Welcome Darklings....

Welcome to the second issue of The Mystic Menagerie,

an occasional e-zine for the mystery entertainer. I want

this to be a melting pot of ideas, so anything you wish

to contribute will be considered. As ever, I wish to thank

all of the great minds that have contributed to this issue

and made this possible.

So whats in this issue?

effects produced by UK based dealer The Black Hart,

a superb spooky story routine by Graham Yates, Dan

Baines the man behind the very wonderful Lebanon

Circle presents The Corpse Candle, a lovely piece called

Dixie Nightmares from the talented Paul Prater, some

bits and pieces from myself and other lovely goodies

from the dark realm for you to feast your eyes upon.

May I take this opportunity to thank all of those who

-

sue. We intend to continue providing a publication which

will always feature items of worth.

May I thank those who contributed towards this issue

and Bertoneski who does a sterling job making this lit-

tle magazine look like the slightly sinister delight it is

intended to be.

Until next time,

Freddie Valentine

Freddie Valentine

YOUR HUMBLE EDITOR

2

Black Harts Bi-

zarre Artefacts

By Freddie ValentineFor those of you who are

unaware who The Black

Hart is -and if you are a UK

based bizarrist, you should

be ashamed of yourself-, it is

the pseudonym of Keith Hart,

a performer and producer of

sinister magical effects who

resides in the Scottish Isles.

I have a number of Keiths ef-

fects and hopefully this arti-

cle will guide you around the

myriad items he has for sale

on his website - www.black-

hart.co.uk . A couple of my fa-

vourite card effects Keith sells

are The Devil in Mind -which

uses playing cards- and Power

of the Tarot.

The Devil in Mind is a great

effect and hugely deceptive.

You spin a yarn to the specta-

tor concerning how the devil

can influence you without you

knowing -or whatever suits

your style- and offer then a

deck of cards to shuffle. You

then show them a folder which

contains three laminated cards

representing the conscious,

unconscious and subconscious,

each bearing a picture of Lu-

cifer himself. You then ask the

spectator to think of a number

and to deal that many cards

onto the table and the deal a

hand to each of the three dev-

ils. When the top card of each

pile is turned over they are all

sixes 666: The Number of

The Beast! What you need to

remember is that you never

touch the cards. They shuffle,

they choose the number and

they deal. Its an incredible

effect in itself, but with the

right degree of suspense and

into a chilling revelation. And

yes you use a normal deck of

cards! -I go for aged ones-

The Power of the Tarot is a

superb effect that uses you

guessed it tarot cards! The

spectator is shown two piles of

tarot cards and clearly shown

that are both in a totally dif-

ferent order. The spectator

chooses a pile which is mixed

according to their instruction.

Both piles are then show to

be in exactly the same order!

As a playing card effect, this

would be rather mundane and

unexceptional, but with the

ever alluring tarot cards it

becomes a demonstration of

their power and mystery. To be

honest, when I read the work-

ings of this effect, I didnt hold

out much promise for it. That

is, until I performed it for one

of our ever truthful laymen

who was completely bowled

over by it. It has been getting

a great response for me ever

since.

Slasher is a cut-throat razor

which produces a similar ef-

fect to the magicians favourite

Knife Thru Arm. KTA always

seemed unrealistic and gim-

micky to me and that fact that

this was a damn sight cheaper

made me wonder whether it

would be much cop. It sounded

good, but for under -n18 was it

going to be cheap tat? It is, in

fact, superb and gives a very

realistic illusion of slashing

your throat or wrists and the

dispensing of blood looks ac-

curate and uncannily realistic.

I used this onstage as part of

my cabaret variety show and a

fellow psychic entertainer, who

was performing on the show,

said it looked great from all

angles and they were per-

plexed as to the method. If you

are after this kind of effect,

Slasher is not only cheap its

bloody great!

Another nice little effect from

Black Hart is something called

a pendant is shown-worn or

whatever you like and a small

number of laminated cards

which are blank on one side.

The cards represent souls of

dead celebrities and the spec-

tator can freely shuffle the

cards and deal them on to the

table. Card and then elimi-

nated one by one, each time

revealing the name of a dead

famous person. You are then

left with one card. The name

on this card which was left af-

ter the spec freely eliminates

all the others is revealed to be

the same person whose pho-

tograph is revealed when the

-

-

selves. Nice props and a great

use for a much underused

method.

Black Hart has a whole web-

site full of bizarre goodies

give it a look!

Ouija Card

3

The Mad Hatter Returns

by Graham Yates

A rather wonderful seance style routine with a great story from Graham Yates:

It is now over 120 twenty years since my Great Grandfather died. Without whom we wouldnt own

this lovely Victorian house that we sit in today. My Grandfather was a hat maker to Royalty both

in England and Europe.

