MATCHALOT MENTALISM by Howard Adams
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Author of OICUFESP, Mindespa and 666 Mentalism.
This is the ultimate book for those who appreciate simple, self working mentalism and mental magic, done with cards and other simple items. Over 350 page hardcover book with almost 500 illustrations!
Over 250 simple or self working effects. Matching effects, open predictions, many off-beat concepts but NO complicated sleight of hand. In many cases, the presentations are left very open and can be adapted to a variety of bizarre, mentalism or scientific themes.
Self working and mathematical magic is an interesting creature. It is SO attractive because it does allow the performer to focus exclusively on presentation- on the other hand, it does challenge the performer to develop presentations that make it into more than a puzzle.
In Matchalot, Howard is presenting over 250 simple self working items, usually that involve matching, predictions or the like. His items use small packs of cards, coins, or numbers. Many can be adapted to ESP or picture cards- or many other themes.
In fact, anyone who owns the book will be able to access the Matchalot Support Page and see how other people approached themeing and presenting some of Howard’s ideas in our recent Howard Adams contest.
Howard’s style of writing is brief as it can be. He gives you a framework of the theme or presentation he has in mind, and follows a very simple structure of explaining the procedures needed. His illustrations are numerous, and all are simple visual references to the props or layout for the routine he is sharing. Once you are used to his style of writing, it allows you to very quickly get the gist of the effect and start engineering what and how to use it. A Word of warning: take your time with these. Many of the effects are similar, and if you try to rush through or read them through in a hurry you may become confused and find they all run together in your head.
Also, we will begin a new contest soon, and include those results as well- so, always something new and exciting to look for.
Several performers have recently made features of these types of self working effects, sometimes doing them remotely or on the radio, with various themes that have turned them into reputation makers!
