"TSCTW (The Smallest Card Through Window)" DVD by Magicshop
Suggested Retail USD$24.95
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 5 Out of 10

"TSCTW (The Smallest Card Through Window)", a new DVD by Magicshop, is a very slick idea, presenting an interesting theme, but ultimately hindered by an unnecessarily sharp learning curve and one too many limitations.

I have to admit I love the idea behind "TSCTW". The theme is a neat one that strikes a chord with me and the handling is devious enough to be captivating all on its own.

It all begins with the spectator selecting and signing a card. A small piece of the corner is torn off. The performer removes his watch and gives it to a spectator to examine. The watch is taken back and the torn corner laid on the watch's crystal. The corner is rubbed against the crystal and suddenly the piece of the card is inside the watch, having penetrated the crystal. The card can be laid against the corner piece and plainly seen to be the matching corner.

Okay, I think that's cool. Very, very cool. And thanks to a lovely little idea, there's a lot going for this. If you go with the above routine, you perform this without a force or switching. There is only the one watch in play; no switching of that, either. As far as that goes, this can be done with any small object that would fit onto the face of the watch: signed pieces of bills, coins, parts of business cards, whatever you can come up with, and still there's no switching. In fact, you can give the watch away as a souvenir if you want to; they'll find nothing. The handling itself is delightfully sneaky, one of those things you almost feel guilty about doing, and reasonably clean.

Really, "TSCTW" has a good deal going for it.

The challenge will be learning the thing in the first place and then finding some place to perform it. Let's tackle the latter before we get around to the former.

I said the handling was reasonably clean. It is. Everything is seen to be so open that, combined with the spectators examining the watch, makes this inexplicable to the extreme. But that comes with a cost, as it almost always does, and in this case the bill to be paid comes at the expense of the venue. In short, the angles are tight on this one, a couple of times very tight. This will take some work to make those angles work for you and not against you. Then there's the whole lighting issue; the dimmer the better for this one, though some playing around will let you get comfortable enough to not fret that too much. Still, bright lights and -- at one point at least -- some indirect light will flash the workings fairly easily. Also on the downside is the common issue of reseting; you'll need a trip to ye olde bathroom for this one. Privacy is the premium here.

Apparently, also at a premium is the idea of doing actual instructions. As with another Magicshop release, the instructions are done visually without a single dram or drop of dialogue. It's all finger pointing and gesturing and repeated actions when it comes to instruction. Now, that can work and I'm living proof of it, but here it's just not enough. There are some subtleties here that are left out (sorry, but a finger wave doesn't count), and perhaps the most aggravating is trying to translate miming into how to select the appropriate props to do this in the first place. This is just not suitable for this routine and not done well in the first place.

Can it be learned? Sure, but with a great deal more effort than should be expended when the product is the instruction itself.

So big thumbs down on the instructions, and a thumb titled sideways for the practicality issues. Both of these hurt "TSCTW" a great deal.

And it's a pity because, at the end of the day, "TSCTW" is not a bad effect. It looks good and is so open and direct it can flatten peoples' cerebellums. In fact, it's so good that, if the plot appeals to you and you can deal with the issues, the problems are not all that monumental. You won't mind putting in the extra, unwarranted effort to learn it or holding onto it for those times when you can perform it.

That becomes the deciding factor with "TSCTW": does the theme spur you on to ignore the drawbacks and limitations? If it does, then you're likely to enjoy and use this one. If not, then it's just not worth the time or money for the frustration you'll likely feel.

"TSCTW (The Smallest Card Through Window)" DVD by Magicshop
In a Blink: 5 Out of 10

Material: 8
This is a very neat idea, though with some weaknesses here and there to be overcome. Still, if the venue permits, this can be a striking bit of business, with enough flexibility to make it your own. Add to that the giveaway option, and this one is worth a look.

Practicality: 4
The set-up is easy enough (you'll need a certain kind of watch, though, and a certain small tool to help you during the set-up), but the reset's going to require a trip to the bathroom -- you'll need privacy for this one. Also, the angles are tight and the lighting best be a bit dimmed. All of this makes this one a bit too finicky for much commercial use, but it's definitely workable in the right circumstances

Quality of Production: 5
The production quality is about average, with little in the way of glitz or warts either.

Quality of Instruction: 1
As with another Magicshop release, there's no dialogue. This can work, as has been proven by some phenomenal performers, but here? Not at all. Sequences are choppy, instructional points are weakly conveyed (especially when it comes to prop requirements)... Let's just sum it up by saying you're going to have trouble with the mess here.

Presentation: 8
The visuals are very good, certainly, and the handling is remarkably clean if not a little rushed at times. As for what you can accomplish here presentationally, the skies the limit -- as long as it's a small piece of the sky. All in all, this is a very good piece of entertainment.


Shane