He was renowned for the design and quality of his hats. The money he received allowed him to

live a good and prosperous life, it also gave him the money to buy this house, which has been

passed down through the generations ever since.

Just recently I have been experiencing strange occurrences with this old hat box, nothing cer-

"#"$""

$

Tsar of Russia.

Today I would like to see if we could contact his spirit to allow my mind to settle about the hat

box and the strange feeling I have towards it. I have also brought a crystal bell that stood in his

shop for the customers to gain his attention and some replicas of his business card that I have

had made, unfortunately there is only one of his business card left which is far too fragile to

use, so I have had these made to preserve their design.

The hat box is placed in the middle of the table surrounded by the sitters, inside is placed the

crystal bell and a single business card with todays date on it, is placed underneath it,the lid is

then put back on the hat box and silence falls through the room.

After what seems like an eternity a muffled ringing of the bell is heard. The lid is removed and

it is seen that there is a single word on the card Believe.

How?

The writing on the business card is our old favourite the Out to Lunch principle.

The ringing of the bell, whilst the method is not new, I have not come across it used with this

equipment. Rather than use a tape recorder a mobile phone is used. This allows for a normal

object to carried on your person and not really questioned. The recording software is set run-

ning and the bells is rung a few minutes into the recording enough time for the script and also

a good period of silence, the bell is rung in the open to give a good clear sound. When in perfor-

mance the phone is placed in your pocket and set to play, when it comes time for the ring it will

sound muffled because it is in the pocket and sound as though I comes from the hat box.

4

The Corpse Candle

Spook Lights for Seance

By Dan Baines -Lebanon Circle Magic-

Foreword

Ideas for illusions always sneak up on me when I am least expecting them. This particular ef-

fect started to manifest itself in my psyche earlier this year -January 2007- at Cirque du Soleil.

The idea then went to ground for a few months until I saw something similar at Lord of the

Rings -the musical- in the West End. The idea was simple but very effective and emulated fair-

%&'()

$#"

it may be a laser. But without a light source or reflective surface I couldnt see how this would

be possible. The point of light was simply there, dancing in the ether. Thankfully the mystery

of this entrancing light effect was revealed when my girlfriend purchased the most expensive

theatre seats slap bang at the front of the stage. Finally I could see how it was done, but only

just!

Admittedly this effect is not a conventional magic trick although if performed under the right

circumstances will look magical. Its also not the most diverse of effects but as a seance or story

telling tool it will allow you to create something captivating and strange to the unknowing eye.

Due to the slight limitations with this effect I though it may be more rewarding and fun to pro-

vide it in kit form, at least this way youll get the satisfaction of the build. I have however, used

the Corpse Candle in conjunction with one of my dead fairies at a childrens party and at a small

seance to create orbs which left both audiences dumb founded.

As with all magic, I can provide you with the tools and ideas, all you need to add is imagination.

Spook Light Folklore

The name Corpse Candle refers to the ghostly lights sometimes seen at night or twilight often

over marsh land. They are also referred as a Jack o Lantern, Will-o-the Wisp and Spook lights

depending on region.

It looks like a flickering lamp, and is sometimes said to recede if approached. Much folklore

##$

or elemental. Briggs A Dictionary of Fairies provides an extensive list of other names for

the same phenomenon though the place they are observed -graveyard, bogs etc.- influences the

naming considerably.

5

Many tales surround the origin of such mystery lights. An Irish story tells of a neer-do-well

named Drunk Jack or Stingy Jack who makes a deal with the Devil, offering up his soul in ex-

change for payment of his pub tab. When the Devil comes to collect his due, Jack tricks him by

making him climb a tree and then carving a cross underneath, preventing him from climbing

down. In exchange for removing the cross, the Devil forgives Jacks debt. However, because no

one as bad as Jack would ever be allowed into Heaven, Jack is forced upon his death to travel to

Hell and ask for a place there. The Devil denies him entrance in revenge, but, as a boon, grants

*#+

souls are forever condemned. Jack places it in a carved turnip to serve as a lantern.

Among European rural people, especially in Gaelic and Slavic folk cultures, the will-o-the-wisps

are held to be mischievous spirits of the dead or other supernatural beings attempting to lead

travellers astray. A modern Americanized adaptation of this travellers association frequently

places swaying Ghost Lights along roadsides and railroad tracks. Here a swaying movement of

the lights is alleged to be that of 19th- and early 20th-century railway workers supposed to have

been killed on the job.

Sometimes the lights are believed to be the spirits of unbaptised or stillborn children, flitting

between heaven and hell. Modern occultist elaborations bracket them with the salamander, a type

$#-

The examples I have used in this document incorporate fairies and spirit orbs although as you

can see, the source of suitable ideas from folklore and legend is endless.

