Wayne Dobson: Alan Wong

WAYNE DOBSON Wayne Dobson in association with

Alan Wong presents

With KILLER routines from Wayne Dobson: White Lightning ~ Lacerate ~ Total Recall Page 1

THE BLACK The BlackBOXBox

the best deck switch NEVER seen!

T

HIS utility device harks back to one of the big magical influences on me in my early performing days, when in 1977 I had the pleasure of watching first hand Fred Kaps’ charming performance of Scotty York’s ingenious Razor Card routine. Ken Brooke was desperately keen to put this on the market, but Kaps was determined to keep it for himself, such did he prize the effect. This delightful routine has seldom been seen over all those decades since, primarily because it depended on a pocket deck switch - although I did perform it on TV a couple of times.*

WAYNE DOBSON T

AKE a look at the The Black Box I developed, and which Alan Wong went on to make such a splendid reality, and you will see it consists of: • a removable lid • the body of The Black Box, which has a false base half-way up the height of the box. This divides the interior into two compartments: an upper one, which is in view, and a hidden compartment beneath the false base, which can hold a cased deck of cards.

For years I have been working on developing a switch that was plausible and effective, creating a gimmick to replace the pocket switch.

Preparing The Black Box

Recently I came up with the switch device you have now purchased. It takes the pain out of the switch, and lends itself to the multitude of effects that rely on a deck switch.

There is a simple, once-and-for-all preparation you have to make to The Black Box. We have left this to you since the minor preparation will depend on the choice of decks you like to work with.

Alongside my take on the Razor Card routine, I also developed two other strong routines that rely on The Black Box. One was inspired by Dean Dill’s splendid Blizzard, a rather different effect that relied upon a singular switching device; suffice to say that it has now become my favourite application of The Black Box! Another is a version of an effect I previously published, which has been enhanced by the use of The Black Box.

• You will be using a main deck in play throughout the routine; let’s assume this is a red backed Bicycle deck.

Thanks to Alan Wong’s fine craftsmanship and Bob Gill’s beautifully-written instructions, the final product is one we are proud to present.

• Affix this to the top face of the false bottom with double-sided tape – Figure 2.

Wayne *You can see it on: http://vimeo.com/124072619?fbclid=IwAR18cYSN4tsoJWqm76cFUKPBCvEcgXPcM1iz8E5g9K3ITFX1KiW1KPCIzHU

• You will need the empty card box of a contrasting deck; let’s assume it’s blue. • Cut off one back of the blue card case, ditching the top and bottom flaps, the sides and front face of the case. What you are left with is shown in Figure 1, a flat piece a little larger than a playing card. The Black Box now appears to contain a full blue deck taking up the lower half of the Box. In practice you have a hollow compartment beneath the false bottom. •  Figure 3 shows the assembly of The Black Box at the outset of the routine. Inside the box, resting on top of the false bottom is the first red deck. Below, in the false compartment, sits the 2nd red deck that will be switched in.

Figure 1

I

decided to release my forthcoming items with written instructions, swimming against the current trend to make them available on online downloadable films.

This harks back to my early days in magic, when I learned routines that way, particularly from Ken Brooke’s beautifully explained instructions. I’m so pleased with the job my friend Bob Gill has made of bringing these routines to life; Bob is a contemporary of mine, and fittingly we first met at Ken Brooke’s Magic Place, so were both shaped by that experience, as was that whole generation of magicians. Ken was a close friend of Fred Kaps, whom he persuaded to release several effects that became modern classics; sadly for Ken, even his powers of persuasion couldn’t prise the Razor Card from Kaps’ grip! The current trend amongst magicians is so regrettable for those of us who love Magic, watching the vast majority appear in the same vanilla style. A big reason for this is that so many magicians watch routines performed on film, and lazily copy what they see.

