THE EFFECT A spectator cuts the deck to a random fuce-down card. It’s covered with your wallet fo keep it safe, You then ask the spectator to dig deep in to her mind for a personal magic word. She has a free choiee of almost any word she can imagine! Let's say her word is “rose”, You then use her magic word “rose” to help you find the “soul mate” of the card that’s under your wallet. It's a Very coo! trick! But what's inside the wallet? You open the wallet, Your fingers reach into its inner poeket and remove a small packet of cards. Their backs are of a different color than the deck you've been using. You slowly and cleanly deal the cards from the wallet on to the table, ‘The first eard has # large “R” drawn on its back! ‘The next card an “OM! The next an "8"! The Final card an “E*..spelling out “ROSE*L ‘No one says anything for a very long time, Then a single magic word escapes your spectator's quivering lips. “How?!” THE BIG PICTURE The Deck What appears fo be a normal red-back deck is actually a cleverly disguised deck of blue-back cards. ‘The letters of the alphabet are hand drawn on the backs of these blue-back cards, enabling you to create any short magic word your spectator might name, The Diabolical Diversion ‘You use the “normal red-back deck” and a wallet to present an intriguing effect that keeps your audience totally focused on how you are going to find a particular card. This entertaining diversion allows you to secretly position the letter cards that spell the spectator's magic word on to the face of the deck. Deep Astonishment Under cover of revealing the card, your special wallet nutomatically steals the packet of letter cards off the face of the deck. A few moments later, you open the wallet to reveal the spectator’s magic word tucked inside, .spelled out on the blue-back cards! To the spectator, these blue-backed magic word cards, “that were inside the wallet before the effect began", have no possible connection to the red-back deck you've been using, THE TOOL KIT You have in your possession the following instruments of astonishment. |. One deck of Bieyele cards with alphabet backs. ‘The color of the box and the top three unmarked cards of the deck will be a different color than the rest of the “alphabet” cards, Don’t worty, this is a happy thing. 2. Two gimmicked Jokers. The Guarantee Joker has a printed crib sheet on its back. The other Joker is a magnetic shim card with a quotation mark on its back.3. One innocent appearing wallet (unless you turn it over). This is a magnetic load wallet that happens to be missing a large hunk of vinyl from its underside, a.k.a. the secret slot. * In the pocket above the slot is a blank-face Bicycle card with a question mark on its blank side and a quotation mark on the other, Its job is to stay right where it’s at for now ~ snug inside the pocket. * There is a piece of cardboard glued into the other pocket. This keeps the wallet rigid during the handling, Keep it there forever. THE SIMPLE SET-UP 1. The top of the deck. The three red-back cards are face-down on top of the fiace-down blue-back “alphabet” cards. The order of these three eards from the top of the deck down is the Four of Hearts and the Four of Diamonds, in any order, followed by the Two of Spades. The two Jokers. One Joker goes one or two cards away from the face of the deck. The other Joker should be a few (3 to 5) cards away from it. (It doesn’t matter which Joker goes where.) 3. The “alphabet” cards. Any random order is fine, It doesn't even mdtter which direction the letters point. (If ‘you're a neatnik, you may want to keep all the letters going the same way, but it takes extra diligence to keep everything lined up as the sequence progresses, So don't worry about it, The effect will work out no matter hov mixed up the letters are.) 4. Box the deck. Put the deck in its box face-up and close the lid. (The side of the box with the back of a playing card on it should be face-up when you put the deck in face-up.) 5. ‘The wallet. It’s all set — as long as you left the “question mark” card in position, (Fig. 1 shows a eut away view of the wallet’s gimmicked pocket) This card should be pushed into the pocket as far as it will go, Put the walle and the cased deck in your pocket, Fig.1 Okay. Now let's walk through the simple procedure. You might want to read through it once without the props to get a better sense of the handling. THE PERFORMANCE Step 1: Bring out the wallet and deck from the same pocket, Be careful not to expose the secret slot to your audience. Step 2: Casually toss the wallet on to the table to your