Remember,
Remember
By Simon
Lovell and Ned the Lemming
When
I first started learning magic (many,
many years ago) I read that one wonderful
aspect of magic was just how spectators
remembered the effects they had been
shown at a later date. In many cases
they would remember something so totally
different to what they'd been shown
that the effect was an impossibility
of mythical proportions. At first
I didn't believe this to be the case
- I mean just how hard could it be
for someone to remember a trick? We
all remember names, words (meaning
and spelling) and places pretty well
so what was so different about a magic
trick?
Of
course I was wrong not to believe.
Show an effect where a ball appears
under a cup and, several Chinese Whispers
later, you'll have produced twenty
five. Show an effect where a card
appears in your wallet and a while
later they'll believe you made their
wife appear in the wallet! Actually,
that last one may be a tad extreme,
but you get the idea! I even have
the same problem myself. I can watch
an act and my perception can be completely
different to what happened. Actually
I often forget just what I did myself
around twenty minutes after a show
is over!!
Now
it is pretty cool to garner this kind
of reputation as a wonder kid (except
for occasional back fires when somebody
asks you dem an effect their friend
told them about but that's another
column all together!) but rather than
letting their imaginations run riot
wouldn't it be even cooler if you
could somehow force their minds along
a track of your choice? In other words,
control how their perceptions allow
the effect to grow in their mind?
Within
limits I believe through careful structure
this is entirely possible. Of course
it would be crazy to expect a 100%
success rate but even a 50-60% success
rate is pretty good for you.
A
very good example of this 'tracking'
(as Ned calls it) is the end of David
Williamson's Cups and Balls routine.
The last time I saw him do it he produced
three lemons at the end THEN picked
up his bag and poured lemons all over
the table! A funny bit, sure BUT he's
also started the process of, later,
them forgetting the prop bag and just
remembering the table full of lemons.
From there it is a flea's leap to
them remembering that he actually
produced a table full of lemons! Rather
than let them expand the effect themselves,
he planted a seed to grow along the
lines he wanted them to remember.
Another
example is my routine Another Departed
Point (a kinda meld of Alex Elmsley's
Between Your Palms and Point of Departure
routines). Although three cards are
at one point under the helper's hand,
two are swiftly shown and removed
then placed in my pocket. I then distance
myself from the third and final card
and do a huge sell on how this couldn't
be the signed card, "You've had you
hand on the card the whole time, before
any were taken or signed!" They turn
the card and, "It is indeed, the signed
card!" The key words are when I point
out and stress the impossibility (hand
on the card the WHOLE time, BEFORE
any were taken or signed). That's
what they remember even though, we
all know, it's impossible and, ergo,
did not happen that way. Because the
last card is so strong they'll often
forget the other two altogether. I've
asked to perform the effect , "You
let me hold a card. Then I'll get
Fred to sign another one. Then Fred's
card will vanish and I'll be holding
it!" I wish I had a few other effects
as clean as that would be were it
possible!
There
are standard lines that can help.
Even though a card is chosen you can
later say, "What was the card you
THOUGHT of?" Bingo! They'll remember,
in many cases, just thinking of a
card! During the age old Ash Trick
you have to touch them to load the
ash but later, when time and presentation
have passed you can say, "You've had
your hands clenched into fists all
the way through, haven't you?" They'll
nod their head but it's not quite
what happened. Later they'll swear
you didn't go within ten feet of them!
But
you see the point. By carefully stressing
certain factors and playing others
down, by planned structure of the
effect and a splash of all important
time - misdirection (and direction
- nod to Tommy Wonder) the thought
process of their thinking can be affected
to be as you wish!
I
wrote that, "It's not what they see
that matters, it's not what you do
that matters, it's what they perceive
you as having done that matters!"
I still think that the statement is
correct; it's just that I like to
help them out on the 'perceived as
having done' bit to make the magic
they remember as a fulfilling and
fun experience.
Hope
you enjoyed our railings this time!
All
the best,
Simon and Ned
PS Exposure wasn't mentioned once
in the column!
PPS Except in the PS!
