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if you were going to build a seance table for 13 people, from stratch, any advice or tips?

Is this a plan of yours to do ??...

What do you want to achieve, what effects do you already use? What phenomema (sp) do you want to manifest?...

Fairie x

The Magic Castle seance room is exactly that. A Dinner evening + a seance (the room is somekind of a gigantic automaton) for 12 guests + the magician.
After the dinner, the local magician introduces himself and the seance with a personal bizarre effect. After the introduction, the shows begin...
Once again, there are various way to introduce the subject of seances.
Amho, the most credible way to do, is to openly introduce the theatrical reproduction of a private seance from the early XIXth/XXth century. Then, do everything possible to make them forget that it's theater...
(Everything and everybody should be accurate with the era, from the dinner to the groom and maid.)
Scott Davis' Seance is an excellent source for effects and information.
You may also decide for a steampunk seance, a Jack the Ripper, a Cottingley fairies...
Another approach is a ghost stories evening, but that's another ... story.
May I suggest this link: http://www.victorianlondon.org/

Here a picture of my own cabinet of Vanities

i have the premises already kitted with victorian furniture, next door to a fine dining resturaunt

i want to go for the theme of aurthur C doyle vs houdini, the irrational vs the rational

sort of, jastrow vs jung

this is my working motto "real deception is deceptively real"

as the curator suggests, i want to cross the line

i can introduce any kit required into fabric of building

regards

But what do you want to do? As the Curator says seance and I'd add The Bigger Book of Boo. What is it you want? Levitation, PK, a cueing device for specs. Get the traveler journal too and you've got some nice ideas, how you use them is up to you.

cross between Manifestations and what curators reports at magic castle

if arthur c clarke was here = an investigation: are seances real

Who says Conan Doyle was irrational

For a seance table I would suggest a table. Then hold a seance. Viola.

Don't forget that the Magic Castle seance part happens in total darkness (the first part is a light seance).
I've done that kind of evening for larger groups in a restaurant (40 seats).
We use 2 rooms, one for dinner and one for seances.
The light seance was a quite long bizarre/storytelling show and the dark seance was a very short (5 minutes) show based on poltergeist activity.
The dark part is described in Compendium Sortilegionis.

For those who are interested in the true art of the seance, this little beauty is still available to enlightened souls!

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic27753. ... ntertainer

themagicwand wrote:For those who are interested in the true art of the seance, this little beauty is still available to enlightened souls!

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic27753. ... ntertainer

Very good it is too.

I do think people should also see this stuff in action though, to understand just how well it flies.

Is that your book Paul? I might have to get that this month as it seems I can't have what else I want. I can't even get to have a look at that thread yet.

abecedarianmind... have you ever performed a Seance?

How about attending both, real ones as well as those rigged to the hilt by other magicians?

95% of the magicians that attempt to set up a Seance try to do too much and rely more than need be, on gaffs and gimmicks. If however, you are after a Disney approved style Seance then maybe Manifestations would be a decent guideline... though I've not seen the BOO Book, I'm familiar with what Christian can deliver e.g. it's a great source along with the various Borodin books... Final Curtain having some very cool Seance/Haunted Routines.

In my experience and that of many I've spoken with over the years that specialize in this sort of work, it takes a great deal of time to properly research and develop this kind of attraction. If however, you own the Victorian building you've mentioned, you may want to look at (given the size) creating a Mystery B&B that works in tandem with your neighbor i.e. they supply your food & bar, you supply the facility and muse. I have a huge chunk of my PSYCHIC TECHNOLOGIES manual dedicated to this sort of thing but would discourage you from taking short-cuts.

I do highly recommend that you get Paul Bell's booklet on doing Seance work "for real". You will also want to brush up on your Q&A work (Jon Riggs has several treatments on this topic that you'll find of great value. There is also the new Bob Cassidy compendium); one particular routine I've used many times in Seance settings is Nelson's VISIONS OF TOMORROW; it's a crystal gazing bit that's quite cool in that you hand the slip you are divining straight back to the guest you are Reading... it fools magicians (and I've seen it used in Spiritualists churches, so it must be solid )

In regards to your table let me give you some unsolicited advice... DON'T DO IT!

A table that large is a royal pain to deal with and chances are quite likely, you'll be coughing up a huge sum of cash for something you can't readily use anywhere down the road should you have to close the act. Secondly, if you have the unit too gimmicked you run a huge risk of having your tricks & whistles discovered by nosy patrons (check out my pm however)

Just a few things to contemplate

first thoughts - i didnt expect to get so many gems of advice - sincere thank you

indeed, thank you

next, if you are near birmingham, please come see - dinner will be on me

finally, have an antique restorer on side, so props will not be expensive

but would like suggestions regarding pulleys and electronics

off to digest info - brb

Reverend Tristan wrote:Is that your book Paul? I might have to get that this month as it seems I can't have what else I want. I can't even get to have a look at that thread yet.

Yes it is Tristan. I thiught you had it? If not, you get the price of the book knocked off the workshop fee. PM me if interested.

It was available through Lebanon Circle, but as the site is closed til March you get it direct from me.