Center Tear the thinking persons journal
Issue 1
Jan 2002
“The beginning of something new and wonderful!” or so I hope. Having never been a subscriber to a magazine written exclusively for Mentalists, I hope what I’m trying to do is right. If not let me know…after all this hasn’t been written just for me. If you feel you have something to say about CENTER TEAR, please feel free to say. I would also be interested in any articles or effects, so feel free. To end I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have believed so far your generosity is unbelievable. Thank you for turning a dream into reality - here’s hoping it grows into that mighty oak!! Special thanks go to the first issues contributors:- Kenton Knepper, Peter Duffie, Chris Hare, The Camouflaged Conjurer, Christopher Taylor and Arcane. With you all in mind… Trevor +++++
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CONTENTS: What is Intimacy Anyway? - by Kenton Knepper Mind Psi Booktest - by Peter Duffie Knock Knock - by Chris Hare Mind Control 3 (Derren Brown TV Special) - reviewed by The Camouflaged Conjurer What’s On A Man’s Mind? by Christopher Taylor A (Cheap and) Cheerful Impression – by Arcane
What is Intimacy Anyway? – by Kenton Knepper While my reference to this is close-up magic, this does not exclude “mentalism”. In fact, I believe part of the draw to an audience about mentalism is the very notion of intimate relationship. How much more intimate might we be involved than copulating with the mind of another? How much more invasive can we be than enter another person’s secret thoughts? Mentalism should be regarded as intimate, right out of hand. But it is rarely. Why would that be?. While I first wrote this in response to debate about touching people in close-up magic, please put your prejudices aside to see the similarities for us in mentalistic endeavours. I think you will see how what we touch and how we feel – inwardly and outwardly – makes a great difference. My notion about intimacy in close-up and most performing is much more about RELATIONSHIPS than anything else. I did not have people build what they called "miniature altars" with sponge balls and kitchen utensils solely because "I fooled them good". It is absolutely my relationships - yes actual relationships - I have had and still have with audiences large and small that makes for the magical quotient described. Magicians mention "touching" and how some say this is an absolute "no-no". That is not a rule. In truth, we as people need touch to survive. Studies show this. It is a human need. So not doing it can hardly be a rule. Still so many have touched inappropriately or incorrectly that it has been said "Never touch a spectator". Our tricks that are "in-the hands-effects" are great in part because of the INTIMACY and TOUCH involved. This should not be construed of course as a license to fondle, hit upon, take advantage of or hit a spectator. Maybe you think such things ludicrous, but I have seen it happen far too often, and the audience is always sickened by it. Some spectators will not smack you back in front of your face. That doesn't mean it is OK. I recall working with some other "magicians" at a Harrah's casino here in Phoenix. By the time I got to my shift, I spent the first few HOURS re-teaching the crowds that a magician approaching them didn't mean they had to run away or duck down and hit the floor, flinch, etc. These are not exaggerations. Those "magicians" before me would RACE their hand to behind "the ear" of the spectator out of fear that their palming would be seen. To a spectator, this action was simply a punch thrown and fortunately avoided. These same performers would "pull things out of everywhere". But spectators FELT that this was "pulling on me and slapping me around and beating on me". Imagine trying to undo that sort of damage to other people's psyche's because someone else before me was not aware of their responsibility in this RELATIONSHIP. If these "magicians" stopped thinking about themselves only and stepped outside themselves to look at what this was doing to their relationship to others, they would have stopped doing it. They didn't. They were eventually fired. If you think that just because these people were magicians and not mentalists that you are immune – think again. Those who are not fired think that relationship in performing means "what an audience gives to you because you perform for them". No, that is selfishness. Relationships are both giving and taking on both sides, and both sides feeling fulfilled and satisfied most of the time. Does your act do that? If you consider that last notion as a working definition for performing relationships, then you can see why music and other arts may be thought "art" while "magic" is merely "tricks". As always the choice to do something about this is all our own.
