SYNAPSES
Synopsis:
A Lecture for the PEA Meeting of the Minds
7~2~11
Raj Madhok
“Memories are like that. They live between
synapses and between the people who hold
them.”
-David Carr
Thank you to Andi Gladwin and Dick Steiner
for their reviewing skill.
Special thanks to John Bannon for his sage
advice and design sense.
© 2011 by Rajneesh Madhok
Chair Way to Heaven
Effect: You begin with six chairs on stage in a row. Each
has an identical envelope placed flat on the seat.
The performer displays his wallet wrapped with rubber
bands and passes it into the audience to select a helper.
“We’re all friends here, right? I’m going to entrust you with
my wallet. To discourage anyone from tampering with the
contents I’ve used this high tech security system - rubber
bands. Please pass it around and stop after I count from
one to ten.”
The last one holding the wallet is asked onto the stage.
“Please join me on stage and welcome her with a round of
applause. You’ve heard the term ‘fortune or fate’? This
wallet contains your fortune. The contents are for you but
I won’t give it to you until you’ve made a very important
decision. That’s where fate comes in. There are six chairs
in a row. One is for you. You may be drawn to the one
closest to you or the farthest…or perhaps one in between.
It may feel like free will but your decision has already been
made for you – if you believe in fate. Notice that each
chair has an identical envelope on the seat. Inside one
envelope is a message just for you.
“Hold on to the wallet and study the chairs. When you've
decided, please step forward and sit in a chair but keep
the envelope in your lap so no one can see the address
side.”
The spectator sits in ANY chair of their choice.
“Did that feel like a free choice? We’ll find out. Let’s take
out the message in your envelope and show everyone
what it says.” The written message says: ‘SIT HERE’.
“And you did! But there’s more. Let’s see what you didn't
choose.”
The other five envelopes are picked up and shown to have
a yellow face (the non-flap side). These are set aside.
“Please turn over your envelope and see what color you
chose.” The spectator turns over her envelope to find it is
the only one with a bright blue face. “Ah, the only blue
one…well done! But wait, there’s more. You’re holding
the wallet I passed out earlier. Inside is a fortune for you.
Let’s take a look. Inside is a five dollar bill. That’s for you.
But look! The other side has a blue sticker that says,
“Blue is the color of your Fate”. Clearly this is meant for
you. Thanks for participating and remember - control your
fate or someone else will.”
The spectator returns to her seat with the matching blue
envelope and bill.
Method: This uses Nick Trost’s Eight Card Brainwave
principle. Every other envelope on the chairs has an
alternating colored face:
Yellow - Blue - Yellow - Blue - Yellow - Blue
After the spectator sits in a chair you collect the other
envelopes in a face down pile. Pick up the envelopes
beginning with the chair to the right of their selection and
continue in sequence placing each envelope on top of the
one preceding it and circling back to the start of the line of
chairs if need be. The 5 envelopes in your hand are now
in position for the OLRAM Subtlety display which
apparently shows the faces of all five as the same color
but actually conceals every other one. Comment on the
identical color shown and remember that their envelope
will now show the other color.
All the envelopes contain the message ‘SIT HERE’ and
the audience will quickly realize this is a gag prediction.
You will conclude with one of two endings: either a blue
selection and five yellow envelopes as above. Or if the
spectator chooses a yellow envelope then five unselected
blue envelopes will be shown. Either way they will end up
with an odd-colored envelope.
You now will reconfirm your prediction using a Himber
wallet. Each side of the wallet has a folded five dollar bill
in it. One bill has a blue Post-it note attached to the inside
fold. On it is written “BLUE is the color of your Fate”. The
other has a yellow Post-it note stating “YELLOW is the
color of your Fate”. You simply remove the appropriate bill
from the correct side of the wallet.
CREDITS and Notes:
- You may false shuffle the envelopes and allow the
helper to cut the stack before placing them on the chairs
since the envelopes are in a cyclic stack.
