"Master Card Routines" DVD by Chris Priest
Suggested Retail USD$30.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Master Card Routines", a DVD by Chris Priest, is a collection of two card routines, full acts really, that should be seen, if not completely learned, by anyone entertaining with cards.

Just seeing Priest in action is an education. Watching him work a table, addressing angles on the fly and keeping spectators engaged and maintaining a pace that is as entertaining as it is frantic, is worth the price of the disc. When you throw in what he does with a deck of cards, the routines he's created and refined over time, you're talking a disc that is worth its weight in gold.

Of course, being who we are, we're really interested in the routines, right? Well, think of them less as routines and more as full-fledged acts, a collection of effects that run seamlessly one into the other and each building on the next to a carefully crafted climax.

The first routine taught on the disc is "Ace Reception". This is Priest's opener at receptions (hence the title) and one look will show you why. It beginnes innocently enough (if having a deck appear from nowehere can be called "innocent") with a spectator shuffling the deck and the performer producing the Aces from the deck. From there, things go nuts, with transposition sequences, "twisting" sequences, multiplication sequences, and more. With flourishes that make sense to the routine and posed as a demo of card cheating that goes magical in a mad rush, this act is gorgeous and will make a reputation.

"JFK" is the second routine on the disc and it's equally impressive. In this one, a card is thought-of and produced, then signed by a spectator. From there, Priest breaks into an impressive, engaging "Ambitious Card" sequence that is gorgeous. After that, the card vanishes from the deck to be found in the performer's wallet. Done? Not yet. Next the card vanishes and appears in a box that was previously shown empty and given to a spectator to hold. This is, again, a beautiful routine and a reputation-maker.

Unfortunately, words can't really describe how good these routines look. As magicians, we equate things too easily: "seen one 'Ambitious Card'..." kind of thinking. These routines really have to be seen to be appreciated, as does Priest's work and skills which are equally amazing.

Yeah, I'm high on Priest's work here and rightfully so. But let's get to the details.

First, these are monster routines. We're talking about ten-minutes in length, if not more (we'll talk more about that in a second), with a ton of magic happening at a rapid-fire clip. You aren't going to learn these in an hour or two, no matter what your skill level is. They are going to take time and study to get everything down, let alone rehearsed enough to take out for a walk. If you're into instant gratification, this ain't gonna cut it for ya.

Second, the skill level required for these routines is high and, boy, doesn't that sound off-putting? If it were anybody but Priest, I'd be warning off most performers from this one. However, Priest has the bases covered and teaches those more advanced moves expertly and, in a couple of cases, presents workarounds for them. In other words, if you're not up for all sorts of bizarre cutting sequences or one-handed riffles, this is as good a place to get your feet wet with them as any. Your skill level should still be advanced (meaning you've taken a good walk through "Royal Road" or "Expert Card Technique" or "Card College") just to make things a bit easier for you; beginners and novices shouldn't apply without that kind of foundation.

Third, the first routine, "Ace Reception" is gimmickless, but "JFK" makes use of a couple of props. The first is fairly obvious (there is a "card to wallet" phase, after all) and the second is mentioned in the ad: Kenendy's "Mystery Box" so there's no surprise there (the ads also say that Priest's handling of it is worth the price of the disc and they are 100% right). If you absolutely, positively, have to perform without props, then "JFK" will disappoint during those two phases, but I can't imagine anyone that will throw away a gorgeous routine over props that simple and elegant. Still, a word to wise, etc.

Fourth, and the thing I was most apprehensive about with these routines, was the sheer length of them. They are long acts. This isn't a quick, single-effect throwaway we're talking about; we're talking almost theatrical acts and that takes time. However, I figured Priest, being a worker, had this particular glitch covered and he does. The acts are extremely well-structured for working enviroments; you can stop at any time, at the end of any phase, ending on a high note and still have made an impact. More, very little work is involved in ditching a phase on the fly because of Priest's modular design of these acts. Feel like dropping a phase for whatever reason? You can do it simply enough and not leave any perceptible gaps in the flow. This, I think, is really Priest's brilliance here and it set my mind immediately at ease. For those that like to take bits and pieces from others, these routines allow for exactly that kind of creative surgery: you don't have to learn these entire routines by rote to get anything from them.

So there ya have it: Priest's "Master Card Routines" is a disc that is a solid must-have for anyone entertaining with card magic that is at least of a moderate skill level. Between the sage advice and the stunning routines, this disc is as valuable as it gets.

"Master Card Routines" DVD by Chris Priest
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Material: 10
The two routines -- really complete acts -- are beautifully structured, face-paced, and as entertaining as card magic can be. These are powerful routines and just watching Priest perform them is an education. When it comes time to learn the routines themselves, Priest gives way more than just the moves as he tackles issues facing a working performer. This is prime stuff here and worth ten times the price of the disc. Don't expect to learn either one overnight, though; they are tough, monster routines that will take tons of practice to get down.

Practicality: 10
Priest is a worker and it shows in his work. These routines pack small and play huge, set-ups are minor, resets are all but non-existant, and stopping a routine in mid-stride doesn't weaken things at all. You'll be carrying a couple of things around for the second routine, but they are small and worth the real estate. These are perfectly practical pieces.

Quality of Production: 10
The production values are excellent here, from great audio and video to superb navigation.

Quality of Instruction: 10
Priest does all and tells all here. In addition to the moves, you'll also be introduced to the whys and wherefores of the routines structures and the performance psychology involved. Priest, in other words, does his routines justice.

Presentation: 10
Here it's all about the routining and it is masterful. Period.

Shane

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