talkmagic.co.uk

Name: Mel Mellers Tickling The Mind DVD

Author: Mel Mellors

Price: £25, though got it for £22.50

Publisher: RSVP Magic

Date: Copyright 2007, bought May 2008

Length: 1hr 34

Difficulty: Various difficulties of effects. Some VERY easy ones though.

Out of 10: 8

Before I list any contents, This was recommended to me from Jerry at International Magic. It was for routines for children's magic, but all of these are performed for and in front of adult audiences. Some are suitable for both, some really just for adults.

Contents

Mass Hypnosis.
Using a stamp album, in the style of a magic colouring book, (which would also be suitable for children.) he did a routine which was different in the fact there wasn't all the shouting out you would get from a children's audience. A cheap enough prop that worked for adults with the "hypnosis" premise giving it a reason for them.

5 Minutes With 1 Balloon.
The main reason I was suggested this DVD. I just like the way that this can be used as a link into balloon modelling at the end of a show. It does actually use more than 1 balloon, but just one balloon at a time.

Birthday Revelation.
For the purists, I had better describe this as a "mental magic" effect.
Quite simply, Mel, accurately predicts someones Birthday, while seeming to have got it wrong.

Phobia.
A needle through Balloon routine, again, presented for adults, rather than children.

Ropertainment
A professors Nightmare style routine. Not the best actual routine I have ever seen on this.

Business Card Warm-Up.
A memory test on phone numbers of business cards. Although maybe not on the vast scale the audience think, it IS in fact a GENUINE memory test.
mel states he uses it a as warmup. before going into a mentalism routine.

On A Roll
A five minute bank note routine, using a HUMAN TOILET ROLL HOLDER!

Shirt Prediction.
Personally, my least favourite routine on here. A number prediction where the answer is printed on his shirt.

There is a bonus routine not featured on the DVD sleeve.
It involves cutting the hand off a member of the audience, but showing how it is done. Not exposure, or even magic, it is just played for laughs, which it definately gets. very good routine.

Comments

The style of presentation wouldn't suit me at all. Some of the effects are not something I would be interested in.

This doesn't mean that I don't think there are enough ideas or routines that I could use and adapt. Far from it.

In front of an adult audience, he manages to be insulting with put downs in a very funny, non insulting way, if that makes sense.
It is clear that it was shot in front of real audiences, with some of his "ad libs" appearing a couple of times.
The explanations are done in his natural "off stage" persona, which makes it easier to follow.

One word of warning.
Between chapters, there is a photo of a clown with a seriously creepy laugh!!!

Overall, this is a DVD which, if you look at with a view to how YOU would present it, is worth getting. A little bit of magic which can be used for adults or children, plus some mental magic and lots of small laughs. there isn't anything that would give huge belly laughs, but enough to make it funny throughout.

I think this is a really great DVD, and although I can't say I perform any of the routines (which is a lie, I do this presentation of needle thru balloon if asked to do one final trick for the whole room etc.) I think just seeing Mel interact with his audience and get maximum reactions from some very simple and cost-effective tricks is a real inspiration.

That clown is bl**dy annoying though. On his next DVD (which I don't actually think is quite as good), he acknowledges this... in fact, one of the tag lines for the DVD is "the clown is dead"!

Farlsborough wrote:That clown is bl**dy annoying though. On his next DVD (which I don't actually think is quite as good), he acknowledges this... in fact, one of the tag lines for the DVD is "the clown is dead"!

That's a relief!

I still say the clown is creepy, and I don't mind clowns. Anyone with a phobia would have to go out the room between chapters.

I may just use the needle thru for a routine with my dog puppet.

The other balloon act will definately be a link between the end of the magic and me making models. Just the bit of fun needed for this.

Mel didn't know that the clown was being put onto the DVD until it was too late and I'm told that it annoyed him too

By the way - I'm the human toilet roll holder on this DVD it was a great show to watch except for that bit.

That's some claim to fame you have!

The fact you put a explains why you look a bit flushed on the DVD.

It was totally unexpected and I knew a lot of the audience as there was a strong contingent from the Wessex Magical Association (WMA) there too.

Very few people escaped Mel's attention that evening and there were a number of other blushing as well

If you weren't a fan before you went along then you certainly left the show as one. I note that Mel is performing at the Gala at next January's Southern Magic Convention and think that he's worth the price of the ticket alone.