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THOUGHT WAV E S
20 Mentalism Effects By Stephen Tucker Foreword by Max Maven
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CONTENTS
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FRONT COVER CONTENTS FOREWORD FOREWO RD BY MAX MA MAVEN. VEN. INTRODUCTION. ESPY - (E.S.P. CARDS) D U N E - (BOOK TEST) COMBATING THE ELEMENT ELEMENTS S - (CARDS & FLASH PAPER) ADVANCE - (COIN/BANK NOTE & WALLET) COALMINER - (BOOK TEST) I AM - (CARDS) DOES YOUR MEMORY FAIL YOU? - (CALCULATORS) SEARCH FOR SP SPACE ACE - (ENVELOPE) DIGEST EVERY WORD - (NAIL WRITER) LEAVE LEA VE NOTHING TO CHANCE - (E.S.P. CARDS & KEY FOBS) BEHIND THE CAMOUFLAGE - (COINS) KING AND I - (ROPE & RULER) BRAVE BRA VE SOULS - (CARDS) OBSESSION - (ENVELOPES & BANK NOTE) KILLING MACHINE - (CARDS) HANDS UP - (BOOK TEST) PRACTICAL PANACHE - (POCKET TORCH) CALL OF THE WILD - (BOOK TEST) GREA GRE ATL TLY Y EXAG EXAGGERATED GERATED - (CARDS) ANY QUESTIONS? - (CARDS) THE LAST WORD.
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FOREWORD There is no question that Stephen Tucker has made his mark on the magic world… and it’s about time someone made him clean it up! The first time we met, I noticed that he had a streak of white hair in the center of his otherwise black coiffure. This gave him a very modern. New Wave look, and I complimented him on his clever grooming. He explained to me that the streak was not artificial, but rather an inherited family trait I’d had no idea that the Tucker eccentricities were genetic. Of course, if you’re familiar with Stephen’s work, you probably guessed that already. From his early contributions to the Talon, to his own Spell-Binder , to his editorship of Pabular , his two videos, and his mammoth outpouring of books and manuscripts, Stephen has given the magic world a wide range of ideas ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, and everything in between. Now, in this book, he’s turning his attention to the field of mentalism. The field may Now, never recover. Actually, there is some terrific material in the pages you’re about to read. There are Actually, routines which will fit perfectly into a formal show, and others which fall into the valuable category of impromptu mentalism, such as “Coalminer”. (Well, this latter routine does require a paperback book, which is destroyed in the course of the performance, but the effect is good enough to salvage your relationship with the friend from whom you borrow the book.) When Stephen asked me to write this introduction, he asked me to also read over the manuscript, and correct the errors in typing and grammar. I refuse to do this. For me, one of the pleasures of reading a Tucker book is discovering what new ways he’s found to twist the English language into the verbal equivalent of balloon animals. You’ll find more than enough examples in this volume. So, what are you waiting for? Stephen has gathered twenty “Thought Waves” for your enjoy ment. You’ll You’ll find some stimulating material here, I’m sure. Use it in good health.
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INTRODUCTION First I’d like to thank Max Maven for kindly writing the foreword to the book. He is one of the few magician/mentalists that I actually admire. He is, as we say over here, a Jack of all trades but a master of all too! Having, himself, authored countless book and manuscripts on an equally countless number of topics. I would also like to thank my wife Maggie for stimulating my interest in the field of mentalism, being an active mentalist herself and appearing several times on TV over here, she has been a great help in the advisory seat of this work. 2009 note: It was my wife, Maggie, who recently re-typed every word of Thought Waves [originally typed in an un-scannable script font] so that it could be transferred to e-book status. Today is Wednesday October 9th 1985. When I last set typewriter keys to paper it was Wednesday July 1984 and and the result then was my “COMPENDIUM’ book. A long time has passed between these books and during this time I have concentrated on the performance and teaching of magic. I have performed for lay audiences in restaurants, on ships travelling down the River Thames, in huge hotels and even at private house parties. I am at present teaching a 36 week course in magic at the Malvern College for Adult Education. The only reason that I’m sounding my own trumpet is… to let you all know that I now practice what I preach, and have been doing so for the past year. Anyway… within this book you will encounter 20 effects with such varied weapons as; playing cards, coins, rope, envelopes, nail writers, books, E.S.P. E.S.P. cards, calculators, pocket torches etc. etc . Well, I’ve prattled on long enough. I’ll leave you now to enjoy what can only be described as... as.. . ’FOOD FOR THOUGHT.’ THOUGHT.’
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ESPY Take your E.S.P. deck and set it in cyclic rotation as follows Circle, Cross, Wavy lines, Square, Star, repeated throughout the 25 cards. The deck can now be cut as often as desired (complete cuts) and in fact you must cut the deck several times, as you demonstrate to the spectator how you would like him to cut as often as he wishes then he is to stop, spread over the top 7 cards and table them in a face down packet to one side. These 7 cards are not reverse dealt off the deck, but merely removed in a 7 card block. Illustrate by actions exactly what you want him to do. Now replace the 7 cards onto the deck, give it a cut and ask the spectator to repeat your actions. He cuts the deck several times and removes the 7 card packet, placing it to one side. Explain that he started with 25 E.S.P. E.S.P. cards, has removed 7 and therefore has 18 in his hand. Ask him to deal off off 9 of these 18 cards into a face face down pile on the table. This time the cards are reverse dealt into the tabled pile. Ask him now to set the remaining 9 by the side of the dealt pile. Your Your back is turned throughout these actions. Ask him to take hold of the top card from each of the two tabled piles of 9 cards, and to turn them face up. Pause for a second then comment that these are different symbols and are not required for this experiment, Have him toss them aside and remove the next top cards from the piles, again flipping them face up. After another suitable pause, reveal that that these too are different different designs and are of no use. Have him discard them with the previous pair. He repeats the procedure for the third pair and he will now see two matching symbol cards. Take Take a little longer this time and allow the expectation to build. Finally reveal that you are getting the impression that these two cards are identical and are to be popped into the spectator’s pocket for the moment. Ask the spectator to continue turning the top cards of each packet and have him discard the next 4 pairs as these will contain different symbols. When he reaches the next pair, stop him and ask him to merely hold the cards car ds face down for a moment as you are getting a very strong impression from them. Tell him that these two symbols also match and continue that you also feel that they are the same as the ones already in his pocket. He flips them face up and confirms this. Ask him to pocket them with the other two.
Page 6 Have him look at the final pair and have him discard these also as you sense that they bear different designs. The position so far is... The spectator has four matching symbols in his pocket and they were the only pairs to have matched throughout the deck. There is a 7 card packet lying face down on the table and the central card of this packet is the same as the ones in his pocket, but up to this point you don’t know which of the symbols it is. Turn to face him and pick up the 7 card packet, flip it face up and spread through, as you ask if the 5th matching E.S.P. E.S.P. card is amongst these 7 or in the discarded pile on the table. THE VERY SECOND that you spot the central card and note its symbol, you no longer look at the packet. Keep your eyes on the spectator. Flip the packet face down and once he tells you that the missing card is amongst the 7 in your hand, you offer to locate it. Concentrate for a few seconds then verbally reveal the design that you are receiving, ask for confirmation. You now perform an UNDER/DOWN deal and the missing card will be atop the tabled t abled 7 card packet. BRIEFLY... The U/D deal is performed by merely removing the top card of the face BRIEFLY down packet and ducking it under the packet. Next card goes to the table, next under the packet and so on until all 7 cards are in the tabled pile. Wave your hand over the packet and flip the top card face up to reveal the missing symbol. NOTES: You You could inject the patter pat ter theme that 7 is a lucky number and 9 a mystic one. I.E. it is formed by halving 18 and 18 is made up of the number 1 + 8, which when added equal 9. If you use marked E.S.P. cards you need not peek the central card of the 7 card packet, you merely need spot the identity of the top card of this packet and mentally continue three cards further into the cyclic chain to deduce the symbols in his pocket. The use of the marked E.S.P. E.S.P. cards adds greatly gr eatly to the routine r outine and speeds things up. 2009 note: You could, as you hand him the 7 card packet to perform the Under/Down deal, glimpse the face card and mentally continue two cards further into the cyclic chain to deduce the symbols in his pocket. Example: a square is at the face, so the symbols in his pocket are two symbols further in the chain ie. the next two symbols would be a star and then a circle so... he has four circles in his pocket.
