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DiceMan
by Andy Nyman
Reviewed by Anthony Owen
Yep
Andy Nyman has done it again! DiceMan is Andy's newest addition to his small
number of terrific trick releases for the magic community and is launched just
in time for his third lecture at The Magic Castle next month.
The performer explains that - just like the protagonist of Luke Rhinehart's
disturbing cult novel, The Dice Man - they have given up making decisions and
that all their decisions are now made by the roll of a dice. A stack of
laminated cards, each numbered from one to six, are displayed. The performer
explains that on the other side of each card is an instruction which they must
follow today if that number is rolled. The spectator rolls the ungimmicked dice
to select a number. The six cards are laid out and the spectator turns over the
card bearing the rolled number to reveal the instruction 'BE NICE'. The
spectator turns over the remaining five cards to reveal that any of the other
numbers would have produced a very different result bringing the trick to a
shocking and amusing conclusion.
Like Andy's 1997 release 'Killer Elite' this has a wonderfully appealing plot
and is a real baffler for a lay audience. However, DiceMan is a real fooler for
fellow magicians too. There are no multiple outs. The above description is what
occurs every single time the trick is performed whatever number is rolled. I
like to think that I'm pretty knowledgeable about magic methods but when Andy
performed this for me I was completely fooled for the first time in months. Andy
has come up with an idea which transforms an age-old method and, as far as I'm
aware, has never been utilised before. This trick is wonderfully deceptive and
yet devilishly simple to perform. Hey, I might even say it's 'sleight-free', but
hopefully I'd convinced you to buy it before we got to that.
The trick comes with the special laminated colour printed cards, a dice, a very
cool printed aluminium business card holder for the cards and - as those dealers
used to love to say - the 'special something'. The 4 page instruction booklet is
well written and has clear illustrations from Danny Buckler.
© Anthony Owen, October 2002
DiceMan costs £20 + p&p. (UK allow 10%)
Until it's release there are only two places you can pre-order it:
If paying by cheque you can order from Andy directly:
Andy Nyman
67 Hammersmith Grove
London
W6 0NE
The exclusive online pre-release is via:
www.alakazam.co.uk