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115-433: Derren Brown (born 27 February 1971) is an English mentalist , illusionist , and writer. He is a self-described "psychological illusionist" whose acts are often designed to expose the methods of those who claim to possess supernatural powers, such as faith healers and mediums . His live performances, which incorporate audience participation and comedy, often include statements describing how his results are achieved through
230-541: A BAFTA for Best Entertainment Programme at the 2012 awards . Brown made his Broadway debut with his 2019 stage show Secret . He has also written books for both magicians and the general public. Derren Brown was born in the London Borough of Croydon on 27 February 1971, the son of Chris and Bob Brown. He was raised in Croydon's Purley area, which he described as "the epitome of middle-class suburbia". He has
345-477: A Daily Telegraph article published in 2003, Simon Singh criticised Brown's early TV appearances, arguing that he presented standard magic and mentalism effects—such as the classic ten-card poker deal trick—as genuine psychological manipulation . On Brown's television and live shows, he often appears to show the audience how a particular effect was created—claiming to use techniques such as subliminal suggestion, hypnosis, and body language reading. Singh's suggestion
460-428: A goatee until he shaved both his head and face in 2013, though he now occasionally sports stubble . He told The Times later that year: I'm really not fussed about losing my hair. I started going bald when I was doing TV, and the make-up artist started putting all this powdery stuff on to thicken it. I got balder and balder and they put more and more of the stuff on, until it got to this weird point where on TV I had
575-502: A 'portly Thai bride' called Ting Tong." This was prompted after Netflix and BBC iPlayer removed the show from their catalogues. Lucas is a patron of the Karen Morris Memorial Trust, a UK charity for leukaemia patients and their families. In April 2003, he appeared on Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and won £62,500 for the charity. Lucas is gay. He first suspected his sexuality at age seven. At
690-401: A BBC Three interview aired on February 9, 2011, it was revealed that the creators had considered including Carol Beer, the travel agent character from Little Britain. However, they chose not to include her to avoid the impression that Come Fly with Me was just a spinoff. Instead, they introduced an entirely fresh cast of characters. On 28 March 2012, Lucas appeared as the "Generation X" guest on
805-480: A brief cameo in the supernatural drama series Crooked House . An interview with Brown was featured in Richard Dawkins ' 2009 two-part documentary series The Enemies of Reason . Brown explained various psychological techniques used by purported psychics and spiritual mediums to manipulate their audiences. The most notable was cold reading , a technique which he discusses extensively in his book Tricks of
920-537: A brother who is nine years younger than him. He was privately educated at Whitgift School in South Croydon , where his father was a swimming coach, before going on to study law and German at the University of Bristol . While there, he attended a hypnotist show by Martin S. Taylor, which inspired him to turn to illusion and hypnosis as a career. As an undergraduate, he started working as a conjuror, performing
1035-504: A button even though they thought it would electrocute a kitten inside a metal box, caused charity Cats Protection to complain and news outlets to label Brown a "cat killer". He responded by arguing they had misunderstood the trick as the box was not wired up and that he "wasn’t glorifying cruelty to cats [...] people would have been hard-pressed to recreate the electrocution device at home even if they wanted to". Another episode, which saw someone hypnotised into thinking they had been killed in
1150-615: A car crash after not wearing a seatbelt, was criticised by a road safety charity which alleged it trivialised the issue. Ofcom received 11 complaints and began an investigation relating to the safety of a scene in Hero at 30,000 Feet , in which the subject was shown chained to a railway line in order to escape from an oncoming train. The show is listed in the "Other Programmes Not in Breach" (p. 38) category of their Ofcom's Broadcast Bulletin, Issue Number 168, without any explanation as to why it
1265-641: A ceremony in Central London in December 2006, he entered into a civil partnership with Kevin McGee. In attendance were Barbara Windsor , Neil Tennant , Elton John , and Courtney Love . They separated and had their civil partnership dissolved through the High Court in 2008. Lucas was raised as Jewish but has variously described himself as an atheist and a "fairly secular Jew ". In 2022, he
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#17327901691701380-715: A certain number will lead to something positive. This principle involves structuring a routine to present different experiences to the observer versus the participant. For example, a mentalist may have an audience member pick a "random" card that is actually forced by the mentalist's assistant. The participant believes they freely chose any card, while the audience knows it's manipulated. The most skilled mentalists ensure their performances seem completely natural, organic and unrehearsed even though they are carefully planned. They structure their acts, patter and effects to come across as pure luck, coincidence or chance rather than as clever illusions or tricks. This 'invisible' artistry maintains
