Firstly let let me start by saying thank thank you to to all the people that have have followed this course. It really is crazy how time flies – This is the 6 th volume in the series and this month we will be looking at ‘Numbers’. I am writing the introduction to this volume from within a tiny coffee shop in Dusseldorf (Germany) and was hit with a moment of overwhelming feelings at how far I have come on my journey. I was reading through an old notebook of mine (of which I have many, s temming back to scribbles from the first week I became interested in mentalism) and I read a paragraph that has inspired this introduction. “I really wish I knew more about the grandfathers of mentalism, I know their material (which is incredible, inspiring and life changing) but I really wish I knew more about them as people. What they felt felt like when they were writing, writing, what inspired them, what was their interests/ hobbies outside of mentalism mentalism and what would it be like to sit and have a conversation conversation with them”. I wrote that sentiment 4 years ago. It dawned on me just now, even though I never expect to be as well-known well-known as the greats in mentalism mentalism or even even spoken of with the same respect, respect, I may not ever meet you the reader in person. I may not ever get to sit and have a conversation with you in person (which is a shame as I wish we could all connect) and I realized that after all of these years that is what my writing is missing… ME During this volume (and this volume alone) I am going to share my feelings whilst writing. You will get to know k now how I am feeling at the time of writing certain sections and I will be open and honest about about me as a person person as to give you an insight into into my world. At the time of writing this introduction I am content, I started my journey in magic and mentalism roughly 23 years ago and cannot believe all of the amazing opportunities and doors it has opened up for me and I am thankful more than you guys will ever know. I was a strange child, a little bit distant and had a crazily vivid imagination. I was bitten by the magic bug the day after my mother abandoned me and my younger brother Sam’ Sam ‘ ’ on my Nans doorstep. I remember seeing Lance Burton on television on Xmas day (we were ditched Xmas eve) and being in awe as I watched him make doves appear and disappear, candles turn into handkerchiefs and range of other unworldly things. I knew in my heart from that very moment what I wanted from life… To be a magician. I was an unruly child, wild and carefree and very, very independent. I think upon reflection that my Mum leaving was probably the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. The best in the sense it changed time and space and opened up this world of opportunity the worst because psychologically it makes it very difficult for me to sustain a meaningful relationship with people (as a whole). I learnt my first series of magic tricks from a supply teacher that came into the school, I had been making drawings of me performing magic tricks and had told him that when I grew up that’s what what I was going to be… Not what I wanted to be, what what I was going to be.
Armed with an array of effects – I wanted to show anyone who would give me the time of day my skills. The problem was that no one really really cared for my magic as as a child, it really fucking hurt every time I tried to show someone a trick and they never took me seriously or dismissed d ismissed me. The only person that ever did was my Granddad and I saw him in-frequently. I started to become withdrawn and more wild, it seemed the the only time people paid attention attention to me was when I did something dangerous like jumping out of trees or climbing shed roofs. I became a fighter, where I grew up you had to learn to defend yourself and this made me more unruly. It was really strange because my circle of friends were the sort that attracted bullies, my best friend had (and still has) no hair as he had lost it to alopecia, another friend of mine was Mark Pearson, was obsessed with Freddy Kruger and used to draw him all the time and then there was Robert Greenwood who stuck wax crayons in his ears and ate them (why I don’t know). The only thing that could ever really ever really hurt us? Words – If anyone even even came close to trying to physically physically attack attack me or my friends (and (and they tried on numerous occasions) I would battle them. That part of my world world was manic. Magic was the exact opposite - it brought balance and order to my life and it gave me something to look forward to. Creating effects, sitting and refining my skills, having something that was just mine that no one could take away from me and it made me feel alive. I stayed friends with my small group throughout the entirety of my school life and the only thing that really changed was the way that magic was perceived. David Blaine came onto the scene, I was in high school at the time (we call it upper school in England) and when his special hit T.V suddenly magic was cool. I was constantly flocked at high school to perform effects. It was really strange because our little group had shifted from being outcasts to in betweeners. We were accepted by the popular kids and even managed to stop a lot of the bullying that occurred in our year at school. It really was strange because the line between popular and outcast really became blurred, towards the end of high there really wasn’t much of a difference anymore. I am not saying I was the sole reason for this happening but I know the magic certainly helped. Because I always always did my own thing and and never cared about cared about anyone anyone else’s else’s opinion, when girls suddenly ‘appeared’ I ‘appeared’ I was very popular because of my way of life. I used to walk down the corridors with a guitar on my back twiddling cards around… In hindsight I probably looked like a complete penis. I never shared with the ladies what I did on a Saturday afternoon – Each Saturday I worked on a market stall pitching magic products wearing a purple velvet suit… I can assure you assure you I looked more or a penis than the guitar toting card twiddler I was Monday through Friday. I remember being on the stall and picking up a book that was all the way from America (for the life in me I can’t remember what it was) and closing my eyes and imagining that someone on the other sside ide of the world would read my creations. It gave me a really strange warm feeling. I continued creating effects and performing them at school, moving from one girlfriend to the next (not real relationships, relationships, the teenage kind) kind) and was very happy with
the way things were going, life was running smoothly for the first time in what seemed an eternity. My school life came to an end at 14 – I never finished upper school. This is a fact a lot of people do not know about me, I started at first skiving (skipping) school and going round to a friend’s house to build cars and play the guitar. For the record he never led in anyway, I made my own decisions. This went on for about a year and then my Nan found f ound out, she took the news surprisingly well we ll but my uncle (My Nan’s son) who also lived with us went psycho. My uncle was a hot head and was very corporal with his punishments (too extreme at times) and after a good beating he threw me down the front steps of the house and told me not to come back. Things were about to change massively. I had just turned 15 and I was stubborn, if I had returned home a couple of days later and begged for their forgiveness I would have been allowed back, I know that in my heart of hearts. hearts. At the time time I took it as a personal attack and after remember how my mum had treated me couldn’t help but feel that I was getting the same treatment. I vowed to punish them by not returning. It was autumn (fall) going into winter and I had no covers covers a very small amount of clothing and and nowhere to go as my Nan was the only family that I had that lived in the area. The first couple of weeks I went to a nearby allotment and made a little shack out of broken bits of wood, twigs and debris and during the day did d id the same as I always did (never telling anyone my situation as I was too proud) and at night when all my friends had gone in from playing out I returned to my shack. I got caught living there by one of the residents that lived near the allotments and I was forced to flee… I needed to change my tactics. I headed for the city center in the day time and busked using magic to make money get food and sustain myself and the nighttime I would find a phone box to stay in for warmth. One day quite by chance my friend Tom (the chap who had h ad lost his hair due to alopecia) was off of school and I was on my way down towards his house and met a local business owner John Creber who saw me messing around with the old pasteboards (cards). He asked me to show him a trick and after showing him a few of my pet effects he asked me what I was doing off of school. I don’t know what compelled me but I told him I had left school (I never mentioned the fact that I was living living on the streets). streets). He told me to come see him when I was 16 and he would give me a joinery (carpentry) apprenticeship, I remember jokingly telling telling him to pick a card and if I could guess it he was to give me the apprenticeship early. early. Cut a long story short the next day I was working for ‘Accommodate U.K’! I was finally earning money, I rented a little bed sit on my own at 15 and had a full time job in a position pos ition that most people would have had to finish school with good grades to get… All because because of magic. It was around about this time sat in my bed sit I turned the television on and saw Derren Derren Brown. My interest interest in mentalism mentalism had started started I was hooked hooked and the rest is as they say – History.
I will save the rest of the story for another time as I feel by now no w that you are itching to get into the content. content. But But I wanted to share with you you just how much of a consistent thing magic/ mentalism has been in my life. It is the only thing that has truly stayed with me through everything, relationships have come and gone as have friendships but the things I am sharing with you in these volumes come from my heart and soul. so ul. If I went back to having nothing again tomorrow (in the materialistic sense) - I would still be smiling as I would still have this. Through thick and thin… thin…
P.s – My friend stopped s topped eating wax crayo n… n… Well at Well at least I think he did.
Seems like a crazy crazy question right? right? Think about it, it, numbers are something that appear appear in every single aspect aspect of our life from pin codes, telephone numbers, addresses, age/ d.o.b to the # code of the hue scripting of a colour! It makes complete sense to focus on numbers when performing mentalism. There are so many interesting routines that are created based around number mentalism that it really would be a shame to not take a look at some of the things that can be created around these abstract units. I am going to start by sharing the re-workings re -workings of an idea of mine m ine from my very first release ‘Devious realities’ it is strange for me to look back at that work, it really was a pivotal pivotal point in defining who who I am now. I look at it and sometimes shake shake my head at how naïve I was, the methods and plots were cool but some of my thinking back then was out there. Kenton there. Kenton really really seemed to to enjoy this routine, routine, it was was my take on ‘Gumball guessing’ at a fair ground except with Lego blocks?!? blocks?!? Why Lego blocks I do not know but I got some great mileage out of this this routine look how different different I look here here ha!
The main reason I want to share this routine is that within it there is an interesting principle that takes place towards the back end of the routine (or at least how I would do it now) after reading this I am going to share a close up variation straight out of my close up set. The method for this is very, very simple and enables so much in terms of performance. I am going to start this routine in an unusual fashion, by sharing the method first! The method we are going to be employing during this routine is the old ‘Toxic force’ – Here is the outlined method for the Toxic force.
This principle goes principle goes all the way back to the 70’s and as far as I am aware is credited to Bob King. John Cornelius is credited credited in other literature literature that I have read on this subject but I believe believe it pre-dates pre-dates him. This principle enables you to turn some scientific calculators and mobile (cell) phone calculators into calculators that will force any total you want – Without having to rewire them or tamper with them. I personally personally use an IPhone IPhone to perform this this principle. I always borrow the participant’s phone, I never use my own. Ensure the phone you use is an ‘IPhone ‘ IPhone’’ – This – This will not work on an android. If you have an IPhone you can try this now, if you do not ask someone who does (that you know) if you can try this. Type in any total you want to force on your calculator, calculator, then press
To punch in the Parenthesis Parenthesis (open bracket) bracket) on the IPhone you you have to rotate the phone on its side and the calculator calculator on an IPhone IPhone will turn into into a scientific calculator. calculator. Ensure you press the buttons in that order and if you have done it right the times key will be highlighted. Simply press the number zero and you are ready to test the phone. Type in any sum you want, make a few additions, subtractions, and and when you are done press equals and the look at what happens… The total you want to force will be the total of all the sums you typed in!! Just like that, you have an Add-A-Number force calculator. The reason this is called the TOXIC principle should be apparent but even people in the know sometimes miss this – toxic is the mnemonic used to remember the buttons to press. T O X I C + 0 X |( It’s a quick way to remember, should you forget the order to press the b uttons in. I will explain how I punch this into the participant’s phone in the second variant of this effect.
“A wisdom of crowds was a theory used used to guess the weight of an ox. Many people have seen contests in which they win a prize if a single person can guess the number of items in a barrel or jar. This is because guessing on your own can deceive you. Working with an average of many many minds often gets often gets you closer closer to the truth.” A jar is displayed that is filled with Lego toy pieces (or sweets). Eight people call out their guesses of the amount of Legos in the jar. A subject acting as judge writes writes down the guesses called out. The judging spectator adds up all the numbers called out and gets a large sum, such as 984. The judge then divides this large sum by the number of people who called out numbers and gets to the average number of the group. In this example, 123. The judge then opens the jar (or someone else may do so). Inside the jar, on top of the Legos is a paper with the true amount amount of Legos in in the jar written written on it. Amazingly Amazingly the total is 123! The calculations help help both to bury and excuse the use use of the calculator. calculator. I took the amount of Legos (123 pieces) and decided I was going to have eight people call out their guesses from the audience, so I punched in this equation on an unprepared calculator: 123 x 8 This totaled 984, 984 is going to be the the number I force. force. When I am performing this effect I always use this line – Performer: “Inside this jar there are a number of Lego blocks, I think it is obvious by looking there is more than one piece and just so you are aware there isn’t over three hundred pieces. I want you all to think of how many blocks many blocks there are are inside this jar”. I would then ask eight people to shout numbers out, as the numbers are being shouted out I have a judge on the stage who punches the number into the calculator. Of course this is when the person person uses the IPhone and the total total is already predetermined. predetermined. They add in all the numbers and hit the = button, thus arriving at the total 984. I then proceed to address the audience, Performer: “I did say earlier that there is less than 300 hundred pieces and therefore I think it is obvious that there is not 984 pieces, but if we take that total and divide it by the number of people that took a guess we will arrive at the average number of the group as a whole. whole. This is known as ‘The wisdom of crowds’.” crowds’.” This is the beautiful part of the routine and the bit that I think completely kills any notion of the method existing. existing. I would then ask a member of the audience to remove their phone and go to their calculator – While they are doing this I ask the participants that made a guess to raise their hand and I count them asking each one to drop their hand as I do so. This gives the person getting the phone out time to access the calculator calculator and kills kills the dead time.
