Psychonotism or Silent Thought Transmission Magic Trick . The magic trick you shared, called “Psychonotism” or “Silent Thought Transmission,” is a fascinating classic act that revolves around mentalism and deception to create the illusion of telepathic control. Here’s a breakdown of how this effect is performed and perceived:
Psychonotism or Silent Thought Transmission Magic Trick
1. The Setup and Initial Hypnosis
- The trick involves two performers: the “professor” and “Miss Venus,” the medium who appears to be under hypnosis.
- The professor introduces Miss Venus with dramatic flair, claiming she has intuitive powers and can perform any action silently commanded by the audience while in a hypnotic trance.
- After a mock hypnosis routine, Miss Venus sits with her eyes seemingly closed and awaits commands from the audience.
2. The Secret Code of Actions
- The trick works based on a prearranged code system known by both the professor and the medium. This system assigns specific actions to coded signals.
- For example:
- Pulling a gentleman’s hair
- Turning up trousers
- Moving a watch between pockets
- These actions can be varied, adding flexibility and intrigue to the act.
3. The Forcing Technique
- To make the performance convincing, the professor uses “forcing” to suggest actions. When he asks an audience member for a task, he quickly presents multiple options from the coded list, subtly pushing them to pick one of the suggested actions.
- Through this rapid suggestion method, the audience is led to believe that they’ve chosen the action freely, though it was subtly guided by the professor.
4. Directing the Medium with Signals
- Once the audience requests are noted, the professor leads Miss Venus through the crowd. He signals each coded action by specific hand gestures, often under the guise of making mystical “passes.”
- For instance:
- A certain wave might mean “pull hair,” while a downward motion might mean “take a handkerchief.”
- To pick a specific coin from a hat, Miss Venus drops each coin into her hand until the professor signals with a sound cue, indicating the correct one.
5. Distraction and Whispering
- If a non-coded request is made, the professor communicates it discreetly. This could involve a moment when he “searches” the audience, subtly turning his back to Miss Venus to whisper an instruction.
- At times, he might create opportunities to pass close to her and relay instructions directly, masked as a part of his mystical gestures.
6. Audience Perception
- The act’s success depends on the audience’s belief in the hypnotic trance and telepathy. Miss Venus appears to perform these actions under the professor’s control, with cues invisible to the spectators.
- The professor’s theatrical manner—hypnotic gestures, serious demeanor, and calls for silence—adds to the mystique, making the act appear like genuine thought transmission.
This trick exemplifies the classic mentalist approach, relying on carefully coordinated gestures, suggestive language, and theatrics to create the illusion of silent, psychic communication. By subtly guiding audience choices and performing actions through coded signals, the performers leave the spectators marveling at what seems like supernatural mental power.
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