Thanks for the heads-up, Tony. My Penguin Live lecture is now available on Penguin Magic! Stream it, download it, watch it anytime: http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/8078

And thank you, Oscar, for that thoughtful review of the lecture. I hope you'll post it on the Pengiun site!

Excellent lecture, and definitely recommended for anyone who liked the Hass and McBride Mystery School-filmed lectures.

I really enjoyed David's lecture and will post comments at Penguin.
As for the Hass lecture, not so much.

Thanks, Tony! And thank you too, BCE! Glad you enjoyed my lecture. Hope you'll post your comments on the Penguin site as well!

Big thanks to everyone who has purchased my Penguin Live lecture. With your help, I reached the top ten list of magic inventors on the site! So far, the lecture has only one review — a great one! — so, if you enjoyed the lecture, if you found the ideas valuable, please consider posting a review. That'll help other kindred spirits find it. Thanks again!

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/8078

I posted a detailed review, but it could take 1-2 days for them to post it (according to Penguin). My last review took 3 1/2 weeks to show up.

Thank you, Tony! Makes me wonder: is there just one dude moderating all the reviews and comments and such for the Penguin site? If so, let's all chip in and buy him one of those ergonomic chairs. And a bottle of gin.

I was passingly familiar with David Parr. I have a copy of his book Paper Prophecies, had seen him on an old Eugene Burger video, and had read the occasional forum posting. I started the lecture expecting a pleasant diversion with a few gems. Not only did it exceed my expectations, but I finished the lecture energized & excited about the possibilities of my own magic practice. Not only are there great effects I plan on getting started with today and ideas I plan to adopt in the future, but David's discourse on theory is incredibly clear and practical.

This lecture isn't filled with new ways of divining pin codes, variations on centre tears, or re-hashings of Annemann, but is instead filled with something much rarer... uniqueness and originality. The effects are idiosyncratic in their inception and elegant in their execution, while at the same time being commercially performable in almost any situation from the stage to the living-room.

Many of the effects involve compelling objects that you can leave with the participant. The thaumatrope routine is going to be performed as is, and the paper fortune-teller will be made up with a more “esoteric” angle (David: thinking of quaternaries, the 4 elements will work. Earth, Air, Water, Flame/Fires). There is also a mental card trick that fooled me badly, a beautiful & classical effect with an origami bird, and and extremely engaging & dramatic interpretation of classic “acid test” called Dinner with the Borgias.

David's theoretical discourse was worth the price of admission. Instead of invoking vagueries like wonder and enchantment, he offers clear and cogent advice on structure, drawn from a lifetime on the stage as a dramatist. You will walk away with concrete advice on how to conceptualize and contextualize what you do. Whether you are interested in narrative on stage, or just like to do a series of tricks, you will have some tools to instantly improve your scripting, delivery or patter.

I am a long time fan of the Penguin lecture series, but am not often compelled to write a review. There will be something of substance for everyone on this video. Recommended.

Thank you, Lucien, for the amazingly thoughtful review! Very much appreciated.

David, you have 4 5 Star reviews up on Penguin now.

Ah, yes! Tony posted a very thorough and well-reasoned review, which has now appeared on the Penguin site. Thanks, Tony!

I just watched about an hour of the lecture and I want to say to viewers: Be prepared to spend time with someone who talks with his hands. A lot.

Looking forward to watching it this weekend...

Hope you enjoy it, RudolphRassen

Lucien, your review has finally appeared on the Penguin site. Thank you!

Just finished watching it and it was an excellent lecture! (Don't worry about talking with your hands - it wasn't that bad and I know people who are much, much worse...)

I really enjoyed "The Oldest Trick in the Book". I am always fond of origami type effects. I know what you mean about people keeping the item for long periods of time - I have done napkin roses for people and have seen it at their homes years later. The "made right in front of me" turns it into something really special...

Also enjoyed the theoretical discussion on structure.

If I am in Chicago, I will have to see the Magic Cabaret.

Thank you, RudolfRassen! Glad you enjoyed the lecture. When you have an opportunity, I hope you'll post a review on the Penguin site. And if you plan a visit to the Windy City, do let me know. It's always fun when magi drop by!

Already posted!

Merci beaucoup! Much appreciated.

Is there a template for Fortune8 with the Penguin download? Revisiting the lecture again (as will likely do again soon) and I thought you mentioned a template but it's not with the download section (is it?). Thanks for any clarification.