Magic Tricks

Let's face it. Most people learning and practicing prestidigitation these days do not have a stage show. Most of us perform in living rooms or at tables or in casual settings with friends. Those settings require relaxed, easy-to-do, close up illusions.

This lecture is full illusions that are perfect for living room settings. And it contains a variety of material with different objects. Dan Harlan teaches rubber band magic (his Jacob's ladder routine is amazing!), card magic (out of this world is my favorite), money magic, and some mentalism. Most of these illusions can be done with everyday ordinary objects.

I particularly love how Dan puts on a show at the beginning to present how one might make their illusions more entertaining. His incorporation of a glitter gun, a pinky swear, and hand-drawn pictures makes the whole event more fun. It's these choices that can turn a simple trick into show, which helps people enjoy the wonder of what you are performing.

This lecture really does deserve 5 stars, but I have deducted one star for two reasons. 1) The ACAAN trick is not taught in this lecture. You have to buy the 2017 or 2018 Christmas Spectacular lectures for the explanation (he teaches the trick in both). 2) There are a few tricks taught here that require you to go and buy one of his products to perform. Of course, any professional is entitled to do so, but I do think it decreases the value of the lecture itself, especially when the performer is secretive about the device/gimmick being sold.

But apart from those warnings, this lecture is full of useful ideas and concepts for any performer at any level.