Good old friend of the Bizarre Todd Karr has done it again…
an elegantly leather bound gold edged gaffed book of Shakespeare.

Well, you know how a lot of his stuff sells out,
then goes for triple on eBay,
I had to bite…

When it comes in I’ll write up a review,
but it may be sold out by then too,
darn those limited editions.

My two-cents,
Walt
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“The Shakespeare Experiment”

The finest book test ever published
Pre-order $275 (regular $300)

The Shakespeare Experiment is possibly the most elegant book test ever created, and so cleverly gimmicked, they'll think the Bard's ghost is helping you!

Anywhere the spectator opens the book, you can immediately be able to divine six different words, or even recite a complete passage! He can then pass the book around and you can instantly give readings for different words on other pages.

Limited to 1000 copies
with luxurious leather binding and gilt edges!
Shipping in August.

http://www.miraclefactory.net/

Do they name a page number, a story they go to, in order to get the required info
cheerz

I'm in too, it looks amazing. Apparently they don't name a page number or anything.

"Impressive 800 pages
Luxurious leather binding with gold foil stamping
Lavish production with gilt-edged, satin-finish paper
Diabolically gimmicked but looks totally normal
No forces, no fishing, no guiding to "the longest word," no spelling-bee anagrams
No gimmicks, breaks, or glimpses
No guessing or asking the first letter of the word
You don't ever have to touch the book!
Different plays, pages, and text throughout the book
Easy to perform!
Instant reading of several words or a complete passage anywhere the book is opened
Built-in words for comedy, romantic, or dramatic presentations
Actual Shakespearean text from classics like Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet
Several methods incorporated so they can be combined for deceptive routining
Bonus secret Elizabethan Dirty Words feature"

"No B.S.
The Shakespeare Experiment is as close to mindreading as you'll get in a book test. You don't need to know the page number. You don't need to ask any questions or write anything down. No guiding the spectator to "the longest word." You don't have to ask the first letter of the word. No guessing letters. No math calculation. Not a "MOAB." And of course no spelling-bee progressive anagrams.

Performer Never Handles the Book
No need to riffle the book yourself, no peeks, no glimpses, no breaks. The spectator just opens the book wherever he'd like.

No Forces
No props to force a line or page. You simply let the spectator open the book anywhere, choose the left or right page, left or right column, and first or last word. We give you a perfect motivation for focusing on these words: with all that text, it's easier for you to visualize a word with some white space around it. There's no risk, and it's nicely justified.

Instant Mindreading
When the spectator opens the book to any page, you can immediately divine six different words. Or the volunteer can then pass the book around and you can instantly give individual readings to several people with different words.

Multiple Techniques
The versatile Shakespeare Experiment contains a number of techniques you can combine to throw the spectators off the trail by constantly changing your methods. You can describe your vision of the word...or you can spell out the word directly. You can draw a picture of your prediction, write down the word, or just verbally name it. You can incorporate the page number if you need to...or not! And you can perceive a single word on each page...or a complete passage. Whatever your favorite presentation might be, you can custom-fit it to this volume.

Lengthy Passages
At any page, you'll be able to recite a beautiful Shakespearean speech if you wish, a lovely interlude to add to your show!

Built-In Presentation Words
Every page contains specific words you can focus on to suit a specific show or audience, including serious, comic, romantic, and even slightly risqué phrases. For weddings, anniversaries, and Valentine's Day, you can emphasize the romantic words, and for Halloween, the macabre words.

Elizabethan Dirty Words
For those special R or NC-17 occasions, there's a secret location on every page with some of the dirtiest words ever spoken in Elizabethan England. Lots of fun for daring performers in the right environment!

No Gimmicks or Cue Sheet Needed
You can easily memorize the key words and locations on each page. Our complete Shakespeare Experiment instruction book uses dynamic visual graphics to help you quickly remember everything, allowing you to perform with nothing but the book and your mind!"




Here's some reviews from people I respect...

"A book test with The Complete Works of Shakespeare, you say? Verily. Instead of being Much Ado About Nothing, here is an approach which demands the performer use a book — and what a book it is. It seems carefully prepared so as not to be the Comedy of Errors that so many recent book tests have turned out to be. Measure for Measure, this is one of the cleverest and most useful tests of late. They say that "All's Well That Ends Well," and if that is true, the routine for which the book was designed is all well indeed. If you are looking for a beautiful object, a powerful effect and a "novel" method, you will find this very special book to be As You Like It." — Michael Weber

"William Shakespeare wrote, 'I am not bound to please thee with my answers.' But this book is — literally!" — Max Maven

"This is the stuff that dreams are made of! The Miracle Factory raises the bar and the Bard. A great idea that will make you look very, very smart." — Jeff McBride

"It's the motherf***** of all book tests!" — Lee Asher

I love that last review!

