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for the big crowds

Posted: April 24th, 2003, 7:53 pm
by Guest
Hi I have a questions for the guys on this site you do a mentalism show for huge audiences, like corporate audiences. Since in Mentalism we dont have huge props like boxes and stuff, what kind of effects do you use for big audiences like a audience of 500 or more? How does it play to the whole audience? Is having a projector a important thing then if you are doing a big show and you are a mentalist?

thanks
Amir

Re: for the big crowds

Posted: April 25th, 2003, 12:18 am
by IanB
Amir,

One of the advantages of mentalism is that you can hold a big crowd without needing big props. It's the fascination, personality and stage skills of the entertainer, the involvement of spectators and the sheer interest level of the topic that do it. So projectors are certainly not necessary.

In fact you'll find in the corporate world that professional business speakers rarely need to use projectors either - they just get on stage and "act" and the audience are held by it. It's the amateurs who get up and show an endless series of slides which it would have been easier to just read privately. Many advanced courses in presentation skills for business people teach them how to throw away the projector and present by themselves using the skills of acting and stagecraft.

Rgds,

Ian

Re: for the big crowds

Posted: May 15th, 2003, 12:34 pm
by Guest
Amir,

Great question.

One of the advantages of being a mentalist is the ability to work with minimal props, yet to great effect.

The illusion to the audience should be of you reading their minds, with little to no help in the process.

Drawing duplication, book tests, telling someone something about themselves that no one else there might know, nailing someone's license plate number, name of their dog or whatever, is something that will play really big for an audience.

Back when, Hal Holbrook did a one man show playing Mark Twain. One guy, a chair, table, background and a cigar. He held the audience spellbound for almost 2 hours!

Just telling stories, making quips and social commentary as Twain would have, based on his writings, he won award after award, got a national TV special and more from this "simple" concept.

As a mentalist, one should be able to do the same and (while not as well, probably - Hal Holbrook is one helluvan actor) with similar effect on the audience.

But mentalism has been called the most difficult of the magical arts to perform for just that reason - there are no props to prop you up and to distract the eyes and imaginations of the audience. It's just you and them.

Making it convincing and emotionally connecting with the audience is the really tough part, not looking at the little piece of paper you might be hiding in your hand.

Uri Geller played to crowds of thousands while just bending keys and spoons. Dunninger did it on radio!

Work to your strengths and do your best to convey to every member of the audience the emotional impact of what you are doing and almost whatever you perform CAN play big.

It depends on you.

Need I say more?

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.
http://www.leedarrow.com

Re: for the big crowds

Posted: May 16th, 2003, 12:06 pm
by Guest
Interesting you should mention Hal Holbrook.

I was on the set of "Shade" as an extra, and saw Holbrook, in his role as The Professor, take some very hollow sounding lines, and turn them into a stunningly accurate portrayal of Dai Vernon upbraiding a magician.

In spite of take after take (due to live sound recording issues in The Castle), Holbrook's lines became more interesting and believable, rather than less, as he shaped and stretched and melded his persona to the role. It was a magical transformation.

During the downtime, Holbrook was playing with a deck of cards, and after noticing an improper grip I was able to help him perfect his Charlier Cut. His face lit up like a child's as he slowly transposed the packets, and a little while later I saw this great actor, the spitting image of Vernon, showing off his flourish on the set to the ladies. Oy Dai!

--Randy Campbell

Re: for the big crowds

Posted: May 23rd, 2003, 9:47 am
by Guest
Originally posted by Randy Campbell:
Interesting you should mention Hal Holbrook.

I was on the set of "Shade" as an extra, and saw Holbrook, in his role as The Professor, take some very hollow sounding lines, and turn them into a stunningly accurate portrayal of Dai Vernon upbraiding a magician.

In spite of take after take (due to live sound recording issues in The Castle), Holbrook's lines became more interesting and believable, rather than less, as he shaped and stretched and melded his persona to the role. It was a magical transformation.

During the downtime, Holbrook was playing with a deck of cards, and after noticing an improper grip I was able to help him perfect his Charlier Cut. His face lit up like a child's as he slowly transposed the packets, and a little while later I saw this great actor, the spitting image of Vernon, showing off his flourish on the set to the ladies. Oy Dai!

--Randy Campbell
Envy, Randy, EN-VY!!!

Working on that set had to be an experience and, from what I understand, Mr. Holbrook is every inch a gentleman as well.

Please share some of what went on, by all means!!

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.
http://www.leedarrow.com