1495-447: A certificate after a four-day course, certifying them to practise NLP as a therapist. A year after Brown attended the class, he received a number of letters saying that he would receive another certificate, not for passing a test (as he discontinued practising NLP following the course), but for keeping in touch. After ignoring their request, he later received the new certificate for NLP in the post, unsolicited. Brown often claims to reveal
1610-415: A choice (eg a number, a playing card, a selection from a list of items) and to recall that choice when later asked to participate during the performance. Typically the spectator will believe she has a free choice, but in fact it will be a choice forced by the mentalist, This can be done in a number of ways. One popular method is a proprietary device called a Svenpad. This is a notepad in which every second page
1725-595: A clipboard or other hard surface, then he asks the spectator to reveal the thought, and the mentalist at that point quickly and covertly writes or completes his prediction using a nail writer or swami gimmick. These are small devices which allow the mentalist to write unseen with his thumb under cover of a clipboard or in his pocket. Again, these traditional magicians’ devices have now been supplemented by technology. The mentalist can now buy blackboards and whiteboards which are capable of writing (apparently) handwritten messages fed to them remotely, small printers which can print
1840-442: A combination of psychology, showmanship, magic , misdirection , and suggestion . Brown began performing in 1992, making his television debut with Mind Control (2000). He has since starred in several more shows for stage and television, including Something Wicked This Way Comes (2006) and Svengali (2012) which won him two Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment, as well as The Experiments (2011) which won him
1955-868: A deck of cards that are sold on the company's website. Mentalist Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists , appear to demonstrate highly developed mental or intuitive abilities. Mentalists perform a theatrical act that includes special effects that may appear to employ psychic or supernatural forces but that is actually achieved by "ordinary conjuring means", natural human abilities (i.e. reading body language, refined intuition, subliminal communication, emotional intelligence ), and an in-depth understanding of key principles from human psychology or other behavioral sciences. Performances may appear to include hypnosis , telepathy , clairvoyance , divination , precognition , psychokinesis , mediumship , mind control , memory feats, deduction, and rapid mathematics. Mentalism
2070-414: A different way than conjuring techniques utilized in stage magic. Magicians often ask the audience to suspend their disbelief, ignore natural laws, and allow their imagination to play with the various tricks they present. They admit that they are tricksters from the outset, and they know that the audience understands that everything is an illusion. Everyone knows that the magician cannot really achieve
2185-703: A fictional series of awards based on nominations by his guests. On 3 October 2010, Lucas played Thénardier in the 25th Anniversary Concerts of Les Misérables , at the O2 Arena in London. A year later, from 23 June to 10 September 2011, he reprised the role at the Queen's Theatre , in the West End. He has since collaborated with Alfie Boe , who played Jean Valjean , to record a duet of "The Impossible Dream" on Boe's debut album. Also in 2011, Lucas lent his voice to
2300-481: A full head of hair, but in real life I very obviously didn't." Brown has written seven books: Absolute Magic , Pure Effect , Tricks of the Mind , Confessions of a Conjuror , Happy , A Book of Secrets , and Notes From a Fellow Traveller , and released books of his street photography and painted portraiture. The first two books are intended solely for practitioners of magic and mentalism, whilst his books Tricks of
2415-547: A giant baby (often dressed in an adult-sized romper suit ) who would deliver a string of meaningless gags and insults before delivering the teams' scores, while sitting at and playing a drum kit. He also appeared on occasion as Marjorie Dawes , George's mother, who also appears in Little Britain . He again appeared with Reeves & Mortimer in the BBC TV series Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) and Catterick , in
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#17327901691702530-539: A key differentiation between a mentalist and someone who purports to be an actual psychic is that the former is open about being a skilled artist or entertainer who accomplishes their feats through practice, study, and natural means, while the latter may claim to actually possess genuine supernatural , psychic , or extrasensory powers and, thus, operates unethically. Renowned mentalist Joseph Dunninger , who also worked to debunk fraudulent mediums, captured this key sentiment when he explained his impressive abilities in
2645-467: A lot of money on those things and...if they wanted to find out how I was doing the TV shows it wasn't really answering that question." Tricks of the Mind is Brown's first book intended for the general public. It is a wide-ranging book in which Brown reveals some of the techniques he uses in his performances, delves into the structure and psychology of magic and discusses hypnosis. He also applies his insight to
2760-412: A mind-reading stunt might also involve the magical transposition of two different objects. Such hybrid feats of magic are often called mental magic by performers. Magicians who routinely mix magic with mental magic include David Copperfield , David Blaine , The Amazing Kreskin , and Dynamo . Mentalism techniques have, on occasion, been allegedly used outside the entertainment industry to influence
