Next Meeting: 15 March 2025 | Theme: Annual General Meeting | Location: NLB Drama Center

ONE 2.0 by Matthew Underhill

Product ImageDoc Eason’s “Anniversary Waltz” has become a classic card effect.  It is the fusion of 2 separately selected and signed cards back-to-back so that you get a single card with one signed selection on one side and the other signed selection on the other side.  It is an unusual card for the 2 spectators to keep as a souvenir. 

What makes this effect so strong is the involvement of 2 individuals who have a strong bonding between them.  The climax of the fused card has a special meaning for the couple, and it also tends to tug at the heart-strings of the rest of the audience.

Matthew Underhill’s original “One” has a more visual effect than the “Anniversary Waltz”.  A card selected happens to be a hearts suit, eg a four of hearts.  The back of this card can be signed.  One of the couple’s initials are written on a heart on the card.  His or her partner’s initials are written on another heart on the same card.  The performer visually draws one of the initialed hearts with his thumb and brings it next to the other initialed heart on the card, so that the 2 hearts “kiss” one another at their pointed ends.  This unusual card is then given out as a souvenir to the couple who participated in the magic.

In “One 2.0”, you get an updated version.  The souvenir card is now available in red bicycle back.  The heart that “moves” is now on the non-index corner of the card.
You receive 20 specially printed cards, 10 of the “fused” two of hearts and 10 of the “fused” four of hearts.  You also receive 20 single heart pips to be used with these specially printed cards.  You have to supply your own deck of red bicycle cards.

You are also given a password to download the instructional video.  In the 65 minutes video, you get to learn 2 different presentations and handlings, one is by David Penn and the other one is from Justin Miller. 

In David Penn’s handling, you have to use the original two or four of hearts card respectively.  In Justin Miller’s version, you do not need the original card.  You can choose whichever one handling that suits your performing and presentation style.

You also need a special something to adhere the hearts pip onto the specially printed card.  Only a little of this is used in each performance.  This should be supplied together with the gimmicked cards so that the purchaser can be assured of the correct type to use instead of having to experiment with different products.  It will also enable the purchaser to perform the effect straight away, instead of having to purchase the stuff separately if he does not have it in his magic inventory.

You may want to compare this effect with the original “Anniversary Waltz”.  Winning hands down for this effect is of course the very visual and magical movement of the initialed hearts pip across the card to join the other initialed hearts pip.

However, because of the limited size of the hearts pip, the initials of the 2 people will be quite small.  The “Anniversary Waltz”, on the other hand, has large signatures across the 2 sides of the card.

“One 2.0” has a greater possibility of awkward moments than the “Anniversary Waltz” when the movable pip encounters resistance to move or when it becomes dislodged prematurely.
Even if you own the “Anniversary Waltz”, it is good to have “One 2.0”.  They can both be performed for the same audience, and it will enhance the overall effect. 

 

(8/10 stars rating)