Chinese Choice

THE BLURB:
Now is your chance to perform one of the most talked about
routines from the critically acclaimed "Educating Archer"
DVD. John Archer's Chinese Choice is not just a trick - it
is a powerhouse of a routine that blends comedy and
mentalism to perfection.

If the name John Archer is not enough to make you buy this
effect immediately then read on to find out more about this
eagerly anticipated release…

Three spectators are brought on stage and invited to take a
traditional Chinese meal in a way they used to do thousands
of years ago...

You explain that the ancient Chinese were great
mathematicians and believers in numerology. Often numbers
were used to help make even the most mundane of choices. Why
else would all the items on a Chinese menu be numbered?
Hence you explain that you are going to show them how the
ancient Chinese would decide what to do when going out for a
meal.

One of the spectators is given a small packet of plastic
number cards to shuffle. They now choose one person who will
be in charge of the menu, while the other two are in charge
of setting the amount they will pay for the meal.

The menu is shown as representing the restaurant they will
visit. The three spectators are given three cards each and
two of them take turns to make up three two-digit numbers.

These two digit numbers are added together to arrive at a
total and a decimal point is added to form a price to spend
on the meal - but alas! It is incredibly low! 1.65! The
prospect of a good meal does not look hopeful!

The third spectator now adds up his three cards to come up
with a number, to represent a dish on the menu. When they
check out the menu they see that all other menu items are
normal, however item number 15 is an "Eat as much as you
like buffet for three people, cost - 1.65."

Comes complete with two custom printed menus (a large one
for stage and a pocket sized version for close up), a set
of plastic number cards, and full instructions & routine.

MY COMMENTS:
If you've seen John Archer perform this routine on his
wonderful DVD, Educating Archer, then you know how much fun
this is. I'm not so sure about it being "one of the most
talked about routines," but it certainly and unquestionably
is creative and crowd-pleasing, at least the way John
presents it. What's nice about the routine is that
everything can be examined -- the menu, the number cards,
the pad, etc. There are no gimmicks. There is a "move", as
John routines it, but you can alter the routine to perform
it without it. That move is not difficult, by the way.

The routine plays exactly like described above. If you're
familiar with Larry Becker's "Gaff Free Duo," from
Stunners/Stunners Plus, which John credits as the
inspiration, then you're essentially familiar with this
routine. You get two very nicely printed menus. The stage
size menu is approximately 8.5" by 12" and the tri-fold
smaller menu is about 8.5" x 4". Both are handsomely
printed. I will note that the smaller menu is labeled as a
"take-away" menu. In the U.S., we say "take-out," but I
don't think that's a difference that will be challenged or
suspicious to the audiences in the U.S. In the video, John
uses playing cards as "number cards." For this, one's
supplied very high quality plastic number cards to use. The
instructions are on a large, heavy piece of two-fold paper,
much like a menu, and all of this is polybagged.

If this routine is appealing to you, then I highly recommend
this.