SECRETS' WEAPONS
By
copyright Gerard ZITTA, 2011-2017 All rights reserved
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Contents
Nobody really cares if you find their coin is heads or in which hand. They are more impressed if you find a secret, or if you find they lie.
This manual is an exploration of principles on liar detection. You should find some very powerful tools and ideas that you can use independently, or combine with other routines. The techniques taught in this e-book do NOT use eyes accessing cues or body language. Most are original, or use other principles from a new angle. They are 100% surefire.
Intro/Basic effect: You meet a complete stranger. They think of somebody, or something, or a place you can NOT possibly know. Anything.
And then, they think of a secret, a statement about this person, this object or this place that is either TRUE or FALSE, etc.
You will then ask only one question, not related to the statement, and will know instantly if the statement is true or not!
Heads or Tails: You find out if they lie or not, and also if a coin is Heads or Tails Truth or Lie: You just find if they lie or not.
Red or Black: A spectator thinks of a card, and you detect if they lie or not about this card (for instance its color).
Think of anything: With this you can reduce the possibilities from billions of possibilities to only half of it (-:.
Think of somebody: idem (-;
Crossing: You ask a spectator to openly write a statement on a business card, and you guess if it is true or not.
The sign of the fish: Same as “crossing”, but with a different method of detection with coins.
The trick that fooled Einstein...even more!: A follow up (Thanks to Al Koran) Truth Liar bet: You always win of course!
Your money or your life!: A spectator takes any coin out of their purse, and you predicted not only the coin, but also Heads or Tails.
Bank Note: You write a prediction on a banknote and put it on the table, or keep it in your fist. The spectator must think of something that is either a lie or a true statement.
Svengalie, and The spy who came in from the cold: Two simple but powerful tools that allow to know if the participant is a liar or not.
Thelma and Louise: A simple example (prediction), using the final scene of the movie, to introduce the principle.
A man and a woman 1: A puzzling experiment on telepathy. The spectator as an actor improvising a scene! They select a card (among four to a dozen or more), that represent different plots. The cards are not marked...), and they try to transmit everything on it. Without any question, you guess many things about their card (language (FR or UK for instance), actor (man or woman), the role they play (Love or doubt for instance), right or left, answer Yes or No, …
A man and a woman 2: Same as before, but with lie detection.(Uses the same cards as before). Again, no question asked... They select any card and you start guessing it. A man and a woman 3: A variant with less cards
Clap! A presentation that allows to easily adapt this routine to other movies.
Left brain/ Right brain: An interesting variant that mixes logic, and body language tests for the revelation, that are not widely known. It can also be an independent routine.
Brain cold reading: You show 8 cards that represent all possibilities for the human beings.
The
The spectator selects one that represents the most, his or her personal case, without showing. Without any question, you start describing her card (and her character, her tastes).
Revision history
- Compiled in May 2017 from various personal e-books and notes. - May 2017: Draft Published on untouchedmagic.com
SECRET'S WEAPONS
You can't lie to meI can learn your secrets with my weapons!
This manual is an exploration of principles (and variants) that were introduced in previous e-books. The main one is probably “Cheat hand” (2014), and the main motivation is
certainly my passion for simple plots based on only two outcomes, like heads or tails, which hand, or liar detection. You should find some very powerful tools and ideas that you can use, either as warm ups or as parts of other routines.
This e-book is NOT about eyes accessing cues and body language that are the main techniques for lie detection. There are lots of publications on these, but I will start by mentioning some of them.
Anxious body language: speech mistakes, sweaty palms, fidgeting, moving often in chair, etc.
Bending the back
Hands in pockets could be a sign that a person wants to hide something. Hiding the palms: palms down or hands in pockets.
Only parts of the face reflect the emotion (a person smiling with his mouth only for instance)
Scowling the face, frowning. Pupils changing size.
Forced eye contact in order to appear innocent.
If someone looks towards the upper left when asked about something, then he is probably constructing an image of the lie he's about to tell. (And vice versa, looking at the upper right side means recalling an image).
Weak Eye contact, avoid looking at you.
Touching the nose or ears. Negative evaluation Postures (feeling guilty of lying) Lower, less confident tone of voice
Inconsistencies in the story Avoiding the subject Speaking more slowly etc.
Basic effect:
You meet a complete stranger. They think of somebody, or something, or a place you can NOT possibly know. Anything.
And then, they think of a secret, a statement about this person, this object or this place that is either TRUE or FALSE, etc.
You will then ask only one question, not related to the statement, and will know instantly if the statement is true or not!
Another possibility is to find out if somebody is lying during a normal conversation:
Somebody says something, but you doubt about it, and you want to know if it is true or not. The statement can be about anything: A place, a person, a pet, the participant herself, an object, an opinion, a favorite color/car/artist/movie/a chosen card, etc. For this reason, you will be able to use this in any one of your effects, or about any topic in your conversations. It can be done anytime, anywhere, with anybody.
Secret:
The secret mainly resides in the patter and the question you ask. Let's take an example: “Think of something. It can be a lie or a truth. If it is a lie, or something that is not real, from now on, you are going to lie all the time. Otherwise, just say the truth all the time. Internalize who you are now.”
Or
“Think of somebody or a place, I can NOT possibly know. ”
Now say a statement about this person (or place), that is either TRUE or FALSE. Only you knows if it is true or not. For instance, if you have a mole somewhere on your body, or the maiden name of your wife or your pet, or how many kids you have, or a painting in your living room, etc.”
Now, I won't look. In order for everybody else to be in the know, do this: If you lied, take a coin and put it in your LEFT HAND or in ONE OF YOUR POCKETS.
(otherwise do nothing).”
Face the audience again, and add:
“Now look into my eyes, internalize who you are, and answer according to your character (liar or truth teller).”
“Is the coin in your RIGHT hand?”
NO = TRUE and TRUTH-TELLER YES = FALSE and LIAR
OTHER SOLUTION:
This can be useful if you repeat the effect later: “Think of something. It can be a lie or a truth.
Internalize who you are now: If you think of a lie, you will lie all the time. If you think of a truth, you will always tell the truth.
If you think of something that is a LIE, take a coin and put it in your RIGHT HAND or in one of your pockets.
Now look into my eyes and internalize your character (liar or truth teller)” “Is the coin in your LEFT hand?”
NO = TRUE and TRUTH-TELLER YES = FALSE and LIAR
As you notice, the result is the same. Only the question is different. OPTIONAL LOGICAL DISCONNECT:
In order to confuse the participant, you can add an optional step for a time delay. For instance:
“Now, do NOT say anything, do not reply verbally. Just in your mind. Please repeat in your mind what you just did: “I lied, I lied, etc. (or I said the truth, I said the truth, etc.)”
But please try to hide any clue, do not show anything.” Summary:
LIAR = LEFT HAND: Ask the question IS THE COIN IN YOUR RIGHT HAND? LIAR = RIGHT HAND: Ask the question IS THE COIN IN YOUR LEFT HAND?
