Derren brown svengali how does it work

I am a mentalist, and I too thought it was stooged Then I realized derren browns skill. He uses techniques that don't require stooges, let's just say I reeditted my show because I realized what was possible. Thanks d for the inspiration.

Ahem, ok so I'm no genius or anything. I only watched the show on tv so This is what I got The doll may well be as DB says it is years old, wind up, bell responsive etc The only letters it is programmed to point out are DS this is due to the size Position and speed of the settings of the cogs inside the machine and the position of the letters on the board, the letters are set. DB uses his normal trick of "reading minds" reading body language to pick the person he wants who knows someone with the initials DS.

This remains in that persons mind all through the trick and that's what they write while hypnotized so the doll is right. Obviously the hand pin trick We have seen this before, the guy is gently hypnotized. It's possible what he is saying about the doll is true but also just as much possibility it could be a remote controlled robot.

However what do I know? I'm just an aerospace engineer, I deal with this all the time Huge DB fan :. I enjoyed the show no end but wish to look into the actual dolls history and maker. Was a fiction for atmosphere? Or is there a history to discover? Can't see any answers on the net so assume part of the act, and i know of the book. Hugo Von La Vasht anyone? You may like this article! Post a Comment. In his latest stage show, Svengali, Derren Brown is as usual asking the audience not to tell others what happens in the show.

Consequently, the internet is full of very vague reviews of the show. But we can glean one key detail from bliter's account of the show : Svengali is an "automaton" that reads minds. This is reminiscent of the televised DB trick in which he pretended to be a mechanical mind-reading device. Here, though, obviously Derren will be outside of the machine. Thus, a stand-alone machine will somehow be made to reveal details about audience members.

It's kind of odd that DB would choose to use a prop as the centerpiece of his show -- but that simply implies that it is an unusually impressive prop. Terms Privacy Policy. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. All rights reserved. How does Derren Brown do it? No, this is not a rhetorical question. In the event, it is underused — and nothing else tonight, paradoxically, has as much vitality.

His best work compels you to believe that, if he is not mind-reading per se, his expertise in body language and neurolinguistic programming is magic by another name. But some of tonight's feats, such as Brown divining a volunteer's job in police community support from the way she walks on stage, are hard to ascribe to "cold reading", making one cynical rather than credulous.

Derren does exactly that and the boy feels no pain whatsoever, and pushes it right through before removing the needle only for there to be no trace of blood. The Svengali doll trick is a complete mystery. If you have any ideas of how he might have done it then please feel free to comment at the bottom of the page.

As well as the Svengali doll there was lots of other entertainment on show Derren Brown asked the audience to think of an embarressing moment that they would not want anyone to know about. He then randomly selects people from the audience to stand up and rushes a microphone over to them.

As they stand there with their faces enlarged on the screen at the front of the stage, they are probably praying that Derren Brown doesn't disclose their most inner secrets - But as you have probably guessed, he does exactly that. There was only lady who had poo'd in her shower and another woman who had stolen money from the church as a child to buy herself some sweets from the sweet shop. To be honest it was actually quite an uncomfortable feeling for the audience, whereby you felt that he could pick on you and there was nothing you could do about it.

The show ends with a big bang whereby a series of balloons are shot out into the audience and then the birthday girl has to select three people to come on stage. At this stage it is similar to other tricks that has performed before, and a series of numbers and events leads to a mind baffling finale.

Do you think you know how Derren used the Svengali doll? Is it really magical and mind controlling or is it all a stunt with made up history and story telling designed to create an enigmatic atmosphere.

You decide, and share your view with us at the bottom of the page. If you listen closely to the speech he gives. He is using tonnnns of words starting with "D" ending with "S" Also starting with "S" Not only that but even words he chooses in his act have phonetic sounding to the "D" sound and "S" sound. Last thing he says "Svengali will you Do that for uS now. I went to see Svengali in Newcastle. At the start of the Svengali trick itself, he does a full audience participation thing whereby he suggests to everyone, through various repeated images and sensations, that their hand and arm is like the wooden doll.

It worked on me, but not my wife. My hand was rigid, and moved as the doll's did. My muscles were so locked that it almost hurt and did so until he said that we were free. He walked around the audience and selected a guy to do the more gruesome stuff on. If it'd been me, or any other member of the affected audience, I reckon they would have been exactly the same.

It really was proof for me that hypnosis works and could work to the degree needed to be able to do the pin prodding etc. The idea of revealing another magician's trick makes me feel gross.

Especially as Derren has helped me countless times. I suggest you look into John Nevil Maskelyne. J N Maskelyne used to perform this years ago though not for the tricks Derren does the automaton works the same way as JN's. Secondly there wouldn't be blood if you use a thin needle like that, just suggest that there should be to make an audience feel there should be.

I won't give you anymore information. But if you're willing to read up on JN Maskelyne you'll find out how a lot of Derrens tricks are done. Lozenge, during my high school years I used to stick safety pins into various parts of body, including the top of my hand. Generally, the only pain was to the hand pushing the pin through dense layers of skin.

There is little to no actual pain and little blood involved in a surface piercing. A small diameter beveled medical needle would slide into the skin with little resistance and virtually no pain. This trick in Svengalli ruined the show for me because there was nothing mysterious about it. It seemed gimmicky in comparison to the other tricks that I find befuddling.

After the trick, I tried pinching and twisting my own skin with equivalent force and experienced no pain either.