Mind Psi Booktest - by Peter Duffie Two spectators each peek at a page in a book and remember the first word on the page. The first spectator writes his word on a white card, the second spectator merely thinks of his word. The white card is placed writingside down on your left hand while your head remains turned away. Via your hand, you read the writing and announce the correct word. You explain that your left hand is able to convey physical data to your mind. However, your right hand is even more impressive, you say, as you place it flat against the second spectator’s forehead. After a short pause, you receive his thoughts and announce the word he is thinking of. The method here is an extension of a concept published by T. A. Waters in Mind Myth & Magic. The method being, the insertion of a piece of card inside a book that allows you to Riffle Force to the page. I found this method very reliable. What follows is a simple, perhaps obvious, addition that allows you to set the book for a double force. You require a paperback book and a business card, or a playing card. Cut the card in half – both halves are required. My book, as I write this, has approximately 300 pages. About 1/3 from the front, and near the top, insert a piece of card tight against the spine – figure 1. Then, about 2/3 from the front insert the other piece of card, but this time near the bottom – figure 2.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Handling the book: Obviously, you must remember both words, and also which is the first Force and which is the second Force. Hold the book half way down the spine with the front cover towards, gripped firmly between your left thumb (inner side) and fingers (outer side). a) With your right middle finger, riffle near the top from front to back. You should feel an abrupt stop at the point where the upper card is inserted. If you have the cards placed properly, the lower card should not interfere. b) Repeat, but riffle nearer the bottom. This time you’ll feel an abrupt stop at the point where the lower card is inserted. It will take some experimentation to get this right. Try different sizes of card, and move them up and down until you get it to work 100%. Also the thickness of the book has some bearing on how the double-force handles. When you get this right, the first card will not cause any jump when you attempt to Force to the second card. The rest is as given in the effect at the start, which is only a suggested routine. However, there is a reason for the way this effect has been routined. If you were to simply have spectator A peek a word, then spectator B peek his word, it may well be apparent that you have shifted your hand position for the 2nd riffle. It may even remind those with a little knowledge of a Magic Colouring Book! So, in brief, here is how it proceeds: 1. Before you start, you place a pen and a blank business on the table. Or have these in your right pocket. Spectator A peeks at, and remembers, a word. You place the book down – or tuck it under your arm – then pick up the pen and card and give these to the spectator, asking him to write his word on the card. 2. Meanwhile you pick up the book again – or retrieve it from under your arm - and turn to a second spectator, then force the 2nd page. Finish as already described previously.
Knock Knock – by Chris Hare Performer appears to write something on a business card with a pencil and places both on view in his outside breast pocket. (although what is written does not face the audience). A lady spectator is invited on to the stage for a psychic experiment. The performer asks the lady's name and holds her arm to give gentle support throughout. The lady gives her name, "Julie." Julie is asked to imagine she is walking on a dark night along a narrow pavement alongside a long row of houses. Occasionally her clothing brushes the hedgerows that front the gardens of the houses. She now begins to walk more quickly because it has started to rain and the wind is blowing fiercely (performer imitates such sounds into the microphone). She continues to walk.She stops and turns to her left and opens a small rusty iron gate. She feels the cold of the wrought iron on the palm of her hand as the door creaks open (performer squeezes her hand). As she walks up the garden path she hears the chink of the gate closing behind her. Then she suddenly she hears, "Waagh! Waagh! Waagh!" (performer loudly imitates the sound of a snarling barking dog). At the same time the performs tells the spectator to relax because the dog on a chain. She rushes to the doorstep and knocks on the door. As she is knocking she is asked to imagine two numbers on the door. The number of the house..... She is asked to call out those numbers clearly for everyone to hear.(e.g.) "Seventy-six." Taking the business card from his pocket the performer asks did anyone else think of Seventy-six? (during which time he secretly fills in the card). Hands the card for spectator to read, " Tonight Julie will visit house number 76." METHOD If you haven't already guessed this uses a nail writer for the house number. The spectator's name is written at the beginning of the routine. It's very easy to pick up people's name during set up time of a show. Just make sure that the person is sat near the front as you write in the name before you fill in the card. Probably best to pick up a couple of people. If need be just write, "Tonight a lady......." I have used this in live performances in the past. But I don't like putting pen to paper let alone a boon writer. The business with the dog always gets a good laugh. but make sure your spectator is not likely have a heart attack!
