Copyright © Anthony Black 2013

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 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing this idea of mine and I really hope you enjoy it and
put it to use in your performances.

It’s a very strong piece of Magic if performed with sincerity, so please do not
see this as just another ‘trick’ but something else.

See it as a way of connecting emotionally to your audience and creating a real

sense of wonder for them.

As always please try and adapt this to fit your character and performance style,
this is just a rough map…it’s up to you to complete the journey…and take the
audience along with you.

Anthony Black,

February 2013
 Performance

The Performer sits down with Jo and begins…

“Jo…I’m picking something up from you, perhaps from when you were younger
of an unfulfilled ambition. Perhaps something you always wanted to do but for
one reason or another you never pursued this dream of yours. Would this
make sense to you?

“Yes…yes it would.”

The Performer takes out a pack of playing cards, removes the jokers and
places the deck face down on the table.

“Would you be willing to try something with me Jo, I believe this could be
important for you right now…”

“Yes, okay.”

“Great, I just want you to concentrate on this dream of yours as I dribble the
cards down into my hand, and whenever you get a feeling that it’s right…I just
want you to call out stop for me.”

The performer slowly dribbles the cards down until Jo says stop.

“Just here, that’s great Jo.”

The performer places the cards down onto the table marking the place Jo
stopped at.

“So Jo, if you don’t mind me asking… and please remember this is just between
the two of us. What was the unfulfilled ambition or dream you were thinking
of?”
“I…well…I know it’s a bit silly but I have always wanted to be my own boss and
maybe have a small handmade jewellery store…”

“Well Jo, there is nothing silly about our hopes and dreams in life and we
should always chase them if possible.”

The performer turns over the card Jo stopped at.

“Ahh…the Queen of Hearts, this tells me you are a very caring person Jo. You
have such a strong spirit and people are naturally drawn to you because of
this. I get a sense though that you often put other people’s needs before your
own, sometimes sacrificing opportunities in life or letting them pass by in order
to help others and sometimes people take advantage of your kind nature. Does
this make sense to you Jo?

“Yes…perfectly.”

“Ok Jo, what I want you to do is just write on your card along the blank edge
the word ‘dream’.

Jo writes the word ‘dream’ down along the edge of the Queen of Hearts.

“That’s great…I want you to imagine something for me now…I want you to
imagine that this card is a symbol of your dreams and ambitions…in particular I
want you to focus on your dream of becoming your own boss of that jewellery
store…I want you to just really focus and imagine that this dream card
symbolizes this for you in every way…can you take a moment and do that for
me please Jo…”

“Yes…I can do that.”

The performer gives Jo a few seconds to focus on this before placing the card
face down on the table next to the rest of the pack.

“That’s great Jo…and now I want to try something…I’m going to dribble the
cards down again and I want you to call out stop for me…”
The performer does this and Jo calls out stop, he places her dream card into
that part of the deck before allowing the rest of the cards to dribble on top of
it he then places the whole deck back on the table.

“Just like now Jo…your dream is lost to you…there are many things in the way
of your reaching your true potential and making your dreams into reality …I
want you to just think about your dream for me…I want you to imagine that
you left here today and decided to chase your dream after all…what would be
the first challenge you would face if you set out to do this Jo?”

“I suppose it would be training, I used to love making jewellery for my friends

but I’ve forgotten a lot of what I learned.”

“Ok…I just want you to concentrate on the deck and imagine seeing your
dream…at the moment it’s weighed down by all of these challenges…but I
want you to imagine yourself getting the training you need and it slowly moves
up the deck a little…I really want you to focus on this happening Jo…try and
visualize it actually moving past that first challenge for me…”

Jo smiles and concentrates on the deck and after a while nods her head and
looks back up at you.

“What other challenges stand in your way Jo?”

“Well I suppose I would need someone to take care of my son whilst I was at
college…”

“Can you think of anyone that could help you with this?”

“Yes, my mother would take care of him as she retired last year; in fact I bet
she would be grateful of the company…”

“Fantastic…again…just visualize this happening…another challenge out of the

way and your one step closer to your dream Jo…just imagine it rising slightly
higher…nearly at the top now Jo…moving past these challenges…”

“Is there anything else Jo?”

“Well…I suppose it would just be a bit scary…I’m not sure if I could do it?”
“It’s natural to feel a little fear when we make changes I our lives Jo…I want
you to imagine that fear just melting away…I want you to visualize your dream
card passing this last challenge…can you do this for me now…”

Jo concentrates for a while before breaking out into a huge smile.

“Jo…sometimes our dreams can become reality if we really want it enough. I’ll
show you what I mean…turn over the top card for me…”

Jo turns over the top card and lets out a little gasp as the Queen of Hearts is
now on top of the deck.

“You see Jo…dreams can come true if we really believe in them. Most of the
things that stand in our way are possible to overcome…we can make them
vanish if we believe Jo almost as if they never existed in the first place.”

The performer picks up the cards and spreads them face up on the
table…they are all blank.

“Thank you for sharing your hopes and dreams with me Jo, I would like you to
keep that card for good luck and whenever you are feeling a little down or
something in your life is stopping you following your hopes and dreams…I want
you to take it out and remember that you can do anything you put your mind
to.”

End of Performance
 Methods
This is very simple routine to perform technically, allowing you to concentrate
on the story.

I’m guessing you are already miles ahead of me in regards to the method
behind this, but the method is not very important or revolutionary it’s just my
version of the ambitious card…but performed in this way it stops being merely
a trick and something your spectator will talk about for years to come. I know
for a fact of one lady who has kept her ‘dream card’ with her for around five
years now and tells people about it too.

You can’t get better advertising than that!

So back to the method…

The deck blank deck is set up like this; from the top (facedown) to the bottom:

Joker

Blank Card

Force Card (I always use the QH)

Rest of the deck

At the bottom the other Joker

1) Take out the pack of cards from the box and casually remove the jokers
and place them to one side being careful not to flash the bottom blank
card. This is just a nice little convincer to make the spectator think this is
just another deck of normal cards.
2) Perform the Cross Cut force. This is a classic of Magic and I’m sure you
are all aware of the basics. If not, have a look at this video:
http://www.ehow.com/video_2385680_the-cross-cut-force-card.html
3) Perform a double lift showing the force card QH and ask her to write
‘dream’ along one of the edges. Again, double lift:
http://www.ehow.co.uk/video_2373285_magic-trick-double-lift-
technique.html
 4) Turn the double back over and do the dribble again before placing the
top blank card into the deck leaving her selection on top.

Now you just concentrate on giving a wonderful performance!

I like to use the QH because I like to do a little reading of the lady too and this
fits in well with the whole story, so feel free to expand on this area and push it
a little further if you wish to.

Other Thoughts
Luca Volpe suggested to me that you could also use this with the Tarot if you
manage to find a blank deck…or are willing to make your own.

I would suggest that you place a sticker on the forced Tarot and get them to
sign that with the word ‘dream’ rather than actually writing on it as some
people may see this as bad luck.

You could also have a small sticker with your contact details on and stick it to
the back of the card at the end of the routine when you hand it them as a
souvenir…they are more likely to keep this over a business card. When they tell
all of their friends about it (they will) your details are right there for them to
see.
So Long
I really hope you enjoy this and use it; it’s served me very well over the years
and can make a very average trick that everyone and their uncle is doing and
turn it into a miracle.

Please get in touch if you have any questions as I’m always happy to help my
fellow performers.

Anthony Black

Other Effects & Routines

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