First of all I must say that Sylvester the Jester have been my idol for so long and I was so happy
to finally meet him here in Sweden many years ago.
So when I bought this lecture I really
was hopeing to see in detail how its done and how to make all the things from his act (yes I know
thats not possible, secrets to keep for him self of course) but still.
Any how yes, he
shows you what he uses, but to little and to fast. Sylvester the Jester is so much more and I think
it goes all to fast to really get a good grasp of what things are and how it came to be.
I
must say though its a great lecture and for sure worth the money. Just not exactly what I had hoped
for, sorry to say.
Sorry Sylvester.
6 of 8 magicians found this helpful.
This is my first review. I'm subscribed to Penguin Live monthly. It's a wonderful investment in my
career so I thank Penguin & Dan Harlan for putting these together! I'm a member of my local IBM and
SAM and several months ago our local SAM chapter had Dan Sylvester come to lecture. I've seen tons
and tons of lectures. His live lecture and his philosophies and ideas sparked my creativity and
imagination more than any other lecture I've ever seen. He inspires one to create your own ideas,
methods, & props. He's a mad genius who is sometimes a bit scattered but overall you can tell what
love and passion he has for the art. How he's turned his pain into art...This Penguin Live was a
great reminder of his lecture I saw in AZ...if you ever have the chance bring him into your local
IBM or SAM and see him live you definitely should! He's a great guy, very generous & a crafty
genius. I could have spent much much longer listening to him. He has so much to teach and talk
about. I'm a total fan of him now. You will be too. Get this Penguin lecture. You may not use one
thing from the lecture but you will be inspired to create your own methods & material more than any
other lecture you'll ever see!
4 of 4 magicians found this helpful.
Dan Sylvester has influenced my coin magic more than anyone else. His pitch got me thinking of coins
and what is possible in a whole new way. He once said it just feels magical performing it and that
holds true to this day. He got me going on my own pitch and his retention vanish is one of the most
beautiful underrated versions I've ever seen. But I'm not giving this 5 stars for my love of the
jester's coin work. Nor am I giving it 5 stars for the content or grace of the lecture. Dan is all
over the map. Truly a lost in thought, scattered genius. And that kind of mind doesn't always lend
itself to the most logically constructed, easy to follow lecture. I'm giving it 5 stars for the
refreshing change of pace and humanity displayed. I'm tired of all the slick, rehearsed patter guys
who fall back on the same smooth showmanship. Dan jazzed this and it's a lovely mess. He's a true
lover of creativity above all else and man is that refreshing. He wore his emotions on his sleeve
and it was all just a bit uncomfortable. Really hit the spot. Also, props to Dan Harlan for handling
a potentially awkward evening like a pro. 5 stars for creativity above all else.
4 of 4 magicians found this helpful.
This is one amazing talk by an extremely, extremely creative man. He shows and talks about his
creations, their history and how they work. If you like Dan or his magic, this lecture is worth
purchasing. However, it is not a situation where you will be able to come away and go down to your
basement and build these effects in a moment. He had the professional help of others in the
manufacture of many of his creations. What criticism I feel I have to offer, and it bothers me a
lot to do this, is that Dan Harlan, at times had to remind him to teach what he had demonstrated.
Also, the teaching, in my opinion, was lacking a little. I realize Dan (Sylvester) is not a teacher
- he's a magician and a creator. So I should not be harsh. However, since this teaching lecture
where we are learning some of his work, the clarity of how do do some of his effects could have been
a little better. That said, it is still worth 5 stars. His comments on his life as a youngster are
enough to make your heart bleed, and how he first saw an illusion in the shower, worked that into an
effect and took it to his more-than-stern father brought tears. Bless you always, Dan.
2 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
I initially purchased the lecture to learn The Sylvester Pitch. That alone was worth the price I
paid for the lecture, and then I learned so much more.
Sylvester may be to
Comedy-Magic what Robin Williams is to comedy
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
Really enjoyed watching this lecture. Dan has a very creative mind and approaches magic from such a
unique perspective that you can not help but admire and enjoy his performance and magic. My main
goal was to learn the The Pitch and see his routine ideas. Very well explained. Most of his effects
wont fit into standard magic shows, but there is still plenty to learn and it is one of my favorite
magic lectures. There are not a lot of magic tricks taught, but the insights into being creative
and what can be achieved is truly inspiring. This is not a polished lecture- far from it - more like
whatever comes into his mind and you just go along for the ride and it is a fun and revealing ride.
Looking for something out of the ordinary than this is the lecture for you. Even though the props
are never really explained in detail you can figure out many of them and try to create similar
effects for your show or better yet buy many from his shop. Going to order his mallet and a couple
of other great props. Comedy is king when performing.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
You're not going to walk away with a lot of tricks you can do. But this is a great reminder of the
lengths we can (and should) go to create magic that suits ourselves. Really inspiring.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
I've watched many lectures and this is absolutely one of my favorites. It's fascinating on many
levels. You really get a wonderful glimpse inside of a wildly creative mind, and feel a connection
with a genuine kind person. It's not a super slick clean presentation, and there are a few bumps and
slow spots along the way, but I agree with others that this is fantastic.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
It was so great to see this Master of Creativity.
I picked up so many cool tricks.
Although, Penguin, i do say that it would have been
nice to have Sylvester have more time to
practice his routine before performing. In Ken Webber's book, he mentions Sylvester as one of the
most creative persons in Magic. And it seems he did not have the time to really show his 'best'.
Besides that: GET THIS. Just his Sylvester Pitch and Toppit are SOOOO worth it. And you get
to see how he does him 'magic'.
Very Awesome
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
I was so stoked to see this was available. I have watched this lecture many times now, Danny is a
perfect entertainer to me. His Sylvester Pitch is literally my FAVORITE move in magic. Thats saying
a lot!
Don't miss this, if you are reading reviews good for you researching the video, you
can trust me you will not be disappointed! :)
Today, when you order "Sylvester the Jester LIVE", you'll instantly be emailed a Penguin Magic gift certificate. You can spend it on anything you like at Penguin, just like cash. Just complete your order as normal, and within seconds you'll get an email with your gift certificate.
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Good but not what I thought...
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The best lecture I've ever seen
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well worth the money
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