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REMOTE CITY
Created by

Daniel Young
and
Andrew Edmonds

2004

Introduction
What you are holding now are the instructions for a brilliant effect, Im sure you will
agree. Remote City combines two devious principles to create an even greater whole;
the wonderful concept of dual reality and something simple, yet sneaky... a Svengali
book. The book that youve received with this manuscript is a perfect book for the
routine, its a good size and the thickness of the paper is just right. It has also been
nicely cut into a Svengali book. Ill explain it briefly for those of you who have never
owned a Svengali Deck. Basically, every other page is simply cut short so that half of
the pages in the book will never be seen as you flick through it one way, and the
other half remain hidden when you flick through the other way. This enables you to
pull of the dual reality concept with ease.
Im proud of this effect and I know that many of you will agree with me when I say it
IS good. It all started out as something completely different, as usual, but it turned
out to be something better than I expected. Dual Reality is such a beautiful thing,
even though some of the effect is usually sacrificed for a spectator on stage thats
participating. However, I have taken great care to insure that the spectator on stage
is experiencing something magical as well. Still, the effect to the audience is much
greater. A sacrifice well worth making.
This piece is best used as a parlour effect, although it can be performed both close
up and on stage. And, as with all dual reality effects, people can talk afterwards. Not
that it is a very big problem, but you might want to take care where you place this
item in your act. If you are performing this in a very informal setting with some
passerbys, just make sure they dont know each other, that way youre safe.
Enjoy your reading and I hope I see you soon...
In truth and friendship,

Daniel Young

A little book is shown to have different capital cities written on

its pages. The mentalist explains that these are places that he
would like to visit in the future. A participant is asked to
randomly select a page, and choose one of the cities he sees.
The mentalist, without any fishing of any kind, announces the
correct city being thought of. The participant then thinks of a
freely selected place within the city and this is, once again, correctly deduced by the
mentalist. As a final climax, the participant thinks of something associated with his
chosen country. The mentalist then uncovers something which has been on display
all the time, the very same thing that the participant pictured in his mind.

This effect is based on some clever semantics and dual

reality ploy. The book is actually a Svengali book, half of
the pages show City, Country and the other half is
showing detailed descriptions of cities.
When you are showing the book to the audience, you
just show pages that say Rome, Italy etc. When youre
showing your enthusiastic volunteer, he sees Paris, France and some places within
the city plus a picture associated with the city. This is the basic secret behind the
trick. BUT the deception doesnt stop there, its some very clever wording going on at
the same time, PLUS another sneaky thing. All which we will deal with in due time.

Flick through the book from front to back and on each

page write ONE city and its country, e.g. Rome, Italy and
one the facing page you write something else, such as
London, England. Keep flicking through the book like this
and fill it in with different cities/countries. This is why you
dont want such a thick book as it means a lot of work for
you.
Once youve filled in those pages, you have a book which has random cities written
on the first two pages and then there should be two blank, followed by two country
pages and so forth. Look at the pictures in case you dont understand.

London, England

Rome, Italy

Now on the blank pages you will write the following:

Paris, France

Oslo, Norway

The Louvre
Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame

The Royal Museum

Akershus Castle
The Vigeland Park

Left hand page

Right hand page

The picture of the wine glass and bottle is obviously something you draw yourself,
you dont use the silly Clip Art picture that I did here.
Note that the Norway page doesnt have an associated picture (I will get back to the
reasons later). I chose Norway as my example, you could of course choose any other
country as long as its a bit more obscure, but still familiar. It shouldnt be a likely
destination for someone to have visited, or know anything about for that matter. You
could choose something like Helsinki, Finland or Ljubljana, Slovenia. This will mean,
especially with the wording of the effect, that everybody will choose Paris, France.
Its a psychological force, which adds to the deception for the participant on stage.
The rest of the audience will, of course, never see any of the two options. Once

youve decided on your two destinations, write them on all the blank pages. So now
youve got a book that has two random cities followed by two detailed descriptions
etc.
Now you are all set up to start the effect, but first you need to buy a bottle of wine,
if its cheap you can give it away and by doing so, buy the participants silence.
What follows is an abbreviated patter (in bold typeface); you can use it as it is, or
just use the key elements and create your own. One participant is already on stage
and the performer is speaking to the audience.

Patter to audience...
There are so many countries in this world I would like to visit that I have
written down some of them in this little book, as a reminder and a check
list for myself. There are also places in each country that I would like to
see... I mean you get these images that you associate with the country.
Here we have Tokyo for example, or Rome, the list goes on through out
the whole book.
At this point the performer is flicking through the book pointing out the different
countries to a few people in the front seats. To the audience what you are saying
makes sense. Later, what you said will seem, to the participant on stage, to be
exactly what you described for the audience. Although thats not quite true, the
audience JUST saw cities and countries. When you are saying places to the
audience, they assume you mean cities, to the participant on stage it will really mean
places as in Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. It all makes sense.

