el gran pescador(bigger fish), por peter turner(pdf)

Bigger Fish

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I dedicate this book to my son Zachary Dennis Turner. I love you more than life itself little man. I love the way you can make rainy days seem sunny and the way your cheeky little smile always manages to cheer me up even in the worst of times. You are growing up so quickly; I want you to know you make me so proud and I would like to thank you for giving my life the direction it needed. I owe everything to you, Daddy Turner x

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Forward In my book ‘A Journey Through the 4th

Dimension’ I discussed what I often refer to as the three eras of modern mentalism. The first era began with the rising popularity of spiritualism in the mid 19th Century. The second followed the popularization of ESP research in the 1920's through the writings and research of Dr. J.B. Rhine. And the third began in the 1970s when Uri Geller brought mentalism into the "New Age," much as Doug Henning did with magic. In ‘Bigger Fish’ as in his previous works, ‘Devious

Realities’ and ‘Dare to be Bold’, Peter Turner exemplifies what may well be another major change in the direction of our art. Focusing on bold methods, modern dual reality techniques and very clever audience management and psychology, he has created some very powerful, modern and organic mentalism routines that take the meaning of the word "bold" to an entirely new level. It is very important to read this work very carefully. There is a lot of subtlety and nuance in the scripts Peter provides with each effect. My suggestion is to try the routines exactly as written before you attempt to modify them lest you omit a word or phrase that is critical to the psychology of the effect.

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I am confident that you will be very pleased with the results. But, more important, so will your audiences. Less than a year ago I had never heard of Peter Turner. When I started to correspond with him I was very impressed with his creative and innovative approach to our art. He is at the forefront of a new generation of mentalists to whom, in a very real sense, the torch has been passed. When you've read and tried the materials in this book, I'm sure you'll agree that the torch is in the right hands.

Bob Cassidy Seattle, Washington April 2012

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A few words from the author Firstly I would like to start by thanking you from the bottom of my heart; not for purchasing this book, but for taking the time to read, accept and hopefully use the effects contained within. For those who know me already, you will know I am a fan of writing about unusual rouses. For those who don’t know me, I hope you enjoy what I have to offer.

‘Bigger Fish’ for me is a large mile marker in my work and is the bigger brother if you will to ‘Devious Realities’ and ‘Dare to be Bold’. The material in this book is of a more mature standard, while retaining the cheeky/ playful edge my previous works had to offer. When you read this book don’t view it as a list of effects with instructions. The effects are not the valuable factors in this book, the value lies in every one of the many subtleties. Each miracle in this book has been carefully chosen for its perform-ability, numerous possibilities of use, outside the box thinking and practicality. The material has been tried/ tested extensively in real world environments and it is my pleasure to present them to you. You will notice upon reading, each effect has been described extensively; there is good reason for this. If

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you cannot figure out how an effect is achieved while reading the description, you will realise just how fooled a lay audience will be. It is in that moment that you will realise the value of the material you have in your hands. I really hope you will pay close attention to the verbal subtleties; the subtleties are where 90% of the real value lies. Please, please, please read the performance sections. Reading the method alone will not suffice; reading the performance of each piece will give you a better idea of the application of verbal/ physical subtleties and the overall delivery and pace. I hope you appreciate the detail I go into and don’t skim these pages like a pebble skimming the surface of a desolate lake. Before we get into the material, I would like to answer a question that you may have. Why have I called this book ‘Bigger Fish’? The answer to this question should be obvious to anyone who has seen Tim Burton’s ‘Big Fish’. It’s a wonderful film. The film opened up my eyes to how miraculous my own world could be, if I created a myth using the gift of story. The film moved me severely. It created moments of breathtaking wonder that I had not

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experienced since early childhood and then I was too young to appreciate what I had. I have no doubt I will carry the feelings the film evoked within me for the rest of my life, it changed my whole outlook on the way I perform and as a result I hope you notice it in this book. If you haven’t seen ‘Big Fish’, run out and buy it. I will conclude this section with a couple of quotes.

“Freedom lies in being bold” - Robert Frost. “God gave rock and roll to you”- Argent “Any genuine philosophy leads to action and from action back again to wonder, to the enduring fact of mystery” – Henry Miller “On paper a moment cannot theoretically last a life time, in practice I defy that theory every chance I get”- Peter Turner Enjoy,

Peter Turner Bradford, West Yorkshire April 2012 Page 11

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Tattle tale Effect The performer invites a couple to join him at a table. The couple become acquainted with the performer (for the sake of argument we will call the couple Romeo and Juliette). The performer hands five Zener cards to Romeo and five to Juliette. The performer addresses the couple,

Performer: “In your hands you have five cards, each of these cards have a different symbol printed on the face. You will see that there is a Square, a Cross, a Star, Wavy lines and a Circle. Can you please hold them up and just show the audience”. The cards are displayed to the audience.

Performer: “These cards, at this time, hold no specific relevance. It is essential you listen to me very carefully and all shall become clear very soon. I would like you to mix the cards into any order you desire”. The couple mix their cards.

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The performer addresses Romeo,

Performer: “Romeo, can you look at each card individually, select one that appeals to you and lay that card facedown on the table for me”. He selects a card and places it facedown.

Performer: “Juliette, can you look at the cards in your hand and place the card that you believe Romeo selected facedown on the table”. The cards are turned over to reveal that they do not match. The performer smiles as though he knows something the couple doesn’t. The performer addresses the pair,

Performer: “It is a common misconception that conscious decisions or efforts are the deciding factor when it comes to a relationship lasting. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Humour me for a few seconds. Please pick up the card you placed down, place all your cards the under the table and mix them until you forget the order. I would like you to do Page 13

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this while thinking of a fond memory you have of your partner. When you have done that, keep the cards under the table”. The performer addresses the audience,

Performer: “Can we have a few seconds of silence please while the couple perform this task”. A few seconds pass and both confirm it is complete.

Performer: “I would like you to select any card you would like, without looking, turn that card over and place it in the middle of the rest of the cards. In essence, you will now have four cards face down and one card face up. When you have done this, square them up and bring them out from under the table facedown”. After a few seconds the couple both bring the cards out. The performer produces an envelope, tips it upside down, blows in it and asks Romeo to slide his cards inside. The performer then hands the envelope to Romeo to seal and then sit upon it.

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The same procedure occurs again for Juliette and she is asked to sit upon the envelope containing her cards. The mood of the room is taken down.

Performer: “I am now going to share with you a story, a local legend in North Carolina, set in a town called Durham. It involves a couple named John and Joanne. The couple were just your average teenage couple, both studying at the Duke University. One evening the couple were lying in bed after several months of dating, when the rain started to tap on the window. The couple were hidden under the duvet protected by its warmth, when Joanne snuggled up to John and whispered in his ear. I love you. John reciprocated by holding Joanne tightly in his arms and telling her he loved her more than life itself. Joanne fell asleep; John rolled over reached into his bed side dresser and scribbled something onto a piece of paper. He took that piece of paper and sealed it inside an envelope.

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Several months passed and the couple did everything they could do to consciously make each others life easy. After a night at a driving movie, during the journey home John sensed uneasiness. He asked Joanne if she was feeling alright and she asked him to pull over. She took John’s hand, looked at him teary eyed and told him that she did not love him anymore. She told him she thought it best they parted ways. John reached into his pocket as a small tear rolled down his face and removed the envelope he had sealed several months ago. At the very moment John handed the envelope to Joanne, a drunk driver swerved off of the road and crashed into John’s side of the car killing John and Injuring Joanne. Joanne awoke in the hospital the next morning, still clutching the envelope. She opened the envelope and inside there was a note that read, When I lose your love, I lose my life.

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The story of the couple quickly spread around campus like wildfire and fell upon the ears of a professor named Joseph Rhine. Joseph Rhine was well known for his research on the subconscious mind and quickly deduced that relationships did not work based on conscious efforts but a subconscious connection shared between two people. Unbeknown to most, Joseph was fairly unlucky in love himself and this discovery ensured he would be able to find his perfect partner. He put a lot of time and effort into creating a test. It is even documented that his work in other areas suffered as a result of his research in the connection of couples. He came up with a set of cards that he called Zener cards. These cards had five different symbols printed upon them, a Star, Wavy lines, a Square, Circle and a Cross. Joseph Rhine’s test consisted of separating a couple into separate rooms and seating them at a table.

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Each member of the couple were handed a set of five cards each, asked to place the cards under the table, mix them up, reverse one card then seal the cards into an envelope”. The performer pauses, drawing a slight smirk onto his face and looks at Romeo, then Juliette.

Performer: “I had you unknowingly take the famous test that Joseph Rhine had his subjects sit. I tried to conform to Rhine’s test conditions. The only difference in this test is you were not in different rooms, as that would be impractical. Romeo, take out the envelope you have been sat on”. The envelope is cut and Romeo carefully removes the five cards.

Performer: “Juliette, please remove your envelope”. The envelope is cut and Juliette carefully removes her five cards.

Performer: “On the count of three I would like each of you to carefully spread the cards to reveal the face up card. One...two...three”. Page 18

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The couples spread their cards and the face up card in each couples hand matches! The audience applaud wildly; the performer cuts the round of applause.

Performer: “The face up, matching cards was only a small part of Joseph Rhine’s test. Can you both please turn over the top card of the stack?” The cards match! Each card in turn is turned over and they also match! Under seemingly impossible circumstances the couple have not only managed to turn the same card face up but managed to subconsciously mix the cards into the exact same order. The couple are given the cards and envelopes as souvenirs. Note* you will notice that there is a miss with the conscious selection. I realise a miss might not suit everyone’s character, so I have been delightful enough to include five psi forces as a bonus!

Breakdown Firstly let me point out that the value of this piece is not in the method, but the rather dark but beautiful story.

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The method is a simple card switch. We do this by employing the use of two, two out envelopes described on page 128. Prepare by placing two stacks of Zener cards into the same order (with the same card face up in the middle). I.E. Star, Waves, (face down Square), Circle and Cross. Place them in the hidden partition facedown and mark the force side with an x. Place these envelopes into your breast pocket; There is not much in the way of explaining this routine as it is fairly simple. Let’s have a look at the routine from where the couple have both placed one card face down and our intention is that they do not match. {The reason I prefer the chosen cards do not match, is that it ties in with the story. The story depicts that no matter how many conscious decisions a couple make, it is the subconscious connection that decides how perfect a couple are.} If the couple happen to choose the same card, great! You can still carry on with the routine as normal, but at the end you can always say something along these lines.

Performer: “You are not only perfect on a conscious level, but a subconscious level also”. Page 20

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After the couple have mixed the cards and turned one over, make sure you emphasise the fact that they are to sandwich one card into the middle of the five. {Ensure you emphasise that they place the card face up in the third position.} When they have done that, ask them to square the cards up and bring them out facedown. This will ensure that the face up card doesn’t flash (that would ruin things). Once they have done this, remove one of the prepared envelopes. Pinch it, blow into it and turn it upside down. Do not make a point of the fact the envelope is empty, let them make that assumption for themselves. Ask Romeo to place his cards into the envelope facedown the same orientation as the prepared cards in the envelope. This is a bold moment. Hand the envelope to Romeo, ask him to seal it. Direct him not to look at his cards as you do not want even him to know which card he has turned around. Ask him to sit on his envelope; just to ensure no one can get anywhere near it. Repeat the process with Juliette.

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I know the above bold moment seems ludicrous, but trust me if you do not make a deal out of it neither will they. They will not feel anything they shouldn’t and best off all it makes everything seem totally hands off. The routine will play out just as nicely if you seal the envelopes and just lay them on the table in front of each subject. {Just a quick thought about bold moments. Moments like the above are often avoided like the plague, in all honesty bold moments are over very fast and are not noticed if you do not pay attention to them yourself. In the above moment, you will be creating hands off misdirection. Firstly by asking the subjects to lick the envelope and ensure they do not look at what card they have turned over and then by asking them to place it underneath them. In the first moment of misdirection the subject will be holding the envelope at the top to seal it; seriously how many times have you sealed an envelope and felt for its contents? (If you already know what’s in it). Asking them to sit on the envelope (while they are still sealing it) they have to move. This ensures their attention is on making sure they don’t trip and moving the chair out from under the table, the last thing they will be thinking of is the envelope. The story proceeds.

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It comes to the moment of asking each subject to remove their envelopes. Ask them to remove them one at a time, in reverse order to what they were placed under (Juliette first and then Romeo). When Juliette has removed hers, ask her to hand you it. Cut the envelope open with scissors (where the x is), make a very open handed gesture of sliding the cards so they hang half out, do not remove them. Ask Juliette to take them out keeping them facedown This is where you will perform either ending A, B or C (Depicted in a moment). Repeat the same for Romeo.

The reveal The reveal of this routine is the where your attention needs applying. Each subject has got hold of five cards all facedown. You need to explain to the couple that they are to carefully spread the cards without dropping any to see which card they turned face up. {Make sure you specify you do not want them to drop them, this is essential.} When the audiences’ applaud dies out explain that the face up card matching is only a small part of the test. Ask the subjects to turn the top card face up, then the

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second, place the face up card down on the table and hold the last two cards one in each hand. Address the audience,

Performer: “If these last two cards match, give this couple a huge round of applause for passing the test with flying colours”. Ask the couple to turn over the two cards simultaneously. Of course they match. Execute one of the following endings. Ending A This ending is better suited for one off performances, or filming. After the cards are removed from the envelope screw the envelope up and throw it in the nearest bin like it means nothing. This will paint a picture of unimportance and subtly suggests that the envelope is done with. When the routine has ended and each card matches, give the cards to the subject as a souvenir. {In this routine, you are giving away ten cards, ruining ten cards and as you can see it can be expensive doing this every performance.}

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Ending B Ending B is my preferred ending, you are giving away the cards as a souvenir (not destroying any) and more importantly you get to give them the envelopes to put them in. Giving the subjects the envelope will suggest that they were un-gimmicked and stop anyone back tracking the routine. Before the routine starts, place two envelopes cut in the same manner as you will cut the gimmicked ones later into your breast pocket. Create a divider, like the ‘two pocket out’ (described in the seven bald keys routine). When each subject takes out the cards place the gimmicked envelope (still containing the cards) into the breast pocket in the other side of the divider. When both envelopes are in the pocket ignore them. After the reveal and the round off applause, tell each subject that they can keep the cards as a souvenir. While the applause is taking place, reach in and pull out the two un-gimmicked envelopes and hand the subjects them one each. In my opinion this ending is the strongest of the three, giving the subjects the cards to keep as souvenirs is again something I highly recommend. It helps them remember the moment forever.

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Ending C Ending three is the simplest, after a subject has removed the cards place the envelope straight into the breast pocket. After the routine has finished take the cards back off of the subject’s and thank them for their participation.

Additional idea After revising the book, I had a final thought about the Zener cards. I know it can be a problem giving away ten Zener cards at a time; a nice alternative is to use your business cards and draw the symbols on. Then when you give the cards away they are not only a lot cheaper than packs of Zener cards, but great as a promotional aid also.

Performance The performer addresses the audience,

Performer: “By show of hands, have we any couples that are engaged to be married?” (Wait for response and select one of the couples, if there are not any ask for any couples in the audience).

Performer: “Can you please make your way down to the stage; the moment you start to set off the audience will give you a massive round of applause”.

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(The audience will applaud) Seat the couple (female to the right, male to the left). Address the couple,

Performer: “Are you happy to participate in something I have been waiting to try out for some time now, I promise I will not embarrass you in any way”. Couple: “Yeah sure”. Performer: “what is your name sir?” Subject: “Romeo”. Performer: “and yours madam?” Subject #2: “Juliette”. Hand each member five Zener cards.

Performer: “You will notice that the five cards I have given you are different. There is a Star, Square, Wavy lines, Circle and a cross. These cards, at this time, hold no specific relevance. It is essential you listen to me very carefully and all shall become clear very soon. I would like you to mix the cards into any order you desire”. Page 27

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The couple mix their cards. The performer addresses Romeo,

Performer: “Romeo, can you look at each card individually, select one that appeals to you and lay that card facedown for me”. He selects a card and places it facedown.

Performer: “Juliette, can you look at the cards in your hand and place the one card that you believe Romeo has selected facedown on the table”. She lays a card down; the cards are turned over to reveal that they do not match. If the cards match, proceed with the routine (either way it doesn’t matter). Smirk as thought you know something the couple don’t. The performer addresses the pair,

Performer: “It is a common misconception that conscious decisions or efforts are the deciding factor when it comes to a relationship lasting. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Humour me for a few seconds. Please take your cards back, place them under the table and mix them until you forget the order. I Page 28

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would like you to do this while thinking of a fond memory you have of your partner. When you have done that, keep the cards under the table”. The performer addresses the audience,

Performer: “Can we have a few seconds of silence please while the couple perform this task”. Pause and let them do what they have to do. It is quite difficult to perform this task without looking and we do not want to confuse matters.

