Foresight

THE BLURB:
A killer effect that starts out like a comedy routine but
packs a wallop at the end.

The magician holds up an envelope and says it contains a
prediction. He asked a spectator to name any playing card.
Performer says the named card is in the envelope. He removes
an 8.5 x 11 inch picture that has the whole deck spread out.
The performer says look, there is your card right there.

The audience laughs but isn't impressed, so you ask the
participant to just think of a card in the picture. No
force. You then ask a second participant to also think a
card in the picture.

Now for the amazing part, the performer immediately tells
the first participant the card he is thinking of. He simply
makes two comments about the card, both are correct (you are
never wrong)and then names the card. You do this without any
complex fishing. In fact you name the thought of card so
quickly it will startle even magicians! The magician then
points out that he has been wearing a CLEAR cardholder
around his neck from the very start. You can see the back of
a playing card inside it.

He then asks the second participant what card he has in
mind. The participant names the card. Immediately and with
NO SWITCHES, you turn the clear cardholder around and sealed
inside is the very card he just named.

Back of card is in full view at all times and never leaves
the audience's sight. Card can be removed and the badge
holder examined. Nothing else inside. The predicted card
could also be a jumbo card on your table in full view from
the start for those who don't want to have the card hanging
from your neck.

This takes revealing thought-of cards to a new level. One of
the most advanced techniques yet devised, yet is easy to do
and has no sleights whatsoever.

Comes with envelope. A 8.5" x 11" durable plastic gag
picture that looks like it has a spilled deck on it. NO
DUPLICATE CARDS ARE PRINTED IN THE PICTURE. Every card in
the picture is different! Also comes with a smaller picture
for street magicians to carry in their pocket. Includes
high-quality clear cardholder complete with cloth lanyard.

MY COMMENTS:
As Devin admits on the first page of the instructions, this
is hardly a new idea. However, Devin has taken this plot
and added some new subtleties and ideas that address many of
the problems that earlier versions have. The earliest
version of this effect that I became familiar with was Dick
Barry's Clairvoyant Cassette, which has become obsolete
thanks its to use of the cassette tape, though Dick does
have a more contemporary version that uses wallets. Another
version that I perform, and is actually mentioned in this
manuscript, is Harry Anderson's MishMash Card. Each of
these versions, and a few others, have features that Devin
has improved upon.

Considerations for this effect is that, despite that the
participant has an apparently free choice, the outcome may
be the same in subsequent performances. This is a
consideration only to those doing walkaround and those who
have concerns about performing for repeat audiences.
Otherwise, this effect re-sets quickly, packs flat and plays
big, and comes with everything you need, including fourteen
8.5" x 11" pages of instructions, and props sized for both
close-up/street magicians and parlour/stage performers. All
of this comes in a large polybag. This is probably the most
well-thought out version of this effect, which truly is what
one would expect from Devin Knight.