Review: Collard by John Archer

In the spirit of mentalism effects where an object predicts some random input from audience members ala “Koran Medallion” and Don Wayne’s “Room Key,” “Collard” allows audience members to freely name a stuffed toy dog and later discover that its tag already has its name inscribed on it. This one is good and it’s definitely a stage effect.

You bring out a stuffed toy dog and tell the audience that it needs a name, and then ask audience members to contribute random letters that you write down on a “naming document.” You call a spectator on stage, hand her the stuffed toy and ask her to read the “naming document.” After reading the document, the spectator discovers that the tag on the dog’s collar displays the name that was given to it by audience members.

The use of a stuffed dog will gain immediate sympathy from a crowd. The method is in the vein of classic “Koran Medallion” and is not difficult to learn and perform. There is some minimal sleight of hand and as long as your comfortable in front of a crowd, you should encounter no problems executing the trick.

As with classic “Koran Medallion,” you’ll want some distance between the audience and stuffed animal. In fact, I wouldn’t perform this one unless you were on a formal stage or similar distance away from the audience.

As in “Koran Medallion,” there’s some subtle wording and resulting actions on the part of the volunteer that reinforces the effect in the audience’s mind. However, because the tag is fixed to the stuffed animal, this effect is not as convincing as classic “Koran Medallion.” You don’t end as clean.

I’m mostly familiar with Johnny Thompson’s version of “Koran Medallion,” as explained on Stand-Up Magic - Volume 1 (World's Greatest Magic) (please click here to read our review). In Thompson’s routine, numbers are called out by spectators and Thompson removes a medallion that’s hanging around his neck that has the numbers engraved into it. Because the effect uses a medallion that may be handed to the on-stage spectator, the routine is stronger.

Collard is a great effect. Just be sure that you have the adequate distance from your audience to execute it.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $68

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