Table Hopping Routine?

[David Brooke]

I'm doing some magic at a charity dinner soon.

Right now it's based around con artists, it starts with an explanation of Three Card Monte using a transposition effect, then moves on to how they can read people like a book, then there's a quick demonstration on card cheating.

The problem is, I need a good mentalism trick to make it seem like I got my conclusion from reading their body language and facial expressions. Has anyone got any ideas?

 

[Toby]

Just force a card and do a reveal through "reading" the body language and facial expressions.

 

[The Magic X]

Any kind of force will do, but it depends on presentation.

 

[David Brooke]

Just force a card and do a reveal through "reading" the body language and facial expressions.

I use the cards a lot through the routine though, and would like to mix it up a bit.

 

[David Brooke]

Any kind of force will do, but it depends on presentation.

I like the new profile icon. Very nice indeed.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

The method, and prop, is irrelevant in many cases. What matters is how it's presented. You already know you want to present it as body language reading. Have you looked into the FACS?

Or you could go full on body language reading - and literally use Muscle Reading to determine a thought of object in a line of objects. Doesn't even have to be a neat line. One of my favorite uses of CMR was at this party I was doing back in January of last year - There was a pool table and after a game had ended I had this lady re-rack the balls, then break, then choose a ball mentally, and I used her body language to tell me which one she was thinking of. Blew her away.

But anyway. Any force or peek or whatever way of gaining secret info can be used here. If you want to do mentalism you have to stop thinking about doing tricks, and start thinking in terms of using systems.

 

[David Brooke]

The method, and prop, is irrelevant in many cases. What matters is how it's presented. You already know you want to present it as body language reading. Have you looked into the FACS?

Or you could go full on body language reading - and literally use Muscle Reading to determine a thought of object in a line of objects. Doesn't even have to be a neat line. One of my favorite uses of CMR was at this party I was doing back in January of last year - There was a pool table and after a game had ended I had this lady re-rack the balls, then break, then choose a ball mentally, and I used her body language to tell me which one she was thinking of. Blew her away.

But anyway. Any force or peek or whatever way of gaining secret info can be used here. If you want to do mentalism you have to stop thinking about doing tricks, and start thinking in terms of using systems.

Good idea. I've already done the dinner now though. I chose to do the think from labyrinth with the talking doors. (If you've seen that movie, you probably know which scene I mean.)
It's a simple logic puzzle, but with the right presentation, you can turn it into something magical.

 

[obrienmagic]

Though this video will not tell you exactly which routines to perform, it may give you some ideas on how to chose the routines that work best in a restaurant setting. Enjoy!

http://www.obrienmagic.com/blog/july-19th-2016

 

[David Brooke]

Though this video will not tell you exactly which routines to perform, it may give you some ideas on how to chose the routines that work best in a restaurant setting. Enjoy!

http://www.obrienmagic.com/blog/july-19th-2016

Thanks!

 

[Davis West]

Any mentalism trick can be turned into a body language trick with the right presentation.

Also, you said that you talk about reading them like a book. I think that could be a great segway to some king of book test.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Any mentalism trick can be turned into a body language trick with the right presentation.

Also, you said that you talk about reading them like a book. I think that could be a great segway to some king of book test.

Mentalism isn't tricks. You're thinking of mental magic.

 

[areshhw]

I'm doing some magic at a charity dinner soon.

Right now it's based around con artists, it starts with an explanation of Three Card Monte using a transposition effect, then moves on to how they can read people like a book, then there's a quick demonstration on card cheating.

The problem is, I need a good mentalism trick to make it seem like I got my conclusion from reading their body language and facial expressions. Has anyone got any ideas?

Forcing a card would probably be the best idea as you got not much time to prep

 

[David Brooke]

Mentalism isn't tricks. You're thinking of mental magic.

Sorry. I've never done much mentalist before. Only a bit.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

You can't do "a bit" of mentalism. That's kind of my point.

Magic and Mentalism are not the same thing. Mentalism is not a "subset" of magic. They are related, but separate arts.

Just because something has a mental theme doesn't make it mentalism. Mentalism is a far more theatrically demanding art form and many people I've seen claiming to be mentalists are just doing mental magic.

That being said - I am not disparaging mental magic. It's a more commercial thing than mentalism in many cases and it's way easier to pull off for the average magician.

 

[David Brooke]

You can't do "a bit" of mentalism. That's kind of my point.

Magic and Mentalism are not the same thing. Mentalism is not a "subset" of magic. They are related, but separate arts.

Just because something has a mental theme doesn't make it mentalism. Mentalism is a far more theatrically demanding art form and many people I've seen claiming to be mentalists are just doing mental magic.

That being said - I am not disparaging mental magic. It's a more commercial thing than mentalism in many cases and it's way easier to pull off for the average magician.

Why is it easier to pull off? What's the exact difference between them both?

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Because mental magic is structured more like classic magic and that puts it in the skill set the magician already possesses.

Contrarily, mentalism isn't structured that way. Many times in mentalism the "reveal" is not the climax of the routine, it's just a confirmation.

Mentalism is built around what the audience feels and experiences, whereas magic and mental magic are built around tricks.

Another way to put it - When someone goes to a magic show, they walk away thinking how great the tricks the magician did were (hopefully). When someone leaves a mentalist's show they wonder where the performer acquired those skills.

 

[David Brooke]

Because mental magic is structured more like classic magic and that puts it in the skill set the magician already possesses.

Contrarily, mentalism isn't structured that way. Many times in mentalism the "reveal" is not the climax of the routine, it's just a confirmation.

Mentalism is built around what the audience feels and experiences, whereas magic and mental magic are built around tricks.

Another way to put it - When someone goes to a magic show, they walk away thinking how great the tricks the magician did were (hopefully). When someone leaves a mentalist's show they wonder where the performer acquired those skills.

I see! That makes sense. Thanks!