right. Make sure that the slot side of the wallet is down, with the side of the wallet that opens to the right. Open the card box and remove the deck face-up. Square the face-up deck, casually flashing its red back, and put it face up on to the table in front of you, (Do not call attention to the deck’s color.) Put the open, empty card box to your right so the open flap is pointing to your left Deep Oops: Photos show the flap pointing to the right. This is wrong. So sorry!Step 3: Ask a spectator to cut the deck into two face-up piles. Pick up the “cut to” face-up half of the deck and place it criss-crossed on top of the “cut off” face-up half of the deck to “mark the cut” (Figs. 2,3, & 4~ the “X" marked on the face of the Six of Spades is used in these instructions for instructional purposes only.) Step 4: “I've just learned this thing, so | need to borrow a good magic word in case | get stuck. Please tell me one of your favorite four letter words - try to keep it clean now.” Let’s say her word is “rose” Deep Insight: If'she comes up with a five-letter word, tell her that’s fine. You can actually do the effect with words mer range. up to seven letters in length, but it moves along quicker within the four- You have Mac King to thank for the wonderful “four letter word” gambit. Your let fingers grasp the “crossed” top half block of cards by their sides. Make sure thatthe cards are square, ‘cards are in face-down dealing position. (Figs. 5 & 6) Step then tum your left hand palm up so that the “re4 Your right fingers deal the top “freely cut-to card” face-down on to the table... just to the left of the wallet. (This card is actually the red-backed four that was the top card of the face-down deck in the beginning) AAs soon as the card is dealt, your right fingers pick up the wallet at its right side and drop it onto the card...o that a portion of the card remains visible. “Let's keep your secret card safe.” (Fig. 7) Fig. 7 Deep Insight: The first time you see someone do the cross-cut force you will be fooled by it. Then as soon as you find out how it’s done you can't believe it will ever fool anyone again. Rest assured, it really works, every time, even with the cards face-up. The few moments you spend talking about the magic word is all it takes for your audience to forget which half of the deck was where...and the “randomly cut to card” is accepted at face value. Step 6: Put the cards in your left hand face-up on to the table next to the other face-up stack of cards. Your right hand then takes this “other” stack and places it square on to the cards that you just put down....to complete the “cut”. (Figs. 8 & 9) Fig. 8 Fig.9 Step 7: Spread the face-up cards on the table from left to right so as many cards as possible are visible. The spread does not have to be particularly neat or in a straight line. Just be sure to keep the two red-back cards at the bottom of the spread. Step 8: “I am now going to attempt to find your card’s soul mate...using the secret language of the cards. | request complete silence to better hear what the little cardboar: guys are trying to tell me. Deep Insight: Don't attempt to explain what a soul mate card is at this point. Let it be a mystery! The effect will, it short order, provide a definition. Step 9: Remove the two face-up Jokers (which will be near the right end of the spread) and hold them together, slightly fanned, at your left fingertipsMake sure that the criby sheet Joker is the Joker nearest to you so that you are looking directly at the crib sheet. (Fig. 10) ‘The audience should only see the faces of the Jokers, (Fig. 11) Fig. 10 Gaze at the backs of the Jokers,..like you're waiting for inspiration, “These two cards tell me that your cards soul mate is definitely not a Joker. (Yes, you made funny.) “l wonder what some of the other cards may know? Quiet, please. Step 10: Continue guzing at the backs of the Jokers, mystically rubbing them between your fingers, as you secretly locat the “R” on the crib sheet (the first letter of the spectator's magic word, rose”), Next to the "R” is AD and 2D, to represent the Ace of Diamonds and the Two of Dinmonds. Each of these cards has an “R” on its back. Pass your right hand over the spread and pick up either of these cards (whichever you see first—et's say it's the Two of Diamonds) and place it face-up onto the fice of the two Jokers. (Fig. 12) Fig. 12 Your audience should now be looking at the Two of Diamonds while the secret crib sheet is still visible to you Step 11: Continue to look mysterious as you ponder the cards in your left fingers and get a glimpse of the next