HN Review 26: Creating Material and Making Performances Memorable - Kenton Knepper & Allen Zing

AD:
his is a book of ART. How to make your performances ART. How to make lasting impressions on your audiences. How to create emotional magic and mentalism. How to find your way of expressing yourself - not about how someone else tells you to do that. This book represents a mutual passion for the creation and performance of magical and mental ART.

As one well known performer put it "If people did only the exercises in this book, it could change magic and mentalism forever!" Kenton, Allen, Docc Hilford, J. Tank and a privileged few, use this very book as THE reference book for their new shows. This book is that significant. Now you may be one of those privileged few. If Kenton's Rants Into Raves posed questions, this book is the one with
the answers to those questions. Not just theory - but practical applications you can put to USE. In a recent random survey of successful performers in all forms of the performing arts, certain principles were found to be held in common. Amazingly, these same principles are what Kenton and Allen
detail in this book. For those who could care less about having original material, or making their performances outstanding, forget this book. But if you want to be your best, if you keep searching for the right material, and to be better than ever before as an artist, then THIS IS FOR YOU.
Besides, there's some great mental effects and innovative sleight of hand technique too. This book even has "pictures." Oh yes, if you think you can't create your own tricks, you'll find out that you can! Imagine that!

This full size 8 ½ X 11 inch book is over 100 pages in length. Tricks and moves are fully explained with over 50 illustrations. There are excerpts from Wonder Words, Wonder Readings, Body of Influence and others,
along with completely original material not to be found anywhere else.

REVIEW:

Overpriced and disappointing book. Part I is a theoretical discussion on artistic creation (with "creative templates" - HECK, talk about an oxymoron!!), gestures, body positioning, and a few linguistic deceptions already mentioned in the Wonder Words tapes. Part II includes useless card sleights, while part III consists of a few weak effects you may already know.

Overall rating: clearly below average

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