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Details

Tear Down

Andrew Mayne

(Based on 2 reviews)
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Andrew Mayne presents a radical twist on the classic newspaper tear (based on Jim Steinmeyer's Incessant Newspaper) - a completely impromptu and inspectable newspaper tear!

Effect

A spectator is asked to sign a totally unprepared newspaper right off the newsstand. The magician then takes the paper and rips it to shreds. He crumples the pieces together and then visually restores the newspaper! The restored newspaper, complete with signature, is handed back to the spectator to inspect and keep as a souvenir.
  • Totally impromptu: No preparation, no gimmicks
  • No switches, no duplicate newspapers
  • Everything can be inspected before and after the effect
  • Tear Down can be performed with full-sized newspapers, tabloid-sized and even magazines!
Tear Down is one of the most practical and visual newspaper tear you'll ever learn. Once you learn it, you'll be able to perform it anytime, anywhere. Zero-preparation, no gimmicks, no duplicates. Just pick up a newspaper and do it!

Running Time Approximately 33min

Reviews

Brian Reaves

Jul 06, 2009

This was one of the first Andrew Mayne effects I could actually use. Most of the DVDs or books I have purchased of his contain concepts that could never work real-world, and I've often felt burned and have stayed away from many of his products because the descriptions don't tell it all. That being said, I love this trick.

For one thing, it's impromptu. Second, it involves a signed newspaper. It plays relatively great, but there's a horrible moment where you have to ditch the paper shreds and it doesn't look good. You'll have to tweak this part to make it clean. Other than that, this is pretty good for the price.
(Top ▲)

Christopher Carey

Official Reviewer

Jul 16, 2008

Let me start by saying what all of us already know. Jim Steinmeyer is one of the most brilliant magic creators in magic history. Seriously. Why Jim Steinmeyer allowed Andrew Mayne to use his INCESSANT NEWSPAPER to produce this DVD is mind-boggling.

I have to admit, I'm always a little suspect of Mr. Mayne's products. He seems like a genuinely nice guy and obviously is very enthusiastic about magic, but on more than one occasion I've watched a video demonstration of his that turned my stomach. It seems that some of the effects he creates aren't real-world tested. It's obvious to this cat that Mr. Mayne releases items to the magic community too early. Some of the items shouldn't be released at all. Quality over quantity wins the hearts of consumers every time.

And that's the case here with TEAR DOWN. The idea of it is incredibly appealing. A borrowed and signed newspaper is torn into pieces, restored, and then handed back to the signee. Wow!

Unfortunately, the clean-up ditch that Mr. Mayne suggests is just awful. He performs it several times on this DVD and not once am I convinced of its effectiveness. In fact, in the official demo that leads off, there's an edit at one of the "dirty" moments. I was astounded this wasn't reshot. What it says to me is that even Mr. Mayne doesn't believe this clean-up move is any good. That doesn't stop him from telling you how "easy" it is to do many times, however.

I believe it was Mr. Steinmeyer who, in one of his essays, said that every magic effect has a flaw. And it's the magician's job to minimize the flaw, otherwise there's no experience of magic. This effect fails that test. It's only $15.00, but save your coin and find Richard Osterlind's newspaper routine instead.
(Top ▲)