Godspeed by Emran Riaz

The effect from the participant’s perspective: Spectator As Mindreader variation

The Mentalist presents two business cards, giving one to the participant. He writes something on his card and asks the participant to jot down a personal word. They exchange cards, placing them face down and out of sight.

The Mentalist prompts the spectator to visualize a familiar setting and name two objects they see. Upon checking the Mentalist’s card, they discover he has predicted one or both of the items.

Finally, the Mentalist asks the participant to concentrate on their personal word and reveals it.

HONEST THOUGHTS

The dilemma of whether to peek is significant. Asking someone to write down a thought may diminish the effect’s impact. If they hand over the written information, the impact lessens further. Tearing up the information could reduce the effect even more, though many skilled performers may disagree. There are various methods to navigate these challenges: secure the card in an envelope, write on a pad and tear it out, perform a switch to suggest the billet was never touched, or go prop-less to avoid complications.

Despite this, many performers still rely on traditional center tears and peeks, and the market continues to innovate with new variations. Thankfully, the era of overpriced peeks seems to be behind us.

Godspeed, Emran Riaz’s latest full-business card peek, rivals many pricier options and is reasonably priced at $15. Previously, it was part of a multi-effect PDF/video release that retailed for $25.

It’s astonishing that this peek hasn’t appeared in literature before. If true, Emran deserves recognition for creating something so simple yet overlooked. However, it requires a degree of boldness to perform, as a lack of smooth execution could lead to being caught. The type of business card used is also crucial for a successful performance.

The basic handling Emran demonstrates is solid, but the spectator as mind-reader variation is particularly intriguing. Having the spectator mimic your actions provides a logical reason for handing over the card, silently proving they couldn’t have read anything on it. This technique, once popularized by Uri Geller, has been underutilized in mentalism, especially in close-up work.

The video demonstrations are straightforward and effective, showcasing Emran as an engaging performer. Personally, I believe asking the participant to hand over their written card is a significant compromise unless the routine provides a logical disconnect. If you’re seeking a clean, full business card peek and enjoy a bit of daring performance, ‘Godspeed’ might be exactly what you need.