BLOG OF AN ESCAMOTEUR

To be honest, the classic effect of the torn and restored newspaper did not really appeal to me for a long time. Somehow it looked too common and in a way trivial to me. This started to chance while watching the DVD from Paul Potassy who has a very entertaining newspaper routine with a nice twist and surprise at the end, that really catches the audience off guard.

But still I was not thinking about taking this trick into my program. This was until I saw NEWSFLASH from Axel Hecklau, a extremely creative German magician from Berlin. But I’m going too fast. I had seen Axel’s version some five years ago in his lecture, and I recalled it as a good version with some handling benefits, but I was not really thrilled at this point.

Two months ago I watched the promotion video of his final version and it really killed me! Or to say it with Gaetan Bloom’s words: “I was torn apart and I’m not fully restored yet”.

If you haven’t seen it, yet is the time to do it:

So I got one from Axel and was really flabbergasted what he had achieved:

• The production of the DVD is top notch absolutely professional. You can choose between German or English language.
• Included with the DVD are the necessary gimmicks and a very helpful printed reminder how the folding of the newspaper is done.
• All necessary steps for the preparation are explained in extreme detail and even more important, Axel also tells us the reason behind the details.
• I really don’t know how many newspapers Axel had to fold to find this particular perfect folding, but I’m happy that I hadn’t to do it myself. I can only imagine Axel dreaming from newspapers at night.
• Finally he really reinvented this classic trick and took it too a much higher level
• His preparation makes it even possible to perform it not only as a torn and restored, but also as a transformation from one newpaper to another or from plain paper to a newspaper or, or…. just be creative.

I won’t repeat here all the advantages that are named in the video. They are all true and not at all typical dealers language.

Your first preparation of the newspaper that will appear as the restored one will take you about an hour. The reset that means to prepare it for a new performance takes really not more than three minutes. When all is setup the trick is almost self working but this doesn’t say that you shouldn’t practice it several times, especially the tearing, before you show it in your next show.

So far I was really happy with the product and was anxious to test it in front of a real audience and what should I say…they where really shocked. It’s now the trick most people talk about after my show, something I had never expected from the “old” newspaper trick.

I really can’t recommend this trick too much. It’s a great addition for every professional stand up performer.

The price of almost $90 might seem a bit high to some of you, but it’s worth every cent of it.

You can get it only directly here from Axel Hecklau

Related posts:

1. How to make the last tear of NEWSFLASH easier
2. REVIEW: NEWSFLASH 2.0
3. Short Update on the NEWSFLASH last Tear
4. Review: Tom Stones Monshine Monolougues