The Effect
http://www.lebanoncircle.co.uk/Memento%20Mori.htmlLebanon Circle Magic is proud to present one of the most versatile props available for the bizarre magician, mentalist or storyteller - in fact any performer who wants to add that eerie edge to their repertoire.
Memento Mori – the Haunted Billet Switch Locket is an elegantly devious prop that will integrate into any show. Featuring over 80 images covering the whose who of the Victorian period and beyond from the Captain of the Titanic to the Jack the Ripper suspects and his victims, from Vernon to Houdini, the Elephant Man to Lillie Langtry, H.P Lovecraft to Crowley – if you have a theme to your show Memento Mori will fit it.
Copyright © 2005 lebanonircle.co.uk
All Rights Reserved | Web Design Dan Baines
The Basic Effect
The premise is simple – a spectator folds a blank billet and places it inside the locket. The locket is closed and the spirit of the chosen icon is asked to leave a message. Once opened it can be revealed that blank billet now contains a message from beyond the grave.
Reveal predictions or demonstrate psychic ability
You take a billet, write a prediction on it and place it inside the locket. You ask a spectator to hold the locket and think of a number, you then open the locket, tip out the billet and it contains the exact number the spectator chose!
Billet vanish
Make a billet vanish and reappear in another location or substitute the vanished billet for a palmed one. The possibilities are limitless.
Miniature Spirit Slates
Replace your velvet interior with a miniature blackboard which can be used to receive spirit writing. Show the slates to be blank and at the end of the séance they can be opened to reveal a message from the spirit world. The Spirit Slate interior is yours free when you buy Memento Mori.
If you’re familiar with billet routines you will be all too aware of what an invaluable performance tool this is.
Cost £99.99
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)
Basic effect is a 1, more advaned is 3/4
Review
I have been playing around with Lebanon Circle's Memento Mori for the past few days and would like to share my views on this superb piece with you all. The first thing that strikes you, as it does with all LC's pieces, is the amount of detail that has gone into the packaging and presentation of the item. It comes in a superbly ghoulish box with an excellent DVD telling you all you need to know plus various bits and pieces that will ensure that you have everything you need to get Memento Mori up and running.
Dan suggests you avoid the temptation of opening the velvet box that contains the locket and watch the DVD first. The DVD goes into great detail telling you all you need to know and it's important that you follow Dan's instructions regarding the customisation of the locket.
You get a massive choice of photo's that you can use with the locket, I mean a MASSIVE choice and there is a picture for each bizaarist. Want a Ripper based prop? Covered! Titanic! It's there! If you have bought Jeremy's recent and superb Elephant Man Seance book, Merrick is there too... Crowley, Madame Blavatsky... you are truly spoilt for choice.
As you would expect with something from Lebanon Circle, the locket itself looks and feels fantastic and the look alone is something that will attract your audiences' curiosity. On looking at it and realising what it does, it is one of those props that will inspire a backstory for your presentation. Customising it is a doddle and takes no time at all and you will be up and running quicker than you can say "Victorian Post Mortem Photgraphy" (almost!)
So what you can do? First and foremost, it is the cleanest and spookiest billet switch I have ever seen. Perfect for delivering messages from the afterlife and even includes a mini spirit slate which can go inside the locket. One of the most incredible things it can do is snap shut at your command and even have the chain move around in a creepy fashion. Hand off, no one touching, nothing to find...
Combining the delivery of a message with the animation in the highly charged confines of the seance room, you are destined to evoke gasps and screams as it truly is astonishing. Anyone who works in the bizarre or occult fields will be using this in their show, I know it's going to have a place in mine. As performers of this genre, we look for those 'moments', the ones that the more tranquil moments lead to, those shockers that leave an impression, that event that will be talked about afterwards... Memento Mori classily and easily delivers one of those such moments.
Everything you receive here is of the highest quality from the concept to the presentation to the thought that has gone into everything and of course the locket itself. It truly is a thing of dark beauty and will be a high point in any dark show. Whilst playing around with MM, ideas will come into your head, there are so many possibilities with this.
I truly recommend Memento Mori to all you spooky ones, trust me - you'll LOVE it!!!