I recently bought Simply Sydney by Syd Segal, i've been playing round with the effects on it. Here's my thoughts on it.
A Logical Lesson - You show the audience 2 Four of kinds, the 3's and the 7's.
You ask the audience what is 3+7, they say 10. You then deal out the cards and show that there is now 10 cards, 2 additional cards have materialised.
You then say you'll try subtraction and take 2 cards away and put them on top of the deck, you say that 10-2=8, you then deal out the cards and show that they are the Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 7 and 8. The cards you placed on top of the deck are shown to be the 9 and 10.
I really like this effect, It previously appeared in Full Metal Jacket by Syd Segal and J.C. Wagner but it's nice to see it on video. There is a discrepancy in the count but it flies by so fast I doubt anybody would notice it.
There is quite an extensive setup for this that you couldn't really do in front of you audience. I woukd recommend using this as an opener.
Triumphant Turn Down - This is a different handling of the classic Triumph effect by Dai Vernon, the effect is exactly the same.
This is a very easy version of Triumph, it's almost Sleight free. However, I don't think I will be performing it as I like to be able to spread the 2 packets to show them face up and down before I shuffle them together, this effect doesn't allow this.
If you don't know any Triumph effects you'll love this, it is a powerful effect. The flaws in it are only noticeable when compared to the original. If you know the original you probably won't bother with this.
Double D's and Aces - The 4 Aces are spelled to from a shuffled deck. You spell to the first 2 aces with the deck face down, you then turn the deck face up and the spell to the third ace, the deck is turned face down and handend to the spectator. They spell to the final ace, which is face up in the face down deck.
This effect is best when performed for multiple spectators, if performed for a single spectator the shuffling process is quite strange. It appears very logical when done for 2 or more spectators.
I've never really liked spelling effects but I think i'll try out this one, I particularly like the final revelation of the reversed ace, this eliminates the problem of the spectators not being able to spell correctly which can be a common problem.
This effect has a minor setup which you could quite easily get into when talking to your audience.
An additional handling by J.C. Wagner is included which removes the Sleights used is Syd Segal's version. As the sleights used are so basic I don't think this is necessary.
Collectors edition - This is a variation on the classic collectors effect. 3 Spectators each select a card, these are left on the table. You then show the spectators 4 Cards you set aside earlier. They are shown to be the 4 Kings. You lose the selections in the deck then place the Kings on top of the deck. The 3 selections immediatley appear interlaced between the Kings.
You then place the selections back into the deck while keeping the Kings in you hand. You then show that the selections have reappeared in your hands but the Kings have vanished.
This is an interesting take on the Classic collectors effect, I will definitely be regularly performing this. The ending will take your audience by surprise, it's not really a magician fooler but will hit laymen hard.
3 alternative endings are provided which are all quite similar, I think the first one is the best. The other's weren't really necessary but it's still nice to have them.
No Lap Reynolds - You take 16 Cards off the top of the deck and show that the top 4 are the Kings, you place these on the table and put 3 indifferent cards over each of them.
You show that the 4 Kings have appeared in one pile, the cards in the other piles that were previously the Kings are now shown to be the 3 Aces, finally the pack of 4 Kings transforms into the final ace.
This is a variation on a routine by Steve Reynolds, which as the title suggests, eliminates the need for lapping. It's a fairly standard assembly up until the ending which will definitely take your audience by surprise. I generally don't like performing assembly routines where you can't show the Kings/Aces in each individual packet before they vanish but I think the kicker ending compensates for this weakness so I will be using this routine.
A setup is needed for this routine, I think you could get into it while talking to your spectators, the setups a bit larger than what I would normally do in front of an audience but it can be done.
G.A.F.T. - A card is selected, it jumps to the top of the deck, it is then 'split' into the 2 Black Jacks. The selections then jumps between the 2 Jacks then vanished again to reappear reversed in the centre of the deck.
As the name suggests you will need a gaff to perform this, you will probably already own it but if not it can easily be made. This routine is very quick and visual and not too difficult to perform. There is a small cleanup needed at the end, but you have the misdirection of the card appearing reversed in the spread of cards so it shouldn't be a problem.
Indications - 2 Cards are selected and returned to the deck. A card of a different colour to the rest of the deck jumps out from the centre, you explain that this is an indicator cards which can be used to find selections. You show that the card next to the indicator card is the first selection, you also show that the indicator card has turned into the first selction. The 2 cards a placed on the table. You show that the first selection has turned into the second selection and the indicator card has also changed into the second selection.
This is a nice effect which has some similarities to the Chicago opener, the effect uses only a couple of basic sleights but is very powerful. This is very practical and I will definitely be using it. There is one sleight which may have a bit of a problem with angles but it could be substituted with several other moves.
Final Thoughts
Positive - The effects on this DVD are very practical and all of them can definitely be used in the real world, this makes quite a change as often when I buy DVD's I find that they are filled with great ideas that don't really work for real people.
The effects are all quite simple and no difficult sleights are used at all, every effect can be achieved without excessive practice. Everything appears very clean and fair to laymen.
Syd's explanations are very detailed and he doesn't leave anything out, he provides many valuable tips on handling.
Negative - The effects are only performed for a camera, it would be nice to see them performed for a live audience.
Some of the effects don't appear to be particularly original, they are varitaions on routines by other people, as I wasn't familiar with most of the originals this wasn't a problem for me. If you have a very extensive knowledge of card magic you might not gain much from this DVD.
Conclusion - This is a great DVD with routines that you will actually use, it's nothing revolutionary but it will probably be very useful to you.
