Price$20.00
Media TypeTrick
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedMar 16, 2003
Acme Portable Hole
Talbot, John
(Based on 3 reviews)
Reviews
(Top ▲)
PROS
I just love the idea of a cartoon style portable hole.
The quality of the props is very good.
The instruction is in a booklet, not a DVD. The instruction is good. It comes with patter that centers around the wonderful world of the Roadrunner, Wiley E Coyote and the magic of Acme Corporation.
The effect is ready to go, all you need to do is bring the deck and pen. It resets easily.
The effect is super easy to perform.
It can be performed surrounded.
CONS
This effect requires a gimmicked deck and the deck can’t be handed out for examination.
VERDICT
This is a great effect, but it requires a dedicated gimmicked deck. This is one of those tricks that might be worth the dedicated deck if you have a really entertaining routine.
I just love the idea of a cartoon style portable hole.
The quality of the props is very good.
The instruction is in a booklet, not a DVD. The instruction is good. It comes with patter that centers around the wonderful world of the Roadrunner, Wiley E Coyote and the magic of Acme Corporation.
The effect is ready to go, all you need to do is bring the deck and pen. It resets easily.
The effect is super easy to perform.
It can be performed surrounded.
CONS
This effect requires a gimmicked deck and the deck can’t be handed out for examination.
VERDICT
This is a great effect, but it requires a dedicated gimmicked deck. This is one of those tricks that might be worth the dedicated deck if you have a really entertaining routine.
Suggestions
I think the key to this effect is to create a really entertaining routine with a lot of audience interaction. One modification I made to mine was to print a “label” with “Acme Portable Hole” on it and taped it to the pen. I perform this effect after performing an effect that uses a similarly labeled regular pen and a cartoon rabbit drawn on a card where the cartoon transfers to their selected card. I joke about how I was “sold” this pen, but I don’t think it works. The deck and pen are switched to perform this effect next.(Top ▲)
I agree with dorion, it hits with a bang, but there is no build up. The trick is over too quick. . . and uses a gaffed deck. I also find the ink that ends up on my thumb to be a problem. I solved this by using a black piece of plastic for the hole. Stll, it did not stick in my repertoire.
(Top ▲)
Let me summarize everything I'm about to say in one short sentence. This is a great trick.
The effect is strong and for a walk-around performer it's ideal. I like the idea of a trick with a story, and this has an appealing one. Kids like the cartoon aspect of it but it plays well to adults who fondly remember sitting in front of a television on Saturday mornings.
I'd suggest two small changes to the write-up. First, although there is no force, the spectator doesn't have the chance to pick any of the 52 cards but rather, just one of the ones he sees. I've never found this to be troublesome. I just explain that I destroy a card every time I do this trick (you really don't, of course) and so the spec must pick one of the ones remaining.
Second, the description says it resets in a flash and I'd say it resets faster than that. With the handling I use there is no reset necessary at all. This will be quickly apparent to anyone who fools around with the deck for just a couple of minutes. But you can do it the way explained in the instructions and take all of 2 or 3 seconds to get ready for a repeat performance. Still terrific.
It's a fun effect to do, it's ridiculously easy, and it gets a jaw-dropping response. Hard to beat that.
The effect is strong and for a walk-around performer it's ideal. I like the idea of a trick with a story, and this has an appealing one. Kids like the cartoon aspect of it but it plays well to adults who fondly remember sitting in front of a television on Saturday mornings.
I'd suggest two small changes to the write-up. First, although there is no force, the spectator doesn't have the chance to pick any of the 52 cards but rather, just one of the ones he sees. I've never found this to be troublesome. I just explain that I destroy a card every time I do this trick (you really don't, of course) and so the spec must pick one of the ones remaining.
Second, the description says it resets in a flash and I'd say it resets faster than that. With the handling I use there is no reset necessary at all. This will be quickly apparent to anyone who fools around with the deck for just a couple of minutes. But you can do it the way explained in the instructions and take all of 2 or 3 seconds to get ready for a repeat performance. Still terrific.
It's a fun effect to do, it's ridiculously easy, and it gets a jaw-dropping response. Hard to beat that.