Shhhh

THE BLURB:
Bold, Easy and Entertaining Mentalism!

Four 3.5 x 5 inch plastic cards from a popular parlor game
are handed to individuals in your audience. They verify that
each one bears the identical four questions to be answered,
regarding a person's horoscope sign, a phone number, a
romantic experience, and a movie star. Each person is
requested to fill in short but complete answers to all four
questions and then to pass all cards, face down, to a fifth
person who mixes and holds them.

You turn over the top card and show it to the audience,
asking, "I wonder whose handwriting this is? This is
certainly a person in a hurry. Of course that goes with the
horoscope sign here, Libra." All four persons who answered
questions are asked to stand, look at the card and think to
themselves, "I am not a Libra!"

"Libras are lousy liars," you alliterate, "even when they
are just thinking about fibbing." Pointing to one of the
four you continue, "You have guilt written all over your
face - you a re the Libra and your birthday is...October 23,
correct?" The noted participant agrees and is asked to sit
down.

You take another card from the face-down pile held by the
fifth helper, look at the answers written there and remark,
"This person's first kiss was in 1992. Would you please
think of where you were at the time? I mean the city, not
just 'the back seat'. In that year, you (pointing to one of
the three still standing) were in ...Columbus Ohio. Am I
right?" The amazed helper agrees and takes his seat. Two
participants remain standing.

A third card is looked at, and then you say, "Both of you,
close your eyes please. One of you wrote a friend's phone
number, (reading it from the card) 488-0980, so imagine
dialing your friend right now. Someone answers - a man." You
point to one of the two participants and announce, "Think
about the person you are calling...it's your friend, Phillip
Mason! Is that true?" Of course it is.

"My awesome powers," you mention with tongue-in-cheek, "have
already identified who wrote on that last card, but rather
than reading the information, let's leave it unseen and work
directly with his mind." As you draw with a felt marker on a
large pad, he is requested to visualize the movie whose
title he wrote down and to visualize meeting one of the
stars in person for an autograph. "What is the celebrity
name you entered on your card," you ask. "Tom Cruise," he
replies. "Let's go further. Think of your favorite movie
starring Tom Cruise...name it, please." He says it is
'Mission Impossible'. You turn the pad around to show the
'autograph' of Tom Cruise below the title, Mission
Impossible!

Shhhh! requires nothing other than a group of people ready
to be entertained. No sleights, no gimmicks, no special
performing conditions, no stooges, and nothing to replace
make Shhhh! outstanding Mentalism. You get the cards, pens
detailed instructions, and tips for 'extra touches' to use
with this entertaining routine.

MY COMMENTS:
Can you say "Sneak Thief"? Yep, that's what this. It's an
updated version of Larry Becker's classic effect (it can be
found in Larry Becker's Stunners). The handling is quite
similar. The differences include the use of sturdy and
smaller cards which can be written on with wet-erase pens
and the use of a variety of information, as opposed to
drawings. Of course, the whole flavor of the presentation
is different. You also get a mini-recording device which
will allow you to perform a gag involving a telephone
ringing sound, but you don't have to use it. The ad fairly
represents the routine, though I'll quibble that it claims
there is "nothing to replace." You will have to eventually
replace the wet-erase pens, but that's a standard office
supply product that's easily replaceable.

I know that many may feel that the cute plastic cards will
make this more of a "mental magic" effect. This is
certainly a consideration as the information being revealed
(zodiac sign, birthday, a name, phone number, and other
chosen thoughts) makes this an easy-to-do Q&A act.
Experienced mentalists probably already have their own
favorite method of doing Q&A that doesn't involve plastic
cards. If you already have a strong Q&A routine, this
product is probably something you will not use.

On the other hand, there are a lot of features that make
this very atrractive. It's portable and can pack flat.
It's easy to use. You don't have to worry about replacing,
or carrying large amounts of, billets or papers. This, in
fact, is a great "entry level" Q&A routine as it utilizes
some classic and subtle principles which you'll be able
to use in other routines.

So, it really depends on whether you feel that this routine
will fit with your style. It's not as versatile as Sneak
Thief, as you must get the info that's already printed on
the cards, but its attractive smaller size makes it much
more portable and provides more of a variety of information
to reveal. As usual with Larry and Lee's products, the
cards are gorgeous and well-designed, and the routine is
well-thought out. The package includes two pages of
double-sided 8.5" x 11" instructions, plus the plastic
cards, four wet-erase pens, and the mini-recording device.
If this appeals to you, then this is definitely a powerful
routine you'll enjoy doing and it's certainly recommended.