Trilogy Streamline by Brian Caswell

“Trilogy Streamline” offers a “lite” version of “Trilogy.” Like the original “Trilogy,” this mentalism effect with playing cards offers three strong revelations with three audience members. This one is just as strong as the original “Trilogy” and better suited for strolling magic.

It’s easy to perform; spectators make free choices with a bit of suggestion and there’s no sleight-of-hand or difficult handling. The gimmicked deck effectively does the work and lets you focus on your presentation. Most important, the “Streamline” version of this trick allows the deck to be in plain view from the beginning.

Here’s the plot. You bring out a deck of cards and lay it on the table in plain view or have a spectator hold them. You name a playing card and ask a spectator to randomly select a number between one and 52. You name a second playing card and ask a second spectator to randomly select a second number. In the third phase, you name a number and a third spectator names any playing card. When compared to the original Trilogy, the choices for spectators one and two are slightly smaller, but the spectators have a free choice of a wide range of numbers.

You take out the deck of cards and show that the cards have numbers between one and 52 written on their backs. You remove the card named by spectator number three and place it face up on their hand (hiding the number on the back). You turn the deck over and remove the cards (face down) bearing the numbers named by spectators one and two (hiding the faces).

Now for the revelations. When spectators one and two flip over their cards, they are shown to be the playing cards that you initially named before they selected numbers. And when the third spectator turns over his card, it’s found to display the exact number that you named on its back. As the ads state, there’s no sleight of hand, forces, “aheads” or “roughs.”

This trick is easy to learn and perform and there’s a one-time preparation that takes about 20 minutes and once you do this, you’re ready to go. This one packs small as all you have to do is carry the deck of cards.

When comparing the original “Trilogy” and “Streamline,” this one works better for close-up/strolling while both are well suited for stage work (assuming you can draw numbers that can be read from a distance). Like the original "Trilogy," the cards have non-standard but generic-looking backs.

As I mentioned in my "Trilogy" review, I think that this effect is a nice replacement for “Invisible Deck” that is so well known and often performed. And Trilogy allows you to get three spectators involved and gives three phases.

“Trilogy Streamline” offers the same strong effect as the original “Trilogy” but with more convenient handling. This one is also good.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $35

Dealers can purchase from Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.