talkmagic.co.uk

Wow - that is a very moving story. You certainly know first-hand how good a cause Marie Curie is.

And you also know how rotten the tabloids can be too!

I guess we learned the hard way, but even the poor articles that got printed still generated interest and additional ticket sales so we can take some positives from the negatives!

Amongst other highlights, Paul performed a killer book test with 5 random members of the audience and I performed my classic tin trick*.

Hopefully we'll have some clips on YouTube soon!

*Basically a member of the audience is selected and invited onto the stage. They shuffle the deck, remove a card and show the audience. The card is replaced and shuffled (by the audience member) and they hold onto the deck. I bring their attention to a tin of fruit cocktail that has been sitting front of stage since the start of the show. I explain that this will be a consolation prize if I fail to identify their card (hey, it is a charity event - what do you expect? Haha!)
So I ask them to go through the deck and remove their card and another 3 cards then I will try to fathom which one is theirs. Only problem is... they cannot find their card! Being a man of my word, I ask them to take the tin of fruit as consolation for me failing to find their card. Just as they are about to leave the stage, I stop them in their tracks!!!! I then ask them to check the tin and make sure it is sealed and hasn't been tampered with - which they do. I ask them to reveal their card - say it's the 6 of hearts - before asking them to open the tin (it's a tin with a ring-pull top) and check the contents. Sure enough, there is fruit, but there's also a card... their card... the six of hearts!
No palming, no switching and the deck and tin is never touched by me after the selection is made.

MagicBill wrote:Sorry, I know there are a lot of working pros out there performing for live audiences! I just meant acts performing in a theatre-style environment.

Still seems off base as many of us perform in theatre settings as well

The book test went like this...........

First I gave the facts on the number of pages being in a book and the number of words in an average book as well. Some 72'000 or more. I did the math. Then five people were invited onto stage , each were given an envelope and were told that each envelope contained the name of one of the books that sat on the stage infront of them. The choice of envelope was a free choice. I then turned my back on the five people and Billy handed a ball to the line of five people. They were instructed to pass the ball up and down the line until I said stop. I could not see where the ball was at any given time. The person holding the ball stepped forward. We then selected another person in the same way , giving us two random volunteers. The other 3 people opened their envelopes and picked up the matching book. One of the selected people was asked to say a number from1 to 200 that would be the page we would use. They chose 100.
the other person opened their envelope to see what book we would use. she then looked up the chosen page and we got another number for the line, which was 10.
I asked her to read it to her self. Whilst she was doing that I wrote down
something on a large pad. I showed this to the audience and asked for the line to be read allowed. They both matched.
I found out the same time as the audience what book was to be used.

Still seems off base as many of us perform in theatre settings as well

Dr Todd, my humble apologies! I am sure there are many pros out there performing for live audiences in theatre environments - I simply meant that I hadn't seen or heard of many doing so... particularly in Scotland!

As for the book-test Paul details above - it's amazing! He fooled the hell out of me when he first showed me it. Bravo. Echo. Tango!

The book test sounds nice, although a bit over engineered for my liking as I would fear after the ball,envelopes,numbers, etc...the participants, and audience members would lose track of what was going on and why...just my two pence worth...

Yes I do agree with you on the over engineered. I did manage to pull it off and keep the audience with me. I had the same thots when rehearsing it, therefore worked a lot on linking it all together. Probably not for all audiences tho. cheers.

I'd love to watch your act someday! Congratulations on the money raising. I wish you much success in the future!

The article isn't bad! It's just too bad it didn't have a better writer, someone who could put a bit more energy into it! They say all publicity is good publicity!! Her other articles aren't too great either

Did a version of the Galss Box prediction, which allows for a a headline prediction to tbe included. Went down a storm. Posted the sealed box last week to the client wrapped as a birthday present, which she opened in front of 80 guests last night. The whole effect is really great.

Glass box. It's a great effect, well thot out I think. Did the show go well?
What effects did you do?

fox100. Cheers for the kind words. We are planninig more shows.Wil keep you informed.

mindpaul wrote:Glass box. It's a great effect, well thot out I think. Did the show go well?
What effects did you do?

The show was a blast! One hour after dinner show with a great audience. The space was a nice as it allowed me to walk up to most of the guests and use many people to assist me. The set consisted of:

A version of Chronologue/Telepathic diary
A Mick Ayres routine using the 3 and a half of clubs
Magic Square
Triology using a large drawing pad
Number, word, and card triple mind read
A psychometry effect using coloured cats eye crystal balls
Glass box prediction (number, card, headlines)
Ring in a nest of boxes