I then tell the person who has the calculator to punch in the total 984 and divide it by 8 as that is the number number of players players and then press press equals and call out the total. The total of course is is going to be 123 – This is such a strong routine routine - it hits hard! I also love love the fact that the last section of the routine ends in the spectators hands. hands. There is one subtlety that I highly recommend, when applying the toxic force it’s understandable to be worried about letting the participant punch the numbers into the phone as they could accidentally accidentally punch in the wrong digits or clear the toxic force when they make a mistake mistake by pressing the clear button. button. I had this happen on several occasions when first putting this type of routine into my close up act. Whenever you hit a snag like this, it’s very easy to over think the situation and decide you are going to punch the digits into the phone to save this happening. This totally detracts from the overall power power of the routine, it kills the reaction on the end and leaves people with theories as to how the effect is achieved such as ‘maybe he didn’t didn’t punch in the right digits’ or ‘maybe he did something sneaky that we didn’t see’. There is a simple simple remedy – think about the choreography choreography of the routine and the way it is constructed. Sometimes something as simple as one sentence can completely control the entire way a participant acts. In this situation the sentence I found worked the most seamlessly. Performer: “I want you to do your best to punch in the numbers exactly as they are called out, but if you make a mistake don’t worry just worry just keep moving forwards, forwards, don’t try to rectify the mistake, as the mistake mistake will just add to to the randomness of the outcome of the total”. total”. One thing I focus on extensively extensively that I feel trumps trumps every every other principle in mentalism mentalism is ‘Reframing’ . There are a lot of times when I feel a routine has a moment or phase that detracts from the overall performance performance and the logical thing is to try and hide that moment or make it as invisible as possible. possible. I think that the exact opposite logic should be applied sometimes. The process of taking that moment and making it stand out the greats of mentalism ‘Banachek’ and ‘Ned Rutledge’ Rutledge’ call ‘Painting it red’. When I read about this principle I instantly fell in love with it and it inspired me to think about how I could apply this logic logic to my performances. After a while I got so used to to taking the negative moments in performance performance and changing them so that they made made the overall overall performance performance seem seem impossible that that I started started to call this process ‘Reframing’. I was asked last week why I name every subtlety or principle and give it a label, this is something that I feel is a good question, you may have even wondered that yourself and the honest answer is once I have named a subtlety or a principle its easy when I am
creating an effect to quickly jump to the reference of the principle or subtlety if it has a name. Sometimes I create principles and have no place to put them as they don’t naturally fit the context of the premise or method I am working with at the time and I am never one to to use a method or a principle for the sake of it. So I give it a name, which makes it findable later when I am going through my notes. Not only that, when someone asks me questions later it quickly enables me to know exactly which detail they are talking about. Anyway back to reframing, in this routine you will notice that the worry is that the participant may clear the toxic force out of the calculator. We take this moment and we make it an integral part of the routine and claim that if it happens it is something that none of us could have pre-empted and it only makes the entire routine as a whole more impossible. This from the participant’s perspective perspective seems to be logically true and therefore it is something that is not questioned because it coincides with their logic. Rapport building is massively important in mentalism, the only time one should ever try to go against the grain, grain, is is if it completely completely integral to the routine (in terms terms of that’s how the method works or it entails going against the grain in order to re-frame the performance)… Let me try to give an example that is not relevant to this situation (very quickly I promise). Peek Wallets – I fucking hate them, no offence to anyone that has created one or anyone that utilizes utilizes them they just don’t work for me it doesn’t fit my character. A few years ago ago I was consulting for a performer who adored them and no matter how much I tried to persuade him to convert to convert to a good billet billet peek he wasn’t wasn’t swaying. I asked him what his justification was – he told me he didn’t need one on e and that may be true (for you the reader) but the amount of times I saw people ask to look at the wallet after a routine was startling. startling. He asked if I could could help create create a routine that utilized utilized the peek wallet. The long and short of the the justification was this – You find the biggest skeptic in the group, point out that you would like to play a game where they have the chance to win everything and lose nothing, by everything you mean all the money that that is in the wallet. wallet. This is is the point you would open the wallet and show 20/ 30 pounds, and bring out a business card with a blank side on it. Explain that the skeptic skeptic is to make a drawing drawing on the card – This ensures that they cannot lie later on or change their mind… Why wouldn’t they if the temptation of mone y is involved? While the skeptic is making the drawing nominate a judge who is going to be the mediator, it is explained that the card is going to be placed inside the wallet with the money and
they are to hold onto it. This ensures that the skeptic cannot cannot switch the card and that the money is on display at all times. I think you can work the rest out. It is integral to this routine to rub against the grain and create a game type scenario to justify the need to put the card into the wallet. The logic that tha t was created sits with the participants understand of what is logical and we have reframed the weakest part in the routine to be the fairest. This is I feel the only time you should go against the grain – playfully. The rest rest of the time time it should be about creating creating a positive positive rapport – I have literally seen performers ask people if they believe in psychics and then tear into the participant for their beliefs and that is not cool, nor does it make people want to remember you or pay an interest in what what it is you have to show them. When you reframe the parts of a routine that are the ‘compromise’ - reframe them to fit the participant’s beliefs and create create a logic from their perspective. perspective. Note to the reader*** to stick in line with the way I set out to write this volume (as mentioned in the introduction) I thought I would share my feelings at this point. Whenever I am writing I feel one of two ways, excited inspired and raring to go or irritated, poorly (ill) and the words start to become a blur and I wish the world wo rld would just swallow me so I get away from the same sentence that I keep messing up over and over again. It is currently 5.45am I have not slept for two days, I have just finished consulting for the night and time has ran away with me. This happened yesterday yesterday I had not eaten eaten all all day and by the time I had finished around this sort of time, time, left to get something to eat eat and then replied replied to my mail over breakfast, breakfast, it was 9am. After breakfast breakfast I was asked to go into into a meeting with with a magic company – which lasted an hour and a half. I then opened my mail on Facebook and forgot that I had booked to have a meeting with a graphic designer, after the meeting meeting I talked with with Ben Seward via via whatsapp whatsapp about his new book and wrote a forward for him and then Skype began to ring and Mijrin was calling me – After an hour on Skype with Mijrin, a shower and a little bit of writing for fo r myself (this volume) I was consulting again and today I was filming the introduction to this series and editing it whilst multitasking and I was supposed to be going on a date this evening but cancelled it as I was needed for a consultation… Don’t think I will be seeing her again. Anyway I have ‘Making a murderer’ on in the background and I am now writing again, I feel dehydrated but no amount of liquid is helping hydrate me. My eyes are burning in the sockets but I have too many ideas going around in my head right now to sleep. Mijrin joined me during part of my tour in Holland and he asked me after witnessing it firsthand how I cope – The honest nswer a nswer is sometimes sometimes I don’t! What I am about to share is straight out of my working set. I love this routine… It kills – When you read this, it is going to seem simple and you might dismiss it, try it because I promise you the reactions you get when performing this routine are crazy. I have h ave shared this routine with one other performer and he was dubious when he read it, he saw me
performing this routine, added it into his close up set and he now uses this at every performance he does. Let me outline the full performance first then break it down piece by piece. There are a couple couple of really really beautiful moments moments of psychology in this routine. I have never given this routine a title – Staying consistent to the type of documentary that is on in the background background I am going to call this routine routine –
The performer is sat at a table after performing several feats of mind reading with a small group of participants. One of the participants participants addresses the performer – Participant: “Can anyone do what you do or is it something that you were born with”. Performer: “Anyone can do it, it just takes time, and time, and with the with the right guidance guidance you wouldn’t believe the things that are possible. possible. Do you have a bank note?” note?” The participant reaches reaches into their bag and produces produces a bank note. The performer hands the note to another participant at the table whist addressing the group, Performer: “I am so confident in your ability to do this, I am willing to bet ten pounds of Sam’s money on the outcome”. The performer performer asks to borrow borrow the participant’s phone and accesses their calculator and calculator and lays the phone face up on the table. He then looks at the participant to his far left. Performer: “I was asked if anyone can do this, they really can but you need to trust yourself. I live at a property that has a two digit number on the door, tell me what number house do I live at?” at ?” Participant: “17” The performer punches punches 17 into the phone and then continues, continues, Performer: “As you walk into my house there are a series of paintings painting s I painted, one is a triangle with the word freedom under it, what three digits digits are surround surround the triangle?” Participant: “363”. The performer punches those digits into the calculator, then looks at the second participant. Performer: “I am going to add whatever digits whatever digits you say to XXX’s. XXX’s. I have a year in mind, a year that is special to me. Tell me when you have a year in your head don’t say it out loud”.
Participant: “I have one”. Performer: “You second questioned yourself, that’s not the year . Change your your mind and tell tell everyone everyone what year you feel is important to me”. Participant: “2008”. Performer: “Looking at me what singular digit is coming into your mind?” Participant: “6”. The performer punches the numbers numbers into the calculator calculator and then quickly quickly addresses a third participant, Performer: “Name the first number that pops into your head?” Participant “9”. The performer performer presses the plus key very openly and presses presses the number nine and then stops stops – He readdresses the third participant. Performer: “In-fact “In-fact take the phone, punch in a in a random digit (the participant does)… Another (the participant does)… another two (the (th e participant does). Place the phone face up on the table”. The performer looks looks at the group for a second and then then addresses them, them, Performer: “I asked you to tell me the exact the exact address I lived at, I live at 17 Thornton rd. and the painting inside my house has a triangle with the numbers 363 surrounding it. Anyone in your position would have gone for the exact same numbers”. He looks towards participant number 2, Performer: “2008 Performer: “2008 was the year that my son was born and the number 6 was the very first digit I learnt to transmit from mind to mind and started me upon the very journey that has led me to this table right now and anyone in your position would have gone for the same numbers also”. also”. He then looks towards the third participant, Performer: The “The numbers you punched in were seemingly random, had this of been anyone else these digits would have been different but fate decided you would punch in these numbers. Fate decided you would be here tonight, out of anywhere else in the world that you could have been and fate decided that we would meet. Press the equal’s button”. equal’s button”. Does this total mean anything to anyone here?” The group proclaim proclaim that it doesn’t. The performer then then reaches for his wallet wallet whist saying saying – Performer: “Would you believe believe me if I told you that before I left the house tonight I took a pen and on a receipt receipt in my wallet I wrote wrote this number down and brought it with with me?”
The group look in disbelief as the performer casually shows his hands empty and slowly reaches for his wallet, the group lean in intently waiting to see the receipt the performer slowly opens his wallet and says – Performer: “No I haven’t” The group breathe breathe a sigh of relief. relief. The performer then then addresses the group, group, Performer: “Wouldn’t it be interesting if this total was the serial number on the bank note that you have been holding the entire time?” The group look at the the serial number… number… It matches matches and the group go crazy! Trust me, when when I tell tell you you how amazing the reactions are when performing this routine… It kills Hence calling it Serial Killer. I am going to break this routine down into steps, the first step is stealing the serial number from the participant’s participant’s bank note note – This – This is incredibly easy
When you ask the participant for a bank note, try to ensure that it comes from the participant’s purse or wallet. The reason being that the note will be in the note section of the wallet and it will come out flat as opposed to folded. If it does come out folded don’t worry, just simply open it. You are looking for the serial number, on the English notes it is on the width edge of the note. Remember the last six digits, on an English note they they are are grouped grouped together. There is no real technique to remembering remembering the 6 digits digits - let’s say the number was 873456, I just say it to myself in my head a couple of times. You can break it up into two, three digit numbers but honestly honestly you are only remember the the digits for a few seconds. On an American note, remember the the first 6. The way that this section of the routine is framed is that you are using this as part of gag/ prize, there is no heat on the note as that is all it seemingly there for. No one is watching out for you to be looking at the serial number, just take your time there is no rush, in performance trust me this flies by. The mechanics are simple you take the note whilst whilst saying – Performer: “I am so confident in your ability to do this… (This is where you take your peek) I am willin g to bet (Double check check the serial serial number) 20 pounds of XXX’s money on the outcome”. It gets a laugh and you hand the note to someone in the group. You are literally literally holding the note for the briefest briefest period of time time and handing it it on.
When you come to the kicker of the routine the participants will swear you didn’t touch the note and note and you didn’t ever ever know/ see the serial number. The amount of times people people will swear that they handed the note to whoever is holding it is startling. The next section is loading loading the the total into the participant’s phone. phone.
This is my favourite section because because it is the boldest little little moment in the entire entire routine but flies by beautifully. beautifully. When you get to the calculator hold it towards yourself and look at the participant who gave you bank note, punch in the serial number on the calculator and apply the toxic force. Then proclaim to yourself, yourself, Performer: “In fact, let’s do it this way”. [The aim here is to make it seem like you were going to get them to do something and then at the last second changed your mind. I would suggest s uggest putting the phone face down for a few seconds and then picking it up and sstating tating the line above. After stating the above line hit the number 0 and BOOM! You are ready to rock and roll, the rest is is all presentation presentation from from this point. There are a couple of moments in the routine I want to talk about that make this routine special (at least to me). This first is to pay attention to what numbers the participant calls out. This routine you will find makes it incredible easy for you to remember the numbers that are called out as each one you are connecting to something visual. The numbers are also broke down into sections, so it’s not like remembering a huge total but a series of broken down numbers. There is 2 digit digit address, a 3 digit number around around a painting, painting, a year and a random digit – remembering them like this you will have all the time in the world to commit them to memory. You don’t need to remember the last 5 digits that t hat the participant punches in. When you call out the digits back to the participant in a confident manner (just before they press the equal’s equal’s button) it will be as though the participant’s genuinely guessed numbers that are tied to your life. When the reveal hits at the end of the routine it confirms that they genuinely did guess things from your life (giving themselves credit for doing something that can only be described as inexplicable). Another little subtlety is when the second participant participant thinks of o f a year. It really doesn’t matter what number the participant thinks of as the total is predetermined so I take advantage of this tiny moment – I tell the participant the first year they are thinking of is wrong and to change their mind, without them ever saying the year they are thinking of out loud. Think of this from a psychological point of view, it suggests that you can read whatever whatever numbers come into the participant’s head when they were thinking of them (in a very indirect sense). This is again confirmed when the reveal comes to fruition.
