January 27, 2014:

I’ve decided to embark on a research journey with one objective, finding the most
powerful versions of the most powerful effects of the past 2 centuries. Originally, I had
limited my research to only the past century, but a friend pointed out to me that
“Everywhere and nowhere” by Dr Nepomuk Hofsinzer was worthy of inclusion, so I
extended it to the last 200 years.

It all started out of a common belief that magicians should only perform the
strongest tricks that they know, so I thought to myself, if that’s true then why shouldn’t I
try to find the most powerful magic there is and ultimately compose a show that would
constitute the magicians’ dream act.

Now that I think about it, I fancy that name quite a bit, so that shall be the title given
to this present project.

Last but by no means least; I should clarify that I will limit my research to the field
of card magic, since this is my preferred practice.

I present to whoever’s reading my journals, “The Magicians’ Dream Act”

The list of effects with which I start is the following:

Emotional Reaction by Dai Vernon

Triumph By Dai Vernon

Out of This World by Paul Curry

Be Honest, What is it? By Eddie Fetcher

Any Card at Any Number

The Travelers by Dai Vernon

The Ambitious Card by Dai Vernon

Cutting the Aces by Dai Vernon

I shall limit myself to the few items mentioned above just for the sake of
practicality, If one were to list every great effect of the 20th century, one would probably
have to stay awake for more than it’s humanly tolerable. It’s my intention to compose one
or several acts using the effects listed within these pages, in fact, as I am typing this one act
has already come to mind and I shall describe it immediately
Act #1:

“Subliminally Yours”

The following is a 10-15 minute act composed of 3 of the items above

mentioned, those effects are: Emotional Reaction, Be Honest, What is It? And Out
of This World

The first of the three items has been brought to my attention by the amazing
Jared Kopf in the sense that He was that convinced me to track the original source
and try it out on people, well performed, it’s one of the strongest items one can do
with a pack of cards.

The second effect is one that I perform almost daily and it was taught to me
by the man who I consider to be my mentor, Mr. Michael Vincent from London.

The third effect is not one I perform but I think it’s one of the strongest
effects ever created. Besides, the fact that it takes place entirely in the spectator’s
hands makes it the perfect closer for this set.

Method:

Start with a pack of cards and have the 4 aces already on top with the blacks
sandwiching the reds.

As you introduce the effect (check script below) instruct the spectator very
Cleary on what you want her to do, this key card placement is often botched by poor
directions on the magician’s part and clumsy handling on the spectator’s behalf,

I say something along these lines “Spread to the cards with the faces
towards until you see one that calls your attention, do not say the card aloud but
separate the spread at that point. So for the sake of illustration, if the card you want
is the 2 of hearts, separate the spread at that point and hold the 2 of hearts close to
your heart. Keep in mind that you need to do this with the faces towards you.

During the same sequence I do the secret key card placement that takes
places under the guise of illustrating what you want the spectator to perform in a
moment.

Please observe that I spare no expenses on describing what I want them to

do, and I do not set the key card immediately but rather I delay the moment so that I
can give the spectators a few examples of the choreography.

When the key card is set and the spectator has finished selecting the card,
you offer the deck to be cut and if they do ask them to carry the cut.
 You now want the spectator to look at you as you spread the cards in order
to clock the selection, which is the card to the left of your key card. You will spread
3 times, the first one is in order to clock the selection, the second one is in order to
cull and separate the colors, placing all the culled cards above the four aces
previously placed on top, so that they stay there.

The third time you spread you will tilt the faces towards yourself and remove the
selection, ask the spectator to name her card and take the applause.

Comments:

My contributions to the previous effect are both purely for my own convenience, the
first being the instruction and illustration of the maneuvers to be performed by the spectator
and the second consisting of the blending of the cull separation with the natural mechanics
of the effect in order to set up for the closing item. On a final note, I’ve chosen to begin
with the 4 aces on top for two reasons, the first being to prevent the spectator from
choosing an ace and the second one being to save me from doing one extra spread of the
deck during the magical phase of the effect, I’ve always been fond of the rule of 3 in just
about everything I do.

