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I recieved Deep Astonishment 2 yesterday and have to say it lives up to every one of my expectations based on the reviews! It's fun, it's simple, it's instructions are clear and easy to follow (by the way, are Paul Harris' books written in the same way because if they are I think I might buy them) and its an incredibly powerful effect!

Alas, one problem. Well its less a problem than a silly niggle on my part... The presentation of the effect requires that you tell the audience a gypsy lady handed you the envelope at the same time as she gave you the deck of cards thus removing you from the equation: This was a gypsys prediction, not yours. You're conducting an experiment and so the audience has no reason to be at all suspicious.

I like this alot. It's such a nice, rounded and seemingly fair performance but my problem is that I quite blatantly did not go and visit a gypsy who in turn did not give me an envelope and these cards. So the audience has reason for suspicion and the whole reason for throwing them the story at all is undermined.

Does anyone have suggestion for an alternate performance which involves the audience member while distancing the effect from the performer as much as the one provided does?
The effect just doesn't work with a "look, heres my prediction" performance and I feel to do the effect justice, the performance has to stay grounded in an atmosphere of experimentation and mysticism.
I hope someone can help! This is too good an effect to waste, and if you don't already own it, then you should!

SpineyNorman wrote:my problem is that I quite blatantly did not go and visit a gypsy

Not sure I understand that entirely, are you saying that you can't use that story as patter because it's not true?!

Kati

Yay, a response!:D

Erm, not quite what I meant no. It's not so much that it's not true, more that the story just seems so unlikely.. or is that just me!?

See, I was thinking, if I sat down to a performance where a person who I knew to be a magician produced a deck of tarrot cards and an envelope and they started to tell me a story about a gypsy they had been to see who gave them this envelope and these cards, I'd probably go with the story but tell myself "they're talking rubbish". To me, it just seems like such an unlikely series of events so I'd start looking for the secret to the effect instead of being a part of the journey, which would be a shame.

Maybe I'm alone in that thought though, in which case I dont have much of a reason to worry since its all about what the spectators experience.

Cheers for the post.

The story is fine. You make the audience believe it by the way you present it. Remember that magicians tell lies, the audience expects this.

Nice one. I was worried about performing this at first since I wasn't sure people would accept it but you've kinda boosted my confidence.
Thanks.

The audience knows they are going to be lied to, that is part of the attraction of the show. They know every story is a lie but they play along with it because they want to be entertained.

'Suspension of disbilief' is the most important thing. During my cabaret show when i stick a kitchen knife in my arm, they know it is not real but most people still react with horror as blood flows.

To be a good magician you need to confident. Believe in what you do and what you are saying. If you do not belive it then the audience will not. As you read the story for the effect try to vary your pitch, make some words stand out. Use eye contact to really make them think you are telling the truth.

The card effect spooked is a classic example. I wrote my own script for this involving a fire that killed everyone. This horror script is complete with the cards i damaged to make them fit the story.

That sounds like..erm...sound advice.
This is really the first "packet trick" I've been tempted to perform properly. Up until now it's been a case of learning sleights and performing what tricks I have learned using them and maybe a few gimmicks.

I suppose it makes sense that I should add something of my own to the performance but for some reason that hadn't crossed my mind too much. I'm already looking forward to performing the effect much more!

Thanks again!

If you don't want to mention a gypsy, how about saying your dear old (great) grandma/long lost auntie (now deceased!) had second sight and left you the cards and the leather envelope in her will for safe keeping until the right moment....which is now!

Thats a plan too!

I thought about saying I bought the cards from ebay after a growing interest in tarrot led to CUPS. The seller provided an envelope too with a note explaining that I'd know when it was the right moment to open the envelope.

You've all been a great help. Thanks again!