David’s lecture was a master class in creativity, structuring routines, and theater.

While teaching the routines, detailed below, David explained the “whys” of his choices and alternative performances by changing how he says a certain word or line.

The routines taught are within everyone’s skill level as far and mechanics, so all attention can be given to the audience and the performance of the pieces. The material ranges from intimate close-up to stage, but each piece can play in any venue.

The lecture was full of insights based on actual performance stories and Joe Diamond, David’s performance partner, was there to give some insight on some of the stories and how impactful the routines are.

This is a wonderful lecture, the material is fantastic and there is something here for most everyone. And David was a delightful and gracious teacher. This is on my list of top Penguin lectures.

Below are the routines taught with the ad copy descriptions in "", my comments follow.

Proof Positive "An impromptu mentalism effect with imaginary coins."
This is a wonderful effect, and impromptu. David created a wonderful version that combines Imagination Coins and Positive Negative. He teaches every nuance and goes through any possible issue that I could think of.

Swindle "A bill transposition from my book Brain Food."
This has been updated and the gaff has gone through evolution due to the changes in US currency.
This new version will work with any bill (US currency) regardless of color or foreseeable changes. The effect is logical, and easily fits in your wallet for anytime performance, and is suitable for close-up, parlor, platform, and even stage.

Fortune8 "A prediction effect with the folded paper toy known as a “cootie catcher”."
This is a perfect effect and item for psychic home parties and I am adding this into my repertoire. Note: This effect is explained and taught, it uses a paper item many of us made in grade school. But if you want the PDF to print it out, you will have to purchase David’s book Paper Prophecies. You don’t need this book, you can hand make the item, but the PDF in the book makes it so much easier. Also taught/explained was Thaumatrope: Described as “A fascinating toy from the 19th century visibly transforms to reveal the face of a selected card.” Which makes a great give-away. I suggest purchasing Paper Prophecies anyway, not only do you get the routines and printouts for Fortune8 and Thaumatrope, you also get a nice 7 Sins routine, and it is only $15.

Psilocation "A card is selected, shuffled back into the deck, and I’m able to find it while blindfolded."
Another packs small plays huge routine that can be done close-up, at the dinner table, parlor, or stage. David uses a guest to blindfold him and finds a selected card under what appears to be impossible conditions.

Oldest Trick in the Book "An origami bird is torn and then restored."
Gorgeous theater, you have to watch this one, which is all I will say, other than the audience gets another take-home piece. PDF is included with the lecture for this.

Dinner with the Borgias "Also from Brain Food, this is a twist on Bank Night. Three guests choose one of four goblets. They discover that their cups are “poisoned” while mine is the only safe one."
David’s signature piece and the most popular piece from his book Brainfood (although my favorite is Werewolf). This is beautiful theater, and like everything David presented, technically within the reach of any performer.

This lecture ranks up there with the best I've seen at Penguin - and I've seen some good ones. David Parr is a thinking mans' magician and shared really well crafted routines honed over years of performance.

His Swindled routine was one of the highlights of his lecture and perfectly illustrates how a routine evolves over time in a working performer's hands.

The origami bird and Dinner with the Borgias are brilliant stand-up routines that look very commercial - and I could imagine them playing extremely well for real audiences.

Parr's lecture delivered complete routines with fully fleshed-out presentations. You can certainly tell the difference between prepared performers,experienced lecturers and performers with less "stage time".

Awesome lecture: a pleasure to watch ... entertaining and enlightening.

This is the Best Penguin Lecture Ever. Period. Every effect is usable, and has a valuable lesson in it. Other "Mystery Schoolers" don't have the talent, sincerity, or performance experience that comes with this lecture. David covers stellar material from impromptu situations with proof positive, to close up/strolling with his cootie catcher and mental card effect, to parlor, to SEVERAL full formal stage piecees with Swindle, paper bird, and Dinner with the Borgias. I actually saw David's theater show in Chicago and can verify he USES this material in front of ticket buyers. Beginner or advanced, there's something for everyone. Get this, and get educated! I'm excited to use this material!

This really is one of the best lectures I've experienced in a long time. All of this material is within the technical skill level of most magicians, as well as being practical, and performance tested. It's David's little twists on old methods that makes this stuff accessible to most beginners, and yet strong enough to fool professionals. Each piece makes me say, "Dang! I want to add that to my show. No, I want to add *that one* to my show. Wait, I want to add *that one too*!

The explanations are clear for he is a natural teacher. And, it's well worth listening to David's take on creativity, as well as his approach to magic.

But, if you get this lecture, that means more people will do this material, then I can't have it all to myself. So just don't. Let me keep it all!

David Parr is a fantastic thinker and creator of magical mysteries! His routines are "workers" and his routining is streamlined so there is no "fluff." His scripts are works of art in their own right.

David's explanations of the mechanics of his effects are clear and concise. He covers everything!

100% recommended!

I immediately put one of the routines in my act as my new opener!

I thoroughly enjoyed David's penguin live lecture. What an asset he shares with his background in acting and theater. This is where the real magic is created and shared with your audience. His explanations are meticulous and show so much passion and care.

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.

The advice and principals David gives are GOLD, for any kind of performer! If we could put the thought and effort into our routines magic would be magic! Thanks David for making me rethink and re look how I want to perform and give my magic to my audience!

David Parr´s thoughts on performance and theatrical structure are invaluable. And more than that the performances all live up to these principles. You can see how this creator works and you can learn how develop more concerted material.
And oh: The effects performed for the audience are honed practical gems.

If you wanna give yourself a treat, buy it!

David is one of the few magicians that is truly a worker. He's fooled Penn & Teller. He's had a regular show in Chicago for more than 10 years and can now be seen weekly at the new Chicago Magic Lounge.

In this lecture, you will learn a lot - from great effects to, more importantly maybe, his process of bringing an effect to life to effectively fit into your own show. David is a master of scripting whereas most of us are not - you'll learn from him and it will greatly improve what you already do well.

This is one of the best lectures on currently on penguin. That said, what are you waiting for. Buy this one!