4 Ways To Perform Glance

By Andi Gladwin - Saturday, February 16, 2019

When Steve Thompson originally shared the idea of Glance with me, I was extremely enthusiastic about being able to add it to my shows. Like all good tricks, fitting the trick to the environment can really make it shine. Having now performed it for a few years, I have experimented with performing it in several different environments and thought I would share a few thoughts here:

1. Feature it in a stage show

Steve created a Tossed Out Magazine style effect that is a real show stopper! Six people think of words from magazines and then you reveal all six words. It's a fast-paced piece, allowing you to read the minds of six participants at the same time, and I use it often!

2. Add them to other magazines at a house party

Perhaps my favourite way of performing Glance is at someone else's house. If I see a pile of magazines in the room I am performing in, I will quietly drop the magazines on top of the pile and then casually pick them up during my performance, never mentioning that they are my magazines! When I can pull this off, it is often the strongest routine in the show!

3. Pretend you found the magazines at a house party

If I can't find a stack of magazines near my performance area, I use wording about "finding magazines earlier" that is vague enough to apply to both the guests and the to people who booked me. For example: "I found these magazines a little earlier, and I thought we could use them for an experiment ..." This makes the guests believe that I found them earlier in the house, and for the booker to think I got them before I arrived.

4. Use them at your own house or office

Leave them amongst other magazines at your house and perform it for a visitor! Or, even better, wait for someone to pick up the magazine and then perform the trick on them. In fact, one famous magazine leaves them in his waiting room, and then his team tips him off when the visitors start to read the magazine! Even if you're not a famous magician; what a killer way to start a meeting!

However, and whenever you choose to use it, I am certain that Glance will become an important addition to your repertoire.

(You can listen to an interview with Steve Thompson - the creator of Glance here)

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