There is one one more area I have have found gets a great reaction even though I have done nothing, the wallet. wallet. This moment moment plays plays a huge part in the routine from a construction construction point point of view as it releases some of the pressure that has been built up and kills a lot lot of the participant’s expectations. When the numbers are revealed to be the serial number of the bank note it totally takes the participant out of the left field and knocks them for six. I love the idea of diverting diverting the attention of the the aud audience ience after creating an expectation, expectation, killing that expectation and then reinstating it with a bang. This routine is one of those routines that is ultra-simple ultra-simple in terms of mechanics and the big moment doesn’t take a long time to get to. Try this routine at least once I guarantee guarantee you you will love the the way it plays plays out.
This routine is a routine that I have mass amounts of fun playing around with, the more you do this the faster you will get at it and the cleaner it will appear. This is a variant of something that I released in the past that 90% of you wont of seen or had the chance to play with and this is a variation you most certainly have not seen as I have been selfish with it for some time. I am so shocked s hocked that no one has come across this before, it is not only clever but fun to perform and impossible to back track.
The performer proposes to try an attempts the experiment he looks at them thinks. He proclaims that one other aesthetically but he might be
experiment with a couple of participant’s, before he the two participants participants and tries to work out how each of of them he believes sees things analytically and the wrong.
He asks the first participant to take out their mobile phone and punch in a series of random digits, whilst the first participant is doing that the second participant is asked to think of the name of someone that means something to them but not to go for a ridiculously long name for reasons that they will understand in a moment. The first participant participant adds more digits to the digits he has already already punched in and whilst the first participant is punching numbers in the second participant is asked to look at their dial pad on their their phone and under the numbers they will see letters. letters. They are are asked to convert the letters letters to numbers so for example the name ‘Rose’ would convert to the numbers ‘7673’ as the letter R appears with the number 7 above it the letter O with the number 6 above it it and so on and so forth. The participant participant is advised advised to not choose a name that is longer longer than 6 letters letters as they they have to remember the digits digits and the entire outcome outcome of the experiment is based based on their ability to do so. The first participant at this point has finished creating a random pin code, the second participant is handed the phone and is asked to add their private code to the first participants and press equals. The performer directs the second participant to not worry about the total as it will confuse things the total is there merely merely to obscure the two pin
codes and that if he (the performer) p erformer) was to look at the total he couldn’t differentiate between the first pin code punched into into the phone and the second. The participant agrees that is so, just before the phone is handed to the performer, the performer notices that the first participant is looking dubious so he asks for the total to be erased entirely. entirely. The performer then looks at the first participant and guesses their pin code confirming that the participant participant does think analyticall analytically. y. He looks at the second participant and starts to struggle, he claims that his suspicions were true the second participant focuses on things aesthetically and he would like to try things differently as as he is struggling struggling with the number. number. The performer takes his mobile mobile phone out and asks the participant to think about the name of the person he is thinking of. He takes a photo of the participant and starts to point out things from within the photograph that are giving him clues and finishes by correctly guessing the name that the second participant is thinking of!!
This routine was something that was created by accident, I was sat on hold when calling Virgin media (which is an internet provider in the U.K.) and then an automated voice came on and said “To help speed things up , , use your keypad to punch in the first digit of your accounts passcode”. passcode”. Normally Normally I am pissed off at the lack lack of human interaction during these these phone calls, but this one was different I put the phone down before even connecting with an actual human to to talk about my account. I ran straight to my note pad and thought about all the different applications, I thought if I could get hold of the the numbers somehow I could could convert them back back to letters and know what the participant was thinking of. The first idea I had was way off base and a nd I was struggling to convert the numbers back into letters as the time it took was far too long. Disappointed I made my call to Virgin Media and put the idea to bed. A few months later I was going back through my notebooks and I saw this idea and thought I would give it another go. I once read a quote (I don’t know where from) that suggested if there is ever anything you want want to know just Google it. I Google’d and google’d and after about an hour of searching I came across this – www.Aer.org This will convert the the numbers back back to a word in an instance. instance. You may be thinking to yourself – Why not just have someone write it down on a billet and then reveal it. Valid Valid point, put I think it is counter intuitive intuitive to have someone someone create a passcode on a mobile phone to then have someone else write write on a billet billet – Doesn’t it make sense to have both participants entering their information on the same platform?
Not only that, as they are changing the letters to numbers they assume you are going to reveal the numbers making the reveal of the word/ name incredibly impressive as they never expected expected it. Another positive is that it instantly makes the plot credible, claiming that you find one participant analytical and the other aesthetic based in their thinking and then proving it in the end by reveali revealing ng the information the way you first called called it. I believe whole heartedly if the participant is alone and you have a billet to hand UTILIZE THE BILLET but if you don’t have a billet and you want to reveal words or names this will work perfectly and is often more impressive as it’s a less direct line to backtrack than writing on a billet. Let’s first take a look at the dodge (motivation) to put the numbers into your phone to convert them back to a word. I am going to describe this in the only way I can (from the perspective of an IPhone owner) – If you own an android you can do this, I just don’t know the buttons… Sorry. Sorry. On your IPhone visit – The aforementioned website website – www.Aer.org Note to the reader*** Just to show you how good this website below is a picture of a dial pad, create a long word and punch the numbers into the website – Here is an example of how to create a code.
Let’s say you were thinking of the word ‘damage’ look at the numbers that create that word
The first one would be a 3 (as the letter ‘d’ is in the box with the number 3) the second would be a 2 (as that’s where ‘a’ is) and you would do this for the rest of the letters. Note on the IPhone the letters are underneath the dial pad. The numbers that would would be used to represent represent the word damage damage would be – 326243 If I copy these letters into the website this is what I get
You will notice looking at the photo, there is only one word – The rest are broken in half, all you need to do is quickly look down through the center of the breaks to the one whole word (connected) and you know what the participant is thinking of.
The question that should be on your mind m ind right now is how in the middle of performance do you access the website and punch in the numbers? Test this out – Leave the website open, press the home button on the IPhone. The phone will go back to the main menu, go into your gallery on your phone and look at a photograph (you will understand why in a moment). Double tap the home button twice and a quick access menu should appear, swipe up on anything other than the photo you are looking at and the internet page (www.aer.com). It will close the rest of the applications and just leave them to open. In performance you won’t have to set this up again as long as you remember to close all other applications before you go into performance. Double tap the home button again it will go back to the photograph. Let’s pretend you are looking at the photograph of the participant, touch the screen a few times like you are pointing things out about the photograph (this is purely theatrics but serves a purpose) double tap the home button after a few seconds s econds and click the safari tab you will notice it instantly jumps to the webpage! Under the guise of pretending pretending to point out other things things about the participant participant photograph, you tap in the numbers and click enter. When you know the word simply double tap the home button and click the photo and the photo will will open again! again! It literally takes a few seconds to jump between the two. If you know the star sign anagram (outlined in several of my earlier works) you can perform this during looking at the photograph, it is not necessary but can buy you time if you are slow during the punching in the number process. If you have practiced this dodge enough it should only take a few seconds to do. I love the visual of asking a participant to think of the name and then take a photograph of them whilst proclaiming – Performer: “Our brains process up to 15,000 thoughts a second, by asking you to focus f ocus on the name and taking a photograph at the exact moment it’s at the front of your mind means that I can read the photograph without other thoughts clouding the thought that is relevant to me guessing what you you are thinking”. thinking”. This I feel is the perfect justification for taking a photograph, I also love the visual or reading the photograph to deduce things about the participant. Thinking about it, this is almost a modern modern take on ‘Sneak Thief’ – It – It is certainly remnant of it. For more information on reading the participant, refer back to the ‘Readings’ volume in this series. Now I have outlined the process of how to convert the numbers back to words, let’s take a look at how to retrieve the numbers so that we can punch them into the generator.
The first participant’s number you have a choice you can use the ‘toxic force’ outlined earlier no matter what numbers they punch into the calculator you know what it is going to equal in advance advance – That takes care of the first participant’s participant’s code. If you do not want to utilize the toxic force you can always use the ‘life equation’ this is something I have covered a few times in my previous works – If you do not know it, here it is it is outlined quickly quickly (As I don’t want to to keep going going over old material).
This is a very, very very old effect and and one that in its original original form was was fairly transparent. With the the scripts I offer here, you will will never get get called on this, this, as it seems so fair. Did I mention this can be done over the telephone? I will outline the script that makes this seem impossible after the breakdown. Ask the participant to go into their calculator. Most mobile phones have them, making it probable that they have one on their person. At first I will explain the formula, remember this is transparent and appears like math in its original form form (until you add the script). Ask the participant to type in the year they were born. Make sure they type it in in full four-digit form. Tell them to press press the plus key and and to type in a year year that is special special to them. Tell them to press press the plus key again again and then then to type in their age. Tell them to press press the plus key for the last time and to type in the number of years yea rs it’s been since the special special year. year. Press the equal’s key. equal’s key. What they have just done is calculated their life number. If you take a look at the math, you will see an interesting interesting thing has taken place. They will type in their D.O.B. and then their age. age. When they total total this, it will total the year we are in currently (2016). When they add their special year and the number of years it’s been since the special year, it will also equal the current year (2016). When you add these together it will total 4032 (sometimes 4031). Stripped down and arranged like this the equation seems totally obvious. To hide the process of this mentalism effect, one could stagger stagger the mathematical mathematical operations so that it looked less obvious, but with a little investigative work it become fairly easy to backtrack. Here is a script that I use that ensures that it will never be backtracked.
