Ian Rowland - Alpha Mentalism Lecture Notes.pdf - Ian Rowland - mcgregor2001

Lecture Notes

Set 1: Mentalism

Alpha Series

Alpha series Lecture Notes

Set 1: Mentalism

by Ian Rowland

Contents

Light Metal .................................................................................................... 2

Thought Hash ................................................................................................... 12

The Subliminal Prediction ................................................................................. 19

Elephant From Matchbox .................................................................................. 28

The No Method Drawing Duplication ................................................................ 36

Preludes ............................................................................................................ 45

Alpha Series Lecture Notes Set 1: Mentalism

Published by Ian Rowland Limited

All text and freehand line illustrations by Ian

Rowland

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Alpha series set 1: Mentalism

Light Metal

As I explain in the lecture, this routine has been part of my shows for as long as 1 can

remember. I often use it as an ice-breaker or an opener. To those of us in the trade, the

method is trivial. However, in my experience:

- audiences love it

- audiences are genuinely baffled and impressed by it

- it is easy and fun to perform

Effect

The theme is that of psychics who give 'test conditions' demonstrations of their amazing

powers. The Performer invites a spectator on stage to help, and to examine some stainless

steel spoons. In a variety of entertaining, humorous and dramatic ways, the spectator

proves that the spoons are genuine and unprepared; there are no 'strange chemicals'

involved; and no sleight of hand or suspicious moves. Nonetheless, the Performer holds

one of the examined spoons, and without any moves or cover causes it to slowly and

visibly bend. Eventually, it breaks completely.

What You Need

A selection of stainless steel spoons (see notes below)

A metal tray

A piece of cloth or silk to cover the props prior to use

Preparation

There is nothing new about the preparation - you put a 'fat frac' (a fatigue fracture) into one

spoon by bending it back and forth until it is almost ready to break. More or less everyone

who has ever used this method has their own preferred way of doing it. Let me just add my

two cents, based on experience.

The Fat Frac

When you fat frac a spoon, it gets hot. Very hot indeed. For this reason, some people

suggest you can prepare the spoon under a cold tap or in a basin full of cold water. This

Ian Rowland Lecture Notes

isn't always practical, it's messy, it slows the process down, and it makes it more or less

impossible to use the correct grip (as explained below). It is simpler and more practical to

just wrap the spoon in a handkerchief or piece of cloth.

Grip the spoon face up (that is, so the spoon could hold soup) between your hands, as

shown. In the illustration, I've omitted the handkerchieflcloth or else the illustration would

be pointless.

Your left thumb rests firmly on the top of the spoon's neck, precisely above the spot where

you are going to 'stress' the spoon. The left fingers are curled around the bowl from below -

this isn't very comfortable, but you can bear it. The right thumb, also on the top of the neck,

is just a little short of the tip of the left thumb. The right fingers grip the spoon's neck very

firmly from below.

As far as you can, try to get your elbows, your thumbs and the neck of the spoon aligned

straight across your body and parallel to the floor. This is indicated by the dotted line in the

illustration below left.

It is impossible to achieve perfectly straight alignment (at least 1find it is), but just get as

close as you can. This is your Starting Position. You can now begin to fatigue fracture the

spoon.

As I demonstrate in the ledure, don't just bend the spoon using the strength from your

wrists, hands and thumbs. You will get a better result if you generate the necessary strength

and force using your whole arms, especially the entire forearm area, which you channel

downwards through your thumbs into the neck of the spoon. Using this method, put a slight

bend in the neck of the spoon. In the second illustration, I have exaggerated the extent of

the downward movement for clarity. Keeping your grip perfectly constant, bend the spoon

up again until you return to the flat, level Starting Position. Never go upwards beyond the

horizontal level from which you started.

Alpha series set 1: Mentalism

Repeat this process, using slow, deliberate actions. Keep returning to the Starting Position,

with everything in alignment. Keep your grip constant from the start of this process until it is

completed. It's harder work than you might think, but it does produce good results! If the

spoon gets too hot, you may need to stop for a while to let it cool down. Do this just by

holding it in the Starting Position. Do not let go of the spoon, or put it down, or change

your grip at all.

Eventually, you will have developed the fracture until only a thin 'skin' of metal is actually

keeping the bowl attached to the handle. This is the Ready Point, and it becomes easier to

judge with practice.-You can handle the spoon fairly freely, and it will stay intact. However,

with a little extra persuasion at the stress point during performance, the bowl will break

away completely.

If you pre-stress the spoon correctly, it will still look more or less as it did to start with. There

will be some evidence of the fatigue fracture - most of it on the underside of the neck, but

some on top where it can (in theory) be seen. Don't worry about anyone noticing thii

during the show - they never do. These tell-tale cracks are rather like the marks on a

marked deck: obvious if you know what to look for and where to look, and otherwise

invisible.

Prepare several spoons until you have two good ones that show minimal evidence of the

fatigue fracture. One is for the show, and the other is a reserve in case anything happens to

the first one before your show.

Supplementary note 1: the 'hacksaw' method

Instead of using the fat frac, some deceivers use a fine hacksaw blade to saw through the

neck of the spoon from the back until it is at the Ready Point. The supposed advantage is

that it is theoretically possible to leave the front of the spoon's neck looking more or less

perfectly intact. If you want to pursue this, you can even buy a very fine hacksaw blade,

snap a section off, and carry it around with you. Thus you are prepared to attack any

spoons you want to use for 'impromptu' demonstrations.

I have tried the 'saw' approach in the past, but 1 prefer the fat frac. I happen to believe it

creates a more 'natural' looking break when the spectators are examining the spoon

afterwards (which they usually do). I also don't have to worry about whether or not I have

my 'pocket saw' with me.

Supplementary note 2: clever touches that aren't

This is also a good time to mention several touches which I've heard about or tried over the

years, just so that I can tell you not to waste your time on them. Some clever souls, worried

that the fatigue fracture leaves a few visible cracks, have tried to hide them using putty, wax

or filler. They rub the putty (or whatever) into the neck, then polish or burnish the spoon so

the cracks are concealed and the spoon looks brand new again. First of all - not necessary.

The spectators never notice the cracks. Second of all - doesn't work. You just end up with a

spoon covered in unsightly gunk.

Another fun waste of time is to fat frac the spoon, then get your aerosol of silvery paint and

give the spoon a re-spray, making it look as good as new! It's the same story: not necessary,

doesn't work.

Ian Rowland Lecture Notes

Ian Rowland - Alpha Mentalism Lecture Notes.pdf

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