City Centre
contributed by Misaki Gabrielli
 Effect: A billet is handed to a participant, with the request that she write the name of a city:
… Nothing too obscure, a location that most of us here would immediately recognize. The entertainer proceeds to reveal the selected city, and draw a thought-of landmark from same.
Modus Operandi: Following the writing of the city name, and the taking back of the (re)folded billet, the entertainer asks:
Before we begin our experiment, let me ask if you have visited this city. At this point, the performance takes one of two paths, depending on the response.
If the participant replies in the affirmative:
Terrific! Then perhaps we can do something even more impressive. If the participant replies in the negative:
Ah, you’ve never been there? That might be a problem. The entertainer now tears up the billet (peeking the city name during the tear), while continuing with:
Can you think of a large, well-known landmark in this city, one that we should all recognize? Yes? Perfect, then perhaps you could try to draw it for us here ... While the participant is drawing, the entertainer turns his back. This is also a good time to read the city name, if it has been stolen for a delayed read (in lieu of doing a real-time peek).
The entertainer, using a little pumping, now determines the landmark, which he reveals by creating a drawing of same, incorporating the city's name.
Credit: Misaki credits Eddie Fields, who first published a related idea in Magick magazine.
Additional suggestions concerning this or other presentations are, of course, welcomed.
      … Doug Dyment
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