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DUNE This book test owes much to Frank Herbert’s best-selling book and now major motion picture DUNE. It also owes credit to an effect originally marketed under the banner of the late Ken Brooke studio…..’Absolutely Impossible’. ’Absolutely Impossible’ made use of an ancient principle normally applied to envelopes but, there applied to a gentleman’s leather wallet. In this routine the principle will be applied to a much thicker object, the 605 page book ‘DUNE’. The only reason for the use of this book over any other, is the amusing patter that it can generate. Several months ago my wife, Maggie Bonner, performed only the first opening lines of this routine on her appearance as a mentalist on Granada Television’s talent show…THE FAME FAME GAME. As a direct result of her 50 seconds of air time she has received many requests to perform for other interested parties. So, for once you can be certain that this routine has been tried and tested! There is a small amount of preparation required, but this will only take a few seconds. First, turn to page 417 and tear it out. Tear Tear this page into quarters and throw away all but the quarter shown in fig:1. Notice that the first word on this quarter is ‘structure’. The other side of this piece is completely blank. You You must now construct a prediction that will later be used to show that you had prior knowledge of this word.
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I suggest that you invest in some of the ‘number plate’ adhesive letters and stick them to a sheet of card then seal it within an envelope. This envelope may be further sealed into a wooden packing crate, lowered into several feet of water, water, surrounded by Great White sharks etc. Anywhere will do, so long as it is easily accessible! Prior to performance, the book should be lying on your table/chair etc. The quarter page should be lying beneath it in such a way that you can lift the book and pin the quarter beneath it. The prediction, in whatever form you have decided on,
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should be handed out to an audience member. You now use the following patter theme as you perform a few f ew short effects. Address any gentleman and say say... ... “Sir, could I possibly know the month of your birth? No? Well, I have made a prediction that I think may astound you. Will you please call out, in a loud voice, the month you were born… September. Ahhh,” Pick up the book and allow the audience to see the title DUNE, “You “You mean…..you weren’t born in June? – DUNE get it?” At this point, there will be a mixture of groans and laughter from both the assisting spectator and the audience. Put the book down again and continue with ANY other short effect. At the conclusion of this effect, return your attention to the spectator and continue.... “Sir, we have already established that we have never met and… that I didn’t know the month of your birth. birt h. Let’s try a small experiment exper iment in telepathy. telepathy. Please concentrate on the first name of your wife/girlfriend/ mistress etc. Okay I think I have it but for the benefit of the audience would you call it out. – Mary.” Pick up the book, look at him, and say….”Are you sure it wasn’t JUNE?” This will also raise laughter and groans, and will now have established itself as a running gag. This introduction has established that you are not a boring mentalist who actually believes that he has psychic powers, and it has entertained the audience! It has also introduced the book, and you are now about to blow their socks off! Hold the book in the manner shown by fig:2 and explain to the spectator that you will flick through the pages and stop whenever he wishes. You You do this and make 100% certain that he has a completely free choice of the stopped at position. You now ask him if he would like you to use the page on his left or his right. When he answers, you tear out this page and rest it atop the now closed book as shown by fig:3. This act of vandalism alone will incite some audience reaction! If you now use your free left hand and take hold of the half page that is extending over the edge of the book, you can use the book’s edge to neatly tear the page in two. You would tear downward as shown in fig:3. Ask him, which piece he would like to keep. Allow the other piece to flutter to the t he table and position the chosen half back on the book in the fig:3 position. Now tear this half page into two quarters and again have one retained and one discarded. Place the final quarter page atop the book as shown in fig:4.
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You are now ready to switch the quarter page beneath the book for the one on top. You You will be using a move usually associated with thinner objects. Your Your empty left hand points to the two pieces on the table that have already been discarded and you say... ”You could have chosen any quarter of the original page and indeed, the very page could have been any one of over 600 in this book.” As this final line is delivered, your left hand grabs the book, in the fig:5 position, and raises it in the manner depicted. Seconds prior to this action, your right fingertips have retained the force quarter in the right hand and the assumed selected quarter is pinned to the top of the book as shown by fig:5. After you have gestured with the book, turn it over and drop it onto the table and the other quarter page will merge into the pieces already there. (NOTE: THIS CLEAN UP WAS SUGGESTED BY ERIC MASON DURING MY LECTURE AT PAUL BRIGNALL’S MAGIC LOUNGE IN LONDON THIS YEAR).
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During the entire switch, the right hand remains completely motionless and no one will suspect that anything amiss has happened. Hand the assumed selected quarter page to the spectator, and ask him to look at it, and call out the first word on it. Due to the fact that there is only printing on one side, he can only call out the word ‘structure’! Have your prediction opened and shown to be correct. * The switch was applied to an envelope in Wayne Dobson’s book Profile and to a leather wallet in the late Ken Brooke effect Absolutely Impossible.
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COMBATING THE ELEMENTS Marlo’s (I think) CLOCK CARD EFFECT is now established as one of the modern day classics of self-working card magic. The following presentation is interesting inasmuch as you do absolutely nothing! All the work is undertaken by the oft-put-upon oft-put -upon spectator. The dressing and atmosphere created by this brief piece of theatre has to be witnessed to be believed! On as small piece of flash paper as possible, write the following ancient appearing instructions... Mix well the Devil’s playthings and form three heaps of 6. Pick one heap and catch sight of its upper card. Set the other two heaps atop thine then return all 18 back atop the pack. Give thought to a number twixt 1 and 12 then move that number of cards from the top of the pack to thy pocket. From those that remain form the shape of a clock by dealing a card at position 12, 11, 10 and so on till the 1st hour be reached. Set the rest of the pack at the center of this clock and thy task is almost done. Remove the cards from thy t hy pocket and speak aloud their t heir number. number. Slowly turn the card at said number on the clock face up and thy card is seen! Thy final task is to merely touch yonder candle flame with this parchment. A candle should be burning nearby and when the spectator touches the flash paper to the flame, WHOOOOSH! This is the main reason for using as small a piece of flash paper that you can squeeze the writing onto. No need to worry about the spectator burning himself. As soon as he sees the paper flare up, HE’LL DROP IT! The evidence has gone and you can continue with the rest of your performance. The parchment should, of course, be introduced with mysterious patter.
