J.N. Maskelyne received a letter from Charles Carter inquiring about the possibility of his leasing St. George's Hall for an extended run or even purchasing half interest in Maskelyne & Devant's Mysteries. There was a time when J.N. would have tossed such a letter straight into the rubbish bin, but considering his current circumstance, he sat down and composed a carefully worded response. The small folded note card upon which he wrote was framed with a black border in remembrance of his recently deceased wife and printed simply but elegantly in the upper right-hand corner were the words: St. George's Hall, Langham Place. Using a fountain pen, J.N. Maskelyne filled three pages with his distinctive handwriting.

Joshua begins his column with an exploration into tricks that, taken apart, are merely standard moves. But when these old standards are assembled properly, they become original by virtue of how they are structured. Tricks of this nature are included from Steve Ehlers, Martin Lewis, Michael Close, and others.

In a few months it will be Renaissance Faire season. All performers at Ren Faires must wear clothes of the period. They must speak the way people did at that time. And they can only use props that are made of materials that were around in that time. This month David Kaye features a routine from Master Payne. Payne is a 25-year veteran of Ren Faires. He knows his olde stuff. Included in his act is a Die Box disguised as an old heirloom chest, Linking Rings, Sword Thru Neck, a flute that causes a silk to vanish, and of course Cups & Balls. He shares with us his routine for What's Next, which he calls What Be Next. What's that you say? What's Next is made of stamped metal, with machine cut circles and it's made in Japan, a country that Europeans have never heard of! Dear companion, be not fearful!

This month's effect is the result of a collaboration between Anthony Owen, Marc Paul, and Andy Stone. Having a collection of magicians who combine knowledge of previous methods and effects, performing experience, and a clear shared vision of a desired effect — the "dream effect" as Tommy Wonder called — can be a great route to magical creativity. This particular piece was an attempt to solve some of the concerns they shared about Kenton Knepper and Larry Becker's Kollosal Killer. These concerns related to the force of the suit, the bulkiness of the wallet and the "off by one" outs. We think you'll find this presentation solves these problems neatly and provides an entertaining plot.

While performing your favorite Ambitious Card routine, disaster strikes. You lose the card and, out of frustration, decide to let the spectator find her own @#%!!! card — which she does in a spectacularly upstaging fashion.

Finding or creating illusions that involve multiple assistants is always a challenge. This month's fun illusion has its roots in the classic Sawing A Lady In Half, but with a twist of Rubik's Cube thrown in. It's a simple, straightforward, yet visual, concept that the audience can clearly understand, and has a nice clean finale.

The Blinks is an involuntary and unconscious closing or fluttering of the eyelids during the performance of a magical effect. This bad habit is reinforced by unfocused or sloppy practice sessions and/or rehearsals. Symptoms are shutting, squinting, fluttering or closing the eyelids during crucial points of the routine, especially when the secret move or sleight is being executed. In extreme cases, the performer develops facial "tells," tics, and grimaces. The Blinks often signal the audience that something sneaky, suspicious, or strange is happening, or about to happen.

The author was told, as many other young magicians were, that when magic and mentalism are presented in the same show, the magic effects diminish the impact of the mentalism effects. Mentalism, he was given to understand, is a more mature, adult form of mystery performance, which is weakened and diluted by mixing it with magic. He encountered this idea so many times, stated in the most categorical way, he simply accepted it, until...