Performer: “I would like you to select any card you would like, without looking, turn that card over and place it in the middle, of the rest of the cards, so it is in the third position. In essence, you will now have four cards face down and one card face up. When you have done this, square the cards up and bring them out from under the table face down”. When they bring the cards out, reach into your breast pocket and produce an envelope. Tip the envelope upside down, blow in it and asks Romeo to slide his cards inside. Hand Romeo the envelope and ask him to slide his cards in, seal it and sit upon the envelope. Page 29

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Repeat the same procedure with Juliette.

Performer: “I am now going to share with you a story, a local legend in North Carolina, set in a town called Durham. It involves a couple named John and Joanne. The couple were just your average teenage couple, both studying at the Duke University. One evening the couple were lying in bed after several months of dating, when the rain started to tap on the window. The couple were hidden under the duvet when Joanne snuggled up to John and whispered in his ear. I love you. John reciprocated by holding Joanne tightly in his arms and telling her he loved her more than life it self. Joanne fell asleep; John rolled over reached into his bed side drawer and scribbled something onto a piece of paper. He took that piece of paper and sealed it inside an envelope. Several months passed and the couple did everything they could do to consciously make each others life easy. After a night at a driving movie, on the way home John sensed

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uneasiness. He asked Joanne if she was ok and she asked him to pull over. She took John’s hand, looked at him teary eyed and told him she did not love him any more. She told him she thought it best they parted ways. John reached into his pocket as a small tear rolled down his face and removed the envelope he had sealed several months ago. At the very moment John handed the envelope to Joanne, a drunk driver swerved off of the road and crashed into John’s side of the car killing John and Injuring Joanne. Joanne awoke in the hospital the next morning, still clutching the envelope. She opened the envelope and inside there was a note that read, When I lose your love, I will lose my life. The story of the couple quickly spread around campus like wildfire and fell upon the ears of a professor there named Joseph Rhine. Joseph Rhine was well known for his research on the subconscious mind and Page 31

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quickly deduced that perfect relationships did not work based on conscious effort but a subconscious connection shared between two people. Unbeknown to most, Joseph was fairly unlucky in love himself and this discovery ensured he would be able to find his perfect partner. He thought about this long and hard and it is even documented that his work in other areas suffered as a result of his research in the connection of couples. He came up with a set of cards that he called Zener cards. These cards had five different symbols printed upon them, a star, wavy lines, a square, circle and a cross. Joseph Rhine’s test consisted of separating a couple into separate rooms and seating them at a table. Each member of the couple were handed a set of five cards each, asked to place the cards under the table, mix them up, reverse one card then seal the cards into an envelope”. This is where you will want to smirk mysteriously.

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Performer: “I had you unknowingly take the famous test that Joseph Rhine had his subjects sit. I tried to conform to Rhine’s test conditions. The only difference in this test is you were not in different rooms, as that would be impractical in this case. Romeo, take out the envelope you have been sat on”. Cut the envelope (the side with the x) slide the cards half out and ask Romeo to remove them.

Performer: “Juliette, please remove your envelope”. The envelope is cut and Juliette carefully removes the five cards. The envelope is tipped upside down, blown in and also placed into the performer’s pocket. Performer: “On the count of three I would like each of you to carefully spread the cards ensuring you do not drop any to reveal the one face up card. One...two...three”. The couples spread their cards and the face up card in each couples hand matches!

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The audience applaud wildly, let the applause die down and address the couple.

Performer: “The face up card matching was only a small part of Joseph Rhine’s test. Can you both please turn over the top card of the stack and place it face up on the table” Finish reveal as described in the breakdown. While the audience are applauding, reach into the pocket and remove the two un-gimmicked envelopes. Throw them upon the table and address the couple,

Performer: “Please take the cards place them in the envelopes and take them as souvenirs!” Send the couple back to their seats.

Credits/ Inspirations Annemann Joseph Rhine David Britland - Zennerism Peter Nardi - E.S.Perfect Henry Fetsch - In the mind

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Tattle tale

(Couple-less)

This is essentially the same effect as ‘Tattle tale’, the only difference is, it is designed for the performer to predict the subject’s unconscious behaviour as appose to two subjects sharing a subconscious connection. The great thing about this routine is that the envelope can be examined before and after! You could perform this routine using the two out envelope as depicted earlier but this just offers another option for you. You are sat with the subject and it comes to the conscious thought. I believe in this variation it is essential to have the conscious thought hit, as apposed to earlier where we aimed for a fail. The reason for the hit in this circumstance is so the subject gains trust in your ability. If you can predict a participant’s conscious thoughts (before they have even made a decision) why would you have any trouble with their subconscious thoughts? So how do we get the conscious thought to hit? There are two ways to achieve this, you can mark the subject’s cards, let him place one down and then read the marking and place down the matching card from your hand.

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Or Place your card down first and employ a psychological force, you can use any of the psychological forces depicted on page 35. The latter is my preferred option as you have made a decision long before they even make a choice; the only problem is that it is not sure fire. The first option is sure fire, (which option you choose comes down to your decisions as a performer). This phrase of the routine has passed, the subject has now shuffled his cards under the table and sandwiched one face up. This is where the routine changes. He is asked to seal his cards inside an envelope (it can be completely examined); the only difference we want him to sign the envelope to ensure it cannot be swapped. (Here we will employ a swap before he signs it) After he has sealed the envelope, tell him that he is the eyes of the audience and you want him to verify that he cannot see through the envelope. Take the envelope off of him and hold it up to the light. Ask him to verify that the envelope is opaque. Address the subject,

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Performer: “Now you have verified the envelope is opaque we will just have you sign it, to ensure it is swapped at no point”.

The switch Prepare by placing the pre-arranged envelope under your left armpit (inside your jacket), and place a marker pen on the outside of the left pocket as shown in the photograph.

The clip on the pen lid is inside the pocket (holding the pen onto the outside of the pocket. Ensure the flap side of envelope is towards your body.

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You are now set to perform the switch! Close the jacket so no one is aware the envelope is there. Bring your right hand (holding the subjects envelopes) up to your right lapel and reach (with your left hand) into the right jacket pocket as though you are looking for a pen (we obviously know its not there).

Take your time while searching in this pocket and over emphasise your movements. This will suggest it takes a bit of time and effort to search your pocket. This is the cheeky part, grab your left lapel (with you left hand) open the lapel slightly and with your right hand (still holding the envelope) reach straight into left breast pocket, deposit the envelope, on the way out grab the pen and the pre-arranged envelope from under the armpit in one smooth motion. Page 38

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By taking our time in the first pocket, we have bought ourselves extra time when actually applying the switch in the second. Now the switch has been applied, hand the pen and envelope to the subject and ask him to sign the Page 39

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envelope and when that is completed place the envelope upon the table. This is where you will tell a variation upon the story depicted earlier or any other general story related to Rhine. Proceed to the reveal as depicted in the last effect.

Credits/ Inspirations The switch is a rework of Tony Corinda’s Pocket switch Annemann Joseph Rhine David Britland - Zennerism Peter Nardi - E.S.Perfect Henry Fetsch - In the mind

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Psi-Symbol Having read ‘Tattle tale’ you may not want to miss the first conscious force. Here I offer five psychological forces, each of these five forces do work. Each force is very simple, like any psychological force nothing is 100%. I have added another little nuance that will greatly improve your chances of getting both subjects cards to match. We will imagine you are performing the aforementioned routine. You will need to mark the two sets of five Zener cards so you can determine which symbol has been placed facedown at anytime. Now when you ask Romeo (subject one) to choose a card and place it facedown we now know which psychological force to apply on Juliette in order to get the cards to match. This will enhance our chances of the cards matching greatly.

Circle force Performer: “Juliette, I would like you to ignore any suggestions you may think I am throwing at you and just follow my instructions. I would like you to imagine a screen (draw a square screen in the air) and on that screen

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(draw the screen again) I would like you to simply see a shape forming. When you see that shape, take it out of your cards and place it facedown on the table”. {The subject will see you drawing a square a couple of times, she will remember what you said about ignoring any suggestions you give her and will instantly write off picking the square from her cards. She will hear the word simply and in her mind the only thing she will think of is simple and shape. The only shape in her stack of cards is a circle. You may think that this is a very obvious force, trust me it will fly by and go totally unnoticed. As far as Juliette is concerned she has a completely free choice.}

Square force Performer: “I would like you to simply imagine an image in your mind, something you could draw like a Flower, Stickman or the Sun. When you have that image in your mind, I want you to look down and choose the card in your hand that closest relates to shape of the image you are thinking of. Place that card facedown”.

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{Here we are using a 3rd party force. If people choose a House it resembles a square, a Car it is blocky and also resembles a Square. Most drawings that are simple based on probability alone will come back to the Square and I have found it hits very frequently.}

Star force Performer: “I would like you to look at all the cards in your hand, I would now like you to make a decision and take out the design that you recognise as you’re favourite placing it face down”. {This is one of the easier designs to force, most females will favour the star anyway and the square is a shape not a design as is the circle. The subject having not seen Zener symbols before will not be accustomed with the Waves, therefore they will not recognise it as their favourite.}

Wavy lines Performer: “Juliette, I would like you to look at the cards you have in your hand and you will notice one that seems out of place to you, it does fit in like the rest. Take that card and place it facedown next to Romeos”. Being a lay person, she will not have seen the Waves before and therefore it will be the obvious choice. Page 43

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Cross force Performer: “Juliette, I would like you to look across the cards you have in your hand and you will notice you have a Square, a Circle, a Star, a Cross plus some Wavy lines. One of these cards will seem to stand out in your mind take it out and place it across from Romeos”. {This force will is the hardest to get to get to hit, luckily it is rarely chosen by the first subject.} When I say the word across, the dynamics in my voice are gentle like I am not trying to emphasis the word. The reason for softening the voice is so it indirectly stands out.

Additional thoughts If the force does not hit you still have a chance to remedy things! By marking both sets of cards, you will notice if Juliette has placed a card down that does not match Romeos. All you have to do is get Juliette to change her mind. Ask her,

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Performer: “Was that card chosen instinctively or did you just go with the one that felt right?” {Look at the question, they practically mean the same thing but it gives you the chance to back them into a corner.} If they say instinctively, tell them to pick the card up, place it back in their stack and then repeat the force ending with “Go with the one that feels right this time”. This time implies that they are to change their mind, thus giving you a greater chance. If they say that they selected the card that felt right, ask them to pick the card back up, place it back in their stack and repeat the force ending with “Go with the one your instincts tell you go with this time”. Again this implies change and again increasing the probability of getting a match. Delivery is everything! This is something I cannot help you with, movement and delivery is something that will need to be tried and tested to suit your own character. I think emphasis on certain words make all the difference between a force hitting and missing. There are two ways to go about emphasising words; one is indirect emphasis and the other direct.

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Indirect emphasis is the process of softening words so that one word is different to the rest and will subtly stand out. Direct emphasis, is hardening certain words to make them stand out in a very direct manner. Another subtlety is to tap a finger on the table when saying words you would like to emphasise. I do not know if there is any scientific proof that this makes any difference, but it gives you a sense of actually doing something and creates a belief in what you are doing. If you belief in what you are doing so will your subjects.

Equivoque If you are nervous about failing at a psychological force, you could always rely on this clever equivoque. This relies on taking advantage of words. For example a Star can be described as a design or a shape therefore if Romeo puts down a Square or Circle (they can only be described as a shape) you want to make out as though the Star is a design. That way when you use an equivoque and eliminate designs you are left with just two shapes (a simple 50/50 equivoque). In the case of Romeo choosing a design, (Waves or Cross) you want to describe the star as a shape. When Page 46

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you apply an equivoque and eliminate that shapes again it comes down to a 50/50 equivoque. If Romeo chooses a Star, You can cheekily try to get away with classing the cross as a shape. By saying in your hands you have three shapes, a Circle, Square and a Cross and two designs a Star and Wavy lines. Again when the equivoque is performed and you eliminate shapes, it brings you down to a 50/50. In this example we will say that Romeo placed down the wavy lines.

Performer: “Juliette in your hands you have five cards, three shapes and two designs. I am telling you this early; this is going to be a process of elimination. If you were to select shapes or designs which would it be?” If she selects shapes respond,

Performer: “Ok so you are left with the cross and the wavy lines”. {Never say “Ok we will eliminate the shapes then”, this gives the subject the chance to say “No I want shapes”. (This happens very infrequently, but every little helps).

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If you just let her make the assumption she has eliminated them from the game, it will seem natural and flow. If she selects designs,

Performer: “Ok, you selected designs, the Cross and the wavy lines”. As both lines lead you to two cards in the fairest sense proceed. Ask her to place the other cards to the side of her in a pile, leaving the Cross and the waves in her hand. Here there are a couple of options; you are left with two cards (Waves and Cross) therefore you will need to perform a clean equivoque. Option 1 This option makes use of the markings. (I will outline a way to mark bicycle backed E.s.p cards. This is not original, but I have been marking cards this way for a long time. I have always referred to this as clock markings. Arrange the cards into Circle, Cross, Waves, Square and Star. We arrange them in this order as it is really easy to remember. One line = Circle, Two lines make up the cross, Three lines equal the waves, four lines the square and five

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lines in the star. Take an exactor knife, place the Circle card facedown and scratch as depicted in the place depicted below.

This is scratched at 12 o’clock (circle).

The Cross scratch at nine o’clock. The Waves, scratch six o’clock, the Square three o’clock and finally the star don’t mark at all.) Page 49

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Cont*** (Down to two cards, 50/50 equivoque) Ask her to hold the two cards in separate hands look at the backs and note which hand the wavy lines card is in. Address Juliette,

Performer: “I would like you to hand one card to me”. Lean back so Juliette has to make an over accentuated movement. Here is where you need to think fast, if you see she is giving you the Wavy lines reach forward take the card and without looking place it next to Romeo’s card. Address her,

Performer: “You happy that was a free choice?” She can only respond yes, the clever thing here is you never looked at the card and as you didn’t hesitate to put the card next to Romeos in her mind any card she selected would have naturally been placed there. If on the other hand she starts to move the hand holding the cross toward you, take the card (not looking) and place the card straight on top of the discarded pile (the shapes). This will again create a sense that whatever card she was handing you was always intended to go on the discarded pile.

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Again never mention eliminating cards, it’s over doing things and we want subtlety. She is now holding the Wavy lines, address her.

Performer: “Now only you know what card you have left in your hand, are you happy every choice you made was your own?” {Everything has been very fair, so of course she will declare how fair things have been. she has only made two choices after all.}

Performer: “Place the card you have in your hand next to Romeos”. Option 2 This is a little bolder but is over very quickly and hits nine times out of ten. This also takes advantage of the markings, look to see which hand the Wavy Lines are in. If it is in her right hand great, if it is not, ask her to swap the cards around and then close her eyes. Address Juliette,

Performer: “I don’t want you to think, I just want you to place the card that feels right to you facedown on the table now”. Snap your fingers to emphasise the word now.

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Most of the time people will go with their right hand and of course will be laying down the wavy lines. I know this is rather bold but it looks so clean and fair.

Additional thoughts With equivoque, I always love asking someone if they would like to change their mind. It is very rare people will change their mind but it really sells just much choice the subject has. If you portray as though you would like the subject to change their mind, it makes most people want to stick with their choice even more (as they believe you have done something wrong). {Do not try this with a gentle lady, chances are she will think you have done something wrong and change her mind to accommodate you.}

Credits/ Inspirations Luke Jermay - Judgement day Banachek - Psi series 1

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Sweet force of mine This effect I was going to keep for myself. It is a simple but effective experiment. You may read this and think it is a little bold, I promise if you perform it exactly as described it can look marvellous and rarely fails. This is a series of psi forces but strategically executed to ensure the highest possible hit rate. You will have fun tinkering with this and I hope you can take this seedling and make it into something amazing!

Effect The performer is seated with a female subject, he hands her five Zenger cards and explains their relevance. After the female is accustomed with the symbols she is told she is going to participate in receiving a series of thoughts from the performer. The performer places a card facedown, he then telepathically attempts to send the card to the female and she is asked to place a card facedown. The cards are turned over they match! This process is repeated for the rest of the cards and the female is asked to think of an image. The cards are flipped over one at a time to show that they match!

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After the round of applause the performer directs the female’s attention to his breast pocket and asks her to remove an envelope from it. She is asked to read the contents aloud and much to everyone’s surprise, it not only proves he has correctly predicted the order she would lay the cards down in but it also reveals the image she thought of as well!

Breakdown Firstly arrange a stack of Zenger cards into this order, Circle, Square, Star, Wavy lines and Cross. These are going to be handed to the female subject (We will again call her Juliette for point of reference). You can have your five in any order. To prepare your prediction, writ on a business card: ‘Thank you for participating in this experiment, the perfect candidate will be a female that will lay the cards down in this order”. Star, wavy lines, square, circle and cross She should also find comfort in the image of her house. Slip the business card into an envelope and place in your breast pocket. We are going to force the cards in this order: Star, wavy lines, square, circle and cross Page 54

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{The reason I point this out is you can rehearse the forces individually and tie them all together later.} (You and Juliette are seated) Begin by rearranging your cards (this is purely theatrical). Take out the star and place it facedown on the table in-between you and Juliette. Address her,

Performer: “I want you to forget that I have placed a card on the table, it is irrelevant. What is relevant are the choices you are about to make. I want you to listen to me very carefully. I would like you to look at all the cards in your hand, I would like you to make a decision and take out the design that you recognise as you’re favourite placing it facedown next to mine”. This will almost certainly force the star. Ask the subject to turn over the two cards to reveal they match. Now for the second card. Pull out any random card, look confused, change your mind, put it back in your cards and place the wavy lines facedown on the table.

