Ian Rowland – Acting, Lying & Enjoying It – Lecture Notes (original pdf)

Acting, Lying and Enjoying It By Ian Rowland
3-21. A stage mentalism routine that has become my favourite opener. It gets the whole room involved, gets huge laughs and yet ends on a very strong mystery. In essence it’s just an elaborate prediction trick, but it has plenty of strong entertainment value. You’ll also learn a new way to handle a familiar ‘tool of the trade’. Peter Samelson said this routine was ‘perfect’.The Rowland Peek. A utility card move. Someone looks at a card. They are sure I could not possibly know which card they looked at – yet I do know. This move contains a beautiful moment of perfect misdirection that has been very well-received at lectures (I’ve even had people ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ when they see how well it works). I’ve used this move thousands of times all over the world – never fails! Michael Chaut and Etienne Pradier both said it fooled them completely!

Thought Extraction. My favourite card routine using the above Peek move. Perform this routine and even experts will conclude you really can deduce thoughts just by observing ‘cues’ and ‘tells’ in someone’s responses. I was hired to train FBI agents last year, and this is one of the demonstrations I used during the breaks. It completely fooled them.

Troika Twist. A cabaret/stage mentalism routine themed around triple coincidence. One spectator successfully attempts to telepathically influence another. Not only do their thoughts match, in a way that is baffling and surprising to them both, but my prediction also matches… even though it is perfectly blank!

Flexi Force. A provocative and emotionally charged stage mentalism routine themed around the timelessness of love. At every lecture, this fools virtually everyone present and has them demanding to know the method! (Laymen love it too.) If you get nothing else out this item, at least you’ll have a delightful way to get a spectator to force an item on himself without realising it.

CTS (Corner Turnover Switch). A utility card move, being my favourite way to switch one card for another even under close-up, ultra-tight conditions. It’s also one of my favourite ways to force a card while seemingly going out of my way to ensure a free, fair selection.

Something Inside. A card routine using the CTS move. Nothing special in terms of plot or method, but learn the patter (full script provided) and you will have some very powerful magic at your disposal! This routine – especially the words – can actually change a person’s life.

Mind Wave. A variation on ‘B’Wave’ that requires no gaffed cards and can look utterly miraculous.

Whose Thought. Good for close-up or even strolling mentalism. It’s a variation on ‘Pseudo Psychometry’ that will be useful for anyone who likes to give quick personality readings. It also has the merit of introducing a bit of fun and colour into the proceedings.

“There is GOLD in the notes. Most Café members would have sold each effect seperatly as a $20+ PDF. Seriously real useable routines.” – John Cesta, Magic Cafe

“Brilliant, witty and workable.” – Piers Casimir

“If you have not taken advantage of Ian’s generaous offer, get busy! There are any, many good ideas to think about in these notes.” – David Libertine

“I had the pleasure of seeing Ian perform this stuff the other night at the Magic Circle. It was great! I am very pleased to have the notes.” – Merlin Dunlop

“Just to chime in for a mo… these notes are the cat’s pajamas. Some great work in here and it’s for a great cause. There is a particular presentation from these notes that I have been using with huge success. It involves revealing a thought of card and I don’t want to say more about it but this alone is worth your time and consideration.” – Don Theo III, Magic Cafe

“Thankyou Ian for your excellent lecture notes. Once again it proves,it is not what you do, but how you do it.” – Roger Thompson

“Got mine, and spent all last night reading it. I gotta say, it’s a goldmine! Not-so-common sense performance tips, some great effects, and a few laughs as well. Ian could easily be making much money from this book, and it speaks highly of his generosity in making this available at no profit to himself.” – DWRackley, Magic Cafe

“Many thanks for this kind offer. I’ve read through the notes a couple of times, and I love them. Your writing has a style and sense of humour that appeals to me, and the way that you write up each item (e.g. detail, structure) reminds me of the works of Simon Aronson (a particular magical hero of mine).” – Mark Farrar