Performer: There “There are three three ways to generate generate pin pin codes, the first is to hit and and hope punching in random numbers and hoping we remember them at a later date, the second is to choose a number that that would represent represent something that is is meaningful to us like like a year and the third is to take take a series of events events from our life and add them all up and create a total. The last way way is the safest because it is not just one event, and two if if at any point we forget the total, we will never forget the events and therefore we can never forget the pin code. I want you to take out your phone and access you calculator, type in the year you were born — — the full four digits digits if you will. will. Keep the calculator calculator toward toward yourself. There is no way I could could know the year year you were born. born. I could estimate, estimate, but that’s that ’s all it would be: estimation but I don’t feel this is a fair enough pin code. Press the plus key for me and then type in a year that is special to you, one there is no way that anyone here could know again again four digit form. This number is a number number relevant only only to you and based on probability probability this number will be completely different different from everyone else’s here . . Things are getting getting a little fairer. Press the plus key again and then type in your age and press the equal’s key. equal’s key. I want you to look at that total, my special year occurred occurred in 2010, I am assuming yours is different right?” It will be based on prob ability ability (if (if it is not don’t worry). Performer: “If “If you were to press the plus key and type in how many years it has been since your special year, in my case it would be six (2016 is the year we are in) I would have a different total to you even if coincidentally we were the same age. So think of how many years years it has been been since your special special year, press press the plus key type type in that amount and press press equals. What you have just done is generated a pin code, do you agree that this pin code is fairer than the actual the actual one you have have set on your your phone right now?” The participant will will agree agree it is. Performer: “Can you remember this number for me?” (Let the participant respond.) To reiterate the total will will be double the year you are are in. It is 2016 here here so it will be “4032”. You will notice notice that the number number will be “4031” “4031” if the participant’s participant’s birthday has not occurred yet. yet. If you wanted you can can ask off the cuff if the participant participant has celebrated their birthday this year. If they say no the total will be one less. This kills on its own! I have have been using this for the last couple couple of years years and I love it when I have nothing on me, as it can be performed anyplace, anytime. In performance you might think this takes a long time, but it really doesn’t. It is over very quickly once you have the scripts memorized. memorized. I can have this done done in about 30 seconds -
This is the life equation. equation. It can be used over the phone, as a standalone effect or as part of a larger routine (like this one). One thing that is important to know is where I ask participant participant two to work out their code – When participant one presses equals for the first time (after they have punched in their age) this is where I have participant two take out their phone, give them the instruction and as they are undertaking their instructions (generating the numbers from the letters of the word) I then get participant one to finish their final instruction (adding the amount of years years it has been since their special year). This ensures that both of them finish roughly at the same time. When they have done this you would ask participant one to remember their total and then hand the phone to participant two. You would then proceed to ask participant two to press the plus key and add their pin code. code. Tell them to ignore ignore the the total, the total is there just so you (the performer) can’t tell the difference between the two numbers whilst looking at the total. Essentially you have obscured the two pin codes. This is where you have have a few options open to you – If you are utilizing the toxic force, you can always use something suggested by Karl Scott in ‘Isabella’s ‘Isabella’s Star 2’ that that was was called called ‘the poison peek’ peek’ essentially essentially if you you round round of the total you want to force to a square (ish) number like ‘5001’ for example then when participant 2 participant 2 adds their number to it you are instantly going to know the second person’s total with a simple bit of mathematics for example if the total was – ‘9982’ just look at the difference between each number- you would pretty much instantly know that the secon d participant’s code was ‘4981’. This is if you want to look look at the total – and you want to apply the toxic principle. If you are utilizing the life equation the math is just as simple. Let’s say for example the code is – ‘9346’ If you look at each digit in turn (from left to right) just look at the difference in size of each number in comparison to the life equation. 4031 – This is the total of the life equation (2016). 9346 – This is the overall total. The first one is 5 higher, the second one is 3 higher, hi gher, the third one is 1 higher and the last one is 5 higher. So the second persons persons pin code should be – ‘5315’
Obviously the more digits the second participant chooses the the harder harder the mathematics becomes to work out. I personally prefer to use Michael Murray’s M urray’s – ‘CAL ender’ principle which I think is diamond! As with anything Michael does, it is pure genius. If you are interested in getting any of Michael’s work work visit – www.mindfx.co.uk – www.mindfx.co.uk Note this principle will only work with the IPhone, when you pick your participants save this effect for when you you notice that the participant has has this type of phone. After the second participant has added their number to the first participant’s number and has pressed equals, if you ask them to tap the erase key (ensuring they tap it just once) if you take the phone and press equals, just the second participant’s total will pop back up onto the screen! Which means that you will instantly know the second participant’s total participant’s total and all you have to do is remember it. it. We have found out how to gain access to both numbers (as the 4031 should be committed to your memory and therefore you don’t need to think about the first persons pin code) and the second persons persons will just be a case of recalling recalling the total and then after recalling recalling the total remembering remembering the numbers numbers to punch into the website whilst using the the photograph photograph dodge. dodge. Note to the reader*** If you are using the principle that gain you access to the second participant’s code, then there is no need to see the total of the two parti cipants numbers. Pay close attention to the section of scripting above where I mentioned that the two codes are obscured by adding them together together and creating creating a brand new new total. After you have said this, you would then proceed to say – Performer: “If I was wa s to look at the total now I would obviously not be able to tell your code (pointing toward participant one) from yours (pointing towards participant two)”. Both participant’s will obviously have to agree, agree, this this is where you follow up with Performer: “I know you are a little skeptical (aimed at participant one), you think if somehow I see the total it might give me a clue, okay I wouldn’t usually do it this way. Tap the ‘clear’ button for me.” [Note I use the word tap.} This is where you would utilize the principle principle once the participant believes believes it is gone and the second participant’s participant’s code will come back. In the participant’s mind, even if you somehow recalled the total (which shouldn’t cross the participant’s participant’s mind) how could could you possibly possibly know by looking at the at the total the pin codes? You can also perform this with one participant – (if you don’t have a billet handy). You would ask the participant participant to create a code and remember it (based on a name or a random word) then you would ask them to access their calculator and punch in their favorite number and proceed to ask the participant participant to add the code to it and ignore the total as as in the performance –
Then use the ‘CAL ender’ principle principle to gain the second second total – This – This is where you would ask the participant which which number is the most impressive impressive number of the two to guess. Of course they are going to say the pin code generated by the name as it is the longer number of the two. Proceed to move into the photo dodge and boom! You know the exact word/ name the participant is thinking of. This is very simple in working but I feel is a very modern way to gain access access to someone’s thoughts without having having to rely on billets or mass amounts amounts of mechanical labor.
Just as an idea – Note this is something I have not played with but it might give you food for thought and I have certainly never seen it used before. Imagine that you were performing to six participants and you learnt each of their names – For For example Erik, Oscar, Leanne, Fred, Robert Robert and William. We will imagine the performance performance is an after dinner performance for these six individuals. It is preferred if you know the guests first names from wedding table lists, private dinner banquets etc. IF you are bold during performance you can do this real time. Either way, take the the first letter of each of the participant’s participant’s names in in this case it is – E, O, L. F. R. W And visit this site – Litscape.com If you punch those letters into the website it will give you a series of words that can be made up of these letters. The longest word that that can be created created from these letters letters is the word – Flower. Flower. It might occur that all of the letters won’t make a word, let’s imagine 5 imagine 5 out of 6 of the letters will for example - all you need to do is make whoevers letter doesn’t app ear in the word the judge of the experiment. With a word like Flower you could probably force this using a psychological force (outlined in the ‘Drawings’ volume ) ) and therefore you wouldn’t revert to using numbers (as you wouldn’t need to). Look at your dial pad and see what numbers make up that word. In this case (flower) the code is - 356937 This is the total total you you will will punch punch into the toxic force, hopefully hopefully some of you might might already already see where I am going with this…
Here is a performance pretending that we knew just the first names of the participants in advance.
We will pretend that the performer has be come acquainted with the participant’s. He addresses them, Performer: “What I am about to show you is not de javu de javu in the sense that this is something that I have lived lived out before but Vu jade in the sense sense that I have pre-empted what is going to happen before it happens. I have here a prediction, a vision of things to come that I think each one of you will find interesting. Fred I am going to start with you, take take this phone and punch punch in a five digit digit number that means something to you, it can be made up of your date of birth, a pin code or any five digits that are only relevant to relevant to you”. The performer writes down the name Fred on a piece of card. It is essential that we remember the order the numbers were punched in – It is essential to the outcome”. Fred finishes punching in the numbers numbers and then the performer asks the phone to be handed handed to Leanne. Performer: “You do the same, five digits tha t t me an an something to you you in some way”. The performer writes writes down the name Leanne. The phone is handed to, Oscar, William, Erik Erik and Robert and the process is repeated. repeated. After each member of the group have punched in numbers that mean something to them they press the equal’s key. equal’s key. The total is written written down underneath the the list of names. The prediction is then then opened and inside it says –
The group watch intently as the numbers are punched into the box – the group are asked what coherent word is made from the exact total they punched in. They come up with the word Flower – It is explained how that word is generated and the group understand that had the total been different the word would have been different. The performer then then addresses the group, group, Performer: “Does the word Flower mean anything to any of you?” The group proclaim proclaim that it does not, the the performer continues, Performer: Performer: “Sometimes the greatest things in life are right underneath our nose and we just don’t know it, this word means a little bit of something to each and every one of you.
There is no way any of us could have known the total right? I asked each of you in a particular order to punch in digits that mean something to you. What word do we get if we take the first f irst letter of each of your names?” The piece of card is turned around and the group realize that the word spelt using the first letter of each of their thei r names is the word ‘Flower’. The group go nuts! I think you can see s ee the potential this type of routine has, the routine is so simple in its working and I can assure you I will be refining it as I feel that it has some real value.
I said in the introduction to this document sometimes I will chime in with my feelings, right now I am feeling wide awake! I have been writing for a few hours it is currently 3.12am and I think I will do another hour before I try rest my head. I want to share what helps me decide on pursuing a routine or an idea, this is going to sound like a really esoteric view (to which you are either going to believe me or not) but I feel it. I am working on something with a pair of dice at the moment, the routine is not even about a pair dice (or associated with dice) the idea behind the routine was to force something else (which I won’t go into right now) and I cannot for the life in me tell you why I decided to use dice (albeit invisible) to force this thing. Something just made made me feel like a pair of dice would work… I am about 30% away from finishing it and I really am glad that dice popped into my head as it completely was a good choice. The point I am making is I feel something no matter how silly it seems I follow my feelings and see it through to the end. I don’t worry about anyone else’s opinion I just keep moving forwards. When you come to creating your material, trust your feelings and instincts and see where it takes you. Each month I have made an effort to talk a little bit about my creating process and this plays a big role in it – It works for me. On another note, I highly recommend ‘Making a Murderer’ – It was insightful and even though it was only on in the background background it was a great series series that I watched back to back. Speaking of dice, dice, here is something that that you can have have some fun with.
A performer is sat one on one with a participant (this can be a group). Performer: “Have you ever had or heard of a numerological numerological reading before?” reading before?” Participant: “I h ave ave heard of them, them, but but never had one”. one”.
Performer: “The way that they usually work is that the reader would take the date and month the was born, for example mine is 26 10 and then add those numbers together, which in my case would be be 36 and then they they would add those those numbers together together to create a single digit in my case 3 and 6 would be 9. They would then take take the number 9 and give you a reading based based on that number. What month and date were you born?” Participant: “12 th of February”. Performer: “So yours would be 12 and 2 add them together you get 14 and then reduce it by taking 1 and 4 adding adding them together together to get 5. As you you can see our totals totals are different. different. I am going to give you a reading. reading. Before we get get into this, name a playing card card suit for me”. Participant: Participant: “Hearts”. Performer: “I want you to imagine you are holding a dice in your left hand and another in your right, in a moment not yet you you are going to to roll the two dice. dice. Obviously each dice has the numbers 1-6, a different number on each face when you roll them I want you to see two different numbers, if you rolled rolled them one dice dice might say 2 and the the other dice might say 6 added together the total would be 8. The total is going to be different each time you roll it the second time you roll it the total might by 5. Imagine rolling the dice now, seeing the two numbers and then adding the two random numbers together”. together”. Participant: “Done”. Performer: “Do you agree that this total is completely random?” Participant: “Yes”. Performer: “What is the number you created?” Participant: “7”. Performer: “If we took this number and the playing card suit, combined them, the playing card you generated is the 7 of hearts. Please don’t forget that. In a deck of cards you have 52 playing cards, I want you to imagine taking a number of cards out of the box, it is essential that you know the number of cards in your hand and in the box. For example example if you took 13 playing cards cards out of the box there would be 39 that remain inside the box. Have you done that?” Participant: “Yes” . . Performer: “In my case there is more cards inside the box, in your case is there more in the box or more in your your hand?”
Participant: “More inside the box also”. Performer: “If I took the amount inside my box and used the same numerological principle principle that we discussed earlier earlier with the birthdates, I would would have 39 cards, cards, so 3+9 would be 12 that’s still a two digit digit number so I would would do this again again to get a single single digit, 1+2 would would be 3. In my mind I imagine taking 3 cards out of the box and adding them to the amount in my hand. I had 13 in my hand to start with, so if I take three more out of the box and added them to my hand it would be be 16. Can you do that with yours? Participant: “Erm.. Yes”. Performer: “Can you tell me the amount in your hand when you have done that?” Participant: “25”. Performer: “Again you can see like our birthdays the number I chose, created a different total to yours. Just so we are clear you have 7 of hearts for the playing card and the number 25 correct?” Participant: “Yes correct”. Performer: “If we look at the 7 of hearts, in terms of a reading, the 7 of hearts is representative representative of the type of person that is outgoing, someone who is guarded when it comes to their feelings but to family and friends completely open hearted. Someone who is currently starting starting a new chapter chapter in their lives be it romantic romantic or in career career as it’s almost like everything everything was turned turned upside down but now it has started started to take shape or order. The number 25 is the number number that represents represents fate, one could could say that because because you chose this number if you believe believe in fate then it was pre-determined pre-determined that that you would choose this number. It represents represents the fact that everything is destined to happen happen for a reason whether it be love or loss. You being here today, at this time in this place was all written and coursed out for you before you ever decided upon it mentally. Do you believe in fate?” Participant: “Not really”. Performer: “Well maybe it is a coincidence that you chose the 7 of hearts and the number 25, see that deck of cards that has been sat on the table the entire time?” Participant: “Yeah?” Performer: “Pick them up and count them down face down one at a time to 25”. The participant does does this.
Performer: “Turn the 25 th card over” The participant does does it and it is the 7 of hearts!! After the participant reacts they settle down, Performer: “If you think that was a coincidence then you will think this is one hell of a coincidence, turn turn over the rest of the deck”. The rest of the deck is is turned over and it is entirely entirely blank! The seven seven of hearts was the only printed card card inside the deck. deck.
This routine is incredibly incredibly simple and and is based on the truthful truthful way that people people give numerology readings. readings. They genuinely genuinely do reduce reduce double digits down down to one digit and then then use that digit to give a reading, if your participants wanted to Google numerological readings this would be the first thing that pops up. So if your participant’s wanted wanted to do this later they genuinely could and it would stay consistent with the story within this routine. On paper this is something something that is going to seem like a big process, when you you perform it is not. I remember when I wrote up ‘trust your instincts’ instincts’ and everyone everyone said the process process was far too much and dismissed it (because it was written and not filmed). I then performed it as the open to my penguin lecture and it fooled the majority of people that watched it because in performance you cannot from the audience’s perspective perspective see the process. You are privy to all the subtleties, details and alternative presentations, presentations, so when you read this it is going to seem like a much longer process than it plays out in performance.