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Your aim is to now to force the wavy lines, Address Juliette again.

Performer: “I am going to transmit one card to you and I want to see if you can pick up on it. I want you to look at the cards in your hand again and you will notice one that seems out of place, it doesn’t fit in like the rest, pull it out place it facedown across from mine”. Reach down to turn the two over and just as you are about to reveal say “In fact we will do the rest of them first”. Place down the square.

Performer: “I would like you to simply imagine an image in your mind, something you could draw like a Flower, Ball or the Sun. When you have that image in your mind, I want you to look down and choose the card you believe closest relates to the shape of the image you are thinking of, then place it facedown”. 85% of the time people think of a House, when she has laid the card down pause for a few seconds and look at her.

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Performer: “Out of interest what image did you think of?” If she says House great, if not, it doesn’t matter you don’t have to get the envelope out! This is where the forces become a little more difficult. Up until now everything should have been plain sailing. You only have the Circle and the Cross left, place the Circle facedown. Address Juliette,

Performer: “Ignore any suggestions you may think I am throwing at you and try to pick up on this thought. I would like you to imagine a screen (draw a square screen in the air) and on that screen (draw the screen again) I would like you to simply see a shape forming. When you see that shape, take it out of your cards and place it facedown”. Emphasise shape, if you get her to choose Circle, she is only left with the cross and that is by far the hardest thing to get a hit on. Place your final card down and ask her to place hers down.

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Turn the cards over and they match! If the image hits, wait a few seconds and ask the subject to reach into your breast pocket and remove the envelope. (If the image doesn’t hit they don’t have to ever see the envelope). {The forces may seem very obvious in reading, but they most certainly will not be to a subject or anyone in the audience (trust me). If you are worried, you can always use this experiment as a way to gauge the subject, a test of character that will be important later on. Have a prediction in your pocket, instead of laying cards down. That way if it doesn’t hit, they will never know.} This may seem bold but this works over the telephone too! All you have to do is ask the subject to draw the designs on business cards and follow your instructions carefully. I perform this piece very frequently and after a while things become very natural. The hit rate of this piece comes down to your application of emphasis and correct pacing.

Credits/ Inspirations Luke Jermay - Judgement day Banachek - Psi series 1

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The book of the fallen Effect The performer introduces himself and proposes that he tries a simple experiment. He Points to a table upon which sits an old dusty book. (This could be borrowed) Without saying a word the performer reaches for a paper ball and throws it into the audience. The person who catches it is asked to stand and come up onto the stage.

Performer: “Hi how are you?” Subject: “Great yourself?” Performer: “I am fine thanks for asking, what’s your name sir?” Subject: “Zach” Performer: “Zach, you will notice upon the table is a book; there is also a pad and pen on the table. I would like you to approach the book for me. You will notice when you reach the table, the pad has two post-it notes stuck onto it. One on the top half of the page and the other post-

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it on the bottom. Can you just raise each one and confirm they have nothing written underneath them”. Zach: “They are clean”. Performer: “Your job is very simple; you are going to turn to any page in the book, when you arrive at the page mentally select a word. When you have that word in mind, I would like you pick up the pen, write the word underneath the top post-it and then fold the post-it note back down so the word is not visible”. The subject chooses any page; they then choose any word and then write the word down, folding the post it down so it cannot be seen by the performer.

Performer: “I would now like you to randomly select a member of the audience”. The subject points to someone.

Performer: “Please pass the book, the pad and the pen to that member of the audience”. The random member receives the book, is instructed to select any page, any word and write it under the bottom post-it note. When he has done this the pad is closed.

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Performer: “I would now like you to point to a member of the audience to be the judge and final decision maker”. He points to a female at the other side of the room, she is handed the pad. (Neither the performer or subjects know this audience member).

Performer: “Please open the pad, decide upon one of the two chosen words and give me a nod when you have got one in your mind”. After a few seconds she nods. The performer picks up a drawing pad, waits a few seconds and starts to write. He gives the pad to the Judge facedown and asks her to state the word she has chosen aloud.

Judge: “Ambidextrous”. The performer looks stunned.

Performer: “You weren’t thinking of liquid?” Judge: “NO?!” Performer: “Turn the pad around”.

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The pad is turned to reveal the word Ambidextrous! The performer has correctly divined the word. Notes* this works 100% of the time, the subjects are never prompted, no pre-show, no stooges, no gimmicked books (it can be borrowed with no prep needed) and they have free choice of any page and any word. No peeks, no impressions and they don’t have to choose the word from the same book!

Additional effects Purely mental Effect Instead of choosing a word from a book, two subjects are asked to think of a letter of the alphabet and write it under the post-its. The judge is then asked to choose one of the letters, using that letter decide upon a country, a continent or a place and then in that place choose a landmark or monument. They confirm they have got somewhere (this could be anywhere in the world). The country or landmark is never written down and is all purely done in the mind of the judge.

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The performer is quickly able to divine the place and the landmark! This can be repeated.

Purely theoretical Effect Two subjects are invited to the stage, asked to think of a completely random word. They are told to ensure it’s a word that would not easily be able to be guessed. One of the two words is selected by a judge (test conditions) and you can instantly determine what the word is!

Breakdown This is the only routine in the book that I am not going to offer a presentation for. It is straight forward, simple and very powerful. This routine came about after toying with an older routine of mine ‘Simon says’ from my previous book “Dare to be bold”. The reason I have not offered a presentation, is that this principle can be used for so many things. Drawing duplications, name reveals, bookless book tests, you really are only limited by your own imagination. Because of this, I think its best you choose your own angle.

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To prepare take two notepads; remove the front cover off of one and the back cover off of the other, Take the back cover and apply it the pad that still has the back cover on (in essence you now have a pad with identical covers). Repeat with the front cover. Notepads with identical covers can be purchased to save you time having to make your own. As you will notice in the picture there is a type of elastic band around the pad. This keeps the pad closed and over emphasises the fact I never open it. After both subjects write a word, ask the second subject to place the elastic around the pad.

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Ensure the Pad is Spiral bound at the top (not on the side). Take a post-it note, cut it in half. Stick half of it upon the top half of the page and the other half of the postit on the bottom half of the page. I use two different coloured post-its. This just serves as an extra convincer. I would also recommend marking the force side of the pad, just to ensure you hand the Judge the pad the right way up.

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Note that I have put a kink in each post-it, this ensures that they stay down and hide the words written underneath, Close the pad, flip it over and apply a post-it to the top and the bottom of this page (so it looks identical to the page you prepared a moment ago). Write two random words (in different handwriting). One under the top post-it note and the other under the bottom. Write under the top post-it a boring standard word (like ‘the’) and under the bottom a longer more obscure word (like ‘ambidextrous’). That way when asked to pick the more interesting of the two, they will always go for the longer word! Notes* If the post-its are thin, apply two. This ensures the pen will not show through the post-it. This is the side of pad you want to mark. It’s always better to be over prepared! Close the pad; open it so the unprepared side is face up. In performance, the post-its are not there to hide the words from us (which seems logical), but to hide each subject’s word from one another. Leave the pad open. Let each subject write a word and then close the pad. Page 66

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Ask the subject to place the elastic around the pad. When you ask the second subject to point to a judge, take the closed pad off of the second subject and under the misdirection of the audience looking to see who they have pointed at, turn the pad over (so our words are face up). Walk over the selected judge hand them the pad (our prepared side up). Ask them to open the pad, peek at the words and mentally decide upon one. They are looking at our words, unbeknown to everyone else! All you have to do is fish for which out of the two words they are thinking of, the easiest way is to use a closed question.

“You are not thinking of a large word are you?” If they say they are, say “fantastic, concentrate on

the word for me”, if they say no say “fantastic, concentrate on the word for me”. You give the exact same response, the purpose of the question is that it identifies instantly which word was chosen. You write the word down (in our case either ‘the’ or ‘ambidextrous’).

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When you ask them to reveal out loud the word they are thinking of, each subject that wrote a word down will just believes that the word being said aloud is the other person’s word! There is nothing to question, for that reason you can see how brilliantly this routine plays off! As you can see this is no bolder than ‘The tossed out deck’ in some of the tossed out deck routines five people are thinking of the same thing simultaneously.

Force the Destination Before the show prepare letters (under the post-its) place the letter ‘I’ (under the top post-it) and the letter ‘Z’ (under the bottom post-it). When you put the subject under pressure on stage, the subject will struggle to think of a country that begins with ‘Z’. Even if they do, thinking of a landmark will be impossible, so they will naturally have to choose ‘I’. Choosing the letter ‘I’ will force them Italy and the landmark will be the Leaning tower of Pisa. This is very simple, but so effective! There is no way you could know the letter and because of that reason you could not possibly know the Country (or landmark).

Credits/ Inspirations David Hoy - Hoy’s principle

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Trust you instincts 2.0 Effect The performer invites a female subject up onto the stage and asks her if she is a stooge or a confederate, to which she replies she is most certainly not and that she has never had the pleasure of being acquainted with the performer before now. The Performer asks her to pick any random male member of the audience to join her on the stage; the new participant confirms that he also is not a stooge and is asked to take a seat. The female is now asked to make a few decisions based on her feelings. The performer asks her to imagine a colour and then use the colour she is thinking off to create a place in her mind. After a bit of thinking she states she is thinking of a Beach. (It’s a completely free choice). Based on that decision, the performer believes the female will be the perfect sender and the male the receiver. She is asked not to state anything out loud and just to think of her choices (keeping them to herself).

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She is asked to imagine a deck of cards and then think of what colour card she would like. Once she has made that decision she gets told to think of the suit and finally the value. A deck of cards is then produced and handed to the seated male; the female is to imagine she is screaming the card that is in her mind at the male, but say nothing out loud. He is asked to go through the entire deck face down one at a time until he gets the feeling to stop, when he feels he has to stop, he is to place that card face down on the table away from the rest of the cards. The performer then asks the female to state out loud the card she selected mentally, the card that is in her mind alone, she responds

“The Jack of Hearts” The male is then asked to show everyone what card he has set aside from the rest of the deck, it matches the card the female subject had in her mind! Just as the round of applause dies down, the performer asks the female to reach underneath her chair and she should find an envelope. She opens the envelope and inside there is a postcard, on the face of the card is a beach and on the back it reads:

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“I think the perfect sender will be a female, I would like to thank her in advance for thinking of a beach....and successfully transmitting the jack of hearts!”

Breakdown Although the effect mentioned sounds complicated to perform, it is one of the simpler in this book; this effect is based on an aggregate of simple nuances. We need to force a colour and a playing card in this routine. I applied Theodore Annemann's slate principle but put a fascinating spin on it, hold the subjects arm at the back of her muscle (in the place security leads someone out of a buiding back of muscle) and all you have to do is give it a little squeeze when you want her to select something. This sounds obvious but because you are stood close to her your bodies will hide you holding her arm. Confused? If so, I promise you will know a more when you read the performance section (there is also a lovely misdirection). Note* If you are seated next to the subject, stand on her foot. (In performance replace squeeze arm with press on foot.) Now we need to ensure the male subject (the receiver) selects the card you want him to select, whatever card

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you are going to force the female (I use the Jack of Hearts) purchase a one way forcing deck that matches the force card. The second subject is going to be asked to go through the cards one at a time placing them face down on the table, whenever he gets the urge to stop, he is to place the card he stopped at away from the rest (ensuring it is kept face down). The great thing about this is no one can question the deck, as it appears she thought of the card, there is no way anyone could know what that card is, how can anyone suspect the deck being fifty two of her card? Here are some red herrings to kill the fact you are using a one way force deck. I started applying these (since the release of Trust your instincts v1) and they have fried several performers who knew the original! Place a random card on the bottom of the deck; then another random card eight cards down from the top. Make sure the two random cards are dramatically different and preferably a colour that contrasts the card you are about to force. When you pull out the deck, tap the cards on the table to square them (don’t make any deal out of showing the bottom card) just tap it should get their attention. Riffle shuffle the cards, retain the bottom card and top say ten (I prefer to Zarrow and burn the top card each time).

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When you have shuffled the deck once hold your hands palm up (again showing the same bottom card)

Performer: “You have seen a shuffle like this before?” The obvious response will be yes, but it sets you up for this line

Performer: “Great so you know how fair it is then”. The psychology in the above line implies that the subject already knows the fairness of events and because he knows that particular shuffle this will logically tell him the last statement was true. The main purpose of the above lines is to create a psychological misdirection. You are not employing any funny moves while the misdirection takes place but in that moment of questioning the subject is likely to forget the face card they saw a moment ago (when you pulled the cards out). There attention is not on the cards, it is on answering the question they were asked and more often than not they will subconsciously register the card they are seeing now as a new card (even though we know it’s the same). The questioning and shuffling only takes a moment. This is where we really lay down the fact the cards are all different.

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We do this by simply demonstrating what the receiver is going to do. Start placing the cards face down one at a time while saying

“You are going to deal them one at a time until you get the urge to STOP!” When you say “stop!” keep the card you stop at in your hand. I have timed this so that I always end with the eighth card in my hand, (the second random card you placed in the deck). The colour and destination force is explained in performance. The great thing about this routine is that both participants will freak out. She believes she is mentally sending a card to him and he finds it, he believes, (like the audience) that she thought of a random card and he has found it using his instincts!

Performance The performer addresses the audience.

Performer: “We are now going to try something based on feelings, gut feelings to be precise. It is a well known fact that gut feelings are often proved right and many people base their lives and the way they make decisions based on these gut feelings.

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How many people in the audience believe in trusting their gut feelings?” Wait for a response and select a female from the audience with her hand up;

Performer: “I would just like you to confirm we have never met and you are not a stooge or a confederate?” To which the female responds,

Subject: “No we have never met before now”. Take the subjects name we will call her Sarah. The performer then asks her based on gut feeling to choose a male member of the audience, when he has approached the stage ask him the same question you asked the female. (The stooge question) After he confirms he is not a stooge, you ask him his name (we will call him Bob), ask him to take a seat at the table several feet away and relax for a few moments. Address the female,

Performer: “I would like you to face the audience, place your right hand up and point

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your index finger towards the ceiling and just relax”. Grip the subject as depicted earlier, (If you are seated stand on the foot). Ask her to step forward (this gives you a reason for grabbing her here, you lightly hold her and escort her forwards a step, not letting go of the arm.)

Performer: “In a moment’s time Sarah we are going to try something based on feelings, I would like you to close your eyes for now and just listen carefully. In a moment you will get this feeling (squeeze her arm whilst simultaneously waving your free hand past the subject’s extended hand that points toward the ceiling) and the feeling (squeeze arm) will tell

you what choices to make, use that feeling as a guide to aid you select”. {Let’s see what we have accomplished, the subject is being prompted via the squeeze of the arm or stomp on the foot. She thinks she is following that feeling, the audience believe the feeling is going to happen around the extended finger facing the ceiling. You are forcing the subject using an invisible force, I have performed this live many times and have not ever been questioned on it, and it really is invisible.} Proceed,

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Performer: “I want you to try picking up on the colour I am sending you, it could be Red, Yellow, Pink, Green, Orange, Purple or Blue (squeeze on Blue) which is it?” The subject would have to be an idiot to not pick up on a hint that size.

Sarah: “Blue”. This is the psi force of destination using the colour.

Performer: “Ok Sarah, using the colour selected, I want you to create a landscape in your mind. For example if you had picked pink it might see a field of pink flowers. Green might have been a field. Build the details in your mind and then tell us where you are and what you can see”. Pressure her slightly. She has had free choice of destination and 9/10 times it will always be a beach. If she says she is on the sea ask her what she can see, usually this will come back to a beach also. If it misses don’t worry. {Notice in the last piece of script I never mentioned that she selected the colour. Again this is verbal

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forking to play on the audience’s assumption, they here selected and will assume she selected it. } Either way hit or miss proceed.

Performer: “I think you will be perfect as the sender in this experiment. I would like you to imagine in your mind a deck of playing cards, it is essential you say nothing out loud during any of this as we don’t want to give any clues away. I would like you think Red (squeeze) or Black, so that’s Red (squeeze) or Black. Now for the suit (say this slowly) it could be Club, Heart (squeeze), Spade or Diamond just build the card as we go along. It could be a Picture (squeeze) or a Number, if it is a picture it could be a Jack (squeeze), Queen or King or if it’s a number you have from Ace right through to Ten. Now Sarah, you have the image of a playing card in your mind, no one else knows that in this room, please don’t change your mind and your job is to just try mentally sending that playing card to Bob”.

