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Here's an interesting conundrum.

If you had 3-4 minutes to do a short mind reading routine for an audience who had never heard of you before, to get them on your side without inviting about 5 people onstage, what would you do that was short, snappy, sure fire, and brilliant?

It is an interesting conundrum Chris...... what would you do?

It'll cost you!

It's pretty much what's been on fool us I guess. I'd go for something like 'collard' by John archer, or a pk touch routine. Quick and impressive (ooh err ) I was just interested in what others would choose!

Ive a few things of my own invention, which suit.

Though on the most part I would get to know the audience by talking to them first, rather than going straight into an effect. Then, you do away with the "we dont know you" issue.

It all depends on teh type of audience.. remember, sometimes they expect a magic show.

one thing i would Never open with in this situation is PK touches. If you are a stranger to them, there is no way they will feel comfortable with you invading their own private space.

Rick Maue's Heads or Tails or something along those lines. I like the dynamic of having one person stand up in the audience, and read their mind in a very direct fashion.

People will judge you in the first thirty seconds or so, so I'd be much more interested in starting with something punchy - a proof of concept, if you will, before letting the audience get closer to you.

Come to think of it, Cassidy's opening with the exploding lightbulb is a similar kind of gambit.

I'd probably go with my own Amazing Mindreading Machine, it's quick, simple and good fun.

Looch's 4.8 minutes routine (I believe it was lectured at Tab Mentis in April) is pretty good going, I've taken a lot from that routine (huge fan of Nod to Pocket Watch) and a bit of my own stuff. It's what I use to 'demo' myself to restaurant managers and the like.

Tossed out deck. Not something I normally do, but I think it would work in those circumstances.

Im doing a 15 min set VERY similar to this at the weekend, and my set is going to be as follows: (Order not 100%)

(Its between a "Battle of the Bands" style night, so has to be quick, powerful and friendly as the crowd COULD be quite rowdy )

* Tossed Out Deck
* Mind Control (Peter Nardi: Richard Bellars style presentation as seen on Fool Us TV Pilot/Special)
* Several ESP tricks (Large Printed cards, possibly not all ESP, maybe Numbers / Animals etc)
* Do some crown surfing afterwards / between bands with close up

Any hints with this too will be helpful

Any ideas on what direction yours is going to go Chris?

Dan

At the moment I'm thinking of adapting Paul Brook's 'one in the hand' to stage format with an envelope index, followed by Collard, but no doubt I'll change my mind!

Kolossal Killer

Barry

I do like Kolossal Killer ... Damn you for throwing more awesome ideas in the mix

Collared is wicked too (I have the DVD, not the actual trick though), when I saw John perform it, the name we can up with was "XZADOR" hahahahaha

Was thiking of doing Colin Mcleods Chair / Envelope rouitne from his new DVD ... has anyone road tested this? (Sorry Chris, it seems I'm hi-jacking your thread here :/)

Dan

Magical_Trevor wrote:I do like Kolossal Killer ... Damn you for throwing more awesome ideas in the mix

Sorry!!

Magical_Trevor wrote:I Was thiking of doing Colin Mcleods Chair / Envelope rouitne from his new DVD ... has anyone road tested this?

Dan

well yes.. Colin has.

it kind of goes against Chris's brief, in that it involves getting several people up.