Last Thursday welcomed many old and new guests last week for a special evening of memory techniques, magic and hypnosis at the Phoenix Forum.
The evening began with Ron using nothing but his own memory to recall a list of twenty items called out by the audience, in sequence and then again at random, causing quite a stir.
Then followed Alex with a demonstration of his magic, which involved audience members being called up to act as assistants, and a series of effects in which cards and pens disappeared and reappeared, transformed and travelled to places about his person. The final effect caused particular surprise when a chosen card appeared in his mouth.
Lastly was a demonstration of hypnotic techniques based on establishing a rapport with the audience through interactive tests and suggestion. Effects included audience members fingers becoming pulled together by unnatural forces, the sensation of a balloon-like force pushing hands apart, and voices being turned off and on at will. The exhibition culminated in the apparent turning of Dezaki-san's body into a rigid board between two chairs, much to the amusement and amazement of the audience members.
All in all it was an evening of entertainment and conversation in which fun was had by everyone who attended.