letter of the word “rose”... “O” (7D and 8D). Pull out one of these cards from the spread (which ever you see first), and place it on the face of your left hand’s packet so that the face of that card is now visible to your audience and the erib sheet is stillStep 12; Continue your search for the “soul mate clues” as you locate the rest of the letters that spell her magic word...placing each card, one at a time, onto the face of your left hand’s packet. (Fig. 13) Fig. 13 Deep Insights: * You don't have to be sneaky about getting a look at the crib sheet. You can look directly at it for as long as y« need to...as long as you have a pondering “lost in thought” attitude. Just look at the cards in your left hand as i) were studying a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. A good “glimpse” moment comes as you place a new card on to the fa the left hand's cards. Just look at the back of the Joker as you rub the cards between your fingers...trving lo get impression from the card you just added. * As you are pulling the letter cards you can add comments such as, “Ah yes, this card is definitely trying to tell me something!” or “I know I need this card!” or “I feel compelled to cho this card?” or "Maybe this card!” or “Hmmmmt!”. * If you forget where you are in the spelling process, simply glance at the backs of the pulled letter cards in your | hand to get back on track * 4s you pull the leter cards from the spread on the table, you may notice that some of the cards are upside down, Don't bother to turn them around at this point. You'll straighten everything out in the end. Keep in mind that everyone's attention is on the soul mate card trick. No one has the slightest clue that you're hunting down letters. Step 13: As soon as you have gathered all the letter cards needed to spell her magic word, drop your left hand's packet cards face-up on to the right end of the spread, being careful not to flash their backs. ‘Check Point: The order from the right hand face of the spread down should be the card with the last letter of the secret magic word, the rest of the secret magic word letter cards, the magnetic shimmed Joker, the crib sheet Jok« followed by the rest of the face-up deck. “The language of the cards told me that the soul mate card is definitely a red card and is without doubt of low value. A seven or lower! But now I’m stuck. I’m very close, but need to use your magic word to help me out. What was it again?...Oh yes, ‘rose’!” Slowly pass your left fingers over the spread cards as you whisper “rose” a few times, then allow your fingers to be mystically drawn to the remaining red four, (It will be the very first card at the left end of the spread, so you won't have search for it.) Your left fingers remove the red four from the spread and casually flash its red back. “Could this be it? The soul mate of your card!Drop the red four, face-up. in the center of the table between the card spread and your audience. Use both hands to sca up the rest of the face-up cards spread on the table, square the cards and hold them face-up in your left hand in “dealing position”. (Fig. 14) Fig. 14 Step 14: Your right hand has to move the wallet aside’ inorder to wet to the face-down secret card that is under it...so p: up the wallet at its right side and casually sila it fat on toypoF the face-up deck that is in your left hand. Your right fingers then immediately 20 back to the fave-down secret card and tum it over to reveal the second red four. (Fig. 15) Fig. 15 “They are soul mates! The cards never lie!...Unless they really feel like it. Drop this card next 10 the soul mate red four that is lying face-up in the middle of the table. Give your audience a mom to appreciate this soul mate effect: Through hundreds of live performances this soul mate effect has proven to be a most intriguing and entertaining lead-in the “Deep Astonishment” finale. Do not underestimate the appeal it holds for a lay audience! Step 18: As far as your audience is concerned the effect is over. ‘There is no hurry here. A moment or two after droppia the red four to the table, your right hand comes back to grasp the right side of the wallet ~ and lifts it about half an inch the deck. ‘The entire magic word packet will now be magnetically attached to the underside of the wallet! aving the “red” deck face down. (Fig. 16) (Th was a moment ago.) Under the cover of the wallet, your right hand turns over with the deck, hides the fact that the card on the face of the deck is different from whatLifting the wallet off the deck, turning the deck down and dropping the wallet to the table