2875-742: A public information campaign on digital switchover . On 26 November 2006 he appeared on the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs . He made a cameo appearance in Shaun of the Dead as Tom, the cousin of Shaun's friend Yvonne. In 2007, he released " I'm Gonna Be ", originally by The Proclaimers , with Peter Kay as a charity single for Comic Relief . He performed the single as Little Britain character Andy Pipkin , along with Kay playing as Brian Potter . He also starred as Mr. Toad in The Wind in
2990-408: A range of magical 'tricks', misdirection and, most intriguing, setting up audiences to provide the response that he wishes them to provide by using subtle subliminal cues in his conversation with them". In response to the accusation that he unfairly claims to be using NLP whenever he performs, he wrote, "The truth is I have never mentioned it outside of my book." He does have an off-stage curiosity about
3105-404: A repeat, so I might as well go for it." In 2007, BBC News listed Brown's shows Russian Roulette and Seance in a list of examples of Channel 4 's "legacy of controversy". Public complaints that Russian Roulette was distasteful, made light of suicide, and promoted gun culture were ultimately rejected by Ofcom on the basis that the context (a post- watershed magic show) was enough and that
3220-475: A role in Boy George 's musical Taboo at The Venue in London. He played the performance artist Leigh Bowery . Little Britain is Lucas' most commercially successful work. The show came about when trainee BBC radio producer Ashley Blaker , tasked with coming up with ideas for a television or radio series, bumped into Lucas in London. The two were old friends from Haberdashers' and Lucas took Blaker to
3335-542: A sceptic might be misleading, as certain elements of his performances could be interpreted as promoting pseudoscience. For example, after performing a trick in which he appeared to predict lottery numbers , his demonstrated explanation included using the Wisdom of Crowds , but it has been theorised that the actual method relied on split-screen video . Some commentators have suggested that such performances might inadvertently conflict with efforts to reduce magical thinking . In
3450-682: A sneaky maneuver that sets up the trick. For example, a mentalist may engage in lively conversation while secretly writing something on his palm. Or he may dramatically throw his jacket on a chair to cover up a hidden assistant in the audience. This technique involves making calculated guesses and drawing logical conclusions about a person by carefully observing their appearance, responses, mannerisms, vocal tones, and other unconscious reactions. Mentalists leverage these cues along with high probability assumptions about human nature to come up with surprisingly accurate character insights and details about someone. They can then present this as if they magically knew
3565-519: A special Comedy Gala for Channel 4 and Great Ormond Street Hospital. He appeared with Kevin Bishop , who played his jealous annoying twin 'Darren'. Brown created a new virtual reality dark ride at the Thorpe Park amusement park, which opened on 8 July 2016. " Derren Brown's Ghost Train " was set aboard an old train carriage in an abandoned warehouse. The experience lasted around 13-15 minutes and
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3680-454: A spectator’s chosen number and feed the printed paper into an (apparently) sealed jar, and a host of other technological gadgets which make it appear that the mentalist predicted the spectator’s thought, when in fact he simply waited for it to be disclosed by the spectator and then created the evidence of his “prediction”. Many mentalism effects rely on pre-show work. This involves the mentalist or his assistant interacting with certain members of
3795-416: A spectator’s phone a fake version of a popular website such as Google Images, which allows him to know an image which the spectator believes has been chosen secretly. Where a mind-reading performance does not involve the spectator writing the secret thought down, generally the method employed is that the mentalist purports to predict the secret thought by (apparently) writing an unseen prediction, often behind
3910-403: A tarot card reading. In a second series of videos, Brown and his co-presenter Kat Akingbade explained what was actually happening, exposing each as a specially created scam. The Science of Attraction was co-presented by Brown, Akingbade and Charlie McDonnell . The shows examined the physical and psychological factors that can influence our feelings of attraction to other people, especially those of
4025-443: A trailer for the horror video game Little Nightmares II , in which he discussed the nature of nightmares while some of the monsters featured in the game appeared around him. Brown states that he uses a variety of methods to achieve his illusions including traditional magic/conjuring techniques, memory techniques , hypnosis , body language reading, cognitive psychology , cold reading , and psychological, subliminal (specifically
4140-684: A variety of roles. In 1999, Lucas paired with David Walliams , with whom he had already worked in Mash and Peas and Sir Bernard's Stately Homes , to create Rock Profile , a comedy show spoofing famous musical personalities. It is notable for being one of their first comedic collaborations. His music video appearances include the Damien Hirst -directed video for Blur 's " Country House ", "Jesusland" by Ben Folds in 2005, " I'm with Stupid " by Pet Shop Boys , and " Vindaloo " by Fat Les . Lucas ventured into stage musicals in 2002, when he took