NO = TRUE statement / TRUTH-TELLER YES = FALSE statement / LIAR
Examples of statements the participant can think of: “My mother's first name is ...”
“The Zodiac sign of my wife is ...” “My PIN code is ...”
“My birth year is ...” etc.
HEADS or TAILS
A first application of this method is to find out if they lie or not, and if the statement is TRUE or FALSE. (In our case here, if the coin is HEADS or TAILS). For this, you need two questions:
You look away. A spectator tosses a coin, and writes the result on a business card while you do not look (this is just for having a proof later on). You then ask (still with your back turned):
“You can lie, or tell the truth:
Is the coin HEADS side up?” The spectator replies, and you continue:.
“I am one of the few people in the world who has the gift to detect a lie or a truth. If you lied, take the coin and put it in your LEFT HAND or in ONE OF YOUR POCKETS. (otherwise do nothing). Do this silently.
Now look into my eyes (don't say this if you are over the phone (-:), internalize who you are, and answer according to your character (liar or truth teller).
“Is the coin in your RIGHT hand?” As you know by now, their reply will tell you if they lied or not:
NO = TRUE statement / TRUTH-TELLER
THE COIN WAS TAILS and in RIGHT HAND YES = FALSE statement / LIAR
TRUTH or LIE
In this version, you just find out if they lie or not. The beauty of this, is that you ask only one question. Let's have a look at the previous routine. Here is a summary of the four possibilities:
QUESTIONS:--> Is it HEADS? Is it in the RIGHT hand?
TAILS & TRUTH NO NO TRUE & TAILS
TAILS & LIAR YES YES FALSE & TAILS
HEADS & TRUTH YES NO TRUE & HEADS
HEADS & LIAR NO YES FALSE & HEADS
Now, let's remove the first question (“Is it HEADS?”) We now have the following results:
If the answer is NO, the participant is telling the truth. If the answer is YES, the participant is lying. (But we do not know if it is HEADS or TAILS) Here is the patter in this case, after the HEADS or TAILS part:
“I am one of the few people in the world who has the ability to detect a lie or a truth. If you decide to be a LIAR, take the coin and put it in your LEFT HAND or in ONE OF YOUR POCKETS.(otherwise do nothing). Do this silently.
Now look into my eyes, internalize who you are, and answer according to your character (liar or truth teller).”
“Is the coin in your RIGHT hand?”
The only thing that changed, is your patter. You just ask them to decide whether they want to lie or not, and you are going to try to detect it. Of course, in that case, you can not divine if the coin was HEADS or TAILS, but your goal was just to prove them, that you are able to guess if they lie or not. With this simple example, I think you can now better
understand the subtle difference in both routines:
- In the first routine, the primary goal was to guess if the coin was HEADS or TAILS.
- In the second routine, the primary goal was to prove your unique ability to detect liars and truth-tellers. Although this effect looks inferior, it is actually more powerful and more uncrackable. The logical disconnect is stronger. The HEADS or TAILS part of the routine is forgotten at the end. It is now a WHICH HAND routine! But the goal is not to find which hand holds a coin, but to detect if they lie or not. We have “disguised”, transformed the premise from a physical and material one, to an immaterial, a mental one. Their brain will be confused, and will forget the initial “process” which is actually the key of the method (“If you decide to be a LIAR, take the coin and put it in your LEFT HAND or in ONE OF YOUR POCKETS”). You could also say: “Put it anywhere, except in your right hand”!
RED or BLACK
Let's have another example for the cards aficionados.
A spectator thinks of a card, and you detect if they lie or not about this card (for instance its color).
“I am one of the few people in the world who has the ability to detect a lie or a truth. Do you want to try?” (I know, I keep on repeating this, but it is important to make the goal clear)
“Please think of a card. Now imagine the card is on the table.”
“I want you to decide whether you are going to lie all the time, or tell the truth all the time. And I will try to guess if you play the role of a liar, or not.”
“If you decide to be a LIAR, imagine you take the card with your LEFT HAND and hide it in ONE OF YOUR POCKETS if you want. Otherwise if you don't lie, leave it face down on the table. Just imagine doing it in your mind and do it silently. Don't worry, I won't look!” “Remember where it is now: on the table or in your left hand, or in your pocket”
“There is no way I can know if your card is RED or BLACK .”
“Please visualize the color of your card in your mind. If it is red, you can visualize a red color, a red flower, a red Ferrari, or red blood flowing in your veins, etc.”
“If it is black, you can imagine you are in a dark room, it is the night, or a black cat or panther, a black billiard ball, etc.”
You continue:
“ Now look into my eyes, internalize who you are, and answer according to your character (liar or truth teller).
After a few seconds, you ask:
“Remember where is your card and if you must lie or not...” “Is the card in your RIGHT hand?”“
NO = TRUE statement / TRUTH-TELLER YES = FALSE statement / LIAR
Notes:
- As you can see, I have added more time delay between the rule (“If you decide to be a LIAR, imagine you take the card with your LEFT HAND and hide it in ONE OF YOUR POCKETS, if you want”), and the key question. Of course it is recommended to do the same for the previous routine.
THINK OF ANYTHING
A few years ago, I wrote an e-book about divining anything that exists in the world.
It was explained with an innocent force in one part of the routine. The following effect can be an alternative to this force. It allows you to find out if what the person is thinking of, is a living being, or an object for instance.
Let's start with an example:
'Please think of anything in the world...”
“If it is a “living being”, just imagine it moving in its natural environment.”
“If it is “non-living” (an object or a plant for instance, as opposed to an animal or a human being), imagine this object in your LEFT hand, even if it is a big one!, and if you want, put it in your pocket.”.
The current status is:
NOTHING IN HANDS = LIVING BEING
NOTHING IN RIGHT HAND = INANIMATE THING “Now, if you are thinking of an object, I want you to lie:
“Otherwise, just tell the truth”.
“Is there something in your RIGHT hand?”
QUESTION:--> Is there something in your RIGHT hand?
LIVING NO TRUTH TELLER
INANIMATE YES LIAR
Note: With this, you can also detect if the person is lying or not. Is there something in your RIGHT hand?
NO=TRUTH-TELLER= LIVING YES=LIAR= INANIMATE
Mixed innocently in your patter, it will flow like a charm! This is a powerful tool, despite its simplicity. And you don't have to use it with my routine of “Think of anything in the world”. To prove it, here is another example.
THINK OF SOMEBODY
“Please put both of your hands behind your back. Now, please think of somebody...” “Try to find somebody you like a lot, or somebody you hate (except myself! Ha ha!)”. “Now, I want you to use only your LEFT hand, the one that is close to your heart”. “Do not show anything, just imagine everything I am going to tell you.”
“If it is a person you don't like, imagine taking a voodoo doll that represents this person, and smashing it in your fist. And then, if you want, you can even crush it in your pocket or trample on it with your feet! Just imagine it without showing! In order to remember it, make a fist with your left hand, like if you wanted to punch this person! ”.
