AD SENSE by Nahuel Olivera & El Gran Bronzini

“Ad Sense” is a triple prediction effect. It is like Mental Epic done close-up. It is also like Mental Epic done in reverse (if you purchase thie effect, you will know what this means).

The performer explains the concept of subliminal messages used by advertisers. He then shows a dozen cards depicting advertisements of influential brands of various items that a person carries on them.

He mixes up the advertisement cards and lays 4 of them face downwards in a row on the table. A spectator is asked to take out her money and place it on top of any one of the 4 cards. The other 3 cards are discarded on one side of the table.

Another row of 4 cards is dealt by the performer and the spectator is asked to place her pen on any one of the cards. The other 3 cards are similarly put away.

Another row of 4 cards is laid out on the table. The spectator takes out her keys and places them on top of one of these cards. The other 3 cards are discarded.

The 3 selected cards are turned over and it is seen that the spectator has sub- consciously placed her money on a money card, her pen on a Sharpie card and her keys on a card depicting keys. She has become a victim to subliminal messages.

You receive the set of advertisement cards in a case inside a very nice presentation box, and a link to a video tutorial.

The effect is easy to do and has no performing angles to worry about. You are also taught multiple handlings for the reveals of the cards.

The cards are also marked and specially printed to enable you to perform a single prediction effect. The performer shows various advertisement cards and a spectator merely thinks of one. The performer lays one card face downwards on the table. The spectator names the card she chose. The performer turns over the card on the table and it is the card mentally selected by the spectator.

The cards are well designed, colourful and produced of good quality. The theme of advertisement subliminal messages makes for a very good presentation for this type of triple prediction effect.

(Rated 4.5/5 stars)

LINE-UP by David Garrard

David Garrard’s “Line-Up” has a lot of audience’s participation and laughter.

In effect, the performer says that a crime has been committed and the police has a suspect in custody. A member of the audience is asked to help out. She has witnessed the crime and has seen the one who committed it. She will help the police identify the criminal.

The performer brings out a book showing pictures of several past criminals in their record. They are not the ones who committed the crime. In the same book are sketches of 3 different portions of a human face.

The top portions consist of a dozen sketches of a person’s top part of the head which includes the hair and hat or a headgear.

The middle portions contain a dozen sketches of a person’s eyes, nose and mouth.

The bottom portions contain a dozen sketches of a person’s chin and the person’s record or identification number.

The spectator freely chooses a top, middle and bottom sketches. This forms a random sketch of a person’s face, complete with the identification number.

This particular face and the identification number match exactly the picture of the criminal inside a prediction envelope held by the spectator right at the start of the performance. This is truly mystifying to the audience!

You receive the specially printed book with the 3 flip portions of a human face, the prediction and the envelope. You also receive a sheet of printed instructions. The book is a little short of A4 size and is large enough to be used for stage performance.

This is the third version of an earlier effect named “Sketch-O-Magic” also by David Garrard. In the original version, a child forms a random picture of a boy’s face. The second version is called “Critter Knitter” where a child forms a random picture of an animal.

“Line-Up” has an interesting crime theme and is suitable for adult shows. The 2 earlier versions are meant for kids performances.

As mentioned, “Line-Up” has great audience participation and will generate much laughter.

(Rated 5/5 stars)

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

Manufactured by: Redefine Magic (Singapore)

“Birthday Surprise” is a packet trick. Here is the description of the effect:

3 cards are shown. 2 of them depict lighted candles, and one of them an unlit candle.

The card with the unlit candle is turned face downwards. A magical gesture is made on this card. Alternatively, the flame of a lit lighter can be waved underneath this card. When this card is turned over, it now shows a lit candle.

Another card with an unlit candle is introduced. This time, the 3 cards with the lighted candle each are turned over face downwards. The unlit candle card is inserted face upwards into the spread of the 3 face down cards.

A magic gesture is made and this card magically turns face over downwards. The entire packet of 4 cards are turned face upwards and counted to show that all 4 cards now have a lighted candle each.

One lighted candle card is placed aside face downwards. Candles suggest a birthday celebration. When this card is turned over face upwards, instead of a lighted candle, it has the message “Happy Birthday”!

A nice little effect to perform for a birthday person.

You receive the 4 specially printed cards and a link to Jeremy’s personal magic coach tutorial video. The 4 cards are printed on very good quality card stock and the illustrations on it are bright and colourful.

You need to know how to perform the “Elmsley Count” in order to perform this effect. This is taught by Jeremy in the video tutorial. Jeremy also gives various ways of presenting the Birthday Surprise.

Here is my own preferred method of performing Birthday Surprise. It is short and straight-forward: 4 cards are shown to consist of 2 lighted candles and 2 unlit candles. The 2 unlit candle cards are turned face downwards. One is placed aside. A lit lighter is waved underneath the other face down card. When this card is turned over, the candle on it is now magically lit!