4255-462: A variety of styles: sometimes humorous, sometimes serious. Brown critiques performances that he feels lack originality and encourages magicians to create more engaging and audience-focused experiences.Some reviewers have noted similarities between Brown's discussions and Darwin Ortiz 's Strong Magic, though Brown frames these ideas within his personal experiences and performance philosophy. Pure Effect
4370-402: Is a mix of autobiography and humorous observation told mostly through footnotes and diversions while Brown describes performing a single card routine for a group of people at his old restaurant gig. ( ISBN 978-1-905-02657-9 ) Happy: Why More or Less Everything is Absolutely Fine was published on 22 September 2016 by Bantam Press. ( ISBN 978-0593076194 ). A condensed version of
4485-456: Is a more traditional book of trickery and technique and offers an insight into some of the methods that Brown employs, and offers a starting point for development for the reader's own use. Brown's first two books were intended for magicians; they were written before his fame. He has said that he pulled them from the market when he found that non-magicians would bring them to his shows for autographs. He says he felt bad because, "...they're spending
4600-508: Is able to detect lies , Brown claimed to be able to read subtle cues such as micro-muscle movements that indicate to him if someone is lying. Concerning his apparent success at hypnotising people, he stated that he can normally spot a suggestible type of person and chooses that person to be his participant. He believes that the presence of a television camera also increases suggestibility. Several authors have claimed that Brown uses neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) in his act which "consists of
4715-817: Is an English actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series Little Britain (2003–2006) and Come Fly with Me (2010–2011). Lucas first came to prominence on the comedy panel show Shooting Stars , in which he portrayed scorekeeper George Dawes from 1995 to 2009. From 2015 to 2017, he portrayed the role of Nardole in the BBC series Doctor Who . He has also appeared in films, including Astro Boy (2009), Alice in Wonderland (2010), Bridesmaids , Gnomeo & Juliet (both 2011), Small Apartments (2012), Paddington (2014), and Wonka (2023). Lucas presented
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4830-399: Is an example of dual reality (discussed below) in mentalism. This technique involves implanting an idea, thought, or impression in the mind of the spectator or participant. The mentalist does this by using subtle verbal cues, gestures, body language, and sometimes visual aids to influence their thoughts. For instance, asking someone to "think of any card in a normal deck" automatically plants
4945-441: Is based on a journal written during Brown's sell-out UK Showman tour in 2022/23 and was produced in paperback , hardback and a Deluxe Limited Edition of 300 copies. Brown co-presented two web-based series for Channel 4; The Science of Scams and The Science of Attraction . In The Science of Scams, a number of videos were placed on YouTube purporting to show various kinds of paranormal phenomena such as ghosts, telekinesis and
5060-751: Is commonly classified as a subcategory of magic and, when performed by a stage magician, may also be referred to as mental magic . However, many professional mentalists today may generally distinguish themselves from magicians, insisting that their art form leverages a distinct skillset. Instead of doing "magic tricks", mentalists argue that they produce psychological experiences for the mind and imagination, and expand reality with explorations of psychology, suggestion, and influence. Mentalists are also often considered psychic entertainers, although that category also contains non-mentalist performers such as psychic readers and bizarrists . Some well-known magicians, such as Penn & Teller , and James Randi , argue that
5175-415: Is imperceptibly shorter. The long pages each have written on them an item from a list of choices (eg film stars, holiday destinations etc), but the short pages each have the same item - the force choice - written on them. When riffled from front to back only the long pages are visible, showing the full range of different choices. But when riffled from back to front only the short pages are visible, each bearing
5290-533: Is not intended for general consumption but is directed at magicians and mentalists only. In 2007, Brown performed in the short film Medium Rare . In 2008, Brown made a guest acting appearance in BBC Four 's Crooked House as Sir Roger Widdowson. In 2008, Brown provided caricatures for "The QI 'F' annual". In 2009, a book, Portraits , was released containing a selection of Brown's paintings and bizarre caricatures of celebrities. In 2010, Brown appeared in
5405-419: Is that these explanations are dishonest. Furthermore, Singh took exception to the programme's website being categorised under Channel 4's "Science" section. The mini-site was later reclassified under 'Entertainment' instead of 'Science'. In his 2006 book Tricks of the Mind , Brown wrote, "I am often dishonest in my techniques, but always honest about my dishonesty... I happily admit cheating, as it's all part of
5520-413: Is today a huge range of electronic, computer and other gimmicks available to the mentalist. These include dice which secretly transmit the numbers thrown, decks of cards which secretly transmit the cards chosen, notepads which secretly transmit what has been written etc. Smartphones have added an additional range of possibilities. For example, the mentalist can use concealed NFC tags to covertly download onto
