Ice Pack
Karr, Todd
The Miracle Factory
A spectacular close-up card effect!
The spectator selects a card. You stroke your finger on the condensation of here glass - or carefully pour a few drops of water into your palm - then cup your hands together.
You blow into your closed hands, then slowly open them. The moisture's turned to several ice cubes!
Now you drop the cubes onto the table or a napkin, or even into the spectator's hands for a surprise.
When the spectator announces her card, you point out that the ice cubes are shaped like the name of her card.
If it's the Three of Diamonds, she has three diamond-shaped ice cubes. For the Two of Hearts, there are two heart-shaped pieces of ice!
It's real ice, and you can leave it on the table for the amazed spectators to watch melt!
An unforgettable card effect certain to cause brain freeze!
Includes reusable card ice cube tray
Multiple card revelations for repeat shows
Ice transport gimmick included
You can even have the ice appear in color!
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Magicians have been making magic with ice for years. We remember Malini for his production of a block of ice. In 1928, there was the "Magic Iceman" by Mihlon Clayton in the Sphinx with its potentially toxic method. The enigmatic Winston Freer published "Freezing Ice in the Hand" in the Complete Magic of Doc Maxam. In Jinx Issue 26, Theo Annemann shared “The Problem of the Ice Cube”. More recently, Michael Ammar gave us “Ice Cubes” and “The Iceman Cometh” in his Command Performance series and later in The Magic of Michael Ammar. I am sure that there have been others. Why has there been this fascination? I have a few theories. First, ice is impermanent. It melts and our audiences know this. This makes its appearance all that more magical. Secondly, ice is frozen water and water is one of the ancient elements. Manipulating the elements is one of the mainstays of mythic and literary magicians. It's just what is expected of us.
Into this history, comes Miracle Factory's “Ice Pack”. “Ice Pack” is a formal close-up piece with potentially great impact. A performer would need to work on timing and blocking as stealing a handful of pip-shaped ice cubes isn’t self working. However, the work is worth its impact. You need to dedicate a jacket or blazer pocket which is why the more formal show setting is ideal. I can’t see walk-around performers pursuing this for that reason.
The package is nicely produced with written instructions, an absorbent cloth to protects one’s pocket and the ice tray to mold the pips. The instructions are serviceable and will help you get started. Your own blocking and choreography will need to developed from the suggestions. For this reason, I would recommend it to a more seasoned performer.
My only issue with “Ice Pack” is the lack of crediting. Freer gets a passing mention and Ammar is credited with the pocket protector method but that's it. This is quite a surprise given the body of works published by the Miracle Factory. Maybe it was a desire to keep the instructions to one page but as I said, it was a surprise.
“Ice Pack” is a great piece of magic for one looking to add some “elemental” conjuring into a formal or special occasion setting.
(Top ▲)
These Miracle Factory products are pretty easy to review. It takes about 5 minutes to read the instructions and examine the props.
So far my experience with these products has been that they are well made, easy and workable methods and reasonably priced.
This one is no different. You get a very nicely made silicon ice cube tray and a super absorbent cloth to allow you to carry a few ice cubes in your pocket. Obviously, you're not gonna keep them there for hours at a time, but for the few minutes from the time you take them out of the freezer to the time you perform the effect . . . the cloth is a great solution credited to Michael Ammar.
The tray makes four diamond shaped ice "cubes", four heart shaped, three club shaped and 3 spade shaped ones. This allows for a variety of "selected" cards, and multiple performances in one night if required. Also, this perfect for house parties.
Final Thoughts
If you're in the market for magically producing ice cubes in your hand as a way of revealing a "selected" card, this method is pretty tough to beat, and for only $35 bucks for everything you get, it's tough not to recommend this.
By the way, this effect couldn't have arrived at a better time. I have a headache, and I needed Something For the Pain (Thank you Bon Jovi), and ice was just the thing.
Final Verdict:
5 Stars with a Stone Status of GEM.