Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.

com

Fi
Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.com

Fi

The Box of Truth

An alternative handling
Of a classic.

Ingredients:

1 x Haunted Key (or old ‘mortice key’)

1 x Old book and a pen (for prop making)

Background:

I’ve always liked the haunted key effect, however, the method
always seemed incredibly obvious to me. Even when performed
exceptionally well, the method always appeared transparent.

Despite what I think, the haunted key always seems to go down

well, people love it, and there are endless stories written by some of
the best creators to use as presentations.

A long time ago I decided that if I were to ever perform the haunted
key effect, it must be done in such a way that it does not matter if
the method were to ever ‘surface’, during or even after the
performance. There are others like me, who will see the haunted
key for what it actually is, but with this presentation, that will never
matter.

Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.com

Fi

Instructions:

“Close to one hundred years ago, a popular fortune teller in

England began making headlines with the kind of readings she
offered. There were no tarot cards, crystal balls or tea leaves.
Instead, she had a small, wooden, antique box, locked with quite a
large key. Everybody who came to her was told that inside the box,
was one unique thing specifically meant for them. Upon seeing it
they would receive an answer to any of their life’s biggest questions,
and even gain a glimpse into their own future. The reason why this
fortune teller made the headlines, is because what she promised,
turned out to be true. The box did contain a specific and unique
thing for each and every person who looked inside, and for some,
the revelation in the box was life changing. After her death, the box
was sold to a private collector, then sold again, and again, until it
went missing for many years. Six months ago, it resurfaced in
Germany, and was sold in an online auction. The winning bid, was
placed by me. I now have the box, and this right here, is the key.”

The performer removes an old key from their pocket.

“Although the contents of the box was important, what mattered the
most was the key. The key unlocks the box, where everything
you’ve ever wanted can be found. That perfect future you’ve always
dreamt of can be gained through what you see in the box, you just
have to be willing to look. All it takes, is a turn of the key. If the box
was here right now, would you be willing to look inside? Yes? Then
I’d like you to visualise yourself, one, five, even ten years into the
future from now, and see yourself living the life you’ve always
wanted. Can you do that for me now?”

The spectator is given a few moments to do this, and to really

visualise and imagine the above.

“While you continue to visualise this, watch the key closely.”

The performer then does the classic, simple, haunted key effect, in
which the key eerily turns over in their hand.

Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.com

Fi

“Now I don’t have the box with me, but as I said a moment ago, it’s
the key that matters most. The future you just envisioned can
become reality, if you could only see what was inside the box.
Fortunately, I can show you right now, exactly what you’d find.”

The performer removes an old, folded piece of paper.

“I won’t read this out loud, and I don’t want you to either. Just read it
to yourself then hand it back to me.”

The spectator reads the note, and however they feel and react in
that moment is their own experience. It will be different for
everyone.

“I’m sure now you can see why it would be unique and different for
everyone who looked in the box, and what they find is the one thing
that could lead to the future they desire. I’d like you to remember
what the note revealed to you, and I wish you all the best in the next
chapter of your life. Thank you.”

Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.com

Fi

Method:

I’m sure now you’re itching to know what the note says! Before we
get to that, I’d like to explain a few things.

Firstly, making the note. There is a very subtle dual reality

happening here. To the audience it looks like the note IS the thing
from the box itself, but what the spectator reads is only a
description of what was in the box.

There is no better way to age paper than to actually use aged

paper. Go into any charity store or used book store and find the
oldest, dustiest book on the shelf. You know those blank pages
often found at the front and back of books just beneath the cover?
That’s what you’re looking for. This aged, yellowed paper is the
perfect look, texture and feel. Simply tear out one of these pages
(purchase the book first obviously. It shouldn’t cost more than $1).

Your writing doesn’t need to look old or aged. In fact the more
readable and clear it is, the better. We are hinting to the audience
that this paper is from the box, and the look of the paper is all that is
needed, they will never clearly see or read the writing.

This is a very different approach to the haunted key and mentalism

in general. There is no grand reveal for the end, but it doesn’t need
one. This is poetic theatre, and the turning of the key is simply a
storytelling visual.

There are many subtle ‘hints’ throughout the script that need to be
emphasised. These are,

“…even gain a glimpse into their own future”

“…what mattered the most was the key. The key unlocks the box,
where everything you’ve ever wanted can be found”

“…That perfect future you’ve always dreamt of can be gained

through what you see in the box.”

“…would you be willing to look inside?”

Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.com

Fi

“…it’s the key that matters most. The future you just envisioned can
become reality”

These lines are subtle layers revealing the truth of what is actually
happening here. Once you’ve read the note, you’ll see what I mean.

