Trick Review: About Face by Jay Sankey

A variation on a classic packet card trick, Jay Sankey's "About Face" makes the printed Jokers on four Joker cards turn around, one-by-one. Spectators actually see the back of the head of each Joker on each card.

Sankey offers brilliant handling that makes it appear that all the Jokers are normal in the beginning and that all have turned their heads at the end. And he offers first rate instruction on the accompanying DVD.

Four Jokers are shown front and back, and then, one-by-one, each of the printed Joker illustrations turn face down on the cards. Most of the cards can be examined by spectators and the brilliant sequencing and handling minimizes the heat on the card that has not actually changed. The effect is not overly difficult, but takes basic card handling skills and requires practice to recall and smoothly perform.

The trick comes with all of the cards that you need and a DVD where Sankey offers thorough, step-by-step instructions. He also explains his “Deviant Behavior” routine that uses four Jokers and can be used as a companion effect.

My only reservation is that the turning of the Joker’s heads is rather subtle. Spectators have to almost be looking for the transformation. A classic “Twisting Aces” segment, on the other hand, has an entire card turning over, which is more obvious.

There are other tricks such as Ton Onosaka’s “Backing” where cards turn over, one-by-one, but at the end, the spectator sees the “back sides” of four kings. You can’t allow spectators to examine the cards and it’s not as clean as Sankey’s “About Face,” but it’s more visual.

You can’t go wrong with a Jay Sankey effect. But I think this one is a close-up effect that doesn’t play all that big.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $20

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