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Approach Bob and remove the deck. Perform the Red herrings to make the deck look completely normal. Ask Bob,

Performer: “There is no way on earth that you can know what card Sarah is thinking correct?” He will obviously respond he doesn‘t, hand him the cards. {This psychologically seals the fact that no one does know the card identity and ensures the Sarah will respond the way we want when he finds her card.} Address Bob,

Performer: “I would like you in a moment’s time, to deal the cards face down one at a time and when you get the feeling to stop, just stop at that card”. Walk back to Sarah and address her,

Performer: “You must not say anything out loud; just imagine telling Bob what your card is in his ear”. Address Bob,

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Performer: “I would like you to close your eyes and when you are comfortable begin, imagine you can see every card and stop when you get the urge to stop”. Let him stop where he likes and ask him to open his eyes,

Performer: “Keep that card face down for the moment”. Collect the rest of the cards put them in the case (or your pocket) then state,

Performer: “Sarah, can you say nice and clear what card you had in your mind?” Sarah: “The Jack of Hearts” Performer: “Bob, you really had no idea what card Sarah was thinking of or the card you stopped at?” Bob: “No” Performer: “Can you please turn the card over, which you stopped at and show the audience”. Both participants will be amazed at this point, wait till the round of applause dies (if the psi force has hit) ask him to reach under his chair and remove the envelope.

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Let him read the prediction aloud for another rapturous round of applause and return the volunteers to their seats. If the psi force does not hit, both subjects still get an effect. The psi force of the landscape just adds another layer of impressiveness and is essentially tailored for the sender.

Credits/ Inspirations Phil Goldstein- Blue force Annemann - Slate #1 principle

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Wish you were here The place force can be used as a stand alone effect I will outline the performance as the method is described in the previous effect (Trust your instinct 2.0). This routine is not 100% (none the less 9/10 it will hit!) Please read the additional ideas where there is a stronger but bolder effect for the subject. Select a participant at random (we will call her Nicky).

Performer: “Hi Nicky, I would like to see how you how you pick up on things based on your intuition. I would like you to sit with your eyes closed, would you mind if we blindfolded you briefly. Nicky: “No its fine”. Performer: “Point your finger towards the ceiling and just concentrate. In a moment you are going to get a feeling around here (perform misdirection move) I want you to use this feeling as a guide to try pick up on what I am sending you.

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We will start simple, I will name out the colours of the rainbow, as described in the Rainbow rhyme. Red, Yellow, Pink, Green, Orange, Purple or Blue. What colour do you think I am trying to transmit to you?” Nicky: “Blue”. Performer: “Great, I want you to take the colour you selected and use that as the main colour in your pallet and in your mind paint a landscape. So for example if you had chosen Pink, you might imagine yourself in a field full of flowers, Green might have been a pasture. If I had asked you to imagine a real place you might think of somewhere you went when you were young and therefore you would have emotional ties attached to that place. If you have emotional ties attached to a place, you might be more inclined to give signs away and therefore you creating your own little landscape in your mind makes this a little more impossible to guess!” Page 83

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Nicky: “Ok, I have done that”. Stare at Nicky for a few seconds.

Performer: “Peoples creations are often reflections based upon their own characteristics and preferences. I am going to base my drawing on what I see when I look at you”. Pick up your pad and draw a Beach; label the Sea and label Sand. I usually draw a little Boat and a couple of Seagulls. Hand the pad to Nicky face down.

Performer: “I want you to listen to me very carefully Nicky; please do not say anything till I ask you to. What I see when I look at you, is a kind, caring person that is warm hearted. I think you are the sort of person that has had some sort of past despair and as a result of that, you keep people at arms reach. When you let someone in to your private circle, you really treasure them and are very loyal person.

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I think the place you are thinking of will be a reflection of a recent mood you have had, maybe wanting to escape from something a particular scenario. Based on that, the place you chose will be relaxing; in your mind there will be no people in this image...Although the landscape you have designed would usually be seen as quite a public place. What landscape did you design in your mind?” Nicky: “A Beach”. Performer: “Thank you for your participation Nicky, You can turn the image over now”. She turns it over and freaks out! The great thing about this is that the reading is very ambiguous and will almost fit anyone. Even if the reading misses (from the perspective of the subject) you have restricted her from talking and from the entire audiences’ perspective when she confirms the landscape, she also confirms the entire reading. (Confirmation principle)

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Additional Ideas If I am performing this routine, I usually will not employ the stomp move (on the foot). I am a little bolder; I will just say the colours of the rainbow and let them naturally select a colour. Chances are, out of: Red, Yellow, Pink, Green, Orange, Purple or Blue. A subject will often go for either, Yellow, Orange or Blue. All of these colours will 9/10 times bring you back to a Beach or sand. You have eliminated Green and Pink, there is no landscape you can paint with Red or purple so they are literally forced to choose on of the colours we want. Even though this is bold it can also be used over the telephone and when it hits long distance the effect is even more startling!

Credits/ Inspirations Phil Goldstein- Blue force Annemann - Slate #1 principle

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A.W.A.A.P (Any word at any page) Effect The performer throws a paper ball into the audience; the person who catches it is instructed to throw it again, just to exemplify how random the selection process is. The member of the audience who catches the ball (on the second throw) is asked to join the performer on stage (we will call him David).

Performer: “Hi David, I would like to attempt an experiment based on subliminal influence. It is a little known fact that words evoke emotions. Sentences can steer people into saying and sometimes even doing things they believe are their own choices when in fact they are not. I can see you are happy to participate knowing that, (audience chuckle) don’t worry I am not going to influence you but rather you are going to influence a complete stranger...over the telephone. I would like you to look around the audience, choose someone at random; it’s completely

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your choice and the person you choose will provide us with a telephone number”. David chooses a random audience member. The two people confirm they have never met. The audience’s attention is turned to an easel with a red cloth draped over it on the stage. The performer claims that the easel will become relevant in a few moments. The mood of the room is taken down to a silence. The performer addresses the second subject (we will call him Pablo).

Performer: “Pablo, I would like you to go through your telephone contacts and choose a person you know you can reach now and state the number out loud to me”. Pablo looks through his phone and starts to call a number out. Halfway through Pablo calling the number out the performer stops him.

Performer: “Pablo, in fact to protect your friend’s privacy please type the number in for me and await my instructions”. Pablo types the number into the phone and awaits the performer’s instructions.

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The performer informs David that when he receives the phone, he is to become acquainted with the person on the other end and when the niceties have taken place, he is to read a sentence out (to the person on the phone). It is explained that when the sentence has been read out, David is to ask the person on the phone to create an imaginary book in his mind, call out a page number, then to imagine looking on that page and call out a word. (This is all done in the imagination of the person on the phone, there is no physical book). When David understands what he is to do, the performer asks Pablo for his friend’s name (in this example we will call the person Erik) he takes the phone and presses the call button. (Everything so far has been ultra fair). The male answers the phone, the performer explains he is with Pablo and asks Erik if he can borrow him for two moments, Erik obliges. The performer informs Erik that the next voice he will hear will be David. Erik is informed that David is going to read a sentence aloud and hopefully that sentence will influence him to say something that will be important to the audience later on. The phone is handed to David; the pair becomes acquainted, David proceeds to read a sentence out

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loud (we will say for the sake of example the sentence is ‘the Cat sat on the mat’). David then proceeds to ask Erik to create an imaginary book and choose any page. Erik chooses page twelve. When asked for an imaginary word he says dust. (The page and word are never misquoted). The phone is handed back to the performer, who thanks Erik for his time and ends the phone call. The performer then reiterates how random the entire experiment has been, from the way the participants were selected, right down to having David talk to Pablo’s chosen friend (so nothing could have be misquoted). The performer approaches the easel and dramatically reveals his prediction. “I will attempt to send page twelve and the word will be dust!” Notes* the subject types the number into the telephone; the subject can call their friend back after the show/ effect and each subject is chosen at complete random. No preshow, any piece of information can be influenced (words, numbers or pictures) and the sentence read out does not prompt the person on the phone!

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Breakdown Did the effect description fool you? If so when you read the method you will kick yourself! Try this now. Take out your mobile telephone, press the call button twice and you will notice that it dials the last person you called. (Touch screens may vary, I know this works on any phone with a call and end button and as explained later I purposely use an old mobile telephone).

Please read on past the next paragraph, everything ties itself up, I promise!

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To make this work, before a show/ performance, tell one of your friends/ partner (someone you know you can reach during the show and can trust) that you need their help. Explain that during the show you will ring them, when they answer the phone; you will say “hello, is that” and will state a random name (in our example we used Erik). Whatever name you state, is the name that you want your friend to pretend to be called. Explain to your friend that they will be talking to a participant and you want them to introduce themselves as that person (in our case Erik). {What I am about to reveal is a little subtlety that has served me well.} Explain to your friend that he will be asked by the participant to create an imaginary book and then call out a page number. Tell him he must say page twelve (or whatever number you want to use). Then he will be asked to look up and down the imaginary page and select an imaginary word. Explain to your friend that he is to pause for a few seconds and claim he cannot imagine a word. {The reason for getting him to do this is for the benefit of the audience. This will get a little laugh and kill the slight amount of dead time that will be occurring.

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More importantly, it will seem as though things are not going the way you planned, which will subtly suggest to the audience that the person on the phone is struggling to make a decision and will kill any ideas of him being a stooge later}. Tell your friend when the participant says the words, “don’t worry take your time” to respond with,

“Erm, ok the word Dust”. Rehearse the phone call with your friend a few times to make sure they understand exactly what to do and are convincing. Ensure this friend’s phone number is NOT saved in your phone as a contact. This is important as on the screen (after you have performed the dodge described in a moment) it will show up as a name not a number which is something we do not want. Call your friend now and ensure you call no one else before the performance. We need him to be the last called person. Please read this next section very carefully. You will notice I have Pablo (the second subject) type the number into the phone, this creates something extremely wonderful. It creates a strong moment of psychology; it sews up everything logically from the audience’s perspective, protects the first subject from being able to rumble

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the effect (when he sees the screen he can never say its not Pablo’s friend) and it is in this moment you will apply your misdirection (as there is no heat on the phone).

The dodge After you have told the first subject (David) what to do, turn to Pablo take the phone back nonchalantly ask what the person’s name is. {While waiting for the second subject (Pablo) to give you the name, hold the phone openly (make the phone unimportant, the emphasis is on the person’s name.} When you receive the name tap the red button fast (which will delete the second subject’s (Pablo’s) number and return the phone to the home screen). Then make a large motion of pressing green button twice (this will call the last number dialled). Be theatrical when pressing the green button, this will subtly suggest to the audience that pressing a button is a big thing and subconsciously suggests they would have seen you press anything else. There should be no reason why the audience would ever assume there has been any foul play whatsoever as the effect hasn’t even started yet. Just to over emphasise this, let’s back up and take a recap of the psychological process from audience’s perspective.

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The subject was chosen at random, they chose another subject at random, who chose the person on the phone and that person typed the number into the phone. I think if you repeat the last few points to yourself, you will see why this effect is so great; the method is over before the effect even starts to take place and everything is logically watertight thus far. Notes* there will be no problems whatsoever using a phone you provide (as long as you make sure the above dodge works). I purposely use an old, popular modelled phone; I introduce it as ‘old trusty’. (If the model is popular people will recognise it as a real brand and kill any suspicion that it could be some magical prop. Some people are crazy and do think of things like this) I pump for a laugh when I introduce the phone, one for calling it old trusty and two, the age of the phone. I simply play it off as follows.

Performer: “You may laugh, but this phone has served me well. More seriously after having a phone stolen on stage I resorted to using this. It can be dropped and damaged or even stolen without breaking the bank”. This seems logical.

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{In my honest opinion using an old modelled phone that people recognise makes this effect stronger. It will subtly suggest that there is not some crazy app that has been made to respond to conversation. Like I said, people are crazy!} The next phrase, in my opinion is the most important.

The phone call After you have introduced yourself to the person on the phone (your helper) ask them if it is ok to pass them onto a member of the audience that was chosen at random (we know they will obviously oblige). {If you really wanted you could get the person on the telephone to barter slightly about staying on the phone, but don’t over do it.} The phone gets handed to the first subject (David). This is where this phrase rockets to ominous heights of interest (for us at least). {This phrase was constructed to psychologically serve a couple of purposes. One, it reassures the audience there really is someone on the other end of the phone and two it ensures that any information is not being misquoted by the performer (as it is not the performer reciting it). Another beautiful thing to remember is that the first subject (David) doesn’t know what the second subject’s (Pablo’s) friend sounds like (how could he?).

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What we have created here is a very nice use of dual reality. In a tight piece of dual reality everything will sew itself up psychologically, be logical and that’s why I love this effect!} Let the phone call take place. (The dialog of the call will be explained thoroughly in the performance section). We have now come to the end of the phone call. I was searching for a novel way to end the routine that ensured if the second subject (Pablo) rang his friend later; it wasn’t going to ruin the whole effect. I went with this ending; I thought it was the cleanest of the several options I had available to me.

Amnesia ploy After the person on the phone (Erik) has said the page and the word to the first subject (David) take the phone back. Thank the person on the phone (Erik) and then before hanging up say,

Performer: “In fact, before you go I would like to try one more thing quickly. I would like you to close your eyes for me and tell me when you have done so.

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Now take a deep breath in and when I count from one to five you will notice everything seems to just fade away and when I end the call on five you will forget this conversation ever happened, it will just be erased from your mind. One, everything seems to fade away slowly now, two, you start to breath deeper, three, my voice is only slightly audible, four everything that has happened in the last few moments seem irrelevant and the more you think about remembering you just sort of seem to forget five”. Make a display of pressing the end call button, so the audience can clearly see you have ended the call and more importantly you have retained a consistency in the way the buttons are pressed. The subject is now free to call their friend later and when their friend claims they were never on the phone it makes the routine so much stronger! Notes* Credibility is everything! You will know if you can pull this off or not. You need to create believability that is the key to having the subject argue your case for you when he calls his friend later.

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Reveal Time for the reveal, this is the most important thing as far as the audience are concerned. There is nothing worse than reading a manuscript detailing every single moment of an effect and it ends with “reveal

the prediction in any manner you desire”. I have been suspect to the above before and in an attempt to better myself, I have deemed I will detail how to create a dramatic reveal (no matter how short and simple). The reason for a dramatic reveal is to create constant moments of wonder in performance. I have seen performances that were like rollercoaster rides, people sitting on the edge of their seats in anticipation, all staring on in awe and then bang all of the aforementioned were ruined because the reveal lost its dramatics. The reveal for this piece is simple and direct. David will already be on the stage, approach the easel while remaining silent and point to the easel. Wait a few seconds for absolute silence. Look at David (remain silent) beckon him over, and then break the silence. Ask take hold of the corner of the cloth, while you take hold of the other corner. Tell him not to pull the cloth off until the count of three.

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Address the audience.

Performer: “I would like you all to help me count down from three to one, when I hold my hands up into the air start counting. Remember it was page twelve and the word dust”. Hold three fingers up

Audience and performer: “Three, (fold one finger down) Two, (fold another finger down) One”. Pull of the cloth. Give the audience a few seconds to register what has happened and then ask for a round of applause for David. End of routine. It is proven in such places as spiritualist churches that if you involve an audience in a process it will evoke emotions and that is certainly what we are looking for. We want to make this simple process as dramatic a process as possible and this gives the audience a sense of being involved in what they witnessed. You will notice I involved David in the reveal this is also another ruse.

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It is a common misconception that if an audience is quiet after an effect that you did something wrong. Not the case! Sometimes silence is just as strong as an applause, as the audience are speechless about what they have just witnessed. It is often hard to break that silence and having David on the stage gives us the perfect excuse. You will ask the audience for a round of applause for all the volunteers that have helped out. As the round of applause takes place approach David and ask him to take a seat. As you can see this serves a very strong purpose, the audience see a process (David is walking off the stage) and at the same time the silence is broken and it leaves us in a position to perform our next effect. If this is your last effect, you want to be the only one left on the stage and if the effect finishes in silence, you can break that silence by thanking your audience for coming and seeing your self out. I hope all is understandable so far. Please read the performance or I will curse you so that your children are born naked!

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Performance The performer addresses the audience,

Performer: “I would like to touch upon something now that can only be described as a form of mind control. Brain washing techniques were very popular in the 70’s and are supposedly still used by the C.I.A. and other organizations. Don’t worry we are not going to do anything imposing, we are just going to lightly scratch the surface of what is possible when the mind is nudged in the right direction. I am going to throw this paper ball into the audience, whoever catches the paper ball, throw it again in any direction you desire”. Turn so your back is facing the audience and toss the ball over your shoulder. As the ball lands with the first person, remind them to throw it wherever they would like. When the ball hits the second person ask them to stand. Ask the entire audience if they are happy to use this person, they should of course say they are. Address that person,

Performer: “Hi how are things?”

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Subject: “Not bad” Performer: “What is your name sir?” Subject: “David”. Performer: “Hi David, would I be correct in saying we have never met before?” David: “We have never met”. Performer: “I would like to attempt an experiment based on subliminal influence. It is a little known fact that words evoke emotions. Sentences can steer people into saying and sometimes even doing things they believe are their own choices when in fact they are not”. David looks worried.

