Brian Caswell - Trilogy Streamlined

Copyright © 2006 by Alakazam Magic. All Rights Reserved.

TRILOGY STREAMLINE CONVERSION Original idea by Brian Caswell with patter & structure by Richard Bellars I first saw Brian Caswell's Trilogy as a demo by Peter Nardi, It blew my head off and I immediately put it into my professional act. Then a few issues arose with it, I wanted it to take up less space in my pocket and I didn't like the idea of not having the deck in play from the beginning. Also I didn't want any pen and paper for the effect. I saw right at the end of the instructions by Brian that there was the possibility of a one deck handling but he merely hinted at it. Here is my handling, justifications and patter that I use to absolutely fry spectators and magicians.

HOW TO CONVERT YOUR TRILOGY TO THE STREAMLINE VERSION For those of you that, like me bought the original handling and want to streamline it, just take all the force number cards and make up 50 normal cards (remember that you exclude the force cards from these.) On top of these take all the low and odd cards (as numbered in the example below) and all the high and even cards (also numbered) from the force cards and shuffle them up and put them on top of the deck. Ta da. Job done!

SETUP EXAMPLE The joker in the deck is your marker card and I put a 0 on the back, to make it easily recognisable. Right now you will be left with the 26 force cards, for example: 13 Five of diamonds, and 13 Jack of clubs. On the fives put the numbers 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19,21,23,25 (low and odd). One number on each card! Please don't try and squeeze all of the numbers onto each card as that's just stupid. On the Jacks put the numbers: 28,30,32,34,36,38,40,42,44,46,48,50,52 (high and even) same stupidity rule applies! Place the joker between the 50 force numbers and the 26 force cards, now if you miss a number or a card whilst spreading through you know to stop at the joker with your mark and go back and look again without revealing the repeated ness of this deck. So in this example you will have, from the top of the facedown deck: 13 Five of Diamonds 13 Jack of Clubs Joker Marker Card 50 force numbers So now that you have the deck marked up you're ready to go, just memorise the presentation and you're good to perform. Actually it may seem like a lot but the trick only takes 5 minutes to perform, and really let your personality come through with this as it is all presentation; there are no sleights to worry about. Good luck and I hope you have the success I've enjoyed with this handling.

Copyright © 2006 by Alakazam Magic. All Rights Reserved.

METHOD & PRESENTATION " I need three people for this one. You?, you?, and most definitely you" (I choose the three people right at the beginning and always make sure that the third person is either the most important or the fittest person in the room, as the third revelation is as fair as fair can be!) "I always get accused of two things as a magician, using my sleeves and using marked cards! So I figured if I'm going to be accused I might as well mark a deck and here is what I came up with." (I bring out the deck at this point and just before I pull the deck out I say) "You might just be able to see the markings in this light if not I'll show them to you" ( At this point I pull the deck out face down and everyone sees the massive numbers written on the back of the cards, now this may seem like a little bit of comic relief (and it does get a laugh) but it is actually purposely done so that people trust the deck that you have in your hands. You have said that they are marked and why, so the moment you bring this unusual deck into play is an honest one) "OK so it isn't very subtle but then I did do this when I was about ten. They are numbered between 1 and 52 obviously one for each card in the deck" (I spread through the top portion of the face down deck at this point and as in the original handling using the joker with a 0 on the back as a marker for when to stop spreading) "and over the years I have learnt exactly which card matches which number. What I would like to do is see if I can get you guys to imagine which number is on the back of any given card" (At this point I rebox the deck and hand it to a spectator who isn't involved) (By showing the cards earlier and leaving the deck in open play people will imagine the number exactly as it appears on the cards and this makes the reaction much stronger at the end.) "I'm gonna use you two first (spec 1 & 2) to warm up and I'll get to you at the end (Big boss man / fit lady) with a much harder test" (This line lets you get away with the prompts you will give the first two as it seems that you are just warming up for the main event with the third spectator) (Now comes a line that I use to make the first two spectators choose odd and even numbers respectively. It's quite natural and I make it seem like I have just come up with this solution on the spot to prevent them from choosing the same number) "How long have you guys known each other?" (If possible try and use family members or a married couple as the first two spectators)

Copyright © 2006 by Alakazam Magic. All Rights Reserved.

