One fantastic piece of wisdom from the Granpa Theo, from "Practical Mental Effects" (which you can read for FREE in HERE https://mentalismclassics.blogspot.com/ )
Gems are hidden for those who are seeking.
ALWAYS read deeply, read between the lines, and read the classics.
I love how, from the beginnings of the resurgence and beginnings of Mentalism in the XX Century, Theo gave so much importance about the "presentation", and overall Outer Reality. We are perceived by our audience via our communication, and if you have a background as a Magician, it is highly imperative that you throw away all mannerisms and clichés that found necessary in your roles as Magician.
Mentalism is about the mind, of course right? So, we need to apply this simple notion into our performance in an holistic manner.
DONT do fast movements
DONT do explicit sleight of hand
DONT talk like a normal magician
DONT be too explicit or direct (instead learn to use Indirection)
BE Casual in your performance
A fantastic example of this comes from Bob
In his performance you are clearly not perceiving a magician with fast hands and illusions, but a person who is moving papers that are fully motivated, but focusing all the attention into the process of Mindreading.
Thats why I love so much the Minimalist approach to performance. Yes, directs more responsibility in yourself and it is more complex at the initial efforts, but it is highly effective in the real world.
Be simple, be clear, be powerful.
Thanks Theo for your insights.
They are VERY needed in this modern age of fake Mentalists.
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