...and to the partipant:

I will just flick through the book so that we arrive at a completely random
location. Just say stop anywhere.
(The performer flicks through the book so that it only shows the two force countries.
It is very important, obviously, that the participant does not see the cities flicking by,
so hold the book horizontal as you do this. Also, your head should be turned away
during this procedure)
So you want me to stop right here? Or would you like to change your mind
and choose a different country, its up to you? Okay, you want to stick with
this spot, just open the book where you stopped. Now I want you to think
of a familiar country, just settle on a place, not too obvious and if there's
an image associated with that country, that maybe you can visualise in
your mind, do that. Once youve done that hand the book back to me.
Heres where it gets really interesting. First it will seem like they had a completely
free choice of page simply because you asked them if they would like to change their
mind. You hand them the book and they open up the book at the place they stopped.
What they see now is one page with Paris and one page with Norway. Lots of people
have visited Paris and they are, generally speaking, more familiar with it. Which
means they will choose it.
just settle on a place - to the audience that sounds like you are repeating what
you just said, they still think you are referring to cities and countries, since they are
unaware of the information on the force page. To the participant, he takes that line
to mean one of the three listed places under the country/city title. Now you say not
too obvious, which will steer 95% of the people away from the Eiffel Tower. Which
makes your pumping easier and makes you more confident with it as well.
Then you asked them if theres a picture associated with the country. On the Paris
page you have the wine bottle and glass, but on the Norway page theres nothing.
This really makes sure that they choose the correct country. They then hand the
book back to you and you pocket it, this way it will be forgotten.
Have some kind of pad ready (this is optional), so you can note down your
impressions.
Now I want you to focus your attention on the name of the city you have in
mind. Concentrate.
(Here the mentalist is using all his acting abilities and writing down a letter like B,
scribble over it and write Paris, show the audience)
I have committed myself now. For the first time, whats the city in your
mind? Paris? Wow!
(Turn pad around and show him)
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Now think of the country... its France, isnt it!

(pause)
Sometimes I scare myself !! (said in jest)
Now can you think of a place within the city? You obviously have different
options... just go for one. Can you picture it in your mind clearly?
The mentalist now goes into a clever deduction phase of their selected place. Let me
ask you now, can you see Louvre in your mind? Chances are you cant, or it would
take you sometime, this also applies to Notre Dame. So when the mentalist says
Can you see it in your mind? if you straight away get a Yes, a confident Yes,
then you know its Eiffel Tower. If they seem to hesitate or say No, you know its
one of the other two.
Here are the outcomes from the question posed:
Can you picture it in your mind clearly?

1) Confident YES - Eiffel Tower

Good, so you see it in your mind...concentrate. Theres a lot of people
around this place, is it a pyramid? (the mentalist asks himself) No, its
something else... its some kind of building. Metal. Its a building per se,
its more like a monument. Ahhh now I see it, most people tend to choose
less obvious ones, but I think youre a clever guy and tried to pull a double
bluff on me. Youre thinking of the Eiffel Tower, arent you?
Obviously this is completely up to yourself, you can say what you want to say. Start off by
getting small things, and get some kind of response, rather than saying Eiffel Tower straight
away. While youre getting this information start to draw something that is sort of similar to
Eiffel Tower on your pad, draw it upside down or something. Then claim Ahhh now I see it,
youre thinking of the Eiffel Tower as youre turning the pad around to show it the right way
around.

2) Hesitant Yes or No
I'm just getting the feeling that the word 'picture' is relevent somehow?

Yes - The Louvre

Yeah, somehow pictures are important. Its not really pictures though, is it?
Its more like paintings. You didnt go for the obvious thing which wouldve
been the Eiffel Tower, you made it hard for me. Its an exhibition hall... you
went for The Louvre, didnt you?

