USDEffect: This box will allow you to perform numerous mysteries, as a mentalist, a bizarrist, or a magician. The box may be used to help you reveal secret information, be a repository for an amazing revelation, or the destination for a magically transported playing card or slip of paper. The genesis of this tool was its exotic appearance, followed by the discovery that its exact dimensions were perfect for use with business cards, or blank business card stock. The box itself is totally unprepared and ungimmicked, and so, the other part of the secret of the Tibetan Wishing Box are some very natural and easily learned handlings Allen developed to allow the performer to secretly load or steal a card from the box.
The real secret of this effect, however, is the presentational premise. This is a wishing box to contain wishes and possibly make them come true. The interesting, some may say, exotic, design of the box itself should heighten interest and lend credibility to this basic premise, or any other such that you wish to create, The late great performer, Dr. Jaks, understood perhaps better than anyone, the impact that unusual and/or rich looking items could have in weaving a spell with your audience. While in mentalism it has often been said that for every prop added, the value of the act goes down, in intimate performance, creating a strong premise and evocative performance can often be aided by the use of such a “prop” if carefully chosen and if it makes sense in the context of the performance. With the Tibetan Wishing Box, there are many avenues for interesting presentations. Here are the three effects provided with the effect in the manuscript.
- Wishes: The performer displays a wishing box, and says that it contains all the wishes and dreams of the universe The performer invites one member of the audience to express his or her wish. “I wish for happiness,” they say. The performer asks the spectator to lightly touch the brass inlayed design on the box’s lid and to concentrate on her wish. The box is then opened and clearly seen within is a folded business card. This is dumped out of the box and when it is unfolded the single word inscribed on the card is seen to be “happiness”
- Dreams: The performer displays a wishing box, and a blank business card. The participant is asked to write her wish on the card and fold it into quarters. The folded card is then put into the wishing box for all to see, the lid of the box is closed and the box is placed on the table. The performer asks the participant to gently rest his or her fingertips on the box and concentrate on their wish. The performer reveals the wish. The box is opened and the card is directly handed back to the participant so that they may keep the wish with them always.
- Magic: The performer displays a wishing box, and opens it to show a small piece of paper, “all that remains of the Wish Scroll.” The performer has someone look at and think of one card out of 52. The deck is mixed by the spectator and the performer tries to find the card. Dealing through the cards, the performer fails to find the card, yet the spectator says that his or her card is not there, it is gone. The performer says, “Maybe my wish came true after all.” The box is opened and inside the box a folded card is revealed. When it is opened, it is found to be the thought of card.