“And if it is a person you like, imagine this person as a petal of rose floating in the air, imagine nice things, positive feelings, fond memories. Imagine being with that person on a beach, or a paradise island, or in a field of roses, etc.”
Note: The current status is:
NOTHING IN BOTH HANDS = LOVE
SOMETHING IN LEFT HAND =NOTHING IN RIGHT HAND = HATE
“Now just focus on what and where you just placed this person: either a rose on the beach, or a voodoo doll mashed under your feet for instance! Visualize this image in your mind.” Stop a few seconds, and then you continue:
“If you are thinking of somebody you hate, I want you to lie to my following question. “Otherwise, just tell the truth.”
“ I know my question is going to sound weird, so please take your time before answering”. “Imagine what object represents this person, a Voodoo doll or a petal of rose, and where is this person now:
“Is this person in your RIGHT hand?” or “Is your RIGHT fist clinched?”
QUESTION:--> RIGHT hand?
LOVE NO TRUTH TELLER
HATE YES LIAR
Note: Again, with this, you can also detect if the spectator is lying or not, and use it for another climax or effect if you want.
Summary:
Is the person in your RIGHT hand? NO=TRUTH-TELLER= LOVE YES=LIAR= HATE
FINGERS CROSS
This is probably the most “organic” solution. Instead of asking to put something in one hand, you ask to do something with the hand: They will cross two fingers in case they are lying. This is great because it is a common thing to do in most countries, at least for kids! WE USED TO CROSS OUR FINGERS WHEN LYING.
If it is done in plain view, it usually means also we are hoping for good luck.
By Evan-Amos - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18956981
And if it is done behind our back or covertly, it means we are telling a deliberate lie. This is what we are going to use. Note that any other gesture, more appropriate to your culture or country, can be used.
Here is some information on the origins of this gesture, as I think it is important for us to know a little bit of everything we use in our routines:
Source: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/03/cross-fingers-luck-lying/ : People have been crossing their fingers for luck for centuries.
A small number of historians believe that the practice pre-dates Christianity.
Most historians support a second theory. In the early stages, members of Christianity
probably made a cross with another person, sort of like a secret handshake. In this case, each member would present their thumb and index finger in the shape of an “L.” Their thumbs would touch, and their index fingers would cross, making a symbol not unlike today’s Christian fish symbol (originally called “Ichthys”, meaning “fish”).
As the gesture evolved, people used it not just for God’s favour or luck, but to ward off evils and illnesses, among other things. These days, you don’t even have to cross your fingers, with many simply saying “fingers crossed” or “I’ve got my fingers crossed for you,” as a way to say “good luck.”
The origin of why fingers are crossed to indicate that we are lying—and negate the negative connotations of lying, or justify the lie— may very well have roots in Christianity.
One of the Ten Commandments is “do not testify falsely against your neighbour”—or, put simply, do not lie. It is speculated that Christians started making the cross symbol with their fingers when lying to protect themselves against God’s wrath for breaking one of the
commandments. As to when this started, it has been speculated that it dates all the way back to the beginnings of Christianity the same as the Ichthys- when Christians had to lie about being Christians since the religion was outlawed, often under penalty of death. However, as with the “luck” finger crossing, direct evidence is hard to come by, so we’re left with
educated theories.
Another theory is that crossing your fingers when lying evolved from crossing your fingers for luck. In this case, you would be silently asking for luck in getting away with the lie. This is also entirely plausible, but we can’t be certain which theory is actually correct (if either). Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossed_fingers:
To cross one's fingers is a hand gesture commonly used to wish for luck. Occasionally it is interpreted as an attempt to implore God for protection. The gesture is referred to by the common expressions "cross your fingers", "keep your fingers crossed", or just "fingers crossed". Some people, mostly children, also use the gesture to excuse their telling of
a white lie. By extension, a similar belief is that crossing one's fingers invalidates a promise being made.
The origin of the gesture traces back to the biblical Kingdom of Israel. Courts of Mosaic law would often render verdicts with the phrase "May God have mercy upon your soul" in order to reaffirm God's supreme authority over the law. Most judges felt that while they could pass a sentence of death upon a person, they personally did not have the authority to destroy souls and that only God had the authority to do that. As a result, some judges would cross their fingers whenever they said the phrase as a result of concern for the criminal's soul as they said it as a prayer.
Common use of crossed fingers is found in the Christians who would cross their fingers in order to invoke the power associated with Christ's cross for protection, when faced
with evil. Moreover, Christians, when persecuted by the Romans, used the symbol of crossed fingers in order to recognize one another and assemble for Holy Mass. "When they were persecuted in Rome, Christians would secretly come together with the sign of the fish, and they would hold up their crossed fingers, as a Sign of the crossed emblem that had once been on the vestments of the army of Barabbas. It became a custom everywhere, for
Christians when meeting, to make the sign of a cross by crossing their fingers." In 16th century England, people continued to cross fingers or make the sign of the cross in order to ward off evil, as well as when people coughed or sneezed.
This superstition thus became popular among many early European Christian cultures. In some places, a comrade or well-wisher placed his index finger over the index finger of the person making the wish, the two fingers forming a cross. The one person makes the wish, the other empathizes and supports. Over centuries, the custom was simplified, so that a person could wish on his own, by crossing his index and middle fingers to form an X. But traces remain—two people hooking index fingers as a sign of greeting or agreement is still common in some circles today.
Charles Panati believes that the act of crossing one's fingers as a sign of luck or making a wish traces back to pre-Christian times, speculating that the cross was a symbol of unity and benign spirits dwelt at the intersection point. A wish made on a cross was a way of
"anchoring" the wish at the intersection of the cross until the wish was fulfilled. Exceptions
- In Vietnam the gesture is considered rude, especially to another person. It is comparable to the rude finger in western culture.
- In German-speaking countries the gesture is only known for vitiating oaths. Wishing for luck is gestured by pressing thumbs. The same gesture is used in many Slavic countries such as Poland,the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria , ex-Yugoslav republics, and Sweden. Pressing thumbs as gesture to wish for luck in German-speaking countries:
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossed_fingers ) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossed_fingers
By Grey Geezer - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27576077 Now, let's go back to our secret weapon.
You ask a spectator to write a statement, that can be true or not, on a business card. Of course, it must be something you can not possibly guess. They can show you what they write. You then add:
“There is no way I can know if this is true or not”.
“I am one of the few people in the world who can detect if a person is lying or not. Let's try an experiment. If your statement is TRUE, you are going to tell the truth all the time. And if it is a lie, I want you to lie all the time. Is that clear in your mind?”
“In order to remember it, please put your RIGHT HAND behind your back. If you are a liar, cross two fingers, like when you were lying as a kid! Otherwise do nothing”
This is also a way to keep a good conscience in case you are playing the role of a liar!” Maybe they will remember when they were doing the sign of the cross when they were younger! You can play some jokes here!
In any case, the action of crossing the fingers is fully justified here. Take the business card, and read aloud what they wrote.
