Hi folks.

I've playing with storyline/script ideas for a little Halloween routine that I'm putting together.

The (stripped-down) effect:
The magician gives a locket to the spectator to hold on to.
The spectator selects a card which is lost in the deck.
The spectator waves the locket over the cards and the deck cuts itself at the chosen card.
The magician tears the corner off the card and vanishes the corner.
The spectator open the locket and discovers the missing corner inside, which fits the torn card perfectly.


I'm very pleased with the structure of the trick but now I'm thinking of story ideas. My initial thoughts were that the locket once belonged to a psychic and has special powers, but I'd love ke to develop a more involving story if possible.

One idea I had was that it once belonged to someone who was separated from someone dear (represented by the selected card), and later mysteriously found them (possibly when a "book opened itself at a page, to mirror the action of the deck cutting itself).

The story also has to accommodate the corner-to-locket phase too, of course. So far all I've come up for this is to explain that as well as representing the person, the card also represents the memories the lady had of the person, and how some dear memories (represented by the torn corner), will always be carried in her heart (the locket).

These are very early ideas, as you can probably tell, but I'm enjoying the process. It's great fun.

Any thoughts and ideas appreciated. Thanks.

Sounds pretty solid to me!

Thanks. Another idea I had for the corner phase is... "Once reunited, Harry made a vow that he and his love would never be separated again, and he gave his sweetheart a keepsake *begin tearing the corner* so he would forever be close to her heart. *Emphasis on the hand holding the corner*. That keepsake was the locket you're holding, *Open hand to reveal the corner has vanished*. Now look inside it...

Possibly a bit confusing having the thing that represents the locket actually appearing inside the locket, I'm not sure.

Since a locket usually holds a picture, why not tear the corner off the card and the torn corner changes into a picture and the corner is now where the picture was? Or is that complicating things?

I like that idea, Wravyn. When introducing the locket at the very beginning of the routine, it could be opened to show the picture inside.

You got me thinking about the torn corner changing into a torn corner of the photo, and the card corner appearing inside the locket next to the photo (now missing a corner), and all the pieces fitting each other, but now I think I'm getting a bit carried away.

Thanks for the suggestion, it's certainly worth consideration. I'll give it some thought and see how the story can acommodate it without becoming diluted, if you know what I mean, because I think that's very important with a routine like this. Thanks again.

Yes, I think that specific scripting might confound the continuity, but that scripting could also be adjusted- you're the writer. Could that keepsake be the locket and what's inside it? (I might be offtrack here, and may need to reread your story- pardon me if I am, please. I will reread, in any case, and hope I haven't confused things, myself. )

Regarding a photo, I was thinking the entire routine might present well if photos or a custom deck/ custom face cards were used instead of regular playing cards- for the selection phase. All photos or custom cards that would conform to the storyline, perhaps a specific force card or a peek to allow you to follow through appropriately with alternate scripting for different selected cards if not forced.

I think if you were to combine photos and regular playing cards, as mentioned by Wravyn, it would be stronger for the photo to end up in the locket than for a playing card to, just because a photo is congruent to a locket. Again, I think that would be a continuity/ unity element. Interesting thread. Looking forward to reading more.

Thanks Laurie, you raise some very good points. I like the idea of using photos/custom cards, that could work very well in terms of context and making the routine more relatable.

The problem I have is that the tale is inspired by the story of how my grandparents met. I want to make the routine as powerful as I can but I also want to remain as true to actual events as I can, as a sort of tribute to them, without making it so personal/sentimental that the audience feel excluded.

I have to find a way to balance all of those factors. Much thinking to be done!

Thanks again, Laurie. Your suggestions are very much appreciated.