Anyone who came up with a Hypothesis is welcome to explain how he can do it blindfolded to two people sitting more than ten meters away here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlAO4U7PG1o
Birthday and names can come from ticket data. Earpiece concealed by the bandages can easily get info to Derren if needed. As for the mind reading—plenty of cuts in the video, so maybe this was just good cold reading and they only picked the successes. Or there were longer meandering conversations and not all was shown. Alternately, maybe they asked for an anonymous questionnaire before the show that contained most of the info, and then from the audience’s perspective the magic trick was mysteriously guessing the questionnaire, plus a little cold reading. Or maybe they asked the people who attended the show with the subjects—spouses and the like, and so it really was a surprise for the subjects.
Even easier… Prior to this, he had asked audience members to write down any questions they had on cards he handed out and seal them in envelopes, write their seat number on the envelope and put the envelopes in that bowl on the stage.
I’m presuming the cards asked for more data than just the question. They probably also asked for birthdates, and some additional information (like “Anything interesting that happened to you recently”). He just needed someone to go up there pretending to drop a card in that bowl, and to instead pick up a few cards and feed him the information through an earpiece concealed in the bandages.
Anyway the “Oracle act” is a classic mentalist trick with many variations. Google “Q and A routine”. Derren Brown performs it with much more flair than most, but he’s not doing something completely unknown here.
I’ll note that the act is from a stage show that is filmed in its hour-long entirety, so its unlikely that these are just snippets of longer conversations. Also, he specifies beforehand that he doesn’t use stooges or have any prior contact with his audience. I doubt he’s lying about this.
Anyone who came up with a Hypothesis is welcome to explain how he can do it blindfolded to two people sitting more than ten meters away here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlAO4U7PG1o
Birthday and names can come from ticket data. Earpiece concealed by the bandages can easily get info to Derren if needed. As for the mind reading—plenty of cuts in the video, so maybe this was just good cold reading and they only picked the successes. Or there were longer meandering conversations and not all was shown. Alternately, maybe they asked for an anonymous questionnaire before the show that contained most of the info, and then from the audience’s perspective the magic trick was mysteriously guessing the questionnaire, plus a little cold reading. Or maybe they asked the people who attended the show with the subjects—spouses and the like, and so it really was a surprise for the subjects.
Even easier… Prior to this, he had asked audience members to write down any questions they had on cards he handed out and seal them in envelopes, write their seat number on the envelope and put the envelopes in that bowl on the stage.
I’m presuming the cards asked for more data than just the question. They probably also asked for birthdates, and some additional information (like “Anything interesting that happened to you recently”). He just needed someone to go up there pretending to drop a card in that bowl, and to instead pick up a few cards and feed him the information through an earpiece concealed in the bandages.
Anyway the “Oracle act” is a classic mentalist trick with many variations. Google “Q and A routine”. Derren Brown performs it with much more flair than most, but he’s not doing something completely unknown here.
I’ll note that the act is from a stage show that is filmed in its hour-long entirety, so its unlikely that these are just snippets of longer conversations. Also, he specifies beforehand that he doesn’t use stooges or have any prior contact with his audience. I doubt he’s lying about this.