talkmagic.co.uk

Hi.

I've recently read Ken Weber Maximum Entertaintment, which I would like to recommend to anyone who haven't already read this fantastic book. It definitely helped me to take my magic alot more serious.

I'm about to find Ideas/themes I can write my act upon, which is solely mentalism effects.

I was thinking about something like explaining that I don't pocess any supernatural powers what so ever, but I would like to show you how it's possible to act like one anyway. What I mean is to give people an insight in scams all those charlatans around the world who claim they have psycics abilities do on a daily basis.

For example presenting an effect in a manner that could suit a fake psycic, but leaving out any clues to how it's done so people still could be amazed, and think for themself next time they meet "Psycic People". Think of it as an educational act.

Hope this makes sense and any feedback is welcome since I haven't written anything yet, I won't do it if it turns out to be an awful idea.

Best Regards

Nick Madsen

You could play the role of a paranormal / psychic investigator. Get a nice folder with some 'documents' and 'evidence' in them and create a scripted show based on your investigations. You could demonstrate some of things that have been called psychic. Maybe some psychometry and ESP effects then conduct psychic tests with the audience.

my role within the mannor seance pretty much covers what Stephen suggests above, with a few exceptions.

i cant disclose them here.If you want to know what they are. you will just have to come see.

( Next date to be released soon)

Jamy Ian Swiss had an interesting goal with mentalism, to make it have a similar intellectual quality as magic. He wanted to convince his audience-- absolutely, with no room for doubt-- that he can't read mind, then confuse them by doing things that look like real mind reading.

P&T did a seance with a billet reading in the 90's. They had an amusing line, something along the lines of, "Everything after this point will be a lie. Every word we say and every action we take will be an elaborate lie, a magic trick, to make it seem like we're psychic. But before we begin with the lies, here's some real ESP..."

I take the David Williamson approach to magic/mentalism (yes, mentalism is part of magic, debate, name call, whatever. But mentalism is magic) Anyway Mr. Williamson says, "They are laymen, they must be destroyed!" I want to create a new religion, let them believe whatever they want.

Thanks for your input guys, definitely think I can work out a good script using the inspiration I got from your posts.

You could also do an effect using the ideomotor reaction, table tipping, perhaps something with a pendulum. and then give a genuine explanation of what's actually happening, they'll learn something, plus the audience will probably be more amazed by it