6

Effect Synopsis

You produce an antiquated grimy jar with no visible contents which can be fully inspected.

A spectator is requested to unclip the jar lid and open it.

All join hands, the lights are turned off and the room is immersed in complete darkness.

You begin some ancient incantation that will summon forth the ghost light.

A small point of light appears inside the jar and begins to rise above the spectators dancing and

)$

The spook light suddenly vanishes and then reappears almost instantaneously on the other side

of the table.

It then continues to dance in and around the spectators, weaving about their heads, up to the

ceiling and back down again.

You give the command for the light to return to the jar and slowly and reluctantly it obeys.

The light fades and the room is once again cloaked in complete darkness.

Quickly you ask one of the spectators to grab the jar and clip the lid back on tightly.

The jar can be fully inspected or even given away as a souvenir

The corpse candle will -

%#

Can be used on stage or at home.

For childrens parties - release a captured fairy from the jar.

For seances - make a spirit orb materialise in the centre of the table then journey around the

room

7

How does it work?

Based on a stage lighting effect currently used on Broadway and the West End the Corpse Can-

#/

remote control systems are used; the spook light appears in mid air and dances around the heads

of your spectators, flies off around the room and will vanish and reappear at your command.

###

allows light to propagate along its length from the light source. The black plastic coating pre-

vents any light escaping along its length thus when the light reaches the end it appears to be

floating in space in a darkened room.

A rod construction allows the user to reach over spectators and animate the point of light. Just

a slight wrist movement will make the light move in an erratic manner. The operator can then

make the light move around the room over spectators heads. The switch on the led torch can

make the spook light vanish and reappear in another location almost instantaneously.

A magnet on the cable is powerful enough to lift metal objects such as spoons from the jar. Us-

ing this concept you create the illusion that there is something in the jar trying to get out.

How to build your Corpse Candle

To build your corpse candle you will need a few special items and the rest of the components

you may already have at home or in your garden shed; a long stick, ideally a garden cane, black

paint and glue. If you have issues sourcing the parts just e-mail me as dan@lebanoncircle.co.uk

and Ill be pleased to point you in the right direction.

34#5X5Z[=

Black masking tape

Mini led torch

\# #

Tube cap made from blue tack or modelling clay

Cocktail stick

Lighter

## )]^

\ ###

2-part epoxy glue or something of similar strength.

/(>=\_(/(##``

8

1.To start lets get the bits out of the way that can be drying while we build the fun stuff! Take

your garden cane and paint it black. Childrens blackboard paint is the best as it provides a matt

2.Slide magnet over the cocktail stick and then slide the heat shrink over both.

5>

until it tightens around the magnet. Be careful not to set the heat shrink or cocktail stick on

#$$

shrinkage.

4Remove the encased magnet from the cocktail stick, trim the ends slightly and thread it on to

###]

10

[|)##

blob of plastic again taking care not to set the cable alight.

7. Take the LED torch and slide the black plastic tube over the bulb. There is no need to glue

this in place.

}##

##

the cross section diagram below demonstrates.

]

11. Decide how much cable you need at the end of your rod. 1 metre is about the right length

##"

can easily remove the cable and re secure it at the new desired length.

12. Secure the cable to the very end of your rod and extend the cable along its length with

black tape approximately every 100mm. The cable needs to be sitting flush with the stick, if it

is slack there is a possibility that the cable will slap against the cane and make a sound when

operated. The construction needs to be as silent as possible. If you have enough tape you may

want to wrap it completely around the cable and rod so there is absolutely no chance of noise.

]5 ($#

DO NOT cut it to size as you may need additional cable at a later date. Instead make a neat coil

and secure with tape.

] ~

#

ideal ergonomically. Cover the torch and black tubing completely with tape to ensure no light

#

button can be operated easily.

12

1^ 4#`

Next we need to make a receptacle for our spook light. This grungy jar recipe will create a

earthenware type effect using a few kitchen ingredients and a glass preserve jar.

You will need:

1 pot of ground allspice

A cup of coffee granules

PVA glue

Paint brush

] #$

1. Tip the pot of ground allspice and coffee granules into a

bowl and mix together

2. Take your jar and cover in PVA glue using the paint-

brush

5 )

fully covered

4. Place jar upside down on greaseproof sheet in the oven

]^

Operating your Corpse Candle

Find a dark room, preferably one that is as dark as possible. Hang the rod in front of you and

illuminate the spook light. Move the rod and youll see that the spook light will dance in a ran-

dom chaotic manner. The weight of the magnet and the slight curl in the cable will add to the

random nature of the spook lights movement.

