On the other hand, John Carey's "Handle With Carey" offers 11 hard hitting routines, all of which are from John's working material, but often only require basic sleight of hand skills. I found lots to like here.
"Gemini Detector" is an excellent, commercial effect - my favorite on this disc. A spectator peeks at a card and then you ask three questions about the card and the spectator is encouraged to lie or tell the truth. You write what you think is the spectator's card on the back of your business card. The spectator freely deals cards onto the table and stops at any time. The business card with your guess is inserted at that point in the deck. When the business card is turned over, you show that you wrote down the correct card. Even better, the card that the spectator dealt to is his card. This one is great because it leaves your business card in the spectator's hands.
"Simple Fusion" is an "anniversary waltz" style effect. Here, you sign the back of your selected card while the spectator signs the front of his selected card. In the end, the signatures appear on the front and back of the same playing card. One plus with this effect is that unlike traditional "anniversary waltz," you don't have to use gimmicked cards as it employs a regular playing card. This one is based on a Shawn McCree effect that was taught on his excellent Mix and Mingle title (you can read my review here).
"Counting on You" is something of a chosen card at any number effect that is based on a Paul Cummins routine. After a card is selected and replaced, a second spectator freely names a number between 10 and 20 and the magician quickly cuts that number of cards from the deck. And when the cards are counted and verified, the last card is found to be the spectator's selected card.
In "3 Chances," you give yourself three opportunities to identify a spectator's selected card. After missing twice, you use two wrong cards to reveal the spectator's card in an impressive manner - rising from the deck in a card sandwich. This one is based on a principle that most magicians are probably familiar with.
"Balducci As I Balducci," is a variation of classic "Do As I Do." The spectator selects a card for the magician and then the spectator freely selects a card that is not seen by the magician. Both are returned to the deck. In the end, the magician finds the spectator's card and the spectator finds the magician's card in a seemingly random way. The plot is great, but I'm not all that fond of the "random" selection process at the end. It's a clever idea, but I have always found the procedure to be rather convoluted. "Sticking Up for Larry" offers a signed card to a chosen number. After a card is selected, signed and returned, a second spectator names a number and the signed card is found at that location. This powerful routine is impromptu and based on a Larry Jennings routine.
As the name implies, "Searching for a Sandwich" offers a card sandwich routine. A card is selected and glimpsed by spectators. The magician then takes the jokers and places them on the top and bottom of the deck. Over several phases, the jokers are found to be moving closer, towards the middle of the deck. Ultimately, they sandwich the selected card. This is a great routine and Carey offers a nice subtlety to convincingly execute the classic Erdnase color change. This one is a winner.
"Speccy With Magician" is a counting trick where the magician and a spectator trade roles. 12 cards that have been counted become 11 cards, and a card that the magician selected vanishes from the deck. This one is impromptu and quite strong.
Getting away from cards, "BTB" offers a trick with a borrowed and signed bill. A pill bottle is brought out and placed onto the table. The borrowed bill is folded and then it vanishes, only to be found in the bottle in the end. It's a powerful take on classic "card from box" that is commercial and good. Best of all, you only need an opaque screw top medicine bottle, not an expensive, gimmicked prop.
"WTF Pocket Interchange" employs the four aces and three freely selected and signed cards that transpose with the cards that have been placed into the pockets of the magician's jacket. It's a no palm method, although I think I prefer palming to the switch employed here. All you need is a deck of cards and a jacket for this one.
Carey explores coin magic with a couple of routines. "Triple Inpursination" offers a color change with a coin. A single coin is brought out of a purse and it changes from copper to silver to a Chinese coin. At the end, the three coins vanish and are found back in the coin purse. This one requires a well known coin gimmick but requires no difficult moves.
"GYS Coin" is a great single coin routine where one coin vanishes and reappears several times, which, at the end, turns into a jumbo coin. For these routines, you'll need a solid classic palm, spellbound change and fundamental coin sleights, and Carey teaches lots of great moves to support the routine.
For the card tricks, Carey teaches all of the moves that you'll need in a separate section - a system that works well. But if you already work with cards, you will already have the means to accomplish the necessary controls and such. One notable, I do like Carey's spread to a selected card that leaves you with a DL.
This DVD will appeal to intermediate as well as experienced magicians. Intermediate magicians can learn some great routines that don't require complicated sleight of hand, and learn some new moves along the way. Meanwhile, experienced magicians can learn some first rate and entertaining plots where they may apply their existing moves. Either way, this DVD is a worthwhile title.
More Reading:
Review of Mix and Mingle
Review of "Stand & Deliver" by Shaun McCree
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