iCandy DVD
Lee Smith and Gary Jones
Reviewed by Elliott Hodges

 
Yesterday I was in London all day and got home at about 8.45 with aching legs and feeling absolutely shattered. All I wanted to do was eat dinner and go to bed.

However, when I got home I had the parcel I was expecting from RSVP magic. Tiredness was quickly forgotten as I simply HAD to watch iCandy.

Gary Jones and Lee Smith are both VERY busy workers with annoyingly creative minds. A release from both of them had to be watched straight away.

This is a collection of 15 routines taken from their working repertoires.

Here they are:

Kick Back Kings - This is a superb sandwich routine from Lee. It has an ending that will knock you sideways when you see it and will probably send your audiences into some kind of mind warp. It’s the sort of thing that normally uses dupe cards but with this you’re set to go with any deck at any time. My favourite routine from Lee on this project.

Kick Back Kicker - This is an optional follow up to Kick Back Kings. It’s a lovely little transposition between the selection and the sandwich cards. It can be done on its own or, as I said earlier, a follow up phase.

T.N.T - TNT stands for torn and transposed. This combines a prediction with a insanely visual torn and restored card. The plot is hard to describe but it’s very easy and you’re good to go with any deck at any time.

Eyephone 10 - This is Lee’s much-discussed card routine which was released on it’s own a few weeks ago. They’ve included the WHOLE project on this DVD. This is great. It involves a signed card, a presentational hook that really makes sense in this day and age, some very funny moments, an unbelievable ending and most importantly - your contact details. This also comes with ideas from Ravi Mayar and other great magicians.

Easy eyephone - This is Gary’s take on Lee’s effect. It’s just as powerful and even easier than Lee’s original. I don’t think one is better than the other necessarily but it’s just a different take.

Scoop - If you like anniversary waltz but don’t like having to keep buying double-facers to perform it then this might be for you. It’s very easy, is very visual, just uses one regular deck and makes sure the spectator remembers your name.

3C - This is a great 3 coin routine from Gary. Coins appear, disappear and reappear in an unbelievable way. Great Stuff!

No Palm Coin Through Table - This is a superb routine from Gary. Four coins pass through the table with no sleights whatsoever. Think Slydini without palming.

Ring to Purse - This was on the demo for the DVD. I watched it a good few times and by about the 6th time I finally had an idea how a TINY aspect of this worked. I was SO wrong. A finger ring is borrowed and held in your fist. A purse is displayed with some coins inside. All of a sudden, your fist is unclenched to show three coins and the purse stops rattling. Brilliant effect and a method which can be applied to lots and lots of different effects. I can’t wait to start working on this one.

No Sleep - Gary has put work out on this incredible transposition before and I’ve been doing it everywhere lately. Five cards are displayed. One is put into the spectators hand. The other four cards are shown to be the kings. The four kings in your hand instantly change place with the one card in their hand. It simply defies belief for laypeople. I actually can’t stop doing it to people.

Vanishing point - I confess to giggling like a five year old when I watched this for the first time. I was fooled BADLY. If you’ve forgotten how it feels to be a muggle then I suggest you watch this first. An incredible sandwich routine and I’m itching to have a go at this.

6 Card Dunbury - This is Gary’s take on Charlie Miller’s Dunbury Delusion. It’s a nice plot and Gary has put in a great emotional hook-namely a chance for the spectator to win some money.

One short of a full deck - quite simply brilliant. A brainwave deck with any pack and with no rough and smooth. The second phase takes a classic effect and puts it into a logical context.

Pocket to pocket to pocket - Gary’s signed card to pocket which is just impossible to follow and just leaves your head spinning.

Triple choice - Lee’s card effect for a slightly larger table. Think tossed out deck meets card to wallet meets multiple selection culminating in a fabulous card routine.

Both Gary and Lee have released lots of stuff before. All their material on their previous releases have been first class, workable and stunning.

Having watched this DVD I’m left asking one question-

How many A-list sets of material have you both got?

Recommended unreservedly.

 

Available from www.walkaboutmagic.com and www.rsvpmagic.com

 

© Elliott Hodges, February 2011

 

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