THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA

Introduction
THE
Awhile ago PRINCESS
David Regal toldAND
me aboutTHE PEA Jaks approach with an Ultra-Mental deck that Max Maven had raved about. It
a Stanley
involved some pre-show work and double-speak that gave the impression that the deck had been handled by an audience
member before the show. A year after this conversation with David I found the Jaks routine entitled One Is Face Up in a
Introduction
Robert Nelson compilation
The Hans Christian entitled tale
Anderson More Miracles
about In picky
a very Mentalism,
princepublished in 1959.
and an overly The Princess
sensitive princess and thefor
makes Pea utilizes
a great Stanley
lead-
Jaks!iningenious pre-show work and wordplay along with the Hans Christian Anderson tale about a very picky prince
to the Smart Ass routine and is absolutely perfect for family audiences. This the very first version of The Princess and an
overly
andsensitive
the Peaprincess.
presentation I started performing using the Smart Ass deck. The second version is in my book entitled
Cabaret Card Magic and uses an Ultra-Mental (more popularly known as the Invisible Deck) along with some
Propsingenious pre-show work and wordplay from past the master of mentalism, Stanley Jaks. In addition to the Smart Ass
An Invisible
deck and or the
Ultra-Mental Deck. card
jumbo playing (see supplied
EZ ActionyouUltra-Mental Deck)
can also purchase a small plastic tiara and a fairy/princess wand or
An envelope largephotos
scepter (see enough to holdI the
below). buycased
them deck
at theinside.
local dollar store priced at three for a dollar. You can also add a punch
A small plastic
finish tiara.
to the (seewith
routine photo)
some throw streamers of a party popper (as demonstrated on the DVD, see photo below). I
A fairy/princess wand or scepter.
also buy the party poppers from (see photo)
the dollar store. Because the props are inexpensive, I give away the tiara and
Throw streamers or party popper.
scepter at the end of the routine (see photo)
to the “princess” volunteer.

Props & Set-Up

Preparation
Smart Ass deck in my left inside jacket pocket.
The Jumbo
tiara goes
Cardin in
yourtheleft/right jacketjacket
same inside pocket. The wand goes in your inside right jacket pocket. The throw streamers or party
pocket.
popper goes
Small in your
plastic right
tiara front
in my trouserjacket
left/right pocket. Make sure there is a chair or tall stool on stage for use in this routine.
pocket.
Wand goes in my inside right jacket pocket.
Pre-Show
Throw Workstreamers or party popper is in my right front trouser pocket.
BeforeMakethe sure
showthere
take isthe casedorUltra-Mental
a chair tall stool on deck
readyand envelope and approach a gentleman sitting near the front of the stage.
stage.
Tell him that you had a gentleman shuffle these cards (refer to the cased deck in hand) turn one upside down without looking
at it and placed the deck into the card box. Explain that you would like to have him seal the deck inside the envelope and hold
onto The Routine
it until you ask(script
for it lines
duringaretheinshow.
italics,Wait
physical
until actions
he sealsand
thedescriptions are in boldand
deck in the envelope type)
then verify with him that he is not to
Performer: My favorite story as child began like this... Once upon a time.
let anyone else handle or open the envelope. Once this is confirmed thank him and make a mental (PAUSE FOR LAUGH)noteOnce uponhea is
of where time
seated
in theinaudience.
a very wealthy kingdom there lived a prince. One day the queen told the prince that he had reached an age when
he must choose a bride. So the prince took a year to travel the globe in search of a princess. The prince’s
The expectations
Routine (script were
linesvery
arehigh and he
in italics, wasn’t actions
physical impressed andwith any of the
descriptions aregirls he met
in bold on his journey. There were a lot of
type)
so-called princesses but not one real princess and he came home sad and dejected. The night after he came home
to the palace there was a terrible storm with thunder, lightning and rain. During the storm there was a knock at the
Performer: My favorite story as child began like this... Once upon a time. (PAUSE FOR LAUGH) Once upon a time in a very
palace door and the old king opened it to find a girl. She was a mess with her hair and makeup a mess from the wind
wealthy kingdom there lived a prince. One day the queen told the prince that he had reached an age when he must choose a
and rain. Water was running down her dress into her shoes and out her ankles. The girl said she was a princess and
bride. So the prince took a year to travel the globe in search of a princess. The prince’s expectations were very high and he
that her carriage had slipped into a ditch and could she spend the night. The king said of course and the queen who
wasn’t impressed with any of the girls he met on his journey. There were a lot of so-called princesses but not one real
overheard everything decided she would put the girl’s nobility to the test. So she took a single green pea from the
princess and he came home sad and dejected.
kitchen, went up to the guest room, pulled the mattress from the bed and placed the pea in the middle of the bed.
She put the mattress on top of the pea and then took nineteen more mattresses and placed them on top of that and
The night after he came home to the palace there was a terrible storm with thunder, lightning and rain. During the storm there
20 eiderdown duvets on top of the mattresses. The princess was brought to her room, given a ladder and told that
was a knock at the palace door and the old king opened it to find a girl. She was a mess with her hair and makeup a mess
breakfast would be served at 9:00 am sharp!
from the wind and rain. Water was running down her dress into her shoes and out her ankles. The girl said she was a
The next morning the prince asked the girl how she had slept. “It was terrible”, she exclaimed. “Even at the top of
princess and that her carriage had slipped into a ditch and could she spend the night. The king said of course and the queen
all those mattresses and duvets there was something hard in that bed that left me black and blue all over!” It was at
who overheard everything decided she would put the girl’s nobility to the test. So she took a single green pea from the
that moment that the prince realized he had found a real princess. No one but a real princess could have felt a pea
kitchen, went up to the guest room, pulled the mattress from the bed and placed the pea in the middle of the bed. She put
underneath 20 mattresses and 20 eiderdown duvets. So without skipping a beat he asked her to marry him, and
the mattress on top of the pea and then took nineteen more mattresses and placed them on top of that and 20 eiderdown
they were wed that very day. And that’s the story of the princess and the pea.
duvets on top of the mattresses. The princess was brought to her room, given a ladder and told that breakfast would be
served at 9:00 am sharp!
Now I’m not sure what you make of the story, but for me it sort of redefines the term high maintenance!
(PAUSE FOR LAUGH)