No - Notre Dame
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No, I know its not the first thing you associate with this place, but I
believe if you think about it, you will see some kind of pictures. Its a big
building... high ceilings. They have painted the walls. Looks expensive.
Chandeliers. Pictures... its pictures of someone important. A leader. But in
a spiritual sense... This must be some kind of church. A cathedral. Ahhhhh
now I get it, its the Notre Dame Cathedral you have in mind, isnt it? Most
people would think of Eiffel Tower, but you made it difficult for me.
With the above script you get the place, which should seem very impressive to the
audience since they believe there are only countries and cities written on the pages.
More importantly, its still impressive to the participant, because he had a free choice
of page; he couldve chosen Norway, but he went with Paris. Then he had a
completely FREE choice of a famous place. Note also, that by using the script above,
the mentalist never really gets a negaitive response because he can always follow it
by telling the participant, indirectly, that they interpreted the question wrong.
The mentalist continues.
Okay, were doing really good here. Can I ask you to do one last thing? Is
there a image that you can associate with this country? There is? Perfect.
Before we proceed I must confess something rather strange... youve all
seen that bag standing on the table tonight. I didnt intend to do this, but I
have a strong feeling that the contents have some kind of connection with
this whole experiment. Would you mind telling us what you associate with
France? Wine?
How weird... ladies and gentlemen, for the first time... it couldve been just
about anything... but in this bag we have... (mentalist pulls the bag up) wine.
Luckily you didnt select something like Rome, then I wouldve had to
bring the whole Colloseum.
The last joke might seem pointless, but it does serve a small purpose. If you happen
to ever so casually flick through the book at the same time as you pull the little joke,
to the participant it will seem like you looked at another country and its associated
picture, and to the rest of the audience it will just seem like you looked up a different
country to use as an example.
Thank the audience member and send him back to his seat with a round of applause
from the audience.
The effect is over. Finished. The script Ive written here isnt something you have to
stick to rigidly, but rather I want you to use the key elements and rewrite the script.
So take some time out to understand why you say what you do.

A few minor points:

There are some small finer points which can save you some trouble later when you
are constructing your book.
If you want to use your own book make sure that the book you buy is not only the
right size but also has fairly thick pages, otherwise your elaborate force pages might
shine through and ruin the trick.
Write City on one line then Country underneath, that way you cover more of the
page which has the same purpose as above.
Write very clearly, with capital letters. So that they easily can read what youve
written.
Divide City/Country, Place and the Picture with a line. That way it becomes easier to
take it in.
If the picture is in color it is easier to remember.
Your pumping procedure MUST flow, it shouldnt seem like you ever stop talking.
What you do is read their face and cut them off before they get to say anything and
continue your revelation.

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Variations:
What would an effect be, without a few variations. This is also the reason WHY your
book wasnt filled in with cities. Maybe you want to use something else? I for sure
didnt want to sit for hours writing down cities in them and I definately didnt want it
to be printed. Which is why you got a blank book. That way you can adapt it to
something more specific and more you.
You might need to change the layout of the pages or a little bit in the handling. My
suggestion is changing the layout to the following:

Alternative 1
Alternative 2
Year/Author/Actor
Alternative 3

Left hand page

Right hand page

OR you can have two options, just like in the original version and then by looking at
their eyes you know which of the two pages theyve gone for. Then you obviously
know what to pump for. OR a third alternative is to keep the original principle and
the second page is some very obscure options, which will lead them to your force
page.

Songs and year/artists

You can write down different years and talk about music, if thats more you. Then
obviously on the force pages its a year and there are three different songs, or
actually as many as you wish. As long as you have a working pumping procedure for
it. The option youve got when it comes to song is that its much easier to create a
branching anagram, if thats more your cup of tea. I prefer not using a anagram
though, I much rather use a pumping procedure that doesnt rely on spelling. You
can obviously do music artists and their songs, as opposed to using the years.
Suggestion of wording:
We opened up the book anywhere you wanted, you even had a chance to change
your mind. Which obviously wouldve meant a different year. I want you to think of a
year and if you remember any of the songs from that year, get one firmly in your
mind.

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I would later, once I know the song, ask them to hum it in their mind. Then I would
sort of catch on to it. Or something similar. Something other that just saying: Youre
thinking of Michael Jacksons Thriller. Feed back some info about the song and
about the artist.
Events and dates
Just like above, write down years on the normal pages and a year and three events
that happened that year. This is one variation that I do like, because I dont have
that many seriously music interested friends. Its a more specialised interest than
events which are more common knowledge.
Books and authors
Same thing again, write down authors, and on the force pages the authors and a few
book titles.
Movies and Movie stars
Have an actor written down and some movies he has made.
Shapes/Pictures
You dont need to use the same psychological dual reality principle. You can draw
small pictures/shapes, have a spectator open up the book anywhere they like, look at
a picture and you then proceed to duplicate it. This is somewhat similar to what the
B.I.P. book is, you might wanna get that, its a nice little thing.
Words
Have normal pages with lots of different words, eight should be enough. On the
force pages, however, you only have 3 or 4, and use a branching anagram. Or use
another psychological ploy: Have four words, one which is easy visualise and the
other three more abstract things, such as God, Love etc. That will psychologically
direct them to the one thats easy to visualise. Have one column of words on each
page and read their eyes to know where they are looking.

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I have given you more ideas than you will use, just pick one out that suits you and
get down to business. Come up with your own ones, its not that difficult. Give this a
shot and you will be glad you did. We are reaching the end of this manuscript. So I
wish you good luck, prosperity and all that you know. If you want to talk me, Im
right here...
Sincerly yours,
Daniel Young

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