succeed because it's in their own self-interest to do so. However, if you tell that same person that failure will result in a 'loss of something', the prospect of 'losing something' compels them to try to succeed. Does that make sense?" After your introduction, direct the audience's attention to the two gift boxes. "Using your extraordinary powers of perception you will have noticed that there are two gift boxes here on stage. An enticing Red gift box labelled 'DESIRE', and an ominous looking Black gift box labelled 'FEAR'. We generally view the urge to acquire things that we 'Desire' as a positive impulse. We Desire things that make us feel better in some way, happier, more fulfilled. The Red box contains an item of Desire. Fear on the other hand repr,esentsf things that are dangerous or threatening, things that cause us· pain- and harm. The Black box contains something fearful, somethin,g .;,,.~rY painful, ~omething any sane person would do their best to avoid at all costs." . You invite two ladies'fro.m.the audience ori stage; Jessica and Annie. After the customary pleasantrie~ y9u co,rttinue: "So, we have Desire -and Fear.-Right now I imagine that both of you are experiencing those two impulses simultaneously. Fear, because you're on stage, the center of attention; bu~ also Desire, an intense Desire to return to your seats ASAP. Am I right?" Jessica and Annie nod vigorously in complete agreement. "I'm going to attempt to project a specific thought to each of you, a very simple drawing, something that can be drawn easily and quickly. I'm hoping that your reactions to the positive and negative impulses of Desire and Fear JOO will open your minds, and allow you to intuitively pick up my thoughts. Jessica, in everyday life which impulse do you feel is the strongest; Desire or Fear?" Jessica thinks for a moment, "Desire." "And Annie ... which one do you feel is the strongest; Desire or Fear?" Annie answers a little too quickly, "Desire," and the audience laughs. "Since you are both driven by Desire, let me flip a coin." You flip a coin and catch it on the back of your hand, keeping it covered. "Jessica, heads or tails?" "Heads." You look at the outcome of the coin flip and continue: "Heads it is; Jessica, please take the seat next to the box labelled 'Desire'." You pick up the two whiteboards from Jessica's seat, flashing them as you do so; the whiteboards are obviously clean and unmarked. Jessica takes her seat. "Sorry Annie, you get to sit next to tbe box labelled 'Fear'. I could lie and tell you not to be scared and that everything will be fine - but I -won't." Annie takes her seat. "Jessica and Annie, in a moment I'm going to draw two images and attempt to project one of those images to each of you. Jessica, if you're able to receive the image I'm going to send to you, then you will win the object of Desire inside the Red box. If you can do that, the audience will go bonkers. That's positive reinforcement. However, if you fail, then you'll return to your seat knowing that you did your best, and the
aud_ience will give you a nice round of applause for your efforts. Annie, if you successfully receive the image I'm going to send to you, then you will avoid whatever is inside the Black Box of Fear, and you can breathe a huge sigh of relief. However, if you fail, then you must keep the object which is inside the Black box of Fear. It will be yours forever. It will leave a painful and everlasting scar on your already fragile psyche, and as you mope off the stage back to your seat, burdened by shame and a sense of utter failure, the audience will call you names and throw their keys at you. And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what we call 'negative' reinforcement. Suffice it to say Annie; failure isn't your best option here." This monologue is obviously delivered very tongue in cheek. The audience should pick up on your humorous over dramatization of the consequences of failure. Take a dry erase marker from your pocket and address the first participant, the one who could pote~tially win the' object of Desire inside the Red box. "Jessica, please close your·~yesm take a deep breath inm hold it in ... then . ' ' let it out again ... reJ;a~. And again ... deep breath in ... and out ... and relax ... I -· ' very good. I want you to fo<;rns aJ.I your attention on my voice. Listen to my words, and allow your~elf to open yo1il.r ~ind to my thoughts." This is all standard stuff. l'ou. :Want to get ~he participant to relax, placing them in the right frame of mind so th~t they pay attention to everything you are about to say to them. It is im:portant that. their eyes are closed at this point for reasons that will soon ,become obvious. As you are getting the first participant into a relaxed state, position yourself so that you are standing behind them. "Audience, I'm going ·to draw the image I want to send to Jessica on this whiteboard. Please don't say anything aloud. It is vitally important that Jessica doesn't know what I'm drawing. Don't give her any clues whatsoever as to what my drawing is." Remember, at this point you are holding two whiteboards in your hands. The one at the back has a 'ghost image' of a 'Cat' already on it. In full view of the audience, draw an image of a 'Cat' on the front whiteboard. Write the word 'CAT' underneath in big letters. "Audience, this is the image I want to send to Jessica. Remember, don't say anything aloud. I obviously don't want Jessica to know what this is." Once you have drawn the 'Cat' hold the whiteboard aloft, showing it to all parts of the audience. Everyone needs to be able to see what you have drawn and understand that it is a 'Cat'. This next bit is crucial. Take the cloth from your pocket and vigorously wipe off the image of the 'Cat' you just drew. As you are doing this, say: "Let me wipe that off." "Jessica, don't open your eyes just yet. I'm going to give this to you, just hold it on your lap. Here's a pen also." Carefully, hand the first participant the rear whiteboard (the one with the 'ghost image' of a 'Cat' already on it) and the dry erase marker. Since the participant has their eyes closed, so make sure they have a firm grip on the whiteboard ·and pen. Make sure that the audience can see that the whiteboard is clean. This is a moment of so.ft dual reality. Because the participant's eyes have· been closed, they will assume that you drew something on a whiteboard, wiped it off, and then gave them that same whiteboard. The audience will assume that you're giving them a clean whiteboard because it looks clean. Even from a short distance the presence of the 'ghost image' will be unseen. Walk back around so that you are in front of the first participant. "In a moment Jessica, when I ask you to, and only when I ask you to, I'd like
you _to open your eyes. When you do I want you to see the image I'm going to project to you, right there in front of you. Don't decide on an image right now, I haven't projected anything yet. Wait until you open your eyes, and allow your mind to see the image I am sending to you. Remember, if you are able to successfully draw the image I send to you, then you will win the object of Desire inside the Red box. Jessica, tell me Yes or No, do you understand?" "Yes." By reinforcing the idea that they will 'win' the object of Desire you are priming the participant to draw the 'ghost image' they will see on the whiteboard when they open their eyes. "Good. Now, open your eyes ... try to imagine the image I'm projecting to you right now in front of you. Don't rush, take your time, trust what you are feline, and when you're re~dy draw that image for meow. Don't let anyone see what you're drawing. When you're done, hold the board drawing side down on your lap, that way no o~e wiJibe able to see what you drew." Notice the use of the ~mbedded iEi.nguage I spoke about before. This bit of business is the qrux of th~ routine, so I want to elaborate of the thought process involv~d here.r When the participant has their eyes closed, and as you are delivering your instructions, the participant's inner dialogue goes something like this: "I'm a little nervous sat here on stage.with all these people looking at me. I'm probably going to mess this up and look stupid. How am I supposed to read this guy's mind and draw what he's thinking of? I wonder what's in the Red box." The participant is in a quandary. They're nervous and you've set them a task which sounds impossible. However, when the participant opens their eyes and sees the faint 'ghost image' of a drawing on the whiteboard, their inner dialogue continues: "I have no idea what I'm going to draw. I better look at this whiteboard. Oh look! Even though he wiped it off, I think I can still make out what he drew. I bet he doesn't have a clue that I can actually see it. What is that? It looks like a Oat to me. I can draw a Oat. He said I'd win a prize if I get it right - there's a chance I can do this." Their quandary is resolved. They think you messed up and now they have something they can draw. Better yet, they get to win a prize, and they will probably receive major applause from an appreciative audience. Put yourself in the participant's position. They are nervous and don't want to look foolish or stupid" You have set them a seeminm impossible task. They believe .failure is virtually assured" They then see a faint on the whiteboard. They realize that they might be able to succeed after all. They can't be 100% certain that the faint is the one you just but at this point it is all they have to go one The incentive or winning a prize is the icing on the cake11 Once the first participant starts drawing you can turn your attention to the second participant. "Annie, your turn now I'm afraid. No really ... I'm fearful and afraid for us both. Close your eyes ... take a deep breath in ... hold it in ... then let it out again ••• relax. And again ... deep breath in ••• and out ••• and relax ... very good •• As you are speaking, walk behind the second participant, removing the
second dry erase marker from your pocket. In full view of the audience draw a caricature of yourself on the whiteboard. Write your name underneath. "Audience, remember, please don't say anything aloud. Don't give her any clue as to what this is. Annie, focus your attention on my voice. Listen to my words, and in your mind's eye allow yourself to see the image I'm drawing. This is the image I want to send to Annie." Hold the whiteboard aloft as before. Remember, it is vital that everyone in the audience sees your drawing. "Let me wipe that off. Annie, don't open your eyes just yet. Let me give you the whiteboard and a pen." Wipe the board vigorously clean. You want to make certain that no trace of the Oat or the Face you drew remain on, the board. Carefully, hand the board and the pen to the second·p~rtic~ant. Walk back around so that you are in front of the seco.nd participant. "Annie, in a moment, ~hen I ask yo.{i to, I'd like you to open your eyes. When you do, and once you feel that you :pave an image of me clearly in your mind, I want you to draw it nice ~d big :to; me as best you can. Remember, if you are fail to 'draw the image I'm projecting to you, then whatever is in the Black box of Fear will be is yours ... forever. Annie, open your eyes ... imagine the image I'm projecting to you right now, imagine me inside your head. Don't ru~h, take your time, When you're ready - draw that image." While you are instructing the second participant, the first participant will have had time to complete their drawing. Although the second. participant can draw anything, it is possible that they might draw a 'smiley face' which would be a close enough approximation or your caricature. A 'smiley face' is an iconic and psychologically common choice of drawing. They might even pick up on your suggestive language and actually draw an image of you. As the second participant starts to draw, you turn to address the audience; "The aim of this demonstration is to see which impulse, be it Desire or Fear, is the most effective at heightening someone's intuition, thereby allowing them to know something that they simply cannot know. Remember, if Jessica is able to receive my image then she gets the contents of the 'Red Box of Desire'. If she fails, she gets nothing. She has every reason to succeed. If Annie receives the image I tried to send to her, then she avoids what's in the Black box of Fear. However, if she fails then the contents of the box are hers. She has every reason NOT to fail." The second participant should have completed her drawing by now. You turn to face them and say; "Annie, I can tell you that I drew a self-portrait of sorts, an image of myself - it is my show after all. Turn your board around and show everyone what you drew." Annie turns .her board around. She drew an image of a Flower. "Oh dear ... that's a shame, Petal ... I really hoped you'd get it. Remove the lid from the Black box and peer inside with a worried expression on your face. "Well, I have to stay true to my word ••• the contents of the 'Black Box of Fear' belong to you Annie. I said it would be painful, and I'm afraid it is." As you say this remove the signed photograph of yourself from the Black Box. Attached to the photograph is a ticket.
