talkmagic.co.uk

I can't hear you. I have a banana stuck in my ear.

Or something like that .

Kat

My guess is:

"I can not hear you. There is a wise mouse stuck in my ear."

I never thought Latin GCSE would come in handy...

Well I don't know much latin but I was lead to belive that it means "sorry I can't hear you. I have a banana stuck in my ear" and as Kati says, it does sound profound until you get a translation!

Actually I think it is about time I changed it!

Yeah well I only got a 'C' in Latin GCSE...

See this page - I have a new siggy now!

Kati

P.S. I don't do Latin either. I just looked it up one day because I wanted to know what it means.

P.P.S. My favourites:

• Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabris, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.
• Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
• Cogito ergo doleo
• Abutebaris modo subjunctivo

ab5zn wrote:
Mark,

Here is a way of using an ID (I.D.) that I've thought of, which is not to say that many others have not done the same before. (My dad told me that he invented the rod-n-reel fishing pole, only to discover that someone had already done it!)

Anyway, you'll need the I.D., plus a simple marked deck as well, which you can buy wherever you bought the ID.

You ask the participant to pick a card from the face-down deck (the marked deck) and to place the card on top, still face down. I haven't worked out the perfect "mind control" or "mind reading" patter.

You look at the participant's card and know what it is because it's marked, but the participant doesn't know that you know.

You pull out the ID and cause the proper card to appear. Then ask the participant slowly to turn over each card, first in the ID, then the one on top of the other deck. You marvel that the experiment succeeded. So does he.

I haven't tried this yet, but it seems to me like a good way to combine a couple of different gimmicks.

Dave Schultz

Thanks! I like that, there is certainly a lot of potential for a mindreading routine - the gimmicks allowing for practice in performance style rather than sleight of hand.

nickj wrote:For a mind control slant on that, how about narrowing the choices down. Get them to pick on half of the deck, then split that and pick a half, then arrange some of the cards in piles close or far from the spec etc until only one card is left. I would then probably consider brainwave rather than ID so that the turned over card can be removed and placed next to the specs card. Then when both are turned over together you can rub in that it wasn't just SOH because of the different coloured backs.

I agree. Not only does this build up the suspense, it is almost a homage to the five ESP cards. I have images in my head now of a slightly darker trick involving the ESP cards as a patter.
If appropriate, maybe it could be a Derren style second-guessing, suggestion trick debunking psychics! Guess it depends on the audience!
Keep 'em coming - the ideas you've all come up with are so great! Thanks! Mark

I actually used one of my own ID routines in a 'gig-ette' I did this weekend. It's an audience participation effect, and involves a deck switch, but it really went down well (considering I only thought of it a couple of hours prior to performing!)

It goes like this:

I hand out a deck of cards to the spectators. In my case, I was stood in a small function room with about 20 or so speccys seated around tables.

I turn my back to the audience (important)

I ask them to pass the deck around and each time it's passed, the recipient should examine the deck and perform a shuffle. Then, put the cards back into the box, pass the deck on to the next person.

Whilst they are doing this, I explain that I am going to do a little experiment in perception. I ask that when a spectator has placed the deck back into the box, they try and visualise a card. Not DURING their examination or shuffling, AFTERWARDS.

I also ask that whilst the deck is in their possession, they check that the cards are all different and they shuffle the deck well.

When a few people have shuffled the deck, I ask for it back.

Leaving the deck in it's box, I explain that the deck has been passed around and shuffled by several people. What can happen is that one person usually shuffles rather sloppily, and the cards can sometimes end up 'upside down'.

I place the deck onto the table in full view, and ask if anyone felt they'd been 'careless' with the deck. If nobody answers, select someone and say "You look a bit guilty... how well did you shuffle?"

Whatever their reply, ask them their chosen card. The one they 'thought' of.

I ask them to come up to the 'stage' if they look willing.

Take the deck out of the box, and reveal a card to be the only one which is turned over. Ask the spectator to take the card and hold it high. It's their selection! Take a bow.