This is the bit of the routine routine that is not 100% 100% and I am still still cleaning this up but I have a large amount of success with this way of forcing f orcing a card. Because there is a process in getting to a number from 1-52 the playing card force really needs to be over very quickly and therefore I feel this is perfect for that. The reason I chose the number seven is because because I can force the number seven seven in a variety variety of different ways. ways. The first way is outlined outlined in the ‘psychological ‘psychological playing playing card forces’ forces’ vol. Let’s take a look at the combinations in which can be rolled by two dice after I have eliminated specific numbers from from the participant’s choice or range. The first thing I say is not to throw two of the the same numbers on the dice ensure they are different. The number 1 cannot be rolled as there are two dice, the number 2 can never be rolled as that would be two two 1’s to m ake ake a 2. I mention that a dice has the numbers 1-6 upon its faces and to roll the dice choosing a number on each dice dice FROM 1-6.
From being the key key word this should eliminate eliminate 1 and 6 from from being thrown thrown and any variant of. I then also say – “If you threw a 2 and 6 that would be 8” This indirectly kills kills a 2 and a 6. And then say if you rolled the dice a second time it might be a 5, which should kill them thinking of the number number 5 as the total. total. I also open myself up for a second chance should it not hit the first – by saying “I am sure you know that each time you roll the dice it would be a different total if you were to roll them now for example, the total would be?” be?” If they say 7 then it is perfect and you have achieved what you set out to achieve. If they do not roll the number 7 it is fine, just simply say. say. Performer: “How fair is this? Roll them again the total will be different and we will go with whatever the next total is”. Look at the key line in the script s cript I carefully crafted the words ‘for example’ into example’ into the script– script– this is placed really cleverly cleverly in the scripting in a place that means you can go with the total they give or point out that when they just rolled it would be an example. If they hit seven on the second roll you are golden, the first part will only ever be seen as an example. If they do not hit either of the numbers do not worry, at the start all you ever did was claim you were going to give them a numerological reading. Simply give them a reading based on the number that they have have created. Utilize Utilize the star sign anagram outlined outlined in the ‘Readings’ volume volume to guess the participants participants star sign and give them them a reading to finish up. Trust me though, try this this a few times and see how cleanly it hits.
Forcing the suit is simple, simple, you can use use any of the rouses outlined in the ‘psychological playing card forces’ volume in this series. You can play the probability probability card and assume women will go for hearts and men clubs or you can frame the force around the number they have chosen (this (this will only only work if you don’t ask them to verbalize their their total. I might be tempted to have them write down their total on a business card with a marker pen and listen to the sound the pen makes. If it sounds like it has hit (and you will know) then proceed by saying Performer: “Dependent on the number you have have in your mind we will decide upon a suit. If the number you are thinking of is 1-5 we will use a club or a diamond, odd number clubs and even cards heart. If the number is above five, hearts and spades. We will make the spades erm. .. even and and the hearts odd numbers”. numbers”. If they have picked the number seven it means they have to go for a heart – I honestly feel there is too much process doing this but you might not. We all do things differently
another variant variant is to just carry two two decks one with the the seven of hearts hearts in and one with the seven of diamonds in. in. Then asking for the suit suit first saying to the the participant, Performer: “I am going to ask you to name a playing card suit and even get you to completely change if you really wanted so that it really is something none of us could predict. If you were to name a suit, what would it be?” At this point if they say a heart or a diamond you are covered but if they say one of the black suits simply simply counter with – “I did say say I would even get you to completely change your mind, if you were to completely change your mind at this point what suit would you be thinking of?” This subtly suggests to change everything everything about the suit including the colour. As soon as the suit is named you pull pull the relevant relevant deck out, the moment the deck comes comes out of your pocket needs to be timed correctly and it should be removed when you ask a participant to imagine holding a dice in their their left hand and one in their right hand. If you ask for the suit and then pull out the deck straight away the participant participant might think that you have more than one deck of cards you really don’t want that to happen. I much prefer this version – But it does require carrying two decks of cards. Another variant I have found if you ask a male what suit he would least likely name (to ensure there is no psychological force) most of the time they will say Diamond. Females will say Spades. Forcing the seven seven of hearts is something for me that I find simple simple so I never never really worry about this portion of the performance. It is something that becomes easier and easier with practice.
The way the principle principle works in this routine routine the participant participant really really has no choice. choice. As long as the participant goes for a number over the number 15 the total will always equal 25! There is a beautiful beautiful little subtlety I have have added to ensure that they always always feel the total would be different different and I have have updated an an old mathematical mathematical principle and adapted it to be used in conjunction conjunction with an acaan. This routine is inspired inspired by Frederick Frederick Demuth’s routine ‘a Divination with with matches’. I absolutely loved loved this routine and and in my DVD ‘Jinxed’ ‘Jinxed’ I looked at this this routine in depth depth and even created created an updated modern version using cigarettes. Outlined Outlined his routine below, below, after you have read read the routine routine I will explain explain what I loved loved about the routine and what I thought I could change.
An extremely cute match divination can be presented impromptu with a book of paper matches. It's ideal for close-up work, and although it's based on an old mathematical principle this new dress and presentation makes it completely mystifying. mystifying. Effect: Hand a book of paper paper matches to a spectator and ask ask him to turn his back and remove several matches. Ask him not to let anyone see how many he's taken and then put them in his pocket. Next Next he is to count the number of matches matches remaining and then then tear out enough of them to represent that number. For instance, should there be 15 matches left, he is to tear out one and lay it on the table, and then tear out five more and lay them alongside of the the first match. He is is to put these matches matches in his pocket along along with the first ones. He is then then asked to tear out any number of the remaining matches he likes and hold them in his hand. At this point, you turn around and reveal the number of matches he is holding, although it is obvious that you cannot know how many matches have been been torn out. Secret: It is only only necessary to use use a new or nearly nearly full pack pack of matches. In a new new pack there are always always 20 matches. matches. By following the above directions directions you will find that there will always be nine matches left after the first two actions. When you turn around, pick up the pack of matches, light your cigar or cigarette and note the number of matches left. Subtract this number from nine, and you know the number of matches being held. As indicated above, this this will work just as well if you you use a pack that is is nearly full. full. End This is the entirety of the routine, not a lot to work with and and you have to read read it a few times to be able to properly understand it but the principle itself is beautiful. This a very old mathematical mathematical principle principle and if there there is one thing that that I have learnt learnt about numbers, there there is always a formula and pattern pattern that will run run concurrent no matter matter how big the numbers get. I first tried using this principle with the any card at any number about a year year ago and then then put it to bed and it wasn’t until talking talking with Alex Alex Hinojosa recently that I decided to revise it. If it was n’t n’t for Alex I wouldn’t wouldn’t have chased this up and put on my thinking cap. He believed in the idea even as a seed and I thank him wholeheartedly wholeheartedly as this routine routine wouldn’t be close to what it it is now had he not pushed me. I had told Alex previously some time ago that I had used this mathematical principle in forcing a number from 1-52 he loved it. After a few Skype sessions, he was totally intrigued with the possibilities and went away and made made me a spread spread sheet of all the different combinations in which could occur. The mathematics behind all of this boils down to two numbers - 16 and 25. Initially this was an issue because if the participant chose a number that was under 15 then they would end end up at 16 as the total. total. The first solution was was to place 2 duplicate playing cards in the deck one playing card at 16 and the other at 25. This is a solution that will totally totally work, I prefer prefer however not to utilize this this and to steer them them away from the number entirely entirely by giving giving the participant participant an example example using the number 13. This
should force the participant away from this number and as long as it is over 15 you are solid. If for whatever reason the participant names a single digit number, just simply say, Performer: “make the number you choose two digits as we are going to apply ap ply the numerological principle principle we discussed earlier earlier ”. There isn’t much to this principle just make sure they choose over 15 – Don’t say “Please choose a number over 15”, it would be a shame to add that seeming restriction to the routine. When you give the example of 13 the total will come out 16 and when the participant adds their number up and it equals 25 it it will subtly subtly suggest that the total total is always going going to be different. That on top of the demonstration demonstration you gave at the start with the the birthdays and there will be no doubt in your participants mind mind that the totals will always be different. When doing it with a deck of cards you need to take into account a few things. If the participant is bad at mathematics, then tell them to use the cell phone – After you have explained what they are going to do it doesn’t matter if you see them create the total as remember remember they don’t know the the outcome. They can can always use their their cellphone cellphone to to help them – I have found that if I show them with the number 13 on the phone and then ask them for a number and do the math for them, them, this routine runs runs smoothly. When they have imagined taking out a number of cards it is essential that you know if there are more cards in their their hand or inside the box. As that is where they are going to make the numerological additions. Let’s create an example – Let’s for example sake say that the participant says he would take 36 cards out of the box – 52 minus 36 = 16 There are obviously obviously more cards cards in your hands. Take the number in in your hands, and create create a total 3 + 6 = 9 take those cards from your your hand and place them back inside the box. If you count the amount of cards inside the box after adding the nine cards it will 25. In this example there are more cards inside your hand so you would do the mathematics there (if there was was more in the box box you would do the mathematics mathematics there). there). If there is more cards in the box you are removing them and adding the removed cards to the amount in your hand and if there is more in the hand you would add cards to the box. Obviously being that there are are 25 cards inside the the box in the end of the mathematics mathematics here, you would have the 25 cards dealt down and have the participant place them into the box. They have essentially brought their imagination imagination to life. life. (Read on for what to do in this scenario) Before we get to to that let’s let’s give an example e xample for more cards in the box (just for fullness of vision).
Let’s say for example there are 18 are 18 cards in the hand and 34 in the box. As there are more in the box I would now add the numbers in the box to create a total which would be 7. Removing 7 cards from the box and adding them to the hand… 18+7 gives a total of 25. Then you would use the number of cards inside the hand to create create the finish. I personally never feel there is any issue with having them focus on the number of cards inside the box instead of the hand. If you really were worried about the inconsistency one thing that you could do is place the force card 26 th card from the top. That way if you end up with going with the number in the participants participants hand you can have have them deal that number of cards cards into their hand and then point to the top of the deck stating stating “we have arrived at a card at complete complete random, had you of put one more or one less card into your hand the outcome of this would have been different”. If it ends up being the number of cards in the box you can simply say – “There were 25 cards inside the box in your vision, so place 25 cards inside the box. (Point to the top of the deck) we have arrived at a random card, had you of placed placed one card more or one card less inside the box this would have been different”. This is a really simple solution – At the start you can also state that whatever number they name you will will be turning the next card over. So the mathematics mathematics summarized is as simple simple as – Ask the participant to take out a number of cards mentally from the box. Ensure they know the number number in their hand and the number in the box. Ask them where there is more cards, in the hand or in the box. Wherever the larger total is add those two digits in that two digit number together to reduce down to a single digit. If the total is still two digits add them two together to get to a random digit. digit. Take that number of of cards and add them to the other pile pile (hand or box) If the larger total was in the hand to start with, the number you would go for in the end would be the cards in the box. If the larger number was the box to start with it would be number of cards in the hand you would end with. This bit might sound difficult but trust me it is is simple when you physically physically try try this out. Hopefully you can see how I force the number from 1-52. For the reading simply follow the full performance outlined in the effect section. This is a completely clean hands off acaan acaan that has a beautiful beautiful kicker. The credit for the kicker - I honestly cannot tell you who invented invented it, I have seen several several performers performers utilize it and loved the idea of it within the context of this routine.
I was performing this for Martin Adams (magic factory) I was performer the effect and I said “I would take 13 cards out of the deck. How many would you take out?” He said 25 – I obviously at this point didn’t need to do the mathematical principle, principle, I just simply said “I am sure if I asked you this you this question several several times the answer answer would be different”. I just rolled into the effect and BOOM it hit so hard – The participant might say 27 straight off the bat, if they do all you need to counter with is “So that leaves 25 cards inside the box right?” right?” They will say yes yes – Then proceed by simply saying “place 25 cards inside inside the box, leaving the 27 cards in your hand. This is entirely fair and had you named a different number this would have have been been entirely different correct?” What you have essentially done is just dealt down the twenty five cards as you would normally (I mentioned mentioned earlier earlier the subtlety subtlety about placing placing the force card card at 26) by shifting the focus on the box it seems so natural to place 25 cards in the box to leave the 27 cards remaining. remaining. Logically Logically the participant participant will never never know the difference difference as it seems above board. Another little subtlety I didn’t want to share, but I feel that I have to for completeness is the one card readjustment. readjustment. If you place place a joker or game game card on the top of the deck when the cards are removed if it turns out that the ending to the routine is placing the cards inside the box then the hit card will be the 26 th card. If the ending of the routine ends in the hands, then simply proclaim “ proclaim “II did say a number from 1-52, I believe I left a joker on the top of the deck let’ let ’s get rid of that” that . ” This is one way to readjust mechanically. mechanically. Try it –
Let’s take a look at our first contribution in this month’s volume, this contribution is from a mentalist I have long been a fan of. He is slick, thoughtful and his choreography is well thought out – I am happy to Present Paul Brook. For those who don’t know Paul (and you should) before becoming before becoming a full time entertainer entertainer he was a psychologist and that is reflective within his materials. He has an innate understanding of the human mind and uses this understand to create real world materials. materials. Paul has worked as a professional mentalist for over twelve years for an array of impressive clients all over the world and has written more than twenty (you heard me right) books on the subject of mentalism. With all of these accolades under his belt it’s easy to see why Paul is also kept busy consulting behind the scenes for both television and theatre shows alike. alike. It isn’t just mentalism effects that Paul has become known for, drawing on his psychological education and knowledge he analyses the theoretical applications of mentalism and his
stand alone book on mentalism theory ‘The Alchemical Tools’ is considered by considered by many a modern classic. If you are interested to take a look at some more of Paul’ Paul ’s material, visit this link http://www.HeKnows.co.uk. This routine is an excerpt excerpt from 'The Chrysalis Chrysalis of a Polymath'. Polymath'.
