Here are the effects that are being considered. This listing will (obviously) change from time to time. Some may be dropped either for technical reasons or possibly not fitting with the “feel” I want; others may be added as I learn about new things or reconsider old things in a new light. I'll use descriptions rather than names because, quite frankly, I either don't remember the names, or (more likely) they have been so personalized or blended from other effects that any name other than my own working title would be pretty much meaningless.
Anyway, here are the individual effects I’m looking at, along with a tentative positioning for some of them.
- Zener Board (Run time: <1 minute)
The Opener: I step to the head of the table and introduce myself, then jump right in.
I point to one of my guests, and ask him to introduce himself. I display a large (3’x3’) poster board with three symbols on it, a Square, a Circle, and a Triangle (Triangle wasn’t one of the original Zener symbols, but I think it looks better here than wavy lines or a star. Aesthetic judgment only).
I now tell my new friend something about psychology tests and the propensity for males in their thirties who wear green shirts, etc. I ask him to quickly choose one of the three symbols. Once he tells me his selection, I ask him to look under his chair, where he will find an envelope taped to the bottom of the seat. Inside the envelope is a card which reads “You will choose the…” with a picture of the symbol he just named.
This uses the “Multiple Out” principle, and is not particularly strong by itself, but as an introduction to the “experiments” (and as the first effect of the evening) it will be remembered. I just have to move past it smoothly, and into something else.
- Intro Speech (Run time: <2 minutes)
This is where I begin laying down the ground rules. (Science only, “legitimate” ESP, no séances, etc.)
I have a pretty well delivered “impromptu” that will handle most “departed” questions before they are asked, in a non-theological and humorous manner, and it actually sounds kind of “scientific”. Designed to relax those who would object to divination (this IS the Bible Belt!)
- Silent Running (Run time: ≈5 minutes)
A great effect by Ben Harris, I’m using an alternate handling suggested by Devin Knight.
I wad up a napkin and toss it out into the audience, with a quickly called out “Heads Up!” As soon as someone catches it, I tell them to just toss it back and forth “like a hot potato, remember that game? You don’t want to get caught holding the potato!” Let them pass it around for a few seconds and then call out “STOP!”
That should get them excited and laughing (acting like a child helps one to feel like a child) and that will aide in the relaxation of the “critical processes” for the next little while.
I have the person who “gets caught” holding the napkin to mentally form the picture of a card in her mind. Then, using the “No Fishing” technique, reveal the card she is thinking of. The applause will probably be “good natured/polite”, and once it dies down, I have her unwrap the napkin she is still holding, and written inside is the name of the card she just chose.
At this point I can suggest that she might be a good candidate to try reading cards on her own. This takes us into…
- Four Suits and a Sharpie (Run time: ≈3 minutes)
My own spin on a commercial effect.
I pull four matching cards from a deck, one of each suit. I then have the volunteer select which one she thinks is the diamond, which is the heart, and so on, writing the names on the backs of each card. When the cards are turned over, she is, of course, correct.
- Second Break (Run time: <5 minutes)
At this point, we’ve slowed down a bit, so I point to the “goody bags” each person received (either as they entered the room or as part of their place setting). Each bag contains a pencil (embossed promotional item if I can budget it) and a blank 3x5 file card in one of four different colors.
I give them instructions on how to write on and fold the card, then ask them to open the card and write a question that is of personal interest to them at the top. Below that, on the bottom half of the card, they are to write one piece of personal information that is not “well known”; that is, something that most people would not know about them.
Without waiting for anyone to finish, I tell them when they are done, they are to refold the cards (so that every card looks identical, so that I won’t be able to notice anything “funny” and relate it to an particular individual) and place the cards beside their drinking glass. We’ll come back to them later.
While we’re here, this would be a good place to add another card to the bags, a white one
- Ubiquitous Nines (Run time: <2 minutes)
This is just a fun little time waster that should keep everyone in a good mood.
Everyone has a white file card and a pencil. I ask them to write down a four digit number, no, make that a five digit number. I mark an example on the white board.
They are then to use those same five digits and mix them up, putting them underneath the first number. Again I example.
Now they subtract the smaller number from the larger. Some fun can be had here; some people will have to move one of the numbers, and some will just plain be “bad at Math”. The whole time I’m exampling. (More fun, “Remember, don’t let anybody else see what you’re writing!”)
