Dear fellow mentalists.

Everybody wants to get the full attention with the first effect of the act, and I've noticed that some mentalists actual kick's of with a fast magic trick, like producing a glass of wine or something else. I do not have a lot of practice performing mentalism except performing for friends and family (sometimes up to 20), but anyway, performing for family is one thing and performing for an unknown audience is another (as I recall from my magic acts).

Now I have so far started with Bank Night (Osterlind style giving away four lottery coupons in the end), but I'm afraid it's a little too slow as an opener for an unknown audience. Especially since I'm going to perform in an evening where most of the people showing up don't even know there will be a performance (kind of a surprise to them). So maybe to wake them up and catch the attention I need a fast opener.

Now I have a lot of fast magic tricks I can do as an opener, but I was actually looking for a mentalist opener - just to show the context and to explain them the difference between being a magician and a mental illusionist. So I'm curious to how you open your shows.

Let us hear about your openers and why and how they work. And please, as common information notice the tittle of the effect and the origin or even better where you can buy/acquire the effect or description of the effect as well.

Regards.

Vraagaard

Just to clarify. I'm not looking for an effect that in itself shows the difference between a magician and a mentalist. I'm looking for a clean fast mentalist effect as an opener.

So I'm looking for your best mentalist opening effect.

Then I can always introduce by saying, "See, a magician is an artist who performs illusions with silks, coins well even live animals and aeroplanes, whereas a mentalist performs illusions with "information" and "choices". Here is a small effect to show you what I mean".

Of course, that could be my intro anyway, but I like to hear about your best mentalist opener.

Well a few things spring to mind. Perhaps for family and friends and you're in someone's house, a swift book test would be good.

If you're demonstrating the differences as you describe (and you have the Osterlind material), a quick mindreading feat (with the perfected CT) might be a nice start.

I mostly do walk-around mentalism, and most of the time, I introduce myself with a watch effect.

I do walk-around also. I usually start with either a quick Rhine card telepathy test, or "You are Psychic" (described in Mark Striving's "WAM - Walk Around Mentalism").

Steve

I plan to use a chair prediction, then if the staple roulette on the upcoming Spellman DVDs are good, I'll do that as a little routine right at the start.

I open with a line similar to "You've seen magicians with their decks of cards right? Well I'm a magician, but I do things a little differently. I want you to think of a card, any card in the deck at all. Anyone thinking of the Queen of hearts? How about the ace of spades? Okay, now don't let me influence you this time, name card out loud. Really? That's weird, because I took one card from this deck here and turned it the wrong way round. Take a look, it's the very same Three of Clubs!"

I then proceed to say that I don't do anything else with cards and move on.

Hope this helpful to someone.

Kind thoughts,

Kennedy

The Tossed Out Deck seems to have become a staple opening effect for many Mentalists.

- entity

Would you use cards for a stage opener?

I'm always nervous about the visibility of a lot of mentalism effects that use props, especially if no-one is on stage to verify things.( Of course the tossed-out-deck would not have this problem.)

You can open with equivoque/ You have six different color glasses on the table (one of glasses filled with water and the others with confetti or just empty).

Tell someone to select three of them. If the one with water is selected, just dismiss the other three and follow as usually till the one with the water is the last on the table.

You can come up with funny lines or jokes about how thirsty you were or whatever. Use your imagination!

Regards.

For stage: David Hoy's "Improving on Dr. Rhine."

Steve

Kennedy, that's my exact handling of the Invisible Deck using Anneman's Mentalist Vs. Magician plot! I use that as my opener.

:bigsmile:

Hi Steve,

Is the source Dr. Faust, Bold and Subtle Miracles, or where can I find it?

Kennedy and Juan D. ID is a fabulous opener. I agree to that. However, I use it as a closer in the "Standing Ovation" version inspired by Bill Malone. I know that's more like magic than mental magic, but it gives a great finish and applause.

I'll consider it to be my opener instead in the more direct version that you mentioned.

Vraagaard,

"Dr Rhine Improved" can be found in bold and subtle miracles of Dr Faust. Max Maven has a very similar effect on his Videomind series, the stage volume I think. It is third of the series.

Kind thoughts,
Kennedy

The routine is called "Khan Artist" and, as indicated by that title (and stated on the video), it is based on Corinda's "Khan Slate Test," which was the source that inspired Dave Hoy's version and others that followed.

Thanks, Max Maven and Kennedy,

I've got the Khan Artist, and I like it a lot. I have used it as an opener to another ESP effect, but haven't really considered it an opener of the full act. However, I think I will review all my effects in another light - being what if this was an opener. I like my 30 minutes performance to be like

1. Intro - wow effect and reasonably fast involving the audience.

2. A bit slower, more explanatory, involving 4-5 participants.

3. Building up a little faster (1-2 participants).

4. PEAK effect, absolute astonishments (one or more).

5. Low key amazement, slower (1-2 participants).

6. Building up (one or more).

7. Explosion.

All effects should create astonishment, but run in different tempo.

Once again, thanks for the advice. I hope it's useful to others than me.

(By the way, aren't you guys impressed that Max Maven has appeared on the Café? Now we have all the greats in the art-- and we can actually converse with them! Cool.)

Vraagaard,

I like Banchek's ESP Card Opener on Vol. 1 of his PSI DVDs. I assume he opens with it too, hence the name. It's quick, it establishes a nice Rhine-cards, not magician's cards, feel. And it stuns 'em.

Yes, I am VERY impressed to see Max Maven adding his commentary.

Max, allow me to extend a hearty welcome.

Steve

Well, I've just done a search and found that Mr. Maven has been visiting here since 2002. He's just very selective about making comments. (Only 11 posts!) Probably a good thing for someone with as high a profile in the business as Phil Goldstein/Max Maven.

I'm just glad to know he's looking in from time to time, kind of diety-like.

Yeah Max Maven!!


Curt

Max Maven looking forward to your lecture in Studio City next month.
:bat: