Honestly, this routine is too PROCESS HEAVY for my taste.
What do I mean by process? It's
the unentertaining things we must do in order to make a miracle. The counting, the imaginary dice,
crayon and paper writing, the questioning, instructing "So write 'quarters and dimes' under
Spectator # 1's coins...", etc.
It's lots and lots of boring setup before you get to the
finale. Unlike with more visual magic tricks, people have to follow from start to finish to
appreciate. Too much going on. So much that people may believe that, somehow, something in all
that process enabled the outcome.
Now, if you have the chops to streamline this routine so
either the processes themselves are shortened or perhaps overlapped or covered with other dialogue
or made fun through humor, this one can be a close-up killer.
As usual, Lee, I can't argue the validity of your points.
However, as you pointed out, I truly believe this idea can be streamlined simply by writing new patter, from beginning to end. Trimming every bit of fat you can find, leaving behind a delicious filet-o-mentalism.
Process process process is a distinct issue. However, this is an incredible improvement over the source routines - Hummer, Hummer. Baker has taken a ho-hum card trick riddled with process, and transformed it into a more fun, interactive and much more deceptive routine.
(Sorry, meant to say Hummer & Larry Haas above) Plus I want to add that Baker has transformed a trick that was not my performance style into a routine that IS my performance style. That's worth the money.
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Process, process, process
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