The note says,

“Inside the box was a mirror. Every person who looked inside
would see themselves reflected back. They were in the box.
The key is most important, because it represents them. They
themselves were the key. YOU are the key to unlocking
everything you want from life, and you shall do so in time.
Learn to trust yourself again and all shall be yours, you are the
author of your own story, the future is yours to create.”

Once your spectator reads this to themselves, you can ask such
questions as,

”After reading that, I’m sure you can see why it would be unique
and different for everyone who looked in the box, and what they find
is the one thing that could lead to the future they desire.”

That unique and different thing being their reflection. What they find
is themselves, the one and only thing that genuinely can determine
the future they experience.

This is not implying that they will automatically get everything they
want, in fact, that would be the opposite of this message. If they
want that future they envisioned, or ‘gained a glimpse into’, then
they must actively work to make it happen.

When you follow this with, “I’d like you to remember what the note
revealed to you” emphasise the ‘revealed to you’, it helps maintain
the subtle illusion to the audience that the note somehow says
something different to all who look.

You could also say as you gesture to the note, “Now that you know
what is seen in the box, would you agree that it’s true?” Which is
basically another way of saying, “Do you understand now?”

Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.com

Fi

Finally, I imagine you already know how to perform the standard

haunted key effect.

Simply place the key flat across the palm of your hand, then gently
and slowly tilt your hand down allowing the key to slowly roll over.
Tilt from your ELBOW, not your wrist. There should be no visible
movement from your hand, wrist or arm.

With practice, you’ll be able to rotate the key by simply THINKING

about it turning, utilising the natural ideomotor response.

There are many free tutorials and videos online explaining the
Haunted Key in greater detail if you need it.

There are commercially available Haunted Keys, simply search for

them on the website of your favourite magic dealer, or find an old,
suitable key on Ebay or at a second hand market.

I have a small collection of keys for this kind of work, as well as a

whole lot more routines and ideas utilising them. If you wish to see
more of my key work in future releases, please let me know Via E
Mentalism (I am no longer on any social media).

In this routine, you make no claim as to how the key turns, therefore
nobody can counter your claim with their ideas about what
happened. Like all art, it is open to interpretation.

Feel free to change the story, just be sure to give your key

H I S T O R Y ; A Highly Intriguing STORY.

Old things have strange hungers, you are who you are today as
a direct result of your past. The key is what it is today as a direct
result of its past. Decide first what your key is, what it symbolises,
then re-write history. Don’t forget to mention how you came to own
the key too.

You know the idea that if we could somehow travel back in time and
change one small detail it could drastically change the future, or the
present upon our return? This is, sort of, possible.

Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.com

Fi

If you told your audience that the key is simply the key for your
garden gate, then immediately after speaking those words, that’s
what the key becomes (in the eyes of your audience).

If you tell them it once belonged to a fortune teller, and it opened

the very box in which she stored her divination supplies, then guess
what? That is immediately what the key becomes. Suddenly this
simple key is surrounded with energy, aura, mystery, intrigue, etc.

I keep my favourite key on a length of cord around my neck, and

often go on to explain that the fortune teller herself wore the key
around her neck, as she believed it would unlock her intuitive
abilities, which is exactly why I now wear it around mine. Then for
spectator as mind reader routines, I place the key around my
spectator’s neck. INSTANTLY they feel somehow different, in a way
that is not easily explained. It is kind of like that feeling you get
when walking into a quiet church. This feeling also heightens the
suggestibility of my spectator, so from there I can deliver some
simple suggestions and they’re more likely to take effect.

“Become aware of the weight of the key around your neck, pay
attention to how it feels, and notice now the difference in how you
feel throughout your body. When you close your eyes, notice the
seemingly random visions that suddenly start to appear in your
imagination, as though your mind’s eye has taken over. Thoughts,
images, shapes and symbols will flash through your mind almost
uncontrollably. Close your eyes now and let me know when you
become aware of these visions. What you are seeing here are
psychic impressions from the world and people around you. Without
direction, they can be difficult to interpret or understand, so now we
will try this little experiment to help you focus your psychic
awareness.”

Then, I proceed with any ‘spectator as mind reader’ routine.

Instantly now the effect is heightened by simply adding the above
actions and script, giving reasonable cause (within the theatre of
the moment) as to how they have suddenly become so intuitive.

Generated for #15218 Alfonso Bartolacci a.bartolacci1@gmail.com

Fi

Thank you for reading, until next time,

Silvia.