Now they have a completely different number, and I tell them to go across, adding all the digits together (example only the first two or three) until they come up with a two digit number. Add those two digits together.
“Got it? Ok! Now, by a show of hands, how many of you got the number nine?” Everyone should raise their hands, look around, and start laughing. The only ones who won’t get a 9 are the ones who really can’t do Math!
A brief reminder about what to do with the colored cards, then on to…
The above is a rough first draft of the first fifteen minutes or so.
The following are the effects that are still being considered, but don’t have a firm location yet.
- Five by Five (Run time: ≈10 minutes)
This is a variation of the old “Twenty One” card trick that your uncle has shown at every family reunion since you were three. But with proper staging it can still fool people. The only secret here is in constantly reframing what the audience remembers.
Uses five volunteers and a borrowed deck. Each person in turn shuffles thoroughly, and removes five cards for himself, then passes the remaining cards to the next person. I neither handle the cards nor look at any of the faces, but can still tell which card each person selected. Five way finale.
- Envelope Card Prediction (Run time: ≈3 minutes)
This is ancient.
An envelope has been in plain sight all evening. A deck of cards is freely shuffled and cut by as many people as want. I ask one person to cut the deck and complete the cut. I then “smile dramatically”, lay the envelope on top of the deck and have her open it. The prediction inside matches the cut-to card. - Hypnotic Regression meets Astral Projection (Run time: ≈5 minutes)
Two Words: Invisible Deck.
I’ve never liked the ID; it seems too obvious to me. But this presentation occurred to me a few weeks ago, and I think it’ll play well in this venue. (I want to test it a few times first!)
I choose my volunteer, and have them do some ritual breathing to prepare their minds for the journey (build-up is everything here!) I explain that before the show I did a specific thing to THIS deck of cards. (Go ahead and show the ID, still in its box) They are now going to re-enact my exact moves “in their mind’s eye”. I have them go through the actual motions of selecting a card, remembering it, reversing it and putting it back, taking a LONG time to build it up. Then quickly and with anticipation I ask, “Now, what was the card?” The instant the answer is given, I act amazed, open the box to give the reveal, showing it plainly, and saying simply, “Yes, it was!”
The anticlimax here is the thing that will sell it, I believe. Also, I’ve never seen anyone completely remove the chosen card from the ID; maybe someone does, but I’ve never observed it. I think I may do just that: pull out the card and toss it onto the table. Without the remainder of the deck no secret can be guessed, and it’s a casual way of saying, “I don’t care – nothing special about these cards”. We’ll try it and see.
- Mental Drawing (Run time: ≈10 minutes)
Learned this effect from a Banachek lecture, and it is absolutely amazing. Of course, there will be enough change so that people seeing it won’t get the method. One serious change will be in the manner of obtaining the information, since I don’t plan on constructing the device used in the lecture, at least not at this time. Instead, an Otis Manning type device built into a Kleenex box will do the dirty work AND not look out of place sitting on a table.
(Hmm, now that I think about it, the key is the device, so really it's nothing like Banachek's version, other than I'm drawing a picture with a Sharpie! Still, the reveal will be in his style, which is VERY powerful.)
- The Berglas Effect (Run Time ≈5 minutes)
A randomly chosen spectatora is handed a deck of cards and asked to call out a number from 1 to 52 inclusive. A second randomly chosen spectator is asked to call out the first card that comes to mind. With no special handling, recounting or “funny business” the first spectator deals the cards face up onto the table, counting as he goes. When he reaches his previously stated number, the card is the same one named by the second spectator.
This uses devices and controls from at least three different sources, used in a way I don’t know that’s ever been done before. It’s about as clean as I can imagine, even if it were real magic.
- Dice and Dominoes (run time ≈5 minutes)
I believe this to be original, one spectator receives a pair of dice and another spectator receives a box of dominoes. After a quick series of tosses, all but one domino is eliminated. The first spectator then rolls the dice, and the top numbers match the pips on the dominoes.
This requires some special handling, together with a few custom made gimmicks. It’s powerful stand alone, but I don’t know if it’s going to be worth adding to the routine. I’ll keep it on the list, for now…
Goody Bag Cards
1 2 3 4 5 ♦ ♣ ♥ ♠ ♀ ♂
(All the rest are blank)
Bags are sealed with colored dots labels.
The “blanks bags” will have either red or yellow dots.
The “symbol bags” will have either blue or green dots.
(More colors will be used if I can find them!)