Front face of card case cut off

Figure 2 Contrasting card case front affixed to the false bottom of The Black Box giving the appearance of a full blue deck

The advantage of the printed word is the way it encourages you to develop your own interpretation and your own presentation; it’s why magic books are still popular and such a great source of learning. It’s the same reason radio can still be a more emotionally engaging medium for a story than television; you have to bring your imagination to bear, and so your internal interpretation will be different from those of others.

Hollow compartment hides the 2nd deck

I don’t know how I got my wheelchair up onto this soapbox, but now I can’t get the ruddy thing off!

Instructions and all rights © Copyright Wayne Dobson & Alan Wong, 2018 Effect & routines by Wayne Dobson ~ Instructions & illustrations by Bob Gill ~ Cover by Andrew Green Page 2

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WAYNE DOBSON

THE BLACK BOX Figure 3

The Assembly of The Black Box Lid

Back face of blue case stuck onto false bottom

Box open on table 1st red deck

Hollow low er s conceals 2n ection d red deck

False bottom

The Black Box

Original case placed beside the box on the table

2nd red deck

The Choreography Of The Switch

2nd red case switched in from beneath The Black Box

1. Take The Black Box in your left hand, thumb on top, finger beneath keeping the second deck from falling out! 2. Place The Black Box on the table. Take off the lid and place on the table to the left of the Box, leaving space for a deck to go subsequently - Figure 4 shows the relative positions of the lid and the open Box. 3. Take the red deck out of the case and plasce the empty case between the Box and lid - Figure 5 shows the positioning. Proceed with whichever routine you’re performing - let’s assume for teaching purposes you shuffle the deck and offer it in a fan for a selection to be made. As the spectator signs their card, you return the deck to the case. 4. As you are looking at the spectator signing the card, or chatting to the other spectators, your left hand quietly (without comment) places the red case on the table between the lid and the Box - Figure 5 shows the positioning. DON’T LOOK DOWN ONTO THE TABLE as you lay the deck down. Spectators look where you look - so glancing down as you place the deck draws unwelcome (and unnecessary) attention to what should appear a casual, unpremeditated action. You will find that you can spot the position between The Black Box and the lid through your peripheral vision. Your entire focus should appear to be on the spectator and what they are doing; you might even ask them a question or make a comment to emphasise this. 5. Reach over to take back the pen in your right hand; this misdirection allows you to calmly reach down with your left hand, lift The Black Box and drop it onto the red deck to its left - Figure 6 freezes the action

Figure 4

Figure 5: Just before the switch

Back of blue case cut and fixed to false bottom

Right han red dec d has lifted t k out o h f the B e ox

Box sits over 1st case

Figure 6:

After the switch

6. The Black Box is now in the centre, on top of the original red deck, the switched deck on the right. You now pick up the red deck and proceed with your routine. It is not dissimilar to loading a card under a glass - the sense the audience will have in their peripheral vision is of your hand simply moving the Box aside.

Notes on the SwitcH 1. This switch works through a combination of psychology and misdirection. Their retention of vision senses there is still a Box containing a blue deck and a red deck beside it, as expected. This is enhanced by the relative positions of the three elements on your working surface - they look congruent. And you have already placed an item (the lid) to the left - so they are subconsciously accustomed used to that movement. 2. IT IS IMPORTANT that you DO NOT LOOK DOWN ONTO THE TABLE as you perform this switch; you will find that you can spot the Box and the red deck in your peripheral vision. You need to misdirect them as you do so - either by reaching for the card, the pen, or asking them a question. 3. CHECK that the flap of the first red case is firmly closed - if it protrudes it risks jamming in the Box’s compartment and impeding the action of the switch. 4. There is a certain knack to placing The Black Box over the red deck on the table in a smooth manner. The lower compartment of The Black Box is necessarily a somewhat snug fit over the deck (to keep The Black Box in proportion to the decks it purports to contain). So the placement of the Box over the deck is a two-stage process. First the Box strikes the top of the deck - tilt the box over to the right slightly, so the right edge of the Box hits the deck first. This allows you to orientate the position of the two (remember you are doing this sight unseen, as you do not want to draw undue attention to this entire action). Simply slide the Box slightly to the right until it encounters the right edge of the deck, then snap it over to the left to bring the Box level, completely covering the deck.



