talkmagic.co.uk

Sanctum and Kioku both ordered!!

Aaargh... Bleeding CUPS... Right that's it, no more reading reviews for me.

Guess what just popped through my letterbox, Mandy?

I won't jump into reviewing Kioku/Sanctum, as that'd be silly and vapid - you can't give a rounded review of a trick simply by opening the envelope and looking at it. You have to ponder, and reflect, and - most importantly - try it out a few times.

However, here are three thoughts I had about Kioku right from the first minute that won't change.
1) The cards look a little 'homemade'.
1a) Ha! How splendidly better in all ways that the cards look a little 'homemade'.

2) Many of us would like to practise cold reading (we know the theoretical principles and are, we flatter ourselves, natural liars), but, being British, we're far too worried about embarrassment if we get things wildly wrong. Kioku offers a way to 'practise with a safety net'. Hurrah!

3) Several times in this thread, I said, 'The method is *that thing*, I bet.' Well, it's not that thing. It's an entirely different, and much more reliable, thing.

has anyone got the time to make a video it would help

thanks

No, a video would not help at all. A good performance of koku wil ltake about 5 minutes and is pointless to video, i believe this has already been talked about on page 1 or 2.

Sexton Blake wrote:Guess what just popped through my letterbox, Mandy?

Hey, Sex, I don't need to guess, I'm mental (Or should that be I'm a mentalist?) anyways, our Postie popped the same thing through our letter box yesterday (ooo-er) but as I was out until late afternoon I only managed to have a quick check of the effect at the time.

I have to agree that the items are very home made in appearance and my first thought was to do slightly 'better' versions but, having considered it a bit more, I can see that the cards as they are just the job for the effect so no change required. The memory work involved is very straightforward but a cunningly hidden crib sheet will be required to avoid over taxing my brain cell. Will have several dry runs and then see how it goes with the unsuspecting members of the family/guinea pigs!

Roth wrote:I have a 31 memory 5 card stage version I use with no crib.

Homer: Every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home winemaking course, and I forgot how to drive?

Marge: That's because you were drunk.

I think, using the mnemonic system you suggest (or perhaps a variation), I'll be able to learn the memories if I sit down in peace for a few minutes, though. Main problem: finding a few minutes of peace.

Mandrake wrote: The memory work involved is very straightforward but a cunningly hidden crib sheet will be required to avoid over taxing my brain cell. Will have several dry runs and then see how it goes with the unsuspecting members of the family/guinea pigs!

I do a 31 memory 5 card stage version with no crib. Trust me I have less brain cells left than you.

I live in the states and believe me, if you can memorize a U.K. shipping address you can do Kioku without a crib.

RR

Mine arrived today and I gotta say - first impressions are I'm gonna have some fun with this heh heh
I'm trying to learn the routine and atm I keep getting the numbers mixed up - I'd like to elaborate, but fear of exposure prevents me
It'll just take a lil' time before I have it down to a fine art and then watch out world here I come

Took me about half an hour or less of reciting the 'helpfull hints' and i know them all easily. It REALLY is learning the pegs next to the descriptions, it helps loads!

Now what is this 31 and 5 cards trick you're talking Roth.... Is it a variation? I'm interested

Damn it I want mine NOW!!! Should arrive sometime soon...I hope!

Roth wrote:if you can memorize a U.K. shipping address you can do Kioku without a crib.

I have no doubt that you're right in this respect, the crib would be a failsafe last ditch backup rather than front line usage. I work on the basis that having such a backup probably means it will never be used, If I don't have one then.......who knows !

Mandrake wrote:

Roth wrote:if you can memorize a U.K. shipping address you can do Kioku without a crib.

I have no doubt that you're right in this respect, the crib would be a failsafe last ditch backup rather than front line usage. I work on the basis that having such a backup probably means it will never be used, If I don't have one then.......who knows !

Several of the memories lend themselves to doing a drawing dup. instead of revealing the memory.
The use of a clipboard makes it very easy to hide the crib.

RR

The 5 card stage version? Hehehe... boys, boys, boys one step at a time..

Ouch! Someone just threw a Janus pad at me!

Three pages down there is now an impression of the side of my face.

Got mine today. I like it, esp. the ability to really spin it out once you know what it is. I'm a bit suspicious of the re-inforcing with multiple cards bit but I haven't tried it yet so we'll see how the specs take it. It's good cold reading practice anyway, should be a laugh. I like the "gimmick" - very subtle.

ian69 wrote:Got mine today. I like it, esp. the ability to really spin it out once you know what it is. I'm a bit suspicious of the re-inforcing with multiple cards bit but I haven't tried it yet so we'll see how the specs take it. It's good cold reading practice anyway, should be a laugh. I like the "gimmick" - very subtle.

Thank you. I would try the "distance" presentation in the instructions.

It's really amazing the psychological subtlety of being several feet away from the spec as you "describe" their experience.

With the 5 card (cards are 4 inches by 5 1/2 inches ) "stage" version you can be 20 feet away from the spec the entire time. ( of course you don't want to have to yell your revelations out )
BTW the stage cards have nothing on the back.

This distance creates a seperation from you and the "props" in the spectators mind.

It's almost like they forget that there are props involved!

You can do this presentation with the Kioku cards.

One last thing. I did the "stage" version for 4 magicians at Hollywood Magic in Hollywood.

Exact same presentation as Kioku. They were like little kids again. No clue how it was done.
They asked me to do it again and they liked it just as much as the the first time moments earlier.

The key to this effect is to drag it out as much as you can. It's like getting 4,5,6 hits off one little bit of knowledge.

RR

Roth wrote:The use of a clipboard makes it very easy to hide the crib.

Also a small notepad, 4" x 4" or so from the local cheapo shop (Wilkinson's!). The cover is pale blue with a lot of white writing on so a bit more writing won't be seen and it gets folded out of the way very innocently to display the sketch - heh, heh .

Actually, I'm going to have some serious fun with this effect as it's one of those things which genuinely packs small and plays big but will be differently presented by each performer. You can't help but make up your own patter and routine which makes it all the easier to do. Thanks Roth, this is a real treasure!