Editor’s note : While I am only too well acquainted with the fact that
card reversals are far from new, the following concept struck me as being
cute and not to be found in print as far as I know. Please excuse both Mr.
DeLaney and myself if it doesn’t impress — after trying it out at least
once.
The effect is quite short and sweet, but one of those ideas suitable for
fast table work. A selected card is placed, by the performer, face up in the
pack. The cards are cut and, eventually, the card is found face down while
the two cards on either side of it are face up.
Two cards are reversed on the bottom of the deck at the start and the pack
fanned for a selection, the performer making sure that the reversed cards
do not show. As the pasteboard is removed, the performer turns partly
away from the spectator, saying “Look at it and remember it. I do not want
to see it.” At the same time a card is slipped from the bottom to the top of
the pack. When next in view of the audience, the top of the pack appears
to be the bottom, and vice versa.
The selected card is placed face to face with what is apparently the bottom
card of the deck. Emphasis is placed upon the fact that the selected
card truly is reversed in relation to the rest of the pack. To bear out this
statement the pack is shown on both sides. It is necessary to finish this
move with the opposite side uppermost and here is a very deceptive
method for accomplishing it.
The pack rests on the left hand. Place the right thumb underneath, fingers
on top of the pack, turn it over to show the “back”, then bring it back to
the former position. Now place the thumb on TOP, fingers on the bottom,
and turn the pack over; then without letting go turn it forward once more
and back. This reverses the pack But the spectator doesn’t follow it. All
this is done smoothly and openly while saying something such as “I want
it to be clear in your mind that your card really is reversed in relation to
the others.”
Now the pack is cut and the spectator sees a face down card ACTUALLY
BEING CUT TO THE CENTER. The performer pantomimes reversing
the selected card and the adjacent cards with the selected card between
them.
(By Annemann : I’ve been playing around with this idea since it came
in and, perhaps because it suits my nature which is more or less against
sleights which I can’t master, have gotten much fun from it, especially
the subtle but highly practical method of turning over the deck before
their very eyes. Therefore, my variation may be in order. It is less than
simple to know the identity of the two cards first reversed on the bottom.
Beforehand you prepare a little note as will be detailed below. Now
proceed. When the cards are found turned around you say “That’s odd.”
Someone says “The trick ?” You say “Not unduly so, but before I left home
I had a premonition and because I’m studying such things made a note of
my thoughts. Here it is.” The paper is read. “I have just visioned, for not
a reason that I can fathom, the two cards, —— and —–. I wonder if they
will affect my life within a short time ?” You finish “I never thought they
both would turn up at the same time — there are some strange things to get
to the bottom of, aren’t there ?”
A reader-performer might say that there is no reason why the performer
shouldn’t show the reversed cards on either side of the selected one.
But the audience doesn’t know that, and they seem always to be of the
opinion afterwards that the selected card was put freely back into the deck
reversed at any spot.
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