The Corpse Candle could be perceived as a form of puppetry and will therefore require a little

$##44`

Also practice picking up metal objects from the jar in the dark. If you are using an accomplice

to control the spook light then there is a sneaky way to do this that removes the guesswork of

##"$

Additional Ideas

"##

$#)3#4

This type of rod is excellent for stage performances.

#$#

get from your local hardware store.

|34

&$

a multitude of colours.

|34`X

in a tree and summon the fairies at midnight in the dark woods!

X$$

hands that it should be kept under lock and key at all times.

"###

#####)-

tion before you achieve the required level.

14

Preparation

The preparation required for

your performance is simple.

You will need complete dark-

ness so a cellar or window-

less room is ideal. Failing this

a room at night with thick

curtains will do the job. There

are ways to create the illusion

of additional darkness tem-

porarily and this is covered

below. You can perform this

effect on stage providing you

have a black backdrop and

your audience is seated at a

suitable distance. To get the

most out of this effect you

will need an accomplice. Its

not the greatest selling point

of this trick but some effects

do need a trusty co-conspir-

ator, fact! Many illusions

still use them and they can

enhance you performance

beyond anything you could

achieve on your own. Der-

\4

example. Your accomplice

will need to dress in black,

preferably with black gloves

a problem.

For a childrens performance

an accomplice is not neces-

sary but feel free to use one

if you wish.

The accomplice should al-

ready be in the room or be

able to enter and leave with-

out being heard. The length

of the corpse candle rod is

designed to keep the accom-

plice a good distance away

from the spectators. The

room should be candle lit

beforehand so that you and

your guests enter an already

darkened room. This means

that the accomplices eyes are

The Darkness

"

achieve complete darkness

heres a tip. Instead of ad-

justing the light in the room

why not adjust your audi-

4

`

We all know that looking

into bright lights at night

will impair your night vi-

sion, well this uses the same

principle. Place a candle in

the centre of the table and

as you prepare the audience

gaze into the flame. Use this

as a method of relaxation so

that their minds are clear and

focused. After a minute or

so blow the candle out. They

will then temporarily per-

ceive the room to be darker

than it actually is. You then

have a few minutes in which

to perform before their eyes

become accustomed to the

darkness.

15

Routines

To demonstrate the adaptability of the spook light I have plucked two scenarios from opposite

4"$-

cluded details on stage performance.

#

#) ~

contain a spell to temporarily release the spirit from within the jar. This spell takes the form of

a powder or mixture of herbs and earth. This can be made up of ash, dry soil, salt and herbs or

anything you wish. This magical concoction is spooned into the jar along with maybe a small

ritual and the spoon is left in the spook light jar. This gives the spook light operator something

magnetic to pick up and throw about if they wish.

&

You enter a dimly lit room. Sitting on the table is a jar and a candle.

The old dirty jar with no visible contents is passed around the group. You explain that it con-

tains a captured ghost light.

Folklore holds that these lights are the ghosts of the dead lingering in areas where someone

has met a tragic death. The light is their lantern or candle, aiding their search for something

grisly like their missing head, or the bodies of their children or lovers. Some say ghost lights

are death omens see one and die within a year. Still others are said to be the devil or trickster

spirits, lurking in remote places to attack unwary travellers.

This corpse candle was one of many captured by a white witch on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall,

England. The mysterious lights would lure travellers from the beaten track on their journey

across the moor. It would appear at dusk and twinkle in the distance like the glow of some

warm inviting coach house on the horizon. The unknowing traveller would leave the path and

follow the light. As they walked deeper onto the uncharted moor land the light would never get

any closer. Darkness would fall and the light would vanish leaving the poor weary traveller lost

in the night. Many drowned in the peat bog or froze to death but others spoke of meeting the

devil and how he offered them a safe route back to the path in exchange for their soul. Those

who traded their soul would return to the moor after death to join the rest of the fools who made

a hasty trade with the devil. They would join the rest of the ghost lights and lie in wait at dusk

to fool the next exhausted traveller in search of sanctuary.

Traders and farmers were unwilling to venture across the moor even in daylight in fear of the

spook lights. Supplies to the surrounding villages were becoming scarce so a witch was enlisted

to help trap these wandering souls and make the moor a safer place to travel once again.

Hundreds of jars were placed on the moor each containing a spirit lure; a secret and ancient

spell used to remove troublesome spirits by tempting them into the vessel rather like a Venus fly

trap for the dead. The jars were primed and left scattered on the moor during the evening of

the summer solstice. No one ventured on to Bodmin that night for fear of interfering with the

witchs plan.

