I'm learning Seabrooke's "burnt note in wallet." I love everything about the routine, however there is a move where the bill is "fake" loaded into the envelope, but it is retained. I'm not happy with seabrooke's method, as it prevents the envelope from being examined, and it just does not feel right. Does anyone have a source for a convincing method to place a bill into a envelope convincingly but secretly switch it or retain the bill?

It sounds like you do not have the original Seabrooke instructions. Seabrooke does not pretend to place the bill in the envelope, but really does. This is a stage trick or stand-up trick in front of a group, not everything has to be examined to slow down the routine, as it is 5 minutes of time to present the whole routine. The slowest part is burning the envelopes, the audience usually wants that to go faster.

There are other methods, but from your post, I feel you may not like any of them if you are a purist. Did you place blank pieces of folded paper in all the envelopes as stated in the instructions? There is no switching of the bill in his routine.

His routine is pure gold, and I performed it as printed in his instructions for many years. It is a killer routine as is. It does not need to be changed in any way. The only reason I took it out of the act was because burning the envelops is dangerous and not allowed in many performance places today. I have not found a "perfect" replacement for the burning of the envelopes.

His complete routine as originally presented by him is in his book.

http://www.mcmagicwords.com/books_seabrooke.html

Seabrooke's Signed and Burnt Bill in Envelope in Wallet, is actually the combination of two classic tricks. The Card in Envelope in Zipped Wallet and Just Chance. Just Chance was published in an out of print small book called Unconventional Magic by Lewis Ganson. There are a number of Just Chance effects that have been put on the market using different props.

Just chance is the possible winning of a cash prize choice game with 4 envelopes.

Terry Seabrooke has combined these effects, into a fantastic routine, actually enhances the trick with the magic transportation of the destroyed bill magically appearing in a sealed envelope in a zipper compartment in his wallet.

Bill to the rescue again.

I have the hardcopy book, so perhaps I did not explain myself well. He does indeed place the bill in the envelope and it is immediately stolen. I should have said "stolen" instead of "fake loaded"

I agree that examination is unnecessary. However because he does alter the envelope (so that he bill may be stolen), you cannot show one side of it. It just seems like a psychological inconvenience if there was another bill steal available.

Thanks for your thoughts

I will respond in your post in the secret section.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......tart=0#5

Yes, it is nice to discuss magic that I have actually used for a number of years. You learn more from this and the reasons behind everything Seabrooke does by actually performing it. The 1st time I performed it as explained, I did not know why things were done the way the were or the patter lines given or what they even meant.

But during the performance everything came together, and it hit me, people laughed at lines and all the reasons became apparent.

A real winner of a routine.