"HypnoTrick" booklet by Ben Williams
Suggested Retail USD$24.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 5 Out of 10

"HypnoTrick", a booklet by Ben Williams, is an interesting idea for a good presentation, but has some weaknesses that will have to be overcome before this one will go past anyone.

The effect is straightforward enough. A card is selected and signed across the face by a spectator. The card is shown to others so they see the card and the signature. However, when the card is shown to another spectator (or group of spectators), the card is seen to have changed to another card yet still has the spectator's signature on it.

I'll admit, that does sound neat. And when you look at all the pluses it sounds like one heckuva trick: great angles, a quick reset, an easy handling, flexible presentational possibilities, the spectator really signs the card with no duplicate signatures, the card can be inspected at the end... well, you get the idea.

The problem with "HypnoTrick" is that the downsides are pretty heavy.

First, the gaff can be quite apparent. We're talking "sore thumb" territory here. If you're in close-up situations, this is particularly dangerous ground to tread. Playing with it, I managed to make one that wasn't quite so obvious but still it's not something I'd do close-up in well-lit areas; it's just too risky. Stick to darker venues or platform situations and you'll likely be okay.

Second, spectator management is vital here. Without it, the handling can look cramped and contorted which, while safer secret-wise, looks just plain odd. Luckily, this can be solved fairly easy with the right experience and it's a shame this wasn't mentioned in the booklet.

Third, the biggest part of "HypnoTrick" depends on a certain piece of knowledge about cards being lost to spectators. A good while back, this wouldn't be an issue. Nowadays, it seems everybody plays poker again and with that familiarity comes yet another chance to be busted wide open.

Fourth, the selected card changes to one just a little too close to it in appearance for my liking. I know, I know -- and I'll be the first to admit -- this is a personal quibble, but having a card change from the Two of Diamonds to the Jack of Spades is much more dramatic (and arguably harder to backtrack) than having one court card change into another court card.

All of this adds up to something that, while a slick idea, is just a little too hot to handle.

For myself, I've always loved this presentational hook, from Anneman's "Daytime Nightmare" to Harry Anderson's "The Shadow Card" (both of which I still perform way more than I'd like to admit). I was hoping "HypnoTrick" would live up to expectations but, alas, it just wasn't meant to be.

This doesn't mean "HypnoTrick" is useless. The presentation is a very good one, the idea a good one, and with a little more thought and work this could be a slick little reputation-maker. But as is, well, the risk-to-reward ratio is a bit too high for my liking. I'll take my money and order another "Shadow Card"; my current one's looking a little ratty.

"HypnoTrick" booklet by Ben Williams
In a Blink: 5 Out of 10

Material: 5
The idea is an interesting one, but care is the watchword here, overly so. While certainly not unworkable, it does require a lot of audience management and care to make sure this plays, especially in a close-up arena: there are just too many ways to get yourself into trouble with this one otherwise.

Quality: 5
The instructions leave a little to be desired at times but over all they are well done and cover things well enough.

Illustrations: 5
Illustrations in the form of black-and-white photos make this one easier to construct, as you'd expect given the material.

Presentation: 7
The presentation, popular since the days of Anneman, is a strong one. Done for groups, this is some powerful stuff. The problem here is the likelihood of getting busted if you don't exercise a lot of care and audience management (which can make this look cramped and too controlled).


Shane

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