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Bananafish Elite user Simon Shaw, Suffolk, England 415 Posts |
Mandraek's Greatest Secrets Revealed by Paul Stevens
PDF: $10.00 from http://www.magic-notes.com/thenotes/detail.php?product_id=62 Magic-Notes http://www.magic-notes.com Magic-Notes is fast becoming a favourite haunt of mine as the documents held within are a goldmine of magical nuggets. I am not saying everything in there is pure platinum, but certainly everything I have not been in the least disappointed with anything that I have thus far downloaded. I suspect that Jamie Badman and Colin Miller must proof read everything that they allow to be downloaded to prevent any dross being made available. The Review MGSR is a fascinating collection of 9 easy to perform routines that are (IMHO) well worth the asking price of $10. I say 9, but in fact including the bonus routine there are 10. I say they are easy to perform, and I suspect that that may put many people off who only wish to perform complex sleighty magic, but many of the routines are none the less impressive for being so easy to perform. Since reading the document I have performed “The Star of the Show” many times in a close up/table environment and more than a few times in a parlour setting and frankly the reactions I get make the whole manuscript worth much more than the measly asking price of $10. 1: Magnetic Matches The Effect Two borrowed matches in the hand repel each other as if magnetic. Everything can be examined. A simple little bar effect maybe? But I have been getting into to mentalism a lot recently and I have found this little throw away gem to be a great starting point for any PK effect. The suggested patter involved magnetic matches, but I prefer to give the impression that I am using my mind to control the matches. 2: Not quite the PK bolt A matchbox is opened to reveal a bolt with a nut already threaded on to it. The matchbox is handed to the spectator to keep, and at some point during the magicians performance, the box is requested back, where it can be seen that the nut is now off of the bolt. As with the previous effect, this serves as a very nice little mentalism PK effect that WILL get a good reaction. 3: You’ll never get that through there! A clear tube is shown. Approx 3cm high and .75cm in diameter. A washer is placed on the top of the tube, and a steel ball is placed on top of the washer. It’s obvious that the ball cannot enter the tube with the washer in place. A second opaque tube is placed other the first tube. It is wide enough to cover the washer and ball bearing as well. With a little byplay the magician can make the ball penetrate the washer and enter the tube. Ok. For me this wasn’t the strongest effect in the manuscript, but I did make it up and have fascinated people with it. It’s still a nice one to know. 4: Heavyweight Cards! A deck is borrowed (if need be), and it is explained that due to the differing amount of ink on each cards they all weigh slightly different, and consequently the magician can of course recognise each card by it’s weight. This can even be done blindfolded. This is a nice little effect, all the more beautiful because it can be impromptu. Once you learn the method you will quickly realise that as well as the heavyweight card patter there are also numerous other more “mentalism” ways that the same effect can be performed. 5: Fingerprint Magic! The magician claims to be able to see fingerprints, and in test conditions proves so. This is a nice little routine where multiple spectators can be involved. Again as well as performing this as a magic trick it could equally be performed under the banner of mentalism. 6: Magnetic Attraction! This is one of those effects that can be done with a borrowed deck, anywhere, no sleights, nothing difficult, just sheer brass nerve and craftiness. And it works like a dream. Three matching cards are shown that even when separated they still appear together. This wasn’t new for me, but it is a very nice doable effect that can be done at any time. 7: The Star of the show This is definitely my favourite, as so much fun can be had with it. It’s very clever and it’s very funny and has been a real worker for me ever since I first read about it. You offer to teach a spectator a trick. They are told that before they start a prediction must be made, and they write the name of any playing card on the back of a business card and sign it. They then place the card face down on the table and to ensure that it isn’t tampered with, they cover it with their hand. A second spectator is then asked to help. A deck of cards is offered and they select one, and it is removed and placed face down in front of them. You then ask the first spectator to boldly request the second spectator to turn over the “prediction” card. Oh dear. It is wrong. Much fun is had here with byplay, but you end up telling the apprentice magician that they just need to wave a magic wand over their business card (naturally you happen to have a minute one spare), and after they do, voila. Printed on the card, with their signature is the name of the actual card that was selected. This is a very funny and very rewarding routine to perform. The suggested patter is hilarious. 8: The Trouble with Telepathy Another humorous effect that works on the basis that there is naturally telepathy between two people that have been together for any length of time. To perform this effect you will need to do a little prop building, and although I must admit I haven’t (yet) it does sound like it would be very worthwhile. 9: Mental as anything A clipboard is shown with two elastic bands, one down each side. Under each band is three cards, and under the clip is a prediction in an envelope, The prediction is handed to a spectator and one by one each card is eliminated until just one is left. He prediction matches… Sneaky doesn’t cover it. This routine works well as a mentalism Parlour effect. 10: Bonus Effect: Sneak a politician This is a very funny and topical routine for a sneak-a-peak deck. Bottom Line Paul’s writing style is hilarious and this comes across in his patter. I would say it is a cross between Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. Even if you don’t use his exact patter you can see how much fun he and his audiences must have with his magic. This manuscript for me was well worth the $10 asking price, more so because I have adapted many of the effects as part of a mentalism routine. Recommended. |
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