“In a moment, I want you to tell this aloud about your statement, in the most solemn way!: “I swear this is true”
“Ready? Go ahead!”
The spectator will say the sentence, and you add: “Hmmm. Very difficult...”...“Let's try again.” or: “I think I know, but I am not sure”.
“Please, put your OTHER hand behind the back”. (Do not say LEFT hand here)
“Listen carefully: If you have CROSSED your fingers at the beginning, uncross them now, and transfer the cross secretly to the other hand.”
(Actually the cross (if any) will always move from the RIGHT hand to the LEFT hand, or rather, there is no way a cross is in the right hand)
“Now repeat after me: “I swear this is true”. Go ahead”.
The
Note: This is just a dummy step. It has nothing to do with the logic of the solution. It is just here to confuse the participant, and the audience.
Show the statement on the business card, and say: “Let me try again. Repeat after me:
“I swear this is true”
“Again, if you are a liar, tell the opposite. If you are a truth-teller, tell the truth.” Is there a cross in your RIGHT hand?”
As you know by now, their reply will tell you if they lied or not:
NO = TRUE statement / TRUTH-TELLER THERE IS NO CROSS
THE STATEMENT ON THE BIZCARD IS TRUE YES = FALSE statement / LIAR
THE CROSS IS NOW IN THE LEFT HAND THE STATEMENT ON THE BIZCARD IS FALSE
THE SIGN OF THE FISH
This is a variant that still uses the fingers crossing, but in a different way.
The sign is mainly used as a mnemonic system for the participant to remember if she is a liar or a truth-teller. The detection method itself, is different than the previous ones. Presentation:
First of all, it is very important to clearly establish the premise of the experiment at the beginning: It is a LIAR DETECTION EXPERIMENT, not a mind reading one.
The patter looks like this:
“I want you to secretly decide in your mind if you are going to be a LIAR or an HONEST person. Please make a decision in your mind: LIE or TELL THE TRUTH?”
Once it is done, you add:
“Please ANCHOR in your mind who you are from now on.”. “Place your left hand behind your back, now.”
“If you decided to be a liar, I understand this is bad. You may feel guilty or have bad conscience. So, if you decided to be a liar only, cross two fingers of your left hand, like when you were a kid! Otherwise do nothing if you decided to be a truth-teller.”Of course, do not show me if you cross two fingers or not”.
“In any case, please keep your hand behind your back, to hide it”.
“Done? OK, there is no way for me to know if you are a liar or not, and only you knows if your fingers are crossed behind your back or not. This makes it easy to remember if you lie or not, as your fingers are crossed or not.”
We are going to introduce a useless and redundant step.
[*] Remember this place of the chapter. We will come back later in the notes. “Now, I want you to take an imaginary coin in your other hand. Please show it to
everybody. OK. We can all see it is a normal coin. This side is HEADS, and the other side is what? …. TAILS. Good!”
“Please toss the coin and look which side is up without telling anybody” “Now I give you an imaginary marker.”
Pretend handing a pen to your participant.
“I am going to turn my back: If you already have a cross behind your back, please draw a cross as well on the coin. Otherwise do nothing”.
LEFT FINGERS RIGHT FINGERS COIN
LIAR CROSSED NOT CROSSED CROSSED Two crosses
TRUTH NOT CROSSED NOT CROSSED NOT CROSSED Zero cross (As you can see, the step with the coin, is redundant with the step with the fingers cross. It adds nothing to the logic). Note that redundant information is also used in hypnosis... Face again the spectator, and say:
“Please take the coin with your right hand, and put it behind your back as well”. “If you were telling the truth, continue telling the truth.”
“If you were a liar, now you can tell the truth if you want, or you can continue to lie.” “Tell me how many crosses you have in total”.
If they immediately say ZERO, they told the truth and still tell the truth, and there are ZERO crosses indeed.
If they hesitate, and seem to be counting mentally how many crosses they have behind their back, in order to say a different one, it means they lied so far. The number of crosses in this case is two. So, If they say 0 or 1, or anything else than two, after some hesitation, you can declare that they have been lying all the time, and there are two crosses.( If they say 2, you can add that they have been lying all the time, except at the end).
QUICK = TRUE SLOW= LIAR Note:
- The detection method is more “subtle” here. This is not 100%, because nothing is written. If the participant wants to trick you, they can. The only way to avoid this, would be to do the routine with a real marker. Instead of asking them to cross their fingers, ask them to draw a cross on their left hand, and on a real coin.
- When you know the solution, it looks obvious, but for the spectator it is not. Try it.
If your presentation is good, it will look to them like if you were detecting psychological or non-verbal clues. This is due to the fact that you introduced redundant information. It confused, “saturated” their brain, and misdirected it: They were thinking of a HEADS or TAILS game, but the only question you ask at the end, is not about HEADS or TAILS, or WHICH HAND either, as it looked with their hands behind their back. This unexpected question will be like an “induction” in hypnosis.
- If you think about it, you could add extra redundant step(s), or “useless” steps. For
instance, ask the participant to repeat after you: “I swear I am thinking of something that is true” or “I swear it is true”.
- [*] Go back to this step in the routine above. Here you can add any question or multiple questions or ask the spectator to say one or many statements about something you want to know if it is true or not... At the end, you will discover if the spectator played the role of a liar or a truth-teller, and therefore if she lied or not for these specific statements...
THE TRICK THAT FOOLED EINSTEIN …
EVEN MORE!
The methods we have seen so far could be little standalone effects, experiments, or warm-ups, about liar detections. But it is interesting to use them with other effects.
For instance, we are going to mix the previous effect, with a prediction. As we used a coin, my example will be about “the trick that fooled Einstein” (Al Koran). This is particularly interesting in case you miss the liar detection phase for some reason. You will have here an additional climax that is surefire, and baffling (Hey, it fooled Einstein himself, so you can't disagree with that!).
Preparation:
Take at least two sets of coins that exist in your own country: For instance: 1c, 5c, 10c, 25c, 50c and 1$ in the USA, or 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, 1€ and 2€ in Europe. Keep these coins in a separate purse. You can add more coins if you want. The only thing is that you need to know the total amount (M).
Presentation: Write a prediction:
“I HAVE THE SAME COINS AS YOURS, PLUS V CENTS, AND ENOUGH CHANGE LEFT TO MAKE A TOTAL OF (M-V) WITH YOUR OWN COINS .” (Replace V, and M-V by your own values)
For instance: V= 93 cents, and M-V= 7,76 – 0,93= 6,83€ assuming you have 7,76€ of change.
Fold the prediction in quarter, and leave it under a glass for instance, in full view. Drop your prepared change inside the glass.
Like before, the spectator decides secretly to be a liar or a truth teller. This time, ask them to draw a cross in their left palm or on one of their left hand fingers.
Then, ask the spectator to drop a few different coins on the table, from their own change, draw a cross on some of them (only if they crossed their finger), pick them with their right hand, and put their hand behind their back:
“If you already have a cross in your left hand, please draw a cross as well on as many coins as you want . Otherwise do nothing. And then take these coins, and put your hand behind your back”.
