Openers are the toughest things to find in a parlor show, and this one has it all. It has intrigue (because you walk out in silence, delivering the entire first trick in silence, using cue cards) and an amazing ending. In the end, a thought-of card is produced from your mouth. The prop is well-made and packs very small, yet can be done for large audiences.

It’s an ideal middle piece, an interlude between longer tricks. In this simple effect you predict a thought-of card from among four very large cards. This one plays very big, packs in the lid of your briefcase, and is easy to learn and implement in your show. If you need a last-minute addition, this is the one.

Most people overlook this unusual and strong effect. The trick is simple: after isolating a prediction you display matchbooks from dozens of hotels and allow a spectator to choose any matchbook. The hotel on her matchbook perfectly matches the prediction you made. What we love about this effect is that it can be incorporated into a larger routine. In other words, it doesn’t have to stand alone. Insead, it can be part of a big finale in which you predict many things, including a chosen hotel. It packs tiny, plays big, has a cool topic, and involves spectator interaction.

This neo-classic was featured by David Copperfield in the 1980s and has been used by leading parlor performers ever since it was created. Your drawing comes to life to find a selected card, and you can instantly GIVE the drawing away. It’s a rare VISUAL parlor effect, and the prop will last a lifetime. It’s pricey on purpose, to protect serious performers from overuse by amateurs. This is a wonderful way to close a parlor performance.

The classic needles stunt is a bit on the weird side, but swallowing twenty needles and a thread, and regurgitating the needles ON the thread has an undeniable impact on audiences. It’s an intimate effect but it plays so, so well for mid-size audiences. It fits in your pocket and, if you follow the instructions on this DVD, is both safe and practical.