The Magic Peanut Instructions
In September 2008, I released a small (very small, in fact) manuscript called The Magic Peanut, which outlined a powerful piece of magic that you can perform for friends, family, as well as complete strangers.
Below you will find the manuscript reprinted in its entirety. You should also have received your very own Magic Peanut. It is important to note that if something should happen to this peanut (i.e. you loose it, break it, eat it, etc.,), any peanut subsequently used when performing this piece of magic will automatically subsequently become The Magic Peanut.
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“The slightest occurrence, if it is truly unforeseen, turns all such things to idle talk.”
-Andre Breton From Nadja
Presentation
The magician reaches into his/her pocket and pulls out their closed fist.
“Heads or tails?”
(The audience member responds)
The magician opens his/her hand to reveal a peanut, and simultaneously says, “Peanut!”
Set-Up
Place a peanut into your pocket.
Remember which pocket you have placed the peanut in.
Unexpected Moments
As magicians, it is our job to create unexpected moments and thereby foster whatever effect such moments bring about.
Whether the effect is one of astonishment, wonder, laughter, fear, shock, awe, intrigue, involvement, play, or any one of a thousand other states of mind where people find themselves completely lost in a moment— this is where magic exists.
We all have magical experiences every day and throughout our entire lives. As magicians, it is our job to recognize these occurrences, crystallize these moments, and share them with others as reminders that a magical mindset is always an option, and is never more than a mere moment or thought away.
The Approach
I find that The Magic Peanut works best when presented for one person or a small group of people. To maximize the experience of the unexpected that you are creating, it is best if your audience is not expecting magic at all. After all, until you come to accept and expect magic all the time, unexpected moments will have a stronger effect if they are truly not expected at all.
You may find it beneficial to embrace a lull in conversation and utilize The Magic Peanut in order to create a momentary shared experience when each person involved has entered their own world. In this way, The Magic Peanut can serve as a “reset button” shifting the moment back to one that is being experienced collectively.
You may also want to try interrupting a conversation already in process (instead of waiting for a lull). Sometimes this momentary diversion during an already shared experience can take the exchange into unimagined directions.
The phrase “check this out” at the beginning of the performance is designed to command attention in whatever particular moment or situation you may find yourself in when presenting The Magic Peanut. It is at these times when you can assert yourself as a magician and take momentary control of a moment in order to have the necessary control to create the desired effect.
When creating any effect for an audience, it is always important to keep the effect you are trying to create in mind. By consciously and carefully constructing and controlling all moments leading up to the magical experience you are creating, you can guarantee that each moment, action and word not only supports the effect, but also serves to maximize its impact.
The Extraordinary Ordinary
I believe that it is important to note that performing The Magic Peanut does not end when the performance itself is over. As mentioned in the previous section, it is possible for The Magic Peanut to rejuvenate a conversation and/ or take it in entirely new directions. However, the effect does not stop here.
By linking the magical experience to a particular peanut, you thereby link this experience to all peanuts. When the audience encounters a peanut (either in the physical world or the representational world) in their post-magical experience, it is highly likely that such an encounter will trigger a reaction based on the initial experience of the effect.
In this way, you are imbuing an ordinary object with extraordinary powers.
Subtleties
If you place some loose change in the same pocket as the peanut before you perform, when you reach in to remove the peanut in your closed fist, the audience will hear the change rattling around. Though you make no mention of this, by incorporating subtle cues like the sound of change, you will only enhance the unexpected nature of the reveal of the peanut.
Once the peanut is in your hand and you are holding your closed fist in front of you, taking a momentary pause before starting the script allows for a moment of wondering not only what is about to occur, but also what is in your hand. If you have successfully commanded attention the intrigue will be rather high as you silently hold your closed fist before an audience. Along with the intrigue, the unknown of what is in your hand will also generate a bit of tension. When you finally ask, “heads or tails?” you fill in pieces of missing information and create a slight break in the tension and lower the audiences guard. Allowing this tension to build for a moment before you ask the question will not only increase the level of intrigue, but will also increase the level tension. By heightening the tension, you simultaneously heighten the intensity of the release that will occur when the effect is revealed.
This essay was originally printed in the magic: magic book. Click Here for Details