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A D VANCE I have already published several variations on the following theme originated, I think, by Subir Kumar Dhar of India. For this one you’ll require a leather wallet containing a £5.00 note and a £1.00 COIN. The note is in the proper section of the wallet and the coin rests below it. Performance... “I have here my wallet and I would like to act out a little game with you that my grandfather played with me many years ago. He simply told me that I had to imagine that the wallet contained… a £1.00, a £5.00 and a £10.00. He cautioned me that all of these were NOT within the wallet but I was to imagine that they were. He now asked me to forget the actual value of the contents and to imagine that I had removed one of them, any one, which one would you have removed? The spectator says that he would have taken the £1.00. Good, you reply, now imagine removing another one. Which one? The spectator says that he would now have next taken the £10.00. So what would that leave me with, you ask? The £5.00, he replies. You now open the wallet and show that it contains nothing more than the £5.00 that the spectator had left behind... in his imagination! The above is one possible outcome of the effect and believe me, regardless of which outcome you are forced to follow the effect is staggering! AVENUES THAT AVENUES THAT NEED TO BE FOLLOWED: 1) He states that he has removed the £1.00. Ask him to remove another, he says the £10.00 as in the above example. Open the wallet, remove the £5.00 note (with the £1.00 coin concealed beneath it) and offer the wallet for examination. You have ample time to palm the coin and dispose of it. 2) He takes first the £1.00, then the £5.00… Open the wallet and tip out the £1.00 coin then remove the £5.00 note. Again everything can be examined and the impression given is that you had predicted the two items he would choose!
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3) He says he would remove the £10.00... Open the wallet and tip out the £1.00 coin and remove the £5.00 note. These items would remain if he actually had removed the £10.00. The accompanying patter should point out this fact. Offer to let him keep the imaginary £10.00 note for helping you. 4) He says he would remove the £5.00… Simply open the wallet and follow the procedure outlined in 1)... this time you are showing that you had predicted his choice. The £1.00 coin is disposed of by lapping or merely retaining it palmed. The above four outcomes are the only ones possible. Don’t worry about memorizing them as they will suggest themselves to you through logic. The strength of the outcomes 1) + 2) lie in the fact that the missing £1.00 is assumed to have been a NOTE and not a coin. I am certain that, regardless of your currency, you will be able to put this stunning feat to good use in your country. Here in the UK the £1.00 notes are soon to be obsolete and are to be replaced by coins. BUT £5.00 coins are soon to be introduced so (in your patter) simply use a £5.00 (coin), £10.00 and a £20.00 instead.
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COALMINER This is YET ANOTHER book test, but as with the others in this collection, it is just that little bit different! Obtain as cheap a paper back novel as you can and introduce it into the conversation at the next party you attend. The routine is tailored for party performance. Hand the novel to someone and ask some other person to call out any number between one and fifty fifty.. Have the person holding the book find that page and ask him to tear it out. Take it from him and place it on the floor. You You should be kneeling by now now,, as you ask him to tear out the next page also and to hand it to you. Take it and place it to the right of the first sheet. If the first numbered page was ODD make sure that the second and indeed all those that follow, are also placed on the floor ODD numbered side uppermost. Ask him to tear out the next 14 pages also, one-at-a-time, hand them to you as you form them into four rows of four pages each on the floor. This makes the effect very showy and ensures that all present will be able to see it. Fig:1 shows this layout. You are now about to have four of the pages selected using a very old CALENDAR force of, I believe, Mel Stover’s? Ask anyone to point to one of the t he 16 pages then explain that you will crumple into a ball all the other pages in the same horizontal and vertical rows as the one nominated. Fig:2 shows this. Have another un-crumpled sheet selected and repeat the balling up
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of all the other sheets in the same horizontal and vertical rows. Finally have one more sheet pointed to and repeat the balling up process again. This leaves just one un-balled sheet remaining and this is the 4th selected sheet. It now remains for someone to add the page numbers on the four un-balled sheets and to call out the total. You now draw their attention to a sealed envelope at the other side of the room. Have someone open it and discover a prediction stating the total of the four pages! Method: In order to perform it as detailed above, you will need an accomplice. Once he hears the first number called out between one and fifty, he multiplies the number by TWO, adds THIRTY and multiplies this final figure by TWO in order to arrive at your necessary prediction number. He then leaves the room and makes the prediction. Upon his return he drops the prediction on a table at the opposite side of the room and joins the crowd again to see the end of the effect. If you can not use an accomplice... the moment you hear the number, make the calculation yourself and ‘openly’ write down the prediction. Hand it to someone to hold until the denouement. If using a helper... you could have him tear the required numbered page from the book which you tossed aside after the 16 pages were removed. He seals this page in an envelope and drops it on the table as previously described. An example of the necessary calculation might be…. The number 27 is called out, You double it... 54, add 30... 84 then double again...168.
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I AM Countless centuries ago I marketed an effect called ‘APPELATION’. It was a nice variation on the ‘FRED’ card theme. In FRED… a spectator chose a card and you offered to name it. You said… “I name your card…FRED.’ To To cut a long story short… you now showed that his card was the only one in the deck with the name ‘FRED’ written upon it. My version had the spectator re-naming the card. He was simply asked to call out ANY name for the card. Imagine that he named “GEORGE’. “ GEORGE’. You You now showed that all the cards had different names on their back, but his card bore the name ‘GEORGE’. The problem was… it used a fake deck and the selection had to be forced. Add to this the fact that you only had a 26/1 chance of him actually naming a name present in the deck and… I think you’ve got the idea! The following method uses a regular deck of cards, no force of the selection and you have a 52/1 chance that he will name a name present in the deck. There are of course prices to pay for such improvements, but I’ll leave you to discover these. Take a regular deck and shuffle it so that t hat the faces appear to be in no particular order. Now, with a thick marker pen, write the first name of a different male person on the back of each card. This will take you quite some time, but most of the time will be spent on thinking of 52 different male names! 2009 note: These days you can simply use the internet to Google “popular boy’s names” and instantly be presented with dozens of them. This done... Make a small crib sheet either on the card case or joker. It should list the names, in alphabetical order and the card that it is written on. i.e… Albert: KD, Alan: JS, Alec: 5H etc. throughout the deck. (Only choose the most popular first names of the period and you’ll almost certainly guarantee success). Introduce the deck, false shuffle, but don’t allow the backs to be seen. Table Table the cards and ask the spectator to name any card. Once you have knowledge of his choice, spread through, remove and table his card face up without altering the order of any of the other cards. Patter to the effect that the ‘HERE NAME HIS CARD’ CARD’ is a pretty boring name for a playing card, so you would like the spectator to re-name it. Call out a few male names that he may care to use. This conditions him into naming a male first name. Once he names the card ie…’PETER’, look at the crib sheet, which lists the names alphabetically, and spot which card bears that name on its back. If it happens to be
Page 16 the same card as he originally named, you have a miracle on your hands, and can now show that all the other cards have different names on their backs and his card has the very name that he chose! This will happen from time to time, so be prepared to act as if it was always intended to be so clean. Chances are that his name lies on the back of another card and the crib sheet will give you the name of that card. Simply pick up the face up deck and spread through to show that he could have named any card, spot the required card (with his chosen name on its back) and cut the deck so that the card ends up at the face. Pick up the tabled card and drop it back onto the face of the deck. Comment that he could have given the card ANY name then double lift to show that his chosen name is written on the back of the card! Flip the double face up again, and thumb off his card (still face up) to the table. Wrist turn the deck, so that the face card is not seen to have changed and table the deck face down, as you explain that all the cards have different names on their backs. Pick it up and deal through about 40 cards quite speedily in order to prove this fact, finally spreading over the remaining cards, but not disclosing the card with his chosen name at the bottom. Assemble all the cards and run! Notes: I have not discussed the use of double sided tape (2009 note: or repositionable glue) in order to stick the double card together so that you can toss the chosen card, now with the chosen name on its back across the table and actually deal through all the rest of the cards without fear. If you wish to use the D/S tape, please do so. If a name is called out that is not present in the deck, state that the name was used the previous evening, so you’d prefer for another to be chosen. If you are unlucky this time, take up bomb disposal instead of mentalism! You may like to lap (or palm out) the t he card that actually has the chosen name on its back and hand the deck to the spectator for complete examination at the end. If you wish, you could use the finish of the ‘CHICAGO OPENER’ effect from a Frank Garcia book and comment that the spectator could have given the card any name, for instance... HERE YOU NAME THE NAME THAT ‘IS’ ON THE BACK OF HIS CARD… and end by stating that if he had done so, that name would have found its way to the back of the card. Flip the card face down to illustrate your point.
