"The Changer" by Mark Southworth
Suggested Retail USD$59.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 4 Out of 10

"The Changer", another Mark Southworth effect, is a neat idea, but a gimmick that is all too apparent to too many spectators and a ditch that limits practicality make this little more than that: just a neat idea.

The effect is quick: a box of blue Bikes is shown, waved a little in the air, and it changes to a box of red Bikes. There is no cover, no great motion of the thing -- it just changes color in a blink. When you're done, you're left with a regular card box and a regular deck to go about doing whatever other thing with them your little heart desires.

Sounds pretty neat, doesn't it? And the big selling point -- that the box is instantly examinable -- makes this more than a little interesting and quite attractive to many, I'm sure.

Ah, but there are problems and they are huge.

First, let's tackle the whole "world's first examinable color-changing card box" claim, as per the ads. Don't buy it. Yes, it's examinable when you're done, but only after you've managed to ditch the gimmick as quickly and smoothly as possible. If you throw that into the mix, then there are other such "examinable" card box routines out there and have been for some time.

But the hype can be overlooked; the gimmick and its problems cannot be.

Here's the thing: the gimmick is smart, but it's also apparent. Taking this one out for a walk became a very short stroll; too many people saw "something" about the card box that drew their interest and watered the effect of this one down to almost puzzle level. And the more you use it, the more apparent that something is. That right there pretty much sinks "The Changer" as far as it goes. But there are more issues.

The gimmick is remarkably fragile, breaking during a practice session even though -- yes, Virginia -- it was handled with care. You're on your own when it comes to fixing the thing because there are no instructions provided by Southworth on the DVD. It's easy enough, but if you're not familiar with the necessary parts and pieces, you'll spend an inordinate amount of time figuring things out before you get it right.

And then there's the ditch to clean things up and make it the hyped "examinable".

Now, I'll be the first to admit that the ditch Southworth uses doesn't bother me at all. I've used it since Ed Solomon introduced me to the concept as both a ditch and a load and I use it often. However, I don't use it when surrounded and I don't use it when I'm not wearing a waistcoat. Why? Because those are the requirements for it. Someone behind you paying attention? You're busted. Not wearing a coat? Busted again. For some, that may be an issue; for others it's not worth mentioning. For the former, I mention it.

So is "The Changer" worthless then? For most folks in most venues, let's just say it's going to be a disappointment. If you're working bars or other low-lit venues, you can probably get away with it but I wouldn't swear to it; it may do nothing than forestall the inevitable.

This is one that, with so many other color-changing box routines out there (especially now), I just can't recommend except to those that have seen the online video and are in love with the thing going in (and even those few folks may end up feeling bitten).

"The Changer" by Mark Southworth
In a Blink: 4 Out of 10

Practicality: 5
On the plus side, this is easy to do with a quick set-up and leaves you with a normal card box and deck in play. On the down side, the ditch kills you if you're not wearing a waistcoat and people are anywhere behind you and the reset may take a private jaunt to the bathroom to get it right. All in all, it may take some to make this practical for some venues.

Workmanship: 3
The idea of the gimmick is good; the realization of it is not. Having it break during a practice session is bad enough; having it so apparent in use that spectators pick up on "something" not being right with the box is worse, and the more you use it, the more apparent it becomes. Not good.

Documentation: 7
Southworth does a great job of teaching his material, but it would have been nice to have a maintenance section on how to fix the thing when it breaks.

Effect: 3
It looks good, but spectators are sharper than some folks give them credit for. Do this one in a dimly lit room and you might get away with it, otherwise people will see something is up. That makes this one play a lot weaker than it could, and should.

Presentation: 3
The presentation is what it is, meaning it's all about the visuals and, with this, that's just not good enough.

Shane

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