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Nikodemus Inner circle 1140 Posts |
This is part of Ron Bauer's "Private Studies" series. It's a pamphlet of 32 pages, that gives a script plus various handling tips for his version of the Slop Shuffle "Triumph" effect.
[I know some purists would argue that it's not Triumph unless you use the actual Triumph shuffle, but you know what I mean.] I bought the pamphlet because a lot of people on the Café recommend it as a great source for tips on the Slop Shuffle. Now I own it, I must say I disagree with that opinion - it says very little about the Slop Shuffle itself. But it does have some useful tips about some other sleights. The SCRIPT - This script is based on a pretty standard storyline of the annoying spectator who deliberately tries to messes up the trick. RB makes it more interesting by contrasting his own "fairness" in how he handles the cards. Many people rave about RB's scripts, but to be honest, I found this all rather too familiar. BUT he goes into a lot of detail about how the script dovetails with the performers actions, to provide motivation and cover for the sleights. This is something I strive to do anyway, so maybe I am less appreciative than others would be. If you are good at sleights, but struggle with "patter" [a word I hate] I think you would get a lot of benefit from seeing how the whole thing is tied together into a flowing narrative. CONVINCING CONTROL - He goes into a LOT of detail about the CC. A lot of this is subtle psychology - which I love. He puts a big emphasis on the "fairness" of the selection process, which cleverly justifies how he handles the sleight itself. I didn't realise how good this was till I watched some CC demos on YouTube that lack his finesses. They look clumsy by comparison. He includes a couple of great tips about the physical handling; but the real strength lies in the subtlety of the overall impression created. I finally feel like I might be able to make the CC work for me! He also has one specific change to the CC handling that allows a nice convincer display that would not normally be possible. This works really well in combination with the Slop Shuffle - but could also be used in other contexts. SLOP SHUFFLE - As mentioned above, he actually says almost nothing about the SS per se. But he provides useful ideas for the SS in the context of this effect. EG. He modifies the SS handling very slightly to accommodate the CC convincer display mentioned above. He also describes how to use the squaring up of the sloppy shuffled deck to create another convincer moment. AFTER the Slop Shuffle itself - Due to the nature of the SS, there is always a further stage required to get to the final position of all cards facing the same way except the selection. RB uses the fairly standard approach of "randomly" cutting (in the hands) to show cards face up, face down, and "back to back". I didn't think there was anything new here. RIBBON SPREAD REVEAL - He breaks this down into TWO ribbon spreads. First ALL the cards are shown to be facing the same orientation. Then, he re-spreads, and the selection has instantly reversed. I think this is a great way to make the most of the final moment. Personally I found this rather tricky, but it's a lovely idea for those with the skills. OVERALL - this pamphlet was not at all what I expected, because I though it would be all about the Slop Shuffle itself. At first I was a bit disappointed, but over time (about a year later now) I have come to see that there is a LOT of great information here. I bought it from Penguin for $7.50 (reduced from $10.00) - and have no regrets. |
Illusion77 New user 75 Posts |
Thank you for the review.
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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Books, Pamphlets & Lecture Notes » » REVIEW - Ron Bauer - Fair & Sloppy (0 Likes) |
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