Mentalism Magic - The Secrets Revealed

By Austin Hackney


Mentalism is arguably the most popular and growing form of magical performance around today. It's also one of the areas that seems most frightening to novice magicians because of the mystique surrounding it. Of course, that mystique is all part of the act and once you know the insider secrets behind what really goes on in most mentalism tricks and routines, you'll find that it is no more (or less) demanding to learn than any other kind of magic trick.
The power of mentalism tricks and routines lies essentially in two things:
one is that it appeals to the fundamental hopes and fears of the human mind. Just think how perennially popular are ghost stories, psychic readings, U.F.O. sightings and anything which suggests that there is 'something more' to life than the humdrum of daily experience.another is that of all magical traditions it does most to mask its true techniques in a cloud of mystery and misinformation.
However, what really distinguishes a mentalism trick from any other simple magical effect is the presentation style and context. The techniques are almost all the same as the fundamental magic techniques of any other branch or style of magic.
Quite simply, the mentalist proposes that the feat is performed by either 'psychic' powers or, more commonly these days, by some clever 'psychological' techniques. Most magic tricks make no such claims. Everyone knows that the effects are achieved by 'sleight-of-hand' and misdirection. The key to understanding the magic of mentalism is to realise that the claims to 'psychic' powers and 'psychological' techniques are merely a case of smoke and mirrors; they are merely elements of the stage persona of mentalism. In fact, most mentalism routines use gimmicked props, 'sleight-of-hand' and misdirection in just the same way as other magic tricks do!
This might disappoint some people who want to believe that there is something mystical going on but if you want to perform mentalism then you really need to know!
Derren Brown, one of the most famous mentalists working today and one who presents his mentalism as 'clever psychology' has actually been quite candid about the trickery he employs. For example, he performed a routine which, incidentally, he didn't invent (I believe that it came from the great mentalist of the last century, Theodore Annemann) on the UK television show, Richard & Judy in which he claimed to plant a letter in the presenter's mind through clever psychology when it seemed that she had a free choice to mentally choose any letter of the alphabet. In fact, it is an old routine and relies on a gimmicked thumb tip with a small pencil lead concealed in the end of it. So how did it work?
He asked the presenter to think of a letter, any letter but not R or J because that would be too obvious and hold the letter clearly in her mind. He then took a piece of paper and appeared to write on it with a pencil that he then discarded. He then placed the paper behind his back and asked her to reveal the letter that she had chosen. he next produced the piece of paper and there, written upon it was the selected letter!
In fact, he didn't actually write anything the first time. The paper was blank as he held it behind his back. Once she had told him what letter was, he simply wrote it on the paper with his thumb gimmick before revealing it.
The reason I give you this example is not in any way to undermine or expose Derren Brown - who is an excellent performer and rightly admired. It is just to give one example of how easy, in fact, mentalism can be. What is really required is a lot of guts and again a good handle on the traditional techniques of manipulation and misdirection.
If you're a magician or an aspiring magician then you really should add at least some mentalism effects to your routines. The public appetite for these tricks is insatiable. There are many good books available and especially useful, downloadable video tutorials that are a great place to start.
Austin Hackney is a performing magician, entertainer, theatre practioner and writer of many years standing, always keen to share his experience and encourage the novice. His website, The Magic Tricks Homepage is a great free resource for magic tutorials, articles, visual guides, eBooks and more. If you want to learn magic well, not just a huge number of tricks but solid performance skills, the site is well worth a visit. You can download cool mentalism magic video tutorials here which is a great way of learning and building a repertoire.
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Secrets Behind Bon Jovi's Longevity

Huge venues have cemented the fame and fortune of Bon Jovi, arguably America's greatest rock band. Since first cracking Billboard's Top 40 way back in the 1980s, Bon Jovi has captured fans worldwide, cutting a swath around the globe with packed stadium shows.

Defying the odds, the 1983 lineup is still in tact. Lead singer/guitarist Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Richie Sambora, percussionist Tico Torres and David Bryan on keyboard welcomed bass guitarist Hugh McDonald to the fold when Alec Such left. Their camaraderie and the composing skills of Sambora and Bon Jovi have propelled them across three decades into 2011 and the honor of being named the past year's # 1 worldwide tour.

Sambora explains that the writing of the music and the quality of the band are the foundation of their business. This is the key to the success the band has enjoyed since they were youngsters playing in small clubs around their native New Jersey.

Along with writing songs that people adopt as their own, putting on a great show every time they come out is essential. Over the years, their foremost aim has been to give good stadium. Realizing that it is impossible to fill up a stadium with a single demographic, they always include songs that transcend generations, an invitation to parents to expose their kids to music they like that both can enjoy.

Torres always welcomes the sight of new faces in the audience along with the two or three generations of fans who have been faithful followers for years. From the beginning, Bon Jovi has made a point of touring as many continents as possible, giving longevity and a constant stream of new fans. Wherever they go, friends abound.

Both Sambora and Torres love the energy they pick up from the crowd filling each stadium. At the same time, Bon Jovi makes a stadium intimate with the use of giant screens that bring everyone in, even those in the back seats. A half-circle goes out into the audience where they play acoustic music together to make everybody sing so the huge place seems like a living room. To prepare for each tour, the band pulls out 70 or 80 older songs. The goal is to make everyone happy as they sing along to a favorite number.

"The fans are the ones who count," Torres says. "If they like it, they'll clap. If they don't they'll let you know about it.

Sambora concurs, emphasizing that the band's success comes from the joy of playing with colleagues they respect. "When we walk on stage we know what we have to do. People leaving a Bon Jovi show have smiles on their faces. They got their money's worth."

Emily Cary is a prize-winning teacher and novelist whose articles about entertainers appear regularly in the DC Examiner. She is a genealogist, an avid traveler, and a researcher who incorporates landscapes, cultures and the power of music in her books and articles.

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