All this is made while you do not look. When it's done, you can face the spectator again, and continue:
how many crosses you have in total, whether it is in your hand or on the coins”
As you know by now, if they immediately say ZERO, they told the truth and still tell the truth, and there are ZERO crosses indeed.
If they reply, after some hesitation, you can declare that they have been lying all the time. But if it fails, just acknowledge it and say that it is not a perfect science, or that the
spectator's mind is very difficult to read, or whatever excuse you want to say. You can now try a second experiment:
“Please give me a second chance!” “Which coins did you take?”
They show you the coins, if not done yet, and you smile: “Interesting!. How much is it?”
“Please look at my prediction, and slowly read it out loud”. “I HAVE AS MUCH CHANGE AS YOU,...”
Take the same amount out of the glass, and place it on the table. “...PLUS V”
Take coins that total V, out of the glass.
“...AND ENOUGH COINS LEFT TO MAKE A TOTAL OF (M-V) WHEN ADDED TO YOUR COINS .”
Count how much money is left in the glass, plus their coins, and it will always be (M-V)!
Note:
The second chance routine can be any other surefire trick you know with coins. Heads or Tails, Which hand, or Liar detection effects are good topics (“Tequila hustler”(Mark Elsdon), “Ostrakinda”, “Big bet”, “Cheat hands”, “Clue”, “”Bluff”, etc.
If you want, you can prepare the prediction in advance, or write it live. You could prepare it also, with more “suspense”, or with humor, by using foldings like for the 6-OUTS card gimmick. It also has the advantage of separating the reveal into steps that allow you to count the coins.
TRUTH LIAR PREDICTION
Here is another weapon to supposedly detect liars. It is based on the “FIFTY- FIFTY” solution.
Prepare a banknote with: “YOU WILL TELL THE TRUTH” for instance. And a piece of paper with: “YOU WILL LIE”
Roll the paper into a pellet (with the writing inside), and put it in your pocket. (or leave it unrolled, and roll it in performance)
The banknote is justified in performance, by betting some money. The presentation will look like this:
“Please tell me something. It can be a lie or a truth, but it must be something I don't know the answer. Remember this: There is NO WAY I (or anybody here) can know if you are going to LIE, or TELL THE TRUTH. Do you agree?”
They will certainly agree with you.
The spectator says something. REMEMBER IT. What we are going to do next is actually to find if this information is true or not, and you can use it later for another routine, or for cold reading. Like before, you can ask them to repeat after you:
“This is true,this is true, etc.” After a couple of seconds you add:
“OK, I think I know. Let's try something else that everybody here can check.”. Take the piece of paper (or the pellet), and roll it (without showing the writings).
“Please, take this pellet here with one of your hands, “You can use any hand or hide the pellet in one of your pockets if you want.. Then close both fists behind your back.”
You turn your back, and the spectator executes your instructions while you don't look. When she has finished, you face her again, and explain:
“Now, I want you to tell me where is the pellet. Be consistent: if you LIED previously, you must LIE now as well, If you said the TRUTH, you must TELL THE TRUTH again”
“As it is only a 50/50% chance, in order to make it more interesting, I am betting that bill. If I am wrong, you will win it. You don't have to bet anything on your side.”
“Go ahead: Tell me where the pellet is located, and lie or not like before.”.
Let's say they declare it is in their RIGHT hand for instance. Ask them to show everybody if it is indeed in their RIGHT hand.
- If you see the coin, it means they said the truth. In that case, raise their hand, take the pellet from the participant, show it to everybody, and pocket it, while you say: “So, you said the truth!”. Then, you will show the banknote with: “YOU WILL TELL THE TRUTH”. - If you do not see the pellet, it means that they lied.
In that case, pocket the banknote, and ask them to open the pellet, and read the prediction with: “YOU WILL LIE” on it.
“Sorry, I keep my money! You can't lie to me!” Simple!...but powerful.
Imagine all you can do with this. You now know if the first statement was true or
not...Assuming the spectator was consistent...Use this information for another effect later on, rather than revealing it now...
YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE!
You could add another revelation to the liar detection plot with two classic techniques: Multiple outs and index. For instance, ask the spectator to take a coin. Let's say they choose a quarter. Later on, you will reveal the prediction either on the banknote or on the piece of paper with:
“QUARTER” and “TRUE ” (Banknote) or “QUARTER”, and “LIAR” (Pellet)
It needs a one-time preparation. In the USA, there are six possible values for coins: Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter, Half and 1 Dollar
Take six rectangles of TYVEK paper preferably, and write on them for instance: “PENNY” in the center , LIAR on one end, and TRUE on the opposite end, “NICKEL in the center , LIAR on one end, and TRUE on the opposite end, “DIME in the center , LIAR on one end, and TRUE on the opposite end, “QUARTER in the center , LIAR on one end, and TRUE on the opposite end, “HALF DOLLAR in the center , LIAR on one end, and TRUE on the opposite end, “1 DOLLAR in the center , LIAR on one end, and TRUE on the opposite end,” Same thing for the banknotes (real ones preferably, but you can use dummy ones):
Fold the papers and bills in half, and keep them in pairs of the same coin.
You will need now two indexing systems: One for a left pocket and one for the right pocket. PENNY, NICKEL and DIME on the LEFT,
and QUARTER, HALF DOLLAR, and DOLLAR on the RIGHT. The working is simple:
As soon as you know which coin is selected, you know in which pocket. So you can take out the banknote and piece of paper out of this pocket. Scrunch the paper into a pellet, and hand it to the spectator. Place the folded banknote under a glass or else:
You do your routine about the liar detection plot, and at the end you will know if they lie or not.
If they tell the truth, you pocket the pellet, and unfold the banknote. If they lie, you pocket the bill, and unfold the pellet.
You need to unfold with the information towards yourself, and hide with your thumb (or with your four fingers), either TRUE or LIAR, before turning the information towards the audience.
NOTES:
- This is good for casual presentations. Another out you could use is my “H-OUT”. For more formal ones, you can use a Himber wallet or other wallet, or other two-way outs. - In other countries, use your own coins, and adapt the principle... In UK, there are nine coins (1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 25p, 50p, 1 , ). £ 2£ There are eight EURO coins (1c, 2c, 5c , 10c, 20c, 50c, 1€, 2€) ...
BANK NOTE
Effect:You write a prediction on a banknote and put it on the table, or keep it in your fist. The spectator must think of something that is either a lie or a true statement. When they open the banknote, it says: “You lied” (or “You said the truth”) Secret:
This solution simply uses a switch. But don't run! There is much more to it. Preparation:
Take a bill and write: “You lied” on it.(or “Liar”, or “You will lie”,...) Roll it into a pellet, and put it in your left pocket, with the pen or marker. Presentation:
Take the same bill denomination than your prepared bill, and the same pen. Make sure everybody sees that your hands are empty. Do this casually.