- If the spectator selects the fifth chair in the row (from
either end) you have an additional hit. Point out that they
chose to sit in chair “number 5”. You then show the “5”
dollar bill as a matching prediction. Follow this by
revealing the message folded inside the bill matches their
envelope’s color.
- I use six 6X9 inch black envelopes. I affix 3 inch yellow
Post-it notes to the centers of the non-flap side of three
envelopes. The other three envelopes are similarly
prepared using blue Post-it notes. Inside each envelope
is a piece of card stock with SIT HERE in bold print. The
card stock also stiffens the envelopes for easier handling.
- Ed Marlo’s OLRAM Subtlety was published in The New
Tops, Vol. 5, No. 11, Nov. 1965. Roberto Giobbi’s Card
College Volume 3, page 603 is another source.
- Nick Trost’s The Odd Colored Back was in The New
Tops Vol. 10, No. 8, Aug. 1970. His Eight Card Brainwave
is a neo-classic.
- Josh Zandman’s CHAIRS e-book.
- Michael Weber’s Landing Pad (Magic Live! 2004 lecture
notes).
- Andy Nyman’s Chair Swindle from Genii, April 2009.
- Ian Rowland’s Persuasion in Genii, January 2004 is
another clever use of Trost’s Eight Card Brainwave
principle in a stand up situation.
Fossa Nature
Effect: The performer visibly demonstrates the ability to
alter the participant’s sense of touch. I’ve been told this is
a schoolyard trick but it’s one that few adults I’ve shown it
to have seen. It was shown to me by PEA member
Wayne Rosen at the MOTM in New Orleans and I’ve
added a presentation and few touches that make it more
than a quick stunt.
“I’ve been asked if the things I do involve changing
someone’s sense of reality. This is possible but it difficult
to visualize since it happens in your mind. Let me visibly
show you how it is possible to alter one’s sense of reality
using their sense of touch. May I have a volunteer? I
won’t embarrass you but I will need to touch your arm if
that’s OK?”
A short sleeved audience member is selected or asked to
roll up their shirt sleeve. You stand at their side and hold
their palm up hand at the wrist.
“If I touch your wrist with your eyes closed you can still tell
it’s your wrist, correct? For that matter, if I touch a finger,
your nose or anywhere on your body you can recognize it
due to your sense of proprioception. Our brain has the
ability to give us a sense of position and location at all
times. But what if I could change that? What if I could
make you feel something different and fool your brain?
That’s what I’ll attempt to do. Focus on this spot right
here.” Point to the bend of the elbow without touching it.
“This is the antecubital fossa…the fold or bend of the arm.
I’m not going to touch it just yet but in a moment I’ll ask
you if I’m touching it. But first I need you to relax and be
receptive to my directions. In a moment you will close
your eyes and listen carefully. I’m going to show everyone
else what I intend to do on this large piece of paper. I’ll
show it to you when we are done.”
An easel with a large pad is turned to reveal a drawing of
an arm with an “X” placed 1 to 2 inches below the bend or
crook of the arm. An arrow points to it marked “HERE!”
Another arrow points to the antecubital fossa and is
marked “NOT HERE”
You once again hold their wrist and ask them to close their
eyes. “Let’s begin by testing your sense of touch. My
finger is now above your wrist. Am I touching you?” Here
you poise your forefinger above their wrist. The typical
response will be, “No”. You reply, “Ah, but I am. I’m
touching your wrist with my other hand. See how easy it
is to fool the mind. Now I will touch you with my finger and
begin to move up your arm. Your job is to tune into your
body’s sensations and say STOP as soon as I touch the
bend of the elbow. Understood?”
You slowly and lightly trace a winding path up the inside of
the forearm as you hold and slightly hyperextend their arm
so that it is flat. About half the distance to the fold you
begin to follow a straight line and remind them to say
STOP as soon as you reach their antecubital fossa.
Doing this slowly creates a sense of anticipation and
fatigue so they will be tuned into any change in feeling.
Due to the nerve structure of the arm they will usually stop
1 to 2 inches below the actual fossa. They will actually
feel a different sensation on their skin at that point.
