"Friends Volumes 1 and 2" DVDs by Bruno Copin
Suggested Retail USD$160.00 each
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Friends", a two-volume set of DVD and props by Bruno Copin, is simple a must-have collection for anyone working with thread. Period. His routines are gorgeous, his presentations magical, and his thinking a beauty to see.

And all of that comes from the mouth of a guy that hates thread.

Well, I do. I hate thread and thread hates me. I can look at a strand of it from ten feet away and it'll disintegrate into a hundred pieces. I can touch the end of a length of it and watch knots mysteriously appear up and down its length. I can think -- merely think, mind you -- about using a thread reel and it falls apart into an 3D puzzle of plastic parts.

Then Copin came along, with his slick gadgets and simple handlings and great ideas and, before you knew it, there I was -- in front of people, mind you, not in the comfort of my own padded cell -- performing a routine relying on thread. And knocking them for a loop to boot.

Not that I recommend this for beginners, mind you. This is all top-of-the-line material and with that come a need for experience, not just with the props and gimmicks, but with audiences and venues. But Copin's work is so elegantly simple -- assisted by his devices -- that doing Copin's routines is actually much, much simpler than it appears.

The routines... there's so much to be said about them. Let's start by referring you to a few online videos that will give you an idea of what you're getting (the first volume can be found here; the second, here). That'll give you a hint of what you're getting here.

The routines are beautiful to watch in most cases, simply fun in others, always just a little more magical than they, by rights, should be. Copin puts so much into his routines, both the presentation and the methodology, they can't help but be intriguing and magical. Here are the highlights, starting naturally with the first volume:

"The Butterfly Effect" was the first effect I went for and went for big. In this one, the spectator cuts the deck, with the performer taking one half and the spectator holding the other on their outstretched hand. The performer turns over the top cards of each pile. With a flourish (a very nice one, in fact), the top card of the performer's pile spins on top of the pile, then stops, creating an "invisible wind", which travels to the top card of the spectator's pile and causes it to spin like the first. This is a very nice, very eerie looking effect and my instant favorite.

"The Magic Pitcher" is another favorite. In this multi-phased routine, a card is chosen from a shuffled deck, returned, and dropped into a small pitcher (a cup would suffice -- basically anything just large enough to hold a deck). A shake or two and the selected card jumps from the pitcher. The card is cleanly replaced and it happens again. Replaced again, this time the pitcher is given to a spectator who shakes it with the same results. Finally, the pitcher, deck and card are all placed off to the side... where the card jumps out of the pitcher all by itself. This one is just plain fun.

"Lie Detector" is also a fun piece. Yep, it's the old plot, but here the silliness of the device -- an improvised lie detector made of a watch and a cigarette -- gets center stage. When the spectator lies about the card, the cigarette jumps up as an indicator. You have to see this one to see the potential for entertainment in this one (and, yes, you can use other things than cigarettes).

On the second volume, the first thing that got me was -- oh, how embarassed I am to admit this -- Copin's floating bill, "Saint Exupery". Yes, folks, the one thing I never liked to see done with thread (for obvious reasons, at least to me), done as beautifully and elegantly as you can get. This is slow and attractive and a winner... and no "balled-up" bill. Gorgeous.

"Invisible Man" shows Copin's genius for presentation. In this one, he takes a plot he's played with in other effects on these discs -- that of a card turning over -- and applies it to a chosen card placed on a empty cloth glove. The performer turns over a card in his hands and the chosen card turns over as well. Very slick and shows just what a simple prop can bring to an effect.

"Lover in the Cupboard" is billed as a "substitution trunk style effect with cards", but that's only half the story; the story itself is the other half and, though a trifle risque, makes this fun. It's also extremely creative, using thread to effect a transposition. This is one that will get a lot of play from the folks that take on the task of learning it correctly. It's a beauty.

There are a number of flourishes taught on volume two that are extremely slick. Yes, I said "flourishes". Copin, you see, likes to push the envelope a bit and he's not above using threadwork to make a simple spread of a deck just that much more magical. These are definitely worth a look and, being judicious in their use, could make spectators' eyes pop right out of their heads. Really good stuff here.

I have to say, if all you got for your hard-earned shekels was the instructions for those routines, they would be worth the price. But Copin shows a genius for business, too, but including virtually all the props you need to perform his routines. With the first volume, you get his "Instant Thread Security" and a special small close-up pad for use with it. Put these two together and you've got what Copin promises: a quick, secure thread hookup that won't let you down. And if you're a bit picky about that mini close-up pad, you can easily adapt your own to work with ITS. You also get a supply of Copin's IT to work with as well, and the DVD shows you how to work with the thread as Copin does it.

Volume two is also loaded with goodies. You get the glove you'll need for Copin's "Invisible Man" routine, as well as a special (and very welcome) pair of glasses, complete with a very nice metal eyeglass holder, to make working with Copin's thread much easier. And, of course, you get a supply of Copin's thread to work with.

Really, all you need to supply is a deck of cards, a monetary note, and a few other assorted odds and ends to perform any of these routines.

You'll also need patience. These are not routines to be rushed through just because you think you've got the moves down. Copin's work is all about the little touches that, when added together, make for astounding effects. Be prepared to put in the work, for which you'll be richly rewarded.

If you work with thread, if you're looking for new ideas with it, then you need this series. Copin's thinking is original and elegant and worthy of examination and inclusion in your repetroire.

This is surely a must-have if ever there was one.

"Friends Volumes 1 and 2" DVD sets by Bruno Copin
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Material: 10
This is the, without a doubt, one of the finest collections of thread work I've ever seen. Going way beyond simple levitations, suspensions, and the like, Copin's work at times will have you doubting thread was even involved. Throw in various "Copin touches", like keeping the effects clean and emotionally appealing, and this set becomes a must-have for anyone working with thread.

Practicality: 10
As I was going through a mental checklist of what Copin's routines require, I realized it was useless to think in the usual terms with this. Copin's routines are, for the greater part, designed for more formal close-up situations; in those situations, this is perfectly practical stuff.

Quality of Production: 10
The production values are incredibly high here (the term "off the charts" comes to mind). Excellent video and audio, great navigation, lighting and mic work are spot-on... there's not a flaw in sight. And I didn't even mention the multi-angle shots and the zoom controls.

Quality of Instruction: 10
Copin does an absolutely splendid job teaching his effects. Copin knows his material, loves it dearly, and has a passion for it that translates well in his instruction. That he's got his work down to a science means that the explanations are always clear and concise; you'll have no problem learning his material at all.

Presentation: 10
Copin won my heart here. He likes to tell little stories, loves his analogies, and all of that makes for interesting magic. But more than that, he's put together routines where thread simply doesn't appear able to do the job... but does. Presenting his thread routines in such a way is sheer gold.

Shane

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