I was lined up about a week ago to do a 20-30 minute stage show, though it could go on longer with no problem as long as it does well, at my high school as one of the senior performers for our final senior class meeting in front of 150 or so other students. I have roughly a month and a half to prepare, and access to a stage, camera, and projector. I started planning, and realized I want to do something with a bit of a mentalist feel to it. I have a decent little idea for my piece, but I figured why not post it here, and see if you guys have any ideas or advice that you think could help me. I still have time to look into new tricks as long as they aren't ridiculously difficult, and I'm open to any type of advice you have at all.
A brief overview of my routine idea.
1: Open with patter about personal reality, and how people with specific person realities answer questions in a specific way. Ask general questions, and get people to answer, things like name a color, name a number, name a shape, and if a person answers what I wanted them to answer the person puts/keeps there hand up. I pick one of the people with their hands up at the end to join me on stage. This gets the crowd involved, and I think it's a nice way to pick a random spectator.
2: patter about connecting personal realities, and how the answers to my questions were the answers I would of given, thus myself and the spectator have similar personal realities. Then I go into the first effect, '8th Maneuver' by Luke Jermay. If you don't know the effect it's basically I lay a card on the table without anyone looking at it, (Jumbo cards so everyone can see, also projected on a screen) and the spectator on stage names it. I take another card show it to the crowd, and the spectator on stage names it. I have a second spectator pick a final card, and the spectator on stage names it. Thank the spectator, and have them leave stage and pick someone else from the crowd that they feel they don't 'click with' to come join me on stage, and find a group of people that they feel good about to also join me.
3
atter about how it is difficult to share with someone you don't get along with, not only physically, but mentally. Explain that the single spectator on stage was chose because they have a vastly different personal reality that doesn't fit mine. explain that because of this ideas can't be shared, but I may be able to steal the idea. Go into effect 2, 'Reversed Gestalt' moment, by I believe Darren brown. The effect is basically A card is shown (again jumbo, and on screen) to the single specter, and then to the rest of the spectators on stage who are given the card for safe keeping. The performer has the single spectator extend their index finger touches it, and makes the spectator forget their card. After a minute the spectator slowly begins remembering things saying the card was red. The second group on stage disagrees saying the card was black. End by showing that the card is not at all what the spectator remembers it to be. Thank the group and have them leave stage.
I remove a small soft ball from my pocket, patter about fate, and luck, and how it relates to personal reality. I throw the ball out to the audience, and have the person who caught it join me on stage.
4: I patter about how fate, and luck brought the person up and stage with me. I gesture to a set of cups on stage, and talk about how fate and luck can effect everything in life, and how a lucky persons personal reality can help influence those around them to make better choices. Lead into the Third effect, 'Spike Roulette'. Basically a large steel spike is placed under Styrofoam cups. I turn my back, the spectator mixes the cups with himself in front of the table so the audience can't see. I turn back around and smash the cups one after the other avoiding the steel spike the entire time. Thank the spectator and have them leave stage.
5: Talk about how all these demonstration have been mental, dealing with energy, and influence, but with enough practice a person can influence physical things with their own personal reality. This leads into the final effect, 'Divided by Hate' by Luke Jermay I take a rose from a vase that has been in plain view the whole time with spectators on stage from all angles. The flower is clearly alive, and well. I take it out of the vase, and pluck petals from it as I continue to patter about how powerful feelings can be, especially those spiteful or hateful feelings, and how those feeling can be focused, dropping the petals on the table. The petals are alive. I drop the flower on the table, and cast as shadow over the flower with my hand. After a few moments concentration I move my hand to show that the flower is dead. I take my bow, and leave stage.
I hope this description isn't too long, but that's my routine. Any advice on how you think I could improve the routine, or what you would do differently, or what effect you think should or shouldn't be there would be greatly appreciated.
A brief overview of my routine idea.
1: Open with patter about personal reality, and how people with specific person realities answer questions in a specific way. Ask general questions, and get people to answer, things like name a color, name a number, name a shape, and if a person answers what I wanted them to answer the person puts/keeps there hand up. I pick one of the people with their hands up at the end to join me on stage. This gets the crowd involved, and I think it's a nice way to pick a random spectator.
2: patter about connecting personal realities, and how the answers to my questions were the answers I would of given, thus myself and the spectator have similar personal realities. Then I go into the first effect, '8th Maneuver' by Luke Jermay. If you don't know the effect it's basically I lay a card on the table without anyone looking at it, (Jumbo cards so everyone can see, also projected on a screen) and the spectator on stage names it. I take another card show it to the crowd, and the spectator on stage names it. I have a second spectator pick a final card, and the spectator on stage names it. Thank the spectator, and have them leave stage and pick someone else from the crowd that they feel they don't 'click with' to come join me on stage, and find a group of people that they feel good about to also join me.
3
atter about how it is difficult to share with someone you don't get along with, not only physically, but mentally. Explain that the single spectator on stage was chose because they have a vastly different personal reality that doesn't fit mine. explain that because of this ideas can't be shared, but I may be able to steal the idea. Go into effect 2, 'Reversed Gestalt' moment, by I believe Darren brown. The effect is basically A card is shown (again jumbo, and on screen) to the single specter, and then to the rest of the spectators on stage who are given the card for safe keeping. The performer has the single spectator extend their index finger touches it, and makes the spectator forget their card. After a minute the spectator slowly begins remembering things saying the card was red. The second group on stage disagrees saying the card was black. End by showing that the card is not at all what the spectator remembers it to be. Thank the group and have them leave stage.I remove a small soft ball from my pocket, patter about fate, and luck, and how it relates to personal reality. I throw the ball out to the audience, and have the person who caught it join me on stage.
4: I patter about how fate, and luck brought the person up and stage with me. I gesture to a set of cups on stage, and talk about how fate and luck can effect everything in life, and how a lucky persons personal reality can help influence those around them to make better choices. Lead into the Third effect, 'Spike Roulette'. Basically a large steel spike is placed under Styrofoam cups. I turn my back, the spectator mixes the cups with himself in front of the table so the audience can't see. I turn back around and smash the cups one after the other avoiding the steel spike the entire time. Thank the spectator and have them leave stage.
5: Talk about how all these demonstration have been mental, dealing with energy, and influence, but with enough practice a person can influence physical things with their own personal reality. This leads into the final effect, 'Divided by Hate' by Luke Jermay I take a rose from a vase that has been in plain view the whole time with spectators on stage from all angles. The flower is clearly alive, and well. I take it out of the vase, and pluck petals from it as I continue to patter about how powerful feelings can be, especially those spiteful or hateful feelings, and how those feeling can be focused, dropping the petals on the table. The petals are alive. I drop the flower on the table, and cast as shadow over the flower with my hand. After a few moments concentration I move my hand to show that the flower is dead. I take my bow, and leave stage.
I hope this description isn't too long, but that's my routine. Any advice on how you think I could improve the routine, or what you would do differently, or what effect you think should or shouldn't be there would be greatly appreciated.
