by themagicwand » May 24th, '06, 23:50
Would have posted in 'Routines' but sadly I lack access.
You will need: 1 pack of cards (the aces of which are recognisable from the back using your prefered method), 4 seperate Aces (preferably aged in tea overnight), 4 envelopes, and PK ring.
Place the 4 seperate aces into an envelope each. Seal up the envelopes & place about your body so that you will be able to find each card at a moment's notice.
Routine: Explain the story of Raffles, the Victorian jewel thief. Known as the 'Gentleman Thief' he would sweet talk his way into well-to-do ladies lives, only to steal their jewels. His calling card was an Ace which he would leave in the jewellery box of his victims.
Ask your punter to sort through your deck of cards and pull out the 4 aces, leaving them face up on the table before you. You may like to introduce the aces using Poker Players Picnic from Royal Road. If you use this method, a phrase such as "Ah yes, it seems the spirit of Raffles is with us tonight" is a nice touch.
Then explain how one night Raffles inadvertently stole a diamond that was cursed. Raffles didn't know it at the time and made away with the cursed jewel, leaving behind his calling card - a single ace.
Ask the punter to close their eyes and imagine themselves being transported back to Victorian London. If they are male, ask them to imagine themselves as Raffles. Ask them to look into the jewelery box and see the ace card they have left behind. if they are female, ask them to imagine they are the lady of the house and have discovered the empty jewelery box. Ask them to look at the ace that they can see in their imagination and remember it. You can really overplay this part. Let your imagination run riot, and if the punter is buying into the trick have them describe in detail the room their in, the clothes they're wearing etc.
Ask them to open their eyes. Turn your back and ask them to find the corresponding ace on the table that matches the ace they saw in their mind. Ask them to turn it face down on the table, and to remove the other aces from the table and place them out of view. You turn around, see the face down ace and of course recognise it via your prefered method.
Explain how the ace card that Raffles left behind gained some supernatural powers of its own, thanks to being placed in the jewelery box that had once housed the cursed diamond. Then tell the punter that you have on your possesion the actual card that Raffles left on that fateful night. Pull out the corresponding ace, still in its envelope. Have the punter turn over the card they selected, and then have them also open the envelope and reveal the aged ace within. The two cards of course match, and you can inform the punter that his/her vision of that night's events was obviously correct.
Remind the punter that the aged ace card has supernatural qualities. Place the card on your hand where you are wearing a PK ring. Then place a volunteered watch onto the card. The watch stops ticking, proving that the card does indeed posses some weird qualities.
Retire to the bar. Enjoy.