A Logical Lesson - You show the audience 2 Four of kinds, the 3's and the 7's.
You ask the audience what is 3+7, they say 10. You then deal out the cards and show that there is now 10 cards, 2 additional cards have materialised.
You then say you'll try subtraction and take 2 cards away and put them on top of the deck, you say that 10-2=8, you then deal out the cards and show that they are the Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 7 and 8. The cards you placed on top of the deck are shown to be the 9 and 10.
I really like this effect, It previously appeared in Full Metal Jacket by Syd Segal and J.C. Wagner but it's nice to see it on video. There is a discrepancy in the count but it flies by so fast I doubt anybody would notice it.
There is quite an extensive setup for this that you couldn't really do in front of you audience. I woukd recommend using this as an opener.
Triumphant Turn Down - This is a different handling of the classic Triumph effect by Dai Vernon, the effect is exactly the same.
This is a very easy version of Triumph, it's almost Sleight free. However, I don't think I will be performing it as I like to be able to spread the 2 packets to show them face up and down before I shuffle them together, this effect doesn't allow this.
If you don't know any Triumph effects you'll love this, it is a powerful effect. The flaws in it are only noticeable when compared to the original. If you know the original you probably won't bother with this.
Double D's and Aces - The 4 Aces are spelled to from a shuffled deck. You spell to the first 2 aces with the deck face down, you then turn the deck face up and the spell to the third ace, the deck is turned face down and handend to the spectator. They spell to the final ace, which is face up in the face down deck.
This effect is best when performed for multiple spectators, if performed for a single spectator the shuffling process is quite strange. It appears very logical when done for 2 or more spectators.
I've never really liked spelling effects but I think i'll try out this one, I particularly like the final revelation of the reversed ace, this eliminates the problem of the spectators not being able to spell correctly which can be a common problem.
This effect has a minor setup which you could quite easily get into when talking to your audience.
An additional handling by J.C. Wagner is included which removes the Sleights used is Syd Segal's version. As the sleights used are so basic I don't think this is necessary.
Collectors edition - This is a variation on the classic collectors effect. 3 Spectators each select a card, these are left on the table. You then show the spectators 4 Cards you set aside earlier. They are shown to be the 4 Kings. You lose the selections in the deck then place the Kings on top of the deck. The 3 selections immediatley appear interlaced between the Kings.
You then place the selections back into the deck while keeping the Kings in you hand. You then show that the selections have reappeared in your hands but the Kings have vanished.
This is an interesting take on the Classic collectors effect, I will definitely be regularly performing this. The ending will take your audience by surprise, it's not really a magician fooler but will hit laymen hard.
3 alternative endings are provided which are all quite similar, I think the first one is the best. The other's weren't really necessary but it's still nice to have them.
No Lap Reynolds - You take 16 Cards off the top of the deck and show that the top 4 are the Kings, you place these on the table and put 3 indifferent cards over each of them.
You show that the 4 Kings have appeared in one pile, the cards in the other piles that were previously the Kings are now shown to be the 3 Aces, finally the pack of 4 Kings transforms into the final ace.
This is a variation on a routine by Steve Reynolds, which as the title suggests, eliminates the need for lapping. It's a fairly standard assembly up until the ending which will definitely take your audience by surprise. I generally don't like performing assembly routines where you can't show the Kings/Aces in each individual packet before they vanish but I think the kicker ending compensates for this weakness so I will be using this routine.
A setup is needed for this routine, I think you could get into it while talking to your spectators, the setups a bit larger than what I would normally do in front of an audience but it can be done.
G.A.F.T. - A card is selected, it jumps to the top of the deck, it is then 'split' into the 2 Black Jacks. The selections then jumps between the 2 Jacks then vanished again to reappear reversed in the centre of the deck.
As the name suggests you will need a gaff to perform this, you will probably already own it but if not it can easily be made. This routine is very quick and visual and not too difficult to perform. There is a small cleanup needed at the end, but you have the misdirection of the card appearing reversed in the spread of cards so it shouldn't be a problem.
Indications - 2 Cards are selected and returned to the deck. A card of a different colour to the rest of the deck jumps out from the centre, you explain that this is an indicator cards which can be used to find selections. You show that the card next to the indicator card is the first selection, you also show that the indicator card has turned into the first selction. The 2 cards a placed on the table. You show that the first selection has turned into the second selection and the indicator card has also changed into the second selection.
This is a nice effect which has some similarities to the Chicago opener, the effect uses only a couple of basic sleights but is very powerful. This is very practical and I will definitely be using it. There is one sleight which may have a bit of a problem with angles but it could be substituted with several other moves.
Final Thoughts
Positive - The effects on this DVD are very practical and all of them can definitely be used in the real world, this makes quite a change as often when I buy DVD's I find that they are filled with great ideas that don't really work for real people.
The effects are all quite simple and no difficult sleights are used at all, every effect can be achieved without excessive practice. Everything appears very clean and fair to laymen.
Syd's explanations are very detailed and he doesn't leave anything out, he provides many valuable tips on handling.
Negative - The effects are only performed for a camera, it would be nice to see them performed for a live audience.
Some of the effects don't appear to be particularly original, they are varitaions on routines by other people, as I wasn't familiar with most of the originals this wasn't a problem for me. If you have a very extensive knowledge of card magic you might not gain much from this DVD.
Conclusion - This is a great DVD with routines that you will actually use, it's nothing revolutionary but it will probably be very useful to you.