Data Spaced is a three-phase (or, if you so wished, a four-phase) routine. The routine itself is fairly fast-paced and demonstrates a range of different abilities in a short space of time. I’ll stop writing stop writing and get right into it:
The Performer has just met a group of chaps. After finding out that the Performer is a mind reader one of the group asks to see something. Performer: “It is possible to understand a lot about a person by the numbers that he or she chooses when given a choice. Equally, knowing only only a small amount of information about a person can give give you an idea as to the number that that person is likely likely to choose.” Looking over the participant, the Performer appears to be deep in thought before picking up a business card and pencil. A few more moments of thoughtfulness pass before the Performer writes something on the card and places the pencil on the table. Still holding the business card the Performer continues: Performer: “Right, think carefully. Only when you are happy with your choice should you answer. Think of a number between between one and 100.” 100.” The participant takes takes a good ten seconds in order to decide decide on his final number. number. Participant: “I’m going with 36.” Performer: “It’s amazing how you can map a person’s mind just based on clothing and body movement.” The Performer passes passes the card to the participant. Participant: “Shit!” Spectators: “What does does it say?” Participant: “36.”
Performer: “It isn’t really fair, as I can use your personality to get an accurate estimate of what number you are likely to think of. This is why I prefer to to create unique numbers using your personal information. information. Personal details, such as the house number n umber of your first home, will always remain the same and are not influenced influenced by your personality. personality. So we’ll make a unique number now. Can you take out your mobile phone and load up the calculator, please? Let me know when you are ready to go. to go. Oh, and make sure I cannot see the keypad.” keypad.” Participant: “OK.” Performer: “We will start off with some information from you. Place your month of birth into the calculator. calculator. Don’t say what what it is, but it will will be a number number between one and 12.” Participant: “Done.” Performer:
“Now multiply that number, whatever whatever it is, with with the number two.”
Participant: “Yeah.” Performer:
“Now add, err, I dunno, five.”
Participant: “OK.” Performer: “Multiply by, umm, 50.” Participant: “OK.” Performer: “We need some more perso nal nal info, so add the day of the month you were born. So if you were born born on the 28th you you would add 28. ” Participant: “Right.” Performer: “Now subtract 365 and press equals, but don’t say what the total is.” Participant: “Sure.” The Performer removes removes a business card card from his pocket and picks up the pencil. pencil. Performer: “We now have a unique number. You provided information about yourself that I couldn’t possibly know. I provided some maths to randomise the information you have given me. How many digits do you have in your number?” Participant: “It is a threethree -digit number.” Performer: “Alright, look at me and think about the first digit. Do not say anything and try not to give it away.” The Performer looks looks over the participants participants face and and eyes multiple times. A wry smile appears as the Performer continues:
Performer: “Got it. Please try not to trace the shape of the number with your eyes as you think of it.” The Performer writes writes down a single number on the back back of the business card. card. Performer: “Now think of the second s econd digit. This time I want you to name any digit between zero and nine. It could be any of the digits, even the number you are thinking of. In your own time, no rush, just name a digit out loud.” Participant: “One.” Performer: “That gives me an idea abo ut the second number. It will be one of two options. OK, I will take a punt punt at the number I think think it might be, but I’m not 100 per cent on this this one.” The Performer writes writes another number number on to the back back of the business card. Performer: “Now, with the last di git git in mind, please think of a colour, but keep it to yourself and let me know when you have one.” Participant: “Got one.” Performer: “Is it red?” Participant: “No.” Performer: “Awesome, then I think I know what the last number is.” The Performer writes the final number onto the back of the business card and tables the pencil. Performer: “Right, I am committed in writing. What number did you create?” Participant: “401.” Performer: “Damn! I wasn’t close.” The Performer passes the card to the participant. As soon as the card is turned over, he says: Performer: “I was bang on.” Participant: “Fucking hell, that’s unreal.” Performer: “You know what, I want to try something else with you but, as I don’t know you, I’ll need to ask you a few quick questions.” Partic ipant: ipant: “Go for it.” Performer: “Do you have a middle name?” Participant: “Michael.” Performer: “What year were you born?”
Participant: “1972.” Performer: “Where were you born?” Participant: “Cornwall.” Performer: “Do you believe in star signs?” Participant: Participant: “No.” The Performer Performer has been been making making notes notes on another business card card after after each each answer answer was was given. given. After around 20 seconds the Performer writes something down on the business card. Then, having a change of mind, scribbles out something and writes again on the card. The card is then tabled, tabled, writing-side down, in front of the participant. Performer: “Right, I wasn’t sure my first answer was correct so I changed my mind. But I feel sure about what I have written now. Tell me, what star star sign are you?” you?” Participant: “Taurus.” Performer: “And there is no way I could know that? These guys haven’t told told me and we have have only met met each other 20 minutes minutes ago . . Participant: “Unless Participant: “Unless you you have been stalking stalking me, me, and that’s not very likely, likely, t here is no way you could know.” Performer: Performer: “Please turn over the card. The card has has not been touched by the performer performer since it it was tabled tabled - and it was placed placed on the table before before the participant participant named his star sign. Participant: “Piss off! Tha t t is extreme. Man Man you’re good!” The card is shown around around and it has the the word ‘Taurus’ written on it. Performer:
“You said you were born in 1972?” 1972?”
Participant: “Yes.” Performer:
“What date?”
Participant: “The 16th of May.” Performer:
“The 16th of May 1972… 1972… That was a Tuesday. Tuesday.
You were born in Cornwall, which was sunny but slightly overcast the day you were born. Please, check the date on your phone if you have a calendar function. If not, write it down and check it on the the internet when you get home.” Participant: “No, I can check it on on my phone.”
The participant removes his phone, opens the calendar calendar application application and inputs the date 16th May 1972: Participant: “That’s insane! You’re right, right, it was a Tuesday. Tuesday. I’m speechless!”
The way in which I have constructed this effect allows the performer to demonstrate various abilities: Personality Profiling Body Language Reading A Large Mental Database Of Information A Powerful Memory These abilities are obviously changeable depending on the presentation that you wish to use. This effect can use used us ed as an opening or standalone effect to establish exactly what it is that you do. It is for this reason that you should make sure that the abilities are tailored to fit your your persona. Despite the fact that you are able to demonstrate a range of abilities for prospective clients, the method requires relatively relatively little work. The first part of the effect is achieved achieved simply by using using a nail writer writer or boon. A nail writer or boon is used once again for the second section of this routine. However, the participant creates a number using a mathematical principle that secretly gives you his birthday. Once you know the birthday from the second section it it is possible to to work out the person’s astrological sign. I shall provide a nice and simple way to remember where the astrological signs are within the year. During this section you are also able to ascertain the year in which the participant was born. Before the last stage you actually actually know the participant’s birthday, as well as his his year of birth, whilst the participant participant only believes you have his year of birth. With this information you’re able to work out the actual day the participant was born using the The Day Of Any Date effect. After calculating the actual day the participant was born, you are able to ask (apparently (apparently for the first time) for his birthday and instantly tell him the day he was born.
The power of a simple nail writer or boon number prediction is often overlooked. It is straightforward and hard-hitting for the laity. Despite this, I have an ulterior motive for including it as part of this routine.
As stage two requires the use of mathematics to create a random number, this stage becomes a convincer. convincer. The lack lack of mathematics mathematics in this stage removes any heat from the mathematical mathematical construction of a number in stage two. For now, all that is is required is is a little acting acting and swami ability. ability. Build up the premise that different personality types are statistically more likely to choose certain numbers. Look over the person a few times as though analysing his personality. Whilst you remain focused on the ‘analysis’, place your hands into your pocket and apply the nail writer or boon. Keep Keep a business card in the same pocket. Once the nail writer or boon is attached, removed the business card. The business card should should be used as cover for the swami. From another pocket remove a pencil pencil and pretend pretend to write down a number. number. Place the pencil down quite close to the participant (if standing, have the participant hold the pencil) to solidify the idea that you cannot write the number after it is named. Have the participant name any number after considerable thought. As you will be writing the number after it is named there is a strong position of freedom for the participant. Make sure that this strong position is not lost by the participant frivolously naming any number, as he may believe that “everyone must must name that number”. number”. Having him give serious consideration to the number he chooses allows for more emotional involvement from him. It will stop any ideas of common answers and the extra involvement involvement will make him ‘own’ the number he names. This adds congruency to the idea that you have determined the number based on his personality. If he just named the first number from the top of his head your your apparent personality reading reading would be weakened. weakened. However, once the number is named, make some comment long enough for you to write down the named number secretly. It is very important that you engage the participant in conversation before starting to write the answer secretly. This keeps his eyes focused on your facial area rather than on your hand, which is doing naughty things. With the number now written on the card, turn the card writing-side down, fingers on the top of the card and thumb (with swami) underneath underneath it. This way, when the card card is removed, the swami will be shielded from view view by the fingers. fingers. Move the card forward, in a giving motion, towards the participant and hold it there until he takes the card. Once the card is taken it would be unusual to keep your hand hanging there in midair, giving giving you reason reason to return your your hand back towards towards your body. If you feel comfortable keeping your swami on whilst you continue to talk then feel free to do so. However, if you you are not comfortable comfortable with this you are now able able to ditch it when when you bring your hand back towards your person. The downside to this is that you will need to reattach it once again later. But this is a very very small downside if your confidence would be knocked with continued continued wear.
This stage is the most important in the routine, as the information you gain here will allow you to get get one ahead. You explain that the chosen number would have been influenced by the participant’s personality. You are able to profile different personality types, so the test was not very fair. To make things a little fairer for the participant participant it is essential to create a random number. This number should include information that is static static and unchanging, unchanging, such as the participant’s house number. The information should also be unknown to the Performer . Obviously this process, process, whilst appearing appearing to be fairer, fairer, is actually decidedly unfair. Here’s Here’s how the process breaks down: Month person was born x 2 + 5 x 50 + Day on the month born -365 This process will give an answer. This answer you will apparently ascertain through reading the participant’s body signals. signa ls. After each apparent reading of body signals you should pretend to write down a number. When you have apparently written down the three-digit number on a business card, follow the procedure as in stage one. Once the person names the total arrived at in the calculation, you will swami it on the business card and pass pass it to him. Here is the really cool part. When the person tells you the number, mentally adding 115 to that number will tell you the particip ant’s ant’s birthday. I will take you through a few examples of the maths in a moment, but let me first review the situation. If you were to perform the effect with mathematics alone there would be unquestionable heat on the use of maths. However, having performed the number prediction in stage one without the use of maths (or restrictions), you have removed any heat. It also helps to validate the notion that the maths is being used to create a random (and fairer) number. The personal information the participant participant inputs into the calculator calculator allows them to feel as as though the number is unique to them. When the total is named, it doesn’t resemble the
birthday of the participant in in any way. As As far as he is concerned, concerned, the effect effect is that you are able able to use body reading to ascertain ascertain the number, not to find out his birthday details. details. To get a better idea of the maths involved I shall include a few examples before we continue. Example 1 Birthday = 14th of May May Participant inputs: 5 (for the month) x 2 + 5 x 50 + 14 (for day of the month) -365 Total = 399 Secretly 399 399 is thumb written written onto the business business card. Now the Performer Performer must mentally add 115 to this number: 399 + 115 115 = 514 The last two digits of the number will will always always be the day of the month that the person was born. In the example example above above the last last two digits are 14 telling telling us that this person was born born on the 14th day. Ignore the last two digits and look at the remaining number. It will be a number between one and 12, which will indicate the month that the person was born. In this example that number is 5, indicating indicating that this person was was born in the month of May. Participant’s Participant’s Birthday = 14th of May Example 2 Birthday =1st of December December Participant inputs: 12 (for the month) x 2 + 5 x 50 + 1 (for day of the month) -365
Total = 1086 Secretly 1086 1086 is thumb written written onto the business card. card. Now the Performer must mentally add 115 to this number: 1086 + 115 = 1201 The last two digits of the number will will always always be the day of the month that the person was born. In the example example above above the last two two digits are 01 telling telling us that this person person was born on the 1st day. Ignore the last two digits and look at the remaining number. It will be a number between one and 12, which will indicate the month that the person was born. In this example that number is 12, indicating indicating that this person person was born in the month of December. Participant’s Birthday = 1st of December Example 3 Birthday =31st of July July Participant inputs: 7 (for the month) x 2 + 5 x 50 + 31 (for day of the month) -365 Total = 616 Secretly 616 616 is thumb written onto the the business card. Now the Performer must mentally add 115 to this number: 616 + 115 = 731 The last two digits of the number will will always always be the day of the month that the person was born. In the the example above the last two digits are 31, telling telling us that this person was born on the 31st day. Ignore the last two digits and look at the remaining number. It will be a number between one and 12, which will indicate the month that the person was born. In this example that number is 7, indicating indicating that this person person was born in the month of July. Partic ipant’s ipant’s Birthday = 31st of July Example 4 Birthday =10th =10th of October Participant inputs: 10 (for the month)
x 2 + 5 x 50 + 10 (for day of the month) -365 Total = 895 Secretly 895 895 is thumb written onto the business card. Now the Performer must mentally add 115 to this number: 895 + 115 = 1010 The last two digits of the number will will always always be the day of the month that the person was born. In the example above above the last two digits are 10, telling telling us that that this person person was born on the 10th day. Ignore the last two digits and look at the remaining number. It will be a number between one and 12, which will indicate the month that the person was born. In this example that number is 10, which indicates indicates that this person person was born in the month of October. Participa nt’s nt’s Birthday = 10th of October Example 5 Birthday =23rd of January January Participant inputs: 1 (for the month) x 2 + 5 x 50 + 23 (for day of the month) -365 Total = 8 Secretly 8 is thumb written onto the the business card. Now the Performer Performer must mentally add 115 to this number: 8 + 115 = 123 The last two digits of the number will will always always be the day of the month that the person was born. In the example example above the last two digits are are 23, telling us that this person was born born on the 23rd day. Ignore the last two digits and look at the remaining number. It will be a number between one and 12, which will indicate the month that the person was born. In this example that number is 1 indicating indicating that this person person was born in the month of of January.
