There's an entire stand-up act on this DVD and you get two versions of a "bank night" routine, as well as two for predicting a freely chosen ESP card. It's one of the finest DVDs that I've seen in some time.
On a Tear
A variation on the Anderson tear, Tong's Jimmy Ray Paper Tear presents his torn and restored newspaper. Interestingly, Tong doesn't actually tear the newspaper because he feels that this tips the ending.Tong dresses his routine with lots of funny lines that are fictitious headlines. Another interesting angle, because you're not tearing the newspaper, you can reuse this one for several performances if you wish.
In the Bag
Tong performs his excellent Egg Bag routine that relies on a Malini bag. It's a great routine but there is no explanation here. To learn this, you’ll have to check out "Dan Tong: FINALLY! - 50 Years Of Magic Volume 2."Tong offers a three phase routine where an egg disappears in a little bag and there's a production of a real glass of liquid at the end. The glass is real and Tong actually drinks the liquid out of it.
I was blown away by Tong’s 5 Card Mental Test. You place a prediction into a glass where it can’t be touched and bring out five jumbo cards with ESP symbols on them (wavy lines, circle, square, star and cross). A spectator freely eliminate cards one by one - it's a free choice. When a single card remains, you bring out the prediction to show that you knew the result ahead of time.
I was amazed with this one, however, during the explanation, I discovered that the scenario shown in the performance before a live crowd, was the best, most impressive revelation. The others require some work and you may experience some heat with the necessary moves. This is why I preferred Tong's other ESP trick on this DVD, "4th Eye."
On the Ropes
Tong's stand-up Rope Routine is a commercial one that blends a cut and restored segment with Professor's Nightmare. Proceeding the rope routine is his Hat Tear segment that offers lots of interactive and humorous byplay with a good natured spectator.The finale is Tong's Bill to Wallet. A bill is borrowed, signed and sealed in one of four envelopes that are mixed up. The spectator chooses one, the others are burned and the selected envelope is opened to reveal nothing. The borrowed bill is revealed inside an envelope inside a zippered wallet (Seabrooke-style) and returned to the spectator. This is another worker's routine.
Beyond his stand-up show, Tong offers the intriguing Linking Paper Rings. You cut three paper rings out of construction paper and they somehow link.
As mentioned earlier, I preferred Tong's 4th Eye routine for predicting ESP cards. You hand out portions of a deck of jumbo ESP cards to the audience to be shuffled by three different spectators. A volunteer takes a group of cards and you can tell him each card that he is holding.
Rings and Things and Fine Array
A second ending to the "Bill to Wallet" routine mentioned earlier, is Revised Big Surprise, which is based on a Michael Close routine. Early in the set, you bring out a sealed can. As in the "Bill to Wallet" routine, you borrow a signed bill and lose it in a group of four envelopes. The spectator selects one envelope and you burn the rest. The chosen envelope contains nothing.You bring the can down from the audience and it's found to contain the signed bill. I like both variations. This one relies on a powerful psychological subtlety that is beautifully conceived and executed.
While I've been a big fan of the World's Greatest Magic Stand-up DVDs, Tong's latest title offers the finest collection of stand-up material since Bill Abbott's excellent Stand-Up Magic for Kids. You can learn a lot of from a pro such as Dan Tong.
And is this entertaining guy really eighty years old? If so, he's an inspiration to us all.
MSRP: (US) $35
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