Performer: “I can see you are happy to participate knowing that, (audience chuckle) don’t worry I am not going to do anything to influence you but rather you are going to influence a complete stranger...over the telephone. I would like you to look around the audience, choose someone at random; it’s completely

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your choice and the person you choose will provide us with a telephone number”. David makes his choice.

Performer: “Can you just stand for me sir. Neither of you have met before correct?” David: “No”. Subject #2: “No never”. Performer: “What is your name sir”? Subject #2: “Pablo”. Performer: “David, Pablo I want to introduce you to old trusty”. Pull out the old modelled telephone. The audience giggle. Performer: “You may laugh, but this little guy has served me well but seriously after I had a phone stolen on stage I resorted to using this. It can be dropped and damaged or stolen and it won’t break the bank. Pablo please take out your telephone and go through the contacts until you find a person you know will answer the phone if I rang

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them. When you have done so, just wait there with the number until I have finished talking with David. Oh make sure the person is a male, they respond better to such things”. *Notes: I have only ever once had someone say they could not reach a male and all I did to remedy the situation was asked them to point to someone in the near vicinity who could. {While this process was taking place I again took this as an opportunity to reiterate the randomness of events}. When Pablo starts to go through his phone, address the first subject again (David). (This is strategically placed to prevent dead time)

Performer: “David, in a moment I am going to call the number Pablo gives me; you are going to introduce yourself to Pablo’s friend and when the niceties are taken care of you will say this sentence to that person. The cat sat on the mat. These words are important, the cat sat on the mat.

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Once you have said these words you will ask Pablo’s friends to imagine there is a book in front of him, ask him what his favourite page is in the imaginary book. When he tells you the page he selected, just tell us all out loud ok?” David: “Yeah, ok”. Performer: “Once you have said the page out loud, ask him to imagine looking up and down the page and choose a word. Don’t worry; I will help you out when you are on the phone in case you forget anything”. Turn your attention back to the first subject (Pablo), Performer: “Have you found a contact Pablo?” Pablo: “Yeah I have”. Performer: “Before we go any further I would like to point out something that is hopefully going to be relevant shortly”. Pause for a few seconds in front of the easel to create suspense. Let people’s curiosity get the better of them

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before and after a few seconds you will notice the audience will go completely silent. Address the audience,

Performer: “The more nosey amongst you may have noticed this easel covered with a red cloth, for those who have not seen it, it is important you know this has been here before we talk to Pablo’s friend”. Performer: “What is the number Pablo?” Pablo: “07”. Start to type the number in.

Performer: “In fact to protect your friend’s privacy, you type the number in and await my instructions”. Pablo: “I have done it” Performer: “Great, David you remember what you are to do correct?” David: “Yes”. Take the phone back off of Pablo and perform the dodge and misdirection described earlier and call your associate.

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When your friend answers, remember to talk politely (people think you are calling someone you have never met).

Performer: “Hello, Hi is this Erik?” Helper: “Yeah it is”. Performer: “Hi Erik I am with Pablo he is onstage and we are trying an experiment. Yeah he is fine, say hello everyone”. Audience: “Hello!” Performer: “Would it be ok to borrow you for a few moments, I promise we will not keep you a moment longer than we have to. Great, I will run you through what is going to happen. I will hand you over to a member of the audience, he will read a sentence to you and then ask you a couple of questions is that ok?” When he says it is, hand the phone to first subject (David). As you are handing it over remind David to introduce himself. David receives the phone. David: “Hello”. Helper: “Hello”. Page 108

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David: “You ok?” Helper: “Yeah you?” While they are talking, this process can be boring for the audience. I usually roll my sleeve up and pretend to be looking at my watch. This creates a small moment of humour the audience can enjoy and will invoke a little laugh. Remind David to ask Erik to imagine a book

David: “I would like you to imagine you are looking in an imaginary book”. Performer: “Tell him to call out a random page number”. David: “Can you call out a random page number please?” Helper: “Twelve”. David: “He said twelve”. Performer: “Great now ask him to imagine looking on page twelve and say a word he sees on this imaginary page”. David: “Can you imagine looking on this page and say a word you see?” Erik: “Erm, I cannot imagine one”. Page 109

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David: “He says he cannot imagine one”. The audience have a slight giggle at this, if you notice David is not talking, ask him what Erik is saying, you want him to vocalize the point Erik isn’t sure.

Performer: “Tell him to relax and take his time”. David: “Take your time, just relax”. Erik: “Erm....Dust I will go with that”. David: “He says he would like the word dust”. Ask for the phone and when you take the phone back this is where you will employ the amnesia ploy described earlier. When you hang up address David,

Performer: “So David, he chose the word dust and page (look confused), what page was it?” David: “Twelve”. Recap just how fair everything was. {Although the conversation seems to take a massively long amount of time in writing, it is over fairly sharp in performance}

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Employ the reveal described in the method section to finish the effect as solidly as possible. Notes* you could always hand a prediction out in advance in an envelope; you do not have to use this piece as a stage piece.

Additional idea – Mike Phillips. This following reveal I think is a fantastic way to end the aforementioned effect. It is that great, I wish I had thought of it! You will need to print your own book for this reveal, but I promise it will be worth it. In the example used above, we know page twelve is the page that we will be using and the word is dust. Create a book with the page numbers at the bottom of each page and all blank pages (except page twelve). On page twelve have the forced word (in this case dust) printed boldly across that page.

Additional idea – Felix Schellenberg As a compromise you can also use any regular and well known novel you like that fits the context of the performance setting and the predicted words. Since you are free what word and page are to be named, you are home free in finding a suitable pair in the book.

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Just circle the word, and your prediction is right....! Explain that the sentence used to influence the participant is from this very book and our brain subconsciously creates a connection to this text. The book can be left on display the entire time and when the book is shown to be empty with only page twelve printed I can only imagine how strongly that will play out. Upon reflection, if the audience never knows there is a prediction until the last minute, it might further suggest to them that everything is fair play (in regards to the phone call).

Additional idea – Colin McLeod This serves as a beautiful convincer to the audience. After you have asked Subject#2 to choose a contact from their phone, you ask them to call the number out and you stop them. You hand them the cell phone to type it in themselves (as to protect their friend’s privacy). As you hand them the telephone, peek at the name of the contact (they are going to type in). We will say it is ‘Jim’. Step away and let them type the number in. Take the phone back off of the subject, employ the described doge. When the phone is answered, introduce yourself and explain you are with their

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friend onstage. After you have given your name ask them for theirs. (Tell your confederate before the show to just say something random here as it doesn’t matter). This is where we employ the convincer. You remember the name you peeked; in our case it was ‘Jim’. Then you respond with this.

Performer: “It’s lovely to become acquainted with you Jim, yeah I will tell him”. Address the subject who typed the number in.

Performer: “Jim says hi”. Because there is no way you could know the name of the subject’s friend (as you have never asked for it), when the subject responds to Jim saying hi, everyone will believe you are talking to the subject’s friend!

Credits/ Inspirations Annemann - ‘Weird Wire’, ‘Wired thought’ and ‘On the wire’. Paul Marcus - ‘Across the void’. The wizard phone trick. Docc Hillford- Cellular Mitosis

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Optional opener (A.W.A.A.P) The thing I love about this lead in is the unlimited ideas that can be created using this principle. Although it is small in nature do not underestimate the strength of this piece. Another reason for including this piece is that it also scratches upon something that will be mentioned later in the 'my thoughts' section of this manuscript. As you may have noticed the above effect has two reveals, this adds a third reveal to the routine and involves the entire audience.

Effect The first subject (David) that is chosen in the A.W.A.A.P routine is handed five envelopes (numbered one to five). He is told that in each of the envelopes there is the title of a book written upon a piece of card and that each title is different and each book is from a completely different genre. David is told that each title has been specifically selected to influence a stranger he will talk to later on the telephone. David is then informed that the audience are going to vote as a collective on which envelope they would like to use to influence this stranger.

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He is directed to open each envelope and look at the titles of each book. While the subject is doing this, the performer addresses the audience.

Performer: “Each envelope David has a hold of has a number written on the front. The envelopes are numbered one to five. This is where you the audience get to make a decision, you are going to choose which envelope you would like to use for this experiment. We are going to count the votes by round of applause, in a few moments when I ask if you would like envelope number one, the people who have mentally selected number one just give me a round of applause to let me know that’s the envelope you would like to use. When I say two, if you are thinking of two just give me a round of applause to let me know you are thinking of two. We will go with the numbered envelope that gets the most round of applause; do we all agree that’s fair?” Audience: “Yes!”

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The performer turns his attention back to David, Performer: “David, can you confirm that each book title is different and more importantly each book is from a dramatically different category. One is a children’s book, one a horror and so on and so forth”. David: “Yeah, each title is different and the books are from different genres”. The performer then asks the audience which number they would like. We will say for example the majority of the audience choose five (it can be any number). Pablo is asked to read the title of the book that is in envelope five. “The Mystery of the mental Merkin”. The effect follows suit as described above (A.W.A.A.P) and proceeds to the reveal. You have successfully predicted which envelope the audience will choose! Notes* No gaffed envelopes, the subject confirms everything for the audience and the audience have free choice of any envelope!

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Breakdown You can see how strong this plays from the perspective of the audience; it can really strengthen the original effect and serves as a fantastic convincer that everything on the phone was legitimate (not that it won’t seem legitimate, but every little helps). Before we get into the methodology of this piece, I would like to make it apparent this can be achieved in a variety of ways and I will also offer another variation directly after this method. The presentation I outlined above is based on simple dual reality and word play. Firstly prepare the envelopes by numbering them 1-5. Then prepare five cards as follows. The first card. Title: The mysteries of the Mental Merkin. Genre: Children’s book The second card. Title: The Mental Merkin. Genre: Horror The third card. (This card I have found the most frequently selected) Title: The life, of the Mental Merkin

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Genre: Drama The fourth card. Title: The travels of the Mental Merkin Genre: Geography The fifth card Title: The mental miracles from the mind of Merkin Genre: Religion Note* I don’t use these title in performance; these are for a good friend of mine, I promised you a mention! The titles of the book are really irrelevant, as long as they all contain one name repeated. {The best way to convince the audience that these are possibly books that already exist, use a name that is well know.} (I.E. “The life of Stephen King”) Write on the easel. The audience will choose a book based on the life of the Mental Merkin (or whatever name you chose), this will influence the male on the telephone to choose, page 12 and the word Dust. Cover with the cloth.

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You will understand how the ambiguity of the reveal plays off later on. The secret of this routine relies on verbal finesse. If you look at each of these titles they are all different but the thing that is the selling point as far as the audience is concerned is the genres. I cut down any leeway the subject may have by giving them specific instructions.

Performer: “I would like you to look at each card and make sure each title is different and you will notice that each genre of book is dramatically different”. While saying this I take the envelope that is on the top of the stack and slide the card inside it half out. Notes* I never tell him this is how he should look at each card, that is important to remember. In a moment we will create an assumption that will practically force him to copy the way I want him to look at the bits of card. {The reason for him looking at each card like this is very important. It will ensure no on else in the audience sees the card and two it ensures he never drops the card as the card is not pulled fully out of the envelope it will act as a safety net.} After sliding the card out of the envelope I state,

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Performer: “As you can clearly see this book is a religious book”. Tap your thumb (gently) under where it says genre. The opaque nature of the card hides your thumbs movement. Let him nod to confirm (or even better vocalize) the fact he knows the books genre. {This dodge creates something absolutely wonderful. It subtly tells the subject to look at each genre, on each card (when he gets chance) without having to actually vocalize it. More importantly, the word clearly will suggest to the audience by looking at the title of the book the subject knows exactly what that book is and it is clear what it’s about. It also opens up a possibility to create a logical consistency later that will really sell the fact that all the titles are different so please read on.} After the subject has seen the card slide it back in the envelope state,

Performer: “I would like you to do this for the rest of them”. Place this envelope to the bottom of the stack and hand the subject the stack.

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It is important to show the subject the card and then instantly use the above scripting. Place the envelope to the bottom of the stack after you have used this scripting or you run the risk of them just shuffling the envelopes. {Let’s have a look at the last verbal line; you will notice that it is very, very ambiguous and can easily be taken for several things. It contains the important words “Do this”. Do what? Look at each category/title? Slide the cards out a bit? Keep the cards to myself so no one can see them? The greatest thing I think about this is that psychologically most people will just repeat what you did, for fear of looking stupid.} We will now explain to the audience about the voting process.

Performer: “Each envelope David has a hold of has a number written on the front. The envelopes are numbered one to five. This is where you the audience get to make a decision, you are going to choose which envelope you would like to use for this experiment. We are going to count the votes by round of applause, in a few moments when I ask if you like envelope number one, the people

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have mentally selected number one just give me a round of applause to let me know that’s the envelope you would like to use. When I say two, if you are thinking of two just give me a round of applause to let me know you are thinking of two. We will go with the numbered envelope that gets the most round of applause; do we all agree that is fair and understand what you are to do?” {Again the last line is something I find really clever, it might not excite you as much as it does me but I will explain it away none the less. The thing I love about the use of the last line is that it forces the audience to say yes, even if they don’t think it is fair (which in this circumstance things most certainly are). The audience will naturally register the above as one question, not two and answer to the last question they hear. In later routines in the book you will see just how these nuances can be used to our advantage.} Explaining to the audience about the voting process gives the subject ample time to have a look at each card. More importantly this will ensure that the audiences focus is taken away from the subject/the envelopes and kills any dead time.

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After you have explained how they will vote, turn your attention back to the subject.

Performer: “Each of the titles are different and the genre of each book is dramatically different correct?” {Ending the sentence with “correct?” implies you are just looking for a yes or no answer and the only way he can answer that question is with a yes. This is where the line we slipped in earlier about the genre being Religion comes back into play and gives us leeway to mention how dramatically different each genre is. This will subtly suggest to the audience that you have chosen five books that are worlds apart.} For the sake of being thorough let’s take a look at what should be going on in the audience’s mind. (I will describe the process as though I was an audience member). David was chosen via the toss of a paper ball, anybody could have been chosen, even me. There is no way he would tell a lie; I could have got that envelope and I wouldn’t have lied. As far as the audience is concerned the subject's word is gospel (so to speak) and I really love to take advantage of such things.

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Let the audience vote on an envelope. They really can choose any envelope so the voting process is just that, a process. We will say they chose envelope three. Ask David to have a look at the title in this case it is “The life of the Mental Merkin”. Take the envelopes from the subject; proceed to address the audience (the envelopes are still in your hand).

Convincer dodge Performer: “Each of these book titles has been chosen for a specific quality. Each of these titles has been known to influence”. Say this while walking towards the audience, (leaving David stood behind you).

Performer: “Books have been known to influence people in a variety of ways, for example, a lot of you will know about ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J.D Salinger and the evil influence it had on Mark Chapman”. {Here you can create another great moment of psychology. If you use the above script, while holding the stack of envelopes in your left hand and just one envelope in your right (nonchalantly), the audience

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will assume that inside the solo envelope the title is ‘The catcher in the rye’.} Place the solo envelope to the bottom of the stack and slide of the top envelope into the right hand (as small motions as possible).

Performer: “Or the Bible, this has had a massive effect on many people’s lives”. {The key word in the script is “this”. The audience see you holding one envelope separate, they will assume you are pointing out that this is the Bible. This ploy will take the audience back to the start of the routine where David confirmed that he clearly saw a religious book. While all this is going on, the subject (David) is behind you, therefore your body hides the fact you are holding one envelope separate. He cannot see the envelopes; he has to rely on what you are saying. If you look at the scripting, there is nothing that would suggest you are doing anything out of the ordinary.} As a rule, I only use name two titles. I believe using more than two will be overkill, subtlety is what we want to portray and two is the right amount to nudge the audience into thinking the way we want. I would like to address an issue before we proceed with the explanation of this routine. I know you may have this question in your mind.

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“What does the subject who reads the titles get out of all this?” In all honesty I thought about this long and hard and realised there wasn’t a problem. If you read to the end of this section, you will see I have done everything needed to tie things up accordingly. Here is my train of thought. If you make the title selection seem an irrelevant thing (as far as the subject is concerned) and don’t make a fuss out of the reveal, the subject will never suspect any foul play. If the subject never suspects any foul play, he has no reason to talk about such things later. If anything, because he talked to the person on the telephone, he gets more of an effect than the audience. All he has heard so far is that each title is strategically chosen to influence the person on the phone, so naturally that is all he is expecting. The only other change to the routine, from this point up until the reveal, is instead of having the subject (David), recite a sentence to the person on the phone, you will have him recite the title that the audience selected. The purpose of having the title recited is to keep the title fresh in the audience’s mind and this will also help sell that the title is what is influencing the person on the telephone.