all happen at about the st ime. This is just the natural way you would free up your right hand to grab the box so you can case the deck. The misdirection of revealing the soul mate card is so strong that your audience won't even notice that the wallet came anywhere near the deck. Your right hand casually places the wallet onto the table, then picks up the card box, which is at your right. Hold th box in your right hand so that the flap side of the box (the side with writing on it) is facing your audience with the fl pointing to your left, Your left fingers insert the “red” deck into the box, being careful not to expose any blue back« cards, The Guarantee Joker will be facing you as you insert the cards into the box. Close the card box flap. Set the card box down in the center of the table, just behind the two face-up red fours, so that the red Bicycle card be design is face-up. Your right hand picks up the two fours, turns them face-down, and drops them, fanned slightly, to right of the card box. The position of these two face-down red cards, along with the red card box, serve as a silent reminder that the deck is a completely different color from the magic word cards soon to be revealed. (Fig. 17 show layout of the table) Fig. 17 jut the big question is, what's in the wallet?” Step 1 Pick up the wallet with your right fingertips, and then open the wallet with your left fingers Slide your right fingers under the right side of the open wallet and gently press up against the packet of hidden letter ¢ s helps pop their edges through the secret slot. (Figs. 18 & 19) Fig. 18 Your left fingers and thumb then reach into the wallet’s right pocket to grasp the poked-through packet...along with thi extra “question mark card”. (Fig. 20)Your right fingers under the wallet push the right edge of the magnetically attached packet to the left until the left edgr these cards are aligned with the left edge of the question mark card. (Fig. 21 shows a cut away view of the wallet’s gimmicked pocket with the left thumb, left fingers, and the packet of cards in their proper positions) Gently pinch the left edge of all of these cards between your left thumb and fingers and slowly slide the entire packet 0 cards out of the pocket, making sure to keep the question mark card squared on top. Place the open wallet onto the table to your right. Deep Insights: * One purpose of the question mark card is to cover the card under it, because this card was seen on the face of th deck a few moments ago. Plus the blank-face question mark card is obviously not from your deck of “ normal” cards...thus cutting off any possible connection between the magic word cards and your deck. * Grasping the packet too tightly between your left thumb and fingers will cause the lower level of the walllet to be pinched between the question mark card and the magnetically attached packet, By relaxing your grip and pinchin, the packet only by its left edge, you will discover that the cards easily slide out of the pocket. * If the packet of cards should ever snag in the wallet, simply loosen your grip slightly and wiggle the packet up a down just a little. The packet will come out with no problem. Step 17: “Deep Astonishment”! You are holding the packet with the question mark showing. “Late last night | made a note to myself on some spare cards. I’ve been carrying them around with me all day, waiting for this very moment.” Slowly tum the packet over, side to side, to reveal the quotation mark. Deal the first quotation mark card face-down slightly to the right and in front of the red-back cards and the red card box. Then deal the next card-the “R”-to the left of the first quotation mark card. As you deal out the cards, whenever a letter is turned the wrong way, simply turn it the right way (so that the audience can read it) before laying it on the table.10 Continue to slowly deal out the letter cards from right to left, ending with the second quotation mark card-spelling o' magic word-“ROSE”! (Fig. 22 shows the layout of the table) Fig. 22 KEEP SILENT AS LONG AS YOU CAN POSSIBLY BEAR! LET THE MOMENT BREATHE BEFORE BREAKING THE SPELL! Deep Insights: * Tilt the packet up to prevent anyone from seeing the next letter to build the suspense. * Take your time in revealing the word...savor each impossible letter! This is one of the best extended astonishme\ rides around, so enjoy the view! THE CLEAN UP Pick up the open wallet, scoop up the magic word cards, and insert them into the left “non-gimmicked” pocket of the wallet. Close the wallet from left to right, keeping the slot out of sight. Pick up the