As soon as they say STOP you mark this position by
leaving your finger tip on the site but pull the skin slightly
down and away from the target. This tip from Wayne
lengthens the distance from the fossa if needed. You
may want to ask, “I didn’t influence you to stop there did
I?” for those who may suspect some sort of cueing.
The audience will immediately recognize she has felt the
site where you wanted her to based on your drawing.
Congratulate her as you let her turn to see your diagram.
The Invisible Book Test
Effect: Borrowing three identical business cards and a
pen the mystery worker demonstrates the ability to send
thoughts to a fellow mind traveler using guided imagery.
“Have you heard of guided imagery? It’s a flow of inner
thoughts where your mind allows you to see, feel, and
smell as vividly as if it was really happening. Doctors and
therapists use it to take people on imaginary journeys to
reduce stress and even lower blood pressure. Visual
imagery has been used by many cultures and spiritual
seekers to take people to places that would only otherwise
exist in their dreams.
“I’d like to take you on a journey where I will guide your
thoughts and direct you to make choices you might not
otherwise predict. Are you willing to join me?
“Imagine you and I have just finished a wonderful meal
and are now relaxing in my study with a glass of fine wine.
Close your eyes and visualize your surroundings: the
plush comfortable chair you are seated in, the bouquet of
the red wine swirling in your glass and the walls covered
with oak bookshelves. Can you see it? Good.
“I’m going to direct your thoughts by writing a message on
the back of this card and placing it face down on your
palm. Cover it with your other hand and listen closely.
“I want you to imagine going to the shelf of books in front
of you and reaching out with your left hand and pulling one
of the hardbound novels from the shelf. There is no title
but there is a predominant color to the cover. Tell me
what color do you see?”
The spectator states, “Red.”
“Very good...you’re doing well. I’m now going to guide
you to a specific place within the book you chose. This
next message will go in your hand on top of the previous
card.” The performer writes a target thought on another
business card and puts it face down atop the previous
card in the spectator’s palm. “Put your other hand on top
and follow my instructions. You are holding the red book
and begin to flip through the pages. At some point you’ll
stop and see a page number at the bottom of that specific
page. Have you done that? What page are you on?”
The response is “Sixty Three”.
“I’m going to direct you to a specific place on that page.
That target will be on this final card I’ll place in your hand
on top of the other two cards. Put your other hand on top,
close your eyes, and listen to my words.
“Scan over page 63 but as you do you’ll notice that the
words are all out of focus. Begin at the bottom of the page
and bring your eyes gradually to the top. As you do the
words gradually come into focus as you reach the top line.
In the middle of that sentence is a small word, an action
verb. What word do you see?”
“Run”
“OK, you may open your eyes. I sensed you’d be a good
subject and now we’ll find out how well you did.”
The performer retrieves the cards from the participant and
turns over the top card. On it is written the word “RUN”.
The next card is turned over revealing “63”.
And the final card is revealed to have the color “RED”
written on it.
“You were able to follow the journey I sent you on. Well
done.”
Method: The one-ahead triple prediction is a standard
plot in mentalism. You might even call it Epic. You’ve
probably recognized that you write the last prediction first
and then simply write their previous responses on the next
two cards.
My goal was to make it truly impromptu and frame it in a
realistic presentation. Telling them in advance that you’ll
be sending them a target image is more believable than
reading their mind. I’ve also simplified it by eliminating
envelopes, numbered predictions, or the use of other
extraneous props such as playing cards.
I began backwards with the final force. It needed to be
something more obscure than the well-known
psychological force of a color or flower. I found my
answer in Doug Dyment’s excellent book Stimulacra.
Within its pages is an intriguing force of the word “run” in
an effect he calls “Verbiage”. Like most psychological
forces it is not foolproof. I’ve tried to increase the
likelihood of a hit by using the phrasing above. By
emphasizing the words “small” and “action verb”, you’ll
often get the response you need. Special thanks to Doug
for allowing me to publish his idea here.
