Mr. Meech's Merged Mail-Outs by Oliver Meech

[Tom Frame]

Mr. Meechs Merged Mail-Outs (PDF) by Oliver Meech 9.99 / $15.93
95 pages, 9 photos
Available at: http://stores.lulu.com/olivermeech


Creative cyclone Oliver Meech is back with more magical goodies. This PDF is a compilation of the first 26 issues of his fortnightly newsletter. It contains 14 effects, 13 ideas, 13 links and updates concerning his ongoing personal and magical development.

The ideas consist of Mr. Meechs tips for enhancing existing plots, methods and presentations. His ideas are quite good.

The links take the reader to interesting web sites that will hopefully fan the readers creative fires and inspire the creation of new plots, methods and presentations. I found most of these sites to be interesting and indeed they got my creative cogs whirling.

The author does a good job of teaching the material. He writes in a playful style that I enjoy. He dutifully cites the inspirational sources for his effects.

Unfortunately, the PDF is riddled with numerous typos. Several of the effects would have benefited from the inclusion of a few illustrations. While annoying, these problems wont impair your ability to learn the material.

Because life is too short, Im not going to provide detailed descriptions of all 26 issues. So lets just cut to the chase and check out the effects.


White and Wrong: A participant selects a card, the Six of Diamonds, and it is lost in the deck. The performer cuts the deck, stating that he has cut her card to the top. He turns over the top card revealing the Eight of Diamonds. To correct his error, the performer takes out a bottle of White Out and whites out the extra pips. He turns the card face-down and hands it to his participant. Upon turning it over, she discovers that it is now the legitimate Six of Diamonds.

Mr. Meechs inspiration for this offering was a Paul Gertner effect in which a heart-shaped sticker is added to an incorrect card to make it resemble the selection. The card then becomes the actual selection.

I have an unpublished version of this effect that uses white Avery labels to make the correction. The participant ultimately removes the labels and discovers her actual card.

The authors version is a logical and worthy addition to the literature on this type of effect. I like it.


Not Just an Illusion: A participant signs the face of the top card of the deck. The performer turns the card face-down and draws an image of a rabbit on its back. He rubs the card and the image seems to transform into a duck. The participant quickly realizes that the demonstration is merely an optical illusion. The performer rubs the back of the card again, transforming the image into a lion. The participant can keep her signed, lionized card.

Mr. Meech provides two links to images of the ambiguous rabbit/duck that one can use to practice drawing the critter. Unfortunately, neither of the links work. I bit of online research will lead interested parties to similar images that will work just as well. I like it.


Almost Cutting a Woman in Half: The performer displays a stick figure drawing of a woman on one of his business cards. He cuts the business card in half, but fails to restore it. He eventually reveals that the stick figure woman is now intact on half of the business card. The participant can keep the halves of his business card.

This effect utilizes a well known, 157 year old principle. Ive previously stated that Ive lost all interest in effects that employ this principle. I dont like it.


Back to Backlash: A participant selects a card, the Ace of Spades, and signs its face. The performer turns the card face-down and places it in his pocket. The performer spreads the deck, revealing that the Ace has returned. He transforms her card into an indifferent card, which he loses in the deck. With an empty hand, he removes her Ace from his pocket. Another participant cuts off a third of the deck and the Ace is inserted face-down in the packet. The participant deals through the packet and sees that the selection is gone. The participant removes her Ace from the performers pocket.

This is an effective, well constructed repeat card to pocket effect. I like it.


The Worlds Most Dangerous Card Trick: The participant freely selects the only card that doesnt have a razor blade attached to it.

Prior to displaying the other, safe packet of cards, the performer is required to place it into his pocket, and then remove it. Oh please! I dont like it.


Well, Blow Me: The performer attempts to find a selected card in 60 seconds, as timed by a participant. The participant is instructed to blow a party blower when the time's up. The magician fails to locate the card in time. However, when the party blower unfurls, the name of the card is written on it.

This effect previously appeared in Mr. Meechs 5 for 5: Kids. I liked it then, I like it now, and I love its moniker.


