Magic Tricks

Well, this is already one of my favorite visual sleight of hand routines.
Not going to describe the effect here - it's best to watch it for yourself - but here are my thoughts on the routining, teaching, and practicality of it:

Routining: IMO, this is a mini masterclass on how to routine a quick, visual sleight of hand effect. The magician is always ahead, the misdirection is built in, and there are plenty of genuinely astonishing moments. From the time the routine begins, the magician sets and then confounds expectations with magical twists of eye candy. It's a routine that can be equally effective done silently or with scripting, IMO.

Teaching: You should have no question how to practice and perform this after viewing the 29 minute video. Following the live performance on the trailer, Jack Rhodes walks through a studio demo of the routine, followed by a silent version on the street. He then provides a succinct overview of key methods and moments, including every sleight he uses in the routine. This is the shorthand version of the explanation, which will be sufficient on its own for guys who are experienced or have already watched the entire video. Following that section is an in-depth look at every sleight, usually shown from more than one angle. The explanation strikes the right balance between clarity and efficiency - you will be neither confused nor bored by it.

Practicality: All you need to perform this is a coin, a ring and a spoon. If you only have one or two of those, you can eliminate the sections that require the other props, and still have a killer, shorter routine. There are the usual angle issues - ie, if there's someone peering over your shoulder, you'll need to either kick them in the shin or keep your arms closer to your body during certain portions of the routine. Actually, for the third phase there is also one wardrobe accessory used, but it can be swapped out with other items of zero to nominal cost that accomplish the same thing.

Results when performing: I've performed this three times now, just to give it a quick spin before reviewing it, and got positive reactions on all three occasions. One was the wife test, and the other two were for strangers. Best part was the genuine "WTF?" reactions from all three when the coins change into a ring, and again when the ring changes into a spoon. The routine is not difficult to perform, but it requires practice and talent to make it look as good as Mr. Jack Rhodes does. I'm not there yet, but fortunately you don't have to be. This is one of those routines that will reward perfection without requiring it.