A Book at Midnight

The voice of the magician faded as my mind was transported through space and time.  The walls of the room distorted and shifted while the monotonous tick of a large grandfather clock grew louder.  The image of a man sat at a dimly lit writing desk came into focus.  For that moment I was there, stood in the author’s drawing room, the smell of the log fire, the rain hammering against the window and the scratch of his pen against the rough fibre of the paper.  I looked to my side and you were there with me; both minds existing in the same dream, hearing the same things, seeing the same things.  We look back at the author, each peering over his shoulder as he begins to write the title of his next book…

Lebanon Circle proudly presents - 'A Book at Midnight', a collaboration between Dan Baines and mentalist Ian Harvey.   This is a self working baffling effect that is so simple to perform it almost feels like real magic!  The mechanics are invisible and foolproof, no gimmicks, no stacked decks, no memory work - just a great story and the imagination of your audience.  Transport two minds back in time to the same place, make them hear the same sounds, see the same things.  Is it a demonstration of hypnosis? Time travel? Or psychic synchronicity?   You decide but either way your audience will be driven to insanity trying to figure this one out!

This collectible  effect will be released in sets, the first set is based on Gothic horror writer H.P. Lovecraft followed by the Edgar Allan Poe set due in April.  Each bookmark also features the date each book was published as well as a short extract allowing then to be incorporated into book tests, predictive effects (examples are included on accompanying video tutorial) and a new Prof BC release due later in 2013.  The collectible nature of the effect means that decks can be combined to create variations of the core effect making it even more unbelievable!  Have your say in which author set follows Poe by using the voting buttons below. 

With it's 'pick up and perform' aspect, self working mechanics, high quality props, original artwork based on cult authors can you afford not to have ‘A Book at Midnight’ as part of your performance?

Effect Synopsis

• 24 commemorative bookmarks from a mysterious bookshop situated just in the home town of the American H.P Lovecraft are shown to two volunteers
• Each bookmark bears the title of one of Lovecraft's literary works, they are asked to mix the deck and take 12 each
• They are then asked to imagine they are looking at a large grandfather clock in his study and to visualize a time (a number between 1 and 12)
• Each bookmark is then shown to the volunteers in turn, they are asked to remember the book title that corresponds to the hour they are thinking of
• They are told to visualize Lovecraft writing the title of the book they have remembered and then to write it themselves nice and large onto a pad or whiteboard
• When they turn their pads round to show the audience...
• THEY WERE THINKING OF THE SAME TITLE!

THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND

• Nothing is gimmicked and everything can be clearly shown at all times
• The effect is adaptable to either a major story-telling feature for stage or as a shorter routine for table-to-table work
• The two volunteers freely make all the decisions throughout and neither utters a word during the whole effect
• There is NO stacked deck, memory work, equivoque or fishing
• If either of the volunteers accidentally drop their bookmarks (or even if the performer does) the effect can still be achieved
• The method requires no technical skill or mental dexterity and can even be performed blindfolded if required

A Book at Midnight includes -

• A deck of 24 bookmarks featuring original artwork by Dan Baines depicting book titles by the respective author
• A video tutorial containing performance material and full instructions
• A special 'Key of Knowledge' bookmark that grants you access to all of the respective author's written work and biography online