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Spotlight on Carey
Reviewed by Andrew Murray
In a marketplace stuffed with below par material, it is refreshing to see John
Carey share some truly ‘excellent’ routines with the fraternity. Friends, you’re
in for a real treat with this DVD release, John’s first! I’ll address my
favourite routines first:
Triple Impurseination is a fusion of coins to purse and triple spellbound
(copper to silver to Chinese). It is elegantly constructed, highly magical and
free of any extraneous moves - a hallmark of John’s magic! I predict this will
find its way in to many working repertoires!
Counting on You is John’s variation, and (in this reviewer’s opinion)
improvement, of Paul Cummin’s Counting On It from his FASDIU lecture notes. The
plot is simple - a number between 10 and 20 is chosen. The spectator counts to
that number and remembers the card that falls at the chosen number. The deck is
reassembled. The magician shuffles the deck and cuts a block of cards from the
centre. This block of cards is counted and is found to match the number thought
of by the spectator at the beginning of the effect. Assuming the number chosen
was 14, the fourteenth card is revealed to be the spectator’s selection!
John’s clever application of subtlety over hard-core technical ability puts this
stunning effect in to the hands of the masses. This one’s a definite ‘keeper’!
Inspired by Pierce is a devious repeat signed card to pocket routine. Four kings
are introduced and a signed selection is added to them. Five cards are counted
and instantaneously one disappears, leaving behind just four kings. The chosen
card is retrieved from the front trouser pocket. Again, five cards are counted.
Suddenly just four remain - the four kings - the signed selection has vanished
once again and is removed from the pocket to conclude.
Simple Copper Silver is a wonderful handling of the venerable copper - silver
transposition in a spectator’s hands. John has tackled the plot without the aid
of gaffed coins, and his two phases stand up to the best routines out there. His
naturalness of handling is a lesson in itself.
Slo-Mo Collectors is a brilliant version of Roy Walton’s Collectors plot. Three
cards are chosen and replaced in to the deck. The four aces are introduced and
are placed face up in to the centre of the pack. One at a time, a face down card
appears between each ace. These are revealed to be the chosen cards. This is a
beautiful piece of visual card magic that LOOKS like real magic! You will need
to apply good technique (taught superbly by John) to make this look as effective
as John does, but this is a stunning effect that deserves the required input.
Possibly my favourite effect on the DVD!
Floating Ambitious Card is a fooler! It is a visual rise of a chosen card from
the centre of the deck to the top of the deck. John’s handling of this Ben
Harris idea is something you’ll want to plug in to your ambitious card routine.
Say no more!
If the DVD contained just these 6 routines, it would be value for money at just
£15/$25.
However, there are eight other routines on the DVD as well as work on the
Overhand Shuffle Peek Control and The Cull (with applications).
Of the other routines, John teaches his handling for the classic Biddle trick,
teaches an excellent in the hands six card Oil & Water, shares his one coin
routine, performs a devious sandwich routine, teaches us his Whispering Queen (a
revelation and transformation of a chosen card), two handlings for cards across
(Simple Sequence and Thought of Card Across) and tackles the ‘Card At Any
Number’ plot. It’s quite a collection of material!
Until recently, John only shared his thoughts and ideas with a select group of
close friends. Now his material is available to everyone. What are you waiting
for?
(This DVD is available from John directly. He can be reached at
johncareymagic@googlemail.com)
© Andrew Murray, March 2009