5635-564: The Groucho Club , where he told Blaker of his ideas for a sketch show. Little Britain was launched as a radio show on BBC Radio 4 and it later became a TV series. Among the many characters he plays in the series, which he writes and acts in along with David Walliams, are apparently "disabled" Andy Pipkin , teenage Bristol chav Vicky Pollard , homophobic homosexual Daffyd Thomas , and insensitive slimming club organiser Marjorie Dawes . In January 2005, Lucas and Walliams were named
5750-524: The James Randi Educational Foundation for many years to investigate and debunk fake psychics. He is clear with the public that the effects and experiences he creates through his stage performance are the result of his highly developed performance skills and magic techniques, combined with psychological principles and tactics. Max Maven often presented his performances as creating interactive mysteries and explorations of
5865-623: The University of Bristol between 1992 and 1995, although he did not complete his degree. He also spent time with the National Youth Theatre , where he met his future collaborator David Walliams . Lucas's association with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer began in 1992. He appeared in The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer in 1995, and went on to star with them in Shooting Stars . He quickly rose to fame as George Dawes,
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#17327901691705980-499: The most powerful people in TV comedy by Radio Times . In 2005, he took his first role in a television drama, a supporting part as a Venetian duke in the BBC historical serial Casanova , written by Russell T Davies . Also in 2005, he did voice work in the ITV children's program King Arthur's Disasters alongside Rik Mayall . Since 2006, Lucas has been the voice of the radio and television character Digit Al , devised as part of
6095-455: The theatrical trickery employed by stage magicians. Many mentalists claim not to be magicians at all, arguing that it is a different art form altogether. The argument is that mentalism invokes belief and imagination that, when presented properly, may allow the audience to interpret a given effect as "real" or may at least provide enough ambiguity that it is unclear whether it is actually possible to somehow achieve. This lack of certainty about
6210-645: The Australian game show Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation . On 10 April 2012, Lucas's own BBC One show The Matt Lucas Awards began. It was a send-up of an awards program, with a panel of comedians giving their nominations for awards for a series of prizes concerning trivial topics. Lucas also starred in the dark comedy Small Apartments released in February 2013 alongside James Caan, Billy Crystal, Johnny Knoxville, and Juno Temple with other cameo performances by notable actors. On 21 February 2013, Lucas appeared on
6325-647: The BBC series Doctor Who for its tenth series , reprising the character Nardole , which he had previously played in the 2015 and 2016 Christmas specials, " The Husbands of River Song " and " The Return of Doctor Mysterio " respectively. On 16 February 2017, Lucas was awarded an Honorary Degree "Doctor of Letters" by the University of Bristol, where he had studied for two years in the 1990s but had left before completing his degree course. On 3 October 2017, Lucas released his autobiography titled Little Me , published by Canongate Books in hardback. The paperback edition
6440-451: The CGI film Gnomeo and Juliet and he played a small role as the roommate of Kristen Wiig in the comedy Bridesmaids . On Christmas Day 2010, the BBC premiered Lucas and David Walliams' latest series, Come Fly with Me . Unlike their previous work, Little Britain , this new show concentrated solely on the airline industry, with Walliams and Lucas each portraying several characters. In
6555-403: The Mind , and Confessions of a Conjuror are aimed at the general public. He has also written a book exploring the history and philosophy of happiness; Happy: Why More or Less Everything is Absolutely Fine . Absolute Magic , subtitled A Model for Powerful Close-Up Performance , is not so much about magical methodology as about how magicians can make their performances magical; it is written in
6670-412: The Mind . Some video footage was also used from his TV special Messiah . As part of Channel 4's 3D season in 2009, Brown presented Derren Brown's 3D Magic Spectacular . The show was not a new special from Brown, who instead presented a number of other magicians and clips. However, he did include one extract taken from a 2006 episode of Trick of the Mind in which he found an object that had been hidden in
6785-648: The NBC series Community as Toby, an English friend of Abed Nadir . In 2014, Lucas played Ray Thomas in The Life of Rock with Brian Pern . Lucas launched a new comedy series called Pompidou for BBC Two . The show began airing on 1 March 2015. In May 2016, Lucas reprised his role as "Tweedledee/Tweedledum" in Tim Burton's Alice Through the Looking Glass , sequel to Alice in Wonderland. Lucas joined
6900-692: The Radio 2 Breakfast Show . From 10 August to 30 November 2019, Lucas appeared in Les Misérables at the Gielgud Theatre in London's West End, playing the role of Monsieur Thénardier in a fully staged concert adaptation of the musical. On 20 December 2019, Lucas returned to the role at the Sondheim Theatre , after actor Gerard Carey contracted vocal damage through pneumonia and was forced to pull out. On 10 January 2020, Lucas himself
7015-726: The Willows , a 2006 television adaptation of the Kenneth Grahame novel. He has appeared in Kath & Kim and Neighbours (the latter alongside David Walliams as Little Britain characters Lou and Andy ), as well as a cameo role, playing 'Chris' or 'Jammy' at the wedding fayre, in the BBC Three sitcom Gavin & Stacey . Lucas has co-written (with Walliams) and performed in a new series of Little Britain USA for HBO . Lucas