"This is a signed photograph of me, extremely distressing and painful to look at. You can't give these away, I know, I've tried. Worse than that though, you also have a ticket for one of my future shows. Unfortunately you will have to endure the torture of my company all over again. The pain never ends." Once again this light hearted self-deprecating poke at yourself is said very much tongue in cheek. Hand the signed photograph and ticket to the second participant and escort them from the stage. If the second participant DID actually draw a face of any description then you've got a hit, and they avoid the contents of the Black box of Fear. You can still open the box and remove just the photograph. Good luck in trying to give it to the participant. "Everyone please give Annie a huge round of applause, and be thankful that you're not in her shoes." · All attention now shifts to· the first participanto "Jessica, I tried tci send you a:r:i image of a Cat. Please turn your board around and show everyone wha~ you drew o" .. Jessica turns her board ~round,.re".ealing that she did indeed draw a 'Oat'. "That's fantastic - much better. than the one I drew actually. I think that deserves a round of applause don't you Ladies·and Gentlemen?" The audience show their appreciat'ion.with generous applause. "Since you were able to receive my thoughts Jessica, let's see what object of Desire you've won." Remove the Red Rose from the Red box, along with two tickets. "Please accept this Red Rose, a classic object of Desire, and TWO tickets .tOB to one of my future shows, one for you, and another for your nearest and dearest. On face value it might seem that two tickets are worse than one. Trust me though, it won't be as torturous for you as it will be for poor Annie, at least you'll have someone there to help shoulder the burden." Hand the Rose and the tickets to the first participant and encourage them to take a bow. "Ladies and gentlemen please put your hands together and show your appreciation to Jessica and Annie." A 'T E JUST I A STOOGING THEM? No, I honestly don't believe we are turning the first participant into an instant stooge. Here's why: If the participant opened their eyes, saw the faint image on the whiteboard, and it was blatantly obvious to the participant that the performer knew it was still there, then yes, they would have been made into an instant stooge. That's not what happens though. The participant assumes that the performer wiped the board clean because the audience must have seen him do it. They will therefore assume that the performer believes the board is indeed clean. The effect is an example . of 'Triple Reality', insofar as three .separate realities are perceived simultaneously: The .Audience's perspective., The.Participant's perspective., The Performer's perspective.,
THE AUDIENCE'S PERSPECTI The performer draws something on a whiteboard, shows it to the audience, but not to the participant, then wipes the board clean. The performer hands the participant a clean whiteboard and asks them to try to duplicate his drawing. They succeed and claim their prize. THE PARTICIPANT'S PERSPECTI The performer draws something on a whiteboard, shows it to the audience, but not to the participant, then wipes the board clean. The performer hands the participant the whiteboard and asks them to try to duplicate his drawing. The participant .thinks that they can still see a faint image of what the performer drew on the whiteboard. They also assume that the performer is unaware that this faint image exists because the audience saw him wipe the board clean. The prosp~ct .of winning a Prize incentivizes the participant to duplicate the performers_ drawing based on the faint image they can see on the whiteboard •. .THE The performer is fully aware that the participant will be able to see a faint drawing of a 'Oat'. He is relying OJ?. the participants desire to win a prize to compel them to duplicate his drawing •. .t1.0 IN C SING This routine can be played for laughs (or quite serious) depending on your performance character. I like to inject a little bit of 'cheekiness' into my routines, because it suits me. Instead of a Red Rose you could opt to use a plush cuddly Oat (a stuffed one obviously, not a live one), or anything else that is readily perceived as being a common object of Desire.
I o.f'teh wohder why they c__hose to share th/s w/th £/S j ;:;erha;:;s :t /s a des/re to C-oMM£1h/c__ate w/th the reader that they are S£/C-C-eSS.f'£tl? R b£1Sy ;:;ro.f'eSS/ohal? {)r Maybe that they are a l/ttle /hSeC-£/re? whatever the/r reaSoh:173, I Meht/oh th/s beC-a£1Se I'M C-£/rrehtly sat ;:;ools/de o.f' a -f'Mtast:c__ally ;:;ash l/ttle ;:;lac__e ;h JaMa/c__a s/;:;;:;:173 a c__oc__fta,/I Md rellec__t/173 £If/oh a wohder.f'£tl :i3 I was .f'od£thate to be boofed .f'or two days a:Jo at Callow '//all ;h 4shbo£1rhe, JJerbysh/re - BooM.' !awards the e11d o.f' the e173a:JeMeht, I was tali(/173 to a yo£1173 Marr/ed C-0£/;:;le ;h a s/de rooM. !hey had asfed Me ;-{'I C-o£tld show theM SoMdh/173. I had· MY c__o;:;y o.f' led karM/I ov/c__h 's wohderi'£tl Mother ~.f' all Boof ?ests ( Poc__fet Ed/t/oh· Md a VerS/oh wh/c__h I C-ohtehd was c__learly /ns;:;/red /;y the S£1CC-eSS o.f' the 4-f7E4 Boo/( lest). I £/Sed the 17 ashbac__I( as;:;ec__t o.f' the test Oh the h£1SbMd Md theh hMded the boo/( to h/s w/.f'e, who was to c__hooSe a 10173 word .f'roM my ?a:Je. BeC-a£1Se o.f' the way the test /s des1jhed, I /(hew at th/s ;:;o:ht that the h£1SbMd's word was I wh/te '.