10

1
It also takes the notion of women’s intuition to a whole new level. It’s been argued that women have a more
developed sense of intuition than men do, directly influencing every decision they make. Tonight I would like to test
this intuition. So if there’s a princess here this evening I would like her to raise her hand.

IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT MANY YOUNG ‘PRINCESSES’ WILL RAISE THEIR HANDS AT THIS
POINT. INVITE A PLEASANT AND AGREEABLE LOOKING ONE SEATED NEAR THE STAGE. MAKE SURE
THAT YOU HAVE A PARTICIPANT WHO IS AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS OF AGE, SO THEY CAN RECOGNIZE AND
IDENTIFY PLAYING CARDS. LEAD HER TO THE CHAIR/STOOL THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE/PLACE CENTER
STAGE. AS AN ADDED COMIC MOMENT I WILL “DUST OFF” THE CHAIR WITH A POCKET HANDKERCHIEF.

Performer: And now fair maiden, what is your name?

Cathy: Cathy.

Performer: Princess Cathy. You don’t look quite like a princess, but I think I can fix that. Please take a seat.

SEAT THE PARTICIPANT AND STAND DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE CHAIR AND FACE HER. REMOVE THE
TIARA FROM YOUR POCKET, SHOW IT TO HER AND CAREFULLY PLACE IT ON HER HEAD. TAKE THE
WAND/SCEPTER FROM YOUR OTHER POCKET AND PLACE IN HER RIGHT HAND. TURN TO FACE THE
AUDIENCE AND GESTURE TO THE ‘NEWLY’ COSTUMED PRINCESS.

Performer: Ladies and gentlemen...Princess Cathy! (APPLAUSE)

Performer: Cathy we are going to perform a special test to see, if in fact, you are a real princess. I have a very big
playing card here from a very big deck of cards...

REMOVE THE JUMBO CARD FROM YOUR JACKET POCKET BEING SURE TO KEEP IT’S IDENTITY FROM
YOUR PARTICIPANT AND THE AUDIENCE.

...that I would like you sit on, please stand...

ONCE SHE STANDS DROP THE JUMBO CARD FACE DOWN ONTO HER CHAIR.

Performer: Wonderful. Now sit back down. Ladies and gentleman just like like that little green pea underneath all
those mattresses and duvets, there is one card out of 51 others that is now resting underneath the um...royal
derriere. (PAUSE FOR LAUGH) Tonight Cathy will use her womanly intuition or her princess powers to deduce what
card that is. Cathy, they say that intuition is thinking without thinking. So this should be quite easy. I have full deck of
52 cards here...

