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"The Disposable Deck" by David Regal
Suggested Retail USD$20.00
Available from direct from David Regal
In a Blink: 9 Out of 10

Sometimes I hate David Regal. This is one of those times.

David Regal is one of the most creative people out there (in fact, it was his classic "Close-Up and Personal" that brought me back into magic after all those years; yes, you can blame him). He's a wonderful thinker, as creative as anyone can be, and writes so clearly I've yet to have to re-read a single instruction of his to get the job done.

But along he comes with "The Disposable Deck" and I have no clue how to describe it.

I can tell you what the spectator sees easily enough: after a series of card tricks, you take the deck and wad it up into a tiny ball. The end.

So, you tell me: is "The Disposable Deck" really a trick? Is it a throwaway gag? What's the dang effect, anyway: transformation? And if so, into what? In not, what else is it?

See? David Regal makes it easy to perform this little piece of strangeness, but he makes it hard to describe to others.

I'll give it my best shot.

"The Disposable Deck" is definitely weird. A friend of mine did it for me (he got his hands on it before I did) at the end of an Ambitious Card routine and it went right over my head. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. You know that almost-mystical "Moment of Astonishment" we spend so much time talking about? "The Disposable Deck" hit me with that. It was done so off-handedly, so casually, that when it dawned on me what had just happened I was stunned. Yes, jaded ol' me.

Then, in full analysis mode, I started picking it apart. It's just a visual gag. Cute, but honestly not worth the time or effort. Too easy for spectators to figure out what happened. You name it, I came up with it.

Until I did it exactly as Regal describes it in his instructions. No playing around on my part -- I did it straight, and after I had already done a few tricks. That's how I knew what I looked like when I got bit with it. Spectators at first were just too surprised to do much of anything and then the laughter and giggling started and then the applauding. You'd have thought I'd floated ten feet off the ground or something.

What can I say? At that point, "The Disposable Deck", whatever it is, whatever we call it, became a keeper.

If there are any drawbacks to "The Disposable Deck", they are minor compared to what you pull off. Repeating the effect can require a trip to the bathroom if you're in a strolling situation, and you have to be a bit careful carrying it around. Performing it "anytime, anywhere" is a bit of a stretch, but it comes very, very close.

As I said, those are minor things. Here's the major thing I loved about Regal's "The Disposable Deck": you can use your imagination.

There are bushels of things you can do with this other than what Regal recommends (and Regal's uses are wonderful). Yes, it is a bit of a throwaway, but that's part of the beauty of it. It's quick, odd, striking, and, as such, will fit just about anywhere in your routine. If you're feeling ambitious, you could build a routine around this weirdness. Doing that, this may just be a great piece of your own personal reputation-maker.

All in all, for the price, you're not likely to get the same effect with anything else on the market right now.

"The Disposable Deck" by David Regal
In a Blink: 9 Out of 10

Practicality: 8
There's a set-up, which will most likely send you to the bathroom if you feel the need to repeat this, and carrying it can cause problems ("careful" is the first word that comes to mind), but that's about it. Really minor things considering what can be done with this.

Workmanship: 10
Gorgeously printed for both blue and red Bicycles (enough for a hundred performances of each colored back).

Documentation: 10
Thorough descriptions, tips and tricks, and different versions to fit your abilities and nerve... no problem with learning how to pull this one off and Regal shows all the attention to detail he's known for.

Effect: 9
This is just plain weird, and it hits people that way done as presented. Go a bit further, add some thought to it, and this could be a reputation maker.

Presentation: 9
The presentation here is fairly straightforward, but what you can wring out of it can be just powerful. The visual, done on the offbeat of all things, makes this a definite piece of strange.

Originality: 10
Vanishing decks? Yes. Changing decks? Sure. Decks that screw together, turn clear, or become a solid block? Absolutely. A deck that gets wadded up into a small ball and thrown away? That's Regal's fascinating creativity at work.

Available direct from David Regal for around USD$20.00. Dealers, please contact Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-853-7403 or visit Murphy's Magic Supplies website.

Shane