What if you miss the force? You’re a mentalist. You’ll find
a way to make a connection. Words such as “race” or
“hop” can be made into a soft hit. You can ask if they see
another verb on the page. Or you can turn to another
spectator and ask what word they received. Richard
Paddon has suggested a two-way out using “run” and
“jump” : you write “JUMP”, put a line through it as if you
changed your mind and write “RUN” below it. This
doubles your odds of a hit. If you absolutely can’t make it
work you can still take credit for the next two correct
predictions.
The other obstacle to the one-ahead principle is the need
to alter the sequence in which the predictions are shown.
Since you wrote “RUN” first it is now at the bottom of the
pile of three cards. But it should be on top since it was
supposedly your last written prediction. After much
experimenting I found it easiest to pull it from the bottom
and reveal it first. The remaining two cards are still in the
correct order to be revealed sequentially.
Here’s how to avoid making it a “move”. Retrieve the
cards from the spectator and hold them face down on your
left palm. Look up to meet the spectator’s eyes with
yours. Simultaneously reach over the cards with your
palm down right hand and pull out the bottom card while
turning it face up. The back of the right hand obscures a
good portion of the packet at the needed moment. This is
particularly deceptive with business size cards. Now
cleanly use the same action as you turn over and reveal
the next two cards one by one.
Spread the Mystery
Effect: Using a borrowed, even incomplete pack of cards
the mystery worker demonstrates his ability to remotely
view a target image with his back turned and without
touching the cards.
“Let’s use these cards to select a target image. I’m going
to try to tap into your thoughts and pluck out the image
that you’ll be thinking of. To eliminate the possibility of
sleight of hand I won’t touch the cards. To eliminate any
prearrangement of the cards I’d like you to mix them. To
eliminate any possibility of estimation or markings put the
cards under the table or behind your back so I can’t even
see the cards!
“Once you feel the cards are well mixed spread the card
between your hands, cut them and complete the cut.
Discard the top half of the deck. Take the remaining
cards, spread and cut them again. Once again discard
the top half of the cards. Spread and cut them again and
discard half.
“You’ve got a small number of cards left in your hands.
Take a guess how many you have? Now count and see if
you’re correct. Ten? – OK, let’s discard half of them.
“I’ll turn my back while you bring out the remaining cards
and look at the bottom card of the packet. You’ve got to
agree there’s no way either of us could have predicted the
card you’ve reached. This will be your target thought so
imprint an image of it into your mind. Got it? Good.
“Place those cards below the table and spread and cut
them one more time.”
The performer turns to face front again
“Remember we began with a large number of cards that
you shuffled and cut; then you eliminated cards until
you’re now thinking of only one. No one here could know
what card would be your final choice.
“I’ll attempt to zero in on your thought. I’ll turn my back
while you bring out the cards and keep them face down.
Take the top card turn it face up onto the table and name it
out loud. Hmm…eliminate it. Take the next card turn it
face up and name it.” As soon as it is named the
performer says, “STOP!” and spins around to face the
spectator. He says, “Name your card.” The spectator
names her card. “Turn over the next card and freak out.”
She turns over the next card and is amazed to see her
selection.
Method: This is a one out of five selection obscured by
billowing smoke. The key to the method is the instruction
to “spread and cut the cards”. This phrasing will typically
cause a spectator holding five cards to spread and cut
either two or three cards from the top to the bottom of the
stack. (It would be unnatural to move only one card and
call it a “cut”.) This cutting procedure will move the bottom
glimpsed selection to the second or third position from the
top. How do you know which position is correct? You
don’t - thus you must rely on a two-way out.
If the selection is at the second position they will have just
named it as you spin around and say “Stop! Name your
card.” They will now repeat the name of their card just
placed face up on the table. You smile triumphantly as if
you knew this was the card and were able to stop at it.
You might even verbalize, “Just as I thought.”
If the selection is at the third position they will be unsure
how to react to your “Stop!” command since their just
named card has not been seen yet. You can then
confidently state, “Turn over the next card and freak out.”
