Issue 19 - Mar 08
Casanova Concept
Steve Haynes
Available from www.bigblindmedia.com
Price: £17.99
If I were to put down in writing the first words that sprung to mind when I first watched Big Blind Media’s latest DVD offering ‘Casanova Concept’, by Steve Haynes, I’d be arrested by the foul mouth police on multiple charges.
The ‘Casanova Concept’ is not a trick, let’s get that straight from the start. It is so much more than that.
It is a principle that can literally be applied to an endless amount of routines. To say the ‘Casanova Concept’ is clever is an understatement. Watching the beauty of this principle at work filled me with one of those, ‘God, I wish I’d thought of that!’ moments. It is official, I hate Steve Haynes! But for all the right reasons, of course.
All the effects on this DVD are first shown and then dissected by BBM’s Owen Packard and Dave Forrest in their own entertaining and thorough style!
The DVD kicks off with Steve’s signature piece – ‘The Casanova Closer’. All I’d say is, don’t open your routine with this unless this is all you perform. Effects don’t really come any stronger than this. Two cards are selected and signed by the spectator. One is placed inside their wallet or pocket, the other is lost into the pack. Instantly the card vanishes from the deck and appears inside YOUR wallet. You offer to the repeat the effect. This time when you remove the card from YOUR wallet it’s not the same card – it’s the other signed card, the one that should be in the spectator’s wallet. By this point you should have the spectator reaching for their wallet quicker than a quick thing on a quick day in quicksville. When they look in THEIR wallet they find the first signed card. Call the ambulance!
The Casanova Closer does use a gimmicked wallet (not supplied) but the DVD also offers a second version using a normal everyday wallet. If that’s not enough for you, the DVD also contains an excellent ‘card thru window’ (face up and signed selection) which looks as if the card is sucked through the glass. There’s also an easy no palm version of Francis Carlyle’s classic ‘Homing Card’. This really is easy.
‘Stroller Controller’ is a great commercial walk-about routine, with an almost automatic reset. A freely selected card is signed front and back and then lost back into the pack. Instantly you reach into your pocket to show that their signed card has been in your pocket all along even before they signed it.
And finally there’s a really nice torn and restored business card routine, ‘Rip Trip’, which is based on the ‘Sawing a Woman in Half’ illusion. A great way to give away your business cards.
The ‘Casanova Concept’ really is one of the best new principles in card magic I have seen for a long time. I only wish I could have it all to myself. If there’s only one thing you buy this year (although I doubt that) make sure you get your hands on this little beauty. Highly recommended. PS
What's Hot: fantastic concept with endless possibilities
What's Not: nothing other than I would have liked to have seen Steve himself
perform some of these effects on the DVD
Star rating: *****
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