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I don’t like this added kicker but you may like to use it??? I HAVE JUST REALISED THAT THE DECK DOESN’T HAVE TO BE STACKED, ONCE YOUR CRIB SHEET HAS BEEN MADE, THE DECK CAN BE SHUFFLED PRIOR TO THE EFFECT. YOU THEN NEED ONLY LOCATE THE FIRST NAME AGAINST THE REQUIRED CARD AND CONTROL CONTROL IT TO THE FACE FACE OF THE DECK AS STA STATED. Use of the ‘CURRY TURNOVER CHANGE’ would also be very useful to show that the required name is on the back of the tabled card!
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DOES YOUR MEMOR Y FAIL YOU? I’ll describe this as briefly as possible, as some of you may not wish to invest the necessary £15.96 in order to actually make it up! Buy four cheap pocket calculators. My own are Casio HL-809 models. They cost me £3.99 each, though by the time you read this book they may well be £20.00 each! 2008 NOTE: In 1985 £15.96 was quite a sum of money to me, but these days you can buy similar models for £1.00 each or less! Gimmick one of them by simply removing the back compartment and switching the ‘MR’ button with the ‘EQUALS’ button, then re-assemble it. This is the simplest method of gimmicking a calculator and was shown to me by my friend David Britland. No idea who actually invented the method, but whoever you are sir... sir ... I salute you! I will now explain how to present this gimmicked calculator ready for use. Switch it on and a ‘ZERO’ will pop into the t he display. display. Enter the number that you wish to force ie, 2567 by simply depressing the required number keys. Press the ‘+’ key followed by the ‘=’ key and then press the ‘MR’ key. Finally press the ‘C’ key, key, which cancels the number from the display, but not from the calculator’s memory! This ‘pre-setting’ can be done openly as you apparently check that the calculator is working or it can be done prior to the actual performance. Hand the four calculators out to different members of your audience. Have them already switched on and the gimmicked one has been set to force the number 2567. Ask the three people holding the normal calculators to think of any three figure number and enter it into their calculator. Ask the person holding the gimmicked calculator to add the three numbers and read out the total. The second he presses his ‘=’ key, in order to add the sum, he will unleash the force number,, 2567, from the calculator’s memory. number The illusion created is that he has actually totalled the other three numbers and this is the result. You now need only reveal r eveal prior knowledge of this t his result via your prediction made earlier!
Page 19 Obviously you need not use four calculators, you could simply use one, but why be a miser and besides... I’m on a commission from the Casio company! Note: Regardless of how many calculators you choose to use, an ideal use of the force number is a position on a pre-recorded video tape. Simply have a spectator fast forward through the tape and stop when the tape counter reads ‘2567’. The tape is played and the first few words noted... they match your prediction! 2009 note: Video tape???
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SEARCH FOR SPA C E
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Revelation of thought is the strongest demonstration of mentalism any audience could hope to witness. Over the years there have been many carbonreproduction devices. These are merely items containing a hidden piece of carbon paper and when another piece of paper is rested above it and a word written down by the spectator... the carbon paper transfers the word onto another sheet of paper resting below it. Quite recently a paper known as N.C.R. paper (NON-CARBON REPRODUCTION) was introduced to the clerical world. I have seen very few ideas using it in the field of mentalism, but I am 99.999% certain that the following application is new. Secure yourself a pad of the N.C.R. paper.. An A5 size pad should be ideal. paper
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It is constructed of a number of ordinary sheets of paper atop two N.C.R. sheets. These N.C.R. sheets are the thinner of the sheets within the pad. Remove these two thinner sheets and form the top sheet into an envelope, following the pattern shown in fig:1. Now remove one of the other top sheets of N.C.R. paper from your pad, place a few regular sheets of paper on top of it, then position it above the lower sheet of N.C.R. paper previously removed. With a biro-pen, write a simple prediction so that it reads as shown in fig:2. Notice that the actual number has been omitted from this prediction. The reason that you have written the prediction onto the upper regular sheet of paper, which is resting atop the other regular sheet of paper, atop the upper N.C.R. sheet, atop the lower N.C.R. sheet is... so that the final impression, made on the lower
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N.C.R. sheet, will later match the writing of the number in strength of colour.
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(HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT ALL THAT MEANT?) Throw away all but the lower N.C.R. paper and fold it in such a way that, when it is sealed within the N.C.R. envelope, you know the area in relation to the surface of the envelope where the number will later be written. Fig:3 makes this clear. Seal the paper in the envelope and you’re almost ready… Take a regular pad of paper, just larger than the envelope, and slip the envelope beneath the top sheet of the pad. Ask a spectator to call out any number and when it has been called, write it down on the top sheet of the pad so that it will be transferred through the N.C.R. envelope beneath and onto the other sheet of N.C.R. paper within. I would suggest that you make a light circle with a pencil around the area of blank space over the prediction page. Now tear away this top sheet and hand it to the spectator, just in case he forget his thought…ho ho! Pocket the pad and stall for time, as you patter to the effect that ANY number could have been thought of. After these few seconds of patter patt er,, remove the envelope only from the pocket and toss it to the spectator who named the number. Ask him to repeat his number out loud for all to hear. Finally have him tear open the envelope and remove its contents. He finds the prediction sheet and is instructed to read it out. Needless to say… your prediction matches the number he has thought of. Notes: Obviously the above effect is low in ‘impact’, but I merely wanted to draw your attention to the properties of the envelope and the advantage that the spectator can open the envelope and keep everything in his possession, without fear of the method being detected.
Page 22 Apply this idea to Alan Shaxon’s “CONFABULA “CONFABULATION” TION” routine and the effect is thrust into the miracle class. On the actual prediction sheet you will note that the edges of the paper are a little blue. Trim off these edges prior to performance and the problem is solved. This idea can be applied to many routines already on the market using carbon paper hidden within the prediction envelope. The preparation is a little involved, but you’re only going to perform it once, so take the time to construct the envelope and you’ll be well rewarded.
DIGEST EVER Y W O R D This lightweight item is 100% presentation. present ation. You You will need a nail writer, Boon or similar device. It should be attached to your right thumb, assuming that you are right handed! Explain that the majority of people are right handed and, quite recently scientists have discovered that the majority of psychics are left handed. Offer to make a written prediction, using your left hand, apologising as you do so for the poor hand writing. Ask your question and nail write the answer on the prediction. Show it and all will be amazed, in the time honoured manner, to see that what you have written is correct. More importantly… no one will query the not so neat hand writing, as you did make it with your LEFT hand! When writing in the answer, hold the pencil in your left hand and the pad/writing surface in your right. As stated, this is a lightweight item but, believe me, if you use the nail writer constantly... you may find that this presentation gives credence to your otherwise scrawly prediction. Using ‘this’ presentation you can actually write a complete word.
