The Garden of The Strange

Sep 1, 2007
648
0
30
Canada
The Garden of The Strange by Caleb Strange

From the publisher...

This beautifully written, deeply affecting book takes Mr. Strange’s trademark blend of innovative thinking and stunning presentations to the next level. With twenty compelling and original routines, and an additional half-dozen ‘from your pocket’ variations, this eagerly awaited work will be of great use and interest to mentalists, bizarrists, and table-hoppers alike.

Yet beyond its fine, audience-centered effects, The Garden of the Strange contains something more, of equal value to the working performer. For tucked away within its full and thorough notes, the attentive reader will find explained a wide range of powerful yet often neglected techniques (linguistic, literary, theatrical), which can be used to maximize the impact and enhance the quality of one’s work.

The Garden of the Strange, then, is a thrilling and, above all, fresh exploration of the art of the impossible: a lyrical and accomplished volume, it has been called, more than once, ‘the most inspiring book of magic I have yet read’.

...

I could not agree more with the last statement. This is not just another magic book, this is a true piece of literature. There's just something so incredibly thought provoking about it. Trust me, you willl learn a lot more than just tricks in this book. There is one thing I must warn you about though. Don't expect to perform these to your buddies at school, these are not your everyday tricks. With that said, here is a quick overview of a few of my favorite routines in The Garden of The Strange...

Hunting Mammoths in The Rain
After a walk through the forest, you and a few others come across ancient cave markings carved into stone. After further studying a few people start to see these drawings move and twist, right before their eyes. You explain to your audience some researchers believe that we actually have memories passed down from our ancestors. One spectator who seems deeply affected by the experience is asked to close her eyes and think back, way back. Slowly and dramatically you piece together her memory. Hunting mammoths in the rain.

This is an amazingly complex and ambitious routine, as are most in the book. But just reading these methods, and imagining yourself performing is incredible in itself. Hunting Mammoths in the Rain is one of the most intriguing pieces of magic you could ever perform.

In Your Hands
During a tarot reading a client explains that they seek an explanation to their problems. Thoughtfully, you tell her that solutions will present themselves. A few moments later, a curious artifact appears on the table, as if from nowhere. She looks at this piece of strange and within seconds, everything starts to make sense... Her problems are solved.

You don't want to mess with this one. The emotional value that is presented in this routine is something you have to respect. Trust me, this one can change lives. You'll love it.

The Koestler Protocol
You explain to your audience a method of ESP testing called The Koestler Protocol. This test allows no room for any trickery to be used in any way shape or form. You ask if your audience would be willing to participate in a short test, they agree. One spectator is invited to think of any simple object or shape and draw it on a piece of paper. Being careful to not show it to anyone. As she is doing this, you also proceed to draw on your own piece of paper. When the pair of you are finished you show each other your drawings... Remarkably, they are almost a perfect match.

There are some really neat methods used here. One's that I certainly have never heard of before, and am eager to try out. I love how fair this is, unl ke many other ESP related routines. The Koestler Protocol is most definetely a keeper.

Wishing Star
You're gathered around a campfire on the beach with your audience, discussing hopes and dreams. The stars above shine brightly. You invite your spectators to write their goals on a piece of paper, spread out on the beach, and look toward the sky. Together, you look for falling stars, wishing stars. Suddenly, somebody behind you sees one. You walk over to them and slowly reveal what they had written down on the paper. Over the next few minutes, everybody has seen a falling star.

I love this routine. It's very emotional, as well as inspiring. It allows you to connect with your audience on a much much deeper level than just a simple card trick. This is what I think all magic should be like. Amazing.

A Rose Without Thorns
You silently prepare the room for a seance, and invite your audience to gather around a table. Together you begin. Upon a piece of paper your hand starts to shake violently, and your head lolls to one side. Words start to appear, and numbers. Suddenly, all is still, and the lights are turned back on. Tension is felt in the air. After a bit of re-arranging, the audience discovers that your possesed body has written "GLORIA - 555 - 4675" A name and a phone number. Nervously, one of your spectators dials the number. A little girl answers, your spectator asks for Gloria, the little girl calls for her father. The father tells the spectator that Gloria had died just last week. You express your condolences, and end the call. Everybody in the room feels ashamed, obviously it was taken a bit to far. After a few minutes you quietly ask for the paper. There in the "In Memoriam" section it says "Gloria Turner, a rose without thorns." And with this, you leave the house as a group silently. As you walk towards your vehicles you all notice something incredible, stewn all about the garden are thousands of rose petals.

This routine raises some very interesting ethical questions, one's that you normally don't face with magic. This is not a matter of tricking your audience. This is something incredibly haunting that you experience together. It's not the sort of thing that people are going to forget any time soon. It's a story everybody who was there will tell for the rest of their lives. And that's why I love it.

The Vanishing
It is nightime, and moonlight shines through the windows into a theater. You have finished performing your show, and explain that you are about to perform one more thing. Dramatically, you tell the story of a middle eastern moon god, who one day took the moon away. Everybody died, and insects poured out of their mouths, their bodies dried up in the streets. You turn out the lights, the room only lit by moonlight. You start to walk into your audience, when suddenly you let out a horrible horrible scream. Thousands of bugs pour out of you as you fall to the ground, people start to panic. Everything turns dark, and all that is left is chaos. People run out of the theatre, and look to the sky. The moon, clearly seen earlier that evening, is gone... Vanished completly.

I am speechless... This is not ordinary magic, this is... Different. Trust me. It's truly amazing. A few words about this, the bugs are real, and the moon is truly nowhere to be found.

And on that note, I'll let you decide whether you want to purchase this or not. If I were you, I'd already be placing my order.

Click here for a full list of routines.
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
I love this book. The routines are most certainly not for everybody, but if you don't buy it just because of that, then you're missing out. There's a lot of valuable information on performance theory and technique that a canny magician could work into his own routines.
 
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