Lid taken off Box & laid on table Page 4

You can see a no-frills film of the switch in action on: https://vimeopro.com/dtrik/bbox Password: B1ckBox0811 Page 5

THE BLACK BOX Routine 1: ‘WHITE LIGHTNING’

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LTHOUGH quite different in both effect and methodology, I took inspiration from the ever-resourceful Dean Dill and his Blizzard routine to create this, which has now become my favourite application of The Black Box. Two spectators each select a card; they return them to the deck, which they can at this point shuffle. They fan the cards in front of your face, and you reach out and take out their chosen cards! You then explain that they might not have realised it but they made things easy for you - spread the deck and all the cards are blank faced, apart from their selections. Ain’t that a kick in the head?

6. With some bridging script to give you continued cover for the switch, say something like, “You can show each other your cards, as long as this doesn’t confuse you into forgetting your own!” Under this misdirection reach down with your left hand, lift the Box and drop it onto the red deck to its left - Figure 6 (page 4) freezes the action immediately following the switch. 7. Pick up the red case from the table, and turn it so the top flap edge is facing downwards. Open the flap. 8. Take each of their cards in turn, and insert it into the card case amongst the deck; if you prefer you can get them to do so. Emphasise that not only can you not know the values of their cards, but neither do you know where they ended up in the deck inside the case. 9. Explain that the deck is enveloped within its case to prevent you doing any moves, or peeking at where their cards went. This is an important selling point, but do not overplay it. 10. Take the deck out of the case, and fan it faces in front of you, until you can spot both cards in the otherwise blank spread! Let’s assume for teaching purposes they’re the 4D and 9C. Appear to deliberate, then take out 9C and place face-down on the table.

You Will Need: 1.  The Black Box 2.

A red deck, cased

3.

A matching red-backed deck of blank-facers, in its case

Set Up: 1. Take 3 or 4 cards out of the blank deck and discard them (to make room in the case later). 2. Case the blank deck and place it in the hidden compartment of The Black Box, front face of the case (the side with the seal) uppermost. 3.

WAYNE DOBSON

Place the normal red deck in The Black Box, on top of the false bottom. Put on the lid.

11. As you look through the cards, moving cards around, ostensibly to find the other one, note how many letters the second card has and place the 4D so it is that number of cards above their card (so they chose the 9C, that is eleven letters, so position the cards 12th from the left of the spread). 12. Close the deck, as you shrug and shake your head as if you cannot find it. Hand it to the first spectator face-down (the cards, not the spectator). Ask the second spectator to tell you his card: “Nine Of Clubs”. Get the first spectator to spell one card from the top for each letter, dealing them in a pile on the table: N-I-N-E-O-F-C-L-U-B-S, and turn over the next card - it is the 4D! 13. T urn over the tabled card- it is the 9C. Explain that without realising, they made it easy for you - then slowly and cleanly spread the deck wide, face-up, to show the blanks. This will get a strong reaction, so allow the effect room to register fully; it would be a shame to undersell this powerful finish.

Handling: 1. Take The Black Box in your left hand, thumb on top, fingers beneath keeping the second deck from falling out! 2. Place The Black Box on the table. Take off the lid and place on the table beside The Black Box - Figure 4 (page 3) shows the relative positions of the lid and the open Black Box. 3. Take the red deck out of the case and extract the deck, which either you or your spectators can shuffle. The blue case back is showing inside the open Box, giving the impression that the case holds two decks and you’ve only taken the top red one, leaving the blue behind in the Box. 4. Fan the deck and ask two spectators to each remove a card, placing them on the table in front of them, unseen. As you emphasise the importance of remembering their cards “...otherwise there’s no trick!”... return the deck to the case. 5. Ask them to pick their cards up, take a good look at them and remember them - without showing them to you: “...otherwise there’s no trick!”... This is your misdirection for executing the switch. Your left hand quietly places the red case on the table to the left of The Black Box - Figure 5 (page 4) shows the positioning; note the front face of the case faces upwards ready for the switch.

