“Everything about UV Gypsy String is right. This is simply the best Gypsy Thread material I have ever encountered. There is no equal on the market today.”
JIM KLEEFELD|M-U-M
Many thanks to Jim Kleefeld for his review of our UV Gypsy String in the December issue of M-U-M magazine published by the Society of American Magicians. You can order UV Gypsy String here. Here is the full review:
M-U-M MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2016
UV GYPSY STRING PROP
BY TED OUTERBRIDGE
Available from: OuterbridgeMagic.com
Price $30.00
REVIEW BY JIM KLEEFELD
I met Ted and Marion Outerbridge, Canadian illusionists, when they passed through Cleveland on a lecture tour. We got to spend some time talking magic and sharing ideas. He showed me his UV Gypsy String, and I was impressed enough to think I should tell you about it. If you do the Gypsy Thread in any form, you will definitely want to check this out. The product is basically a spool
of thread, but it is specially engineered to help you perform this trick. Many specifications of it are unlike any other material you may have used. First, it is much thicker than ordinary thread. It is also a very bright day-glo yellow that shines and glows under the proper lighting. Trust me, your audience will be able to see this if you stand onstage in an auditorium of a thousand people. Despite being very thick, the thread breaks very easily – no need for scissors at all. In addition, the thread comes reeled on a heavy wooden spool that not only keeps it stored properly, but also serves as a perfect and innocent prop in your routine.
Everything about UV Gypsy String is right. This is simply the best Gypsy Thread material I have ever encountered. If you already have a routine, you will want to use this. If you do not, then you can put it in your repertoire by following the simple instructions in Reginald Scot’s 1584 book, The Discoverie of Witchcraft. Yes, the trick is really that old. Don’t have that reference handy? No worries, Outerbridge includes clear, photo-illustrated instructions as well as a handy winder gimmick to help you prepare the string for each performance. If you do the routine a lot, buy several spools because you have to have a prepared spool ready for each performance. Once you present the trick, you will have to spend several minutes resetting the spool for the next performance. For back-to-back shows, you should have separate spools prepared in advance.
The Gypsy Thread routine has been popularized by Eugene Burger and others. It makes for a wonderful closing segment because you can weave a soft and sentimental story around an intimate act that ends with a very magical denouement. In many people’s hands, this is very good theater. If you present a Gypsy Thread routine, get Outerbridge Magic’s UV Gypsy String. There is no equal on the market today.
