Burn Notice – Takel
$24.95
http://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=57978

The Hype:

The Mystery Box has always been one of magic's most baffling plots and one of the most unexplainable crescendos to a routine. A signed card that appears inside an object that has been in full view the whole time has delighted audiences for decades. Many times these objects are props that you don't see every day, and can look suspicious.

In his debut release with Murphy's Magic, Takel has brought us Burn Notice. Burn Notice takes the strongest elements of the mystery box and blends them with an organic every day object that everyone is familiar with: a simple match box. Place the matchbox in their hand and watch their eyes light up in disbelief as their card vanishes from the deck, only to be seen again when you slowly open the matchbox to reveal their signed card inside.

The simple operation of the gimmick makes the retention of vision unmistakable, with the matchbox ending super clean and it easily resets in two seconds. Now, you can perform your favorite mystery box plot with a small, powerful gimmick that rides in your pocket wherever you go.

What you'll get:

- Burn Notice gimmick
- Online video instructions covering performance, handling, maintenance and tips
- Gimmick repair materials

What you'll learn:

- The basic signed card to impossible location routine
- Plus additional ideas and handlings that are not only limited to playing cards but money, predictions, business cards etc.
- Learn how to customize and/or repair your Burn Notice gimmick
- Simple, effective and easy version of the Mercury Card Fold
- Handlings without the need for the card fold

My Take:

Over the years, I have seen many variations of the “Mystery Box” from the simple (gluing a card inside of an aspirin tin) to the Sublime (David Regal’s Clarity Box. I also think I saw Joshua Jay do a version in a lecture using a gaffed cell phone. In its simplest form, the loaded fake card does not disappear so it takes extra work to pull off and hide the gimmick from your audience. In the more elaborate versions, the gimmick looks like a magic prop but it does the work invisibly.

Takel has come up with a version using an innocent looking prop (a matchbox). The routine does require a Mercury fold. A very short video demonstration of how the fold is done is included but the instruction is minimal. However, he does include two versions that do not require the fold. I found the second version (using a gaffed envelope) to be a bit stronger than the first.

Instruction is in a 12 minute video download. A performance is shown but the rest of the video contains no spoken instruction. Takel seems to be someone who enjoys fun and he looks like he is having a great time teaching his creation. His gimmick is customizable and he not only shows some alternate ideas but how to change the gimmick. It can be used to show signed bill or a prediction. Something this simple is only limited by your imagination.

You are also given materials to fix your gimmick if it gets broken. I suppose the materials could actually be used to build a back up gimmick for yourself, too. One thing I think some of you (especially the younger ones) might find confusing is a tool Takel uses to fix his gimmick. It is a small silvery tool and the “more mature” among us will most likely recognize it as a needle threader. (Not included but available at places such as Joann’s. for next to nothing.)

I have always been one to appreciate clever thinking so Kudos to Takel. He has taken a classic idea, come up with a clever gimmick (at a reasonable price) and shared it with the magic fraternity. One thing I really like about this gimmick is that once the move is made, you can leave the gimmick open on the table and there is nothing to be seen. It cannot be examined but it looks so clean and innocent, your spectators will most likely not grab for it. If anything, they will be too busy examining the card with their signature.

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