Techniques of Mentalism

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The Cassidy Lecture
Techniques of Mentalism
The Bob Cassidy Lecture- Palo Alto, CA,
December 8, 1997
Copyright ©1997 and 2002 by Robert E Cassidy
The nice thing about a lecture is that I have an
opportunity to delve into areas which simply wouldn't
be appropriate (to my mind, at least) in my other
writings. In my books I try to concentrate primarily on
original material. That is, after all, what the readers are
paying for.
In a lecture, however, it seems quite proper to deal
with fundamental approaches to the art and to discuss
my variations and handlings of standard effects and
moves.
If you see me perform at a gathering of mentalists you
will see nothing but my original material. When I
perform for lay audiences, however, (which is most of
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The Cassidy Lecture
the time) I use effects that I consider to be the strongest
and most effective. Very often that is standard material.
I like to think, though, that even in the presentation of
standard stuff, that my approach is at least original.
In this lecture I'll be covering the material I carry with
me all of the time so that it may be presented whenever
the situation arises. This is the stuff that gets the
bookings. It's also material that will give you a
reputation for doing "the real thing."
I'll also cover the one stage routine which most
mentalists consider to be my best creation- my version
of the three envelope test. Unlike my previously
published versions, which covered a variety of
different methods and approaches to the effect, what
we'll discuss tonight is the way I actually do it.
The Name/Place routine will also be covered since I
use it both in my close up and stage performances. It is,
I think, one of the most practical things you can do in
an impromptu setting.
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The Cassidy Lecture
MY MENTALIST KIT
I make it a habit to always carry certain materials with
me. When I?m wearing a suit, everything fits into the
pockets. In a jeans and T-shirt situation everything fits
nicely into a belt pouch or fanny pack. (I would,
however, suggest that you don't wear the pack on your
fanny unless you don't mind sitting on your act.)
The materials are as follows:
A black lipstick.
A 35mm film canister
A regular die
A gimmicked "psychokinetic pen"
A packet of billets (blank 3x5 cards which have been
cut in half)
Cornelius's "Perfect Pen"
Two "rainbow pads" (3x5 pads comprised of colored
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The Cassidy Lecture
newsprint stock)
At lease two more pens- one that matches the
gimmicked psycho pen and one that looks similar to
the Cornelius Pen.
DyCypher2- The die divination effect currently
manufactured by Chazpro.
A couple of keys suitable to use as "benders" in case I
can't find a suitable one in a small audience.
Whatever else happens to amuse me at the time-
currently a Rocco's Dlite which I use to make a crystal
glow in a variation of and aold effect called "Laser
Beam." (The crystal, too, obviously)
Here's what all of these things are for. Obviously I
never do all of this material for one group. In fact, in an
impromptu setting, I find it much more effective to do
no more than two effects. More than that actually does
more harm than good. Rather than creating a
reputation for yourself by performing something that
the audience will remember always, if you do too much
they'll tend to describe you as someone "who did all
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The Cassidy Lecture
sorts of things." You don't want that. You want them to
tell their friends exactly what they think you did.
The other stuff is for repeat performances.
THE BLACK LIPSTICK
This has two great uses. The first is for my no-gimmick
version of Fiedler's Memory Die. This has previously
appeared in my "Principia Mentalia" series but I gave
myself permission to include it here.
This is the effect: The performer exhibits a 35mm film
canister and an unprepared die. He hands the die to a
spectator and asks him to concentrate on one of the
numbers. Next the mentalist hands the volunteer the
film can and tells him to drop the die into it so that his
selected number is facing upward. The can is passed
around so that other spectators can look in and help in
the concentration process. The last spectator holding
the canister is told to remove the die and toss it back to
the performer.
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