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#17327901691707130-408: The ability to master magic techniques and showmanship, read body language , and influence audiences with psychological principles, such as suggestion . In this vein, Brown explains that he presents and stages "psychological experiments" through his performances. Mentalist and psychic entertainer Banachek also rejects that he possesses any supernatural or actual psychic powers, having worked with
7245-641: The actions of prominent people for personal and/or political gain. Famous examples of accused practitioners include: In Albert Einstein 's preface to Upton Sinclair's 1930 book on telepathy, Mental Radio , he supported his friend's endeavor to test the abilities of purported psychics and skeptically suggested: "So if somehow the facts here set forth rest not upon telepathy, but upon some unconscious hypnotic influence from person to person, this also would be of high psychological interest." As such, Einstein here alluded to techniques of modern mentalism. Matt Lucas Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974)
7360-753: The age of 31 in The Independent on Sunday . He was dating a designer named Marc at the time, though they later separated after eight years together. Brown has been the patron of the Parrot Zoo Trust in Friskney since 2004. He told LeftLion : I'm a big fan of parrots. I think they're fascinating creatures. Many of them live for longer than us humans and it's interesting to me the way they learn to mimic human voices even though they don't really comprehend what they're saying." Brown's signature look consisted of short brown hair with sideburns and
7475-402: The audience before the performance begins. This can be in a pre-show reception, or in the auditorium itself as the audience take their seats, or even in the queue outside the performance venue before the performance. Pre-show work can take a number of forms. One type involves the mentalist talking to a spectator whom he will later, during his performance, involve in one of his effects. In this case
7590-497: The audience to decide, creating what has been described as "a wonderful sense of ambiguity about whether they possess true psychic ability or not." Contemporary mentalists often take their shows onto the streets and perform tricks to a live, unsuspecting audience. They do this by approaching random members of the public and ask to demonstrate so-called supernatural powers. However, some performers such as Derren Brown who often adopt this method of performance tell their audience before
7705-540: The baking competition show The Great British Bake Off , alongside Noel Fielding from 2020 to 2023. Matthew Richard Lucas was born on 5 March 1974 in the Paddington area of west London , the son of Diana (née Williams; born 1945) and chauffeuring business owner John Stanley Lucas (1944–1996). His family is Jewish ; some of his mother's family fled Nazi Germany just before the Second World War . He
7820-406: The basis that Power had been fully apprised of the sceptical nature of the programme, and his actions had been presented fairly. Brown has faced allegations of using stooges in his work. Viewers complained that the subject of Apocalypse was an actor, pointing to his CastingCallPro account as evidence; Brown dismissed these allegations as conspiracy theories and called them untrue and hurtful, while
7935-415: The billet. Typically the mentalist will fill up the other 3 quadrants of the billet with writing so that only the bottom right-hand quadrant is left clear. Once the thought is written and the billet folded, the mentalist will hold the billet up to the light to demonstrate that no writing can be seen through the paper. In the course of this action he is able, unobserved by the audience, to slip his thumb between
8050-433: The book, entitled A Little Happier: Notes for reassurance , was published on 15 October 2020. ( ISBN 978-1787634473 ) On 2 September 2021, A Book of Secrets: Finding Comfort in a Complex World was published by Bantam Press . In 2023 Notes from a Fellow Traveller was published by The Neat Review. It was launched on 4 July at The Magic Circle and is aimed at magicians and mentalists rather than lay people. It
8165-476: The broadcast that his attempt to contact the dead was a hoax. The show was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing. The GMB union criticised Heist on behalf of security workers, arguing it was "irresponsible and insensitive" in light of increased attacks on staff. Channel 4 responded by arguing that it was made "very clear that attempting any form of robbery was criminal behaviour". An episode of Trick or Treat , which appeared to show Brown convincing someone to press
8280-410: The centre part of the billet which bears the written thought, and later finds an opportunity to read it covertly. Alternatively the mentalist may covertly peek at the written thought. There are a large number of detailed choreographies used by mentalists to achieve a peek. One popular version - known as the "acidus novus" peek - requires the spectator to write her thought on the bottom right-hand corner of
8395-559: The correct boxes to win the big jackpot of £250,000. That same year, he appeared in a comedy sketch at the beginning of an 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Deal or No Deal special. In January 2014, Brown appeared as himself in the Sherlock episode " The Empty Hearse ", as part of a theory regarding how the title character faked his own death. On 9 November 2018, he appeared as a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience to promote his Netflix special Sacrifice . In February 2021, Brown appeared in
