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I'm still waiting for my Pure Effect to come back from Greece so can't help. I'd guess it was a late edition as I only got it last January/February - it was supposed to be a Christmas present but was out of print for quite a time.

Hi all,
I've also got a third edition and from what I've read and heard it contains almost everything the first edition did EXCEPT a rather fantastic sounding routine in which a spec replays a memory in their mind and you describe it in great detail.
I think it's called 'Recollection' or 'Reminiscence', something like that anyway.
I was a bit peeved when I heard about its removal, apparently it was 'too good' for anyone except the first purchasers.
I'm not sure what else is missing though.
Hope that helps,
Mathew.

Reminiscence is one of the boldest things I've ever seen in magic. I saw Derren perform this a couple of times and it baffled me. The explanation is verrrrry interesting but it's not something you would easily replicate or have the bravado to do yourself. And it's not perfect. My wife was in the audience for one of his performances and saw right through it. And I didn't!! I think because, as a magician myself I wouldn't entertain the possibility of his method.

Anyway I'm going to really hack you off by going on about it so I won't anymore.

Is there any chance that someone with the first edition could let those of us with a later one know the workings of the omitted effects? I'm not sure if that is allowed really but I was as dissapointed as everyone else when I found out that I was too late for some of the good stuff.

I think the other removed item was a routine called "Lift", but sadly, I have no idea what it involved. Sounds like a card routine, but I have an inkling it might be a hypnotic/pseudo-hypnotic lifting effect, or one which prevents lifting (rather as he did with the boxers in one of his TV programmes). I don't think Derren would have removed a card routine, as he doesn't really do those any more.

When I spoke to Derren last night (oooh look at him), I did ask him about the chapters missing from Pure Effect, and we had a nice chat about it...

That must have been nice.......

are any more details going to be forthcoming?

oh yeah. Just teasing

He said that the whole story got blown totaally out of proportion. The first edition was more like a large ring bound volume of lecture notes and that there were only about 50 copies printed. When it went to the publishers, to be made up into a book he was still using a couple of the effects in his act and so removed them.

I didnt push on and ask him about what the effects were or anything like that as he still had quite a crowd to get through so I didnt want to monopolise him too much, but my lovely assistant did take a few pictures as we were chatting.

If you go to see him Nick, it's well worth meeting him afterwards. He seems a very nice down to earth guy (in the few minutes I was speaking to him).

I fully intend to. Unfortunately I have managed to forget to bring my camera to Leicester with me this week so I will have to be photoless

This 'reminiscence' (sp?) routine... don't laugh at me or anything, but did he perform this on Richard Madeley some months ago on Richard & Judy's tea-time show?

I seem to remember he managed to figure out that Richard was thinking about falling off his bike as a kid or something.

That is interesting, I have some mp3s of Derren on the radio from a BBC site and he does that effect on the host and guesses exactly the same thing (bike) correctly

I'm sure it was a bike with Richard Madeley... I could be wrong though.

or was Richard being a stooge...?

The fluffy colour didn't ease the shock any.

Yeah the radio thing sounds exactly the same, if I could find the link I would drop it here for you. I'll look again.