“I found something very valuable in these notes about showmanship. I don’t have the time to give a review now but my thanks to you, Mr. Rowland, for being the change you seek.” – Mike Ince

“I loved the ‘Rowland Peek’. It is original, ingenious and invisibly hidden within normal movements. This is such an easy set of notes to get, and worth much.” – Tom Jorgenson, Magic Cafe

“I have read throughout the FREE lecture notes a couple of times. I can only add my praise for the contents and I was able to take really useful ideas from them (love the colour picture cards for doing readings). All I can say if you do not take up this incredible FREE offer not only are you missing out on Ian’s wondeful thinking, but more importantly you are giving up the opportunity to give back and add a little kindness to the world. – bond19, Magic Cafe

“Nice notes and I like the witty introduction. Thank you.” – Francois Lagrange, Magic Cafe

“Wonderful set of notes with great effects and interwoven thoughts. Seriously, though: Thanks, Ian, for both the notes and the reminder to do what I should not need to be reminded to do.” – Garrette, Magic Cafe

“It’s a lot of good ideas. Thank you for your lecture notes. Awesome gesture.” – Leonardo Martins, Magic Cafe

“Thanks again for your notes. I’m a great fan of your writing style! I don’t do card tricks, but I do occasionally use cards for mentalism so I particularly like your two card utilities. The switch is promising but it’ll take some practice to do silently. The routine with it suits my style too. I do like the look of ‘Whose Thought’. It looks like a great way of combining psychometry and cold reading.” – Barry Cooper

“Ian, thanks, these are EXCELLENT!” – Peculiarone, Magic Cafe

“I am enjoying reading your lecture notes. I am especially enjoying your very commercial presentations. As a card enthusiast, I was most interested in the ‘Rowland Peek’. Thank you again, Ian. May your generosity be matched a million times over by our Brethren” – Chris Matthewson

“Thanks for sharing your notes with me, I thought they were great. I really enjoyed the ‘Rowland Peek’. I’ve played with the first part of the move quite often but never thought to extend it to a peek. ‘Thought Extraction’, ‘3-21’, ‘Flexi-Force’ and ‘Whose Thought’ are all really strong effects. In fact I could see myself performing just about everything in these notes, they are very practical. More importantly however I love the underlying theme throughout the notes – mentalism is nothing without meaning! Well done and thanks again.” – Nick Morton

“Just finished reading the lecture notes – great stuff! I will definitely be adapting 90% of it to my style & personality.” – Marqus, Magic Cafe

“Not only is the releasing of your notes in exchange for a charitable donation a great idea, the material is brilliant too. I am especially impressed with the ‘3-21’ effect, that I had the great pleasure of seeing you perform some months ago in person. A simple, yet delightful method, that is a wonderful use of something we’re all familiar with, but given a twist. Add to that a fun, funny, and involving script that I recall very well being a huge hit with the entire audience in performance.” – Tom DeVoe

“I appreciated what you wrote about methods, structure, scripting, etc. I do something similar to ‘3-21’, yet it does not have the interplay and dramatic build. So, I appreciate your insights into how to make it play in a much bigger and more entertaining why.” – Robwar, Magic Cafe

“Was delighted… absolutely delighted with this concept, and the fact Ian has included ‘3-21’ in there. I saw him perform this – as no doubt many of you here present have. Wasn’t the reaction GREAT?! And the fact that all he asks is that I donate to MY favourite charity!” – Drew McAdam, Magic Cafe

“Words fail me in an attempt to thank you for this PDF. You have separated yourself from the masses by your generosity by way of sharing and more important by encouraging donations to a wide variety of worthwhile causes. I tip my hat to you.” – Bill Berman

“There is a wealth of very good advice and practical ideas even before getting to the actual effects. Your notes relating to the R / S card effect have given me a deeper insight into more practical uses of the R / S principal. I particularly like your peek methodology. Your effect ‘Troika’ I like very much and believe it will fit into my style of performance, so going to work on this initially. Thank you for your generosity Ian.” – David O’Connor