"Oh all your life?" or "Oh for years?" or "Oh you've just met.OK" (Whichever answer you get you use the same response) "Well you'll be surprise how often that causes people to choose the same number, so to prevent that can you (spec 1) make your number odd, and you (spec 2) make your number even. Yours is odd and yours is even, yeah that'll work" (I repeat this as if I'm trying to remember because I (apparently) just came up with the idea but infact it is just to reinforce it in their minds.) "I'm going to give you a card each to think of and I want you to just imagine which number is on the back but as you've never done this before I'll give you a clue each just to warm us up" (This is said in a very off-handish manner, don't draw a lot of attention to it, but immediately turn to the first spectator and hold up your hand ala David Blaine with the eye on his palm and say.) "Imagine the um.. Five of diamonds right here try and see it in your mind, I know you have a number in mind already but forget that just see the card" ( this is said to prevent them from picking a number previously and then feeling they have to change the number to go along with your clue, it would then seem like the choice was limited. Also it hints that you can read their mind and know what that number is they are thinking of and know it's the wrong one. Cool subtle freebie.) "Ok your clue is that between 1 and 52 yours is a lowish number, but change your mind a bunch of times so the number you do decide on is random" (See! Makes it seem so fair ha ha ha ha) "Here's the five of diamonds, which number is on the back? Number 11, you sure?? Now keep imagining in your head five of diamonds, 11." (As I say this I am showing the front and back of my hand as if it was the card) "Ok now you (spec 2) same rules apply but your card is the um...Jack of clubs, imagine the card, just the card for now (show palm of hand), your clue is that it's a high number between 1 and 52, change your mind a couple of times, good! Here is the Jack of Clubs” (turn hand around) “ which number is on the back? 44? Good, just remember jack of clubs and 44." (Notice how far apart the asking of their numbers to be odd and even and the giving the clues…It is ages, so they will never link the two and as such will feel the choice process was very fair.) (Now turn to the third spectator and say) "Right, for you no clues, none, as I gave you all the information in what you just heard me say to these guys" Copyright © 2006 by Alakazam Magic. All Rights Reserved.

(Totally untrue, but everyone likes the Derren Brown pretend to mess with their mind idea! Especially me I love it!) "On the back of one of these cards is the number 37,” (here I hold up the back of my hand and pretend to draw a 37 with my finger) “really see it in your mind, good which card is it." (I spin my hand round really fast here and it really catches them out, they were expecting to think of a number and now they have to think of a card so I keep saying stuff like) "I know it's weird just let the card come to you you'll see it" (Then I snap my finger, you'll wet yourself when you see how many times they just say a card straight after, it's awesome looks like real mind control. Honest!) "The four of clubs? That just appeared in your mind? Good." (Here I just put on a wry smile and reach for the deck from the person you didn't think was cool enough to actually join in.) "Can you hold out your hands please guys?" (at this point everyone is saying that there's no way so milk the hell out of this bit. As for the revelation I prefer to get the face up card out first as that was what everyone remembers, and I mumble something like "why do I shuffle these? I know what's going to happen" as I'm looking through for the card just lets them know it's a real deck without saying it.) "Ah here it is the four of clubs, please don't turn it over yet I wanna milk this!" (I put the card on his/her hand and go to spec 1 and flip the deck over and say) "yours was five of...” (I let them finish the sentence makes it seem like they thought up the card as well). “oh yes diamonds and number..11 thanks." (I pull out the card face down and place it on their hand and then I repeat the process for spec 2 word for word as I did with spec 1) The revelation is a simple process of turning the cards over but as I do I ask again what they chose as I reveal each card, it's really easy and the hard bit is not looking smug! At the end just put the Jack and Five back on top and the four on the bottom and it's and instant reset...sweet!!!

Copyright 2006 Alakazam Magic Copyright © 2006 by Alakazam Magic. All Rights Reserved.