The lit lighter is then waved underneath the first face down card. Like the other card, we expect the candle on it to become magically lit. When this card is turned over, instead of a lit candle, it has the message “Happy Birthday!” With all the candles lit, it is of course time to sing and celebrate the person’s birthday!

A performer should have a birthday effect in his performing repertoire to perform for his client’s birthday. His client will never forget this magical performance because it is special to him.

Highly Recommended!

AMAZEWANDS by Amazekids

Bev Begeron’s Multiplying (Nesting) Wands is quickly becoming a classic tool in children’s magic, much like the Breakaway Wand.

The AmazeWands combines both the Multiplying Wands and the Breakaway Wand.

You receive a set of 5 colourful nesting wands. The largest is the red wand and it is 16” long. The smallest is the black wand, which is also the Breakaway Wand, and it measures 14” long. The other 3 wands are the yellow, blue and green colour wands.

The wands are very well made of hard plastic and their colours are bright and scratch resistant. The wands nest very smoothly and are light to handle during performance.

You also receive a link to a video tutorial by Danny Orleans. The idea behind the nesting wands is that the performer first displays a red colour wand, then it multiplies to another wand, this time it is a yellow. This then multiplies to a blue wand, to a green wand, and finally to a black wand that breaks away by itself. In the 14 minutes video, Danny gives numerous ways of using the nesting wands. They include how to use the Amazewands when performing solo and when performing with participations from the audience (kids).

Included in the download is an e-book entitled “Mordern Day Strategies for the Breakaway Wand”, written by Danny Orleans. It contains some 19 different ways of using the Breakaway Wand contributed by various magicians from all over the world.

The AmazeWands enables you to add colour and fun when performing for kids. (

Rated 5/5 stars).

TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD by Tony D’Amico

This is a visual effect based on a clever card trick but does not use a deck of playing cards.

In effect, a box of picture cards of a card game called “Travel Around The World” is shown to contain photo cards that form several popular monuments from around the world. 2 spectators are involved. Each of them is given half the deck. They mix their own packet of cards face-up and face-down. Then they exchange some of their cards and further mix them face-up and face-down. Finally, the mixed up cards are re-assembled back into the complete deck. All the face-up cards are separated from the face- down cards. The face-up cards are found to form 5 partially completed monuments. They are the Big Ben of London, Christ The Redeemer Statue of Rio De Janeiro, Eiffel Tower of Paris, Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Staue Of Liberty of New York. However, they are all predicted, in their exact partially completed states, in a folded prediction placed conspicuously on the table at the start of the performance. There is an unexpected climax as 4 of the monuments form an appropriate English word.

You receive the stack of 54 monument photo cards in a clear box, the folded prediction, and a link to a video tutorial.

The cards are in poker size and are marked on the backs. The prediction, when folded, is A5 size. When fully open, the prediction measures approximately 23.4 inches x 8.3 inches. It is large and colourful and is fully laminated. The cards and the prediction are very well produced. When handled with care, they should last for a very long time.

The video tutorial is also very well produced and easy to understand. Tony D’Amico brings you through the performance, the deck set-up, and the deceptive mixing procedure. Luca Volpe, who produced the effect, joins Tony and contributes several different effects using the deck of special photo cards.

If you are looking for something that packs small and plays large, this effect is it. It is also colourful and has an interesting travel theme. It is based on Simon Aronson’s “Shuffle Bored”, and the seemingly haphazard face-up face-down mixing of the cards is very convincing.

(Rated 4/5 stars)

DICHROMATIC PREDICTION by Horiki

As the name suggests, this is a prediction involving a set of dice comprising 2 different colours.

In effect, the performer brings out 6 small dice consisting of 3 red and 3 blue dice, and a small envelope.

The 6 dice are thoroughly examined by a spectator. She rolls the 6 dice repeatedly to ensure that they are not loaded. Once the spectator is satisfied, the performer arranges the 6 dice in a row.

The performer and the spectator then alternatively pick a dice each from either end of the row. They do this until all the dice have been picked up. Each person would have picked up 3 dice.

The envelope is opened and the prediction inside is taken out. It contains 2 predictions. It states that the spectator’s 3 dice consist of 2 red dice and 1 blue dice, and that their total is 10. The prediction proves to be absolutely correct.

You receive the 3 blue and 3 red dice and the envelope with the prediction inside. You also receive a link to a video tutorial.

The 6 dices and the envelope and prediction are not gimmicked. The 6 dice can be thoroughly examined by the spectator. The spectator can also examine the envelope and the prediction at the end of the performance.

There is no sleight of hand involved. Once you understand the principle, you can perform this effect.

This trick is very good for an intimate performance. When properly presented, the prediction seems truly incredible because everything seems fair, and all the props can be examined by the spectators.

(Rated 3.5/5 stars)