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Im doing a mentalism show. For my first effect I'm going to do a mind stunt, to show I have a powerful brain. The lines (script) so far go like this:

(I don't know what to say here...) ..."We're going to do some mind stuff some brain work here. But before we do any of this I'm going to have to warm up by doing a little exercise. Here's what I'm going to do..."

Then I go into the Mind stunt. So what should I say before I start this? Or better asked what am I trying to do here with whatever line it is that I'll put in? What am I trying to target? What's the piont of this line?

Whatever you do say, it needs get them interested very quickly.

These days people have a very short attention span, so what you say and how you say it will decide if you're worth listening to or not.

Think about what will 'hook' them quickly so they want to know more.

Don't forget to introduce yourself in the process,

John

U THINK I KNOW wrote:Im doing a mentalism show. For my first effect I'm going to do a mind stunt, to show I have a powerful brain. The lines (script) so far go like this:

(I don't know what to say here...) ..."We're going to do some mind stuff some brain work here. But before we do any of this I'm going to have to warm up by doing a little exercise. Here's what I'm going to do..."

Then I go into the Mind stunt. So what should I say before I start this? Or better asked what am I trying to do here with whatever line it is that I'll put in? What am I trying to target? What's the piont of this line?

What you are trying to do is the most difficult part of magic. Putting it together, patter etc. It is very hard to help without knowing you, your style etc, what works for one won't work for another.

Your 'intro' would never work for me. (I don't know what to say here) For me? 'Brian is the name, Magic is the game, If you want to see it, I got it, If I got it, you can't go to bed without it" Okay not really because I don't have that kind of nerve. But you should have an introduction. You want your audience to personalize you.

Second part. Why warm up? Are you not a professional? Do you not know what you are doing? I didn't pay to exercise. I paid to watch you magish, so get on with the show magic boy.

You are booked as a mentalist? You are billed as a Mentalist? You advertised as a Mentalist? Then why do you feel the need to get on the stage and tell me you are going to do 'mind stuff'?

Why are you telling me what you are going to do? Why not just go ahead and do it?

Attention spans are really short. You gotta grab 'em from the get go and keep on going. Yes there are some routines where you want to tell them in advance what you are going to do, but very few. Mentalism is difficult enough to keep the audiences attention because 'mentalists' try to over prove themselves and prattle on and on about what they are going to do, how impossible it is, how amazing it is, how you can't see through, the coins that are taped to your eyes, then the guaze over that, then the blindfold, then the steel blindfold, then the bag, then the hood and then...then the mentalist turns his back to the audience anyway. So what was the point of all the blindfolding?

It is akin to the illusionist banging each board to prove there are no hidden doors. Nobody believes you anyway. Stop it and get on with the show!

So you are up there, going to tell them what you are going to do, and then do it? why not just do it!

(okay I got off topic)

How about something like.

Hi, I'm Brian, I see Y'all had nothing better to do today than watch me do a little mentalism, play with your mind, bend you to my very will, have you do my bidding! Ready? alright you Sir in the front row, get up here. I know you want to I can feel it! Everyone give the man a round of applause for being so brave. ...

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Mark Lewis. I expect you know yours"

There. That should get you started. Use your own name though. If you use mine someone might shoot you.

mark lewis wrote:"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Mark Lewis. I expect you know yours"

There. That should get you started. Use your own name though. If you use mine someone might shoot you.

Hats off, that is quite brilliant.

Especially for a mentalist! They can then segue into some claptrap or other about how he knows things that the audience DOESN'T know!

It really depends on who and what you're trying to be, mine is usually something along the lines of

"oh, erm hi all! Did anyone else have trouble with the traffic today? Let me just pop my coat down and we'll get going", as I run onto the stage looking a bit flustered.

It suits my hippy, slightly ditsy persona. It breaks the ice and give the audience a bit a of a glimpse at of my character.

Thank you all for your advice, "bmat" thanks for that some hard hitting editing or like I like to think of it "polishing"

I say "here's what I'm going to do I'll ask you sir think of a number..." So I go right into the first effect.

