Price$15.00
Media TypeTrick, DVD
CategoryGeneral, Close Up
Date AddedDec 07, 2007
CastleMaynia
Andrew Mayne
(Based on 1 review)
- Use it to reveal a selected card
- Produce it at the end of a card manipulation routine
- Pull it from your wallet
- Use it as a magical production
- Produce one and then split it into two
Ships flat: 5 minutes of assembly required
Includes 16 minute instructional DVD along with 6 routines
Reviews
(Top ▲)
I have a love/hate relationship with card castles. To the layman’s eye, a house of cards is a delicate and fragile structure that even the most gentle puff of air can destroy. In performance magic circles, the house of cards is often represented by a symbolic stack of cards that is rather boxy, and looks like what it is, a folding pack of cards. Over the years, I have used many card castles in my stage show, and only recently started to feature one in my full evening show. But, the condition it needed to fit was that it looked like a real house of cards, not a fold-up box. With that said, we now turn to Castlemaynia by Andrew Mayne.
I love it, but it is in no way the ultimate solution for me, personally. Yes, Andrew has created something unique, a fold-up card castle that fits in the palm of your hand, and can be disguised as a deck of cards. As far as I know, getting a card castle this small has never been done. Andrew can make this card castle appear by dropping it down and having it unfold in a rather rapid and surprising manner. But, when you produce and unfold the box, what do you do then? In a close-up situation, you would have to either remove it from the room, (for the curious participants in your show would surely want to take a good look at this thing) or fold it back down. What Andrew leaves out of his explanation and demonstration is what you do immediately following the production. On the DVD, it’s easy, just cut to the next shot, but in a real world performing situation, it gets more complicated.
You are supplied with a sheet of card stock that you will cut, fold, and tape into the card castle. You better pay attention on your first attempt, or else be prepared to buy another one. The castle does not really stand up well on its own and is more of a quick flash production item than a delicate free-standing house of cards. You also get a DVD, wherein Andrew explores some of his ideas. As a cardboard typological sculpture, it is very clever, and pleasing to the eye. I enjoy Andrew’s creativity. Andrew is known for creating many “shock” effects, but what happens after the initial shock? Your spectators just might want to explore the after-shock moment as well.
I love it, but it is in no way the ultimate solution for me, personally. Yes, Andrew has created something unique, a fold-up card castle that fits in the palm of your hand, and can be disguised as a deck of cards. As far as I know, getting a card castle this small has never been done. Andrew can make this card castle appear by dropping it down and having it unfold in a rather rapid and surprising manner. But, when you produce and unfold the box, what do you do then? In a close-up situation, you would have to either remove it from the room, (for the curious participants in your show would surely want to take a good look at this thing) or fold it back down. What Andrew leaves out of his explanation and demonstration is what you do immediately following the production. On the DVD, it’s easy, just cut to the next shot, but in a real world performing situation, it gets more complicated.
You are supplied with a sheet of card stock that you will cut, fold, and tape into the card castle. You better pay attention on your first attempt, or else be prepared to buy another one. The castle does not really stand up well on its own and is more of a quick flash production item than a delicate free-standing house of cards. You also get a DVD, wherein Andrew explores some of his ideas. As a cardboard typological sculpture, it is very clever, and pleasing to the eye. I enjoy Andrew’s creativity. Andrew is known for creating many “shock” effects, but what happens after the initial shock? Your spectators just might want to explore the after-shock moment as well.