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We shall now fast forward to the reveal. This is where we are going to play on the audience’s assumption a little more. The thing I was aiming for was to have the subject assume the reveal of the title is a statement and the audience assume that is a prediction. This is what I write as the prediction. ‘The book will be based on the life of the Mental Merkin, this will influence the male on the telephone to choose, page 12 and the word Dust’. Let’s have a look at this reveal from the audience’s perspective. The audience are under the assumption that the books are totally different and you have somehow predicted the title they would choose before the show even started! This will also set in stone the reveal of what was said on the telephone and adds another layer of deception to the routine as a whole. If you look at things from the subject’s perspective, when he reads the easel he sees the first bit as a statement. In his mind the only thing you attempted to do was influence the person on the phone and you succeeded! Everything else in his mind is irrelevant; why would he feel the need to mention anything about the titles

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of the books? The only thing going on in his mind is how fair everything was. You have no need to worry about anyone from the audience going up to the subject and asking what the titles of the books were either. It’s such a weird question to ask and earlier we did something that would stop this moment ever occurring. We had the subject confirm all the titles were different, we let the audience choose one of the titles and it was read out loud. We proceeded to name two more titles (The catcher in the rye and the Bible). For the above reasons, you can see why this routine plays so strongly. This method relies strongly on verbal direction and good subject control, verbal direction is as good a method as any psychical method and should not be avoided. I have used it many times, for many different effects and it very much suits my style. One of the main reasons this opener made it into the book, is that it really helps tie in with some thoughts of mine and this is a good point of reference.

Credits/ Inspirations Barrie Richardson (I love his “Lazy mentalist” effect and his use of dual reality). Kenton Knepper for his use of verbal wizardry

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Alternative Method We will be using a very similar envelope to the one found in Anneman’s Practical Mental Magic (with a few adjustments). To construct the two way envelope you will need. Two, size 6 Seed envelopes, (these are the best type of envelopes). Post it glue. Scissors.

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Take one of the envelopes and cut all the way around it. If you have done this correct the flap and the back of the envelope will be loose.

Remove the loose pieces; keeping the address side of the envelope, we will call this piece the ‘divide’.

You may need to trim the divide a little so it slides snugly into the un-attacked envelope.

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Push the divide as far into the envelope as far as it will go. You may have noticed that the piece you have slid into the envelope slightly over hangs the lip of the unattacked envelope

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We do not want this! If this occurs, slide the divide out and trim it until it sits in the envelope as depicted below.

If you squeeze the envelope, and look into it, it will look like this.

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When the divide fits snugly, slide it out and apply a small layer of glue as depicted in the picture below.

Flip over the divide, as shown in the picture below (do not place back onto the table) and slide it back into the un-attacked envelope. The glued side goes right down into the bottom of the envelope.

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Wait till the glue dries, look at what you have, you will notice that you have a partitioned envelope. Lay the envelope onto the table, Slide a book title facedown into the partition that is closest to you.

Apply a small amount of glue in the place depicted in the above picture, then seal that partition shut. Mark the envelope with a little x (on the side of the envelope with the forced book title in). This will ensure you cut the correct side of the envelope and will ensure that the title is orientated correctly when it is removed later. You will need to prepare five of these envelopes, each five containing a force title in the secret pocket and a random series of titles in the other pocket.

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In essence, depending on which end of the envelope you cut, depends which title will fall out. In performance you will handle things a little differently. The main difference is that you never let the audience see inside the envelopes until after they have voted on an envelope. For example, we will say the audience has voted on envelope number one. You cut the four envelopes to reveal four different titles (opening the non force side) and then the envelope the audience chose you would then cut on the side with the little x. I would recommend screwing up each envelope after opening to get rid of the evidence and play on the audience’s assumption they really are empty.

Credits/ Inspirations Annemann’s three way out envelope

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The confirmation principle This principle I hope will change your entire thinking! This principle came into existence after hating having to ask volunteers to think of things and then revealing them. For example, if I was a real mind reader why would I ask people to think of things? I would be telling people what is already inside their mind. So here was my solution to the problem. If I was performing a routine where I wanted someone to think of a name I would use this. Address the subject, (for example sake the subject is male).

Performer: “The thing I am sensing when I look at you is that there are several subconscious memories in the back of your mind. I am receiving one more so than the rest. In this memory you are twelve or thirteen and you are playing a game. I think this is a game of hide and go seek and I see someone else in the picture with you. This is a best friend from school you know who this is correct?” Page 136

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This is a very clever way to ask someone to think of a name. More importantly you are not just prompting the subject to think of a name, when the subject says “Yes” (confirming they know the person) from the audience’s perspective, they are confirming that this memory actually took place! You are getting great hits before you have even started the routine. Another plus this principle has, is that if you asked someone to write the name down (so they cannot deviate from the person you are seeing) people believe you already know who the person is. Therefore, the peeking process is never suspected and there is no heat on the billet. Why would anyone ever suspect you of needing to peek something you already clearly know? There is a difference in script when performing for a female. Instead of saying you are twelve/thirteen and playing hide and go seek. You say

“I am sensing that in this memory you are seven or eight and you are playing jump rope. There is also another person in this memory, a best friend. You know who this person is correct?” If you wanted to get them to think of a place you could use this.

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Performer: “I am sensing that there is a place in your mind that holds a lot of emotional significance. This place you visited when you were a child, you know where I am talking about correct?” Again ending with correct? ensures they have to give you a yes or no answer. Essentially you are prompting them to say yes. This is only the tip of the iceberg with this principle. I will give you an extreme use of this principle. Use the confirmation principle to push someone towards thinking of name (as described earlier). Apply Peek (or data extraction method) Address the subject,

Performer: “I don’t want you to smirk or give anything away; I only want you when I ask, to just answer yes or no, but only when I ask. I am going to use devious means to get you to reveal the name. Ok, I see travel, erm Spain. This person is a singer, no an actor, it’s a male yes?”

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{Say the last sentence fluently, not giving the subject any chance to respond until you ask the question about the sex of the person in question. When the subject say’s yes, (just answering if the person is male) as far as the audience are concerned that is all the confirmation they need for the travel, Spain and actor hits.} You are creating hits where there are none. So instead of asking for a name and then revealing it this is what happens. (From the perspective of the audience) You have picked up on a memory, honed in on that memory, told them the age they were in that memory, told them what they were doing in the memory and told them you see someone in the memory with them. They confirm all this to be true, you then go on to give them details of the person they are thinking of and finish by revealing the name. The subject will be fully shocked at the reveal, which will really sell the fact you picked up on all of the other pieces of information! Sometimes restricting the subject talking can be as important as letting them sing like a canary. I will offer a simple experiment to try out on people. This will prove just how effective changing the pretext of a conversation can be.

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{This is nothing more than a little test to show you how the brain can controlled by pre-text.} Say to a friend/partner (nonchalantly)

Performer: “Can I tell you a joke?” Friend: “Go on then”. Smirk like you know something they don’t

Performer: “What’s the difference between a truck and a child’s bicycle?” I will be willing to bet the answer will be

“I don’t know”. By starting with the line about telling a joke, all logic goes out of the window. This shows you how one sentence can influence the way someone answers. When you get your mind around this, the possibilities are endless.

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Seven bald keys Effect A female member of the audience is asked to stand. The performer notices she is wearing a lovely looking wedding ring. This lady (we will call Amy) is asked if she is comfortable being blindfolded, looking rather puzzled the woman says she is fine with it and the performer proceeds to blindfold her. The performer explains that she is about to perform an amazing feat based on instincts and she is going to use her senses to accomplish this feat. The performer tells Amy he is going to briefly borrow her wedding ring. The performer removes the ring, it is handed directly to a random member of the audience (we will call him Sam) to inspect and remembers the rings qualities. Once the process of examining the ring is complete, Sam is asked to approach a table and chairs (on the stage) and take a seat. Sam’s attention is directed to an open padlock on the table, he is instructed to place the ring on the clasp and lock the padlock. He is then asked to inspect the padlock and ensure it is solidly locked (no trick locks). Amy is then led to the table by the performer and seated also.

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She is told that her ring is locked on a padlock in-front of her and that she is going to locate the key that opens that lock. Just shy of finishing his sentence the performer removes seven pay envelopes from his pocket and hands them to Sam. He asks Sam to mix the envelopes as he desires and then lay them out in a line in front of Amy. It is explained to the pair that in each envelope there is a different key; that Amy is going to try to mentally receive which of the seven envelopes contains the key that opens the padlock. She cannot be aided by sight; everything is going to be done based purely on feelings. She is asked to deduce which envelope she believes contains the correct key. She hovers her hands over each envelope, she never touches them, is never prompted and she has completely free choice of envelope. She stops above one and says,

Amy: “I think it’s in this one!” The other envelopes are opened by Sam one by one by one and the six keys are tried in the padlock, none of them open the padlock. There is one envelope left in front of Amy (the one she selected), the audience are addressed.

Performer: “In a moment if the key inside this envelope opens the padlock give Amy a

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massive, massive round of applause. If on the other hand it doesn’t, boo me for making an absolute muck up of things.” The envelope is handed to Sam to open (the performer never touches the key), the key is placed into the lock and it opens! The audience erupt into wild applause. Amy’s blindfold is removed and she is handed back her ring. Both subjects get seated to another round of applause. Notes* the ring is inspected, the padlock is inspected, each key is tried in the lock by the second subject (Sam), the performer never swaps any keys and the envelopes are not gimmicked in anyway.

Breakdown You will need a few things for this effect, once you have purchased these cheap items they will last you a life time! You will need Two identical padlocks. Six spare keys that open one of the padlocks. Seven manila (or black) envelopes and Two expensive looking dress rings.

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{You can pick up cheap dress rings that look expensive for next to nothing; just ensure the rings look like the real deal}. We are not going to swap any keys, I found this illogical as that is where the entirety of the heat is. Instead we are going to swap the lock out! I know switching a lock out has already been touched upon, but I have added several layers of deception that will destroy any possibility of anyone ever thinking the lock was swapped. That is what makes this routine ultimately valuable. To prepare, lock one of the rings onto the padlock that has the seven keys (the key it came with and six spares). It is important you lock the dress ring on the correct padlock. On the inside of your left jacket pocket place a folded envelope, you will create what I call “A temporary two out pocket”. When you look in the pocket you will notice two partitions. The side closest to the opening of the pocket (and your body) we will call pouch A, the other side we will call B. Place the prepared padlock into your two out pocket, in side A. Leaving the ring hanging out of the pocket (like the clip of the pen earlier on). This will be important for switching the lock later. Page 144

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Lay the other padlock (clasp open) on the table on the stage. Place the key for this lock in your box (or anywhere) other than your persons. You do not need it during the routine. Finger palm the duplicate dress ring in your right hand. The first stage is choosing a suitable candidate. The only thing you are looking for in this routine is someone with a ring on, don’t point out that this is why you are looking for the subject. {This will prematurely bring attention to the ring and that is one thing we do not want}. The wedding ring is found on the left hand (This sounds patronising but it will make sense why I have pointed this out in a moment). When you have your suitable subject, ask them to stand, take their name (we will stick with Amy as in the description. Make sure the subject is comfortable being blindfolded. Blindfold the subject. Take hold of the underneath of subject’s left wrist, with your right hand (the hand containing the finger palmed ring. {The finger palmed dress ring is now hidden under the subject’s wrist.}

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Ask them if it is ok you borrow their ring briefly. As you say the word ring, place two fingers from your free hand (left) over the top of their ring. (So you are covering the ring). {It almost looks like you are taking the rings pulse. If you have come across as warming, trust worthy and an over all nice person, no request will be too big}. The audience will not see the touch as anything out of the ordinary, to them you are just clarifying by touch (to a blinded person) what you want to use. The real reason for placing your fingers on top of the ring is to hide what it looks like to anyone in the near vicinity. When she says it is fine, which she most certainly will not only because you are trusting but more importantly she is blindfolded and she might as well now she has started. This is where we will employ a switch. Let’s recap on our current positioning. Your right hand is under the subject’s wrist containing a dress ring; two of the fingers on your left hand are covering the subjects ring. Firstly loosen your grip on the subject’s wrist a little, place your left hand around the ring.

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Start to slide the ring off of the finger; when it gets half way down the finger, simultaneously slide down the right hand that was holding the wrist As the ring pops off the end of the subject’s finger, both your hands will meet. (The left hand will be covering the right hand) Let your right hand drop open displaying the dress ring. As you part your hands, drop your left hand to your side retaining the subject’s ring in a finger palm and simultaneously lift your right hand up and push your ring into the Annemann billet grip. (Hold the ring at the tips of the first and middle finger) Lift the right hand up, this will naturally be followed by the attention of the audience and they will see a ring at the tips of your fingers. Don’t say anything; let the audience make the assumption that it is the subject’s ring. {Don’t be tempted to point out the fact it is the subject’s ring, it is overkill. You are bringing unnecessary heat to the ring; you want to create a sense of naturalism. The first subject (Amy) cannot see the ring therefore she can never say it isn’t hers.}

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Keeping the ring held up, approach a member of the audience.

Performer: “You look like a trustworthy character, hold your hands out sir”. Turn your right hand (the hand holding the ring) palm up, drop the ring into the subject’s open hands. {This will suggest display your hands are empty without having to say anything.}

Performer: “I’m Pete, what is your name trustworthy looking sir?” {This is a very social way to ask for the subject’s name, it will create a small laugh but more importantly take the attention away from the ring. The ring is an important part of this routine but for now we want to make it seem unimportant and as though we have not started performing anything yet.}

Subject: “Hi Pete, I am Sam”. {The response you get will often be more polite and lengthy than them just responding their name. Try it, it works!}

Performer: “Trustworthy Sam, please inspect the ring, take in all its qualities and most of all be very careful as it is very important to Amy”.

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{Note* I say the ring is very important to Amy, this is a very subtle way to say the ring is Amy’s, at the same time it puts to bed any worries Amy has, as it is clear I care about the ring’s well being. Sam, the audience and Amy now believe Sam is now examining Amy’s ring.} While Sam is examining the ring, walk back over to Amy and address the audience while doing so.

Performer: “How many people by show of hands, have heard that if we lose our sight, our other senses after a short amount of time heighten to the point they almost replace the sight sense?” {Of course people will have heard of this, but something rather special should take place here, it is a principle known as the hysteria of masses. A few people will raise their hands, which will evoke other members of the audience (who do not want to appear stupid to their peers) to raise their hands also. This is great to us; for all the people in the audience who have not heard of this, it is confirmed true by a portion of the audience. Again, we are using the confirmation of a trust worthy source to our advantage.} While the audiences’ hands are in the air, the audience will naturally be looking amongst

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themselves to see who has their hands up and this gives us the opportunity to place our hand in our pocket briefly and dump the subjects ring. Important note* Ensure the pocket is empty; remember that this is someone’s prized possession. I take no responsibility for you losing or damaging the ring. The scripting about the senses heightening is strategically placed to play on the audiences’ assumptions. They will assume because Amy has been blindfolded for a while, her senses will be heightening.} Ask Amy if she is ok. {This just lets her know we have not forgotten about her.}

Performer: “Sam, have you looked at the ring?” Sam: “Yeah” Performer: “For sake of argument, if I took that ring from you would you recognise it again?” {This line will seem unimportant now, but later this will become very important.}

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Performer: “Ok, trustworthy Sam, can you approach the table on the stage. (Pause for a few seconds). Wait Sam, I would like you imagine you are invisible and try get to the table without being seen”. {This will create a laugh, which in my show is a very important thing. It makes the experience a lot more enjoyable for the audience. I am not saying act like a clown but creating a relaxed atmosphere is very important.} One of two things will happen, one Sam will be a good sport and literally try to stealth down to the table on the stage (which happens more frequently than you would imagine.) If he does this make sure you get the audience to give him a massive round of applause. The other scenario is he will just stand there and wet himself; (just kidding) he will look like he doesn’t know what to do. In this situation address him.

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people, give Sam a round of applause for his courage as he makes his way to the stage”. This implies to him he is to start to make his way to the stage. In either scenario we are conditioning the audience to give a round of applause on cue. This is another thing that will be important later.} As you see Sam approaching the table, if the applause is still going kill the applause. {You are taking control of every aspect of the show, which is important.} Address Sam,

Performer: “You will notice upon the table is a padlock, will you take Amy’s ring, lock it on the Padlock and just double check it is solidly locked. I know I said this earlier but please be careful with Amy’s ring while doing this”. {I start to refer to the ring as Amy’s ring now but more importantly I remind him to be careful. This subtly suggests the ring is expensive and valuable.} While he is doing this approach Amy, before taking her arm address her (you do not want to shock her).

Performer: “Amy I am going to take your arm and lead you to the stage”.

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When you approach the table and chairs help Amy take a seat and sit next to her. {In writing it may seem like a lot of time has passed to get the routine on its way, in performance trust me its not.} Address Amy,

Performer: “Amy, your ring is solidly locked onto a padlock in front of you and in my pocket I have seven envelopes each containing a key”. Remove the envelopes.

Performer: “One of these envelopes contains the key that opens that padlock. Sam can you give these envelopes a mix please”. Hand the envelopes to Sam. When he is done mixing them instruct him to lay them in a line in front of Amy. Take hold of Amy’s wrist and hover her hand over the first envelope. Instruct Sam to take Amy’s wrist and hover it over each envelope for a couple of seconds. Address Amy.

