Funny mentalism

[worldwideme]

Do any of our resident mentalist perform with a comical character?

i've always been attracted to mentalism. the idea of reading somebodies mind has always appealed to me. i've wanted to at least perform some mental effects with the rest of my magic. but when ever i try, the mentalism always sucks! i just fall flat on my face because i have a hard time making the character that fits me best the one that i've been working to clarify fit with mentalism.

and that character is kinda goofy, to give you the best comparison to big name magicians, i feel sort of sankey-esque in humor, but not effect, i'm more of an Ackerman/Marlo/Darwin Ortiz card worker. with some other effects sprinkled throughout, (basic coins, spongeballs, rubberbands)

but again, i've always wanted to get into mentalism, the idea of reading minds and people always just seemed more amazing than any card trick. but i could always make the card tricks more amazing with my performances. is it possible to do this with mentalism?

sincerely,
Web

Ps. Mods, if you think this belongs in a different forum, don't hesitate to move it.

 

[D ICE R]

I have a fairly serious character when I perform. I do make a few jokes here and there but on the whole everything I perform and my character is serious.

Could the reason your effects are falling flat is due to you haven't established your character and abilities first. This is very hard to do if you have performed some sleight of hand first. Take Derren's approach from his early years create distance between the magic and the mentalism.

 

[LuseifHo]

muhahahaha...
finally someone who feels the same way I do.
Comedy mentalism is the way to go my friend...
Its usually quite easy in method and all your audience enjoy it.
To kick start the proccess... Here is one of my favorite comedy mentalists, John Archer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIG28osHXhM
The first trick in the video is just balloon swallowing, but he gets into the mentalism later on.

His Educating Archer DVD... the performance is worth the price of the two DVDs.

 

[worldwideme]

muhahahaha...
finally someone who feels the same way I do.
Comedy mentalism is the way to go my friend...
Its usually quite easy in method and all your audience enjoy it.
To kick start the proccess... Here is one of my favorite comedy mentalists, John Archer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIG28osHXhM
The first trick in the video is just balloon swallowing, but he gets into the mentalism later on.

His Educating Archer DVD... the performance is worth the price of the two DVDs.

i always knew i wasnt alone! Archer was a blast!

I have a fairly serious character when I perform. I do make a few jokes here and there but on the whole everything I perform and my character is serious.

Could the reason your effects are falling flat is due to you haven't established your character and abilities first. This is very hard to do if you have performed some sleight of hand first. Take Derren's approach from his early years create distance between the magic and the mentalism.

i agree, distancing the two would help, but its supremely difficult for an ametuer (spell check wont help me spell it ) who performs mostly for high school classmates.

i've just started the character refinement this year, so your correct thats its not firmly established. do you have any suggestions on how to do that? i'm currently reading the chapters on it in strong magic over, and over, and over.

 

[Chicken]

Check out Graham P Jolley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr9z4QgcNww
http://mindreader.co.uk/

 

[Randy]

i've just started the character refinement this year, so your correct thats its not firmly established. do you have any suggestions on how to do that? i'm currently reading the chapters on it in strong magic over, and over, and over.

Reading a book a dozen times over isn't going to help you develop your character or style. The only way you are going to be able to actually develop your character is to simply perform and learn from life.

 

[Mr.MadMan]

Basically my ideas fall close to D ICE R.
Also i feel that Archer, as good as he is, kind of fails to make the impression Mentalism tries to give. Comedy magic, be it mindreading or sleight of hand or illusions is in the core method the same thing.

You are a comedian emphasizing your words with actions. Being a stand up comedian is hard because you yourself have to live throught the jokes you talk about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtk5Ej-xLsM - Gabriel Iglesias is one of my favorites. He talks about his own life(which isnt that strange, it's the best way to get materials) but he just is all over the stage. Although he hardly moves around.
So he is giving spunk with his voice(priceless).

You on the other hand should take the same thing, but put instead of voices you use the help of magic/mentalism. So if you want to do comedy my advice would be to do comedy and adding magic to make it bigger.

M.

 

[worldwideme]

Reading a book a dozen times over isn't going to help you develop your character or style. The only way you are going to be able to actually develop your character is to simply perform and learn from life.

*and doing my best to apply what i'm reading to my performances and after performances.

sorry thought that was implied

 

[praetoritevong]

Whilst I basically agree with the views expressed above, I just want to add that there certainly are comedic mentalists - and that even if you're a serious one... It doesn't stop you from being funny! You just need to control the mood appropriately.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Too true. Even Derren Brown, who has a pretty serious character, throws random jokes into his shows.

Also, Keith Barry is another comedy mentalist.

 

[Slicke]

Too true. Even Derren Brown, who has a pretty serious character, throws random jokes into his shows.

Also, Keith Barry is another comedy mentalist.

I do agree that DB throws in random jokes, but he does it in between effects, when he starts an effect, he change the atmosphere around him. An example would be when he started walking on glass in on of his shows, or when he started performing the oracle act ...

I do perform a bit of mentalism, but when i do it, i want people to take it seriously ... i don't want it to appear like a trick ... but that's just me, it fits my style

 

[Mr.MadMan]

Too true. Even Derren Brown, who has a pretty serious character, throws random jokes into his shows.

Also, Keith Barry is another comedy mentalist.

Derren does that because that is him. It's sometimes spontaneous and sometimes a scripted thing.

But from what i have studied Keith Barry, he isn't a comedy Mentalist. He just kind of tells jokes to get people in the mood. You can't really do a russian roulette where you are blindfolded whilst telling a joke about two alligators drinking wine.

So my point is, Keith Barry is not a Comedy Mentalist.

M.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Keith Barry calls himself a comedy mentalist in his interview with Dod Vickers from like two years ago. To paraphrase, because it's been a bit since I listened to it, "I consider it comedy mentalism. I want people to have a good laugh, and be amazed. In that order."

Slicke - the example I was thinking of specifically was during the 20-questions routine in, I believe, Evening of Wonder.

 

[Mr.MadMan]

Keith Barry calls himself a comedy mentalist in his interview with Dod Vickers from like two years ago. To paraphrase, because it's been a bit since I listened to it, "I consider it comedy mentalism. I want people to have a good laugh, and be amazed. In that order."

Slicke - the example I was thinking of specifically was during the 20-questions routine in, I believe, Evening of Wonder.

Okay, i will have to look that up again. I remember the last part but not the comedy mentalism part. Ill look it up and get back to you on that.

M.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Looked up the date for you. Magic Newswire Podcast #66, 27/10/2008. Good interview, the first MWR I ever listened to.