Mental Underground

Ken Dyne’s mental underground is a rare place. It is exclusively there that you can learn the professional working routines of one of the UK’s busiest working mentalists.

There are no theory routines or ideas, many of the routines are used in every performance by some of the world’s top entertainers.

You can find out more about the routines, read the effects and learn the secrets of these audience pleasers at www.MentalUnderground.com

Body Chart

This mentalism routine came out of a conversation with my friend Colin McLeod about “The Baby Gag”. The conversation was a long one. In lasted probably 3 months.

I’ve always loved the way Cassidy uses the Baby gag in his Presidential Portraits routine in his Principillia, but being a British guy always thought it was a bit of a streeetch for my audiences. Plus, as I’m sure you know by now, I don’t like to perform anything unless it has my own twist or take on it.

Then in the latest installment of this Baby Gag conversation we chatted about the ‘No’ gag. My mind went back and forth and then I interrupted Colin and vomited this idea at him. He got excited about it too, and I said to him I’d share it with you. Here we are.

The Effect

The performer is standing in front of a group who are excited to be entertained by you. You talk about the strange surveys you conduct as part of your interest in people.

“All kinds of crazy-sounding questions like “where did you go on holiday last?” “what’s your favourorite flavour of ice cream?” and “What would be your favourite way to die?”

Sometimes the answers are exactly as expected, “Spain,” “Chocolate,” “with a grin on my face”, but some are not exactly what you would expect.

One I did recently was “what is your favourite body part when looking for a partner?” And we got everything you might imagine, and some you probably don’t want to imagine at all.

We drew up a top 10 of body parts, I’ve had it blown up on to big card and it’s here in this envelope just so you cant see through the card and cheat.

What do you think is the #1 body part that people look for in a potential partner? Eyes, right! And what would you say is #10? It’s feet. Believe it or not. Yes, feet. It;s at the bottom of the top 10 list, but it still made the list. Yak.

Which number would you like to have a guess at?”

Someone calls out 8

“Eight it is, before we ask you what it is, let’s just check with some other folks. Yes or no, do you know for certain which body part is at number 8?

And you sir?

You madam?

No. No no and no. Lot’s of no’s.”

With that you bring out the card from the envelope and show that,“you got it right, it is the nose!”

The group laugh off the corny joke. Then you hand the card to someone near the front and ask them what the #1 thing on the list was, they call out Eyes, just as you said. And number 10 is the feet, and sitting in at the number freely called out, number 8 is...NOSE!

You hold the large card up for all to see and then lay it against your table as you continue with the show.

Modus Operandi

As with much of the best mentalism, this really is all in the presentation.

The great thing about using large printed card is that us humans tend to think that it will also be very thick and take up a lot of space. This is not the case at all.

You will need 8 pieces of card. I use 300gsm (this is the weight of the card, ask your printer) but if I was to go back and do the printing again I’d probably opt for something a little sturdier like a 450gms or something. It just gives it more sturdiness for repeat performance.

Each of the cards is printed with the image of a nose. You can find them by searching online, using stock images, taking a snap of your own or friend’s nose or having your graphic person do it. I’d always recommend doing this last one, but it does incur an expense so I want to make sure you have options.

Now on the backs, which is where the secret stuff happens, you are going to print 8 slightly differing lists. All 8 of them will have EYES as #1 and FEET as #10 because they will never be chosen.

The subtle ploy of having everyone guess what number one and number 10 are eliminates them and thus means we need fewer cards.

The numbers 2 - 9 however each take it in turn, sequentially to be printed with the word NOSE.

So on the first card, the list looks like this:

1 - Eyes2 - Nose3 - Lips/Mouth4 - Bottom5 - Neck6 - Hands7 - Stomach8 - Hair9 - Back10 - Feet

The second card is like this:

1 - Eyes2 - Lips/Mouth3 - Nose

4 - Bottom5 - Neck6 - Hands7 - Stomach8 - Hair9 - Back10 - Feet

And each card progressively moves the word NOSE down one place until all 8 cards are completed. Remember that there is no card for #1 or #10.

One thing to note is to make them believable in terms of attractiveness. This adds significantly to the strength of the routine and also prevents easy back-tracking of the method.

Take each card and cut each card progressively shorter on one end. With the first card being the shortest, and the last one tallest. This will make it easy for you finding the correct card inside of the envelope and removing it with ease.

Place the 8 pieces of card in to the envelope.

In Performance

Timing is important, for your sake.

The worst way I’ve found to perform this is have the person name the number, then walk over to the envelope and start getting out the correct card.

Instead, you’ll notice in the description you’ll already be holding the envelope when you talk about it. Whilst holding it, put your fingers inside as if you take the card out and then appear to change your mind and start asking members of the audience if they know what body part is at that number.

It is under the cover of all the no’s you get from members of the audience that your hand is still inside of the envelope and you’re flicking through the cards and grasping the correct one.

This means that at the moment of truth there is absolutely no hesitation at all of you pulling the card right through.

Some Advice Based On Experience For The Printing

Get the cards printed on matt finish and not gloss. Gloss tends to stick to itself so the cards will stick together and you’ll experience a second or even 3rd card coming along for the ride when you remove it from the envelope. With a matt finish this is far less likely to occur.