8510-494: The earliest on record in the modern era was performed by diplomat and pioneering sleight-of-hand magician Girolamo Scotto in 1572. The performance of mentalism may utilize conjuring principles including sleights, feints, misdirection , and other skills of street or stage magic . Nonetheless, modern mentalists also now increasingly incorporate insights from human psychology and behavioral sciences to produce unexplainable experiences and effects for their audiences. Changing with
8625-538: The folds of the billet and expose a view of the bottom right-hand quadrant. He then gestures with the billet, bringing it at eye-level across his field of vision, and in so-doing is able secretly to peek at the spectator's written thought. This is only one of a number of such peek choreographies. Some involve placing the billet in a gimmicked wallet, which allows the mentalist covertly to see the writing. Others employ sleights of hand derived from card or coin magic. In addition to these traditional magicians' techniques, there
8740-418: The following way: "Any child of ten could do this – with forty years of experience." Like any performing art, mentalism requires years of dedication, extensive study, practice, and skill to perform well. Much of what modern mentalists perform in their acts can be traced back directly to "tests" of supernatural power that were carried out by mediums, spiritualists , and psychics in the 19th century. However,
8855-434: The force selection. Other forcing methods include trick decks of cards, where all the cards are the same. During the performance itself, when the mentalist involves the spectator in his effect, he will usually aim by careful use of language to avoid any mention of the pre-show interaction to the wider audience, either by himself or the chosen spectator. His aim is to suggest that he and the spectator have not previously met. When
8970-405: The game" and claimed to never use actors or "stooges" in his work without informing the viewers, calling it "artistically repugnant and simply unnecessary". However, in an October 2010 interview, Brown conceded that Singh may have had a point, explaining that at the start of his television career "I was overstating the case, overstating my skills. I thought there'll only be one show, there'll never be
9085-449: The general idea of a playing card in their mind. Similarly, asking them to "visualize the card clearly in your mind" can put the image of a particular card in their imagination. Also known as diversion, this technique aims to divert the audience's attention away from the secret method or process behind a mentalism effect. Magicians and mentalists frequently use grand gestures, animated movement, music, and chatter to distract attention from
9200-720: The head of CastingCallPro pointed out that the subject had created an account on the website a long time ago but never completed his profile or looked for work on the website. Although Brown's parents were not practising Christians, they sent him to Bible classes from the age of five because they believed it was the "right thing to do". In an effort to deal with issues of self-esteem and sexuality, he became an evangelical Christian throughout his teenage years in order to present himself as confident and asexual ; however, he had become an atheist by his 20s, having decided that his belief in Christianity had no basis. He came out as gay at
9315-491: The highlights of his book. The Devil's Picturebook is a near 3-hour home-made video. The first half explains in detail some classic card routines from his earlier career as a conjurer, all of which rely on sleight of hand , misdirection and audience management. The second looks at psychological card routines and shows a distinct move towards mentalism, for which he is now known. It is an instructional video for aspiring magicians and not an entertainment piece. For this reason, it
9430-514: The history of mentalism goes back even further. Accounts of seers and oracles can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible and in works about ancient Greece . Paracelsus reiterated the theme, so reminiscent of the ancient Greeks, that three principias were incorporated into humanity: the spiritual, the physical, and mentalistic phenomena. The mentalist act generally cited as one of
9545-543: The impossible feats shown, such as sawing a person in half and putting them back together without injury, but that level of certainty does not generally exist among the mentalist's audience. Still, other mentalists believe it is unethical to portray their powers as real, adopting the same presentation philosophy as most magicians. These mentalists are honest about their deceptions, with some referring to this as "theatrical mentalism". However, some magicians do still mix mentally-themed performance with magic illusions. For example,
9660-488: The information through psychic powers. Hot reading refers to the practice of gathering background information about the audience or participants before doing a mentalism act or seance. Mentalists can then astonish spectators by revealing something they could not possibly have known otherwise. However, doing hot readings without informing the audience is considered unethical. Ethical mentalists only do hot readings if they explicitly disclose it, or do it for entertainment with
9775-399: The limits of what is real may lead individuals in an audience to reach different conclusions and beliefs about mentalist performers' claims – be they about their various so-called psychic abilities, photographic memory, being a "human calculator", power of suggestion, NLP , or other skills. In this way, mentalism may play on the senses and a spectator's perception or understanding of reality in
