"Naked" by Salvador Sufrate
Suggest Retail Price: USD$35.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 9 Out of 10

"Naked", a new effect by Salvador Sufrate, seems like a small, albeit clever, revelation of a chosen card but it plays much bigger than its almost comical simplicity would lead anyone to expect and entertains more than the simple device reveals.

I know, I know… I'm probably going to catch hob with this, but I honestly find the clean simplicity of "Naked" appealing and, three performances later, I fell hard for the silly thing's cleverness and flexibility. A dozen performances later and this one ends up in my "go everywhere" case; it's just too much fun for everyone concerned.

First, I gotta say, as much as I love this, it's not going to appeal to a lot of folks. Shoot, I wasn't that crazy about it myself (I still find the whole "turning the back" thing to be just… wrong for me). But for those that like the premise - and the appearance - "Naked" will do them a world of astonishing service.

Okay, so having said that, the effect:

A card is freely selected, signed by a spectator, and returned to the deck. The performer blows it by finding the wrong card. Putting the wrong card between their lips, the performer holds his hands out to the side and slowly turns completely around. The card has changed into the signed card and can be given out as a souvenir.

Okay, that's just neat in my book. And the ad copy is dead-on: there's no palming involved (no complicated sleights at all, really), and - unlike similar things - there are no reels, threadwork, or pulls; this is what you'd call "self-contained". "Naked" even avoids my major bugbears: there're no special clothes needed here, no special clothing requirement at all, and there's no fussy flap-card that you'll continually have to care for.

So as far as practicality goes, this one is way up there. You'll have to watch your angles - can't do this one surrounded - but otherwise all is well.

Really, really well.

Here's the thing: "Naked" is one of those things that just isn't all that flashy so any number of performers are going to turn up their noses at it. Still more will ignore the bit about the card being freely selected, jump onto the change, think they have it all worked out, and deem "Naked" unimpressive.

That leaves performers like… me. And you can bet we'll get our money's worth from this one.

No, it's not flashy. It's quite laidback. It's also suspenseful and different. For an audience, for folk paying for a brain-freeze, this one does it at a very leisurely pace. It's just so blasted clean it's got more power than it appears.

No, if you think about it, it's really not all that impressive… to magicians. To spectators, this thing packs a punch. Does it cause people to scream? Yes, it does. Laugh? Lots of times, from guffaws to nervous giggles. Questioning silence? Not so much. You see, folks get a kick out of "Naked". It's an oddity. It's not something seen time and again. Revealing a card may be a cliché, but revealing it a la "Naked" is not.

At least that's the nearest I can figure it. For me, it's enough to watch an audience have fun with it, for myself to have fun with it, and for it to let me play a bit, use it in different ways here and there, and entertain myself as well as my audience.

Do I recommend "Naked" for everyone? If you like the plot, find it intriguing, then "Naked" is one piece you'll get some mileage out of and one you'll be happy with for a while. So, with that being the only caveat…

"Naked" is strongly recommended.

"Naked" by Salvador Sulfrate
In a Blink: 9 Out of 10

Practicality: 8
Yes, angles can be a (rather obvious) issue, but otherwise this is a very practical piece of work (and if you apply a little thought, you'll find angles aren't a problem either).

Workmanship: 10
You're supplied with two gimmicks, both very well made of Bicycle stock. With proper care, they'll last a good long time.

Documentation: 8
The documentation, like the effect's workings, are simple and straightforward and taught in both Spanish and English. It would have been nice to see some extra handlings or tips along with the instructions, but otherwise the documentation is very good.

Effect: 9
It's hard to believe something like this plays so incredibly well. From stunned looks to laughter, "Naked" gets a ton of different reactions but they are all positive and solid.

Presentation: 9
While I don't care much for the whole "turning the back" thing, this is one of the cleanest, direct, and, in the end, most enjoyable effects out there. It's fun to perform, spectators get a kick out of the freshness of it… this is fine effect indeed.

Shane

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