Review: Impromptu Magic Project by Vinny Grosso, Banachek, Mike Caveney, Mac King, Bill Herz, & Chris Kenner

I really like this set, I’ve always loved impromptu drop of a hat magic and this gives you some great stuff to play with. It takes the form of demo and teach the trick, Vinny performing the trick at a party, then the whole team discussing the performance the next day.

I see this has got some bad reviews over on Penguin Magic, I can only assume this is down to people being too stupid to read the product description before buying. This isn’t marketed as stuff you’ll put into your ‘A’ list set as soon as you learn it. It’s stuff you can do with little or no set-up when put on the spot and asked to do some magic.

I’d be very surprised if anybody watching this set didn’t already know one or two of the tricks in the project, but that doesn’t really matter as the team gives extra subtilties and tips for each you are unlikely to have thought of before. And I’d be amazed if anybody already knows all of the tricks here.

So, what makes up the project?

Volume One:

Give Me That (Mac King): A nice little coin vanish and reproduction with a drink thrown in too

Vanishing Napkin (Bill Herz): A napkin shrink and vanish, inspired by a write up in J. G. Thompson’s book My Best

PK Pencil 1&2 (Banachek): The first two-thirds of a nice PK routine, Vinny only performed the second part though. Apparently he is unable to blow, draw your own conclusions from that.

Instant Psychic (Mike Caveney): Not quite as impromptu as the rest as it’s a two person routine, but it’s still simple enough to train your partner up very quickly.

Volume Two:

Acrobatic Straw (Mike Caveney): Impossibly returning an out of sight straw to its wrapper. Inspired by a stage illusion from Greater Magic.

Picture This (Chris Kenner): Great little prediction of an item from randomly selected objects

Touch of Salt (Mac King): A pseudo-sword swallow/vanish followed by a comedy reproduction of it. With a nice pseudo-metal bending subtlety thrown in for good measure.

Sugar Packets (Bill Herz): Probably the best known of the tricks on offer, but with some nice little added performance tips and subtitles.

Volume Three:

Right on Time (Bill Herz): Two randomly set wristwatches end up showing the same time.

Bill in Pen (Mac King): Starts of as a reasonably well known money vanish, but with a great kicker ending.

PK Pencil 3 (Banachek): The third part of the PK routine from vol 1, and a great way to round it off.

Cardless Card Trick (Bill Herz): A prediction of a thought of card.

All of them are within the grasp of pretty much any magician with just a little practice. Vinny is performing all of these on the same day as he learnt them (probably not the best idea), and does get stuff wrong, but they all still blow aways the people he is performing for, and his mistakes allow for some great discussion from the team afterwards.

Will I be doing any/all of these? To be honest, I don’t know, that’s the thing with impromptu effects. I probably will if they come to mind when the situation arises. There is only one that I’m not likely to do as it involves an instant stooge, but even then if the situation is right, why not?