Mind Control 3 reviewed by The Camouflaged Conjurer Derren Brown's third outing on network television still did not pack the same impact as the first. With the novelty worn off, my assumption of a "new" angle was not fulfilled and there was nothing incredulous about the show. Don't misunderstand, Mr Brown is a showman and a class act. Sadly, it is because of this that on his initial outing, he set himself a precedent and has failed to live up to the standard. Nonetheless, some of the effects were well presented and spellbinding in parts. It is unfortunate that the use of stooges, to some degree, were blatant. Especially as so many of his effects do not require them at all. While these are my opinions, many colleagues and friends outwith the fraternity were at a complete loss and were blown away for much of the show. I have always believed that magic, in any form, should solely be performed and designed for the lay public. To that end, he achieved what he set out to do ~ freak them out. +++++
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What’s On A Man’s Mind? - by Christopher Taylor I developed this effect after reading Max Maven’s Verbal Control: A Treatise On The Under Explored Art of Equivoque. I find many mentalists are reluctant to use this technique because they feel it is simply not convincing enough, especially for the stage. I see it as similar to a card magician using a top change. It has to be repeatedly performed under fire to develop confidence with it. I urge you to read Max Maven’s manuscript on the 5 item equivoque. His ideas on this are brilliant, totally convincing and, as Max says, under explored. Stage: Before the performance starts, I approach a young man and, after some by play, ask him to help me by generating a list of 5 popular songs. I write the song titles in a list on my clipboard as he comes up with them. I then ask him to secretly choose one of the titles to keep in his mind until the performance. He writes his choice on a Post It note, which he keeps to himself. I have a simple piece of carbon paper under a sheet of paper on the board and so obtain his choice. (Of course, any impression device can be used here. I find that using an ordinary clip board will not be questioned if there is a legitimate use for the board, such as making a list of song titles) Before the performance, I write the titles on 5 index cards, one title per card. The cards are foded in half so that they will stand up and display the title on a table. In performance, I bring the young gentleman up and show him the cards, asking him to confirm that they have the song titles that he suggested on them. He is then asked to select a young lady from the audience. I introduce the two to each other, and the audience, and suggest that “some women are able to tell exactly what is on a young man’s mind.” I do not play up the innuendo any further here -- the audience does that well enough on their own. I arrange the cards in a line on the table, in the order I want them. I have the girl standing between the lad and I, facing the cards and the audience. I ask the young man to simply look at the girl and smile. I establish the fact that the lad is thinking of one of the songs and that I have no idea which one it is. I can now easily lead her through the verbal control process so that she chooses the one that the lad is thinking of. Close-up: I use 5 ordinary coins as the objects of choice along with a more immediate means of obtaining the first participant’s choice (such as the Thought Transmitter, The Note Book, Special Delivery, etc.). A note about Equivoque: My approach is somewhat different to Max Maven’s psychologically. I first have the participant consider the meanings that they might attach to each of the 5 individual items. I then have them ignore those meanings to the best of their abilities. I state that the meanings which the items represent to them may obstruct the intuitive process that I am about to guide them through. I ask them to view the objects as just that, “objects”. Using this approach, I get a first choice hit about 80 to 90% of the time if I place the force item at position “B”.
A (Cheap and) Cheerful Impression – by Arcane You will need:A folder style clipboard (see image 1), Sharp Craft/Stanley knife, sticky tape, paper, thin card, carbon paper Method:The type of clipboard you require should be made up of two parts. The clipboard part is the back panel. (image 1) Flip the clipboard over so the you are now looking at the back (outside) of the folder. The clip part of the folder should be to your left. (image 2)
image 1
image 2
If you now look down the middle of the folder (the spine), you’ll see where you will need to cut. The cut is a vertical cut running from the bottom of the folder to about 50mm from the top. (image 3) WARNING: Do not cut into the spine, cut to the left of it.
image 3
**This slit that you have now cut will be hidden when the clipboard is in use, as the front cover folds back on its self. You should now see the inside of the folder/clipboard. The cut you have made has formed a pocket. Inside the pocket you will see piece of cardboard. To set up the clipboard: Trim a piece of A4 paper so that it will fit inside the pocket. Running (portrait) from the clip to the bottom of the clipboard. To this piece of paper tape a piece of carbon paper. Make sure the carbon is round the right way!! Now insert this into the pocket, so that its on the side that will be written upon. Place a piece of paper into the clip and your ready to go. Fold the front cover back on its self to hide the slit. (image 4)
image 4
I’ve used this type of clipboard for many years and have never had it questioned during pre-show work. **TIP: You may find that the carbon paper shows through the vinyl, if the colour of the folder is light. To rectify this place a thin sheet card into the pocket.
