DVD Review: My Ideas - Vol. 2 by Fantasio

With "My Magical Medicine Cabinet," Fantasio presents an intriguing concept. A single box that looks like a medicine cabinet, but allows him to perform an entire show. The adaptations of classic magic effects using medical props are clever. However, clever doesn't necessarily translate into great magic. This doctor's kit is a mixed bag.

Fantasio presents a box with a mirror on it, his "medicine cabinet." From here, he takes out various medical items and performs tricks with them. Band-Aid and Comb is a paddle routine that uses a hair comb with a small band-aid stuck to it. However, the comb is not symmetrical and when Fantasio vanishes the band-aid, the tines on the comb change directions. I think that sharp-eyed spectators will catch this.

In Bayer Jumbo Aspirin, Fantasio shows an empty aspirin tin and then pulls out two large pills as a gag. The pills are large, but not big enough to be outrageous. While this gag effect is adequate, I prefer Bill Goldman's similar-themed jumbo pill routine. Goldman's capsule is outlandish.

Fantasio takes the Okito Coin Box back to its original roots and uses it to cause pills to somehow pass through it. Here, Fantasio uses some type of real pill box and not the well known magic prop, and doesn't talk about where to find one. It's a short, one-phase routine.

The best routine is Fantasio's Vick Sinus Cap, which uses the cap of a sinus spray as a thimble that vanishes and comes back. The kicker is a gimmick that causes the uncapped sinus spray to quickly recap itself - the cap suddenly reappears on the bottle. This one is good, but Fantasio doesn't explain the thimble routine that he performs, he only discusses his brilliant gimmick.

A classic ring and rope routine is the basis of Gauze and Tape. Here, the cover for a roll of medical tape becomes a ring that repeatedly links and unlinks with a length of gauze. Fantasio offers a brief explanation of three phases. Fantasio offers a continuous production of Q-Tips that is based on cigarette palms and moves. There's not much to this routine. Fantasio produces four or five Q-Tips and that's about it. Surely a good routine would call for a jumbo Q-Tip at the end or something.

Dental Floss is Fantasio's brilliant adaptation of classic Gypsy Thread. Here he takes a length of dental floss and uses the cutter on the box to slice it into smaller segments, which are ultimately restored.

Editor's Note: Since this review published, magician Joe Givan informed me that this dental floss version of Gypsy Thread was originally created by Lonnie Chevrie. If you want to learn this effect, called "String'Em Up," check out Wanted! The Outlaw Magic of Lonnie Chevrie: Volume 1.

While it's not performed like the classic "Ball and Vase" trick, Roll-On offers an effect that looks similar in plot, but is performed using a roll-on deodorant case. This one-phase trick is adequate - the ball is taken from the top of the roll-on, vanished and made to reappear on the deodorant case. My problem with this routine is that I think tricks with roll-on deodorant are something that audiences don't want to see. It might work if you're Amazing Johnathan, but a deodorant roll-on is probably not something that a magician should be carrying around and performing with.

In the second "deodorant" trick, Fantasio causes a selected card to rise after the deck is placed inside of a stick deodorant case. The method is brilliant, but again, I can't think of any close-up performing gig where I would want to carry around a stick deodorant case and perform with it. I can just imagine the sickening hit it would be at a restaurant.

Mirror is Fantasio take on the well known trick where a mirror is slid into a bag and the performer passes needles through it and bends it. Fantasio cleverly incorporates the mirror prop as the front of his medicine cabinet. As a bonus, the DVD features footage of Fantasio some fifty years ago performing his stage show that are a pleasure to watch.

I like the clever concept of performing a set of magic tricks with a theme, in this case, a medicine cabinet, but the effects found in My Ideas - Vol. 2 by Fantasio are a mixed bag. But then again, the Gypsy Thread and Sinus Cap are worth the low price of $15.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $15

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