Back in the last century, before he quit performing to become the UK's leading television magic producer and consultant, Anthony Owen was a professional close-up magician. On this DVD (first released on video in 1998) you'll get to spy on Anthony Owen and his colleague Paul Andrews as they perform walkaround ('street magic' style) close-up magic at a cocktail party in a hotel in London's west-end.
And after the party you get to listen in on their revealing chat over coffee as they share the real secrets of the business of performing walkaround ('street magic' style) close-up magic at receptions, cocktail parties, corporate launches and events. You'll get to learn the pitfalls, the advantages, the disadvantages and the tips to master this profitable market.
Plus you'll learn the secrets of a bunch of unique original material developed by Anthony and Paul for their professional performance repertoire.
Contents include:
SOBW: Anthony's acclaimed Oil and Water routine in which red and black cards are repeatedly mixed and magically separate. Finally the magic happens even with the cards face-up! This routine was the basis of the sequence performed by Alistair Cook (Monkey Boy) on Monkey Magic series one and published in Anthony's book Some Tricks. It was one of the hits of Anthony's acclaimed lecture at the International Magic convention in November 2007.
Derren Brown said "Anthony's Oil and Water is the cleanest you'll ever see."
Aldo Colombini said "I love Oil and Water routines. Anthony showed his routine to me and I can honestly say that it is direct to the point, magical and entertaining. Few Oil and Water routines can live on that!"
Daryl said "Looks terrific - like real magic!"
David Berglas said "The best Oil and Water routine I've ever seen."
Marc De Souza said "One of the cleanest, most magical looking handlings for the classic effect I've seen. An entertaining presentation, with an instant reset and no difficult sleights."
Nicholas Einhorn - who performed it in his routine at The Magic Circle Centenary Close-up Show - said "Anthony's oil and water routine is one of the fairest looking, most baffling versions I have ever seen or used. It consistantly fools and enthralls all who see it whilst building theatrically at every phase. The final revelation is so amazing people go WILD. Frankly I'd prefer it if Anthony kept this one quiet!"
Brainwash: A version of the classic Dai Vernon Brainwave Deck effect which can be performed with a borrowed regular deck. A spectator freely names any card they wish and you reveal that you knew in advance which card they would name and – as additional evidence you even have a duplicate of the freely named card in the zippered compartment of a wallet which an audience member was holding onto before the card was even named! No restricted choice – no stooges - they can name any card - and absolutely no palming or sleights.
Pencil through Coin: A pencil is penetrated through a borrowed initialed coin. Anthony's great handling enables the spectator to actually remove their marked coin from the pencil themselves! Malcolm Yaffe wrote in Abracadabra magazine, The World's Only Magical weekly: "The best handling for the Pencil through Coin I've come across."
Birthday Deck: A pack of cards with dates and months on the faces with which you can predict any one of the 365 days of the year - it could be a spectator's birthday, anniversary or anything - and then cause all the other cards in the pack to turn completely blank! Nick Menday wrote in Abracadabra magazine that this routine was: "a stunning effect...simple, direct and easy to perform".
Plus: Life is Sweet - an instantly reset routine in which you take your audience back in time just by using items which can be found in any restaurant or party setting. Palmprint - you prove that the future really is in a spectator's palm with this simple strong routine. Coin Across Body - a vanished coin magically appears in a spectator's hand - twice! Match of the Day - a lit match vanishes from your hand and appears in a spectator's tightly closed fist.
Mandy Davis, professional magician, wrote in her review in Magicweek: "I bought this and discovered I had an investment rather than a purchase.
"I was booked, for a very large sum of money, to perform at a mix and mingle reception. As a fairly new magician, who had only done restaurant and dinner table work, I was not familiar with the walkaround concept so decided to get some help. This video gave me everything I needed to know.
"The video, featuring Anthony Owen and Paul Andrews, is filmed at a club where a drinks party is taking place. The opening and closing sequences, as the guys arrive and leave, are filmed in black and white (check out the famous doorman) but the rest is in colour.
"Eight tricks are shown, the pair working alternately, plus a performance of Anthony's Ambitious Card Routine. However, for me, the value comes from the middle section which shows Paul and Anthony chatting about the difficulties of this type of work. Between them, they cover everything - from approaching a group to asking for a response or help from people holding glasses and food. Paul and Anthony have different ways of breaking the ice and discuss their methods fully. They talk about the amount of material you might need to have on hand and even reveal the lines they use in various situations. Everything you ever need to ask is there and it is worth watching regularly to keep their ideas alive in your mind before you go out on a booking.
"And then there are the tricks. I seldom learn from books or videos as I don't have the patience – but I took one routine from here as soon as I saw it. It now forms part of my regular material and, even when I'm not working, I am ready to perform it anywhere and at any time.
"There are several card effects. Palmprint has a chosen card found and reinforced in an unusual way whilst Brainwash is the revelation of a named card and has a kicker ending. The Birthday Deck is fun and doesn't use playing cards in a regular way and Anthony's acclaimed Oil and Water routine is also featured. (This routine was the basis for the one that Alistair Cook performed on series one of Monkey Magic and is a feature of Nicholas Einhorn's performing repertoire.) There are also tricks with lit matches and packets of sweeteners and routines such as Pencil Through Coin and Coins Across.
"All are well explained in the last section of the video. All are easy to do. One or two need the added purchase of a special substance but, as this is readily available at a reasonable price on this web site, there is no problem.
"To sum up - this video is well worth adding to your library if you are either a working magician or an enthusiastic amateur who likes to perform at friends' parties or at the pub. The tricks can be mind-blowing if performed in the right way and the advice given is invaluable."
Leading corporate magician, David Hawkins, wrote:
"So, you've got a close-up booking at a big hotel. A company is entertaining its top clients with a cocktail party and needs some entertainment to act as an ice-breaker. Full of excitement you arrive in the room armed with your close up mat, cups and balls and some shiny new half-dollars for that matrix routine you've been working on.
"Unfortunately there is a slight problem. What you failed to realise is the significance of the words "cocktail party". This means that the guests are going to be standing around in groups chatting, with a drink in one hand and some tasty morsel of food in the other hand. In other words there are no tables at all - you have got to perform standing up, walking around mixing with the guests and, in most cases, completely surrounded.
"This type of situation is becoming more and more common, particularly at corporate events. Unfortunately there are very few books addressing the particular problems this raises (except for two excellent publications by Kirk Charles and Paul Green). Anthony Owen and Paul Andrews have decided to rectify this situation with the very first videotape devoted to walkaround magic.
"The video kicks off with performances of some very strong effects in a real live situation. This is the only way of seeing how to really perform the routines and, more importantly, get an idea of the reaction the effects get from a lay audience.
"The performance section is followed by an informal but in-depth discussion of the particular problems raised by this kind of work and ways to avoid getting into trouble. This really is fascinating stuff and contains some amazing gems of advice.
"The second half of the video consists of very clear explanations of the eight effects shown the performance. It is useful to recall the audience reactions to the effects as they are explained - this is very, very commercial magic.
"Overall, a fantastic video and the first to address this type of performing. In terms of production values sound and vision are first class. I can sum up in two words - BUY IT!!"
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