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WAYNE DOBSON

THE BLACK BOX Routine 2: ‘LACERATE’

T

HIS is my take on the Fred Kaps/Scotty York Razor Card routine that so captivated me back in 1977. You will need the following items:

1.  The Black Box 2.

A red deck, cased; plus a matching red deck’s empty case

3.

A duplicate red-backed card (say for teaching purposes this is the 4 Hearts)

4. A single old-fashioned razor blade; these are still freely available on the internet, in some barber shops and the more traditional chemist shops that sell shaving prerequisites. For safety you should dull the blade with a file or whetstone (or if you rub it on a piece of glass it has the same effect). They come packed in individual paper wrappers for safety. 5. About 20 matching red cards. Each of these is cut into assorted pieces; the result is a pile of 60 or so card pieces as in Figure 8 below:

Handling: 1. Take The Black Box in your left hand, thumb on top, fingers beneath keeping the second deck from falling out! 2. Place The Black Box on the table. Take off the lid and place on the table to the left of the Box - Figure 4 (page 3) shows the relative positions of the lid and the open Black Box. 3. Take the red deck out of the case and extract the deck, which you can shuffle retaining the position of the force card. The blue case back is showing inside the open Black Box, giving the impression that the case holds two decks and you’ve only taken the top red one, leaving the blue behind in the Box. 4. Force the 4H on the spectator, then get them to return it to the deck. If you wish, they could shuffle the deck at this point. Comment that their card is utterly lost in the deck, making your job of finding it impossible. As you prattle on thus, return the deck to the case. 5. You go to your pocket to get the razor blade: you’re still holding the deck in your other hand. As you hand the blade to the spectator to get them to unwrap it - explaining that you are not going to have to find their card: the blade is - this is your misdirection for executing the switch. Your left hand quietly places the red case on the table to the left of The Black Box - Figure 5 (page 4) shows the positioning; note the front face of the case faces upwards ready for the switch. 6. Reach over to take back the blade in your right hand; under this misdirection reach down with your left hand, lift The Black Box and drop it onto the red deck to its left - Figure 6 (page 4) freezes the action immediately following the switch. 7. Pick up the red case from the table, and turn it so the top flap edge is facing you. Open the flap. 8. Take the blade, and insert that into the card case amongst the supposed pack of playing cards. 9. Close the flap, and shake the case from side to side, explaining the blade is seeking out their chosen card. 10. Open the flap of the case and slowly tip the contents out onto the working surface - the pieces of card will tumble out, along with the razor blade, and finally the chosen card: the only card left unmolested by the razor blade! The visual effect is not only magical, but charming too.

Figure 8 Notes: Set Up : 1. The regular red deck is set to force its 4 Hearts. Case it and place in the Black Box, rear side uppermost, on top of the false bottom. Put the lid on the Black Box. 2. Place the pile of cut card pieces into the empty red card case, together with the duplicate 4 Hearts; close the case and place it in the hidden compartment of the Black Box, with the front of the box (the side with the seal) uppermost so it will match when you switch boxes. 3.