Participa nt’s nt’s Birthday = 23rd of January As far as the participant is concerned two effects have been performed. One where a number he was thinking of was predicted based on his personality and a second one where a number created randomly randomly was ‘pulled’ from his mind. Sneakily, however, the Performer is now one ahead in the sense that he has obtained the person’s birthday covertly. This allows us to progress to progress to stage three.
This is, by a long shot, my favourite stage in this routine. routine. In this stage stage you will perform one of the cleanest astrological sign predictions possible, add a strong convincing memory to the routine and gather gather information for the the final stage. I will progress sequentially in order to maintain the chronology of this effect. If you get confused at any point, fear not. I include include a summary at the end of this effect. effect. From the scripting you will will see that, at this point point in the effect, I ask the participant participant a number of questions. This appears to aid me in my calculation of his astrological sign. Secretly, it allows you to write write down his birthday and also work work out the exact day he was born on. The first question: Performer: Performer: “Do you have a middle name?” Participant: “Michael.” After this question you apparently write down the answer in one corner of the card, instead you actually actually write down down the participant’s birthday. Writing down the date will prevent you from misremembering it or, should you be distracted, from forgetting it. In the script above the birthday was the 16th of May. The next question: Performer: “What year were you born?” Participant: “1972.” With both the birthday and year of birth you will be able to work out the day of the week the participant was born using the The Day Of Any Date effect. However, before you make any mental workings, workings, make sure to write down the year year underneath the birthday. The next question is filler and should be asked halfway through through working out the day the person was born: Performer: Performer: “Where were you born?” Participant: “Cornwall.” Leaving another 15 seconds before you ask the next question should give you ample time to work out the day on which this person was born. Write it underneath the year that you
have previously written. But remember where the person was born as well, as this allows you to provide a faux weather forecast for that area on the day he was born. The day of the week will be used us ed in stage four, but for now there is the matter of the star sign. Over the next few pages I have included a simple mnemonic in order to mentally work out where the astrological dates fall in each year. Once you have this mnemonic memorised it should only take you around six seconds to calculate the participant’s star sign. Here are the astrological signs and their associated monthly dates in the year: Aquarius - January 20th – February 19th Pisces - February 20th – March 21st Aries - March 21st – April 20th Taurus - April 21st 21st – May 22nd Gemini - May 22nd – June 23rd Cancer - June 23rd – July 23rd Leo - July 23rd – August 23rd Virgo - August 23rd – September 23rd Libra - September 23rd – October 23rd Scorpio
- October 24th – November 22nd
Sagittarius - November November 23rd 23rd – December 21st Capricorn - December 22nd – January 20th It’s a lot of information to remember, in all honesty, and the first time I looked at the list I thought it would be a nightmare to build a mnemonic. It was tricky and somewhat stressful at times. However, after having my friends and family learn the mnemonic and successfully recall the dates, I am confident enough to share it with you. Here is the breakdown of what each phrase contains, in regard to the astrological signs:
Aquarium (Aquarius) with one Fish (Pisces) Rams (Aries) have two Balls [Bulls] (Taurus) Three Twin (Gemini) (Gemini) Crabs (Cancer) (Cancer) Lions (Leo) for Fur Coats [sounds like] (Virgo) Scaly [scales] [scales] (Libra) Scorpions Scorpions (Scorpio) Citrus [similar like] (Sagittarius) Corn [abbreviation] (Capricorn)
You may have also noticed that the months have been paired together to reduce the size of the mnemonic. Please familiarise familiarise yourself yourself with this pairing of the months. The year order remains the same (January to December) so it shouldn’t be b e too much trouble to the mind.
Paired Month Guide 1
January – February
2
March – April
3
May – June
4
July – August
5
September – October
6
November - December
Just take a little caution when recalling where the required month is in the sequence. Should you be trying to find the star sign for April (the 4th month) you do not recall the information for the the 4th row down. Instead, count through the months in your head until you get to April. After counting two months push a finger against your leg:
January - February Press one finger against your leg March April Press another finger against your leg Stopping at April, only two fingers are pressing against the leg meaning that we recall line two from the mnemonic: Rams have two Balls April is the second month in the paring, and therefore we look at the latter part of the phrase. Balls sound like Bulls, which means April has to be Taurus. Follow this simple process in order to work out what month relates to each star sign. Observant readers amongst you will have realised that each mnemonic phrase contain information informing you you which section it belongs belongs to. 1
Aquarium with one Fish
2
Rams have two Balls
3
Three Twin Crabs
4
Lions for Fur Coats
5
6
Scaly Scorpions Scorpions [S resembles 5] Citrus Corn [Cit sounds like Six]
This numbering system is essential to the mnemonic as it prevents prevents any order confusion. It also allows you to know instantly if you have the wrong set of astrological symbols for the month you are attempting to find. For example, example, if you have have been left with five fingers pressed pressed into into your leg, but recall recall the mnemonic as “Lions for (representing the number four) Fur Coats” you know you know you are incorrect. Oh, and if you prefer to do something else other than press finger into your your leg, then then go right ahead. Looking over the astrological date you will have noticed that the star signs begin and end at various dates. The majority of these dates are a day off of the 23rd of each month. By assuming that each month’s star sign begins on the 23rd we remove the need for extra information that will only slow down the process.
In practice, when you get a month of February you would think “Aquarium with one Fish”, meaning that the star sign for February is Pieces. However, we need to assume ass ume that Pieces begins on the 23rd of February. If a date is given given before the 23rd then you must use the previous month’s astrological sign. In this nstance instance that would be Aquarius. Anything after the 23rd will still be Pieces. Should you ever get get a date close to the 23rd always write write both signs on the card. card. Look at the date and, if it is before the 23rd, cross out the next month’s star sign with a single line so that it can still be read. If the date falls on or after the 23rd, cross out the previous month’s star sign in the same ma nner. nner. In astrology it is often said that people who are in between signs in this way are ‘on the cusp’. In my experience people often know if i f they are on the cusp between two signs. This T his will give validity to writing both signs and crossing out one. People will offer up the fact that both answers are correct. Some people will not realise that they are on the cusp but will, providing you cross out the wrong one, point out out that you initially had it. When you do get get a birthday birthday around around the 23rd, make sure to always comment that you are torn between two answers and that you will go with your gut feeling, feeling, even though though you are being being pulled pulled to the other answer. This way if you are correct it appears that your gut instinct was correct. If you get it wrong, well, you did say you were going against your intuition, and really you should s hould have known better. I know it seems like a lot to remember but after half an hour of learning the six small phrases, and remembering that each month starts on the 23rd, it will be second nature. After a few weeks of practice you will be able to work out what the star sign is in the 10 seconds following the fourth and final question in stage three: Performer: “Do you believe in star signs?” Participant: “No.” Apparently analysing these answers you are able to write down the star sign of the person, at the same time scribbling scribbling out the previous notes. notes. No swami need be used. Write down the star sign and place the card, writing-side down, on the table in front of the person. If standing, have the participant hold their hand out flat and use this as a table. It is important to mimic how ho w you have been placing the pencil down on the table in stages one and two. In doing so you want the participant to misremember that the previous stages were this clean. This misremembering is aided by the fact that this is the last part of the routine where you write anything down on a card.
Stage four is optional if you do not wish to learn The Day Of Any Date methodology, m ethodology, or if you run out of time.
Having already worked out the day that the person was born, you could name the answer out loud. However, to do so would imply that you already know his birthday, which you are not supposed to know. Reiterate the year that the participant has just told you and ask for his birthday. Make sure to ask for the birthday, as it is one piece of information as opposed to the two pieces of information (month and day of birth) that were inputted into the calculator. I do not think that people people would link link the two things, things, but this should tip the stats stats in your favour. favour. Within a few seconds of make-believe make-believe mental gymnastics you reveal the day this person was born and then give give the weather for the area he was born. When revealing the weather take a guess at what it would be like in that month of the year. Given the month of June I would always assume that it would be sunny, as June is in the summer. summer. Nobody ever really really knows what the weather was like and it would always always be difficult to find out. Weather can also be different in areas just j ust meters apart so you are pretty well covered. I do like to add more than one weather type to the forecast in order to cover more bases and sound more specific. specific. I may say: “Yes, despite the regular regular sunshine at that time, this day had periods of overcast overcast cloud and a spot of rain.” It’s all very vague, yet it sounds specific enough to seem as though I know what I am talking about. By this point in the routine you have been correct about many things, so it follows that you are correct about this also. More and more phones these days have a calendar function that allows the user to go back to any date. Always ask the person to do this if they have this function on his phone. Sometimes people do not even realise realise that they do, so make them check. check. In opposition to what I say s ay in The Day Of Any Date effect, I think that you should have the person check to see if the day of the week is correct. correct. Instantly knowing that you are are correct about the day adds further subterfuge for the other effects in this routine. However, if the person cannot check that you are correct there and then, always write down the day that he was born and tell tell him to check on the internet when when he gets home.
If you have not learned The Day Of Any Date method yet, and find it to be too much information to learn, learn, there is an alternative alternative to stage four. Add some more questions about the person’s lifestyle and family, such as how ol d his Mom and Dad are. Take Take a minute to think think about the answers answers and say: “Right, I know you are are a [star sign], which which gives me a month of dates to choose from.” from.” Let’s assume the participant was participant was born on the 16th of March. “From the answers you have h ave given me I me I would say that, statistically speaking, you must have been bor n n on the 15th or 16th.” 16th.”
Of course, you could be dead on each time. However, it would seem somewhat suspicious. I recommend announcing a date that is slightly wrong – just one day out from the actual date. This way it seems as though you genuinely do not know. Along with that last subtlety, you have two possible endings in stage four. This stage, s tage, as mentioned earlier, is not at all necessary. If you want to cut the routine short to three stages you will still have a number prediction, a body reading demonstration demonstration and a very very powerful powerful and clean star sign reveal. reveal. To minimise unnecessary movement, I suggest that you approach the participant with w ith the swami already attached. It is fairly straightforward to keep it concealed from view using the fingers in any manner of ways. When it is time to remove a business card, reach into the pocket with the swami in place and take out the card. The card now provides the cover in place of your fingers. What about writing normally when you are wearing a swami? This is not an issue, as you will not no t actually be writing anything with your dominant hand, other than when you use the swami. Take the pencil pencil in your non-dominant hand and pretend to write write on to the card. The added bonus here is that the person person believes believes that your your non-dominant non-dominant hand is your dominant hand. hand. Holding the card in what appears to be your ‘weaker’ hand adds to the idea that you are not somehow writing in in secret. During stage two, where you ask the participant to input numbers into the calculator, it is extremely important important that your choices appear appear to be random. As far as the participant is concerned, the numbers named and the calculations made should appear to be coming off the top of your head. Even Even when you are asking him to enter his personal details it should appear that the idea of using us ing the birth dates appears impromptu. The worst case scenario is that the participant believes you could somehow work out what the end number is. However, as you have have demonstrated that that mathematics was not not required to do this in the first stage, this thought is nullified. I mentioned in the explanation that you can make reminder notes on the business card during the questioning. questioning. These notes should be written very lightly on the card card so as not to leave an indentation. indentation. You will probably be giving the business card away to the participant or others in his group. Even though you shall s hall be scribbling out the notations, indentations may still be read through the strikeouts. If anyone can read what you actually wrote, the illusion will be destroyed. Equally, I suggest that you make these notes as small as you can whilst maintaining legibility. Make sure that you are clear in your own mind about what you are apparently demonstrating with each stage of the routine. This will enable your act more convincing.
