many other AMA members, also well positioned within the entertainment industry, have left their personal imprints on the Magic Castle as well.

# # #

Contact:

Greenleaf & Associates — 323.660.5800

Vicki Greenleaf — vicki@greenleafandassociates.com

Summit – by Abstract Effects – A Review

Summit – by Abstract Effects – A Review

Summit – by Abstract Effects – A Review
(Gimmicks and Online Instructions)

This is the Ad Copy:

From the minds of Patrick Kun, The Other Brothers & Abstract Effects –comes a thought of card to Sharpie unlike anything you have EVER seen!

Even includes a routine and method for ONLINE performances.

At last, a thought of card to Sharpie that has NO card switches, NO sharpie switches, and a PRACTICAL yet mind-blowing method.

Your spectator THINKS of a card. You hand them a sharpie to write down what they are thinking of…but to their surprise, the sharpie doesn’t actually work.

You take the sharpie from the spectator, and WITHOUT ANY MOVES, and while keeping the Sharpie IN VIEW THE ENTIRE TIME…you open it up to REVEAL a card rolled up inside.

The spectator still HAS NOT SAID, OR EVEN written down their card.

Then the spectator is asked to name their card. With NO switches or moves of ANY kind, the card is turned over and is the EXACT card the spectator named – EVERY TIME!

NO card switches or sharpie switches!

The gimmick is designed for easy use with a super practical method and ability to keep the gimmick on you wherever you go so you’re ready to blow some minds at a moment’s notice.

Summit comes with everything you need to perform right out of the box, and can be reset easily so you’re always ready to perform! Great for beginners to workers & pros!

My Thoughts:

Don’t you love it when you get a REAL effect in your hands! There are so many downloads and videos it feels really good to get your hands on something tangable. In this case, something that is truly magical and unique, something that enables you to do a bit of magic unlike anything you’ve probably performed before.

I don’t want to get all mushy on you.. but I DO want to express my pleasure with SUMMIT and The Other Brothers.

I’m not going into detail about The Other Brothers and Patrick Kun.. if you are reading this review, you should be familiar with all three of these very talented magicians and some of the many effects they’ve created the past several years. Also, I don’t know who did what or who came up with this or that. I only know all three are credited and the Other Brothers present the video tutorial for Summit.. which runs almost fifty minutes.

The premise is explained very well in the ad copy.. and everything in the ad copy is correct. I have a tiny issue with one phrase and I’ll talk about it in a moment.

A spectator is asked to mearly think of a card. There is a bit of directing on your part, but if done as taught the spectator will never realize they didn’t have a complete choice. When the magician and the spectator have narrowed the selection down to less than a dozen cards, the ‘magic’ happens..

The spectator, without naming their final selection, is given the Sharpie to write down their answer. Unfortunately, the Sharpie doesn’t work. The magician tells the spectator the Sharpie sometimes gets clogged.. and proceeds to take it apart, VERY openly, and reveals a card rolled up insiide the barrel of the pen. The spectator is THEN asked to name their selection.. and the rolled up card is revealed to be a match. The ad copy says “..with NO moves of any kind.” There is a slight move, but it is not visible to the spectator. It’s not a point of contention.. but I didn’t want you to think the card ‘magically’ transports to the Sharpie, or is in the Sharpie beforehand.

HOW it gets in the Sharpie is the masterfull aspect of SUMMIT. Tools are used. But.. they are minimal and unobtrusitive. I think THAT is what makes this a unique effect. The ‘tools’ themselves are also unique. I am not aware of anything similar.

Up front.. this is the perfect effect for a Virtual Performance. It is somewhat easier virtually than in person.. and the overall effect is just as strong.

A couple of other side notes… The gimmick is made with a real sharpie. Should your gimmick ever go south.. you can create another gimmick on your own.
The video is typical Murphy’s Magic quality. This is not a highly stylized video.. but it doesn’t need to be. It will convey everything to you a good tutorial should.
This is rated as an Intermediate level effect. It uses a few basic moves to keep the audience focused in the right direction. Although I’m confident an advanced beginner can perform Summit sucessfully.. you will not perform this straight out the box.

You need to run through the handling and patter a few times to avoid hiccups. There are also a couple of minor moves you need to perfect behind the scenes to make everything copacetic. Would you try to perform a mercury fold for the public with no practice? No. But.. once practiced.. it’s not difficult. Same here…..

Is it worth $55.00 bucks? If you use it.. it certainly is. This is something that will become a staple in the routines of a number of performers. It’s easy to set up.. and only requires you to slip a little something in your pocket beforehand. If you visit the link below and watch the demo.. you’ll get a very good idea of exactly what YOUR audience will see.

I am recommending all my friends and readers buy this. If I get one email condemming me for recommending this product.. it’s OK.. because I’ll get ten more thanking me for recommending it. So there….!

$55.00 .. From Murphy’s Magic and their Associates.
https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=66618

Review by Rick Carruth