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Performer: “Amy, Sam is going to hover your hand over each envelope in turn; I want you to say now over the top of two envelopes you believe may contain the key that opens the padlock Nod if you understand Amy”. {This will ensure she understands she is to select two envelopes.} Let her select the two envelopes and when she has, ask Sam to collect the rest up and open them one by one and try them in the lock. None of them open the lock, address Amy.

Performer: “You have done fantastic so far Amy; you have successfully eliminated five keys. In front of you on the table there are the two envelopes that you selected and inside one of them envelopes there is the key that unlocks your ring”. Address the audience.

Performer: “In a few seconds Amy is going to select the envelope she believes has the key is inside. The envelope she does not choose will be opened and if that key does not open the padlock I want you to give Amy a massive

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round of applause to let her know she has successfully chosen the envelope with the correct key inside”. Both of Amy’s arms are positioned over an envelope, address her.

Performer: “Amy, you hands are positioned over two envelopes. You are going to get five seconds of complete silence to make a decision. After the five seconds have passed I want you to pick up the envelope you believe contains the key that opens the lock. When you have done this, the envelope that is left upon the table will be picked up and if the key inside that envelope does not open the lock, that tells us you are holding the key that does”. Address the audience.

Performer: “Remember if the key does not open the lock we want a round of applause to let Amy know she is holding the correct envelope. We will give her five seconds of complete silence starting now”.

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Hold your hand up displaying five fingers, as each second passes drop a finger. After the five seconds pass, tell Amy to make a decision. (She can choose any). She will leave one envelope on the table, instruct Sam to pick that envelope up and try it in the lock. When he has tried it and it wont open, you may get a staggered round of applause from the audience. This is exactly what we are looking for, take the lock off of Sam with the key and hold it above your head as though to demonstrate largely it will not open. Cut the round of applause, pull the key out and throw it on the floor. Execute this while walking toward the audience. Address the audience,

Performer: “I know what some of you are thinking, maybe we are being lied to, maybe all the keys don’t fit the padlock and you would be entitled to think that”. Here is where we will switch the lock.

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The switch Hold the lock between the thumb and forefinger. Place the lock into compartment B of the two out pocket. Release the grip of the thumb and forefinger, while simultaneously putting the tip of the middle finger into the ring in compartment A. Move the thumb to middle finger and pull out the duplicate lock and ring. The move needs to be performed nonchalantly; openly perform the pocket switch. After the switch is complete, pull a confused face. This will portray that you are wondering why you went to put the lock into your pocket in the first place. Address Sam,

Performer: “Sam bring the envelope Amy is holding over here and come and take a hold of Amy’s ring”. {Note I never asked Sam to take the padlock, I told him to take Amy’s ring. This subtly suggests to the audience there is no way the lock could have been changed as Amy’s ring is solidly locked onto it. This layer of deception is beautiful as far as logic goes. The ring on the lock is the only thing we ever need to convince even the smartest thinkers that there is no

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way the lock could be swapped. I mean come on; there is only one of Amy’s ring right? Address Sam,

Performer: “Open the envelope, remove the key and insert it into the lock but do not turn it”. Wait a few seconds for him to complete the Instructions. Address the audience,

Performer: “I want you all to be as quiet as a mouse, Sam is going to turn the lock and I want to be able to hear it open. If the key does open the lock, that proves that against all odds Amy has located the key and that does deserve a massive round of applause. On the other hand if the lock does not open, boo me for making a complete mess of things”. Address Sam,

Performer: “Unlock it when I say Sam”. Wait for the room to become silent, after a few seconds of silence nod at Sam.

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{Do not say anything this will break the silence we have created and that is one thing we do not want.} As soon as you here the lock click, cue the audience for applause. Take ring and lock off of Sam and show them off (one in each hand). Ask Sam to return to his seat during the applause. Place the lock and ring in your right trouser pocket, while you are in the pocket ditch the lock and dress ring and remove Amy’s ring. Approach Amy, remove her blindfold and address her.

Performer: “Amy you did fantastic, you have most certainly been the star of tonight’s show”. Address the audience,

Performer: “I am going to help Amy back to her seat as she may be a little disorientated, give her a round of applause for being so wonderful!” As you are leading Amy to her seat, use Dunninger’s ploy and under the guise of the applause hand her the ring and make sure she is ok.

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Performance The performer addresses the audience,

Performer: “The story I am about to tell you is very much true. This is the tale of a little girl named Lilly. Right from birth Lilly had a hard life, losing her mother and being unfortunate to be born blind. From day one she had to rely on her other senses as an aid to survival. Raised by her father a rich doctor, who she loved dearly, she had a happy childhood. During her early teenage years Lilly developed a strange connection with a family air-loom, a pocket watch that had been handed down the family from generation to generation. Frequently her father took the watch from her and hid it in the most obscure places around the house to ensure its well being and Lilly always managed to find it. It became than much of an annoyance to Lilly’s father that one day he locked the watch in his safe.

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The watch stayed in the safe for many years and when Lilly’s father was on his death bed he beckoned Lilly to his side and took her hand. Lilly instantly felt her father’s touch was cold and she knew his hand contained the watch. He spoke to her softly, “Look after this watch Lilly; it has been in the family for such a long time. Please do not miss me when I have gone, whenever you hold that watch in your hand you will always know I am close by...I love you Lilly”. With that he took his final breath and fell into a long sleep. Lilly wept for several days and whenever she clutched the watch tight she got the sense her father was watching her. Over the next few years whenever Lilly felt down she clutched the watch and the sad emotions disappeared. One day while Lilly was out, an opportunist broke into the house stealing several antique

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items; amongst the items were the watch. Lilly was distraught. Every night for several weeks when Lilly slept she kept getting an overwhelming urge to visit Paris. One night the urges got so strong that she was awakened and she knew what she had to do. She had to indulge the urge. Being a wealthy young woman, she booked the flight and arrived in Paris several hours later. Leaving the airport, she followed her instincts and after fifteen minutes of walking led by her intuition alone she was led to a small shop. She entered the shop, instantly being attacked by a musky smell. This did not bother her, her mind started to race as she was lead by an apparent force through the store. Winding up and down the aisles she stopped in the corner of the store. Her hand became animated and delved into a box of its own accord. It started to rummage through the mounds of junk in the box until it suddenly stopped. Her fingers started to wander slowly like a creeping spider. Until they touched upon a Page 162

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cold, circular metallic object. The moment her fingers touched the watch she instantly felt her father’s presence. Out of every country in the world, every single shop in that country and out of every inch of that shop she was led to the watch! We will never know if it was the connection Lilly had with the watch or her father’s presence that made her able against all odds to track it down. It is in my belief that it was the strongest of all emotions that led her to the watch. Love. I would like to demonstrate my findings. You madam, would you mind helping me out for a few moments?” Subject: “Ok”. Performer: “Hi I am Pete, What is your name?” Subject: “Amy”.

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Performer: “Hi Amy, I am going to blindfold you for just a few moments if that is ok?” Amy: “No Problems”. Blindfold Amy.

Performer: “Amy, I promise you I will not do anything untoward. This is all about trust. May I borrow your ring?” Amy: “Sure”. (Perform ring swap) Approach a random male member of the audience.

Performer: “You look like a trustworthy character, hold your hands out sir”. Performer: “I’m Pete, what is your name trustworthy Subject: “Hi Pete, I am Sam”. Performer: “Trustworthy Sam, please inspect the ring, take in all its qualities and most of all be very careful as it is very important to Amy”. Performer: “How many people by show of hands, have heard that if we lose our sight, Page 164

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our other senses after a short amount of time heighten to the point they almost replace the sight sense?” Wait for the audience’s response.

Performer: “Are you ok Amy?” Amy: “Yeah I am fine”. Performer: “Sam, have you looked at the ring?” Sam: “Yeah” Performer: “For the sake of argument, if I took that ring from you, would you recognise it again?” Sam: “Of course”. Performer: “Ok, trustworthy Sam, can you approach the table on the stage. (Pause for a few seconds). Wait Sam, I would like you imagine you are invisible and try get to the table without being seen”. One of two things can happen here.

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Performer: I am only joking Sam, its a very nerve wracking experience getting up in front of all these people give him a round of applause for his courage as he makes his way to the stage”. When Sam reaches the stage the performer addresses him.

Performer: “You will notice upon the table is a padlock, will you take Amy’s ring and lock it on the Padlock and just double check it is solidly locked. I know I said this earlier but please be careful with the ring while doing this”. Performer: “Amy I am going to take your arm and lead you to the stage”. Help Amy take a seat.

Performer: “Amy, your ring is solidly locked onto a padlock in front of you and in my pocket I have seven envelopes each containing a key”. Remove the envelopes.

Performer: “One of these envelopes contains the key that opens that padlock. Sam can you give these envelopes a mix please”. Page 166

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Hand the envelopes to Sam and let him mix them.

Performer: “I would like you to lay them out in a line in front of Amy for me”. The performer waits till Sam lays the envelopes out and then takes hold of Amy’s wrist and hovers it over the first envelope in the succession.

Performer: “Sam, I would like you to take hold of Amy’s wrist and hover it from envelope to envelope”. The performer addresses Amy.

Performer: “Amy, Sam is going to hover your hand over each envelope in turn; I want you to say now over the top of two envelopes you believe may contain the key that opens the padlock. Nod if you understand Amy”. Amy selects two envelopes and the other five are collected and handed to Sam.

Performer: “Sam, take the keys one at a time out of each envelope and try them in the lock”. None of the keys fit.

Performer: “You have done fantastic so far Amy; you have successfully eliminated five

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keys. In front of you on the table there are the two envelopes and inside one of the envelopes there is the key that unlocks your ring”. The performer addresses the audience.

Performer: “In a few seconds Amy is going to select the envelope she believes has the key is inside. The envelope she does not choose will be opened and if that key does not open the padlock I want you to give Amy a massive round of applause to let her know she has successfully chosen the correct envelope”. Both of Amy’s arms are positioned over an envelope, address her.

Performer: “Amy, you hands are positioned over two envelopes. You are going to get five seconds of complete silence to make a decision. After the five seconds have passed I want you to pick up the envelope you believe contains the key that opens the lock. Address the audience.

When you have done this, the envelope that is left upon the table will be picked up and if the key inside it does not open the lock that tells us you are holding the key that does”.

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Address the audience.

Performer: “Remember if the key does not open the lock we want a round of applause to let Amy know she is holding the correct envelope. We will give her five seconds of silence starting now”. The performer holds his hand up displaying five fingers, as each second passes he drops a finger.

Performer: “Go with your instincts Amy select one”. The envelope she does not choose is opened and the key is tried in the lock to prove it does not fit. The audience applaud. Cut the applause short and addresses the audience,

Performer: “I know what some of you are thinking, maybe we are being lied to, maybe all the keys don’t fit the padlock and you would be entitled to think that”. Switch the lock. The performer addresses Sam,

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Performer: “Open the envelope, remove the key and insert it into the lock but do not turn it”. The performer waits a few seconds for him to complete the Instructions. The performer then addresses the audience,

Performer: “I want you all to be as quiet as a mouse, Sam is going to turn the lock and I want to be able to hear it open. If the key does open the lock, that proves that against all odds Amy has located the key and that does deserve a massive round of applause. On the other hand if the lock does not open, boo me for making a pig’s ear out of things”. Address Sam,

Performer: “Unlock it when I say Sam”. The room goes completely silent.

Lock: “CLICK!” The audience go mad, Sam returns to his seat. Ditch dummy ring. Remove Amy’s blindfold and addresses her. Page 170

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Performer: “Amy you did fantastic, you have most certainly been the star of tonight’s show”. Address the audience,

Performer: “I am going to help Amy back to her seat as she may be a little disorientated, give her a round of applause for being so wonderful!”

Credits/ Inspirations Annemann - Seven keys to the bald plate Henry Fetsch - Jinx nº34 Pablo Amira - Intuition key

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Pray proceed This is very simple but so direct. This is about 95% accurate and is a lovely little lead into any psychological type routine.

Effect The performer addresses the audience,

Performer: “When I was a child, I was fascinated by Sherlock Holmes. I loved the way he could be looking into a book, when a client arrived and as they walked into the room he would command them to stop. They would stop dead and he would tell them without ever looking up or facing them that they should come no further. They would stand looking puzzled for a few seconds and while continuing to read Sherlock would tell them that they are going to mucky the freshly washed rugs. The client would look down at his boots and then ask Holmes how he knew they were muddy without ever looking up. Sherlock ignoring the question would peer over the top of the book and ask the client how the orchard is blossoming at this time of year. Page 172

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Looking white as a ghost the client would reply (often stuttering) how in the world did you know I had just come from there? Holmes would pause for a few seconds and then respond that it was all elementary. Standing up sharply Holmes would explain that as soon as the door opened he got a strong smell of mildew and bramble vine. He proceeded to say that those smells only emit from trees, trees that only grow in the orchard and because of the lousy weather over the last couple of days, he came to the deduction the orchard would be muddy. He smiled with content at how he had correctly put two and two together and would proceed to ask the client what they needed. When I realised Sherlock Holmes was a fictional character I was devastated. None the less I decided that just because he was not a real character did not mean I couldn’t adore his traits”.

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The performer then points to three members of the audience and asks them to stand. (This could be any number). When they start to stand the performer turns so his back is facing the three subjects. He asks them their names and they respond He instantly (without ever having to look) tells each one of the subject which hand they use to write with. Notes* they never write anything down; you never ask them and no instant stooges. You don’t have to have met the subjects before and they are never subjected to any tests.

Breakdown The method for this is ultra simple and is something that is totally overlooked. The method is the subject’s watch. If the subject wears the watch on the Left wrist, they are Right handed. If they wear it on the Right wrist they are Left handed. All you need to do is look around the audience see who is wearing a watch and then ask them to stand. It’s always nice to pick two left handed people. This will blow out any theories that it was just luck.

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Additional notes While I know revealing methods to an audience is usually frowned upon, in this situation I think it serves a very strong purpose. It gives the audience a visual pseudo explanation. It aids in implying (without saying) this is how everything I do is performed.

Credits/ Influences Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes

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Get busy living or get busy dying This plays out beautifully; it has become a favourite of mine and still makes me smile whenever I perform it. It plays out exactly as described and is practically self working

Effect Five subjects are selected entirely at random and are invited to join performer on stage. The performer then displays five cards, four that say living on and a fifth that says dead. These are displayed openly, handed out for examination and mixed facedown by any random audience member. The cards are then distributed to the five members on the stage. (The performer never touches the cards). It is explained to the five volunteers that they are to peek at the card they have and the only thing they are to do, is remember if they are thinking of a living or a dead card. The cards are handed down towards the end of the five volunteers and placed onto the floor (facedown). (The performer never goes near the cards).

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The performer explains that by using his powers of deduction, he is going to determine who is thinking of a living card and who is thinking of dead. After a few seconds of looking up and down the group, the performer points to a subject and exclaims that she looks too happy to be thinking of a dead person and asks her to return to her seat if she is thinking of a living person. (She returns to the audience). The performer then addresses the female he just sent back to the audience,

Performer: “I am not asking you to think of anything now; I just want you to answer honestly, when you were on stage you were not thinking of anything in-particular correct”. Subject #1: “No”. The performer then addresses the audience,

Performer: “The reason I asked this, is that I wanted to point out something incredible thing about the human mind. Sometimes when given a small nonchalant piece of information, we often take that information and give it relevance.

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For example, if I was to mention the word cold, you might think of a recent trip you took and the weather there was freezing. You might go as far as to remember going to the top of the Eiffel tower and remember the frost set across the cityscape” The performer reiterates the fairness of events thus far. The performer addresses a subject,

Performer: “There is no way I could know what you are thinking about?” She confirms that there is no possibility. The performer proceeds down the line of subjects and suddenly doubles back.

Performer: “I don’t know why I am getting this sense from you, but it’s almost as though you are repeating a name over and over in your mind as not to forget it”. She looks bemused at this point. Performer: Would the name be Steve?” Subject: “yeah!” (She is completely shocked) You are thinking of a living person take a seat.