L E AVE NOTHING T O CHANCE E.S.P. matching effects are, to the mentalist, like four ace tricks to a cardician…. they E.S.P. can’t get enough of them! For the following extravaganza you’ll require a 24 card c ard E.S.P. E.S.P. deck. This is easily made by removing one of the CIRCLE cards and tossing it out the window. These E.S.P. E.S.P. cards should be MARKED on their backs! (NEEDLE SCRATCHES SCRATCHES
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WOULD DO!) Now set the cards in the following order... WAVY WAVY LINES, SQUARE, CROSS, CIRCLE, STAR, CROSS, WAVY LINES, SQUARE, WAVY LINES, STAR, CIRCLE, CROSS, WAVY WAVY LINES, SQUARE, SQUARE, CIRCLE, ST STAR, AR, CROSS, WAVY LINES, SQUARE, STAR, STAR, CIRCLE, CROSS. Phew,, hope you’re still Phew st ill with me? You will also need to make a key fob from a small sheet of plastic. It should resemble that supplied by a hotel. Attached to this fob is a key, what else? On one side of the fob should be the number 234 and on the other side the number 456. A second fob is now needed, but this is only single sided and bears the number 156. Hand the cards out for cutting. Any number of ‘complete’ cuts can be made. Finally ask the spectator to deal out a face down row of 6 cards and then, on top of this row, another face down row of six cards. The result should be a row of six pairs. Due to the marks on the backs of the cards, you can now spot the ‘WAVY ‘WAVY LINES’ ‘SQUARE’ and ‘CROSS’ cards. These three cards have matching cards beneath them while all the other pairs contain un-matched cards. The positions of these cards will depend on which key fob you now remove and show. The positions can all be represented by the numbers on the fobs and these numbers and relative positions are depicted by fig:1 below. It is now a simple matter to explain that, earlier, you checked into a hotel and had to take their last room. Remove the required fob and show the number. Point out the positions of the cards denoted by the number of your room and show that they contain matching symbol cards. Show that the others... don’t!
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Fig:2 shows how you can streamline the two fobs to one, by use of a dry-wipe pen. The number 156 can easily be transformed to 456 with the added dry-wipe ink line as shown.
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Simply have this 156/456 number on one side of a fob and the number 234 on the other side.
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Once you know which number is required, remove the fob either rubbing away the extra line or not, as the situation dictates. Fig:1 shows the row of six pairs. Their positions from your left to your right are represented by the number 1 - 6. The upside down numbers represent the relative positions of the cards from the spectator’s view point. You are looking for the Wavy line, Square and Cross marking on the backs of the upper cards. These can fall, from your view point at any one of the following number sequence positions…. 123, 234, 345, 456, or 156. The outcomes 234 and 456 are represented on the double sided key fob. The outcome 123 is the same as 456, when viewed by the spectator. If the cards fall at these positions you would call the position 456 by asking the spectator to note the positions from his viewpoint! If the cards fall at 345, this is the same as 234 from his viewpoint!! Finally... Finally ... position 156 is represented on the single sided key fob! Fig:2 shows how the double sided key fob can be gimmicked to show all three possible outcomes on the one fob. Simply obtain a piece of dry-wipe surface and affix it over the 156 side of the new key fob. Note: This new key fob has the number 234 on the other side in regular permanent ink. The 156 is also written in permanent ink then the clear dry-wipe surface is stuck on top of the 156 side and finally…. with the dry-wipe pen, change the ‘1’ to a ‘4’ as shown by the dotted line in fig:2. (Note: KEY REMOVED FOR EASE OF ILLUSTRATION!) ILLUSTRATION!) If you need to show the number 234, remove the fob and simply show it. Same goes for number 456 but be careful NOT to erase the dry-wipe ink from the fob. Finally, in order to show 156, erase the dry-wipe ink from the 456 side as you remove the fob from your pocket or cloth container.
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BEHIND THE CAMOUFLAGE This prediction effect is unusual because coins are used instead of the usual cards. Instead of a jumbo playing card, you will need a jumbo Kennedy half dollar. Seal it in an envelope and have it to hand. You’ll also need a bag containing say... say... 29 different coins from various countries. Finally, you need a Kennedy half dollar, which should be classic palmed in your right Finally, hand throughout the routine. Explain that you collect coins as a hobby, and would like to attempt an experiment using 30 of your favourites. Have the spectator tip the coins out and examine them to prove that they are all different. (NO ONE WILL REALISE THAT THERE ARE ONLY ONLY 29 PRESENT!). Have him also examine the bag to prove that there are no hidden compartments or extra coins concealed within the cloth. Say: “This routine can play from anything between 5 minutes and 6 months, depending on how long you take to examine things.” This light-hearted comment covers the examination and you are ready to continue. Have the spectator replace the coins into the bag and shake/mix them up. Have a few spectators call out numbers between one and ten and have the spectator holding the bag, reach in and remove the required number of coins and discard them into your jacket pocket. This ‘discarding’ phase is repeated several times until you know that there are about 10 coins remaining. Now YOU call out a number and the spectator removes and discards that number. The number that you call out will leave exactly 5 coins in the bag. This is simple mathematics and you need merely keep deducting the number of coins removed from 29. Situation now is... there are 5 coins in the bag and you have the half dollar classic palmed in your right hand. Ask any audience member to call out any country in the world. If someone calls out America… you have a miracle!
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Simply dip your right hand into the bag and pretend to remove the palmed half dollar. Finally have the prediction envelope ripped open to reveal that the contents is a Jumbo reproduction of the t he half dollar. Chances are, that a different country is called out by the spectator. Simply dip your hand into the bag, leave the palmed half dollar behind and pick up any of the other 5 coins and remove it. You have a slim chance that you may be correct, but even if you are not... you will pass the attempted revelation off using the following humourous line…. “Not only did I find a ———— coin but I also changed it into a ———— coin!” (THE OLD ONES ARE THE BEST!). Drop the coin back into the bag and have the spectator shake them up again Finally,, ask him to remove the coins and place them in a row on the table. Finally You are now going the use the Vernon ‘6’ force as described in the “GREATLY EXAGGERATED’ EXAGGERA TED’ routine found elsewhere in the book. I won’t waste space by describing it again here so simply find it yourself and the result will be that the half dollar coin is forced! It only remains for the spectator to open the envelope and discover the unusual prediction within. Note: No one will later recollect that you went anywhere near the coins from start to finish.
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KING AND I
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The following effect is very strange. I’m not really talking about the effect itself but the actual thinking behind it! By using a standard MAGICIANS’ effect of the “Unequal/Equal ropes routine, we are able to perform a piece of mentalism.
Arm yourself with a 3ft length of rope, we British are determined to stick with the feet and inches method of measuring!
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You’ll also require a 12” ruler and a pair of scissors. Have all examined then explain that you are about to cut a length from the rope between 1 and 12 inches. Ask the spectator to think of any number between 1 -12 and you will, without prior knowledge of his number number,, cut that very number of inches from the rope! The word ‘between’ prevents him naming either 1 or 12. Turn away for a second and cut about 2” from the rope then loop the small piece around the long piece and, holding the rope in the left hand as shown in fig:1, bring the rope forward again. Pick up the ruler and position it in the left hand as shown by fig:1 Ask the spectator to name the number that he thought of then pull the end marked ‘X’ until it is the desired length. Fig:2 shows this action and it is a simple task to pull the end to the required point on the ruler as you apparently move towards the spectator to check the measurement. If you wish to end with a touch of magic, restore the rope using any of the time honoured methods.