It can get quite confusing to work on the next stage whilst still apparently working on the current stage. A good knowledge of what you are supposed to be doing, and when, will stop any awkward pauses or inaccuracy Personally, when adding the 115, I will add the 15 first to see how that changes the number. Then it is fairly simple simple to add 100 to that number. It is imperative that you learn the mathematics of this effect off by heart. This is the method I use to remember it. You may find it of some help: Month double +5 x50 day –year It is also important to remember the Star Sign Mnemonic. I recommend reading it out loud, a few times a day for a couple couple of weeks. This This will cement cement it in your mind and before you know it you will be calculating calculating star signs with speed speed and accuracy. accuracy. Make the effects and demonstrations suit your style of performance. It is especially important to have something to say when when you are swami-writing swami-writing the numbers. numbers. Talking to the participant will distract his attention away from your hand and focus it upon your face. It will also cover any possible noise that the writing may make. Please, I beg you not to ask the question, “Why did you choose [number]?” unless unless it fits in fits in with the rest of the scripting you have. When writing, it also pays off to gesticulate a little with the hand you are secretly writing with. This will cover any movements made by your thumb. But be warned, over gesticulation or unmotivated unmotivated movement movement will draw attention attention towards the the hand. In the scripting, I mention the memory aid of pressing your fingers against your leg to work out what part of the star sign mnemonic to use. This is what I prefer to do, but you can fold fingers into your palm or simply work it out in your mind if you feel comfortable doing so.
There is not much m uch to add to this routine in terms of presentation, as it is laid out in depth. There is one thing I can add to this routine, a mnemonic (even though there is one already provided) I thought I would share the mnemonic I used to remember the order of the star signs. This is a creation by Stephen Eric Young, he added this as a contribution to ‘Isabella’ Isabella ’s star 2’ 2 .’ “AQUARIUS rains rains so FISH can swim, The RAM and BULL come charging in. The TWINS on giant CRABS will will ride, The LION LION sits by the VIRGIN’s VIRGIN’s side. To side. To BALANCE out the SCORPION’s sting. The sting. The ARCHER shoots the GOAT GOAT for its skin”. Once you have done done this for long enough you no longer need need to revert revert to these mnemonics, mnemonics, it becomes second nature and you will just instantly know which signs fall on which months.
The next contributions contributions is from a good friend of mine, a guy that that really doesn’ t need an introduction. He’ He’s a man that can deduce things about your life from something as small as the way you wear wear your watch. watch. He has a brain brain that works differently differently to most and his innate understand of of logistics and psychology psychology is second to none. Ben Cardall. Cardall. He is a name many of you already know, if you don’ don t ’ know this man his material material is simply awesome, keep your eyes peeled as he hasn’ hasn t ’ even got close close to hitting his peek. peek. If you are interested in finding out more about ben visit. www.BenCardall.co.uk Check out his latest book The ‘ Monographs’ Monographs’ on Amazon!
PREMISE: As part of your stage routine you announce the following to your audience. ‘Our minds, our brains, our memories work in mysterious ways at times. Yet at other times quite similar. Take our memories for example, example, we have have all heard heard of the phrase, I remember his face face but not his name. name. Its never the other way around around is it? Or I can remember where everything everything is in the supermarket but I don’t recall what I need. We get past these through notes and other helping hands but it is always numbers that escape us. Phone numbers, house numbers, dates, all seem very difficult to remember. I would like to show you that with a little bit of practice that it becomes super simple! Before we started, I had as many of you lovely people as possible write write down a 150-200 digit number, write your your name on, and pop them in this box so thank thank you for doing that… that… ONE OF THE AUDIENCE SELECTS SELECTS A RANDOM SLIP OF PAPER AND AND CONFIRMS THAT THAT ALL THE NUMBER SON THERE ARE RANDOM AND SUGGEST NO ORDER OR SIGNIFICANCE SIGNIFICANCE …So here is what is going to happen, happen, I am going to memorise memorise the order order of these numbers from David Theroux (reads name off the back of the paper) , so thank you david. It will then be up to you sir, to stop me and start start me in reciting reciting this sequence whenever you like. If you would just pass this whistle back to him. David this is for you to signify when you want me to stop and start ok? Great… TAKE HOWEVER MUCH TIME YOU WANT TO SEEM AMAZING. AMAZING. … Okay so where is is my helper helper that picked this piece of paper, just take this from me so so you can confirm what I say or announce any mistakes. David, I am going to start in a second, then the next blow of your whistle will signal me to stop and then show will carry on. The next whistle blow will tell me to begin from where I stopped. This can keep going as long long as you like like to really make it as difficult difficult as you like, it is is entirely your choice. THIS SIMPLY HAPPENS. HAPPENS. YOU DEMONSTRATE YOUR INFALLIBLE MEMORY SKILLS.
I don’t know know what I would describe this routine as, other than a very powerful and relatable demonstration demonstration of your mastery of your memory. Some context would help h elp I suspect though. A few years ago, 2013 to be exact. When Maria Konnikova’s book Master Mind was released, it gave me an idea for a show. I called it Master of Minds. The aim of it was simple, someone with nothing supernatural s upernatural about them at all could give seemingly supernatural demonstrations through having complete mastery of their mind. This was one of my demonstrations. demonstrations. The explanation of how how to do it, is quite simple. simple. You switch in in a piece of paper paper with a list of numbers you already know. The switch you use can be anything from a clear forcing bag to one of the many Q & A boxes that are available. To get the name on the paper of one of the audience members, happens as part of your pre show. Are you ready? It is a mind blowing and revolutionary method…ask them! I know right, madness! Though you ask a few people as part of your conversation so as not to call focus to that one person. Then you prepare prepare your forcing slips accordingly. The only other preparation you need to do is to learn learn the phonetic alphabet and and then choose which one your favourite movie speeches is your favourite? Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction or Russel Crowe in Gladiator. The alphabet alphabet first though. though. It is a Mnemonic device device to help convert numbers into letters, so these can form pictures pictures and therefore make make something intangible, intangible, tangible. ALPHABET 0 – S,Z (Zero starts starts with a Z, and looks/sounds similar similar to an an S) 1 – T,D (1 looks similar s imilar to a t and sounds like a D when spoken) 2 – N (2 looks like an N if you were to tip it onto its side) 3 – M (3 Looks like an M if you were to tip it on its side) 4 – R (If you were to say it slowly, as if to someone who speaks another language. The main noise would be that of an R) 5 – L (Hold up your left hand, put your fingers f ingers together and stick your thumb out. You get an L) 6 – J, SH, CH, soft G as in genes (all sound similar and formed on the face in a similar fashion) 7 – K, C, hard G as in Golf (When writing in cursive a 7 and k look similar and the letters are all formed in a similar way in the mouth when spoken) 8 – F, V, PH – (Elongate the lower half of an F and it’ll look like an 8, the letter formations sound similar when spoken and look similar when formed on the face) 9 – P, B (9 looks like a backwards P, p and b are both plosive as well)
The letters that aren’t part of the phonetic alphabet alphabet are the the vowels and W H Y. Easy to remember if you think of it of it like ‘Why aren’t aren’t the vowels in in the alphabet?’ alphabet?’ They are used as a filler letters letters to formulate pictures in a more clear way. Then we take my favoured favoured piece of Shakespeare, Shakespeare, from As You Like It. All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms. Then the whining schoolboy, schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, lover, Sighing like furnace, furnace, with a woeful woeful ballad Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths oaths and bearded bearded like the pard, pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble bubble reputation reputation Even in the cannon’s mouth. mouth. And then the justice, justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth s ixth age shifts Into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big big manly voice, voice, Turning again toward toward childish treble, treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, eyes, sans taste, sans everything. everything. So using the alphabet, alphabet, this speech then then becomes: 5514510016215513221323459540181410211421426021 551451001621551322132345954018141021142142602123220139032941 232201390329410071092708 0071092708260184011282135272197 26018401128213527219727212400430 27212400430 2102122707591001652162279674927 21021227075910016521622796749275702525527510752162584027578420 570252552751075216258402757842085955131103409 85955131103409420514855801426602194115 420514855801426602194115 7694175022401122172745077276999 76941750224011221727450772769995491128226722036216266012844 5491128226722036216266012844219556717925216008421 2195567179252160084219418843571855800021 9418843571855800021 31422012002109009416066681021652210599 31422012002109009416066681021652210599419215260971750220 41921526097175022021962010680558145111 21962010680558145111840642762721096325801 8406427627210963258014227 4227 727410651674959902105020021501028 72741065167495990210502002150102855612060014268218501400 55612060014268218501400721651620021349582021 721651620021349582021602002101028467. 602002101028467. The only difficult part is to remember remember where the whistle blow stopped stopped you. You are then then free to recall something seemingly impossible at will. So choose your favourite speech, learn and then convert ;) The mechanical order order is then as follows. follows. Prepare your forcing slips with the memorised m emorised number on, and a matching number of blank slips. As your pre-show, hand the slips out asking for a 100-150 digit number made up at random and then fold it up and write your name on. During your your conversation, talk talk to them informally getting getting names. Tell them to hang on to to their slips of paper paper until the show. show. Go back stage and and write one of the names on the back back of all your forcing slips, and set them in whatever forcing appliance appliance you are using. Go on stage and deliver deliver your patter, patter, have the slips dropped into the the appliance and use a front row member to select s elect the forcing slip. Find the person whose name you have and hand them the whistle. ‘Memorize’ Memorize’ the number Perform the rest of your show. Enjoy my friends! It is powerful powerful yeah but the most important important factor of this routine is has an extremely relatable element!
The idea of having a super human memory memory has always been something that that has fascinated me, Ben has, the plot he has shared s hared above I think is incredible and if you take the time to learn it then then you are going going to look like you you have the brain brain of a computer. One thing I might add add is a couple of subtleties subtleties – the first is the number that is created – No one is going to ever notice repetitions in numbers especially especially that long and the idea of converting numbers to letters letters is genius. As an alternative you could start this with numbers you already know. For example your date of birth, phone number, address, pin code, 261087075323236101175432
You can see how this is already a large string of numbers that you cannot forget as long as you remember the order you placed them in, in terms of category. You could then if you wanted to recite the categories in a different order and no one is going to know any different different as they are are merely confirming you are right. This also means that when the whistle blows as long as you know where about in your categories categories you stopped then you are fine, all you have to do is say to yourself for example “ example “22 digits into my pin code” code ” and go from where you left off. Another thing that I find important to take into account is that the person that wrote down the number is likely to remember the first three or four digits that he/ she wrote down and if those numbers are not called out then the likeliness is that they are going to know that it was not their piece of paper. paper. There is a simple remedy for this, this, when you hand the judge the slip of paper paper ask them to name the first number number that pops into their their head. They will will likely say seven or there there th about. Tell them to count along to the the 7 digit and that is where you call out the digit in that position (just by by counting along in your your head). Then simply proclaim “We will proceed from that digit” and now of course you have bypassed the first series of digits meaning that the person who wrote the digits can never backtrack the fact it wasn’t their piece of paper. paper. This is a really simple idea but I feel it covers covers the one thing in in the routine that could be cautionary. The tail end of the number might also also be something that that the participant participant remembers so after you have called out a long enough series of digits you can simply say “I think that proves I could consecutively consecutively do this for the rest of the numbers”. I seem to remember (and I might be wrong) watching a Lee Earle vhs tape years and years ago where he has has a premise similar similar to this one. I cannot cannot for the life life in me remember remember the name of the routine but if you can find it it I would be interested interested to re-watch re-watch it. I think (if I remember rightly) he asked the audience random member by member to call out numbers real time which were then written on a board – For obvious reasons I cannot tip Lee Earl’s Earl’s routine. routine. Adding the subtlety of calling out the position of the number is not essential but I always believe believe that you should have something like this prepared. prepared. I always always try to tie everything up so there is not a solution that can be gained or guessed by the participant and I feel something something like this not only adds to the effect but but really helps hide the method.
We have come to the end of this month’ month’s installment, each time I come to the end of one of these volumes I have mixed feelings. I have started recently developing what can only be described as a fright when sending sending out or talking talking about new material. material. I don’ don t ’ know why, the reason reason I share this this material is is to help the community community move forward and hopefully inspire inspire people to to think. That is what I hope these volumes volumes are doing for people. The routines in this volume volume are simple and straight forward, forward, there is in terms terms of method not much to focus on, and the presentation presentation is really where you would make these effects blossom and grow into something something incredible. incredible. If you have read this section of the volume, thank you. When I read a book, I read every section intently as the beginning and end section of each chapter holds so much value and I see people people skip these sections sections to jump straight into the material and I feel if you are doing this you I promise you, you will will never get get the full experience. experience. It’ It’s 4.31am and I am finally seeing the finishing line – the birds are singing in the trees and I am in in my own bed in England England tonight. It feels feels strange, when when you spend so much time on the road, you grow to love your own home and area that you live in, in a way that is hard to describe in words. When I am coming over the tops of the hills toward my house (after being away) I always get a strange feeling in my stomach - a warm feeling. I have been away for too long, they say that travel broadens the mind – It has certainly helped me get a better understanding understanding of who I am and what I want from life. The words I am writing writing are now starting starting to become hazy, my eyes are closing and I am fighting the sleep. My bed is becoming increasingly more comfortable and with each breath I take I am sinking slowly. slowly. I think I just lost the fight. Until next time my friends.
… Zzz
The end
