|
|
Vinny Sagoo's Magic & Mentalism Lecture
The Order of The Magi, Manchester
17th October 2023
Reviewed by Jonathan Royle
If
I start by telling you that at the end of this lecture I walked away (as did
many other Magi Members and visitors to the event) with a Neo-Magic Tote Bag
packed with magic and mentalism tricks, and even a book on Maths Magic & Principles
containing links to numerous training videos, then you may well be able to
predict correctly that I and everyone else in attendance truly enjoyed this
lecture.
Indeed I was not alone in finding this lecture, which consisted of performances
and explanations of many original tricks and highly original slants on old ideas a
night to remember and one full of practical hard hitting, easy to follow and
truly memorable routines as I noticed the vast majority of those who attended
also eagerly grabbed everything they could get their hands on from Vinny’s
Neo-Magic back of the room dealer stand.
The opening was a mathematical routine that will make you look like a true mathematical
genius able to do lightning calculations in the form of quadrant
divisions. Trust me when I tell you everyone gasped in amazement in the room at
how rapidly Vinny was able to do this mind-blowing calculation with 6 randomly
chosen numbers. Witness this routine and even those usually against performing
"Maths Magic" will love the simplicity of performance and method, which combined
make this a reputation making routine.
The Perfect Match is a coincidence routine where ultimately cards match and a
prediction on a matchbox shows everything was pre-destined making this ideal for
performances at wedding events at the happy couple's table and a must-have for
events around Valentine's Day.
Will Our Minds Merge is a variation of Larry Becker's "Make the Cards Match"
routine whereby there is also a hard hitting and unexpected prediction effect
built in as well as a twist on the usual coincidence effect of the cards
matching, despite the random way they are mixed along the way by one or more
spectators.
Ultimate Princess was Vinny’s variation on the classic Princess Card Trick where
one card is mentally selected and this merely thought of card then magically
turns over before then turning blank before seconds later each and every card in
your hand turning blank on both sides. Again this is another routine with
massive impact and really easy to perform.
Connected is the perfect Every Day Carry (EDC) being a small plastic card that
can be carried in your wallet enabling you to read people's minds and reveal the
random object they are merely thinking of with absolutely nothing written down
at any time. A very nice use of a very old often underrated principle in magic
and mentalism.
Along the way hints and tips were shared including a handling of the Optical Count
that makes it way more convincing in my opinion and then we were treated to
Ouija, a routine where someone just mentally thinks of a question to ask the
Spirit World and without anything being written down you are able to
miraculously give the person a reading and reveal the exact thing they were
thinking of. Anyone who does readings of any kind will find this invaluable to
add to their arsenal and indeed all magicians and mentalists will soon discover
that for the right audience in the right place this looks and feels like real
magic.
Finally Vinny, who is both an excellent creator and performer, but also a great
easy to understand teacher of all his creations of which every single one he
showed us was a true workers gem, treated us to Supernova.
This trick is loosely based on Roy Walton’s "Oil & Queens" routine but takes
things oh so much further, with so many unexpected twists and turns along the way
that arguably this may well be the most impactful, amazing and multiple effects
combined into one packet trick that I have ever witnessed. Yes, it uses an
Elmsley Count, Hammond Count and Optical Count, so will take a little practice but
the effort will be more than worthwhile as this combines Oil & Water type visual
effects, with Sympathetic Cards and several highly visual hard-hitting endings
that hit like unexpected exploding stars... hence the name Supernova.
Vinny Sagoo presented The Order of the Magi members and guests with a lecture
containing absolutely no filler with not a single second-rate trick in sight.
I can honestly say it is extremely rare that I have attended a lecture where I
find that each and every routine shared is both practical, deceptive,
entertaining and truly commercial on all levels, and yet that is exactly what
Vinny Sagoo delivered and as such I would unreservedly recommend you check out
his Neo-Magic line of original effects and get him booked to lecture for your
Magical Society and/or Convention.
This lecture was packed with Pure Gold.
© Jonathan Royle, October 2023