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B R AVE SOULS This is an extension of an effect I have seen many mentalists perform. I believe that it was first used by Dr. Jacks, but I am open to correction. You’ll require one regular deck of cards and one deck containing 51 identical cards. We’ll assume 52 x 2 of Diamonds with one black court card at the face. This deck is banded with elastic bands around the long edges. Hand the regular deck to a member of the audience, who should by now be seated at a table on the stage. Ask him to thoroughly shuffle the cards then deal out four hands of Bridge, 13 cards to each hand. Toss Toss the banded deck into the audience and have the catcher peek at a card then toss it to someone else, who repeats this peeking of a card. The deck is tossed about the audience until 13 people have each peeked a card. Obviously they have all peeked the 2 of Diamonds. Have the deck tossed back to you and pocket it. Have the Bridge hands flipped face up and spot the hand containing the 2 of Diamonds. Force the spectator to select this hand then have him call out the 13 cards in a clear, loud voice to the audience. The 13 members of the audience are all standing at the moment. Once this has been done, you ask them to sit down ONLY if they heard their card(s) called out…. THEY ALL SIT DOWN! Note: You may like to use a 50 card deck and have ten 5 card hands dealt out and only use 5 audience members?
OBSESSION When a writer states that the following effect makes use of an ‘ancient mathematical principle’ it usually means that he has no idea who invented it! Well, the following effect makes use of an ancient mathematical principle, which is normally applied to playing cards, but is here applied to sealed envelopes. Simply take 14 playing card sized envelopes, slip a piece of blank paper into each and seal them. Now take a 15th envelope and seal a bank-note within. The value of this note will depend on your nerves! Set up the envelopes by positioning your favourite one (the one containing the money!) 8th down in the stack. Due to the fact that there are a total of 15 envelopes, the one containing the money is 8th down regardless of which way up the stack is. Secure the stack with a rubber band and you’re almost ready to perform. Ideally this effect should be performed in fairly relaxed surroundings and a ‘real’ fire
Page 29 should be present. Cold wintry evenings are ideal. Maybe your local pub also has a fire burning merrily away? The real fire can of course be substituted by an ash tray and a cigarette lighter, but believe me... the overall effect will not be the same! Introduce the banded stack and explain that it is often said that some people have money to burn, and you are about to demonstrate this statement right now. Continue that you have 13 (first lie) envelopes. Now everyone knows that 13 is a very unlucky number. Toss Toss the banded stack st ack to someone, who looks vaguely intelligent and ask him/her to remove the band and to turn the pile of envelopes over and over, stopping with either side uppermost. Explain that it is universally recognised that the number 7 is the luckiest of all numbers and you are now about to disprove this! Ask the spectator to remove, from f rom the top of the stack, any number of envelopes but less then 7. Once this has been done, ask the person to toss his chosen number of envelopes into the fire. Make sure that you word this correctly i.e. “PLEASE TOSS THE ENVELOPES THAT YOU HAVE JUST REMOVED INTO THE FIRE.” Caution him to remember how many he did remove but to tell no one else. Now explain that he is to deal 7 envelopes from off the rest of the stack and into a neat pile on the table before him. Explain that he is to deal the envelopes off the stack singly, so that their order is reversed. Don’t actually say this but make sure, by your actions that the person understands what he must do. Once this task has been accomplished… ask that the envelopes remaining in the person’s hand are also tossed into the fire. This should leave the spectator with a pile of 7 envelopes on the table before him. Now ask him to cast his mind back to when he thought of a number, less than 7. Ask if he remembers the number. It only remains that he should pick up the pile of 7 envelopes from the table and count down to the envelope that corresponds with his thought of number number.. He is to keep hold of this single envelope and toss all the rest into the fire. Take the envelope from him, making it obvious that your hands are quite empty, and tear it open to reveal the bank-note within. Or let him do this.
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End with the line… “NOW, THERE IS AN OBVIOUS EXPLANA EXPLANATION TION AS TO HOW THIS MIRACLE WAS ACHIEVED,” LOOK INTO THE FIRE FOR A SECOND... “BUT I’M NOT THAT WEALTHY!”
NOTES: This is a risky effect to perform, as just detailed, but the risk is reduced by watching the spectator perform the various actions and making sure that he doesn’t misunderstand you. I can assure you however that the effect is increased by giving the instructions with your back turned throughout. If a fire is not available, you will have to burn the envelopes using the lighter and dropping the ashes into the ash tray… not as impressive! The mathematical principle is old, but if you have not previously encountered it, the following example may make it clearer. The money envelope ‘M/E’ occupies position 8 in the 15 envelope stack to start with. A number, less than 7, is thought of [say] 3. This number of envelopes is removed from the top of the stack and tossed into the fire. This leaves you with 12 envelopes and the ‘M/E’ is now 5th from the top. 7 envelopes are now reverse dealt into a tabled pile and the remaining ones tossed into the fire. This means that the ‘M/E’ is now 3rd from the top of the tabled pile. The spectator remembers the number he originally thought of… 3 and counts down to the 3rd envelope, which just happens to be the ‘M/E’. He tosses all the rest into the fire, leaving you completely clean. Regardless as to which number he thinks of and initially removes (so long as it be less than 7 or 7 itself), the outcome will always be success! The reason that you state that you have 13 envelopes is that it fits in with the patter theme of lucky and unlucky numbers and throws would be re-producers of the effect completely off the scent. You can point out, at the end, that the number he thought of is obviously luckier than 7!
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KILLING MACHINE This strange card effect is 100% presentation. Imagine tossing a coin and betting the audience that it will land head side up. They wouldn’t exactly faint if you were right, would they? Why is that? Could be that they think it was just luck or maybe even a double headed coin! So, how do we improve the impact of this 50/50 experiment? There are such effects on the market already. already. Phil Matlin’s ‘SILVER SANCTUM’ immediately springs to mind. He suggest that you table a wallet full of money and then make the bet. This would certainly seem to prove that you are not just basing your guess on pure chance. Then again, you could be nuts! Back to t o the card effect... effect.. . You You will begin with two hands of poker sitting side-by-side on your table and a suggested patter outline would go something like this... “Have you ever thought to yourself that everything we do is actually written down in a book up there in Heaven? I have and when I was a child I used to think to myself that in that book it would say something like…. April 20th: Stephen went to the zoo today. Being a child, I thought… right I’ll really fool them this time. I won’t go to the zoo! But wait a second, suppose it says, in the great book, Stephen doesn’t go to the zoo today! It was thinking like that that gave me a very confused childhood, and I’m about to impart a little of that confusion onto you right now. Here I have two hands of seven card Poker. One is a winning hand and the t he other is lousy. Up in that great book is written which one of these hands you’ll choose for yourself in a few seconds time. I’ve had a sneak preview of the outcome and I know for 100% that you’ll pick the lousy hand and leave me with the winning one. So certain am I that you will choose the losing hand that I’m willing to stake this £1.00 coin, the contents of my bank account, and I’ll even throw in my lunch for the t he day. day. (YOU TABLE A GRUBBY £1.00 coin, a tatty looking bank-book and a creamcracker with cheese on it.) Bear in mind that you only have one chance so choose carefully... not that it will make the slightest difference to the outcome! The spectator now chooses one of the hands, leaving you with the other. Needless to say, he loses and you are left holding a hum-dinger of a Poker hand! As a consolation prize... you let him keep the creamcracker!
