The Games People Play ebook by Iain Dunford
Available from
http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=753133 as a download.
Cost £15
Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
Tricky one this. Like all great mentalism the ideas are simplicity personified, however (as we all know) it's all in the presentation and having the guts to pull it off. The difficulty level will really just depend on how far up the ladder of competence you are - however I would happily recommend this book to both the enthusiastic beginner and the more experienced.
The Effect
This ebook contains 4 routines, but each routine has variations, alternative handlings, and points to consider, meaning that in reality you get far more than simply 4 routines. Each routine is based to a greater or lesser degree around (you guessed it) the games that people play.
The routimes are:
Psychic Hangman. Based around a game of hangman, the performer correctly divines not only the word(s) on a spectator's card but also how far along the picture (gallows, body etc) has progressed. Includes parlour and close-up presentations, alternate handlings, and tons of ideas.
Mindcell. This time Iain applies his amazing brain to crossword puzzles.
Crossed Thoughts. Nostalgic thoughts of a by-gone era are conjured up as the performer correctly divines a word written on a roll of film imagined in the spectator's mind!
Postabulations. And a fiendish routine to finish using those darlings of the office environment, Post-It Notes!
What They Say
"Games People Play" is yet another beautiful pagaent of ideas from Iain Dunford.
What I Say
I love the idea of taking an everyday game that people may remember from their childhood, and creating a powerful piece of mentalism from it. Take for example Hangman, As a child I remember playing it, and during those games there was real tension as I desperately tried to save my stick man from being hung on the piece of paper before me. I can also remember the excitement of winning a game, when the final piece of the gallows would be complete and my opponent's limp stick body would hang twitching on the page before me! By creating a mentalist routine around Hangman - and other such games - Iain is already tapping into some strong memories and emotions from our youth. It adds an extra flavour, and extra "zing" to the routines - and this adds so much more weight to the spectator's experience.
Likewise with the idea of old cinema film. There is a certain nostalgia and emotion already invested in the routine by the spectator even before the performer begins the routine. Add to that mix Iain's wonderfully creative mind and you can't help but have a winner!
These routines are also eminently suitable for close-up and walk-around performance, so anyone out there struggling with good solid mentalism routines to use as a table-hopper - well, this little ebook will give you a ton of ideas to play aound with.
Hugely recommended. Go buy now.