“I am going to bet that bill for a little experiment. I know what you are going to do. If I am wrong, you'll keep the money!”.
Write “You will tell the truth!” on the bill (without showing), roll it into a pellet, and put it on the table. Then recap the pen, and put it in your left pocket. Finger palm the prepared pellet.
“Think of something I cannot know (for instance the name of your mother or her birthday, or any other secret”.
“In a moment, you are going to say something out loud, but you can lie if you want .”
“Before you do it, in order to have a proof later on, please write somewhere if you are going to lie or not. I won't look of course. Don't write your secret. It is a secret, so keep it secret! Just write LIE or TRUE for instance, on a piece of paper, and hide it”.
When it is done, you add:
“I am not going to ask you to tell your secret out loud, whether you lie or not. Just say slowly:
“I swear I am thinking of something that is true”. After a few seconds of hesitation, you say:
“ Remember, I am committed by this prediction and my own money here on the table.” Take the rolled bill while you say that, and show it around with your right hand.. “If I am wrong you keep it!”
“Please just tell us if you lied or not”.
- In both cases you immediately say with a big smile: “Sorry, I win! This is exactly what I predicted!”. And you wait for somebody to shout: “Prove it!”!
- If they say: “I told the truth”, no switch is required. You are already clean.
In that case, you can keep your right hand raised, and continue showing the banknote around, and then hand it to somebody else to read it.
- If they say: “I lied”: Keep your right hand above your head also, but this time, you say: “I need a witness”.
Look around, looking for a honest spectator (-:, select one on your LEFT hand side, and while you walk to this person, your right hand goes down and fakes to transfer the pellet to the left hand (à la Bobo switch). Don't make it a move. The important thing is to be natural, and to follow your LEFT hand with your eyes, and then look into the spectator's eyes while talking to them. You hand the switched bill to the spectator, and ask her to open it and read its content. At the same time, your other hand falls down on the side. The other pellet is easily hidden in your right hand.
Here is a way to get rid of it:
Turn towards the original spectator, and ask her to show you the paper where they wrote “LIE” or “TRUE”, and if you can keep it. Put both hands in your pockets, getting rid of the pellet, and take the pen.
Hand it to the spectator to write their name and the date on it, or telephone number, under the pretext you want to keep it as a souvenir. Or write your own telephone number on it. Or just look for your wallet, ditch the pellet inside that pocket, and put the banknote back inside your wallet.
Again, this is a simple solution, but it works, especially in a casual environment! The key is to present it as an improvised and quick experiment. Nobody will ever suspect the other bill. There is no way the participant can cheat as there is a proof.
Now, let's rest our brain cells a bit with two simple techniques.
“WHY MAKE IT SIMPLE WHEN WE CAN MAKE IT COMPLICATED?” (or the opposite!)
SVENGALIE
Preparation:
Take a pad and cut every page about 0,1 inch, or just buy a Svenpad.
Prepare it in such a way that when you show the pages in one direction it will always show the word TRUE (for instance), and when you show it upside down, it will show LIAR or TRUE. In addition to LIAR or TRUE, you can also add statements like: “ALWAYS ANSWER NO”, “ALWAYS ANSWER YES”, “REPLY WHATEVER YOU WANT!”, etc.
Principle:
Force TRUE for instance with the Svengali pad.
You will now know the spectator will always tell the truth.
Ask a question you do not know the answer, and if you forced TRUE, the spectator will directly tell you the answer to your question!
From there, you can do any type of effect you want. It can also replace a peek.
Let's take for instance a drawing duplication. The spectator genuinely draws something you don't know, and that you don't see.
If you know they will always tell the truth, you can ask question such as the following, to replicate their drawing.
“Please think of any object in this room”
“Please always answer according to your role (lie or tell the truth) “Is is round?”
“Is it big?”
“Is it on the walls?”
“Is it something you carry on you?” etc.
THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
Another simple tool! The cartoon below says it all:
Principle:
A spectator must lie or tell the truth. Force something.
Then ask a question you already know the answer. As you already know what the spectator is thinking, her reply will tell you if she lies or not.
Example:
Force a red card.
Ask: “Is your card RED?”
- If they answer YES: They play the role of a TRUTH-TELLER - If they answer NO : They play the role of a LIAR.
THELMA and LOUISE
I will start with a logic puzzle I have known since I was a kid! I do not know its originator. The prisoner and the two guards:
One guard is a liar, and the other one always tells the truth. Each one has a key: One opens the door to freedom, and the other one opens the door to death, but they are the only ones to know what key they are holding, and who is lying or not.
The prisoner must ask only one question to only one guard, in order to find the right key. And the question is: “Is it the liar guard who holds the key to freedom?”
There are only four cases:
Question to LIAR GUARD (LG) Question to TRUTH-TELLER GUARD (TTG) LG holds the Life key
=> LG answers NO
= Other guard does NOT hold the Life key
LG holds the Life key => TTG Answers YES
= Other guard holds the Life key LG does NOT hold the Life key
=> LG answers YES
= Other guard holds the Life key
LG does NOT hold the Life key => TTG answers NO
= Other guard does NOT hold the Life key As you can see, it does not matter to whom the question is asked. The answer will always indicate the status of the OTHER GUARD.
YES= The other guard holds the Life key
NO= The other guard does NOT hold the Life key. Note that it will not tell who is lying or telling the truth.
THELMA and LOUISE
Based on the previous puzzle, you can build multitude of routines on different themes. One theme could be for instance about movies. People like cinema. The one I have chosen is “Thelma and Louise”, by Ridley Scott. Most people know it or will remember the final scene. The film became a critical and commercial success, receiving six Academy
Award nominations and winning one for Best Original Screenplay for Khouri. Scott was nominated for Best Director, and both Sarandon and Davis were nominated for Best Actress. At its release the film stirred controversy. At the intersection of several genres, it is now considered a classic. It influenced other films and artistic works, and became a landmark of feminist film. In 2016, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for
preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". (from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_%26_Louise )
Example of patter:
Show one of the four photographs (see below), and ask: “Have you seen the movie “Thelma and Louise”?”
If they haven't, it doesn't really matter, as you can briefly explain the final scene:
“At the end, the two women decide to ride their car over the cliff at the Grand Canyon in order to escape the police”.
“Here is a photograph of this scene. Do you remember or do you know who was driving the car? Was it Thelma? Louise? Do you know who proposed to die? What would have
happened if the other said NO? The movie would have been completely different. It does not really matter, but I would like to try something with you. Here are four photographs,
representing the four possibilities.
- Thelma driving the car to death and saying YES or NO, - and Louise driving and saying YES or NO.
You are going to be an actor of the movie: - Louise or Thelma
- Driving or not
I won't look. Please shuffle the photographs, and select one of them randomly. Hide the other cards. Now look at your card, without showing anybody else, and hide it in your hands. You are the only one to know the end of the movie now, and in all cases, the issue is bad and tragic.
