Need your advices ! Presentation of a mentalism effect

[CelineH]

Hello !

I'm here since a pretty long time now, and I need your help ! I'm planning to do a little mentalism demonstration in my Talent Show, in 4 months.

I was thinking of doing a demonstration of telepathy and mind control, beginning with the effect Blindfoil by Patrick Kuff (I put an aluminium foil on my face and I can do the same movements as my spectator), and going next with Bob Cassidy's "5 star trip" effect, which is basically for those who don't know an effect where you give postcards from different countries to the spectator, he deals and stop whenever he wants and the mentalist reads spectator's mind and tell the country name. So in the presentation I wrote, I "take with telepathy" the information, describing the country he stopped to. First revelation. Then, I say telepathy not only is from his mind to mine, but also from mine to his, I can input an idea in his mind without him knowing. I drove his choice since the beginning, and the country he stopped to is far from a coincidence. I then reveal on a slate in view since the start the name of the country. Second revelation. Then, for the third and final, I say a little something about choice, fate. And before leaving, I take off my jacket letting the audience see a tshirt in reference to the country/city ! I thank the volunteer, the audience and I leave.

My questions are : do you think the effects can fit together to give a real feeling of whitnessing telepathy/mind control, and do you think there's no "too much" revelations for this ?

I'm really open to all criticisms and advices on my presentation, as I want to make the biggest impact on the audience and let this experience be remembered for them ! And considering the wisdom members always showed there, I'm excited to see what improvements or even ruptures you will come up with !!

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

I congratulate you on trying to work out your own material. That's always the hardest, and most rewarding way to perform.

I do see some issues with the presentation as written, and it's the stuff that usually happens when a magician wants to try a mentalism routine. Mentalism requires a different approach which often doesn't have a "Ta da" moment that magicians crave in their performances.

So, the biggest issue is that you claim the first phase is mind reading, but you immediately invalidate that by showing you predicted what he would select. That's not mind reading, that's a prediction. The shirt reveal is just redundant - you've already revealed you predicted what he would select with the slate, why are you revealing it again?

You will probably get a bigger reaction out of this if you skip the second phase completely. Try taking an approach where you hint at the possibility of telepathy. Use the first phase as a demonstration. Then try to open it up more and say maybe this isn't telepathy, maybe it's influence? Maybe he was influenced to make a certain selection and you just made it appear to be telepathy? Who knows? Then you do the last reveal.

That would require more scripting skill then the routine as it's written, but it also offers more nuance.