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Retro-Sight

Devin Knight

(Based on 1 review)
RETRO-SIGHT.....Two different effects in one!

One of the most novel effects you will see. Something totally unique...combined with a new principle in MENTALISM that will delight even seasoned pros. This is release five in Devin Knight's Psychic Sight Series. Two effects in one!

MIRRORED THOUGHT

The first effect is one that Devin has used to fool well informed mentalists in the past. Two spectators are brought on stage. Neither is a stooge nor has there been any pre-show work.

The first spectator freely selects a word from the stack of word cards. There is no force of any kind and the mentalist really does not know the word selected. The first person is told to think of his word. Performer then passes the cards one at time in front of a mirror while he looks away. He says that a psychic ability known as "Retro-sight" sometimes allows a person to know what is not known by viewing words printed in reverse in the mirror. He asks the second person to look into the mirror and see if he gets any psychic flashes regarding the thought of word. Believe it or not the second person correctly names the selected word and is puzzled as to how he knew it. Magician doesn't whisper to or secretly cue the person. The magician really doesn't know the thought of word until the second person reveals it. Can instantly be repeated with a different word.

One of the most ingenious things you will ever see and will fool any of your magic buddies who don't know the secret. Nothing like this has ever been done before using this method.

BONUS EFFECT: DIMENSIONAL TRANSPOSITION

In the second effect the magician is able to cause WORD CARDS to transpose with those inside a mirrored dimension. Magician introduces a set of word cards from the well known game Word Chase. He shows the cards freely front and back, nothing but a set of cards with a different word on each. Performer claims that another dimension exists inside any mirror. To prove this he holds the cards one at a time in front of the mirror to show how the mirror reflects the printed word on the card as a mirrored image. He says he will make the word cards in his hand change places with the ones in the mirror.

Suddenly ALL the cards in the mirror appear normal and can be read. For a kicker the magician shows all the cards in his hand are now printed in reverse mirror images. He then repeats the effect using his business card, suddenly the card reflected in the mirror becomes normal and can be read. The card left in his hand is now printed in reverse and is left with the spectator as a conversation piece. Even includes a method that allows you to do this with a borrowed business card.

No short or long cards, no rough or smooth, no double faced word cards, no sticky stuff on the cards, and the packet of cards is not switched.

Comes complete with set of word cards from the game Word Chase, vinyl holder for cards and complete directions detailing every nuance.

Reviews

Bryce Kuhlman

Official Reviewer

Jun 10, 2008

The subtitle calls to me: "Control Things in a Mirrored Dimension." Ohhhh... that sounds cool. I've always liked effects with mirrors.

This one takes some explaining. I really had to pay attention to the instructions and work with the props to even understand the effect.

You're provided with two complete routines and additional notes and ideas for additional research. The props consist of 16 cards with words printed on them (blank on the opposite side). They look like the cards that come with a popular (real) game called "Word Chase." The cards are kept in a wallet with instructions on how to play Word Chase, so everything looks natural.

Let's see how well I do explaining the two routines:

Dimensional Transposition
You'll need to be in front of a decent-sized mirror for this. If you're working in a home, you could easily use a bathroom or bedroom mirror. Many restaurants have mirrors, as well. You could carry one with you, but it's a lot of bulk to carry around. The effect is really designed for a small audience.

You show the word cards and point out that they are reversed in the reflection, as it should be. You explain that the cards in the mirror exist in another dimension and you're going to try switching a card from this dimension with its counterpart in the mirror universe. You take one card, press it against the mirror and, surprisingly, the reflection is now readable and the printing on the card has become reversed. To top it all off, you then exchange all of the cards with their mirror twins.

Kudos to the author providing in-depth instructions on how to produce this effect using business cards. With business cards, you can use a smaller mirror surface and leave someone with a "piece of strange," as Paul Harris would say.

Mirrored Thought
This effect is a bit easier to explain and, in my opinion, a lot more versatile. You get two audience members to help you. One has a free selection of any one of the cards. The other gets to view the cards, one at a time, in a mirror (showing reversed writing). He is to stop the performer when he gets a "psychic flash". He does so and stops the performer on the selected word.

The interesting thing about this second routine is that the "reader" may not know exactly how they know which card it is. And the performer doesn't know the card either, until it's pointed out by the audience member.
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