talkmagic.co.uk

CRITTERS by Craig Browning

A book about getting mental with animals.

The Corporate sales pitch
Six Dynamic Mentalism Routines + a Bonus Book Kicker! Critters Allows the Psychic Entertainer to Explore the many ways Humans & Animals Connect with One Another by employing simple toy animals (small plastic or large stuffed ones). PLUS Craig has included his exclusive "Baby Elephant Walk" -- Chair Prediction Routine -- a fantastic large scaled stage productions loaded with comedy potential and perfect for the family market -- a most excellent piece of Mental Magic that's suitable for the more traditional Magician and Mentalist alike.

Cost
Print: £16.78
Download: £13.78

Available from Lulu


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)

As with most things, it depends on your skills as a salesperson.
In terms of technical sleights - 1 or 2
In terms of showmanship and presentational skills - 3-5

Review
I ran a search on the TalkMagic board and through Google, and I'm surprised that this hasn't been reviewed yet. Or if it has, I missed the thread. Perhaps Craig Browning just isn't well enough known in these parts...

What we have here is a collection of mentalism routines involving animals. Readers will be relieved to find that they won't be expected to read the minds of their favourite pooch or discover just why their leg is so alluring. The animals in question are props, used in a genre of magic which is so often prop-free.

The routines are as follows:

Which One
A Free Will style effect in which the spectator selects the critter of his or her choice only to find the decision spelled out in a prediction that's been on display the whole time.

Animal Magnitism
Couples are compelled to select male and female equivalents of the same furry critter.

More Animal Magnetism
Variations on a theme

Totem Channels
Psychometry with Beanie Babies

One Day in the Bar
A Saints and Sinners effect with a 'which beasty did you snaffle' theme.

Craig Browning's Elephant Walk
Chair prediction routine for the stage. With an elephant theme.

First things first. This isn't a book of tricks. Don't buy it as such. Mark Wilson offers more trick-to-the-penny than Craig Browning does. But that's not the point. This is a book of ideas, and what I find attractive here is the way it takes a theme and uses it to breathe great silliness genre which is all too often very sober.

I won't go into the fine details of each of Craig's routines, as that would be too close to exposure in this case. Many of the tools and methods at play here are sure to be familiar to most readers who have an active interest in mentalism - although some of the technical details of psychometry spelled out here are new to me. Again, the value of this book comes from the presentational tangents it takes.

Oh, and in between the routines, Craig offers background info on the psychic concepts being discussed, pointers to other source material related to the routines in hand, and invaluable tips about presentation, performance, espionage and what I can only describe as invisible pre-show work.

Critters is an engaging read, although I found it interesting to see these routines fused with Craigs interest in real-world mysticism and history - animal totems, shamen and the like. These are Craig's routines, and I have no doubt that they work well, but my mind is too busy playing with the potential silliness on offer.

We're talking about psychometry with furry toy animals here, people! Have you considered the comic value in this? Haven't you always wanted to tell a volunteer how much he resembles a chimanzee?

Overall
I'll admit it. I have a lifelong and soul consuming passion for the silly and the absurd. Critters has lit a big fire under my think tank, and now I feel like doing something wild.

This book is such a big kick in the creative pants, I can only give it 10/10

It's just been pointed out to me that Critters has already been reviewed in the Mentalists Only forum.

If you're not allowed into the Mentalists only forum, just take my word for it that the other mentalists here like Critters too.

If you are allowed into the Mentalists only forum, look into my eyes.

Relax now.

Everything's calm, nothing is urgent.

There isn't a second review of Critters.

You never saw this one.

Life is easy.

Simply forget the duplicate review.

Now click 'Back' and enjoy your day.

Thanks PC for the review... and yes, you got the point behind it. Though I can seem like some sort of dark lord at times the truth is, I think we should learn to have fun and look beyond the ideas found within the proverbial box. CRITTERS was for me, an exercise in imagination that gave me a great deal of pleasure playing with and evolving on.