Hello fellow mentalists!
I've been reading on this forum for over 12 months now and I've decided to finally register.
I thought it might be a good idea to introduce myself, so here it goes!

My name is Alexander (Who would have thought?) and I'm 22 years old. I'm living in Frankfurt, germany - so if my english is a little bit off, forgive me please
I've been studying magic for about two years now and ended up being interested mainly in mentalism.
I started by reading books which are recommended by a lot of users here (Corinda, Annemann, Cassidy, Maven, Banachek etc.).
While I was reading these books, I became very fascinated by this very special form of performance art.
So fascinated indeed, that I started working on a first strictly mentalism stage performance, which I will do in October.

I know that a lot of knowledgable people frequent this forum, so I'm very open to any kind of tips or pieces of advice anyone might offer.
I will be performing a short set on a cabaret/open stage-evening at my university. There will be about 200 people.

I planned on doing two routines, David Hoy's Bold Book Test with borrowed books and Larry Becker's Sneak Thief.

This is my planned structure:

- Short intro by the host
- I introduce myself and start by doing the old "move your right foot clockwise and draw a 6 in the air"-bit to get everyone involved
- I start talking about mind reading and introduce the books
- I point to a person which seemded to enjoy the opening bit and get her to stand up and join me on stage
- I ask her if we spoke beforehand etc.
- The boot test routine
- I thank the spectator and send her back to her seat
- A very brief disclaimer about not having psychic powers
- I do the circle/triangle with the whole audience to keep the attention, it also ties in with my patter for the sneak thief-routine
- I get 4 people who got the psychological force to stand up and join me on stage
- I let them assure that there is nothing prearranged
- The sneak thief-routine
- after 3 character readings based on the drawings I send the first 3 spectators back to their seats
- the routine ends with the duplication of the last drawing
- The last spectator and I take the applause together and I send her back to her seat
- I finish by thanking the whole audience and take a bow

My script is not yet finished but I have some ideas I really like.
Fortunately, there are still a few months left..

So, let me know what you think about my structure. If you have any tips for my first time, please share it



Other than that, I hope that I can help other members as well with my contributions in the future.
See you!

Alex

It sounds well thought out Alexander. Have you written an actual script yet?

I am in the process of writing it.

I wrote scripts for magic tricks before..
The only mentalism piece I have a full written script for right now is a revelation of a thought of name.
Other than that, I'm pretty new to this. For the most part of my performances I made the patter up as I went along... but I want to get serious and start memorizing scripts.

What specific abilities are you claiming?

I'm claiming to be able to read thoughts and influence people.
That's it, I don't wanna be clairvoyant or be able to look into the future or anything like that.
I usually don't give an explanation for it.. if someone really pressed me, I'd say I use psychology, my intuition and little secrets to make it look like I can read minds.

I'm not familiar with this (and I'm old, too) -- where is this covered?

.

"A very brief disclaimer about not having psychic powers "

IMHO, omit this part and tell a joke or a story on this lapse of time.


Hope that you have a great show! Use your complete self to create good moments with your audience.


Best

Good luck with the show, do come back and tell us how it went, your English is perfect by the way, hope you kill em.

Yes, good luck to you. Remember to take your time and above all else, enjoy it!

I can't give you a source for this, but a quick google search will bring results. I actually saw it in a children's magazine a long time ago. I know that other performers used this as well.
Just try it: Go ahead and sit straight on a chair. Now move your right foot in a clockwise fashion. Now hold up your right arm straight in front of you (keep spinning!) and draw the number 6 in the air.
You could present this as a little gag, an interesting body trick or even to show how thoughts leak through and manifest themselves as body movements.


To the others:
Thank you very much, I will report back.

Second that! Disclaimer not necessary.

The only thing constructive that I can add is relax, have a good time, be personable and bold.

Strong personalities entertain - only the medium differs!

Best wishes,

Scott

I can do that. Am I weird?

Last night I performed for the first time in front of a group of ~20 people (mostly strangers) at my theatre group meeting.
I divined a thought of card and duplicated a drawing. It was very well received and got nice applause. I can only recommend to any beginner to join a local theatre group, it's a great place to practice!

I can't wait to hit the stage

Alexxander, welcome. It seems you are at a place that most of us are at in the beginning of our performing ventures and foray into mentalism. I will give you one bit of advice that many that performs learns eventually (though some never seem to learn it) and it can make a huge difference in the your image, the way the audience perceives your show, the impact your show has on the audience and ultimately the thing that you eventually separates a "performer" from a true "entertainer"...

What it seems you have done or are doing now is creating the structure for your "set" by outlining the the structure - "short intro", "introduce myself...", "the old move your foot..", "start talking about mindreading, introduce the books, "do a book test", etc.

This is great, but what usually happens at this point is 99% of the focus turns to the effects you will be performing in this "set" or "show". However, the things you should put just as much effort and emphasis on as your effects are some of the typical throwaway things to many performers such as "bring up a person who seemed to enjoy the bit and bring her up on stage", "ask her if we've met beforehand", "thank her and send her back to her seat", "a very brief disclaimer about not having psychic powers",
"do the circle/triangle with the whole audience to keep the attention", "get 4 people who got the psychological force to stand up and "assure them that there is nothing prearranged", etc.

All of these transitions, justifications, explanations, introductions, and segues are the thing that makes a perfomance flow, keeps an audience with you and helps create the control a performer needs with the audience throughout the show. Truth be told these elements are just as important and crucial to the success of a show as the "effects" or abilities you are performing or trying to achieve.

In reality they are the glue that bonds everything together.

I only mention this as most don't realize it until much later, if at ever. Do just as much research and put in just as much effort into these ares as you will to your performance bits or effects.

Selecting a audience spectator or volunteer is an art and science in and of itself. How to bring them up on stage, introduce them, make them feel special and comfortable and deal with all of their potential concerns and issues - anxiety, nervousness, shyness, ability to hear, think, see, read, concentrate and follow directions, physical management, how to position then, how they stand (facing you or the audience?), making sure they can be heard by the audience, and so many other aspects. Any time you bring a spectator on stage you are at that point creating two shows - one for the spectator with you on stage, and the other for the audience.

Learn how to select the right or best spectator - what to look for, what to avoid and why, male vs. female, older vs. younger, glasses vs. no glasses and so many other considerations that all play a key factor in your performance and it's success.

Also I would advise being careful with anything that "can be found by simply Googling". Often these types of things that can easily be found can discredit the more amazing things you do within your show if framed or explained improperly.

Every one of these elements I mention each requires it's own study, understanding and proper execution. Ken Weber's book Maximum Entertainment is a great starting point for may of these such things.

As you delve into the study of these important elements you will uncover and discover things that will make great sense to you and will impress you equally as much as learning how to execute any effect or secret.

Every one of these things - intro, opening, how you walk on stage, how you dismiss an on-stage helper, your patter as you call it (I hate that word as it is a cheap substitute for "scripting"), and your personal overall stagecraft through out your performance should be a key part of your show.

As I said, many don't ever think about this, put much time and effort into it and realize the major difference it can make in your performance.

"No, definitely no pocus. Possibly a little hocus." ~Commander Samuel Vimes to Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully -from Thud! By Terry Pratchett