And " that little intro I give is because I want to create curiosity. The "But before we do any of this..." is a way to brake the tension for me. It just before we start I'll start.

I f you think that's a bad way to do let me have it

I'm just trying to work out "Welcome? thanks for having me? hi I'm U THINK I KNOW? What should be the very first word?

My attitude is a bit elegant, a bit sharp, and I want them to think of me more as someone that has a very capable brain, they should almost think "my god this guy just knows, he can do anything with his brain"

How about just “good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am *insert name here* and I would like to take you on a journey of the mind”

Are you telling a story or just banging out a bunch of stunts? That's what the real question is.

"Good evening. My name is ______, and i am going to lie to you tonight-but not as much as you will end up lying to yourself/youselves."

I haven't done mentalism for years but this is what I used to say after the good evening stuff.

"Tonight I am going to take you on a journey to the centre of the mind. Some of what I do is real and some of it is not so real. I'll let you figure out which is which"

U THINK I KNOW wrote:Thank you all for your advice, "bmat" thanks for that some hard hitting editing or like I like to think of it "polishing"

I say "here's what I'm going to do I'll ask you sir think of a number..." So I go right into the first effect.

And " that little intro I give is because I want to create curiosity. The "But before we do any of this..." is a way to brake the tension for me. It just before we start I'll start.

I f you think that's a bad way to do let me have it

I'm just trying to work out "Welcome? thanks for having me? hi I'm U THINK I KNOW? What should be the very first word?

My attitude is a bit elegant, a bit sharp, and I want them to think of me more as someone that has a very capable brain, they should almost think "my god this guy just knows, he can do anything with his brain"

"Sir, Please think of a number, don't tell anyone..."

You seem to be stuck on this idea that you have to tell them what you are going to do before you do it, and you have to tell them what you are going to tell them what you are going to do before you do it.

Be bold, be confident, just do it! All you are doing is wasting words and time. What I would recommend is that you track down and join your local chapter of Toast Masters so you can learn how to speak in front of people.

As for the last part about being able to do anything with your brain or at least having them think that is not going to be decided in the introduction. They will come to that conclusion at the end. You can't force that type of opinion about yourself on others. Nature will have to take its course.

Instead of having that fore thought in your head (its false anyway, you are doing a magic trick) why not just shoot for entertain using mentalism, be the absolute best at it and if you present properly the audience will decide your ability or lack of.

The other thing that may be helpful with this though process is, if you can do anything with your brain, why are you asking them to think of a number. Certainly there are more important and impressive things you can come up with then finding out what number a person is thinking of?

Sorry If I seem harsh, I don't mean to be, just want to make it so you see the different perspectives.

Listen to Ricky Jay, the way he speaks and interacts. Obviously what works for him is not going to work for you or perhaps anyone else. But the core is there. And don't try to compare yourself to him, he is after all one of the best magicians in the world. Think of him as a teacher. click on the link and enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtgUSUHnzLI

U THINK I KNOW wrote:I say "here's what I'm going to do I'll ask you sir think of a number..."

I really don't like presentations that say "what I'm going to do". If you must pre-empt actually asking for a number, please avoid the commentary-style presentation:
1. here's what I'm going to do
2. I'm going to do this
3. (do the thing)
4. so here's what I did

Maybe instead, something like
"In a moment I'm going to ask you to think of a number, but there are some important considerations. Most people when asked for a number between 1 and 10 will choose 7. Most people when asked for a number between 10 and 20 will choose 13 or 17. So let's go for a 2-digit number greater than 20. Change your mind a few times and then settle on one that you're happy with..."

U THINK I KNOW wrote:I'm just trying to work out "Welcome? thanks for having me? hi I'm U THINK I KNOW? What should be the very first word?
My attitude is a bit elegant...

"Good evening" works. Or "Ladies and Gentlemen". Or start with a "fact":
"A truly focussed human mind is capable of ... and I have made it my life's work to understand its inner workings. Ladies and Gentlemen my name is ..."

I don't equate "hi" with "elegant".

Please let us know what you decide to go with.

Ian