Are minds really being read?
The experience can feel like mind reading. I don't claim to use supernatural powers; what's fascinating is how convincing a sense of the impossible can be built from the ordinary mechanisms of the human mind.
The basics, clearly
What is mentalism?
Mentalism is a performing art that focuses on thoughts, choices, perceptions and the interaction between people.
The short answer
In a show, a mentalist creates the impression of, for example, reading minds, predicting the future or influencing choices. The experience is built with showmanship, observation, psychological principles, suggestion and the methods of magic—not with supernatural powers.
Mentalism and magic
What's the difference?
In magic, the impossible usually happens to visible objects: something vanishes, changes places or transforms. In mentalism, the stage is the human mind. A performance might deal with a word someone is thinking of, a choice that feels free, memory or attention.
The line isn't absolute. Mentalism also uses the dramaturgy and methods of magic. What sets it apart is above all the subject of the performance: a mentalist builds the experience of the impossible around thoughts and perceptions.
From the audience's point of view
What happens in a show?
Does the audience have to go on stage?
Taking part is voluntary. In a good mentalism show, the participant is the hero of the moment—never the target of mockery or embarrassment.
Who is mentalism for?
The format can be scaled from an intimate group to a large gala. The content and the way the audience takes part are adapted to the audience, the venue and the goal of the event.
Is mentalism hypnosis?
No. Mentalism and hypnosis are different kinds of performance, even though both can deal with suggestion, attention and human experience.
Go deeper
Writing from inside mentalism
What kind of mentalism works at an event?
A stage show brings the audience together. Close-up magic works among the guests. A combination gives the whole evening a shared arc.
Tell me about your event