How do you perceive the relationship between magic and mentalism, or is there one?

Do you prefer one over the other, and why?

I think, Mentalism is much harder to do than magic. It needs more "guts" and the performer must be a great showman, to put mentalism over, convincingly.

Magic is easier in my opinion.

Let me come back to your question Steve: I prefer mentalism over magic also for the reason that mindreading is the more intelligent kind of entertainment.

Another reason is that the props for a mentalist's act fit into a briefcase, in which you can also collect your fee after the show. Maybe you need a plastic bag for the props to use the empty case for the money only.....

Magic is sometimes well paid also but a mentalist gets, as far as I know, even more money for his work and I think for this reason some magicians become jealous and expose the tricks of the mentalists to the public, to show them "how easy it is" and that is a pity.

ESPecially

TED

A follow-up to Mr. Brooks' question:

How do you differentiate between what is mentalism and what is magic?

Thanks,


/Matias

Ted, I admit I am a big fan of your work. I usually put one or two magic effects into my mental shows. For example your ungimmicked six card repeat makes a great opener for my mentalism shows. Do you also combine both from time to time ?

On a related note...if you do combine mentalism and magic in a single show, how do you transition between the two?

Scott,

I think that it would kill the Mentalism. Everyone knows magic has a trick to it but, they don't for mentalism. If you come across as a magician they might think the mentalism effects are tricks.


Lee

It never bothered the greats of mentalism, i.e., Dunninger, Fogel, Berglas, etc.

Larry

Let me mention this, especially since Larry Becker is in the house!

On his wonderful Stnading Ovation DVD, Mr. Becker performs a killer Card To Wallet routine in the middle of a mentalism show.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with combining magic and mentalism if it fits your performance style. Trust me, the audience will let you know whether or not it plays!

See ya!
Joe L.

I agree with Pyro... Mentalism has a mystique of it's own and something perceived as a magic trick would ruin that, or at least put it in a different realm.

I understand the concern and for some styles I'm sure it would "ruin" the effect of the mentalism but for others it works and works wonderfully. I'm interested in how those for whom it works transition between magic and mentalism or if they bother with any overt "transition" at all.

I'm with Pyro and Slim,

of course it can be performed together... but obviously it makes a different impression(!)

Of course the spectators won't "protest" - just as they won't protest if someone shows them only magic. Well performed they will obviously enjoy it, be it magic or mental magic or a mix of whatever. But the end result differs.

I look on it like this: If you saw, say, a fire eater perform, and all of a sudden you have reason to suspect he "cheated" in one of his stunts. Would this affect your impressions of the other stunts? Of course it would - your mind set would be different. You may still enjoy the performance, though.



However, to make sure it's not forgotten, my question to Mr Lesley was slightly different one:

How do you differentiate between what is mentalism and what is magic?


Thanks

/Matias

Maybe, if you use more of a Mentalism magic. Like the card effects of Derren Brown and a few others. I just think magic and mentalism shouldn't be blended.


Lee

Friends,
To make my viewpoint clear once more, I perform Magic and mentalism in the same show nearly every time. My last appearance was on a magic convention last week. The tricks in my show were:

Six Card Repeat
The Tossed Out Deck
My CT Routine
Gypsy Thread
Linking-Finger-Rings
Pegasus Page

This was a complete "MIX UP" of mentalism and magic. How the audience reacted you can see in this thread. Look for Felix Farell`s posting "Winterberg convention"

Any more questions? Feel free to ask!

TED

Yes, I have another question: When the laymen later describe you and what you did, I'm certain they use the terms: amazing, great, fantastic etc.

But do they, additionally, use terms such as: magician, tricks, David Copperfield etc.

Or do they use terms such as: psychic, genuine, etc and (seriously) ask if you can see their future etc.


Sincerely,

Matias

Matias:
They ask me usually, if I have "psychic powers".

TED

Ted,

I really WAS wondering . . . do you?

Randy:
Sometimes, if I do a cold reading on stage, I believe, that I have "real" psychic powers, because it happens, that I suddenly tell the spectator things, which i really didn`t know, I could give you a few examples, which were witnessed by many people and this particular experiences were frightening, even to me. But such a thing happens only once in tenthousand performances.Telling these things by chance was completely impossible. So I ask myself very often,how that could happen......!
Any questions? Feel free to ask!
Let me know, if you want one of these experiences described by me!

TED

Good to hear!

Thanks for your answers Mr Lesley.


/Matias