words Md turned to the w/.f'e Md a.sfed /.f' her .f?rst letter wa.~ a. I w\, she sa./d /t wa.Sn \t Md I a.sfed her to ca.II out the .f?rst I etter, wh/ch was a. ' '//. I now fnew both words the cou;:;le were th/nf/n:J o.f': I wh/te \ Md 1 '//Mdferch/e.f". It was at that exact MoMent I not/ced the whole rooM had ;:;lush wh/te hMdferch/e.f's on ea.ch table, Md I fnew that I could turn M already .f'Mta.st/ca.lly sit-0173 e.f'.f'ect /nto SoMeih/n:J that really would be s;:;eda./. What .f'ollowS /s a. rou3h irMSCr/;:;t o.f' the e.f'.f'ect .f'roM th/s MOMent onwards. It /s not M exact scr/;:;t as I Ma.de the MC(jor/ty o.f' /t u;:; on the lly, but /t w/ll certa./nly 3/ve you M OJ??rox/Mat/on o.f' how the e.f'.f'ect ?Mned out. 11 rocus 017 ea.ch o.f'your words Md say theM /n your heads oVer Md over °!}a.Jn. I.f' you CM v/sua.l/se your word as a. ;:;hys/ca./ o4Ject the11 th/s w/ll ·~e better, /./"not do11 \t worry.·· I/ Yours /s a. short' ~ord. yes~' {)ne sy!la.ble ... fee;:; say/".3 ;'t oVer Md over ... ·· lurn/n:J to the lady " RM I Correct /n th/nf/;.,3 yoit qre v/sua.//s/n:J your word as M o4Ject?'' I loofed ba.cf oVer to th~ _:pntleMM Md l1jhtly .f'rowned, I turned MY head to h/s w/.f'e Md ci.ont/nued to .f'rown as I Ste;:;;:;ed ba.cf Md loofed a.round Me. I/ roar yea.rs• '' Fi.el d · 1leport I/ In that tlMe, I\M sure there hOY'e been MaJ?t./ /nStMCeS where you just /nst/nct/vely fnew what the other was th/nf/n:J· ·· "5oMe ;:;at /t down to a. ;:;sych/c Connect/on, bui I th/nf /t\s a.bout t-a?;:;ort Md underStMd;n:J· ·· "'//ow MaJ?t./ tlMeS hOY'e you .f'ound your Sentences be/n:J ./?n/shed .f'or you?·· "{)r how MaJ?t./ tlMeS hOY'e you been ta./f/n:J to h/M Md youjust fnew that a.lthou3h he loafed l/fe he was l/sten/n:J, he just wa.Sn \t?'' '///s w/.f'e also be3M 31':J:Jl;n:J Md sa./d that /t was a. re3ula.r occurrence. 11 /he th/n:J /s, SoMeiJMeS when you s;:;end a.· lon:J ;:;er/od o.f' iJMe w/th the Sa.Me ;:;erSon, you do beCoMe Connected /n a. · Wo/. 4 bond. that others don \t really underStMd, Md SoMetlMeS to3eth~r you CM cf-eate SoMdh/n:J that even thou3h you Mo/ not fnow how,just .f'eels i1jht Md CM be Very s;:;ec/a./. ·· 11 I afe a. loof a.round you ... '' /here was a. ;:;a.use at th/s ;:;o/nt ant/I the w/.f'e rea.//sed that hMdf erch/e.f'S surrounded her. 4t that ;:;o/nt she started to l/tera./ ly SCrea.M /n d/Sbel/e.f'. /he huSbMd d/dn \t MaKe the C-onnect/on at .f?rst Md /t toof h/s w/.f'e to tell h/M what her
word was. 4t that ?o;nt he beCa.Me exdted too and told het: he was th;nf;n3 o.f' the word 1 W h;te 1 • lrath be toldJ I ha.dn 1 t ?lanned on wr;tJn:J th;s MeMo;r Uf?J but as I was sat here s;??;n:J MY cocfta.;/ .. ;n Ja.Ma.;ca. ... MY ?hone a.led went o.f'.f','tell;n:J Me I had an eMa!I. I o?ened ;t and ;twas the w;.f'e o.f' the coa?I e ;n th;s story. She had loafed Me Uf? .f'roM MY baS;neSS ca.rd and en?a;red a.boat boof;n:J Me .f'or a. ?arty next year. Both o.f' theM had been that ;Mf?reSSed bY the e.f'.f'ect that they wanted to ?at on a. d;nner and he<Ye Me ?er.f'orM MY ?a.rloar show .f'or the;r .f'r;ends and .f'a.M;ly. Be;n:J a.ware o.f' yoar ,e~V,.ronM:-nt and Sarroand;n:JS at a.I I tlMeS can o?en a? doorwa;s. .o.f' ~f ?ortan;ty .f'or yoa to eyreSS yoar Mater;a./ ;n Sach a t.U0j thc:t /t Can reSonate eVen deef?er ;n yoar a.ad;ence 1 S M;nds. " Fi.et d 1leport Ill I J I 11 l~J r 1,. 1 ~'I
Tile Arti.c/ e I What follows is the article written in the Newark Advertiser following my successful prediction or a Rugby Match that I had been challenged to predict by the media group and the Nottingham.shire Police. A Mind Reader who accepted a Newark Advertiser challenge to predict the score of a Rugby match said it was the hardest thing he had ever attempted to do. Looch, real name Wayne Bolsover, attempted to predict the outcome of Newark Rugby Club's match against Melton Mowbray on Saturday. He was spot on. Looch hand delivered his prediction to Newark Police Station for safekeeping on Saturday morning, before the 2:15pm kick-off. The Advertiser was present, as was Sergeant Lisa Mortimore who took Looch's prediction and sealed it inside a police evidence bag, before storing it in a time lock safe. Newark beat Melton Mowbray, 39-3 on Saturday, and Looch returned the following morning to Newark Police Station for the opening of his prediction~ Unaware of the outcome of .the match, Looch seemed a little nervous, not knowing how accurate his prediction woul_d be. The envelope was opened under strict supervision, and a representative from the Newark Advertiser removed the prediction to read it out, revealing not just one, but six predictions. His first prediction stated, "Newark to win," followed by the word, "Comfortably." Then came the acid test, the final score of the match. To everyone's
utter amazement, Looch's prediction was exactly right, 39-3. The 31 year old didn't stop there; he was only getting started. He predicted the number 36 would be relevant, which was also correct, because when you subtract 39 from 3 you get 36. Uncannily, 36 was also the number of the time lock safe that Sergeant Mortimore had randomly chosen to put Looch's prediction envelope in for safekeeping. Looch's fifth prediction was that the Police would mark the envelope with a shape - possibly a cube or a box. Without any influence from Looch, Sergeant Mortimore had in fact drawn a box on the outside of the prediction envelope before sealing it and placing it in the safe. Sergeant Mortimore commented, "I can assure you that the envelope was not tampered with. I'm very impressed with the predictions." Looch's only unsticcef)sful prediction was that Newark's number 13 would score three tries' because 13 x 3 = 39. He was close 'though. Aloe::isi.Buddah Waqalevu, who wore the number 13 shirt for Newark on Saturdal, scored two tries. First team coach Mr . ' Bob Nashed revealed }l.e came· within half a metre of scoring a third. Looch, of Omptori, said~he'was.relieved that his predictions had been correct. "You have to take risks a.nd it's possible that things will go wrong. I advertise myself as a Mind Re~der and Mentalist, so I am over the moon to have been able to pull it off. It is without a doubt the hardest thing I have attempted and the first challenge I've done of this kind. A lot of control. was taken away from me." TN.e Arti.c/ e THE BACKGROUND From the outset, I would like to give a nod of appreciation to Paul Stockman, for giving me his blessing to include this in 'The Black Project'. The inspiration for this routine stems from Paul's wonderful 'Impossible Envelope' effect, released by Alakazam Magic in the UK. When I began developing it I contacted Paul to share my thoughts and ideas, and he was excited with what I had come up with. Although we have yet to meet in person, I am very much looking forward to demonstrating this for him when our paths finally cross. If you don't already own Paul's 'Impossible Envelope' then I wholeheartedly recommend that you purchase it. It will give you a greater appreciation of Paul's thinking, and hopefully inspire you as it did me. Being able to predict virtually anything, under the strictest of performing conditions, is a powerful feat and a potential reputation maker. In the past I have only shared this routine with a small handful of performers. I trust you will put it to good use.
THE EFFECT The bare bones description of the effect is as follows. You either propose or accept a challenge to predict some future event. Prior to the event occurring you hand an envelope containing your prediction to the 'organizer' of the challenge for safekeeping. The envelope is securely sealed, thoroughly examined, signed, and determined to be 100% tamperproof. After the event has taken place, you return to oversee the opening of the prediction envelope. It is examined once more and it has not been tampered with or altered in any way. You have had no access to the envelope. With nothing in your hands, you cut the prediction envelope open using a pair of scissors and show everyone that there is a foam board inside. You openly remove the foam board (the envelope is now empty) and show that there is a small coin envelope taped to one side of the foam board. You cut the top of tha~. coin en;v-eiope off, and invite the organizer to reach inside and remove't.he contents.·Tp.ey do so, taking out a piece of paper on which is your printed (or h~nd.~written) prediction. You never touch the prediction. Your prediction is read aloud 'by the organizer, and impossibly it matches the outcome of the eve'nt. Tile Arti..c{e EFFECT Tl ELINE With this routine there are a series of steps that need to be performed at different times in a set chronological order. Those steps are; The Handover., The Build-Up. The Event. The Reveal..,
THE HANDOVER The handover of your prediction envelope to the person charged with organizing proceedings (i.e. the organizer) establishes the fairness of what you are going to be doing, and gives you the opportunity to dispel any notion that what you are attempting could be achieved by means of trickery or deception. It sets the scene for what is to come. M SCRI "Now that you are in possession of the prediction, I need you to do a couple of things with regard to security. Firstly, can you confirm that you can feel the prediction inside? I haven't just handed you an empty envelope, correct?" "Yes, I can confirm there's ~omething definitely inside." "Good, I've made the predJ.c.tion on a thick card stock so you can literally feel it there. Secondlr,:couldyougouble check the envelope and confirm it is completely and securely·sea.led .. " "Yes, completely sealed/'. THE Take a step back and think about' what you're attempting to do. You are (seemingly) putting your reputation on the line by accepting the challenge at hand. With so much at stake, it's entirely reasonable for you to act nervous and apprehensive. Let the organizers know that what you're attempting is rarely 100%, total success is doubtful. It will be up to them to determine how accurate they deem your prediction to be. You're apparently giving them all the control and downplaying your own expectations of the outcome. Tile Article MARKING THE Once the organizer has taken possession of the prediction envelope, you should ask them to place a mark on the envelope it that will uniquely identify it in some way. The methods of marking I have suggested in the past are: A drawing or symbol. A random word. A number or date or significance to the organizer. A question. The way in which the organizer chooses to mark the prediction envelope will be mentioned in the prediction itself. This strengthens the overall effect because it will be perceived that you successfully predicted (or influenced) a completely free choice made by the organizer himself AFTER they had the envelope in their possession. M s "And finally, to prevent the envelope from ·being tampered with or. swapped at a later date, I want you to physically mark the envelope in some way. In the past people have signed it or written something along the flap, some people have even drawn all over it. It's up to you how you choose to mark it." DOCUMENTING THE HANDOVER It is important to document the handover of the prediction, preferably on film or via a photographer. When I first performed this with the Police
and Newark Advertiser, they had a photographer on hand to record each stage. This gives a sense of legitimacy to proceedings and creates a visual timeline of what occurred. It is this visual timeline that people will remember in the future, not the specific handling details. When we see an old photograph from our childhood, we often remember the photograph, not the actual memory. It creates almost a false memory of the event and that is what we are doing here to help with the impossible nature of the prediction. Tie Arti.c!e THE BUILD-UP Once the prediction has been handed over to the organizer for safekeeping, a period time will elapse before the event you are predicting actually occurs. What you're going to attempt is an AMAZING feat, something truly remarkable. People should know about the challenge you are undertaking, so take this time to promote it any way you can. Social media is a tremendous tool in this regard, it's the perfect vehicle to advertise your talents, and raise your public profile. When I accepted the Newark Police challenge, I set up a Facebook page specifically for the challenge. I emailed everyone on my mailing list, friends, family, past clients, etc informing them of the challenge I was undertaking. I did interviews on the radio and in newspapers. I recorded YouTube videos documenting my thought process in the lead-up to the Rugby match. All these things were part of my performance. I wanted to turn the revelation of my prediction into an EVENT in its own right, and get as many people as I could to become excited and invested in what I was at.tempting to do.
THE EVENT D-day arrives, the event you are predicting occurs. When I was performing this for the Police, they demanded that I stay away from the Rugby match - maybe they didn't trust me. I later learned that they had people looking out for me at the Rugby stadium to prevent me from seeing the match. Conveniently, at the time of the match I had been booked to give an interview for a local magazine. This gave me a genuine alibi, and if necessary I could call upon various impartial witnesses who would verify my exact whereabouts whilst the match was taking place. To determine what happened during the match, I arranged for a good friend of mine to take his son and make notes for me. Later that evening my friend debriefed me on the match, including any unusual details he had ·noted. Armed what that information I was able to construct a strong ·and. plausible prediction. For me, this is the most important element of t~e routine<. JHE E ION I print out my prediction onto. a thih long length of paper (similar to till receipt paper) and fold it once so that when inserted into a coin envelope it lies perfectly flat. I wanted t'? avoid folding the paper several times because that would make the coin envelope too bulky. It is important that the coin envelope lie as flat as possible to help create the illusion that it really is taped to the foam board. You can use a printed prediction or a hand-written prediction, depending on your preference. I prefer a printed prediction because it suggests that I deliberately took the time to type it up and print it out ahead of time. I Tile Art.ic!e When I did this for the Police, I was able to take advantage of two wonderful coincidences that made my prediction completely inexplicable. The Police had decided to seal the prediction envelope inside a clear evidence bag, which was then placed in one of their evidence safes. Each safe is numbered, and the Sergeant had chosen to deposit the prediction envelope in safe number 36. It just so happened that the final score of the Rugby match was 39-3. 39 minus 3 equals 36, so the margin of victory was the same as the number of the evidence safe used to store the prediction envelope. Weaving this bit of good fortune into my prediction made any reverse engineering impossible. People would have to believe I had either fixed the score of the match or actually foreseen the result, and then influenced the Sergeant to place the prediction envelope in safe number 36. The second coincidence was that the 'man of the match' had scored three times and was wearing the number 13 shirt. The number 13 might be unlucky for some, but it was very lucky for me! Using my incomparable math skills, I calculated that 13 multiplied by 3 equalled 39, the same score as the winning team. I wasn't sure if I should include this in my prediction because I was concerned it would be perceived as 'overkill'. I'm glad I did include it though, because of what transpired after the reveal had taken place. It was later. confirmed by the coach of. the winning team that their number 13 had in fact only scored twice, and he was only a few inches away from scoring for a third time. This turned that element of my prediction into a 'near miss', which enhanced the authenticity of my prediction. Mentalists often discuss the theory that a less than perfect outcome can sometimes enhance an effect, creating the impression that what we are doing is actuaDj 'real'. The unintentional 'near miss' in my prediction is a perfect example of that line of thinking.
THE REVEAL After the event has taken place, you return for the opening of your prediction envelope and the big reveal. The envelope is produced from wherever it was being kept by the organizer, people gather round in anticipation of what is about to happen, all eyes are on you. If the event was a 'private' event then the observers will presume that you don't know the outcome. Prior to the opening of the envelope you should appear anxious and nervous since you supposedly don't know how accurate your prediction is going to be. This is good because you can project your anxiety to the observers and heighten the tension. If on the other hand the event was a 'public' event then the observers will presume that you already know the outcome of the event, and you therefore know how accurate your p:r:ediction is~ Appearing anxious or tense at this point wouldn't make sens~. In all likelihood, it might later be perceived as mere 'acting' on your part.bytlie observers. For a 'public' event you might.want to make your prediction a little less than perfect, but still: close·ehou~h ;to .be perceived as a success when the reveal is eventually made .. -'This· wouid allow you to appear a bit downcast prior to the reveal, appareritlf disappoin:ted in yourself because you know the prediction is a bit off the mark •. Before you open the prediction envelope, everyone present needs to be made aware of everything has happened -previously. Specifically, it is critical that they know; The prediction envelope contains your prediction, which can be 'felt' inside. The prediction envelope was handed over to the organizer for safekeeping prior to the event. I I Tile Artie{ e The organizer examined the prediction envelope and determined that it was secure:cy sea.led and ta.mperproor. The organizer placed a unique identifying mark or his choosing onto the envelope. This was a complete]3 free choice. The organizer made sure that the envelope was kept in a secure place that you did not have access to" The prediction envelope ha.a not been switched or altered in any way since you handed it over to the organizer. When the prediction envelope is brought out, encourage people to examine it and let them 'feel' the prediction is inside. Your willingness to be fair and open by allowing the envelope to be freely handled will take the heat off you at a crucial moment later on. When everyone is completely satisfied that everything is fair and above board, you can confidently take hold of the prediction envelope. At this point, the envelope has just been thoroughly examined, and any attempt at trickery or deception on your part is impossible. Well, almost impossible. With no suspicious moves, and with nothing in your: hands other than the prediction envelope itself, you will load the correct prediction into the envelope right there and then in front of everyone. Let me describe how you go about doing that, arid haw to. manufacture the props that make it all work.
