Lolly Hero by Steve Rowe

Effect

Lolly Hero by Steve Rowe is a playful and visually striking magic trick involving a lollipop. The magician appears to eat the lollipop, taking visible bites out of it, only to reveal that the lollipop has transformed into a different shape—often a recognizable character or object, such as a superhero's head. The moment is surprising and leaves the audience wondering how the lollipop could change while being consumed.

Full Details

Lolly Hero is a self-contained trick that requires minimal setup but delivers a strong visual impact. The magician starts by producing a lollipop (sometimes using a separate production method, such as Kieron Johnson's lollipop production from his Chaotic DVD). The performer then interacts with the lollipop, possibly adding a small cape made from the wrapper for comedic effect.

The key moment comes when the magician places the lollipop in their mouth and visibly "eats" parts of it, showing chunks missing. After building suspense, they remove the lollipop to reveal it has transformed into a new shape—often matching a prediction made earlier in the routine. The effect is clean, leaving no residue or suspicious props behind.

Who Should Consider the Trick

Lolly Hero is ideal for:

• Close-up performers who want a non-card, non-coin trick in their repertoire.
• Family entertainers or children's magicians, as the lollipop theme is universally appealing.
• Workers who enjoy visual, interactive magic with a lighthearted presentation.
• Performers who like tricks that leave a lasting impression, as the transformed lollipop can be given away as a souvenir.

Difficulty

The trick is relatively easy to perform, with no complex sleight of hand required. The main challenge lies in the presentation—timing, misdirection, and selling the "eating" process convincingly. Some versions require minor preparation, but the method is straightforward once learned.

Kev G mentions that he prefers the prepared version where he genuinely eats part of the lollipop, making the transformation more baffling. The trick is worker-friendly, meaning it can be repeated in multiple performances with minimal reset.

What Magicians Say

Kev G, one half of the Refraktor Project, includes Lolly Hero in his list of essential tricks, praising it as "completely different from anything else" and noting that audiences "lose it" when the final reveal happens. He highlights the strong reactions and photo opportunities the trick provides.

Other performers appreciate the versatility of the routine—it can be adapted to different themes (e.g., superheroes, cartoon characters) and integrated into larger sets. The fact that the lollipop has been in the performer's mouth also discourages spectators from examining it too closely, adding to the mystery.

Lolly Hero is a fun, commercial trick that combines humor, visual magic, and audience interaction, making it a solid choice for performers looking to add variety to their sets.