All I know is everything I've ever bought from Todd has been top notch. He certainly knows how to create extremely high quality books. I buy about every collector edition he comes out with. This one is no exception, he's got my order already. I almost want two, one to keep in my living room to mess with guests's minds. It certainly will be a beautiful tome, no doubt, not other book tests. I'm not really into fake books for the purpose, I mainly prefer natural books. But this is stuff people know and at 800 pages it falls into the realm of "no one would go to that much trouble". Little do they know.

Will it fool Billy Shufflestick know-it-alls? (ie Shakespeare egg-heads).

Well of the reviewers, I would think Max would know better.

Looks awesome!

Well I’m going to be one of those owners of the 1000 copy edition.

Think of the possibilities for Bizarre…
even maybe a Shakespeare Séance where you contact the Bard himself,
or appropriate Spirits “speak” from the grave through Shakespeare’s language.

Or a Bizarre presentation where the “truth” is revealed,
was Shakespeare, Shakespeare –or- was Shakespeare, really Marlowe?

I think this can go so far past just another “book test”,
and I think using a Complete Works adds mucho credibility to the proceedings.

I wish I knew what the “gaffs” were and who developed them for the book
…for if they are truly as deceptive as described, this could be a killer,
“to hold as t’were a mirror up to nature”!

Magically,
Walt

Please review the effect when you get the book.
Thanks
PS

You got the vision Walt. And you don't even have to go so far as the Bard. I am thinking of practically any city in the US has some ghost actor who did Shakespeare. Channel that guy whoever he may be in your area. I'm in LA so I have a list nearly as thick as that book.

Oh Clifford!

That is soooo true,
here is San Francisco we have a rich theatre and opera tradition as well,
in fact quite a few famous performers breathed their last on our soil.

With a bit of boisterous Victorian over-acting, it could be both spooky and fun.

I read more of the buried details on Todd's site, and I'm more stoked than ever
…will August ever come?

Magically,
Walt

Behind the first Phibes, Theatre of Blood is easily one of my favorite Vincent Price movies.

I'm just sayin' that's all.

Chris

I hope its got the witch scene from Macbeth.

This is a book collectors dream. It looks beautiful...

The price on that Witchboard had better be forth coming or else I'm buying this and a few other things I've been wanting.

As far as book tests go, how does it compare to Luna?

I'm not seeing the edit button but I should add.. After you receive this and if you have a copy of Luna, how does it compare? The description sounds familiar.

Walt, you said 1000 copy edition like there's going to be another edition. do you know something we don't or am I just misunderstanding you?

No Todd doesn't reprint anything. Once it is gone it's gone. I learned that lesson the hard way. Now I know better. Miracle Factory collector's volumes only extremely rarely come up on the secondary market. I think in the years I have been a collector of the bizarre and quality tomes, I've seen one and it went for several times the original price.

A few extra secrets about The Shakespeare Experiment:

1. The book includes all 154 Sonnets for the ultimate in poetic artistry in your performances!
2. A beautiful ribbon bookmark is bound into each book
3. You can perform using just the book, but there is a set of
optional secret accessories included so you can customize your routine to
your own performance style!
4. The book has dozens of beautiful Gustave Dore engravings!

I'm certainly not knocking this, I love book tests, but I see this as more of a seance/home theater effect. I can't imagine hauling around, then having spectators work with this 800 page (huge/heavy)tome! but I probably don't know what I'm talking about.

s

I would not think of this as a walk-around or close-up prop certainly.
It is a leather-bound 800 page book as you say.
But even in paperback, I’d not think of a Shakespeare Book-Test for those venues.

That leaves: stage and platform, parlor size shows, cabaret size shows, permanent haunted venues, and séance programs, quite a bang for the buck I’d say.

For a “pick a card any card” show, this is not the way to go.
For an elegant evening of mystery and enchantment, I’ve bet my money it is.

I’m excited about this because of the amazing track-record from this publisher.
They consistently produce high-quality, high-content materials which sell out, and become collector’s items going for premium prices at auction.

I of course won’t have any clue to the methods and workings until it’s out,
but I believe what their detailed marketing says, they are generally accurate.

I’m rather hoping that the “collectors” grab up most of the 1,000 copies,
so very few active performers will have this in their repertoire.

Magically,
Walt

You could almost see a bare stage with only a library book stand and the book. I won't conduct this in normal book test/mindreader fashion, it will be more like "A Book of Ghosts". This just opens up a whole world of rich storytelling. Heck you could probably tie this in with Peter's ouija board!