A Melding of Mynds: “Free Range” Mentalism

[JHostler]

Greetings People of Earth Frantically Prepping for Magic Live –

With Magnum Opossum’s lifespan now clocking in at seven days, it is time to reveal one of many solutions to item #11 in the book… A Riddle at Intermission: Sanada Meets Elmsley. As some of you know, this concept (a “pathway item” in Lorayne terms) merges an ancient optical ploy with the venerable tactic at the heart of Alex Elmsley’s Between the Palms.

While Sanada Meets Elmsley offers a seemingly Goldbergian, roughly-sketched example of SPR (steal-peek-replace) in action, the simple insertion of an additional component takes this notion to an entirely new place. In celebration of August 13, I present for your reasonably unfettered access a nifty SPMR (steal-peek-MODIFY-replace) application.

Basic Effect:

Volunteer #1 thinks of any object, sketches it (unseen by the performer) on a business card, and shows the drawing to volunteer #2. Volunteer #1 then conceals the card securely between her palms.

Volunteer #2 freely chooses a number she can mentally associate with the secret drawing. For example, an automobile might relate to her first car – a ’72 VW Beetle. This number (72) is openly written on a second card.

Mystical incantations… burning of the number card… smoke enveloping Volunteer #1’s cupped hands…

The performer describes in dramatic fashion the object drawn on the hidden card. When shown to the audience, it is seen that the burned number has embedded itself in the drawing.

OK…

Those who find this effect intriguing can download a FREE methodological sketch at www.magnumopossum.com . In keeping with SME’s original intent, you’ll need to tame the devil in the details(!) Simply scroll down the Contents page and click on “Sanada Meets Elmsley.” The password is the last name (all lower-case) of New Jersey’s most reclusive author and publisher of rare magazines, manuscripts, and mass-market magic books.

Cheers!