Pressed for Time: The performer displays two blank pieces of paper and tables them. He removes some flowers from his pocket, places them into his fist and squeezes them. He slaps his flower-holding hand onto the pieces of paper. He lifts his hand to reveal that the flowers have been instantly pressed onto the paper.

As far as I can tell, this is a new plot. The effect is unexpected, the method is sound and the presentation is appealing. I like it.


Wild Photos: The performer transforms bad passport photos of himself into good photos of himself.

This is Mr. Meechs delightful, personalized version of Wild Card. Most folks can empathize with the trauma of having to show others an unflattering photo of oneself. So this effect has a powerful emotional hook. I really like it.


Cardboard Birthday Cake Stand Up Version: The performer brings the birthday girl onto the stage and tells her that he wanted to give her a cake but it was hard to transport, so he has a picture of one instead. On a clipboard, he displays a sheet of paper with a drawing of a birthday cake with a burning candle. The participant initials the bottom of the cake.

The performer removes the sheet of paper from the clipboard and rolls it into a tube. The crowd sings Happy Birthday to the participant. As the song concludes, the participant blows into the tube. The performer unrolls the paper and displays that the candle flame is now extinguished on the drawing. The performer gives the participant the cake as a souvenir.

This is a stand-up version of the effect that appeared in The Plot Thickens. It gets the entire audience involved and the birthday girl gets a cheap souvenir. I like it.


Pizza the Action: In an informal situation, the performer suggests to a participant that they order a pizza. He proposes that they test the pizza joints psychic powers. The performer hands the participant the pizza menu and has him place it behind his back. He gives him a pen and asks him to draw a big X on the menu, to randomly select a pizza.

The performer calls the pizza joint and asks the employee to select a pizza for him, without telling him what kind of pizza it is. When the pizza arrives, the participant is floored to see that his blindly chosen pizza matches the pizza randomly selected by the pizza joint.

This is fabulous, nutritious effect! I love it!


Striking Back: A large image of an apparently freely selected object is revealed on the back of the performers shirt.

Over a decade ago, I recall seeing someone reveal a prediction printed on their shirt. Unfortunately, I cant recall who was sporting the shirt, or if they claimed that they had created this type of effect. But my gut tells me that this type of revelation has been around even longer than that. While Mr. Meechs effect is okay, theres nothing new here.


Penny Dropped: The performer divines the date of a penny found lying on the street.

Dai Vernon described how, as a youth, he amazed his friends by divining the identity of face-down playing cards lying on the street. Mr. Meechs method is identical to Vernons. Once again, there is nothing new here.


There is No Building Block: The performer demonstrates how he gained his psychic abilities as a child, by toppling one of a number of childrens wooden building blocks.

This is the authors clever presentation of Bob Kochs Psychic Timber. Referring to the timber as a mere kids building block is an inspired idea, as it normalizes the timbers existence and function. I really like it.


Walking Fingers: A participant cuts off a packet of cards. While looking away, the performer turns the top card of his portion of the deck face-up and has the participant sign it across its face. He turns her card face-down and buries it in the participants packet.

The performer turns over the new top card of his packet, stating that hell use a random card to find her selection. He turns the indifferent card face-down and draws a picture of a head and torso on the back of the card. He retains this card and gives his packet to the participant, instructing her to mix all of the cards together.

The performer tears two holes in the card, inserts his fingers through the holes and claims that he has created an assistant. He takes back the deck and uses his fingers to walk his assistant on the deck, in-jogging cards as if on a treadmill. He pushes one card forward, clips it between his fingers (the legs), and flips it face up. When told that this is the wrong card, the performer tips the face of the assistant toward the participant, revealing that his assistant is her selected card.

This is a delightful, powerful piece of magical theater. I really like it.


I continue to be very impressed by Mr. Meechs seemingly boundless creativity. This is a terrific product. Buy it immediately!


Highly Recommended

[oliver m]

Tom, thanks for your kind words and for taking time to write a thorough review.

All the best,

Oliver

[Tom Frame]

You're welcome, Oliver. It was my pleasure. Keep up the good work!

[Angelo Carbone]

I highly recommend Oliver's work and book as I have mentioned in March Genii. Really fresh magic!