MANUFACTURING THE PROPS THE PREDICTION ENVELOPE The prediction envelope needs to be sturdy and substantial, you don't want to use a cheap lightweight envelope that could be held up to the light and seen through. The envelope I use is a Jiffy Gold Size JL 0 Envelope (ref; 1773), although a bubble wrap or similar type of envelope will do the job just as well. The external size of the envelope is 200mm x 260mm; internally it is 150mm x 200mm. THE AM RE SH The foam board inside the prediction envelope serves two purposes. Firstly, its presence can be felt by anyone who handles the prediction envelope. This is important because everyone needs to be utterly convinced that the prediction envelope really does contain your prediction. If the I Tile Artie{ e prediction envelope merely contained a single sheet of paper then people wouldn't be able to feel it; for all they know the envelope might be empty. The ability to 'feel' the prediction inside the envelope adds a layer of deception that is invaluable when it comes to the big reveal later on. Secondly, the foam board plays a vital role in the execution of the method. Taped to the foam board inside the prediction envelope (or more accurately seemingly taped) is a Manilla style coin envelope, which contains your actual prediction. The crux of the method relies on you magnetically loading a coin envelope containing your prediction onto the back of the prediction envelope, in full view of the observers. It's a bold and gutsy move, but it can be done so long as you keep the back of the envelope out of view whilst the load is taking place. How is this accomplished? Well, embedded in the foam board inside the prediction envelope is a powerful neodymium magnet, a second magnet is secured to the back of the coin envelope, which contains your prediction. At one point during the routine the coin envelope is secretly loaded onto the back of the prediction envelope. The magnets make the coin envelope stick to the foam board inside the prediction envelope. After the prediction envelope is. opened, you openly remove the foam board from inside •. As the foam board· is removed from the prediction envelope, the coin envelope pomes along with it because it is stuck to the magnet inside the foam board. The magnets I use are neodymium magnets, 1 1/2" x 3/4" x 1/16"; you'll need. two of them. In the UK you can get these from www.e-magnetsuk.com. If you're in the USA then www.kjmagnetics.com is a good source for neodymium magnets. You'll also need two pieces of 1/ 4" thick foam board; one is gimmicked, the other is not, although side-by-side they will appear to be identical. You will switch out the gimmicked foam board during the reveal, and switch in the ungimmicked foam board after the reveal. This enables you to end completely clean.
The foam board is cut slightly smaller than the internal dimensions of the prediction envelope, which eliminates the possibility of it becoming stuck during performance. Foam board usually has two thin layers of paper sandwiching the foam core, and the first thing you need to do is peel away them off so that all you're left with is the foam core. Take some black card stock and apply some spray adhesive to it (3M Oraf't Mount or Elmers). Stick the black card stock to one side of the foam board and trim off any excess. In effect you are replacing the thin paper with something more sturdy, you'll see why that's important in a moment. Place one of your magnets in the center of the foam board (on top of the black card stock) and trace around it with a pencil. Use an Exacto knife to cut a rectangle slightly bigger than the size of the magnet through the foam board, leaving you with a rectangular hole in the board. Take another sheet of black card stock and apply some spray adhesive as before. Stick it to the other side of th~ foam board and trim off any excess. You'll end up with a blac~ ·faced :t:oam board with a rectangular 1/4" recess in the center of it. Apply some strong contact adhesive (like Bostick, Superglue, Gorilla . Glue, etc) to one of your magnets and on.,to the card stock at the bottom of the recess inside the foam board. ·carefully seat the magnet into the recess, allowing it to bond to the card stock. Neodymium magnets are v-ery powerful and you need to make sure that the magnet is stuck firmly and securely in the recess. This is why I replace the paper on the foam board with card stock. Paper is far too flimsy and the pull of the magnet would cause the paper to deform or even rip; card stock is much sturdier. I Once the magnet is securely glued inside the foam board, wrap some clear sticky tape around the width of the board. Starting at the top of the recess, you want to wrap enough tape so that you create a band of tape approximately 40mm wide. When you've done that, take an Exacto knife and cut off any tape that is overlapping the recess. The sticky tape is shiny and shows up great against a black background, which is why I use black card stock. In addition, when the magnetic coin envelope is attached to the foam Tile Artie{ e board, the black background helps mask any slight shadow along the edge of the coin envelope. This strengthens the illusion that the coin envelope is actually taped to the board. Once you have made this gimmicked foam board, you need to make a second one. It will look similar to the first, except it doesn't have a magnet secretly embedded in the center. Before you wrap the sticky tape around this second foam board, place an empty sealed manilla coin envelope in the center, then wrap the tape over it. I use #3 size coin envelopes, 2 1/2" x 4 1/4". When _the coin ertvelope is taped to the board, use a sharp pair of scissors to cut about 1/16" off the top of the envelope so that it is open~ Make this cut as straight as you can. During performance, the gimmicked foam board is inserted into the prediction envelope, which you then seal before you hand it over to the organizer. Don't seal yours just yet because you'll need it open to practice the handling.
THE MAGNETIC COIN ENVELO This coin envelope will contain your actual prediction, either typed or hand written on a piece of paper. Use the same type and size of coin envelope as the one you taped to the second foam board. On the flap side of the coin envelope, secure the second magnet using strong contact adhesive. Position the magnet so that it is centred horizontally and the top edge is roughly 11/2" from the top edge of the coin envelope. All magnets have a polarity, so if the magnet isn't the right way up it will repel rather than attract. Make sure that the side of the magnet that isn't stuck to the co,in envelope will be attracted to the magnet in the foam board. With the magnets firmly secured inside the foam board and on the back of the coin e!1v1?lope, place the coin envelope on the · foam board. The coin envelope should lie flat ,against the foam board, and the magnets will be attracted to one another. They won't actually touch though because .they are 1/16" thick and the board is 1/4" thick, meaning that there will be a small gap between them. With the coin envelope attached to the foam board, make four feint pencil marks on the envelope where the edges of the tape on the board actually meet it. Carefully prise the coin envelope off the foam board and apply strips of tape to the front side of the envelope, using those pencil marks as a guide. Make the strips of tape about 1/4" wider than the width of the coin envelope and fold the overhanging edges of tape underneath the coin envelope, securing them to the back. The aim here is to create a band of tape on the coin envelope that mimics the band of tape on the foam board. Tfie Art.i.c/ e Place the coin envelope back on the foam board. The magnets attract one another creating an almost perfect illusion making it appear as if the envelope is actually taped to the board. Because the magnets in the coin envelope and the foam board don't actually touch, it prevents any telltale sound as the magnets come together. Since the magnets are rectangular, and the recess is only slightly bigger than the magnets, there will be virtually no lateral movement of the coin envelqpe once it is locked onto the board., The coin enyelope will always lock in the same position, which makes the handling super smooth and trouble free.