16

The following day groups of locals journeyed back to the moor in the safety of daylight to see if

the traps had worked. Where the jars had been open the previous night they were now tightly

shut. It had worked. Each jar contained a spook light from the moor, incarcerated and held in

limbo by the witchs pagan spell. The witch requested that all the jars should be taken to a re-

mote location and buried as deeply as possible. So, as she wished the jars were taken away never

to be seen again, or so everyone hoped.

In the late 1960s a section of Bodmin moor was being used to supply peat to local garden cen-

tres. The rich peat earth was fertile and highly sought after by gardeners and farmers alike.

During one of these digs large quantities of sealed jars were discovered, the witchs hoard of

captured souls had been unearthed! Before long word had spread and local artefact collectors

swarmed to the scene to pillage the site. Those who took their plunder home discovered to their

disappointment that the jars were empty; of any physical object that is. Little did they realise

that by opening the jar the witchs spell would be broken and it was not long before things start-

Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the original Bodmin jars. Fortunately for me I did not at-

tempt to open the jar until I had done some serious research. Now after years of reading an-

cient pagan scriptures I have learnt the skills required to temporarily break the spell and control

the spirit within.

Allow the jar to be passed around the table so that it can be inspected.

Once you have inspected the jar may I ask one of you to unclip the lid carefully for me?

The spectator unclips the lid. Make sure the metal clasp is fully disengaged from the lid.

I will now place the jar in the centre of the table

The spectator hands you the opened jar and you place it in the centre of the table.

This small wooden box contains a release spell mixture that we must use to ensure the spirit

returns to the jar

You then produce a small wooden box and hand it to a spectator along with a metal tea spoon.

May I ask you to open the box and put three spoonfuls of the spell into the jar?

The spectator follows your instructions.

/)"5

anti clockwise. Once you have done this just leave the spoon in the jar and leave it open

The spectator again follows your commands and leaves the spoon standing upright in the jar.

Please join hands and stare into the candle light

Lead the group in a simple relaxing breathing exercise whilst staring into the flickering flame.

Once you are happy everyone is comfortable and suitably blinded by the light blow the candle

out.

The accomplice positions themselves directly behind you.

17

Ancient spirit we invite you from your glass prison and ask that you move among us, if you are

with us please give us a sign

/

Repeat the invitation for the spirit to come forward. As you do this the accomplice moves the rod

$###-

$#-

ing a spectator. If they touch you it doesnt matter. The accomplice then marries the magnet on

#

require some practice but is easily mastered.

An easy way to achieve this is for the accomplice to place his hand on your shoulder while he po-

sitions the rod. As your head is directly facing the centre of the table the accomplice just needs

to move the rod forward until the magnet attaches.

Once the magnet and spoon attach the accomplice can then move away from your shoulder. Do

##$-

ing around in the jar should be enough to put most people on edge!

We thank you for joining us; we now ask that you show yourself! Will you please do this?

The spoon taps the inside of the jar a few more times and is then thrown across the table. To

do this the accomplice simply flicks the rod and this will be enough to detach the spoon from the

magnet.

Suddenly a small bright point of light becomes visible in the centre of the table.

##

Your spirit light is now free to fly around the room above the spectators heads. The accomplice

should stay out of arms reach of the spectators and keep the spirit light a sensible distance from

them so that it does not touch. Emphasise that the circle must keeps their hands joined or the

light will vanish.

The accomplice can make the light disappear and reappear in another part of the room almost

instantaneously by turning the torch off, moving their arm to another position and turning the

torch back on again.

18

You may all now relax and break the circle

You can then relight the candle.

Please can you take the jar and fasten the lid back on securely?

The jar is then resealed and the performance is over. If you wish you may give the jar away to

the host as a gift.

The Release of the Fairy

~)Z

Amongst the branches I saw hundreds of tiny lights darting about, flitting and dancing about

in the darkness. Fire flies! I thought, I had never seen one before and I knew I must have one

for my collection! I climbed the mighty oak so I could get higher and catch one of the dancing

lights. Once I was close enough I waited quietly. Suddenly a little light flew past my head and

I took a mighty sweep at it with my net, I caught it! I scrambled down from the huge tree and

tipped the contents of my net into the jar. I held the jar up in the darkness and looked inside at

\"#

only much, much smaller. It looked back at me through the glass pressing its hands against the

inside of the jar. We gazed at each other for what seemed like hours; to my amazement I had

caught a fairy!

Part of me wanted to keep it but I knew that I should let it go. I opened the jar lid expecting the

fairy to fly away but instead it just sat there looking at me.

You have caught me; do you know what happens when you catch a fairy? said the little crea-

ture.