METHOD: You’ll You’ll require four double faced f aced cards and ten regular cards. A suggested suggest ed set of cards would be as follows, though many other sets could be used once the underlying principle is understood. FIRST 7 CARD HAND: 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 of Spades face down atop the following two
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double faced cards... Ace of Diamonds/5 of Spades and Ace of Clubs/8 of Hearts. (ACES UPPERMOST). SECOND 7 CARD HAND: King, Queen, Jack and Nine of Hearts, Jack of Spades all face down atop the following D/F cards… Ace of Hearts/8 of Diamonds and 10 of Hearts/five of Clubs. (ACE AND TEN OF HEARTS UPPERMOST). Depending on which hand you wish to show as the winning one you would proceed as follows…To follows…T o show that the 1st hand contains cont ains nothing of any worth, spread the packet to show five face down cards atop the two face up ones. The spectator sees the two face up cards are the Aces of Clubs and Diamonds and the hand looks promising. Once the five face down cards are flipped face up, regardless of which two cards are discarded in order to make a five card hand… the two Aces cannot be improved upon. Repeat the above procedure with the other hand and the best five card hand that can be made is a Royal Flush in Hearts ie 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of Hearts. If you wish, however, to show that the first hand is the winning one… simply flip the packet face up (as a unit) and spread through the seven face up cards that will show. Once two have been discarded you will be holding a five card run from the two through to the six of Spades. The other hand, when given the same treatment, will reveal that a pair of Jacks cannot be bettered. Now that you know the principle at work you can delve into your D/F decks and concoct a similar set of two hands to the ones just mentioned. You may prefer to simply construct the above D/F cards using your D.I.Y D.I.Y.. skills. The two hands can be carried in those plastic wallets that normally house packet cards effects.
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HANDS UP! This simple book-test is probably worth more to the working mentalist than any other item herein. It is completely impromptu and devastating in effect. The method is bold through foolproof! All that your require is a blank business card, which is blank both sides. If you use Prontaprint, like I do, you’ll find many such cards amongst your batch bat ch of printed ones. You could use a ‘blank both sides’ playing card if you wish.
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Our prospective Nostradamus arrives at the party. The booze has almost run out and the life and soul of the party has already performed such miraculous stunts as ‘breaking a pencil with a bank note’ and the ‘twenty-one card trick’. Now it’s your turn… Ask the host, or whoever is still coherent, to remove any paperback from the bookcase. Hand him the blank card and ask him to open the book anywhere and to look at and remember the word at the upper left of the left hand page. The FIRST word on the page! Ask him also to pop the card into the book at that point and to close it. Take Take the book from f rom him, without giving it as much as a single s ingle glance. Approach a person on your left and, holding the book as shown by fig:1 riffle through the pages asking him to call out “STOP’ at some point. Due to the presence of the business card, the riffle will automatically stop when you reach the required point. Ask the spectator to look at and remember the word in the top corner of the page that he has stopped at. This is, in fact, the last word on the top line of the right hand page previously arrived at by the first spectator, who inserted the card. During this ‘looking at (and hopefully remembering) the word’, you look at the third word along the top line of the page that you can see. You also remember the first word on this line. The first word that you are now looking at is in fact the one that the first person is thinking of. The third word that you have just looked at is about to be forced upon a third person as follows... In the example shown by fig:1 you are looking at the words… ‘AND THEN THEY…” You have now remembered the t he words ‘AND’ and ‘THEY’. Close the book and pass it from your right hand to your left, as you approach someone on your right. The book is turned over and into the position shown by fig:2 during its passing from hand to hand. You now riffle through the pages again, the third t hird spectator calls stop and, as you did before, you force the stop position by timing the riffle so that he calls out ‘STOP’
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the instant that the business cards abruptly halts the riffle. Ask this third and final spectator to look at and remember the third word on the top line that he can see. This forces the previously spotted word ‘THEY’. You You know look at and remember the last word on the top line that you can see. Fig:2 shows that this word, in this example, is…’ANOTHER’.
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You know have knowledge of the three words in the minds of the three spectators. Toss the book to another person and ask that they flick through the book and eject the blank card. Regain the card and after a brief build up... write down the three words that you have seen. Thoughts: A little patter will help the smooth flow of the routine. When you don’t need to look at the t he book, DON’T. DON’T. You You can cut the routine down a little by using only two spectators. Have one insert the card into the book at any point then take it and riffle force the page, sight the word on the page that you can see, pass it into your other hand and riffle force again, sighting the other word and reveal them by writing on the card.
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PRACTICAL PANACHE This effect is absolutely staggering to the onlooker yet, the method is ridiculously simple. Purchase the cheapest pocket torch that you can find. Put batteries into it and you’re ready to begin. You’ll also need a length of invisible thread and some s ome means of securing it to the edge of your table. The length of the thread will vary as you will see shortly.. Take shortly Take the torch apart and switch it on, then off again. Note the point where the connection of the circuit takes place and insert one end of the thread between the two points. Switch the torch on again, trapping the thread between the connections. The torch will NOT light due to the thread preventing the connections from touching each other. If you now secure the other end of the thread to the edge of your table or even to your belt... you are ready to perform. Due to the freedom afforded you by the thread, the torch can be pocketed until such time that you wish to use it. Assuming that you wish to reveal a selected card. Have it selected then control it to the top and table the cards for the moment. Remove the torch and gently move it away from you, over the table, until you feel the thread bite. Note this point on the table and place the torch down for a moment. Pick up the cards and deal a row across the table, dealing the selection at the point just after where the thread dictated. The 2nd deal is ideal (no pun intended) for this placement procedure. Hand the torch to the spectator and ask him to hold it firmly and to pass it along the row of cards like this… show him, but don’t go as far as the selection. He does this and when he reaches the selection, the thread will be pulled from between the two connections and the torch will light. The thread itself will go unnoticed and can even be removed by yourself with a deft movement of your hand. Everything is now examinable, and I would advise you to let the spectator keep the (cheap) torch as a memento of this psychic occurance. Notes: Well, the above would be the ideal outcome and, if you practice the effect a few times before jumping into the deep end… it always will be. Depending on the torch you use you may be able to set the thread between the connections and re-assemble the torch without trapping the thread at all. More than likely you will need to make a small hole in the body so that the thread can run out unobstructed. If you want to make 100% certain that the torch will light over the card, have the other end of the thread attached to the edge of the table. This will ‘guarantee’ that the distance between the selected card and the edge of the table doesn’t change. If it is attached to your belt, the distance may vary depending on your seated position. If you can control your position, this second anchorage is better, as it allows you to walk around freely and perform the miracle at any point in the evening. Make certain that the thread will pull free of the two connections easily when the thread is exhausted. This can be assured by bending the torch connections so that their grip on the thread is very light. Don’t be afraid to put the torch into the spectator’s hand. If it lights up in his hand it will be looked upon as a miracle. In your hand... suspicious at best! It won’t tax your grey matter too much to dream up other revelations other than those of selected playing cards, in which to put the principle to good use.
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CALL OF THE WILD In order to perform the following piece of nonsense, you’ll require a blank sheet of paper.. This sheet should be the same dimensions as a paperback novel. Type any paper small word on one side of the sheet. The word should be around 5 or 6 letters and positioned so that it can be covered by the thumb of the hand that holds the sheet. Seal the sheet in an envelope, pop it into a pocket and you’re ready to begin your journey into the unknown! Explain to the multitude that, earlier today, today, you purchased a novel from a local book shop. Point to any member of the audience and ask him/her to name any novel that comes to mind. Have him come forward to assist you as you comment that you have the very same novel right here in your pocket. Reach in and remove the envelope. Continue that this is the world’s only INVISIBLE copy of that book! Pause for groans. Continue that you have also slipped an envelope somewhere into the pages. Mime the action of searching through the imaginary pages for the envelope, finally miming the action of turning the INVISIBLE book upside down and shaking the envelope out of the pages. Drop the envelope to the floor then hand the imaginary book to the spectator to keep as a memento. Pick up the envelope and continue that inside is a single page from the thought of book. Ask the spectator to name any page number. Once this is done, tear open the envelope and remove the blank sheet. Show it both sides to the audience, covering the single word with your thumb, as you point out that it is printed in INVISIBLE ink! Hand the page to the spectator, and explain that there are hundreds and hundreds of words on the page. Ask him to CAREFULLY CAREFULLY study the page and to remember any one of them. Make sure that he sees the typed word and by your actions and patter, make him remember it. Take back the page and pocket it as you ask him to name the very word he is thinking of. Finally reveal a prediction that proves you knew his thoughts all along. I’ll leave the form of the prediction to you! (IT ( IT MAY MAY READ DUMB…JUST TRY IT!)