You will both see immediate verification that you are
correct when the next card turned over is their selection.
Note that the final selection must be from one of five
cards. You could just begin with five cards and proceed
but going through the above machinations clouds their
memory of how many cards were used. You do not want
the focus to be on the fact that only five cards were used.
Instead you ask how many they think they have, count
them to verify, and then you casually have them discard
the correct number leaving them with five. For example if
they say there are 7 cards left, simply state, “Get rid of two
more.” Ideally you should not verbalize there are only five
cards left so that reconstruction becomes impossible. The
recap of the procedure gives you time misdirection so they
forget the possible location of their card. The goal is to
implant the false memory that you knew both the target
card and its location in the packet.
CREDITS and Notes:
- The cutting the cards placement is Jerry Sadowitz’s
“Basic Discovery” from Cards on the Table, (Martin
Breese, 1989). See “Pre-determined Estimation” on page
84 for a trilogy of routines.
- Michael Weber published a telephone version in The
Crimp! Number 29 (Oct. 1994, p.256) called “Hold Her
Down and Poker!” A very young Joshua Jay showed me
the Weber trick and I’ve experimented with numerous
variations ever since.
- If you choose to perform this over the phone you must
rely on the spectator’s verbal reaction (or lack of reaction)
at your command to stop on the second card. This will tell
you if they are seeing their card or need to turn over the
next card.
- You may allow the spectator to decide if they want to
select the TOP card or the BOTTOM card of their five card
packet. If they choose BOTTOM, the card will be 2nd or
3rd after the spread and cut. If they choose TOP, it will
end up 3rd or 4th from the top.
Down Under the Bar
Effect: The reformed bar tending psychic unerringly
knows the drink a customer will order before they do!
“Quick survey: raise your hand if you drink alcohol…
Great! That’s the majority of you. Of course the real
drinkers are still at the bar! Any non-drinkers here? Raise
your hand…” (If no one raises their hand say, “I didn’t
think so. That explains a lot”.) “OK, you’ll be the
designated drivers. Can I ask you to join me up here?
Please welcome him to the stage with a round of drunken
applause.
“When I was in medical school I used to moonlight as a
bar tender. It was my first experience at medicating the
public. I’m going to show you a system I created to know
what kind of drink a person would order even before they
did. To be fair I want to make things as random as
possible. Let’s use this stack of cards.
“When you look at a glass do you see it as half empty or
half full? As a bartender it depends on if you’re pouring or
drinking. Cut off less than half the deck and we’ll use just
those cards. We’re going to ask the cards three questions
so cut your cards into three piles. Try to keep them neat
even though this is not a sobriety test.
“Here’s how you choose your drink. Do you remember as
a kid picking petals off a flower and saying ‘She loves me,
she loves me not’? Then the answer would be whatever
petal you were left with. If she didn’t love you, well that’s
why you ended up in the bar. This is the same thing only
your random cuts will determine the answers to the
questions. We’ll do this by eliminating every other card
and seeing what the final card left in the hand is. First we
need to see if you prefer beer or wine.
“Hand me any pile. Remember since you cut the cards I
don’t know the number of cards or where things will end.
Fair enough?”
The cards are dealt singly from the top with the first going
under the packet and the next eliminated onto the table
until only one card is left in the hand. “Let’s begin. Beer,
wine, beer, wine, beer, wine, beer…We’re left with beer.
At this point you’re either bored or very thirsty.
“Pick another pile. There are two basic types of beer:
Light beer and full beer. By the way, do you know if a
“light” beer refers to fewer calories or less alcohol?
Neither – just less taste!
“OK, here we go. Remember the last card remaining is
your selection. Light, Full, Light, Full, Light… We end on a
Light beer.
“Surveys show that the top selling light beers are
Budweiser and Michelob. So it all comes down to this:
Bud or Mick? Here we go: Bud, Mick, Bud, Mick, Bud…
“We end on Bud. So a Bud Light is your final choice.
