If Mentalism is the demonstration of a paranormal ability or "other than normal," then reading cursive might qualify. Entertaining? well ...

Imagine passing around an old parchment document fro examination. You now read the "Emancipation Proclamation" out loud - amazing and entertaining if well done.

Relevant???

There are tens of thousands of documents not part of AI libraries because they are in cursive that AI can't understand.
Thus, any opinion of AI about what our forefathers thought is not based on "best source."
Old Folks well versed in cursive are being hired to read these to AI.

Finish of your performance with a demonstration of a slide rule, or reciting the "times table"

The "new normal" for audiences today is not what great-grandma could easily do ...

Amazing!

I just uncovered a letter from Arthur Conan Doyle to a man named Mr. Fast who was at the first Houdini Seance on January 8 1929. Even I couldn't read it!!!!

You tell those clouds!

Oh, I still have a slide rule. Now to think up a magical use for it.

Funny stuff, Ken.

If you come up with anything, let me know too.

On a slide rule, demonstrate that once a relationship is set, the answer to many math problem can be instantly read off.
This can segue into "If everyone in this group can focus on the same object, I will be able to telepathically glimpse at individual thoughts."

But, the mechanic of using this ancient calculator can seem magical in its own right, or a way of unifying perceptions in a multi-generational audience.

"Magic deals with what is considered impossible by the observer. Those smartphones in your pockets offers wonders though impossible in my youth.
Yet, I can do some math calculations faster on this slide rule than your thumbs can move. Impossible you say? No - just different mechanics."

The slide rule has vanished while they check their pockets. You now hold a large pencil.

"Here is an even early calculator capable of magic you may not have ever considered. Could I borrow a wedding ring?"

Yeah, if you want to use new gizmos and do-dads like slide rules and pencils that's fine. But, no one can read or write in cuniform anymore. People walk around with their apple "tablets" don't even know how to carve a simple greeting into an actual stone tablet these days. Everyone wants to use new fangled tech like pencils and paper. YOUTHS!

Great idea, actually, Chaz93. Some performers use slates for a revealed message as a sort of telepathy.

Instead, imagine a chunk of stone. Cover with a cloth and shazam, it is covered with strange writing.
You need AI to translate and point your smartphone at the rock. It reads as the volunteer's secret message.

You would only need one stone to switch in since no one can read the strange images -
sorta like casting runes.

Can you imagine the size of stone needed for everyone in the theatre to see the writing?

Just give everyone opera glasses ...

I can only think of one interaction between a smartphone and a rock that I would find entertaining.

- Mary

Theater? See that's the problem with you YOUTHS. You want modern things like theaters. They don't have the attention span of neanderthals. Instead of hunting mammoths the kids these days just want to rub sticks together to make fire. Back in myyyyyy day....

Where'd those clouds go!?