So a magician buddy shared that he’d just scored a much coveted gig at a restaurant and asked me to recommend a solid opener he could do. His needs were very clear: the close-up material had to be entertaining but foolproof (i.e. there is no way anything can go wrong like the classic Invisible Deck routine), impressive for spectators but easy to do (in other words no difficult or complicated sleights and moves), ideally audience interactive (easy for people to understand) and leaves a lasting impression where patrons would remember his name (so they’d ask the boss for him whenever they come back next time). With all the above criteria, one card trick in particular immediately leapt to mind. Read on to find out more ;)

All too often magicians shift their attention to new exciting releases, forgetting about wonderful gems from years ago. This inevitably creates a tsunami of performers dishing out the same exact trick with an all too similar cookie cutter patter and presentation. So that being said, I thought it would be good to focus on some of all time personal favourites and this clever one by Brent Braun has to be one of my top five card tricks ever. Read on to find out more about Position Impossible!

If you have always found Troy Hooser’s Charming Chinese Challenge to be a beautiful coin routine (it really is) but were daunted by all the sleights and moves you needed to master to pull off the effect, you’d be mighty pleased to meet its nifty “little brother”… Miracle Pickpocket by R. Paul Wilson. An interactive close up coin magic routine that involves your audience, it’s a modern day miracle that is fun and easy to do. Read on to find out why I consider this clever close up routine perfect for your next table hopping gig, or to show off the next time you’re at the pub with friends. It might even score you a few free drinks at the bar ;)

As I’m recuperating from the side effects of the Moderna vaccine, I thought I’d take some time out to share about one of my all time favourite reads from my magic/ mentalism library. Dice Mysteries by Steve Drury (co-founder of PSYCRETS British Society of Mystery Entertainers) comes in a gorgeous hardcopy and the delightful tome is 583 pages long. Read on to find out why I absolutely LOVE this book and consider it to be one of the best investments you can truly make.

Not all coin tricks are created equal. Not all coin gaffs are created equal. Does this make cents? Or are you not yet coin-vinced? Perhaps you’ll change your mind after checking out Paul Vigil’s CBS aka Copper Brass Silver. Read on to find out more ;)

You may already be aware that there’s an awesome smorgasbord of highly visual Rubik’s Cube magic available today, so I thought I’d just share my favourite effect. It’s a nifty one by the internationally respected grandmaster of cube magic, who featured this very routine in his live shows and TV appearances…

If you’re a magician looking to add some fun pizzazz from the usual cards and coin tricks in your repertoire that would really shake up your audience… but don’t want to bother with having to wear a jacket or deal with troublesome reels and props that take up too much pocket space, read on… you’d be pleased with this very nifty offering from Puerto Rico magician, Reynold Alexander.

Every now and then, whenever a respected professional releases a gem from their own working repertoire, I’d sit up and pay close attention. But when it’s a creative pro like Chad Long… and it involves a pop gun which you can use for target practice… that’s when I say: SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

In the world of magic, there’s a category that I like to call “by the way/ in your face” magic… visual stuff that happens when people least expect it. For instance, sunglasses that appear on your face before you magically change the colour of the frames. You know what I mean. Performance material like that are great especially when you’re putting together a showreel (hello Netflix!) and fab even on popular social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram. It’s quick, it’s dirty, there’s no long drawn out patter, just BOOM in your face visual magic. So if you’re looking for such ideas right now, you’re in for a treat ;)

A couple of months ago, just before revamping NingThing.com, I’d reviewed David Regal’s Color Changing Knives which he had just released in time for the holidays. I gave it a glowing review after being throughly impressed, and you can read all about here. But this review isn’t about that… I’m here to share all about another modern close up miracle that the same ingenious man engineered: Letter Perfect.

A special 100th anniversary marked deck that’s been recreated and improved for the 21st century , and designed by Phil Smith? Say no more!

If you could only perform just one trick, something that would engage your audience and make a lasting impact, what would it be? After much pondering, my answer surprised me. It wasn’t the biggest props, wasn’t the most expensive, wasn’t the newest or coolest, it didn’t even use electronics or gadgets… But this one is very close to my heart because it’s utterly brilliant, beautiful, and plays exceedingly well to a small intimate group or to a crowd of thousands.