After buying, practising and rehearsing(and ofcourse fieldtesting) many mentalism routines.. ive chosen the following for a mentalism stage show comping up (i have more months to practise everything )....

1. number prediction
2. Bank night
3. Pk touch "routine' (no I wont call it a routine as done by criss angel )
4. korutsuke
5. Booktests :
a) mother of all booktests
b) Dracula Booktest & Errata ending
6. ODDS Drawing Duplication
7. Question and Answer act
8. Metalbending (duh )
9. Blindsight
10. Human Phone Book by Bob Kohler
11. as a finisher a magic square routine. I use it with a thought transmitter.

remember this is not something I came up with last night and bought. I have several objects for some years but the step from magic to mentalism is not something you do in 1 day. Also I have several backups should the lighting not be good and god knows what another few points. the routines I paid much money for I'm not likely to drop

Are you asking a question, or just sharing with us what you've decided to do?

- entity

Are you asking a question, or just sharing with us what you've decided to do?

How long do you envision your performance will be?

- entity

This seems like ALOT of material for one show...will you be doing ALL those booktests?

Or are these just the possible effects for the show?

Its for 1.5 hour. 1 hour and 3 quarters.

Sounds like a fairly long show.

It is a fairly long show hahah

For me, when I put together anything, I always start with "me"...

what is my displayable skill set, and I build everything else around that, no matter what I do, that skill set has to be reflected in everything I do...

after that, I try and link the patter together, so as one effect finishes, I want either some kind of psychical object to then be used in the next effect, or at least, the cause and the patter to then lead me onto my next demonstration...

it's interesting reading yours, as traditionally, I would see Bank night being the opener, and the Q&A as the finisher..too many booktests spoil the broth for me...

good luck with your show - hope it goes well...

I've never thought of magic square as a closer... It's something with a real human quality, which I think makes it more suited to the top of your show. Think of the range of "powers" needed from magic square to your Q&A act. I don't know your method or approach, but Q&A is the purest effect in mentalism.

@abraxus: ofcourse you are more experienced as me in mentalism but the first effecr is just a quicky while I come on stage. not even considered as an opener.

@ jasonlinett. I close with it because the way I present it is as the ultimate subconsious thing I do. I ask for a number and retrieve the number with TT. Then bc I'm quit tired I just write some random numbers on the board hoping one is good. ofcourse none is. then for the reveal and the way I presented it it looks like I did the ultimate subconsious thing. the q & a is at the pre end atm because its fairly long and a showstopper

Does the show need to be an hour and a half, 40 -60 minutes tends to work better with less chance of boredom setting in for your audience. You have several booktest listed along with other diviniation & or prediction effects, if you are not already you could combine several effects to streamline the performance & help reduce redudnacy, especialy with the drawing dup. & Q&A. The magic square does work well as a closer, but if you are using it with the thought transmitter think about this for a moment, if you knew what number was going to be selected do you not think it takes away from difficulty of creating the square.

It is very hard to judge a mentalism act only on the list of tricks performed. Maybe you could share the ideas on why you chose to use this sequence of tricks and what your general presentation ideas are.

One critical note, do you think your magic square routine can be the climax of your show (since you are performing that as last one).

Anyways good luck practicing and enjoy the performance!

@ tboehnlein: I think there will be a break and not a dead on 1.5 hour show. ofcourse I combine several things on the way. also it is my first mentalism show so I will tell you guys anyway how it went. I m not supposed to know what the number was in first place I think that makes it strong(or how do you mean it:)

thanks for the advice

You got your work cut out for you. This is coming from someone who has done a show that I am still wondering about. Lessons learned (large audience, no stage, etc etc) Yours is a long show also where most of the shows I have done are 30-45 minutes. I realize across the pond shows are a tad longer.

Your main concern is connection with the audience. The sooner the better. Its great to connect with one person on stage but you have to constantly be concerned with those in the audience, especially those in the back.

Jumbotron TVs and good sound effects can only help create the type of environment
that will help considerably IMO. Good luck!

@ candini thanks for the advice. I think I'm able to connect with the audience real well(i did years of magic, I have degree in social work etc but ofcourse its different with a mentalism show so well see:))

thanks for the rest for the advice

This is how I'd see it play in my head:
bank night - invite the losers/winners (depends on how you play it) to stay around for:
kurutsuke - the one who has the black ball (or whatever), stays for the:
ODDS design dupe
little break, or some covering patter, which would lead you onto:
booktest(s) of your choice...probably the dracula one...the creepiness builds to:
PK touches
I've not mentioned blindsight, as there's two commercial effects called that...
then you have the power of touch, which could technically lead you patter wise of the reverse, and attempt to touch and bend metal with your mind..but I'm 50/50 on that...and I'm not familiar with the human phone book either...
another little break/covering patter, and finish on the Q&A with plenty of drama and emotion...

anyway, that's just me, whatever you do, good luck, stay relaxed and let us know how you get on...

Thanks for the cool setlist abraxas. I will keep this I mind. ill surely let you know how it went,.

This is a set-list for a gig you've already booked?

Well its over 4 months so ive enough time to switch it.. better safe then sorry I always say

Michiel, remember to sell each effect and not just perform it. I am not sure if 2 booktest would be good as you are doing the same thing(revealing a word form a book somebody thought of). don't just put some tricks together, make it into a show and really sell it to your audience, allow them to be entertained and experience who you are as a performer.