/"4"4$"`

The fairy gave a little smile back, Well this is your lucky day as I must grant you a wish before

I can go

My heart skipped a beat! I could wish for anything I wanted! A mountain of chocolate, my own

spaceship, anything! But I gazed at the fairy and I could think of only one thing, to keep it.

I wish I could keep you but I know..

Stop! the fairy shouted then it is done, I am yours to keep

/44`"""

you but I knew that would be wrong, I was really going to wish for something else!

Too late the fairy signed you have made your wish and it has been granted, I am now yours to

keep

I felt so guilty that I almost cried. I took the fairy home and everyday I tried to let her go but

$5

##

"4

routine or you may just wish to light the fairy straight away.

(#

air. Wait for the gasps!

You are then free to make the fairy fly and dance around the room; you may wish to use music.

##

The light slowly descends to the jar and then it is gone.

Return the rod to its stowage and turn the lights back on. Clip the lid back on the jar and wait

to be bombarded with comments such as can we see it again! and can I look in the jar!

As mentioned previously you may like to give the jar as a gift to one of the children, it makes

#4$

##`

Stage Performance

~##

###

over the back and then over the top of the stage curtain.

The jar lid is unclipped and just rests on the cable. Do not clip the jar shut or force the lid or

#

The accomplice is either behind the curtain, above the stage or to the side of the stage, which

ever suits the venue the best. The rod will need to be much longer and you will also need a

####

]

###$#"$

London theatre and you can not see it even from the front row seats. Always use a dimly lit

stage so set the scene with candle light with maybe an old gramophone record playing and with

practice your routine will be pure magic to watch.

The method of performance is up to you but I would suggest some short tale about a captured

earth spirit or spook light like you have read previously. You an also perform to music as is of-

ten done with floating tables and zombie balls. When the music stops the light simply vanishes

and then reappears when it starts again. All your accomplice backstage will require is a vocal

cue to illuminate the light and start the merry dance.

#X

##

Command the light to go to sleep. At this command the accomplice will pull the rod back thus

#

Once the cable is clear you are free to clip the jar shut and if you wish hand it to a member of

your audience as a gift. You could warn them that it should never be opened unless you want a

mischievous spirit to wreak havoc in their home!

22

K

DIXIE NIGHTMARES

by Paul Prater

PERFORMANCE

What would you do if your land was

invaded?

The magician looked around the room

making eye contact with each of the

spectators.

What if some of your family members

fought for the enemy?

The magician again looked around the

room meeting the eyes of those watch-

ing.

Would you feel a duty to serve? To kill

your brother?

Another pause. The audience looked

uncomfortably at the magician.

These were issues that often faced

people in the South during the Civil

War. There were families that were

$$

was right or wrong.

What is clear is that the Civil War cost

many lives and was a sad chapter in

our nations history.

As in any type of war, being in the

wrong place at the wrong time could

be deadly. Such was the fate of David

Dodd. David Dodd has been called the

Boy Hero of Arkansas. While this is

a dark tale, it is one that is worth tell-

ing.

Dodd was seventeen years old when

he was captured by Union soldiers

behind Union lines. He was immedi-

ately accused of being a spy. While he

denied this, he couldnt explain a let-

ter with Morse code that revealed the

number and location of Union troops

that was found in his diary.

While my tale is about David O. Dodd,

I cannot tell it without telling the story

The only known portrait of David O

Dodd, boy hero of the Confederacy

For my great, great grandfather, it was

when he was appointed to represent Da-

vid O. Dodd at his trial.

My entire life, I have heard the stories

of David O. Dodd that were passed down

through my family. It was these tales of

my great great grandfather that encour-

aged me to be an attorney, and ironically

the location of the law school in Lit-

tle Rock, is the location where David O.

Dodd was hung. There is small marker

in the corner of the parking lot, mostly

obscured by trees that mark the location

of his death. I had no clue that was what

the marker was for until one day my

curiosity got the best of me and crawled

in behind the tree to see what the little

marker was for. Then, all of the stories

came back to me and for I minute, I felt

like I had crossed paths with destiny, like

I was meant to be there.

The magician pulled a rope from his

table and tied at the ends together in a

knot.

Union soldiers found a mountain of evi-

dence that looked like enough to convict

him. My great, great grandfather was

assigned his case. He did his best to

_#

of my great,

great grand-

father as well.

His name was

William Fish-

back and he

was an attor-

ney. Isnt it odd

sometimes that

ones entire life

#

or changed by

one event?

Dodd was hung on a wet, cold morning. There was drizzle in the air. One the day of his hang-

ing, thousands came to witness the execution. As they drove the wagon out from under him,

the rope stretched and he was not immediately killed. He swung to and fro, choking to death. It

was said that even battle hardened Union soldiers became ill at the spectacle and several pulled

on his legs to end his suffering. He was convicted and hung as a spy, though he was a minor and

too young to serve in the military.