Take a look in the card case. It’s a bottle cap. What does
it say? Bud Light! Cheers everybody!
“Thanks for your order and This Bud’s for You!”
Method: This is the Mitsunobu Matsuyama elimination
(petal) force. It’s a delightful self-working mystery. The
basic principle is that the item placed under the packet
will always be the final one remaining in the hands. Any
two variables may be used, e.g. gender, hair color, coins,
etc. For example, if you begin with “brunette” and place it
under the packet then place the next “blonde” card on the
table you will end with a “brunette” card in your hand as
the final card. The number of cards in the packet is
irrelevant; that’s what makes this counter-intuitive.
CREDITS and Notes:
- I’ve never been a fan of down-under deals but this
presentation is fun and interactive enough it overcomes
my previous misgivings. Steve Beam’s Semi-Automatic
Card Tricks Volume 4 and 8 have numerous other ideas
and sophisticated applications. I was inspired by John
Bannon’s trick “No” in Volume 8.
- For magicians I like to use this false explanation: “Of
course you realize this trick uses multiple outs. No matter
what the final outcome is you can predict it somewhere.
You’ll notice on the table I have a coaster, a napkin, and
something in my pocket. Check out what’s on the back of
the coaster: BUD LIGHT! Check out the napkin: BUD
LIGHT! Check out what I’ve got in my pocket. It’s a bottle
of BUD LIGHT!”
- You may also use a prediction envelope with a large
photo of a generic mug of beer (ala the bar code or baby
gag). The back of the photo predicts “BUD LIGHT”.
-Thanks to Gregory Wilson for punching up the humor in
this presentation.
Shifty One Faces North
Effect: A borrowed, shuffled deck is handed to the
performer. He scans the faces and intuits a card of
upcoming significance. This prediction is written, folded
and tucked away for safekeeping. A participant then deals
through the facedown deck, turning cards face-up singly,
until she chooses to stop on a card. This unseen card is
placed aside and found to match the performer’s
prediction.
Method: This is Stewart James’ venerable ”51 Faces
North” plot - or if you prefer, Paul Curry’s “Open
Prediction”. Its history is well documented in Issue
Number One of Penumbra (Gordon Bean and Bill
Goodwin, 2002) I have not tried to meet all the James’
criteria but rather create a direct and amazing bit of
mentalism. It comes at a cost. It involves a confederate.
This is a small cost to me as I use it as an alternate
method for a series of Open Prediction effects which are
seemingly impromptu. Each cancels out the method
before it.
You explain the following method to your confederate
before the performance. They will be handed the shuffled
cards and you will review to the audience the procedure of
dealing cards face up and stopping at a random face
down card. But your helper will have a specific spot to
stop at. They must recognize a key card and then place
the following card face down without looking at it. The key
card is one they create at the onset of the dealing. The
first face up card dealt from the top of the deck will
represent a numerical value of the key card. The next
card will designate its suit. For example, if the first card
dealt is the Queen of Spades and the next card is the Nine
of Clubs, the key card created will be the Queen of Clubs.
Another example, the Six of Diamonds followed by the
Two of Hearts creates the Six of Hearts as a key card.
As the performer looks through the shuffled deck for his
prediction he notes the top two cards allowing him to
create the key card and then use the next card in the
spread as his prediction. (This will be the card the
confederate will be placing face down after he sees the
key card.) The prediction can be written or an identical
card set aside from another deck.
If the top two cards are matching in suit or value, ask for
the cards to be shuffled or cut again. Alternately the
performer may cut two non-matching cards to the top.
I prefer this “closed prediction” which creates more
intrigue and later gives you a motivation to review the non-
selected cards. I find this builds the suspense leading to
the final revelation.
CREDITS and Notes:
-Many magicians have published solutions to this plot.
I’ve been inspired by the writings of Paul Curry, Stewart
James, Ed Marlo, David Solomon, John Riggs, David
Regal, and Howard Lyons.
-My alternate version called Open Perception may be
found in MAGIC magazine, August 2004.