At the end of the effect, remember to place the chosen card within the cards of its
matching color. In fact, you should cull the card the second time you spread and then
remove it from its color in order to reveal it.

Next on the Menu is one of my favorite items, “Be Honest, What is it?” by
Mr. Eddie Fetcher.

For this you may perform it with the lady that assisted you during the first
effect or you may send her off to her seat and ask for a male individual to help you.
I’d look for one that comes across as a very successful individual; you’ll be
appealing to his ego during the next effect. After you’ve greeted him, shake his
hand and situate him to your right. If you’re right handed, this will serve to cover
the top change that will be taking place during the course of the routine.

Ask him to hold his left hand and take a second to adjust it in quite a ridicule
position. As If he were an Englishman holding his 5 o’ clock cup of tea (on second
thoughts, not quite since if anyone would try to hold a cup of tea that way the tea
would end up spilling from the cup and one would be left with no tea, but I guess it
has the same feel to it)

Show the top card and give it to him, patter correspondingly and ask him to
double check what card he is indeed holding. As he’s doing that, pinky count three
cards and execute a Vernon lift. Display both the aces to the audience, one in his
hand one in your hand; you want them to remember that picture.
 Turn over the triple and deal of the top card into your right hand, switch it
for the one in their hands and execute a top change as you point to his hand and
shuffle both cards around.

Ask them the question of which card do they think is on top as they’re
responding look at them and palm the top two cards. All that’s left is to show that
you’ve got the two aces in your pocket, take a step back and ask them to turn over
their hand and show everyone what they’ve got.

Comments:

Do not put the aces back in the pack since you will use them to indicate the
colors of each pile during out of this world.

I will omit the explanation to the latter item since I believe that the real
contributions I bring to it lie on the presentation, therefor I shall proceed by giving
the full script of the act

It’s important however that you send the man back to his seat, patter
correspondingly and finish by calling out a lady in the audience, preferably one that
is not on the first row, you want to take her by surprise.

As for a subtle way to convey the shuffled condition of the deck you can
leave a bank of five or six mixed colored cards on the face of the deck that will
serve the illustrate the spectator of the conditions of the pack

You can also do an Ireland shuffle that retains the color separation
SUBLIMINALLY
YOURS.

AN ACT OF CARD
MAGIC BY THOMAS
MORIARTY
 Subliminally Yours

In the 1950’s publicists discovered that, if during

the projection of a motion picture they flashed the
words BUY COKE on the screen for only a second, people
would subsequently choose it as their drink of
preference. That year Coca Cola Experienced a
substantial increase on sales.

My name is Thomas Moriarty and it is my intention

to demonstrate that the principles of subliminal
advertising are as real today as they were 60 years ago.

However, my test will be slightly different. I am

not a publicist, I am a sleight of hand artist and I
will use my weapon of choice, a pack of 52 playing
cards.

Would you please come join me on stage? Give her a

round of applause. What’s your Name? I am Thomas, Thanks
for coming up.

Now, Amanda, in a second I’ll give you these cards

in order to test what I call emotional reaction, that’s
the subconscious reaction we show when presented with
something of personal value to ourselves.

I’d like you to go through the cards and break the

spread as soon as you see a card you are drawn to and
hold it close to your heart.

So for example, if you are thinking of the 2 of

hearts, you hold it close to your heart like this, if
you’re thinking of the 5 of clubs, you hold it close to
your heart like this.

Are you done? That’s great! Remember the card and

just give your cards a little cut so that we do not see
the card. In fact, place your cards in the middle of
these.
 Amanda, No one knows what card you’ve got in mind,
but believe it or not, your subconscious mind will give
me clues on what card you are thinking of, I’ll spread
through the cards slowly like this. Make sure that you
do see your card.