One of the stories that was passed down from generation to generation in my family was of the

nightmares that my great great grandfather had for his entire life. It was said that he often

would relive the scene of the grisly death.

The magician started to put the rope around his neck. He wrapped it around several times and

turned around to show the rope completely around his neck.

Sometimes, in my great, great, grandfathers dreams, the wagon was pulled out from under

Dodd and amazingly, the rope would slip right through his neck.

As the magician said this, he pulled on the rope, and the rope appeared to pass through his neck.

The magician now untied the ends of the rope.

My great, great grandfather would wake up and realize that it was just a dream. He would

then go back to sleep and the nightmare would continue. The soldiers would put Dodd back on

the wagon and tie the rope around his neck again. Then in his dreams, he would pull out his

knife and time and again, he would try to cut the rope to save Dodd from his death.

The magician doubled the rope and cut it using a large Bowie knife.

In the dream, he would cut the rope, but the soldiers would tie it back together and repeat the

hanging. The outcome was always the same.

The magician tied the cut ends of the rope together and wound it around his hand.

Every time he had this dream, he would wake up in a sweat. Sometimes he was screaming,

sometimes he was crying. He was never able to save the boy. Even if his dreams had turned out

differently, it wouldnt have mattered because when he awoke reality would have set in. One can

never change the past.

The magician stretched the rope out showing that it was whole again.

WORKING

This is a combination of two very simple routines; the rope through neck and cut and restored

"#"

out a rope routine. Generally I dont care much for rope routines, but I was thinking that there

was something that I could do with cut and restored ropes.

"\

Scout magic book. It is pretty simple and pretty quick once you get the moves down. It also

looks really nice when you perform it.

24

ROPE THROUGH NECK

First, take the rope and tie the ends together with a simple knot. Once the ends are tied, put the

entire rope behind the neck, with the hands through the rope.

Now, with the right hand, use the thumb to reach into the middle of left hand rope and with the

left thumb, reach into the middle of the right hand rope.

%

pieces of rope with the thumbs back to their respective positions. The rope will now be criss

crossed in front of your neck. I do this move while turning around so no one sees the thumbs

going into the rope. It can be done very quickly. I just do a quick rotation as if I am showing

everyone the rope behind my neck.

I now throw my head back so that everyone can see the rope in front of my neck as well. When

you get to the proper line, curl your thumbs over the rope to hold it tightly, release with your

"

Now continue on with the cut and restored rope routine. I am sure everyone is familiar with

the cut and restored rope routine. If you are not, then I would refer you to Tarbell or any other

beginner course.

Please take extra care with this routine - especially when rehearsing it alone!

Mystery A Human Curiosity

by Freddie Valentine

Human beings, by their very nature, have a fascination with the mysterious. People also like to

believe there is something more to the world than what is seen. Many people would like to think

that magick really does exist. Whether it is the Victorian fascination with spiritualism or the

obsessive interest in TV shows such as The X-Files in the 1990s, the need for something myste-

rious and a bit spooky will always be there.

When performing occult or mystery entertainment, you need to play upon that common hu-

man interest in the mysterious and macabre. People have read about odd things and seen them

##$"4#$"

one. Your job is to make the mysterious happen and at the very most leaving them believing in

the unknown, or at the very least, leave them questioning things in a way they have never done

before.

That is why in bizarre magick, odd looking props create the atmosphere and pique the interest.

These things prime people up for what is about to happen and put them clearly into the mindset

#4#

chap with a tuxedo who approaches a restaurant table with the immortal phrase Wanna see a

card trick? can attest. The thirty second rule does apply within entertainment and you need that

hook to get them intrigued in what you are doing. What intrigues, disgusts or delights people

more than the production of genuine human shrunken head? These things make it easier for the

mystery entertainer to a degree, as the prop can do the attention grabbing for you.

(#

You need to attach to each item a story that is bizarre, creepy and believable. The prop has to

4$

but the story of how you obtained the item needs to be one that the audience will not doubt.

For this, you need to create a character for yourself. Who are you, what do you do and why do

you own such things? Who gets hold of them for you? Where did they come from? If they are

so rare, why arent they in a museum? By creating a story for yourself, and practically living

this character, you will be able to answer any question thrown at you. One rule, even after your

performance never slip out of character or lead people to believe that you have made all these

things up. People want to believe and certainly dont want to feel like they have been conned or

are foolish enough to believe anything. When someone makes a card rise to the top of a pack

and claims Its magic, no one truly believes this to be the case and know its a jokey way of

protecting the real secret, leaving them amazed. If someone has a thought read, or receives an

accurate tarot reading, they really dont want to hear that it has all been a trick. Dont get me

wrong, these things are not there to cheat people, in fact by having them believe you bought that

shrunken head off of one of the victims descendants who wanted it out of the house as it has

brought nothing but bad luck, you are doing them more of a service than revealing afterwards

that it was all fake and just entertainment. They are left with something much more than the

experience of watching someone clever and being fooled by their stories. The word entertain-

ment should be mentioned, but only briefly. Never state either way, but the intention is to get

them to believe that they are being shown these things and told these stories as an experience.

