In the last few months, I've been cycling through all my books. Re-reading many of them, in hopes of learning more and shaping my character; primarily my performance character, but perhaps, if I'm lucky, my own actual persona.

In shaping one's act you have to eventually come across the concept of mixing magic with mentalism. Many of the greats have done just that; but just as many other greats have shunned the idea.

This topic can be one that can cause a fervor because the whole thing is boiled down to opinion, and as we all know in life many of them can clash, opinions that is. So if for some reason we can conduct this discussion in decency and any negativity is caused as the result of this discussion, I apologize ahead of time.

I'm merely just wanting to grasp different ideas, thoughts and perceptions on the topic, from people who have already made choices on this idea. It's one that can shape one's whole repute, as well as the very nature in the way we present our act. I just hope it will get people thinking.

So with that said I just want to note that I don't wish for any of the ideas generated to offend anyone personally, in context of their style, choices, etc. Nor do I want to make this old topic feel like the beat horse it just may be.

So, guys, how much do you mix them up?

The only relationship between the two magic and mentalism I do are strong mentalism themed card routines.

No fancy card work, just great mentalism bits.

I do some P.K. effects that do look like magic, but they're cloaked in a mentalism theme.

Good luck.

As you observed, there are those who say never do it. And yet there are giants in mentalism who do just that. Witness Richard Osterlind's Mind Mysteries video series.

The thing is don't don't don't mix performance styles or do anything not true to your character. If you're performing in a casual, humorous manner, and suddenly become somber and serious to do your "mental effect," all you'll do is break the mood you so carefully established and lose your connection with the audience.

Putting specific tricks aside, ask yourself what impression you're trying to convey with your magic. How is it you can do the things you do? Why do you share these miracles with others? Once you answer these questions for yourself, you can start looking at tricks and seeing how they can fit into the story and pattern of magic you've created for yourself. And you can see and discard which tricks don't fit into your story. And if you find mentalism tricks that fit in, great! And if you don't, so be it.

Tricks, including mentalism tricks, are the tools, not the goal, the means, not the end. Should I mix magic with mentalism? Should I mix hammering with sawing? It all depends on what you're trying to build, what you want to achieve.

:banana:

I think I have made my opinion on this subject clear in other threads, but here it is again, anyway. A magician is not a mentalist, and a mentalist is not a magician.

An artist can mix genres as he sees fit.

--Chris

Unless you play as the “real thing”, the public doesn’t see the difference.

I second Enrique.

And how could they see the difference?
What's magic?
What's mentalism?
What's mental magic?

Not at least we, on this very forum, have been discussing the matter page up and page down without getting close to any conclusion.
IMHO there is no conclusion to this.

And WHY is this so important to us?

I have made this as a point before: The spectators are there to be entertained and mystified/ They want to have a great time.
I doesn't matter to them whether what we do is called illusions, magic, mental magic, mentalism, or whatever, as long as the feel entertained and mystified.

And I'm happy each time my spectators tell me that I am entertaining. That's the important thing

Sven

We "play" as the real thing. We stress that for the success of our experiments, those who participate must be in the right state of mental relaxation and creativity.

Thus we involve them in comedy and interactive illusions. This has been our platform for 19-and-a-half years as a successful, full-time working corporate mentalist act. IMO the only time that magic and mentalism don't mix is when an entertainer can't make it work. (Thus the difference in opinion among us.)

I can only speak from experience. My preference would be not to mix the two.A mental effect can certainly heighten a magic act, but a magic effect rarely adds much to a mental act.

That said, I'll never forget the show I did a few years ago in a disabled home. Mentalism wouldn't have worked, so I did a magic act and added in a book test routine.

At the end of the show one of the nurses asked if I read the Tarot based on this mindreading effect - completely willing to overlook the standard comedy magic I had just performed.

Regards,

David.

That’s beautiful, Michael!