52% intelligent. 9% modest. More monkey than bear.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

the bell that rings inside your mind


Derren Brown - "Something Wicked This Way Comes"
Birmingham Alexandra Theatre 24/4


Derren Brown is, according to his website:

"a unique force in the world of illusion - he can seemingly predict and control human behaviour.

He doesn't claim to be a mind-reader, instead he describes his craft as a mixture of magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship.

Whatever you choose to call it, his unparalleled performances amaze and unsettle all those who watch him. This is a powerful and provocative form of entertainment, unlikely to be imitated for a long while."

What did I think?

I thought he was really good, but I'm finding it hard to recall specifics.

Maybe all he did was turn up on stage, spend 5 minutes putting the whole audience into a trance, told us we would wake up thinking he was great, and then spent the next 2 hours reading a book*

Then again, that would be pretty impressive anyway, wouldn't it?

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In other news, I bought some more Tim-Tams in town today, and after dinner this evening, I enjoyed a Chewy Choc Fudge Tim-Tam Slam. Nice.

I also watched "The Sting" and realised how much Hustle owes to this film. For one episode in particular, they should have been paying royalties.... blatant.

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* with apologies to Kenny Craig

5 Comments:

  • At 8:14 am, Blogger Ali said…

    >I thought he was really good, but I'm finding it hard to recall specifics.

    Tone, I have to ask this, but did you get up on stage?

    When you got home, did you find anything peculiar in your clothes?

    ?:)

     
  • At 8:20 am, Blogger Ali said…

    ...and I felt like I ought to add that I have actually used the word 'cupboardy' in a serious discussion while trying to purchase an MFI kitchen. No one contradicted me.

     
  • At 9:55 pm, Blogger red one said…

    You can find out how well I can read your mind by having a look at the book recommendation for you on my blog. Or, possibly, how badly I can read your mind...
    RedOne

     
  • At 11:16 pm, Blogger red one said…

    Yoko - what kind of peculiar thing in the clothes, exactly?

    sounds verrry strange...
    RedOne

     
  • At 8:35 am, Blogger Ali said…

    Red one:

    A stage hypnotist once performed at our Student Union. He convinced a girl in my first year psychology seminar group that a suitcase full of neatly cut up newspaper was actually full of cash money.

    He told her, in her trance, that she could take as much money as she could carry on her person, without using her hands to carry it.

    She stuffed those 'notes' everywhere you can imagine.

    Afterwards, she could barely remember the performance at all, and got very upset to find scrunched up newspaper in her pants when she went for a wee.

    She became rather reclusive from University life after that...

     

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