Kellar New Karmos Magic Trick. A mesmerizing demonstration of telepathy and mental prowess by a “psychic” lady who performs seemingly impossible feats of mind-reading and rapid calculations. Throughout the act, she names cards, identifies banknote details, reads from a dictionary, and solves complex mathematical problems—all while blindfolded and sitting on a chair.
Kellar New Karmos Magic Trick
Secret and Setup
The illusion relies on a clever system of communication between the medium and an unseen assistant, facilitated by a hidden speaking tube embedded in the stage and chair.
Key Components:
- Platform and Chair Setup:
- The chair sits on a platform elevated by four legs.
- One rear leg of the chair and part of the seat and backrest are hollow, allowing sound to travel from the assistant to the lady.
- A small rubber hose, disguised as part of the chair, runs from the assistant behind the scenes to the chair, enabling the assistant to communicate directly with the lady via a concealed earpiece.
- Lady’s Costume and Earpiece:
- The lady’s dress conceals a small tube connected to an earpiece, camouflaged by her loose hair.
- During the “magnetic passes” made by the performer, he discreetly connects the tube from the chair to the lady’s costume, enabling her to hear messages from the assistant.
Performance Walkthrough
- Card Identification:
- The performer shows each card’s face to the audience, and the assistant, observing from behind the scenes, names it through the tube.
- The lady calls out each card’s identity as if she possesses extraordinary clairvoyance.
- Banknote Reading:
- The performer holds the borrowed banknote slightly angled toward the assistant, who reads its details with a spyglass and relays the information to the lady.
- The lady “telepathically” dictates the banknote’s value and serial number, which the performer writes on a blackboard for the audience.
- Check Identification:
- The performer borrows a check, and the assistant, using the same spyglass method, reads its details (bank name, maker, owner, amount).
- The assistant tells the lady, who describes each detail of the check to the astonished audience.
- Dictionary Word Guessing:
- An audience member is asked to select a word from a page in an unabridged dictionary.
- The assistant, who has a duplicate dictionary backstage, looks up the same page and word position, relays the word to the lady, who then names and defines it with ease.
- Squaring and Cubing Numbers:
- A spectator writes a number on the blackboard. The assistant, who has a pre-prepared table of squared and cubed numbers, quickly finds the answer and communicates it to the lady.
- The lady promptly states the squared or cubed result.
- Adding Rows of Numbers:
- Four rows of four-digit numbers are written on the blackboard.
- The assistant copies these rows and calculates the sum, relaying it to the lady. When the performer brings the blackboard closer to the audience, she continues to add the numbers in various sequences, seemingly calculating effortlessly.
- “Psychic” Touch Identification:
- For this final test, the performer and lady follow a memorized sequence of numbers known to both.
- The performer touches numbers in a prearranged order, and the lady calls them out in sync, impressing the audience with her “psychic” ability.
Ending the Act
- Disconnecting the Tube:
- Under the guise of making final “magnetic passes,” the performer disconnects the speaking tube from the lady’s costume.
- Removal of the Blindfold:
- The performer removes the lady’s blindfold, and she rises and bows to the audience, careful not to reveal her back, concealing the connection points for the tube.
Explanation of Mechanics
This trick’s success hinges on:
- Invisible Communication: The speaking tube allows real-time instruction from the assistant to the lady, making each revelation appear instantaneous.
- Strategic Angling: By holding items such as the banknote and check at an angle, the assistant can discreetly read them from behind the scenes.
- Prearranged Sequences and Memorization: The performer and lady memorize certain numerical sequences to streamline specific elements of the act.
Tips for Success
- Seamless Connection Setup: The performer should practice smoothly connecting the tube to avoid arousing suspicion.
- Assistant Precision: The assistant needs to work efficiently and be well-practiced in reading details quickly to maintain a rapid pace.
- Audience Distraction: Engaging the audience’s attention on the lady’s responses rather than the setup can enhance the illusion.
Conclusion
Kellar’s New Karmos magic trick brilliantly blends stagecraft, pre-arrangement, and covert communication to create a convincing act of mentalism. The combination of calculated positioning and memorization, paired with the unseen assistant’s communication, makes the trick a seemingly extraordinary display of psychic ability.
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