two fours and slide them, face-down, into the card box on top of the face-down “red” deck. Put the card bo and the wallet back into your pocket. (Again be sure not to flash the slot side of the wallet as you put it away.) Deep Insights: * You replaced the cards into the left “non-gimmicked” pocket of the wallet, because there is a risk of snagging the cards in the slot or accidentally poking them through to the other side if you attempt to replace the cards into the “gimmicked” pocket. * When you scoop up the letter cards, make sure that the quotation mark/question mark card is on top of the packet with its quotation mark side showing...so its easy to get to for the reset. *When you insert the packet into the wallet pocket, leave part of the packet sticking out. This makes it easier to remove the packet when you reset.aa THE RESET Open the wallet and remove the entire packet. Pull out the question mark card and insert it into the right F ‘gimmicked” pocket so that the question mark will face the audience in your next performance. (Fig. 23) Fig, 23 2. Make sure the question mark slides into the pocket and not into the secret slot. 3. Take the rest of the packet (in any order) and slide it face-up into the card box onto the face of the deck. This plac the two Jokers near the face of the deck, which is just where you want them to be. Jt doesn't matter that there is now « ‘magic word spelled out at the face of the deck. Your next performance will not be affected in the least. The three red hacked cards are already on top of the deck. (The two red fours on top of the Two of Spades) _..and you're good for another round of “Deep Astonishment”! Photos by Dave Neuman Hand Model-Manny Sperling us online at www.deepastonishment.com for “Deep Astonishment” updates, performance tips, alternate presentations, and new ideas from other “Deep Astonishment” performers like yourself. If have any “Deep Astonishment” ideas, tips or performance experiences that you would like to share w us please email them to yendorsi@email.msn.com. We will publish as many of your unique and crea “Deep Astonishment” thoughts as possible on the web site!Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5: Step 6: Step 7: Step 8: Step 9: Step 10: Step 11: Step 12: Step 13: Step 14: Step 15: Step 16: Step 17: Step 18: Step 19: Step 20: Step 21: 12 THE CHRONOLOGY OF “DEEP ASTONISHMENT” Paul Harris invents “The Anything Deck” and includes it in his Art of Astonishment trilogy Paul Gallagher, a regular visitor to Yendor’s World of Magic, performs “The Anything Deck” fo shop owner, Rod Whitlock. Rod is utterly “floored” by the effect! Rod learns Harris’ effect...then develops an easier and faster method for locating and pulling the letter cards using cards marked on their faces to identify the letters on their backs. Convinced that this is one of the most powerful close-up effects he has ever seen, Rod contacts Pai Harris and proposes a partnership to develop and market a commercial version of this effect. Paul Harris suggests a “crib sheet” card, in lieu of marked faces, for an even easier letter card location, Rod develops the crib sheet and a magnetic load of letter cards to card box. Paul Gallagher suggests changing the magnetic card box to a magnetic load wallet. Rod develops the magnetic load wallet while Paul Harris streamlines the handling. Paul Gallagher suggests developing a method to have the letter cards in the wallet be a different bar color or design from the deck. Rod and Paul Harris develop a method to accomplish the color differential. Cliff James suggests the use of the “soul mate” card presentation. Cliff James suggests pulling both Jokers at the beginning of the effect. Paul Harris adds question mark as a wallet cover card and Rod adds quotation marks to cards. Mac King comes up with the line, “Tell me your favorite four letter word. .but try to keep it clean” ‘Team completes the Beta effect. Paul Gallagher and Manny Sperling performance test the Beta effect before lay audiences, (The response is phenomenal Rod and Manny Sperling independently write two different versions of the initial instructions. Paul Harris performance tests the Beta effect for the toughest audience he can imagine. His little sister, Janet! She's “deeply astonished” (ergo the title) and shows her gratitude by cooking Paul a dinner of pecan chicken. Using feedback from all of the above, Rod and Paul Harris put finishing touches on the effect and instructions. “Deep Astonishment” is manufactured and released to the magic community. ‘You perform “Deep Astonishment” and unleash the moment,