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

THE GOLD STANDARD by David Regal

The Gold Standard is basically a card to impossible location.  In David Regal’s presentation, it can be much more than this.
 
In effect, a card is freely selected (and can be signed) and lost in the deck.  Magically, the chosen (and signed) card appears between the performer’s tie tack and his tie.  The card can be pulled on or spun to show that it is indeed impaled onto the tie tack.  The tie tack has to be removed from the tie before the card can be removed.  And there is a hole through the card where the spike of the tie tack goes through. 
 
Here is a description of David Regal’s presentation.  He has 2 spectators seated on opposite sides of him at a close-up table.  He has spectator no 1 freely selects a card and then loses it in the deck.  Only this spectator knows what card he has chosen.
 
He then turns to spectator no 2, and has his back facing spectator no 1.  He spreads the deck to show spectator no 2 that the chosen card is lost in the deck.  Immediately spectator no 2 as well as the rest of the audience see the chosen card (signed or otherwise) impaled onto the performer’s tie tack. 
 
David then asks this spectator no 2 to concentrate and call out the name of spectator no 1’s chosen card.  He acts surprised that this spectator is able to do so.  After a moment, from the laughter of the audience, David suddenly realizes that the chosen card is pinned in his tie tack.
He removes the tie tack, and takes out the chosen card.  There is a hole in the card.  This presentation is very much like “paper balls over the head” where the audience can see what is happening except the spectator on stage, or in this case, spectator no 1 who is at the close-up table together with the performer.
 
The performer can then continue with his close-up show.  Somewhere in the show, another card, or another object, such as a bill, can be impaled on his tie tack.  This is removed from the tie tack, and then further through his show, another object can get pinned onto his tie tack.  This “visual gag” is like the “water of India” running gag that a stage performer uses throughout his performance.
 
You receive the specially manufactured tie tack which is plated in 18k gold and comprises the tie tack and its clutch.  You also receive a gimmick piece to be used with this tie tack.  You are supplied with a carrying pouch as well as an instructional DVD.
 
In the DVD, David Regal performs and explains everything with much clarity.  For those who are interested in the history of such effect, they will be glad to know that David discusses quite a bit of it in his introduction.
 
The effect is not difficult to do.  David teaches you the Mahatma and other controls.  There is no problem with performing angles, although it is best performed with the audience in front.
Instead of playing card, a good alternative to use with The Gold Standard is your business card.  Your spectator (or client) then gets to keep it with the special hole.
 
The effect can be performed close-up or stand-up.  The “card to tie tack” effect itself is a wow to the audience.  If you do David’s routine, you get a comedy effect as well, similar to “paper balls over the head”.  You can also use it as a running “gag” throughout your performance, much like “water of India”.
 
The product is not cheap, but you get a very well made professional prop which is 18k gold plated.
When you remove the tie tack and the pierced card, everything can be examined by the spectator.  The good thing is that the pierced card can be given out as a souvenir to the spectator.
After you fix the tie tack back onto your tie, in front of the audience, you are already set up and good to go again.
The Gold Standard is truly a “gold standard” effect.  (8/10 stars rating)