by Larry Becker and Lee Earle
Bold, Easy and Entertaining Mentalism!
Four 3.5 x 5 inch plastic cards from a popular parlor game are handed to individuals in your audience. They verify that each one bears the identical four questions to be answered, regarding a person's horoscope sign, a phone number, a romantic experience, and a movie star. Each person is requested to fill in short but complete answers to all four questions and then to pass all cards, face down, to a fifth person who mixes and holds them.
You turn over the top card and show it to the audience, asking, "I wonder whose handwriting this is? This is certainly a person in a hurry. Of course that goes with the horoscope sign here, Libra." All four persons who answered questions are asked to stand, look at the card and think to themselves, "I am not a Libra!"
"Libras are lousy liars," you alliterate, "even when they are just thinking about fibbing." Pointing to one of the four you continue, "You have guilt written all over your face - you a re the Libra and your birthday is...October 23, correct?" The noted participant agrees and is asked to sit down.
You take another card from the face-down pile held by the fifth helper, look at the answers written there and remark, "This person's first kiss was in 1992. Would you please think of where you were at the time? I mean the city, not just 'the back seat'. In that year, you (pointing to one of the three still standing) were in ...Columbus Ohio. Am I right?" The amazed helper agrees and takes his seat. Two participants remain standing.
A third card is looked at, and then you say, "Both of you, close your eyes please. One of you wrote a friend's phone number, (reading it from the card) 488-0980, so imagine dialing your friend right now. Someone answers - a man." You point to one of the two participants and announce, "Think about the person you are calling...it's your friend, Phillip Mason! Is that true?" Of course it is.
"My awesome powers," you mention with tongue-in-cheek, "have already identified who wrote on that last card, but rather than reading the information, let's leave it unseen and work directly with his mind." As you draw with a felt marker on a large pad, he is requested to visualize the movie whose title he wrote down and to visualize meeting one of the stars in person for an autograph. "What is the celebrity name you entered on your card," you ask. "Tom Cruise," he replies. "Let's go further. Think of your favorite movie starring Tom Cruise...name it, please." He says it is 'Mission Impossible'. You turn the pad around to show the 'autograph' of Tom Cruise below the title, Mission Impossible!
Shhhh! requires nothing other than a group of people ready to be entertained. No sleights, no gimmicks, no special performing conditions, no stooges, and nothing to replace make Shhhh! outstanding Mentalism. You get the cards, pens detailed instructions, and tips for 'extra touches' to use with this entertaining routine.