THE FIRST LOAD Once you have prepared the magnetic coin envelope (with your prediction inside) you will want to practice loading it onto the back of the prediction envelope. I start with the magnetic coin envelope in my outer breast jacket pocket. Make sure there is nothing in the pocket that would restrict you from easily removing the envelope. Take hold of your prediction envelope (which contains the foam board with a magnet embedded in its center) and hold it at your fingertips. This implies that although you are touching the envelope, you are doing so in the fairest manner possible and that there is no trickery. At some point whilst you are holding the prediction envelope, you will bring it up towards your breast pocket which contains the magnetic coin envelope. When the magnets in the .coin .envelope and prediction envelope are close enough to one another th~y will: lock together. The fabric of your pocket combined with the padding j'.n the prediction envelope and the layers of sticky tape shoul,d m~f'.fle any 'clj_cking' sound as the magnets contact one another. With the magnets lo~k~d. t?gether, 'lift the prediction envelope vertically straight up. The coin envei.op,e in. your breast pocket will come out of the ' ' pocket since it is magneti~ally. attached to the back of the prediction envelope. NOTE: If you don't pull up in a ver~ical direction, the prediction envelope will snag against your jacket pocket, causing the magnets to separate. Pulling upwards too quickly may also cause them to separate. You have to practice this move in order to get the angle and speed just right. I got a friend to film me whilst I was practising this to make sure that my movements were both natural and smooth. When I did the routine for the Police, the moment I brought the prediction Tile Arti.cte envelope up towards my breast pocket, the photographer asked me to pose with the envelope for a photograph. This gave me extra time to ensure the envelopes were 'locked on' and that the load had been accomplished successfully. I recommend that you try to manufacture this type of photo opportunity into your presentation as it gives you a natural reason for holding the envelope close to your body, albeit for just a moment. Rather than use your breast pocket to hold the coin envelope you could use a crafty little utility item called, 'The Ultimate Card Control Utility', by Jeff Kaylor and Michael Ammar. I'm comfortable using the load from the breast pocket, but I know some people have experimented with using the UOCU for loading the coin envelope. With the coin envelope locked onto the back of the prediction envelope, hold it at your fingertips, watching your angles so as not to flash the back of the prediction envelope. It's natural to feel somewhat 'exposed' with the coin envelope stuck to the back of the prediction envelope like this. Try not to tense up and avoid the temptation to rush opening the prediction envelope, there's no need to hurry. Remember, everyone has just examined the prediction envelope, so there is no suspicion on the envelope or on you. All you're doing is holding the prediction envelope at your fingertips, in readiness to reveal its contents, that's all. OPENING THE PREDICTION ENVELOPE Cut off the top of the prediction envelope using a sharp pair of scissors. Don't try to tear it open since you risk dislodging or flashing the coin envelope stuck on the outside. Use your free hand to prise open the prediction envelope just enough to
allow people to see the foam board inside. As you're doing this, your hand will provide natural cover for the coin envelope stuck to the back of the prediction envelope. Even so, you must be aware of your angles. Once people have seen the foam board inside the prediction envelope, you can very fairly and openly reach inside with your fingertips and slowly remove the foam board. THE SECOND LOAD The second load is all from Paul Stockman's 'Impossible Envelope'. As you remove the foam board from the prediction envelope, the coin envelope attached to the back will come along for the ride, and end up stuck to the back of the foam board. The illusion is perfect, but you need to practice this bit until you get it looking smooth and natural. Because of the rectangular magnets and the recess in the foam board, the Tile Arti.c!e coin envelope will lock onto the board in perfect alignment every time. You don't need to fiddle with the coin envelope to make sure that the tape is properly aligned with the tape on the board. It happens automatically. This means that as soon as you have removed the foam board from the prediction envelop you can immediately flip it over to show the coin envelope apparently stuck to it. "The prediction was taped to this foam board to prevent anything suspicious from secretly being inserted into the envelope." This line is important because it provides a convincing reason for the envelope being taped. It also dispels the notion that something could have been inserted into th,e coin envelope. I'm going to cut this open. Can you see my prediction inside?" Holding the foam board in one hand, and with your thumb resting on top of the coin envelope, take the scissors in your other hand and cut off the top of the envelope. The rectangular magnets keep the coin envelope firmly in place, ensuring that it won't move around. Even so, apply firm downwards pressure with your thumb to keep the envelope lying as flat as possible, strengthening the illusion that it is actually taped to the foam board. Set the scissors aside and carefully prise open the coin envelope with your
thumb and finger. Show the prediction inside, but don't touch it. "I don't want to touch the prediction, please reach inside and take it out." As the organizer is removing the prediction from the coin envelope, maintain downward pressure with your thumb to keep the envelope lying flat. Asking someone else reniov.e- the prediction and explicitly stating, 'I don't want to touch the pre,~iction', re~nforces the fact that you never touch the prediction. People might remember th.at you 'cut open· the prediction envelope. They might also remember that: yO'l,l c~t · open the coin envelope. Those things aren't important though, because .they're perceived as being nothing more than necessary parts of the process~ It is vitally important however that the observers remember that you NEVER touched the prediction. That's what y.ou want to emphasize. Everyone's focus will now shift to the folded prediction, which is in plain view for the first time. Take advantage of this distraction and casually drop the gimmicked foam board into your bag. The board has served its purpose; no-one will be interested in it anymore since all eyes will be on the person holding the prediction. I i T/ie Artie/ e The sneaky work is now all done. All that's left is to ask the organizer to unfold the prediction and read it out. When I performed this for the Police, everyone present refused to comment on the outcome of the Rugby match up until the actual reveal. I asked them to tell me which team had won, and I instructed the journalist to open the prediction and read out the FIRST part only. Of course, it was correct. Piece by piece the prediction was read out, including the surprise elements such as the marking of the envelope and the number of the safe used by the Police to secure the prediction.
THE CLEAN UP After your prediction has been revealed, there will be an air of excitement and amazement among the observers. This creates a natural off beat moment at some point for you to reach into your bag and pull out the ungimmicked foam board. Simply leave it on a nearby table and you're done. Everything can be examined, and even Columbo would struggle to find anything amiss. You can reuse the gimmicked foam board in future performances. The only items you need to remake are the magnetic coin envelope and the nongimmicked foam board. YCHO GICA SID TOR AIRVOYA ? Those of you that have seen me perform know that in my performance persona as a 'Psychological Entertainer' I use my 'abilities' to ostensibly 'read' and 'influence' people. That being the case, yo_u might co:p.sider that predicting some future event as demonstrated in this routine is incompatible with that persona. • c I pondered this question rnyseif for quite some time. The upshot is that I don't feel as though _that everything I do needs to fit neatly into my 0 I ·• • ' ' 'Psychological' persona. To do so would be a mistake, it's too constraining. I'm quite content for people to perceive me as someone who 'does weird things'. This gives me more leeway-: with regard to the types of effects I can perform. Over time I've come to the realization that not everything I do needs a defined rationale for my audiences to latch onto. Leaving some unanswered questions as to the exact nature and full extent of my abilities is more enigmatic; it adds an air or mystery to what I do. I T/ie Article THOUGHTS ON 'HEADLINE PREDICTIONS' I would never perform a 'Headline Prediction' type effect whereby I predict some unspecified and unknowable future occurrence. Imagine a scenario where you accept a challenge to 'Predict the Headlines', and some terrible event happens on that day? People will understandably ask you, "Why didn't you see THAT happening then?" It's a risk not worth taking. Predicting the outcome of a specific pre-defined event though, is less problematic. When I perform this routine I am very careful to make the organizers aware that I am not a modern day Nostradamus or a Clairvoyant - I can't see into the future. I explain to them that I examine all the variables surrounding a pre-defined specific event and using my intuition, as well as other means, I make a determination as to what I believe the most likely outcome will be. What I do isn't 100%', but the more information I have at my disposal regarding the event, the more accurate I'm likely to be. When I was in talks with the Newark Advertiser prior to accepting their challenge, I said this exact thing to the Editor. He agreed that the prediction i;:;hould be something of specific local or regional interest. They wanted. to avoid being in the position of having a tragedy on ~he front pages and trying to spin publicity off the back of it• They decided on the 'Rugby match' challenge and contacted me a few weeks later.
IN CLOSING There is some setup each time you perform this routine, so I recommend saving it for special occasions. For me, it is the ideal publicity stunt. The sheer impossibility of the prediction, coupled with the directness of the presentation, creates an indelible impression on everyone who witnesses it. M vi' cfi fV'\ t)o:t-t. Lo u'\-1l ~It. f ~\(lf?-1 I , e \}',..;.,fl.. ~ DEVELOPMENT SKETCHES s ,.r ",;. ).Jt.(V:.-• l.
