Hypnotizing the Masses

Every now an then you run into people who are just darn creative. Donny Orbit is one such guy. He’s been kind enough to share several of his routines with me, most of which he has asked me to keep to myself. I don’t blame him, because they are killer routines, that I can’t believe he shared with me.

However, as much as he is keeping secret, he has also very generously donated an effect to this month’s newsletter. Below is his description and effect in his own words. Also, Donny did not ask me to do this, but in return for his generosity, I’ve decided to give him a plug for his e-book entitled “Inside the Head of Donny Orbit.”

Also, you can find a review of the book here: Inside the Head of Donny Orbit Review.

Hypnotizing the Masses
By Donny Orbit

Effect:
The magicians has a coin signed and held tightly by a spectator. A single match is torn out of a book and used to light the others. Instantly, the lit match vanishes, the book hasn’t been set ablaze and the coin is no longer signed.

Method:
So this one is easy on sleights. It’s all presentation baby. You need a matchbook, a piece of flashpaper, a handful of change and a marker. Using a small amount of spit, attach the flash paper to the inside cover of the matchbook. I simply tear a sheet off of a flash pad and fold it in 4ths, then attach it to the cover BEHIND the matches. When you open the matchbook up, all the spectator will see are matches. When you are setting up the flashpaper, bend the cover as far back as you can, later on in the routine, this small amount of “work” will come in handy. Put the matches in a left pocket.

I mention a handful of change because you cannot rely on the spectator to have loose pocket change. I always have 2 matching quarters, 2 nickels, 2 pennies and 2 dimes in one of my pockets. If you do borrow change from a spectator, you can always ring in one of yours as a duplicate. Place the marker in the right pocket with the coins and you are all set.

Presentation:
“Has anyone here ever been hypnotized or went to a hypnotherapist? Sometimes they use a flame to induce a hypnotic trance. I am going to try to put everyone under for a moment.” Bring out the matchbook and tear a single match out. Light it and wave it around for a second, then blow it out and place the burnt match into your pocket (after it cools of course) “Everyone is now under. You might not feel it yet, but you will. Does anyone have a coin I can borrow? No, here, I have one. Please sign and write a time on it if you can.” Bring out the marker, one coin fingerpalmed and the duplicate coin for the spectator to sign. Once they have signed it, hold it in the left hand as you blow on it to dry the writing. You are now going to do a fake take of the left hand coin and place the duplicate into the spectators hand. As you place it in, gently close their fist for them. “Hold onto it tight. In a minute I am going to ask you a question about it and see if you are indeed hypnotized.” Place the marker in your pocket ditching the extra coin.

“If a little fire put you under, imagine what a big fire can do.” Pick up the matchbook and tear out a match. Strike the match on the back side and pull it away from the matchbook momentarily. Under this misdirection you will pivot the matches into your palm. Hold the matchbook so the majority of it is hidden behind your left fingers, except for the open flap. Your left thumb will reach up and pull the actual matches into your palm, they will pivot down away from the flash paper completely. Touch the match to the flashpaper and the audience will see a bright flash. Blow on it as your right hand moves up and down to put the match out. 2 things happen at once. Your left hand pivots the matches back into place as the cover is closed, and your right hand simply drops the match on a downward stroke. The audience will not see the match fall. Hold your right hand into a fist as your left hand tables the matchbook with the open side down.

“You have been under this whole time and I am going to prove it. When I snap my fingers you will all wake up.” Snap your left fingers over your right hand. “I didn’t really tear out a match just now.” Open your hand and show the match gone. “If I didn’t tear out a match I couldn’t have set the rest of the matches on fire.” Open the book and show all the matches inside. “And when we first started, I didn’t even have you sign a coin.” They open their hand and find no initials on it.

Thoughts:
Easy and fun. This is a good restaurant trick. Dropping a match on the floor while you wave your hand to put it out is an old idea I think from Tarbell. This is a good effect because it has 3 different effects built in for a 1,2,3 punch. If anyone ever sees the match on the ground, I mention that it was the one that we used to put everyone under, which is why I place the first match into a pocket.

Reset:
I keep a flash pad in my inside coat pocket, so I can tear off a sheet and place it in the matchbook. You will get some minor scorching on the cover of the matchbook after each performance , so after about 3 to 4 performances you will need to change matchbooks. I bought 50 matchbooks from walmart for about 4 bones, so that will last quite awhile. Flash paper is one sheet per performance. The signed coin can be washed after you get home so it can be used again. If you put the marker in your right coat pocket after the performance with the signed coin, as you are moving to the next table you can drop the marker back into your pocket without fear of the signed coin mixing among the others.

Credits:
Jay Sankey has an effect where flash paper is lit to give the impression of a matchbook being lit. The effect can be found in his 20 years of Magic lecture notes. The idea of waving a match and dropping it to effect a vanish was taught to me by a magician named Ed Andres, who stated it can be found in Tarbell.

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