The razor blade (encased in its protective paper wrapper) is in your pocket. Page 8

1. If you prefer you could omit the razor blade and make use of an ‘invisible blade’ during the presentation; my firm view is that the use of a real blade, a reasonably unusual item in this day and age, makes for an interesting conversation piece, and adds to the charm and believability of the effect. Crucially, it affords you the misdirection to make the switch without fear. 2. Magicians will want to have the card signed. In fact, neither Scotty York, Fred Kaps nor I used a signed card, as it holds up the momentum - and the effect is powerful enough not to need it. If you prefer to have the card signed, then following the switch simply insert it into the switched card case (in steps 7- 8 above) amongst the card pieces; you appear to be inserting their card into the closed, cased deck, along with the razor blade. When you tip the contents of the case onto the table, the signed card will be amongst the pieces and blade. Page 9

THE BLACK BOX

WAYNE DOBSON

Routine 3: ‘TOTAL RECALL’

7. Under this misdirection reach down with your left hand, lift the Box and drop it onto the red deck to its left - Figure 6 (page 4) shows the positioning; note the front face of the case faces upwards ready for the switch.

ERE is another fine example of how the use of The Black Box can enhance an already strong effect. Six cards are chosen and kept from a deck shuffled by the spectator - by spreading the cards face up you instantly know the names of the six chosen cards!

8. Pick up the (switched) red case from the table, and open the flap to extract the deck. Take their card (8 Clubs) and place it on top of the deck. You have now reset the stacked deck so it is complete!

H

It is the ability to allow the spectator to shuffle the deck that turns this revelation into a such a killer effect. If this was described in a book you would in all likelihood ignore it and move on. Don’t make that mistake with this one!

You Will Need: 1.  The Black Box 2. Two matching red-backed decks in their cases.

9. They cut the deck and complete the cut as many times as they wish. They take the top five cards from the deck, and shuffle them. Glimpse the face card of the deck, which thanks to the stack tells you the five cards they have taken.  Example: let’s say the face card of the spread deck is the 7 Clubs. In the Eight Kings sequence this tells you their five cards are the 9H, 5S, QD, 4C, AH. 10. They fan the five cards in front of them. You begin calling out the cards in stack order, starting with the 9 Hearts. You can now name all five cards, since they are the next five in the sequence. Each time you name a card, they take it out of the fan and place it on the table. In this way, they are restacking the deck for you! You can then reassemble the deck and replace it in its card case.

3. One deck is set in a stack - I’ve always used good old Eight Kings, but use whichever you are familiar with. You don’t need to use one of the more complex memorised decks that cue the value and position of the card (such as those developed by Nikola, Tamariz or Aronson); just the sequence of the cards will suffice. 4. Take out the top card of the stacked deck - 8 Clubs - and discard. Case the stacked deck and place into the secret compartment of the Box, rear face upwards. 5. The other deck has its 8 Clubs on top, ready to force. This is cased and goes into the upper compartment of the Box, atop the false bottom.

Handling: 1. Take The Black Box in your left hand, thumb on top, fingers beneath keeping the second deck from falling out! 2. Place The Black Bo on the table. Take off the lid and place on the table beside the Box - Figure 4 (page 3) shows the relative positions of the lid and the open Box. 3. Take the deck out of the Box, open the card case and extract the deck, which you can false shuffle, retaining the sequence. The blue case back is showing inside the open Black Box, giving the impression that the case holds two decks and you’ve only taken the top red one, leaving the blue behind in The Black Box. 4. Force the top card of the deck, using ‘your favourite method’. They take the card without looking at it and place it face down on the table. Invite them to shuffle the deck to their heart’s content. 5. Turn the deck face up, and make a series of elimination statements, such as: “...there are more reds than blacks, so you took a black card... there are more spades than clubs, so you took a club. All the court cards are here, so you took a spot card. There are more odd cards than even, so you took an even card. You took the 8 of Clubs!” 6. As you are saying this, you collect up the deck and place it into the case. As they turn over the card to reveal you are correct, your left hand quietly places the red case on the table to the left of The Black Box - Figure 5 (page 4) shows the positioning; note the front face of the case faces upwards ready for the switch. Page 10

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THE BLACK BOX Wayne Dobson in association with Alan Wong presents

White Lighning lacerate

total recall

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