Jim Sisti – Penguin Live Lecture

Jim Sisti – Penguin Live Lecture

[ 1 MP4 ]

What will he teach?

Entitled The Best of the Menu, it comprises effects that were contributed to The Magic Menu during its eleven-year publication run. The material, from many of magic’s notables, was selected based on several criteria – each effect has a strong impact but a fairly easy methodology. Additionally, they are all well-suited for walk-around performance, with special attention to ease of reset with little or no angle sensitivity.

Tramsmutation (Jim Sisti) – A borrowed, signed five or ten dollar bill apparently transforms into a one-dollar bill. The alarmed spectator is assured that what he’s just witnessed is a clever piece of sleight of hand as his signed bill can now be found in the previously examined, empty change purse that was sitting in full view. This trick is also included in the lecture for sentimental reasons – it was the very first trick ever published in The Magic Menu.

Sonata for Ring & String (Dan Fleshman) – A four-phase routine with a borrowed finger ring and a length of cord. This routine is notable not only for Dan’s original moves and his innovative takes on classic ring and string sequences, but also because of the way the routine builds theatrically. This routine is also perfect for the table-hopping or strolling performer mostly because each phase is strong enough to be the climax should the routine need to be shortened due to food service interruptions, etc.

The Two Card Trick (Bert Allerton) – Bert Allerton was arguably the first restaurant magician and this is a perfect example of the kind of commercial magic that he would use to entertain the Hollywood celebrities and society elites who would frequent Chicago’s Pump Room where Bert held court for years. This three-phase card transposition routine is perfect for table hopping as it can be ended at the end of any of the phases if an interruption (such as food service, etc.) occurs. That the magic happens in the spectator’s hand is yet another bonus.

Signature Transpo (Tom Ladshaw) – The performer has a spectator sign his name on the back of one of his business cards and then places the card in the spectator’s pocket. The performer then signs his own name on the back of another card. Instantly, the signature on the back of the card the magician holds changes into the spectator’s. The spectator then removes the card from his pocket to discover that it now bears the performer’s signature.

Aces Under Control (Mark Leveridge) / Estimation Aces (Marlo/Loryane/Sisti) – A visual, yet amazingly easy-to-do, four Ace production is followed up by a variation of a classic of card magic where the Aces are lost back into the pack but easily found by the performer in a variety of ways.

Miracle Speller (Oscar Weigle) – A very commercial effect, easily adaptable for trade shows, that should have been a part of the Frank Garcia issue of The Magic Menu that never happened due to the great man’s passing. A selected and replaced card is discovered by the spectator spelling the name of any famous magician they wish – one card for each letter – and then the magician doing the same with his own name, with the selection turning up on the final letter. Again, this effect can be adapted for honoring a special guest, promoting a product or service, etc.

Grandpa’s Fruit Knives – Jim’s presentation for Michael Skinner’s color-changing knife routine. This is used in the lecture mainly to discuss how to make a trick “fit” your personality and style.

EZ-Peek – An easy way to divine a selected card, even though the spectator has complete control of their cards. No forces, key cards, stacks, etc. Use the information in a variety of ways (in a one-ahead routine, such as Mental Epic, for example, or just a straight-ahead mind reading presentation.

Mixed Symbols – Five ESP symbols are shown and the performer is able to determine which one the spectator thought of despite the cards being mixed by both performer and spectator. Again, this is a highly adaptable routine that can be used with Tarot cards, conventional playing cards, and, for impromptu situations, even business cards.