This is a tough one to review. Mike Caveney is a legend both as a performer and as a historian. I was super excited to see his name appear on the "coming up" list. But this lecture, compared to others, is a bit short. The whole concept of the "Live Act" is to teach an entire act. This is def. not a full act. The first trick doesn't feel like something Mike would actually use as an opener and in the explanation it turns out its a small impromptu version of a full act he does with his coat hangers.

The Bill Repeat and Bill in Cigar are full routines and are very good and the explanation is VERY well thought out. Most of the time is Mike walking through the construction and various version he has used to perform the Bill in Cigar. This is actually VERY interesting to watch and shows you what detailed steps a real pro will take to get such a perfect effect.

I get that Mike wants everyone to buy his book, but I feel like he held back a little too much. While the lecture is educational, and certainly worth the money, it falls very short compared to other Live Acts.

I wasn't going to write a review of this until I saw an unenthusiastic one... though I did have some sympathy for the reviewer.

For $40 it wouldn't be the best value for someone looking for a lot of close up or walk around effects. This features 3 parlour or stage effects. And as far as ACTS go, I certainly know that Mr. Caveney has a few more precious sets that he has kept to himself.

So maybe it'd be a better value to buy his book.

I agree that this lecture isn't for everybody.
HOWEVER, but it was certainly for me.

Caveney's lecture reflects all the thought and ingenuity I imagined real magicians practiced when I was just a kid. It *was* old fashioned! But in the best possible way.

I cannot wait for his second one.

This was a fantastic lecture. I've been reviewing it and it's getting better with each time I watch it.

There are pearls of wisdom in every corner of this lecture. Seeing him perform it straight through, transition, open and close was very enlightening. You see the blocking, how he knew each and every word he was going to say and even facial expressions. It's really wonderful to see.

The tricks were also great.

The Power of Darkness is a wonderful effect where you can let the audience in on it early. It's easy to do and has a fun premise.

The $10 bill trick is amazing. I remember seeing this forever ago and thinking how much fun it was. It's a fun trick and can be a nice lead in to any routine with the volunteer. This is a big improvement over the Kaps version.

The bill in cigar is worth every penny. While you may never make the gimmick needed. There's a TON to learn here. Watching him perform the routine it worth it greatly. Even if you do bill to fruit, envelope etc. this is a nice way to give humor to the routine based off of Terry Seabrooke's. The cigar however, IS possible without the glass tube. While I'm sure we all want one (I do!) doing the routine as originally designed still works and works very well.

Buy this if you want to watch a professional entertainer explain his work and his thoughts on his act. If you are buying this with only the intention of the bill in cigar... You may be missing the point. There is so much more in here for ANYONE looking to perform for real paying audiences.

Caveney is one of the best! I love his explanations. Not only does he tell you how to do the trick but also the thought process that went into it. For me the later is far more valuable than just learning a new trick. With over 3 hours of lecture, this is a great bargain.

Firstly, my primary focus in this world of magical arts is mentalism. Mike Caveney is not a mentalist so, obviously, none of what Mike offers up in this lecture falls under the mind reading ilk. And yet - I found this lecture to be absolutely fascinating.

Rather than packing in a dozen routines with an all-too-brief explanation for each one, Mike delivers three really terrific routines and then digs down deep to provide you with not just the how-to but, more importantly, the why this thing works. He provides the history behind each routine (Mike is a brilliant historian) and applies those origins by telling you how he created the effect and how he solved various problems during the evolution of the effect. He teaches you to never stop thinking about the effect and to continue to refine and polish, making the method and/or the audience experience better and better over time. You get to see the results of his refusal to label an effect "Done" as he dissects every bit of each routine and prop. It is seriously, inspiring.

I've always loved the plot of the Ten Dollar Bill trick. Mike has taken this effect and not only streamlined the handling, but actually gave it a practical narrative that takes it from puzzle or confusion to a hilarious presentation with minimal moves and every move is justified! Unlike so many performers, Mike has thought about this over and over again so that it truly appears that he is doing...nothing.

Mike's Bill in Cigar explanation is the best video I have seen to illustrate why you should never stop thinking about your work. Even if you never attempt this effect, you will get a rare peek inside Mike's brain and see how this concept led to that concept, how this solution led to that solution, making it better for Mike and better for his audience. And if you do decide to perform this routine, you will have a beautifully detailed, step-by-step video tutorial on how to make this yourself. Yes, Mike actually pulls out the rubber cement and razor blade and makes this gimmick up, while you watch, in realtime. Mike may joke about "watching glue dry" but I was totally engaged while watching this complete process. It is simply inspiring.

It doesn't matter who you are or what you do when you hit the stage, even if you never attempt any of these offerings from Mike Caveney, you will very much be inspired to think more and have a better understanding of how a working-pro makes it all come together by watching this lecture. But please don't listen to me - go listen to Mike.

If you've read the description then you would know that you're only going to get three effects as part of this act. While that does not sound like much at all, but if you're interested in those types of effects then you'll get your money’s worth here.

Powers of Darkness – A great quick trick using a tied up loop of rope where the whole audience is in on the effect leaving the participant in wonder. You get the history of this effect involving complicated contraptions and how Mike wound up with this method that can be done with very, very little preparation.

Ten dollar bill trick – This is a fun trick which had its origins in card magic, but using bills makes more sense. You learn the technique in detail and Mike provides a definitive end to this trick that previously did not have a fully satisfying ending.

Bill in Cigar – This routine is pretty much what you would get this Live Act for. With an hour of detailed explanation, you find out the ins and outs of this routine. Note: There’s a lot of initial work involved to set this up but once you’ve got it made, you’ve got a miracle on your hands that can be done practically surrounded.

Mike Caveney has a way of explaining things that keep you interested and knowing the history of the effects he performs gives you a better appreciation of the routine, from where it started to where it is now.
If you enjoy this, you’ll want to get his book which he talks to Dan about at the end, amongst other stories.

Mike is so old school, the magic was dull, nothing impressive, and nothing new, and only three effects. Might not be the best choice here on penguin.

Mike Caveney lecture was awesome. Met Mr.Caveney on the set of the Tonight Show a few years ago. Awesome guy!. His lecture has great routines that work great for parlor and stage.Fantastic work Mr. Caveney!