Hi,
in January of this year our US friend Ron Chavis contacted Rainer us, requesting feedback on a manuscript of one of his routines. Obviously we were surprised and felt honored by Ron's trust ... but apart from this we started to read with no particular expectation - just because we didn't knew any of his works beforehand and by this we couldn't anticipate what the manuscript would be all about.
Now it's difficult for me to express in English language the feelings I got when Ron's manuscript started to captivate me.
Sometimes when reading an effect, I'm fascinated by the effect itself - independent from the method. Sometimes studying a manuscript I find the method pretty clever first and foremost.
Ron's manuscript touched me on a completely different level! It's not primarily about the effect itself (it can be performed using an paranormal or a telepathy approach). And it's not primarily about the method either! It's about the atmosphere and the mood of the story! It's about the emotions and subconscious associations which are induced by the story's ambiance!
Reading the background story of Ron's routine - as simple as it may appear on the first glance - the described mental scene immediately arised in my mind. And not only 'the scene' in the sense of the environment/surroundings; more than this I felt implicated in an emotional way.
There are so many apparently minor parts and aspects in this story that are touching on different levels; whether you emphasize on them during a performance explicitly or not: Romantic, melancholy, puerilely wisdom combined with childhood innocence, ...
Rainer and me were immediately caught up in Ron's work - and we spent the next night discussing the manifold options and implications of this routine. We came up with so many associations, possibilities and optional additional applications that we couldn't help ourself to sent a pretty lengthy reply.
Rainer performed a take on Ron's routine two days later during a stage show with huge success and I performed a variation in close up settings several times since then too. The impact on the participants and the audience as well (!) was always gorgeous - especially on the emotional level!
It's difficult for me to write a 'Realistic Review', when I don't feel comfortable to emphasize on the effect itself or even on the methodology, just because this isn't what it's all about in the first place. Yes, the effect is great and even if the trick technique isn't genuinely new, it's clever and convincing. But why review elements (as clever as they may be) that don't represent the essential beauty of a work?
And those parts of Ron's work that DO represent this 'essential beauty' can't be reviewed either without giving them away.
Apart from this, we cannot be 'realistic' in reviewing Ron's 'Words in the Sand' because - as I said - we were immediately caught up in his work to a degree, that we had discussed several of our thoughts with him during the following days.
Now Ron surprised us not only by having sent us his manuscript beforehand - he even honored us by adding some of our comments to his original work.
No, I neither can be 'realistic' in reviewing Ron's wonderful work, nor could I find a way to describe his work more concrete, ...
But even if my remarks are not located correctly in the 'Realistic Review' section (emphasizing the term 'realistic'), I hope that you can read out some vivifying informations from this.
Ron himself announced his work as follows:
An authentic display of visual telepathy. Two completely different approaches are offered. One approach for the mind-reader and one approach for the paranormalist, both have different outcomes. This is an emotional piece of Mentalism, full of mood and feeling. At the request of several Professional Performers, I have decided to limit this work.
Quotes from other performers who had the chance to work with Ron's routine:
Tony Razzano wrote:“I think this is great! A refreshing new idea.”
Bob Cassidy wrote:"Love the presentation, Words in the Sand is powerful stuff. I'm sure it will find its way into the performances of many working pros."
Neal Scryer wrote:"A beautiful and visual piece of mentalism. I absolutely love your presentation."
Iain Dunford wrote:"If I had a hat, I'd take it off to you sir... Excellent!"
Rainer Mees wrote:“Absolutely fantastic! Words in the Sand is pure metaphorical mentalism.
Love it, love it, love it!"
Ron struggled for quite a while whether he ever shall offer this work openly; and finally he kept it exclusive for several PEA members and trusted mentalists for nearly the last year. Now he decided to offer exactly 100 printed manuscripts of his brilliant routine worldwide. And we offered him to ship exactly 50 of those manuscripts in Europe.
If you are interested in, you can order via PayPal € 35.00 plus € 2.50 shipping to Ron directly: thethoughtreader@gmail.com
We will ship the manuscript from Germany; so this will be quicker and less expensive compared to shipping from the States.
Ron's 'Words in the Sand' with all its implications is a gem!
If there are any questions on this manuscript, feel free to ask.
Cheers
Th.