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(She returns to her seat in the audience, to a round of applause). He asks the three remaining subjects to stand. The performer looks confused and claims it is very difficult from this point to work out who has got what. He proposes to go back to old tried and tested means of finding another person thinking of a living card. He plays eeny, meeny, miny, moe and when his finger lands on the last person he say,

Performer: “Are you thinking of a living person?” Much to the amusement of the audience he is! Two subjects are now remaining (we will call one Mary and the other John) The performer addresses the pair,

Performer: “I want you to relax, drop your eyes down for me and say nothing out loud while I make some notes”. The performer picks up a whiteboard (or large pad) and faces it towards the audience. Looking from subject to subject he starts to smirk. The performer draws an arrow pointing to Mary, rubs it out and then writes,

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“Childhood memory” (rubs it out). “Wooded park” (rubs it out) “Lost puppy” (Rubs it out) “RUSTY?” (Pauses a few seconds and rubs it out). He looks at the audience and shrugs. The performer stands behind the subjects reminding them to keep their eyes closed and heads facing forwards. He points over the top of the subject on the left (Mary) proclaiming,

Performer: “I think this person is thinking of living”. The performer then points to the subject on the right (John)

Performer: “This person is thinking of dead”. (Points left, “Living”, point’s right, “Dead”). The performer addresses the audience,

Performer: “If I am correct about who is thinking of what, let these two know by a loud round of applause”. The performer addresses Mary and john

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Performer: “In a moment if you hear a round of applause that will be your cue to take a seat back in the audience. If on the other hand I do not get this right and I have screwed it up, the audience will boo me. This will be your cue to point and laugh! Can the person thinking of living person raise their arm in the air so everyone knows which of you it is?” Mary raises her arm and the audience applaud vigorously. Both subjects start to return to their seat, the performer cuts the applause short (with a confused look on his face).

Performer: “Mary, yes or no, in your memory have you been thinking of a dog?” Mary: “Yes”. Performer: “Ok...What was that dog called?” Mary: “Rusty”. The audience will be dumfounded! This confirms that the performer had picked up on the subconscious thoughts of a random subject and was 100% correct! Page 181

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Notes* No preshow, none of them ever writes anything down, the performer never touches any of the cards and every subject is selected at complete random!

Breakdown This effect is ultra simple and employs a simple switch. This is the pad switch; it’s very easy to perform but makes complete logical sense in performance. You will need: Ten business cards (separate these into two piles of five) Take one of the piles of business cards, on four of them the word living and on the final card the word dead. The other five (we will call the prepped stack) are prepared slightly differently. On two cards write the word living, one card the word dead. Prepare one of the final two cards: Think of a living person named Steve. And on the final card write: Think of a living dog named Rusty.

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You may be reading this and thinking !?!?!? right now, but I promise everyone will get an effect and be completely shocked! You will also need a notepad gaffed so that the cover on both sides is the same. I use a spiral bound pad as the covers are easy to remove. Firstly let’s take a look at where the difference in effect lies for all parties involved. For two people (prompted) on stage, this is similar to the four white balls and one black ball routine (max maven kurotsuke). As they believe your only job is to discover who is holding what card, why wouldn’t they be impressed when you correctly nail it? The audience will see so much more and you have gone above and beyond the balls routine. To the three volunteers on stage (none prompted), they see what the audience sees and are used as pawns (or props) for the greater game. They will always be really shocked and help sell that everything is fair. I will outline the switch, it is essentially very simple. Take the five prepared cards and arrange them in this order, The Steve card, dead, living, Rusty and living. Remember this order this is essential.

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Open the pad, place the stack face down and then close it. Flip the pad over and lay it down this side up (in the near vicinity). Invite five random volunteers to join you on stage. When the subjects are seated behind you, proceed to bring out the un-prepped cards.

Performer: “You will notice only one of these cards say the word dead on”. You need not say more than that about them, just openly display them one at a time so the audience can clearly see each one in turn. {This is very important, when the subjects receive the cards they will never question anything, it stops what I call a psychological buckle. Another thing to note here, is that sometimes saying nothing at all, can be just as important as saying everything.} Hand the stack of cards to a random audience member; ask him to mix them facedown until even he does not know the order. This is where we will employ a switch; the idea is to create logic for using the pad. This is the excuse I use. After the audience member has examined and shuffled the cards face down proclaim you will get him an envelope to drop the cards into as you don’t want to touch them.

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Check your pockets for an envelope with no success. Look around and grab the book opening the front cover. Keep the book at the finger tips.

Performer: “Drop in the cards facedown for me”. Close the book and bring it towards your body, as you turn toward the subjects flip the book over (the move is hidden from the audience by your body). Do this very openly and the subjects will never think anything of it. Walk towards the first subject in the row (the volunteer on the far left). Open the cover (revealing the prepped stack) and ask the subject to take a card from the top of the stack keeping it facedown at all times. Repeat for the other four subjects. We know that the first person (far left) is thinking of living, the second Rusty, third living, fourth dead and fifth Steve. The majority of the work is now done. This is where we work some verbal’s.

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Performer: “I would like each of you to peak at the card you have, making sure your peers cannot see it and just memorize it. When you have done this pass the cards down toward the end, keeping them facedown at all times. When they reach the end please place them facedown on the floor”. When this task is complete, explain to the audience about your skills of deduction (It is always nice to use the ‘pray proceed’ on the seated subjects). This early on in the game all you need to explain is that you are just going to deduce what each subject is thinking of. Look up and down the line of subjects and point to the women in the middle, let her know she is too happy to be thinking of a dead person and send her to back to her seat in the audience. After she has just about reached her seat call her.

Performer: “I am not asking to think of anything now; I just want you to answer honestly, when you were on stage you were not thinking of anything in-particular correct”. Subject #1: “No”.

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{If she says she was thinking of something excellent, this is even better! Ask her what it was she was thinking of, let her tell you and finally ask her why. Try to get her to emphasise she was thinking freely and was not led there. This is great for us as it confirms what we are about to say.} Addresses the audience,

Performer: “The reason I asked this, is that I wanted to point out something incredible thing about the human mind. Sometimes when given a small nonchalant piece of information, we often take that information and give it relevance. For example, if I was to mention the word cold, you might think of a recent trip you took and the weather there was freezing. You might go as far as to remember going to the top of the Eiffel tower and remember the frost set across the cityscape. Two things are going to happen at this point; these volunteers will purposely start smiling to throw me off and each one of you will start to think of random thoughts.

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It’s completely natural”. {I once performed this routine and the standing subject freaked out and asked how I knew she had been to Paris! It’s safe to say luck sometimes plays a big part in mentalism.} Cont** Get busy living or get busy dying. Much to the audience’s delight the onstage subjects will either start smiling or make ridiculously obvious attempts to hide a smile. The more important subtlety here is that we have suggested to the audience the subjects will now be thinking of random thoughts. Start to look up and down the subjects, cheekily remind them how the cards were mixed randomly and then address one of the subjects and get her to confirm there is no way anyone could know what she is thinking of. Place your hand above each subjects head in turn (this gives the audience a visible process), after you have done this to the person thinking of Steve (just as you are about to go to the next subject) double back.

Performer: “It’s almost like you are repeating a persons name in your mind over and over as though not to forget it, you are thinking of a name correct?”

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{Say it nonchalantly, she can only respond yes. More importantly, from the audience’s perspective she has confirmed that she was in-fact repeating a name in her mind. (The confirmation principle)}

Performer: “This person is a creative person, a celebrity... an actor, it’s a male yes?” {This is where we use the confirmation principle. She answers yes to the question about whether the person is male. From the audience’s perspective she confirms she is thinking of a celebrity. Because she was prompted a name she believes the pre-script to be you telling her what the person she is thinking of does. Bob Cassidy gave me an excellent thought, use celebrities in living and dead tests as not to upset anyone. This got me thinking and I changed the concept a little. If I have her confirm she is thinking of someone called Steve, her husband (or partner) may think she is thinking of another man and almost prompts him to question her. If I Say it is a celebrity, no one has any reason to ask her why she thought of a celebrity.

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I would suggest using well known names like Orlando (Orlando Bloom), or something that doesn’t give the urge or need to ask why she was thinking that. Thanks Bob!} It’s time to kill two birds with one stone. The name and card reveal. I am a massive fan of consistency so I introduce my drawing pad. I write, You are thinking of a living card. Steve? I hand the subject the pad facedown and ask her to state the name aloud she is thinking of. She will obviously say Steve. I ask her to reveal what’s on the pad, the audience will freak out and simultaneously she will be shocked (as in her eyes you correctly guessed the card she peeked at. {If you don’t think she will act shocked, people still freak out at pick a card tricks when the card is revealed, trust me she will sell the effect for you.} Ask her to return to her seat. You are now left with three subjects. For now we will call them, Dead, Rusty and living.

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Ask the subjects to stand and move closer together. It is time to employ the eeny, meeny, miny, moe phase of the routine. We know that the last person in the three is thinking of living, we want to make sure it ends on him. Start by counting from him I will try explaining the rhyme process, Living

dead

Rusty

“Eeny

meeny

miny

moe

catcha

tiger

Bythe

toe

ifit

screams

letit

go

eeny

meeny

miny

moe”. As you say each word you point to the next subject. You can see the words end on the last living person. State as you land on that person (directly after saying moe).

Performer: “If you are thinking of a living person, return to the audience”. We are now down to two subjects; this is where things get a little more interesting.

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I ask the subjects to take a seat and close their eyes. I place my hands over their heads again (creation of consistency). After passing my hands over their heads a few times I stand in front of the subject thinking of rusty and draw an arrow on the pad pointing to her. I ask them to ensure they keep their eyes tightly shut. I write Wooded Park, ensuring the audience have seen it, flip the page, found a lost dog, flip the page and write “Rusty?” I look confused at this point and if I am with a particularly friendly audience, I will swirl my fingers near my head (as though to point out the female is crazy). I will get a little laugh from this. Stand behind the subjects and point out which is thinking of living and which is thinking of dead. Tell the audience to applaud you if you are correct. This bit is standard play. When you have received the applause and the two subjects are on the way to their seats in the audience, stop the person (Mary) thinking of Rusty.

Performer: “Mary, Yes or no in your memory have you been thinking of a dog?”

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Mary: “Yes”. Performer: “Ok...What was that dog called?” Mary: “Rusty”. If the audience applaud at this point, it should seem very normal for Mary as she will believe they are applauding you for correctly predicted what was written on her card in full detail. She will share their enthusiasm and then is asked to take a seat.

Credits/ Inspirations Anneman – Living and dead test Bob Cassidy- Additional thoughts

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My thoughts - Participants as props This is not an essay, just something I think about frequently when creating. I hope these thoughts aid you. Picture this scenario, We have just selected a random member of the audience via the toss of a paper ball. No matter how trustworthy you seem as a performer, the audience will always believe the word of this randomly selected participant (as they themselves could just have easily been chosen). This kind of defeats the age old saying, “don’t trust

a stranger”. For example, if I was to inform the audience that five envelopes, contained five different playing cards and never verified that to be true via the audience, there might be a slight amount of doubt in the audience members minds. If on the other hand I have the randomly selected participant verify the contents of the five envelopes to be different, because of the selection process the audience will be inclined to believe the envelopes are in-fact different. If I can somehow convince the participant that the contents of the envelopes are different, when they are

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not, what I have accomplished is a successful use of using the subject as a prop. Now I know this is not new in thinking, I think it is one of the strongest tools available to any mentalist. The point I am trying to press is that any opportunity you get to use a participant as prop, take it. This thinking is especially good when applied to dual reality wherein 90% of the effects performed use the ‘participant as a prop’ principle. In this book you will find several different ways to use ‘the participant as a prop’ principle. For point of reference I will outline several. A.W.A.A.P Having the subject call out the phone number and then handing him the telephone to type the number ensures that the audience believe that is the number getting dialled. Then having the other subject call the information out (so it cannot be miscalled) which logically seems fair. In reality he is calling out information prearranged with a friend of ours. This little subtlety of using the subject to do the dirty work for you really helps plays on the audience’s natural assumptions.

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A bonus lead in A.W.A.A.P The five cards sealed inside the envelopes, we have the subject confirm they are different, when in-fact they are not. Seven bald keys Asking the blindfolded participant how valuable her ring is and the line about probability we convince the audience that there can only be one ring. Handing a dummy ring to the second subject and then asking him to remember the rings qualities. This ploy serves us well later on in the routine (when we switch out the lock). Because the subject never cries foul (when he is handed the lock back) the audience will never suspect foul play. Get busy living or get busy dying It is used several times in this effect; the earliest use is the first subject who gets sent back to her seat. We use her to convince the audience that the cards just say the word living on. Then there is the person thinking of a name (the one we prompted her), I mention it is a celebrity, an actor and then I ask her to confirm it’s a male. Her confirmation helps sell the fact that she really is thinking of a celebrity. (We also completely confirm this when we reveal the name).

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Then the last subject, (who we also prompted) she has her eyes closed and we write about a childhood memory on the pad/board. I never mention anything to her at all about this at the time. I let her get to her seat and ask her to confirm the name (which is again using her as a prop to confirm the memory is true). Trust you instincts 2.0 This is another lovely use of the participant as a prop. After the first subject has been forced a card, the second subject is asked if there is anyway he could know the identity of the card. Now in this instance he really doesn’t know what the card is, but the question is an essential leverage to prise a reaction out of the first subject when the second subject finds it. Additional thoughts Of course there are many more contained within this book, it is essential you apply this principle subtly and with tact. If you make a massive issue of doing this it can be come very apparent what is going on and that is the last thing we want. S.L.I.M (Sometimes, less IS more!)

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What’s on your mind? I thought I would finish this piece of literature by addressing an issue that means a lot to me. You will have noticed that I called this book ‘Bigger Fish’. As explained in the forward I did this to honour the moments of wonder that ‘Big Fish’ (the film) evoked within me. Moments I will carry with me for the rest of my life and I would like to share a few things I hope you will carry with you for the rest of your life. It’s a very strange thing to talk about time, to talk about how moments can last for a life time. While I know theoretically a moment cannot last for a lifetime and on paper it seems silly, in practice I can tell you, that is very much what can and does happen. You may not be aware of the power you have at your very own fingertips, I am not talking about a supernatural ability, more of an ability you have that you may have overlooked. A power that once you get your head around will really make you appreciate what you do. To explain this is the most logical sense I can, I will create a scenario. This is a fictitious scenario, none the less it could easily be real. You are performing and as you scan your eyes over your possible audience (in a restaurant or bar) you come across a couple.

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You introduce yourself, become social with the couple and find out that the couple have been dating for several months. You propose to try an experiment with the pair. They anxiously agree and you proceed to remove 10 E.S.P cards. You separate the cards into two piles. Each pile containing a Star, Square, Circle, Wavy Lines and Cross. You explain the relevance of the cards and explain that they are used to test all manner of connection between two people. They are handed a pile each and are both asked to make decisions as though they were the other person. They are directed to place one card facedown that they believe the other will choose. After a slight pause and a moment of silence both cards are turned over and they match! This is repeated for the other four cards and they are turned over one at a time to find these also match. It is then explained to the couple that are perfectly in sync and the cards never lie. The odds of the cards matching like that are astronomically against them, yet they have defied probability and that without shadow of a doubt, this proves that they are meant to be together. The performer leaves and never sees the couple again; he is happy that the performance went well and moves

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on to a new set of subjects, oblivious to what he has created. What has he created? When we have a look at what happens to the couple after the performance, we really start to get a sense of the things we are playing with. The couple leave the establishment and cannot believe what has just happened. They have just witnessed visual proof of how perfect they are together and for days they will tell everyone about their wonderful experience. They see what happened as more than just an effect; they take what happened as the push over the edge they needed to take things to the next step. They are perfect together, they were told so by the mystery man and the proof was laid out in front of them on the table. They take the plunge and move in together; they get married, have a child and they spend the rest of their lives together. Do you think they will ever forget the moment the performer created? The obvious answer is no! When you think of the above scenario (which is very possible) you can see just how life changing the things you are doing can be. When you look at things from

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this perspective you will really appreciate what you have. You are creating moments that make the hair stand up on the back of people’s necks, their eyes water and scarring them (in a good way for the rest of their lives). It is in this moment that you will realise just what it is that you have to offer. So rather than tell you what you are doing wrong or what you should be doing, I’m just asking you to appreciate the things you are already doing. As each one of you (individually) has something very special and very different to offer than the next performer. I too did not fully understand the power I had at my finger tips until watching ‘Big Fish’ and it changed my outlook on everything. Since then I can honestly say I am a million times better a performer than I was before. I hope you have found something useful from within this book and I really do appreciate from the bottom of my heart the time that you have taken to read the thoughts I have to offer. Aim as high as you can and always remember that “The biggest fish in the pond gets that way by never being caught” – (Edward Bloom)

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Special Thanks I would firstly like to thank a great friend of mine ‘David Sena’. Thank you David for all of your help over the last few months. If it wasn’t for you this book would not be in existence now. You are like a brother to me and a great inspiration. You ensured I finished this book and always kept me smiling with amazingly funny pictures and stories. Papa Kenton - For all the lessons on being patient, pushing me to write about the obscure material I love to perform and helping me as much as possible whenever I ask. You can find Kenton Knepper’s amazing material at www.wonderwizards.com Bob Cassidy-For giving me moments of wonder, inspiring me to perform and for inventing the best mentalism routines known to man! Felix Schellenberg - For all your additional ideas, crediting references and proof reading this book. You are a gem!

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Myke Phillips - For your additional ending to the A.W.A.A.P routine. Erik Ostresh - For all your honesty, help and my lovely Simon says clipboard! All the performers around the world Thank you for taking the time to listen to the things I had to say and utilizing the principles and effects I had to offer. Without you none of this would have been possible and I appreciate it more than you will ever know!

Keep on rocking in the free world!

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