Trick Review: ESP Mind Set by James Biss

Here's a great stand-up and stage effect that offers a stunning prediction, a bit of pseudo-psychometry, lots of interaction with five audience members who join you on stage and an intriguing ESP theme. I especially like the strong two-phased ending.

ESP Mind Set is a set of 14 jumbo (8.5" X 11") cards with ESP symbols on them. The cards are attractive, high quality props that should last a long time and are easy to view from a distance.

In the main trick, Zenerbocker, you choose five audience members to join you on stage and invite them to freely choose a numbered chair to sit on. You bring out a stack of five large envelopes and allow them to be shuffled by spectators, which are then handed to the seated spectators.

While you turn away,f the spectators each open their envelope and take out the enclosed card. They are each to memorize the ESP symbol on their card and then hand the cards to a designated spectator who mixes them up and hands the stack to you. The audience does not know which spectator has which card.

The first part of the routine is a bit of pseudo psychometry. You show each card and ask an audience member to associate the symbol with a seated participant. After the audience member designates a volunteer, you give the card to that person.

After the cards are handed out, you switch the cards to your liking. You ask each participant to stand if they are holding the symbol that they previously held and memorized. All five participants stand.

But you're not done yet. There’s a kicker that provides a stunning conclusion. Each spectator looks into a numbered envelope that is taped to their seats. Inside of each envelope is the ESP symbol that matches the one that they are holding in their hands.

A second effect called Out of Rhine's World is something of a 14-card version of Paul Curry's Out of this World. Here, 14 mismatched symbols are reunited with their mates. I like this effect, but Zenerbocker offers far more possibilities.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

MSRP: (US) $99

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