The switch
The most common switch I use is the 'turnaround' switch when swapping decks. I don't know if I invented it, or whether I've read about it during the 16 years I've been reading magic books.

It's easy to do, but requires confidence and set-up. Plus, it requires that you've got a 180° blind spot from the audience.

There are two ways of doing it, but both involve turning your back to the audience.

The first way is if the audience and stage are distanced enough for you to turn your back when you walk away from the audience after retrieving the deck.

The second way is to turn your back whilst you explain and reiterate the effect "Now, I gave you a deck of cards and turned my back to you, there was NO way I could see the audience or the deck..." etc. During the banter, turn your back.

Either way, the switch is the same. Have the ID in your LEFT (or non-dominant trouser pocket). Take the regular deck from the speccy in your RIGHT (dominant) hand. Stand casually as you banter (this is where PATTER is actually an AID to many effects, it's natural misdirection) with your LEFT HAND in your LEFT POCKET holding the deck.

Turn away ANTI-CLOCKWISE (leading with your LEFT). As you turn, keep your LEFT ELBOW still, but raise the forearm and hand with the deck to waist level. This looks like you've still got a hand in your pocket during the turn. Place the ID in your WAISTBAND, and bring the right hand over and take the regular deck with your left and pocket it immediately. As the right hand passes back take the ID from the waistband and raise the ID to shoulder height. The left hand is back in the pocket, the right hand is free. Practice this move.

You CAN simply exchange decks rather than use the waistband.

It may SOUND bold, but it actually really does work, so long as the move is done DURING the turn.

You will need to practice it a LOT. But the payoff is worth it.

I am lucky that my lovely assistant Mrs Seige helps me with such things, telling me when it looks natural

Thanks seige, thats another great effect! It highlights why the ID deck is so powerful, in that the chosen card be merely thought of! If the card isnt handled it streamlines the effect so much.
Thanks again.

Mark Smith wrote:a simple marked deck

You could use a stacked deck instead of a marked one...

Kati

katrielalex wrote:

Mark Smith wrote:a simple marked deck

You could use a stacked deck instead of a marked one...

Kati

Or, use a regular deck! Simply ask the speccy to shuffle. When they've finished, glimpse the BOTTOM card (use your imagination on how to get them to do this) and then get them to perform a cross-cut force.

This way, the deck is always in the speccys hands, and can even be a borrowed deck.

I think now the ID is a good tool for practice in performance rather than technique. You could hand a deck to a spectator and claim that there is one card in the deck you want them to pick, and that you will be able to push them into picking it without their knowledge. So you can do all kinds of fake things, cutting the deck and placing them at strange angles, to look like you can second guess which pile they will pick. Etc etc. Then the card they end up with you can produce from the ID. Its a lot of build up, but will always work, and you look like the new Derren Brown!
Its just a lot of mileage from the deck, and excellent for practice in creating an atmosphere and your performance persona!

I got a good response with my ID the other week. My ID is a Black Tiger one, which I think gives it an added edge.

Anyway, I was over visiting friends who had some family members over, and someone asked me to show them a trick. I had my ID in my bag, so was limited to what I could at that moment. This was what I came up with.

I asked if they had a deck of cards handy, as I had made a prediction earlier with my deck, which was safely in my bag. I got it out, and placed it, boxed, on the table. I said I had predicted a card that someone would choose, and asked them to nominate someone. They nominated the most unpredictable person there... a 2 year old toddler.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, the toddler picked a card with the help of his mother, and I revealed, to shocked gasps, that the card turned over in my deck was the very same.

That trick went down well with the mum's. They begged me to do it again, but I'm a firm believer in always leaving them wanting more. Maybe next time...

Cheers.

mark_c1975 wrote:They begged me to do it again, but I'm a firm believer in always leaving them wanting more.

Especially Mums.

Zack drifts back through his memories of working on that holiday camp - and all those long nights...

Zack wrote:Especially Mums.

Zack drifts back through his memories of working on that holiday camp - and all those long nights...

This thread has taken a weird turn....