I met Doug Malloy while in San Diego during the IBM convention last July, and realized right away he had a real grasp of what works when performing. In fact, we stayed awake until sunrise discussing various magical ideas and concepts, it was great fun indeed.

Since that first meeting, I have come to not only appreciate Doug's various contributions to magic, but consider him a special friend. A few days ago I was surprised to find that one of Doug's stellar effects had arrived in my mail box. That said, I've written a few thoughts for you to ponder.

The Lemon Game by Doug Malloy
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Effect: Borrow a bill from an audience member. Have him sign his name across the face of the bill so they will recognize it later. Fold the bill up and place it into a small drawstring money bag. Ask the spectator to hold the bag in full view. Now, for the game! Bring out a stack of giant, laminated "valuable gift cards" worth over $10,000.00! The spectator will have a chance to win one of the valuable prizes. He randomly picks one of the cards, face down. Clip the card onto the stand. Now, show him what he didn't win. No sports car. No diamond ring. No $10,000.00 in cash. No computer system. No London vacation. Well, what did he win? Give him one last chance to pick either the prize card or his money in the bag. He picks the money.

Ah, well. Ask him to open the bag. He does. Inside is a slip of paper that says, "Congratulations, you are a Winner!" But the money is gone!! Turn over the prize card. It's a picture of a lemon! What a great prize!! Reach into your case and bring out a bag of lemons. He reaches in and freely selects one.

Bring out a knife and slice open the lemon. There inside is his $50 dollar bill with his signature right across its face! Unbelievable!
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The Bill in Lemon is a classic of magic, with many versions available both in print and on the market. Most professionals have included this in their acts at one time or another, and with good reason. This trick rocks!

For the novice, the effect may seem very complex, with many versions requiring extensive advance preparation. Though well worth the trouble, neophytes often make the mistake of passing this one by, never realizing just how well this plays with a lay audience. In my opinion, the Bill in Lemon is hands down one of the strongest effects you can perform. I personally close my stand-up shows with this, and have always gotten a great response.

That said, I was very curious about Doug Malloy's The Lemon Game. I had seen the various ads, and contemplated the idea of upgrading my current routine.
After all, if Doug's routine was as good as it looked in print, then the asking price was no longer a factor.

In addition, I loved the theme that Doug uses, which goes along the lines of the classic televison game show, Let's Make a Deal. The routine is not only entertaining, but gives a good logical reason as to why the spectator's bill should be found inside a piece of fruit.

So the next question should be: Does Doug deliver the goods? The answer is: Yes he does!.

Not only is this one of the cleanest routines I have ever seen, but the amount of bang for your magical dollar is absolutely incredible.

First, the routine is not difficult at all, and can be learned rather quickly, especially if you are already familiar with the various handlings available. Second, one of the strongest points of the routine is any bill can be borrowed, and then signed by the spectator. Later, when the lemon is cut open, it is the same bill, No switches!

What you receive is a very nice gentleman's briefcase. This is used to carry the various items required, and helps during the act itself. It is also a nice way to keep everything well organized, and ready to go at a moments notice. By the way, the briefcase is not gimmicked.

In addition, you receive all the necessary items to perform this effect, though You will still need to purchase a lemon from your local grocer. If you are a beginner, I would recommend buying several lemons to practice with.

When I say you receive everything, I'm not kidding. Doug really thought this whole package out. Beside's the briefcase, you get a special bag full of imitation lemons, a money bag, a Sharpie pen, high quality laminated game cards (Large stage size), a bowl that holds the lemon, a nice knife for cutting the lemon, special gimmick, printed routine and patter plus a instructional video which will guide you step-by-step along the way. This really is a complete kit folks.

I must say I was really impressed with not only the items received, but more importantly with the routine itself. Every little detail has been worked out through hundreds of performances. Mr. Malloy has left nothing to chance. I will be using this piece to be sure.

The only item which I feel could have been done a little better is the video itself. While the instructions are good (Doug is very detail oriented), the video's picture quality is not very good. A moot point, but must be mentioned.

Should you part with the cash for this little baby? Well, that really depends. If you are a working professional, yes. It will pay for itself time and time again. If you are simply a hobbyist, probably not, unless you can spare the extra moola. However, I strongly encourage anyone who is looking to add a special something to their act to seriously consider this wonderful kit. Folks, it does not get much better then this! Highly recommended!

My rating:

Suggested Retail: $325.00

Available from your favorite dealer or direct from Doug's website: Click here!

You can also contact Doug directly at:
doug@malloymodernmagic.com

Checks or money orders (U.S. funds) can be mailed to:
(Doug also accepts credit cards)

Malloy Modern Magic
1747 East Avenue Q Unit:C1
Palmdale, Ca. 93550
USA
Tel/fax: (661) 947-6581