Okay, believe it or not, you’ve almost given me all

the information I need, but just to make sure I’ll
spread one more time.

Now I am ready Amanda, for the first time, look

into my eyes and tell me, did you by any chance pick a
black card? No? What card did you pick? The seven of
hearts? Well that’s the one I’ve got and that I think
you’ll agree that this is an emotional reaction.

Thank you for helping Amanda, you may go back to

your seat.

For this next experiment I will use a man, you

would be perfect, would you please join me? Give our
friend a round of applause! What’s your Name? Gordon? I
am Thomas, Thanks for coming up I really appreciate it.

Now Gordon, I’ve got three questions for you, the

first one being would you consider yourself a highly
observant individual? Oh, You would! I expected so.
Would you consider yourself an easily influenced
individual? No? That’s interesting. Gordon I’ve only got
one question left your you and that Is How would you
like to play a little game with me?

This is a game of observation. If I were to give

you the ace of hearts, and wait just a few seconds to
ask you what card were you holding you would say the ace
of hearts, even if you had money on it. In fact, I’ll
allow you to double check if you’re not sure. If you’ve
got the hearts I’ve got the diamonds. The game consists
of guessing which is which without looking, like the
game we all played when we were little, the memory test.
 Gordon I’ll first do it slowly like this and if you
think about it that’s cheating because I said we should
never look at the faces of the cards, all that I can do
is mix them around in order to confuse you.

Gordon if I were now to ask you what card is on

top, without looking you’d say… The ace of hearts? Are
you sure?

Have you noticed I’ve been talking a lot ever since

we started? Well, everyone usually looks puzzled when
the 2 red aces emerge from my pocket. Gordon we never
used the black aces, since you are holding the red aces
from the very beginning.

Thank you very much for helping Gordon you may go

back to your seat.

Now ladies and gentlemen I’ve given two examples of

the principles of my field that serve to demonstrate
that subliminal advertising is more tangible that we
would think it is and before we part company I’d like to
confess something.

Ever since I started this demonstration I’ve been

sending subliminal messages to one individual in the
audience and that individual is… You.

May I ask you beautiful lady to come up and help me

with the last experiment of the evening? Warm her
presence with a round of applause please! What’s your
name? Emma, Nice to meet you my name is Thomas, I am
glad you came up here with me.

Now in order to prove my point and eliminate any

suspicion of dishonesty on my behalf I will not handle
the cards during this last experience but rather Emma is
going to do all the major work.
 I’ve got here four aces and these four aces are going to
act as bookmarks for you to place cards on. The ace of hearts
will represent red cards and the ace of clubs will represent
black cards.

Emma, what I am going to ask you to do next may sound

scary but I actually want you to trust your instincts on this
one. Hold the cards face down in your hand and if you think a
card is black like these ones, place it face down on top of
the black ace. If on the contrary you think the card is red,
you place it over here like these cards, okay?

Once again I will need you to trust your instincts and I

will also need all of you to stay quiet so that we can let
Emma concentrate on her task. Emma, I want you to close your
eyes and listen to me and only to me deal the cards one by
one at a medium speed, hear them it the table one by one,
open your eyes and start as soon as I snap my fingers.

Now Emma you’ve gone through almost half the deck so I

thought I will interfere you and do a little modification, I
will now place the remaining red ace on the black pile and
the remaining black ace on the red pile. So I now want you to
deal the reds where you were before dealing the blacks and
the blacks where you were before dealing the reds.

Now we’re ready to see if you are truly the subject of

influence, would you please turn those cards over and show
that you’ve dealt all of the reds with the reads and the
blacks with the blacks and over here you’ve also dealt all
the blacks with the blacks and the reads with the reds!

Give Emma a big round of applause my friends! And

please, I am begging you; do not buy coke on your way home!

Subliminally yours, Thomas Moriarty…