F i.e/ d 1?.,eport u tf'e.flee!:t/11!) on a Blat:!J: 7-:e 4ward..s l>/nner I was h/red to per-l'orm at last wee/r: at the tl111've.r..s/ty of' She.f'.fi'eld, I .f'oand />1lj..Sel.f' /n a u111'ft.te po..s1't1'on that I had not pre.Vi'ou..sly c.on..s/de.red. I was a.bout hal.f' Wo/ throt.t:Jh /J1tj m/>< & m/l'ljle per-l'ormanc!e when I approat:!-hed a ta.ble of' ..SeVen :JUe-.St..S /n the m/ddle of' the hall. I />1lj..Sel.f' as normal and was yee:ted by the youp who /m/ted me ..s/t Wl'th them. As I toof MY seat, I was a/ready /11volved /11 a co11Versat/011 w/th a lady at the table, I tha11fed her !"'or /11v/t/173 Me to s/t a11d aSfed her to ?o/11t out a MeMber o.f"'the 3roU?> who /11 her o?/11/011 would have a 3ood 1 ?ofer /"'ace'. 5he loafed arou11d the table a11d be.f"'ore She Could noM/nate S0Meo11e, Mother lady ca/led out that she d/d. I tur11ed to /"'ace her a11d ;MMed/ately 110-t/ced that th/s lady was bl/11d. I had not ?rev/au.sly real/sed th/s as the ha/I was 011ly ca11dle l/t, a11d to be ho11est, /t's not SoMeth/173 I've e11cou11tered bel"'ore So I was11 't act/vely loof/173 out !"'or th/s SCe11ar/o. /he re.St of' the 3roU? ;MMed/ately acf11owled3ed that 1 Sara' would /ndeed have a Very 3ood >afer /"'ace' a11d that I should try MY deM011strat/~>11 out w/th h~r. 5to? !"'or a SeC011d at th/s ?o/11t a11d try to ?/cture MY · surrou11d/173s: I aM /11 a ca11dle l/t 6a119uet ha/I w/th 11early 200 3uests at a Blacf -r:e Awards CereMon.j ?erl"'orM/173 !"'or 3uests who had bee11 110M/11ated !"'or the/r 1 I1111ovat/011 /11 E11ter?r/Se '. Everyth/173 uj; to th/s ?o/11t /11 the eVe11/173 had 3one SMoothly a11d I was hav/173 a very 3ood I 3'3 ', So to S?eaK. I was 110W surrounded bY SeVen 3uests who I d/d not f now, who were ?a:Jer to See the 1 M/nd !feader' do SoMeth/173 !"'or M elderly bl/nd
I'd e/;frl;nated the Ifr!?ress;on dev;ce a.s, ;,n that fr!Ofr!ent, I 3enLl;nely d;dn 't · fnow ;-f' the lady was LISed to wr;t/h!)/ dra.w;h:J ;,n the norfr!a.I way. I -/'elt a. /;ttle LlnedLtcated to be honest. /he decf o-/' cards was useless, as t..ya.S the Boof lest Cnote to Se/-/' - ,Prod Lt Ce a. Bra///~ Boof lest ;,n the Cofrl;h:J yea.rs). /he only ,Phys;ca.I th;n:J I CO.Ltld. d~ was to L/Se the ]Xce a.s a. Bra/lie d;ce and have 5a.ra. -~~~/ the· nt-t~berS on the d;ce and 30 throL13h MY ..fea.I J>;e roLl't;n~ Ce.vla/11~d elsewhere ;,n th;s boof). It wa.Sn 't a.s SLICCe;5S(Lli ·a.$ -~or Ma.I, 3enerat;h:J a. two oLtt o-/' three oLttCofrl~, b_at: Gara. 's -/'a.c__e /;t Ll,P and beCa.fr!e really 0 I ·• • reS,PonS;Ve, she S.frl;/ed and '31j:/ed as she had ,Pa.t-t/a.//y beaten the I M;nd ..f ea.der ' and tho~3ht ;t' was /;r;//;ant. 77-Je rest o-/' the 3roLl,P really Wa.t-frled to Me and ;,nv;ted ~e to stay w;th the;r 3roLl,P -/'or the rest o-/' the eV~K7;.n:J to chat. I had to ,Po/;tely dec/;,ne a.s I st/I/ had More 3L1ests to enterta.;n, bLtt ;t certa/nly was an ;ntereSt/n:J fr!Ofr!ent. I a.I ways try to ta.,f e Sofr!eth;n:J -/'rofrl a. show that I can learn -/'rofr! or develo,P and now a.fr! a.ct/vely th;nf/h!] aboLtt roLtt/neS and ;dea.S that can be frlod;lied -/'or ,Peo,Ple w/th e;ther v;sLta./ or a.Ltd/tory ;fr!?a.t'rfr!ent . .t50 r i.et d 1leport
PeeK-Aclloo The .11.ud1..1.'Y•n..11."'.1.=- routine uaea a method I haven't seen in print but I wou1d be if similar hadn't been done in years gone this routine many times in close-up and IJQ..JL.&. .. ,..u. s11~ueLti1on1:1, I now use it at and Trade Shows. It acc:iom1ou.snE~s sc:>meitlULng that is quite dim.cu1t in namely ...... ''"'""'"''-"·!"'. a visual demonstration from very little. This routine has consistently got me more bookings at Wedding Fairs than any other routine I perform in that setting. The sole purpose at Wedding Fairs is to advertise yourself to couples planning their big day and to get your act hired as the entertainment. Competition is fierce, so you have to make your act stand out - you have to be memorable. Revealing either the prospective bride or groom's best friend from school does precisely that. EFFECT Your participant draws or writes a piece of information on the back of one of your busip.ess cards, which is then placed face down on your outstretched palm and covered with a h~ndkerchief. The performer grips the card through the handkerchief and passes it to the participant to hold. The outline of the card is clearly seen by everyone. The participant is asked to visualize what they wrote down and the performer then proceeds to reveal the information.
ET HOD The humble but stylish Pocket Square (or handkerchief) is popular again. This aesthetically pleasing fashion accessory is available in a wide range of unique patterns and designs, and more and more people who wear a jacket now have one in their outer breast pocket. Hidden inside the handkerchief is a duplicate business card; think 'Glorpy' but without the Ghost or any other supernatural entities. When you drape the handkerchief over the participant's card you take hold of the duplicate card thereby creating the illusion that you are holding their card through the handkerchief. Conveniently, the handkerchief provides all the cover you need to steal away the participant's card which you subsequently peek. I have made several of these handkerchiefs in various patterns to match specific performance attire. I have experimented with different methods of construction and making the handkerchief is relatively easy. Here are the two designs ~I believe )Vork the best; 'PeeK,-Aclioo IGN #1 This is the easiest to make, and because of that it is probably the most preferred. The compromise is that it is not examinable by the participant, which to be honest hasn't caused me any difficulties over the years. You will need: Silk handkerchief approx. 12 inches square., (I recommend a patterned handkerchief, not a plain one) Scanner & printer., Vilene Bondaweb - This is a stx·on11Z111 heat reactive, sheet or glue which permanent:cy bonds one .fabric to another when ironed. Iron. 1: Take the handkerchief and iron it smooth so it is wrinkle free. STEP 2: Place the handkerchief in your scanner and scan the pattern into your computer. Pr.int the pattern onto a sheet of white card. You may need to adjust the colour/contrast/brightness settings to get a close mat9!). to the actual pattern of the handkerchief. STEP 3 Cut the printed card to the same size as your business card. STEP 4 Cut a piece of Bonda web slightly smaller than the printed card and stick it to one side of the card.
STEP 5 Lay the handkerchief flat on an ironing board and carefully position the printed card (with the Bondaweb adhered to the back) ensuring that the pattern on the card lines up with the pattern on the handkerchief. Cover the card with a thin piece of material and iron it onto the handkerchief .. Allow the handkerchief and card to cool down, then flip them over and iron the back as well. Peel<,-Aclloo DESI 12 This design is essentially two handkerchiefs sewn together with a plastic insert hidden inside. The advantage of this design is that it can be freely shown on both sides. The downside is that because it is two ply thick it is a little heavier than a single handkerchief, so it doesn't drape as well when covering the business card during performance. You will need: 2 identical squares or thin fabric approx. 12 inches aqua.re. (300mm x 300mm). A piece or thin plastic cut to the same size and thickness as your business card. You may wish to use a piece from a document file or soiine1~hi.ng similar. Thin piece or Bonda.web the same size as the fabric. Lay one of the pieces of fabric onto a hard surface and place the plastic card in the middle. Lay the thin sheet of Bondaweb on top of the business card and fabric and line everything up square. STEP 2 Carefully iron the Bondaweb over the plastic card and fabric. This will . activate the adhesive within the Bonda web and provide a sticky surface for you to stick the second piece of fabric to. STEP 3 Carefully peel away the backing sheet from the Bondaweb and ensure all surfaces are flat. Lay the second piece of fabric on top and carefully iron both pieces of fabric together, sealing the plastic card inside the two fabric pieces. The card will now be locked in place and won't be able to move.