But they are real!

26

Magic and Magick- some thoughts....

by Freddie Valentine

So how did I get to be this holder of dark secrets and collector of sinister objects that many

#$#"$) "

$ 34

Whilst doing some card tricks and the like which were intended as a bit of good solid entertain-

ment, I was consistently asked some unusual questions such as Do you do tarot readings?;

Can you hypnotise me?; Can you read minds? and best of all Can you exorcise my wife?

The funny thing is, that I did perform tarot readings, hypnosis and some darker stuff, but didnt

feel that during a set of such traditional fare, the audience would be interested in such stuff or

even seen any kind of connection between sponge balls appearing in their hands and freeing

$" 3-

4#3

know, but these things made me realise a few things:

] X#$-

joying themselves.

2Many people believe in these kinds of things.

5#

see the two as going hand in hand.

I then thought, how would I align the two? Why would someone who had such powers bother to

make a penknife change colour or a signed card appear in their pocket? How could I reframe the

presentational aspects of other effects to give them a believable spin?

"$#

claim whilst talking to the participant and then going on to prove it. The preamble or tall story

# -

nation is one of the most powerful faculties the human mind possesses. If you can inspire the

participant to use this, then the avenues you lead them down will be all the more vivid in their

mind and far more memorable than just being shown something. They are now investing in the

scenario emotionally and it is now your job to ensure that their investment pays off.

See You Next Time...

Well, my ghoulish chums, here ends

another instalment of the bizzarist

world of The Mystic Menagerie. My

huge thanks to all the contributors

$

and a massive cheers to all of you

that have expressed your support,

whether it be by your comments on

various forums, your emails to me or

general encouragement.

It is these comments that encourage

me to continue compiling, editing and

producing this organ for your delight.

Coming up in the next issue:

Bruce Graham provides a superb rou-

tine using tarot cards.

Paul Prater tells you how to age your

Haunted Key

The very wonderful Jim Magus pro-

vides an excerpt from his forthcoming

biography of bizarre magic legend

Tony Andruzzi and a rather special

routine featuring everyones favourite

Transylvanian Count.

Plus many more spooky suprises...

Exited yet?

Freddie Valentine2010

28

The Bit in the Back

By Bertoneski

A veritable grab-bag of esoterica this issue

from the beast in the basement....

Films

Worth disenterring are the extrodinarily ter-

rifying Japanese Ring$+-

lywood remakes and plum for the subtitled

originals directed by Hideo Nakata.

The vengeful spirit of a witch is unleashed

by the playing of a strange videotape

which a week after viewing you will die!

The philosopher Jung once remarked that the

uncanny is far more impressive in art than

real life and no more so than here. An original

Proceed to Guys Hospital at Tower Bridge and

ask discreetly - looking like a student doctor

helps admission... A museum of medicine with

strange pickled oddities!

If you cant visit in person then visit:

http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.comand inhale the whiff of virtual formaldehyde.

Art

Again a couple of virtual delights for the curi-

ous lurk at:

www.travislouie.com

and

http://www.kristianhammerstad.com#

photography to create portraits of monsters:

think Adams Family meets Photoshop whilst the

second artist is gloriously gruesome pop art-

ist using cartoon imagery ala Tales from the

Crypt.

Books

As Autumn, (or Fall as our American cousins call it),with the delightfully eerie Woman in Black by

Susan Hill. This evocative haunting has the-

matic links with Ring - proving the universality

of the notion of the vengeful spirit.

If youd rather the tale where read to, you buy

the audio book, where the dulcet tones of reader

X

Advertisement

Serious enquiries only to bertoneski@yahoo.co.uk

Final Page

Museum

When in London, and you have the stomach

for it try the Gordon Museum.

This museum is not strictly open to the pubic

but is accessible by those in the know.

Theatre

Ghost Stories from the pens of Andy Nyman,

(Mentalist, Actor and Derren Brown Col-laborator) and Jeremy Dyson, (writer of UK macabre comedy The League of Gentlemen) is haunting the Duke of York Theatre until 11th

February 2011. A portmanteau horror with

plenty of misdirection awaits.

www.ghoststoriestheshow.co.uk