Let's try to joke around a bit before Thelma and Louise die or get arrested. I have one! “ Do Lipton employees take coffee breaks?”
or “ “Is it because money doesn't grow on trees, that banks have branches?” etc.
Now, imagine this is asked by the other woman in the car, and you answer. For this, look again at your image, and answer the same as on the photograph (It can be either YES or NO) (Do not show me your photograph)
The spectator answers, and you start describing the scene on her photograph:
“Now, don't say or show any clues, please focus on your photograph. Imagine the new scene. Whether you are driving or not..Are you going to jump out of the car, and be arrested by the police?Maybe you can't even get out of the car as the doors are locked. Where are you sitting in the car? Are you going to ride into the canyon, or step on the brakes? Is the driver going to jump out of the car at the last second? Etc.
…
“OK, good, I can't see if you are Thelma or Louise, as it does not really matter for the scenario...But I can clearly see now that you are going to die in this scene. You answered YES. You do not drive the car yourself into the canyon, as I see your name on the right side of the screen. Is it correct?”
Explanation:
For explanation purposes, I will start with the following question: “Is it LOUISE who drives the car over the cliff?”
Now compare with the previous puzzle, and you will get the following new table:
Question to LOUISE Question to THELMA
Louise drives the car over the cliff => LOUISE answers NO
= THELMA does NOT drive the car over the cliff
Louise drives the car over the cliff => THELMA answers YES
= LOUISE drives the car over the cliff Louise does NOT drive the car over the cliff
=> LOUISE answers YES
= THELMA drives the car over the cliff
Louise does NOT drive the car over the cliff => THELMA answers NO
= LOUISE does NOT drive the car over the cliff
But there is more to it. By forcing YES or NO, the QUESTION can actually be anything!the
It could even be any YES/NO question from the audience. It can be something like: “Do you speak English?”. The question does not matter. Only the answer!
I prefer using humor and ask stupid questions or jokes like the following ones: (If you know good ones, let me know!)
“Don't you hate when people ask dumb questions?”
“If you write a book about Failure, and it doesn't sell, is it called success?” “Is it true cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny?”
“If electricity come from electrons, does morality come from morons?” “Is it because money doesn't grow on trees, that banks have branches?” “ Do Lipton employees take coffee breaks?”
“Imagine it is very cold outside, and the door is open. If I ask you to close the door, will it stop being cold outside?”
“If you are cooler than me, would that make me hotter than you? “If sleep is really good for the brain, is it permitted in school?”
“If a tree falls in the forest, and it isn't posted on Facebook, did it really happen?” “If you install two times Windows-7 32bits, will it become 64 bits?
“If I have great power, will I pay high electricity bills?” “Will you smell really bad, if you skip a shower?”
“Will you allow your nude picture leak for 30 million dollars?” “Are you satisfied with your current salary?”
“Is there a ring on Saturn because God loved it?” “If frogs park illegally, will they get toad?”
“If your chair breaks, will you call a chairman?”
“In order to get a loan at your bank, do you first need to prove them you don't need it?” “A marriage of convenience, is it when you marry in the toilet?”
The spectator will have to reply YES or NO, according to the instruction written on her card. And it will tell you exactly if they are the one driving on their photograph:
YES= The spectator does NOT drive the car NO= The spectator drives the car.
Note that it will not tell you if it is THELMA or LOUISE, but you can deduct other things than who drives the car.
If the answer is YES: The spectator is seated on the passenger's seat. Her name is on the right hand side of the photograph. She said YES, therefore she accepted the offer to let the car ride into the cliff, and she will die.
If the answer is NO: The spectator is on the driver's seat. Her name is on the left hand side of the photograph. As she said NO, she is going to survive by either jumping out of the car, or because the car will stop at the last second.
NOTE:
This routine can be played as a prediction effect with a two-way out.
YES OUT: “You will be seated on the passenger's seat. Your name will be on the right hand side of the photograph. By saying YES, you accept to let the car ride into the cliff.” NO OUT: “You will be the driver of the car. Your name will be on the left hand side of the photograph. By saying NO, you will not drive the car into the cliff.”
“YOU AND I”
(A MAN AND A WOMAN)
Everybody has heard about the movie “A man and a woman” by Claude LELOUCH. It was a big hit in the sixties (prize winner at Cannes Festival in 1986), and a sequel was released twenty years later in 1986. Same thing for the main song of the soundtrack (A man and a woman, Francis LAI), with the famous “dabadabada”! (https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Jg-NDSLEkKI ). Everybody above 40 at least should know it.
This routine is going further than “Thelma and Louise”, and is more deceptive. I really think it cannot be backtracked, and that great performers could play big with it.
Instead of using YES or NO like before, we will use sound, or rather music... For instance, with the provided images below, you can deduct the following things about the photograph just by knowing the song. The song can be either said by the spectator, or played on a smart phone for instance, or sung by the spectator, etc. You will see later a subtlety that allows to know the song in an indirect manner.
DABADABADA (“A man and a woman”) SARAVAH (“Samba Saravah”)
YES LOVE
FRENCH VERSION
JEAN-LOUIS ON THE LEFT SEAT GENDER
NO
DOUBT ABOUT LOVE ENGLISH VERSION
JEAN-LOUIS ON THE RIGHT SEAT GENDER
NOTES:
- As the other tunes of the film are less known ( “Plus fort que nous”, “A l'ombre de nous”, “Samba Saravah”, “124 miles an hour”), you can use the following subtlety to learn about the song. At the beginning of the routine, play the song on your smart phone, or ask the spectator if they have seen the movie “A man and a woman”, and if they remember the main title of the soundtrack. Ask them to sing it, or sing it yourself. If you are on stage, the music could be played a few seconds by the production or control room, to introduce this new effect. Later on, simply ask the spectator to sing the melody in their mind: If they say they don't know it, it is the other song (Samba Saravah, or else if you prefer making your own cards with a different tune).
- Another idea would be to engineer musical postcards for the photographs, and when they open it, it automatically plays the tune... You may want to use ring-tones as well...You could also use computer images, and by clicking on it, they play a tune, or make a sound.
- You do not have to use the song to learn about the photograph. Any one of the following statements can actually be used:
YES or NO like in “Thelma and Louise” LOVE or DOUBT about love
FRENCH or ENGLISH movie or song
JEAN-LOUIS on the RIGHT or on the LEFT of the photograph
ANOUK or JEAN-LOUIS
- By knowing if YES or NO is written on their photograph, you can use the cards as lie detectors: Ask a question, and ask them to answer as it is on the photograph (truth-teller), or, if they want, to say the opposite of what is on the photograph (liar).
- Note that the position of Jean-Louis Trintignant is ambiguous: He can be perceived as on the LEFT side of the photograph, or, on the RIGHT seat in the car.
If he is on the right seat of the car, it means that it is an ENGLISH version.
If he is seating on the LEFT side of the car, it means that it is a FRENCH version.