STEP 4 Lay a pile of heavy books on top of the handkerchief and leave it to cool for 10 minutes. This stage is crucial because the plastic can react to the heat of the iron and begin to distort or curl upwards. The weight ensures that the card stays flat. Once cooled, carefully hem around the edges. There you have it, a handkerchief with business card sealed inside! J,58 l I Peel<,-AcR.oo ORIGINAL PERFOR ANCE • 'THE NA E THING' The staging in this routine offers perfect blocking enabling you to 'peek' the participant's information in real time. The performer addresses a participant he has not previously met: "OK, so we haven't met before have we?" "No we haven't." "And I don't know anything about you, correct?" "Correct." "In fact, I don't even know your name do I?" "No." "Please excuse me for not asking, but there is a reason. If I don't know your name, then there's no way I could know anything about you. I couldn't have looked you up on Facebook or anything like that? With that in mind, I'd like to take you back to when you were at school, is that OK?" "Sure." "Think of the circle of friends you used to hang around with, and as these· people start to pop back into your mind focus on just one person, one friend who you haven't thought about for some time. Imagine that the two of you are sat next to each other in a classroom .. Visualise what yo:ur friend looked like back then, and as soon as you have a sense of that, move your focus up to the front of the classroom. You notice that the teacher is standing with a piece of chalk in their hand writing your friend's name on the blackboard. In your mind, picture their
first name with their surname underneath, written in huge block capital letters. Do you see that?" "Yes." "Excellent, now take a mental snapshot of their name on the blackboard. I want you to be able to see this as a photograph in your mind." The performer hands the participant a business card and a pen. "Exactly as you see your friend's name written there, I'd like you to write it down on the back of this card. Make sure no one sees what you write. I'll turn away while you do that." The performer turns his head so that it is obvious he cannot see what the participant is writing. "I asked you to write down their name for two reasons. Firstly, the mere act of writing down your thought helps cement that thought in your mind. Secondly, you can't change your mind afterwards. When you've finished, please turn j;he card face down onto your palm. Let me know when you've done that.;" ' . The participant finishes writj,ng, flips the business card writing side down on their palm, and infor~s the perform~r that it is safe to turn back around. The performer does so and r~moves his ha~dkerchief from his outside jacket pocket. He shakes it and· as~s t~e partici~ant to carefully place the card face down onto his outstretched palm _without flashing any of the writing. The performer lays the handkerchief over the card making sure it is completely hidden from view. With his other hand he grasps the card by its long edges through the handkerchief and hands it to the participant for them to hold. The outline of the card is clearly seen as the participant grips it through the handkerchief. The performer moves to the other side of the participant and points to an area in front of them where he wants them to visualize the blackboard. He asks the participant to focus their attention on their friend's name I I 'Peel<,-Aclloo and to imagine it .written in giant block letters in front of them on this imaginary blackboard. "Surnames tend to be a little longer than the first names. Is this the case here, or is it the other way around?" "The surname is longer." "OK, let's start with the first name then. Think of the first letter of your friend's name. Say it to yourself over and over again ••. This is a B, a D or a P ••• each one sounds similar ••. say B for me." "B." "Say D." "D." "Say it again" "D." "Say P." "P." "This is a D, correct?" "Yes." "OK good! In your mind ... and only in your mind ••• say the first name of your friend over and over again. There's a definitive nod going on as you say this name. There are two syllables in this name, right?"
"Yes." The performer writes something down on his pad, but doesn't show it just yet. "Excellent, now focus on their surname. I would like to get both names if I can. Think of the number of letters in this surname .. " The participant takes a few moments to mentally calculate the number of letters. "OK got it. Given the amount of time it took you to work it out, this is going to be a medium sized surname, probably around seven letters, correct?" "Ha-ha, yes you're right, there are seven letters." "Think of a letter· towards the middle of this surname." "OK, got one." "I'm getting two letters, :alm_o,st lj_ke you thought of one, then skipped to another. You're not t}lin~i~g or'a 'K' are you?" "Yes!" "But you almost think of an, '·S' ai:; well?" "Yes!" The performer continues writii:ig on his pad, and when finished he holds it close to his chest so no one .can see what has been written. He asks the participant for the first time to reve.al the full name of the friend they were thinking of. "Daniel Jackson." The performer looks at his pad for a moment, then back at the participant. He slowly turns the pad around revealing the name written is indeed 'Daniel Jackson'. I PeeK.-AcR.oo THE ORIGINAL HANDLING Have your participant write some piece of information on the back of your business card (or their own if the situation permits) and ask them to lay it face down on your outstretched left palm. With your right hand, remove your handkerchief from your breast pocket and openly lay it over the business card, aligning the card which is hidden in the handkerchief with the real business card. Once aligned, grip the fake card through the handkerchief, holding it by the long edges in a 'Biddle Grip' fashion. Lift the handkerchief up a few inches whilst simultaneously flipping the real business card over in your palm so that the side with the writing is face up under the handkerchief. Arrange the card in palm position and ask your participant to reach over and take the (fake) card in the same grip as you. As they take hold of the card and handkerchief, let go. with your right hand and remove your left hand (which is secretly palming the real business· card) from under the handkerchief. Move yourself around to the other side of your participant by walking behind them, positioning your left hand and arm behind their back, as if to suggest that you have your hand on their back to encourage them. With your right hand you can point forwards and ask them to visualise the blackboard again, with their friend's name written on it. The participant
will change focus from the handkerchief to the spot out front where you have pointed.. As they visualise the imaginary blackboard you will be talking to them side on. This will give you ample opportunity to slightly change the angle of your gaze from their head to the palmed card behind their back. Subtlety is the key here, and since their body completely covers the card and you can get a great peek. THE CLEAN UP I'll be brutally honest; oftentimes I don't worry myself with the finer points of cleaning up specific routines. I feel that if your actions are natural and motivated, and you choose your moment wisely, then any cleanup shouldn't raise any suspicion with your audiences. Once you have revealed th~ full name of your participant's school friend, their jaw will literally. be . on the -11.oor. You can get away with so much during this moment and th~ subs~quent seconds that follow. I already have the business card palmed in my_ left hand, so I simply bring my hand up and underneath the handkerchief,- flipping the card over in my hand in the process so that the writing is face. ·P:o~n; ' . .. ( At the same time I take the hand_kerchief from .the participant with my right hand, gripping the hidden card· in, Biddle Grip, and immeP.iately drop the handkerchief onto my waiting left palm. The handkerchief is then pulled off my left palm to reveal the business card, which can then be handed out as a memento if desired. ALTERNATIVE HANDLING This alternative handling is better suited for stand up performances, be it parlour or stage. This version suits design 2 better but it can still be performed with design 1 with a little audience management. Start with the handkerchief laying flat on a table and once your participant has written or drawn on the business card, have them toss it face down onto the handkerchief. Push the card with your left pointer finger into the middle of the handkerchief, and keep your finger pushing down onto the card. With your right hand scoop under the handkerchief, and in one smooth motion lift it up and flip it over whilst retaining the business card in position. This motion flips the card writing side up underneath the 'PeeK.-Aclioo handkerchief,' and ·by releasing your pointer finger you can catch the card and position. it ready for palming. As you are flipping the handk.erchief o~er, your right hand will simultaneously grip the fake card in the same 'Biddle Grip' style as before. The benefit of this variation is that the card will automatically be palmed in the correct orientation ready for peeking later.
AN ULTRA BOLD PEEK If you follow the above procedure you may wish to try out this ultra bold peek. Instead of handing the handkerchief to your participant to hold, you can remove your left hand from under the handkerchief secretly palming the card. If you then take the handkerchief with your left hand in the same Biddle Grip, you can openly 'peek' the card by twisting your wrist slightly towards yourself. The back of your hand provides ample cover and is virtually angle proof. BE A YO LIGH ING Due to the thin and lightweig~t nature of silk the business card can sometimes be seen through the ha,ndke~chief ifthere is a strong light source behind the performer. For this reason you need to be aware of any light sources at all times througho~t your 'pei-formances. When withdrawing the '. . . handkerchief from your ja~ket.po9ke~, ensure your body blocks the light behind you. Of course if you are using this. on stage you can have the handkerchief already lying on your table which avoids the issue all together. I have experimented with many different ways. of handling the handkerchief naturally without flashing the hidden card. If you hold the handkerchief by its corner, the material will drape and fold a specific way. Ensure the business card side is closest you and encourage the silk to fold forward creating a double ply drape completely hiding the gimmick. This can then be handled with confidence during your performance by keeping the hidden card facing you at all times. PERFORMING SEATED This version is great if you perform readings across a table. Have your participant place the filled in business card face down in the centre ofthetable.Removeyourhandkerchief and drape it over the card so that it lays flat on the table, aligning the fake card with the actual business Peel<,-Aclioo card as you do so. I personally find it easier if the business card on the table is slightly angled, but experiment with it and you'll find your preferred way of doing it. Once the card is covered, place your right hand onto the centre of the handkerchief and grab the gimmick card. Scoop the gimmick as if you were picking the handkerchief up but maintain pressure on the tabled card and pull it back towards yourself. As the handkerchief reaches the edge of the table, the business card is secretly lapped, and the gimmicked handkerchief. is lifted up and handed to the participant to hold. As the participant takes the handlcerchief, your left hand can secretly ~alm the l~pped card, or you can peek down as.the attention is on the participant.
THE CLEAN UP lSEATEDJ Simply palm the lapped card in your left hand in preparation. Reach forward for the handkerchief with your right hand, and as it is lifted up your left hand goes underneath it (being careful not to flash the palmed card) and drops the card face down onto the table. The handkerchief is lifted it will reveal the face down question card, which is turned over by the assisting left hand for clarification. Peel<,-Aclloo This book will now self destruct