Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski

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Tom Frame
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Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski

Postby Tom Frame » March 7th, 2011, 2:53 pm

Mes(s)merize (ebook) by Stefan Olschewski $20.00
24 pages, 10 photos
Available at: http://www.stefanmagie.de/shop.htm


Okay, I know that youre dying to find out the story behind the odd spelling of this product, so lets get right to it. In this mentalism effect by Stefan Olschewski, the audience makes a mess on stage and then the performer proceeds to mesmerize them. Got it? Good.

Mr. Olschewski writes well and does a good job of teaching the material. He includes his effective performance script. The photos are clear and helpful.

I commend the author for providing a robust list of credits. I learned that in 1993, German magician Bruno Hennig released Joros hundertprozentige Vorhersage in Alfred Kellerhofs magazine Zaubertrichter. This is a Stop Trick using a deck of cards.

Mr. Olschewski dispensed with the deck of cards and developed this effect. He uses Hennigs idea of isolating the prediction in a glass and essentially the same very old method for doing the dirty work. The author also employs an element from Jon Tremaines Close-Up Mental Act.

A black envelope containing a prediction rests inside of a clear wine glass atop a table in the center of the stage. In the audience, beneath the seated butts of dozens of unwitting people are the performers business card, a small envelope and a pencil.

During the show, the performer asks audience members to concentrate on a word or image, write it on the card and seal it in the envelope.

The performer throws a crumpled paper ball into the audience. The crowd tosses it around and a participant is selected. She joins the performer on stage.

The audience participants toss, throw, scale, or otherwise hurl their envelopes onto the stage. Air mail?

The participant picks up a half dozen envelopes and fans them toward the performer. She freely touches an envelope. The performer removes the envelope from the fan.

To free up his hands and allow him to dispose of the other envelopes, the performer briefly places the selected envelope in the wine glass, in front of his prediction. Once the other envelopes are pocketed, the performer removes the selected envelope from the wine glass.

He opens the flap and allows the participant to remove his business card. She reads the word. She takes the prediction envelope out of the glass, removes the performers prediction and displays it. The performer correctly predicted the audience members thought.

As a final kicker, the performer asks her to open up the paper ball that gained her entry onto the stage. They read it aloud to reveal that the performer correctly predicted the participants name, as well as the randomly selected thought.

Youll need to buy a bunch of envelopes, business cards, pencils and some secret stuff. It only takes a few moments to prepare the effect. It will take a bit more time and cause searing lower back pain to place envelopes, business cards and pencils under dozens of chairs in the audience.

Despite Mr. Olschewskis assurance that it will kill the audience, I dont like the final kicker. Unless the performer gets very lucky, neither the participant nor the crowd will actually see the participants name on the paper ball. Its an implicit effect and it strikes me as being anticlimactic. Id leave it out.

Otherwise, this is a strong effect. While no new methods are employed, Mr. Olschewskis handling is well constructed. The performers actions are well motivated and shouldnt arouse any suspicions. Its cool that the freely selected envelope is always in full view.

I like it.


The Economy Version: Mr. Olschewski developed this version to avoid having to buy and lug around all of those envelopes. Its also better suited for parlor or close up performances.

A black envelope containing a prediction rests inside of a clear wine glass on the table. The performers business card and a pencil are beneath the audience members seats.

The previously described procedures are followed up to the point where the crowd has thrown the business cards onto the stage. The on-stage participant picks up only the business cards that are writing side down. She freely selects one and the effect concludes as described.

I like it.


Afterthoughts and Bonus Routines: The author describes variant effects in which the performer predicts a drawing, name of a city, model and color of a car, a phone number and a headline.

Mike Ince, Luca Volpe and Greg Arce offer ten more versions.

These are clever ideas that provide additional value for your buck. I like them.

If you like to make a mess while messing with minds, Mes(s)merize is a must.


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Tom Frame
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Re: Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski

Postby Tom Frame » March 7th, 2011, 5:44 pm

Whoops! Bruno's last name is Henning, not Hennig. Apologies.

Brad Henderson
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Re: Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski

Postby Brad Henderson » March 7th, 2011, 6:39 pm

I thought it was hennig too

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski

Postby Richard Kaufman » March 7th, 2011, 7:52 pm

It is "Hennig," and I changed it in Tom's review. Bruno Hennig.
Not Henning.
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Tom Frame
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Re: Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski

Postby Tom Frame » March 8th, 2011, 8:35 am

Thanks, Richard.

Caleb Wiles
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Re: Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski

Postby Caleb Wiles » April 23rd, 2011, 12:57 am

Thanks for the review, Tom. I pretty much agree with what you said. You can read my full review here if you're interested: http://www.calebwilesmagic.com/?p=1275

Caleb
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Stefan O.
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Re: Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski

Postby Stefan O. » September 17th, 2011, 4:15 pm

Thank you both Tom an Caleb for your reviews!

And yes, it's Hennig, not Henning - the print edition which is available now has the correct name in the credits.

best regards

Stefan


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