GREAT L Y E X A G G E R AT E D The old saying that ‘small things amuse small minds’ could be easily adapted to read…’small things baffle small minds’. Regardless of the size of the mind about to review the following enigma, it will be well and truly baffled! I will describe this with playing cards but would advise the use of Tarot Tarot or even Lexicon cards in actual combat. Come to think of it, E.S.P. E.S.P. cards would also do nicely. nicely. Begin by scratch marking, with a sharp needle, the back of any card so that you can later spot in amongst a group of six. Place the marked card atop the deck, false shuffle and ask the spectator to cut the
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cards into six approximately equal packets on the table. This done, you ask him to remove the top card only from each packet and to shuffle these six random cards. In the dead time afforded by this shuffling, you assemble the rest of the deck and case it. Ask him now to deal the six cards into a neat row r ow,, faces down, across the table. t able. Spot the position of your marked card and if it rests three cards in from either end of the row, all is well. If, on the other hand, the card does not rest at the required position. Ask some impartial bystander to further mix the cards around on the table within the confines of the row row.. This procedure may be repeated with yet another spectator, if necessary, until the card arrives at the required destination. Should you have, earlier that day, smashed a mirror, mirror, walked beneath a ladder and put your umbrella up indoors… the card is still out of position. This situation is seldom arrived at and is easily rectified by mixing the cards yourself and positioning the force card. You are now about to force it via the ‘Vernon method’ as follows… Fig:1 shows the row of cards and the force card (shown in grey) is at number three. You now ask the spectator for any number from one to six inclusive and depending on his reply you either count or spell to the force card thus…
1
IF ONE IS NAMED YOU SPELL ALONG THE ROW FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT... RIGHT... O-N-E AND LAND ON THE FORCE CARD. IF TWO IS NAMED YOU SPELL ALONG THE ROW FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT... T-W-O AND LAND ON THE FORCE CARD. THREE IS IDEAL AS YOU SIMPLY COUNT ALONG FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND AGAIN HIT THE MARK. FOUR IS ALSO IDEAL AS YOU COUNT AGAIN ALONG THE ROW BUT THIS TIME FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. FIVE HAS YOU SPELLING F-I-V-E FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. FINALLY, SIX HAS YOU SPELLING S-I-X FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. Due to the fact that only one of he above procedures is used each time you perform
Page 38 the effect, any one will appear quite natural and as if you had intended all along to spell or count the number chosen. It now only remains for you to reveal the prediction that proves your prior knowledge of the spectator’s actions. The prediction can be anything from a duplicate card to a sky-written message from a passing jet. On occasion I have forced the seven of diamonds and previously handed the spectator a small box containing seven glass diamonds. If you use Tarot cards… purchase a cheap book explaining their interpretations. There are such books that devote an entire page to each card and also bear a drawing of the card in question. Simply tear out the required page and seal it in an envelope for later revelation. When using E.S.P E.S. P. cards, I seal the other four matching symbol cards in an envelope. If you use Lexicon cards and force the letter ‘T’ (THE 20th LETTER OF THE ALPHABET.) ALPHABET.) Use it to t o reveal a previously selected card, now residing at position 20th from the top of the tabled deck of regular playing cards. I use the “INCOMPLETE FARO CONTROL CONTROL’’ sending the selection to position 26, then shuffle off six cards. If you wish, you could force the letter ’Z’ and reduce your work and the later audience calculation to discover the position of the chosen letter in the alphabet. Once you have shuffled the deck and tabled it before the spectator, you NEVER AGAIN touch the cards (UNLESS YOU BROKE THE MIRROR ETC.) Point out, prior to the revelation all the facts with reference to the spectator doing everything ie… “The cards have been well shuffled and you cut them yourself several times and formed six packets. You couldn’t have known how deep you would cut when making each packet could you? You then removed the t he top card of each pile and shuffled them again, You made the final row of six cards and in fact HE* further mixed the cards around and so did HE*… You then thought of a number from one to six and that number caused us to arrive at the card you are now holding etc.”
(HE* refers to the other audience members who may have mixed the six cards around, in order to correctly position the force card.) Those with a knowledge of crimping, daubing etc. will turn this effect into an impromptu one. 2009 note: These days I would ask the person to t o think of a number, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. I would then add that they should not visualise the number as a number, but as a word in 6’ high capital letters. If they do this before naming their number,, your patter will be more in line with spelling the numbers ONE, TWO number and SIX. If their number is 3, 4 or 5... you counting along the row will be 100% accepted. I would also consider, these days, using a PATEO PATEO force rather rat her than the count/spell force outlines above.
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ANY QUESTIONS? Over the ages there ther e have been many variations var iations on the “CLOCK’ card effect. Basically, Basically, a circle of 12 cards are dealt out, depending on the variation, an hour (or hours) are decided upon by the spectator and these are shown to have been previously known by the performer perf ormer.. The following variation is a little different, though how different will depend on your own experience in this field. It is not 100% necessary to have a complete set-up deck, though it does make the presentation much simpler and less restricted. Set the cards in ace to king order repeated throughout. They need not be in any particular suit rotation. Hand the deck to the spectator and ask him to cut as many times as he likes, but ensure that he completes the cut each time. Once he stops cutting, ask him to imagine a clock face on the table before him. Have him deal 12 face down cards into a tabled circle with a card at each of the imaginary numbers on the clock. All you need to note (and remember) is where he deals the first card into the circle and whether he deals clockwise or anticlockwise. Once he has dealt all 12 cards, take the deck from him and table it for the moment. Ask him to now imagine that the fingers of his imaginary clock are pointing t o two of the hours, and ask him to flip the card at each of these hours face up in his circle. Once he has done this. Pick up the deck and deal another circle of cards on top of his STARTING ON THE FIRST CARD HE DEALT AND DEALING IN THE SAME CLOCKWISE OR ANTICLOCKWISE DIRECTION THAT HE DID EARLIER . In other words, deal your circle of cards in exactly the same manner as he dealt his. That’s not ‘quite’ true, as you should perform a ‘second deal’ only on the two face up cards in his circle. Due to the two second deals... there are now two pairs of identical value cards at the positions denoted by his two face up cards. All the other pairs in the circle will contain pairs of differing values. It only remains to point out that the other ten pairs of cards contain un-matched pairs, yet at the exact hours denoted by the spectator’s two face up cards... there are two matching pairs! You You could, if you like prove that you actually knew the two hours he would decide on by using your trusty nail writer! Note: After the creation of Any Question? a friend drew my attention to Bob Mason’s ‘Marka Thought’ manuscript. Both are similar, similar, though we have each used different methods/presentation. The Mason M/S is available from Haines House Of Cards Inc.
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THE LAST WORD I bet, when you read the “CONTENTS” page, that you thought THE LAST WORD was a trick eh? Ahhhh well, we can’t have everything! I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief collection and, hopefully, left these pages with a few more bullets in your magical gun. If you have any comments, criticisms, offers of employment etc. please contact me via the details below. Till next we cross thoughts, all the very best to you all!
Stephen Tucker October 1985.
THOUGHT WAVES e-book is © January 2009 by Stephen Tucker, 1 Castle Haven, Foley Terrace, Terrace, Great Malvern, Worcs. WR14 4RQ. England. E-mail:
[email protected] www.stephentuckermagic.co.uk
