talkmagic.co.uk

I'm sure the special on sunday will be a 'taster' of the live show he's currently doing - it'll probably be more like a re-hash of last year's tour, with heavy advertising at the end to get people along to the Cambridge Theatre to see him this year. Derren's website has more details...

Interestingly enough, I actually dreamt about Derren Brown last night. Very peculiar. Anyone else had that since seeing the show? I blame that damn video...

Well, here's the blurb off his site:

Derren Brown: The Gathering - Sunday 29th May, 10PM, Channel 4
Be prepared for plenty of Derren Brown's brand of magic and mind-games in a specially made recording of a live show shot in a mystery location in front of an invited audience which includes cab drivers, famous faces, psychics, magicians and psychologists.

This one hour fusion of magic, suggestion, psychology and misdirection will give the cynics among you the chance to decide - is he a fraud or should he be burnt at the stake?

Famous faces randomly selected to take part include: broadcaster Krishnan Guru Murthy, The League of Gentlemen's Reece Shearsmith & top chef Jean Christophe Novelli. Other celebrities in the audience include Jonathan Ross, Simon Pegg, Al Murray and Sarah Alexander.

Derren comments: "I've always loved performing live and of course it gives people a chance to see that everything's fair. It's not something I've done on TV before, although it is a taste of what I do on tour. Hopefully it will be a very memorable evening for all concerned".

With regards to the zombie effect, I think Derren is very aware of any legal issues surrounding his work since he studied law. I'm not sure if the zombie effect may not have worked if a person knew what was happening though that comment is just a hunch I have. I rekon if someone is going to play an arcade game, they are aware of the impact this could have on themselves if they are epileptic. Also, Derren didn't ask anyone to play the game. The person involved willingly stepped up to play the game with no preasure on Derrens part and even commented that the experience was great. Derren also took the time to be sure the person definately was completely comfortable afterwards so really there is nothing which can be held against that part of the series.
Tonights "The Gathering" should be good. I saw Derren perform last night in Edinburgh and his website seems to suggest The Gathering might contain some new material so that's always something to look forward to!
Grant.

Nice program tonight...
Have you noticed the "forget" subliminal image at the end ?

Very good showmanship from Derren once again. I think I know how he did a couple of things in the show (memory thing + 1000 pound cheque...) but even if I'm right he is still brilliant at it!

Hmmmm, I'm convinced that he was using actors tonight at some points.

(Gets coat)

A very good program, enjoyed it. I got the first one and then realised stooges were used a few times, particularly with the taxi drivers. Excellent non the less. Will watch it again later.

Nairolf - the 'forget' image was flashed throughout the show at random points at random places. The guy's a genius!

The Gathering - excellent show last night. In fact, that was actually the show he performed on tour a couple of years ago!

Was anyone at the show in Glasgow on Friday night?

FORGET

Yes, I was wondering about that. I wonder if he'll have people calling up saying that they forgot the show. Or was it on purpose? Methinks he did it on purpose to change the atmosphere a bit .

I'm definite that the taxi driver for the Shepherd's Bush trick was a stooge. I mean, it's one think to do a psychological force of a card but a totally different thing to force any area in London. Then the £8 - that was unforceable :S.

I liked the memory trick - I had a good laugh with the X for the right one and the tick for the wrong one.

All in all, it was good but not great. If I knew for certain that there were no stooges involved in the show, I would be much more amazed.

I really want to go see him in the Cambridge Theatre but my parents (and me, for that matter) don't think it's that good an idea for me to be wandering around London at 10 PM.... I might be able to persuade my dad to go but apart from that....

Kati

I know this might be a bit much to ask, and I know that he told you all not to tell anyone, but...

...as it's out of date now, can anyone tell us exactly what happened in the second-half of Derren's touring show last year? I have a vague idea, but would love to hear it from someone who was there.

Maybe a new thread is in order?

I don't know, the taxi bloke seemed quite genuine to me. Reece Shearsmith on the other hand..... definately an actor.
(hopes somebody laughs)

[quote="Nairolf"]Nice program tonight...
Have you noticed the "forget" subliminal image at the end ?
quote]

If uou recorded it watch again, I'm sure I saw forget come up about 4 times, usually on a long shot and in the upper right of the stage

Yes - I saw it numerous times. I also saw a shorter word flash up, although I didn't catch what it was!

Indeed, but the one at the end was really obvious (I think) and maybe killed a bit of the effect.

Still a good show though !

Whhooo, haven't been on for a while, got loads of comments. He he he. Derren's a fave of the forum eh? (Well he is British). Well good, because I think he's fantastic.

In regards to the Zombie trick:
As previously said, anyone epileptic wouldn't go and play on an arcade machine.
As far as the guy is concerned what happened to him was part of the game experience, so it was really up to Derren to tell him what actually happened. So Derren gets a point there.
"Play at your Peril".....thus getting out of any legal quarms....I wonder if it was actually written anywhere on the box?

I just have a few quarms with it. I don't believe that Derren could have made him sleep just by putting his hand on his head like that.
Also, if he was shooting Derren at the end, why didn't that seem like a part of the game to him. I would've been a bit wierded out that a guy wearing black had come and "hugged" the main character in the game.

He he he....that guy totally freaks out. I think it's great. I wish I could know more about it. Derren is certainly an interesting man.


As for The Gathering. A lot of it was very interesting. I do have to admit that I caught most of the "FORGET" notices all the way through, there was one at the back near the beggining of the show, a couple on the right hand side, and at one point when he directs your attention to the back there is one at his feet.

I wouldn't have thought that there were any stooges involved. I'm sure I shouldn't take any of the memory tricks at face value, but it's hard not to. It's certainly very impressive. The bit at the beggining was good too. Gah, if there were a more "believable" kind of magic than Derrens, I'd certainly like to see it.

It was fantastic how he kept his composure going through when the pyro went of early (I'm assuming it wasn't meant to have gone off). What a showman.