REMOVE SMART ASS DECK FROM JACKET POCKET, TAKE THE CARDS FROM THE CARD CASE AND
DISPLAY THE CARDS FACE UP REVEALING THE MIXED AND RANDOM CONDITION OF THE DECK.

Performer: ...Please hold up both hands palm upwards like this (DEMONSTRATE WITH YOUR HANDS) I want you
to take half the cards in one hand (CUT THE DECK AND OUT HALF IN ONE HAND). And half in the other (PLACE
THE OTHER HALF IN THE OPPOSITE HAND).

Performer: Cathy, in a moment I’m going to count to three and snap my fingers and I want you throw the cards in
your right OR left hand right over your shoulder. The choice is yours and yours alone. Are you ready? Remember
just go with your gut feeling. Okay, one, two, three...

SNAP FINGERS. SPECTATOR THROWS EITHER HALF AWAY BEHIND HER. FOR A YOUNGER ASSISTANT I
WILL TAKE THE CARDS BACK AT THIS POINT AND CUT THE DECK AND PLACE THE REMAINING HALVES
IN BOTH HANDS.

Performer: Cathy, please cut the cards you have left and place half in one hand and half in the other.

PARTICIPANT DOES THIS.

2
Performer: Once again Cathy, when I count to three and snap my fingers I want you to throw the cards in your left
hand OR your right hand up and away...Ready? One, two three...

SNAP FINGERS.

Performer: Okay we’re down to the last few cards. Cathy I need you to hold your finger in the air like this..

DEMONSTRATE THIS WITH YOUR RIGHT FOREFINGER HELD IN THE AIR, POINTING TOWARD THE CEILING.
ONCE THEIR FINGER IS IN POSITION, SPREAD THE CARDS FACE DOWN SO THEY CAN SEE ALL THE
BACKS.

Performer: Now just touch anyone of the cards with your finger. (SHE DOES THIS) That’s great hold out your right
hand...

WHEN SHE DOES THIS REMOVE THE CARD SHE TOUCHES, SEPARATING THE DOUBLE CARDS AND
PLACE IT IN HER RIGHT OUTSTRETCHED PALM. PLACE THE REMAINING CARDS IN A CONVENIENT
POCKET.

Performer: Before you look at the card you’ve come to using your intuitive princess powers(!) Let me reiterate the
situation here. If Cathy’s card is the same color as the big one she’s sitting on, it is a fifty-fifty chance. If she has the
right suit it is one in four. If she has the right value it is one in thirteen. If she has the exact card it is one in fifty-
two. Almost impossible odds, so if she has it I want everyone to get up out of their chairs and give this princess the
loudest round of applause ever. If Cathy doesn’t have the right card, even if she is off by one card, I will have to rip
the tiara from her hair, break her wand in half and throw her physically out of your chair. You may even be banished
from Toronto forever!

BE SURE TO DELIVER THESE LINES WITH A WINK AND A SMILE!

Performer: Let’s see what your fate is ... Please stand. (PARTICIPANT STANDS) Pick up the big card and hold
both so only you can see it...okay let me take a look.

WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE REACTION WHEN YOU SEE THE CARDS CONTINUE. STAND DIRECTLY BESIDE THE
PARTICIPANT READY FOR THE “KODAK MOMENT” TO DIPLAY THE MATCHING CARD. NOW YOU CAN
MILK THE LAST DROP OF SUSPENSE AND BUILD UP TO THE CONCLUSION.

Performer: Ladies and Gentleman we have a real princess because the cards are AN EXACT MATCH!

HAVE THE PARTICIPANT TURN THE CARDS AROUND TO SHOW THE AUDIENCE AND ASK THEM TO STAY
THERE FOR A MOMENT. WHILE THE AUDIENCE IS REACTING AND APPLAUDING PULL OUT THE THROW
STREAMERS OR PARTY POPPER FROM YOUR TROUSER POCKET AND WHEN THE APPLAUSE IS
STARTING TO LEVEL OFF SHOOT A BURST OF CONFETTI OR THROW THE STREAMER UP AND OVER HER
HEAD. THIS PROVIDES A BIG FINISH AND IS A SECOND APPLAUSE CUE. THANK THE PARTICIPANT AND
LET HER KNOW SHE CAN KEEP THE TIARA AND WAND, SHE IS A REAL PRINCESS AFTER ALL!

THE END.