Also, this ambiguity allows you to tell which role the spectator is playing (Anouk Aimée, or Jean-Louis Trintignant). As Jean-Louis is always the driver, as soon as you hear the song, you will know if it is FRENCH or ENGLISH, and therefore you will know if Jean-Louis is sitting on the LEFT seat, or on the RIGHT seat.
So, just say: “ I think you are sitting on the right” (for instance)
If they reply “NO”, usually they will mean the SIDE ON THE PHOTOGRAPH. Just tell them : “I mean the seat on the right hand side of the car, the right seat.”
As you know if it is the “English side”, or the “French side”, you can even precise the passenger's seat, or the driver's seat, and by deduction if they are playing the role of ANOUK or JEAN-LOUIS.
If it sounds too confusing, just skip this revelation. You still have four other ones to describe the photograph.
same title (“A man and a woman”), for instance from two different interprets. Do not use a French one and an English one, it would be too obvious... Note that you won't be able to use the subtlety in that case.
- You could use more photographs (By using more versions, or more songs, different wordings on the images, synonyms, etc.) …
- You could use also extra “dummy” photos (for instance where both Anouk and Jean-Louis want the relationship, or both doubt about it.
- I use movies , as it is more visual, and easier for me to justify, but you may find other ideas Example of presentation:
Try to find a participant who is not shy, or who likes to talk (and sing!). “Have you seen the movie “A man and a woman?”
“Do you remember the film's theme song, or at least the refrain?”
Whether they remember or not, start singing “dabadabada”! This will most certainly refresh their memories, and most importantly, prepare for the “subtlety”...
You can also prepare two links to the tunes (on youtube for instance) on your smart phone, and play the tune.
complicated relationship due to the memories of their deceased spouses. The movie is all about the ambiguity of their relationship, and the main scenes were improvised. Especially the last scene where the actors didn't know they were going to meet again, and what to do then...”
“Imagine I am Claude LELOUCH!”
“Rather than fully improvising, I have written some instructions for one of the scenes on a few cards here. As you can see, they are all different:”
Show the cards when you talk to prove your words:
They are either for the MAN, or for the WOMAN.
The actor has to answer YES or NO (but without knowing the question!) One has to doubt about their love, while the other one is sure.
The radio will play during the scene, but they don't know which music, and if they will have to play in English or in French.
Etc.”
“You are going to shuffle the cards, and select one of the plots at random, without showing me, and you will hide the other ones under ...(something opaque)”.
The spectator executes your instructions.
“There is no way I can know the scenario and which role you are playing. Do you agree?” “First of all, you are going to turn on the car radio”
“Just sing the song according to your instructions!”
- If they sing “dabadabada”, that's great! Usually they will. It can be funny too, and an opportunity for comedy.
- If they don't, then you need to find out if it is because they do not want to sing or if they don't dare... If they tell you that it is because they don't know the song, then it is great too! - Otherwise, I suggest recording the tunes on your smart phone, and if the above fails, ask
them to select the one planned by Claude LELOUCH for this scene.
Note: After a few seconds, I think it is better to turn the “radio” off, in order to forget about this part (that is the “key” part of the method).
In any case, you now know everything you need to know: The song. And you can now start the mind-reading/telepathy part.
“Please, do not show me anything, or say anything.”
“Just hold your photograph tight in your palms, in front of your eyes, and focus on it. Try to visualize the scene in your mind, whether you believe in this relationship or not. Whether you want it or not, etc.”.
What you are going to say next will depend on the tune you heard. 1. MAIN THEME (DABADABA!): “A man and a woman”
“I think you are improvising the role of a lover. You are very positive about it, I see a big YES.
It is a French version of the song and of the movie. The actor you are playing, the one with the arrow pointing to it, is the one on the right...”
If they react, or say NO, or hesitate, add:
“I mean, the seat on the RIGHT, inside the car.”
“You are sitting on the RIGHT seat, inside the car, am I correct?” “And you play the role of the woman, Anouk AIMEE”.
2. UNKNOWN or LESS OBVIOUS SONG: “Samba Saravah”
“I think you are improvising the role of a skeptical person. You doubt about your relationship, you are negative about it, I see a big NO.
It is an English version of the song and movie. The actor you are playing, the one with the arrow pointing to it, is the one on the right...”
Again, if they react, or say NO, or hesitate, add: “I mean, the seat on the RIGHT, inside the car.”
“You are sitting on the RIGHT seat, inside the car, am I correct?” “And you play the role of the man, Jean-Louis TRINTIGNANT”.
Mnemonic: It is simple actually: If you hear “dabadabada”, immediately associate it with YES, FRENCH, LOVE and WOMAN ON THE RIGHT SEAT.
If you hear the other song, associate it with NO, ENGLISH, DOUBT, and MAN ON THE RIGHT SEAT.
DABADABADA = YES, I LOVE FRENCH WOMEN SITTING ON THE RIGHT
OTHER SONG = NO, I DON'T KNOW THE ENGLISHMAN SITTING ON THE RIGHT
(PHOTO or SEAT)
Then, imagine yourself sitting in the car, either in UK (on the right seat), or in France (on the left seat), and it will become crystal clear.
Here are some additional ideas to remember everything.
The song “A man and a woman” is a French movie and a Love song. Always say the spectator is on the right first, and if they react say you meant the right seat, and they are a woman. Samba Saravah implies Skeptical as they all start with an “S”.
DABADABADA = Yes, I love France: When they don't know their way, the women passengers still want to be right!
SAMBA SARAVAH = Even though they don't know, Englishmen still want to be right!
Or :
DABADABADA = YES, I love French ladies! They always want to be right!
SAMBA SARAVAH = NO, Englishmen do not know their way, but they still want to be right!
Or just remember:
DABADABADA = “YES, I love French ladies! “
If the spectator reacts about the word “RIGHT”, precise: “the right SEAT” and it is the WOMAN.
SAMBA SARAVAH = “NO, I don't believe Englishmen”
If the spectator reacts to the word “RIGHT”, precise: “the right SEAT” and it is the MAN.
Additional photographs
You can add these photographs with the previous ones. They carry the same logic, even though they look different. That would make a total of eight cards.
NO MUSIC CARDS
These cards do not say to play any music. They indicate that both Jean-Louis and Anouk think the same about their relationship (They want it), and that it is a French scene. So, as soon as you hear that there is no music on the card, you can say:
“It does not matter. Sing anything you want!”anything
“Please focus on the scene first: If it is in French or in English”. …
“I think it is a FRENCH scene”.
“Now, focus on your role: Do you want a new relationship or no?” …
“I think you actually both want to pursue with this new relationship.” “Also I see you on the right.”
Here, you use the same subtlety as before:
- If the answer is a straight “YES”, it means JEAN-LOUIS is on the right on the photograph because in France, the driver (Jean-Louis) is actually on the LEFT seat, and from outside of the car, he will be indeed on the right side of the car.
- If they hesitate or say “NO”, it is the opposite. ANOUK is sitting on the passenger's seat which is on the left side when viewed from outside. When inside the car, she is sitting on the RIGHT seat.
To remember these cards:
NO = ANOUK