9890-400: The mentalist onto the billet to make sure she writes in the middle. She is then instructed to fold the billet up so that the writing cannot be seen by the mentalist. The mentalist then takes the billet and tears it into small pieces, which he may then burn or throw away or return to the spectator's hand "for safe-keeping". Secretly, during the tearing process, the mentalist tears out and secretes
10005-426: The mentalist sets up the trick by covertly obtaining information from the spectator which he will later reveal during the performance. The interaction with the spectator may be made to seem like a casual “meet the audience” conversation, with no warning that the spectator is later to be involved in the performance. Alternatively, the mentalist may tell the spectator that he intends to involve her in his show. In that case
10120-401: The mentalist then secretly to access the written-down information. There are various techniques which the mentalist can use. A classic method is the "centre tear". The spectator is asked to commit her thought to writing on a small piece of paper (referred to by mentalists as a "billet"). She is told to write the thought in the centre of the billet, and sometimes a circle or a line will be added by
10235-400: The mentalist's misdirection - and the true method being employed is classic magicians' trickery. A characteristic feature of "mind-reading" by a mentalist is that the spectator must write the thought down. Various justifications are given for this - in order to enable the spectator to focus on the thought, or in order to show it to other audience members etc. - but the real reason is to enable
10350-446: The methods by which he achieves his tricks, but this is typically an additional layer of misdirection , as the stated methods are not the methods that he uses. The perception by his audience that he uses deep psychological insights typically aids the misdirection required for his tricks. He employs a variety of techniques to ensure his audience cannot deduce the methods behind his illusions. Some critics have argued that his presentation as
10465-405: The mysterious dimensions of the human mind. He is described as a "mentalist and master magician" as well as a "mystery theorist." Other mentalists and allied performers also promote themselves as "mystery entertainers". There are mentalists, including Maurice Fogel , Kreskin , Chan Canasta , and David Berglas , who make no specific claims about how effects are achieved and may leave it up to
10580-485: The mystique around mentalist performances. Styles of mentalist presentation can vary greatly. In this vein, Penn & Teller explain that "[m]entalism is a genre of magic that exists across a spectrum of morality." In the past, at times, some performers such as Alexander and Uri Geller have promoted themselves as genuine psychics. Some contemporary performers, such as Derren Brown , explain that their results and effects are from using natural skills, including
10695-417: The opposite sex. The series featured a number of experiments designed to show how these factors can be influenced. Brown has recorded some audio extracts from Tricks of the Mind . In them he expounds on the three subjects essential to his performance—Magic, Memory, and Hypnosis. The extracts last around 40 minutes each, disclosing tips and techniques Brown uses in his acts (as well as day-to-day) and narrating
10810-472: The paranormal industry, looking at the structure of beliefs and how psychology can explain why people become 'true believers'. He also offers autobiographical stories about his own experiences as a former Christian, and discusses his scepticism about religion, allegedly 'psychic' phenomena and other supernatural belief systems . Confessions of a Conjuror was published by Channel 4 Books in October 2010. It
10925-424: The participant's consent. Master mentalists have an in-depth understanding of human psychology which allows them to subtly manipulate thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. They use verbal suggestion, social pressure, visual cues and mental framing to influence perceptions and reactions. This lets them guide participants towards the responses, outcomes or choices they want. For instance, a mentalist may hint that choosing
11040-407: The pre-show interaction is usually characterised as preparation “to save time during the show” or similar. Either way, the mentalist will use the occasion to obtain information from the spectator covertly for later revelation, either by traditional sleight of hand methods such as a billet peek, or by using electronic gimmickry such as a Parapad. Alternatively, the mentalist may ask the spectator to make
11155-477: The show Mind Control (2000), which became one of the company's award-winning productions. After several shows with Objective, Brown set up his own company Vaudeville Productions with former Objective executives Michael Vine, Andrew O’Connor, and Paul Sandler, in order to produce his own shows as well as other projects with other performers. Its first show was Brown's TV special, Pushed to the Edge . In 2008, Brown made
11270-403: The spectator’s covertly obtained information or forced choice is revealed, this greatly enhances the effect from the point of view of the wider audience. It will usually seem that the mentalist has elicited a wholly uncommunicated thought from a random audience member. The chosen spectator herself, having participated in the pre-show encounter, perceives a different and less spectacular effect. This
11385-586: The story of how he met his co-writer (who was featured in Seance ), his mother's feelings about his involvement in the Russian Roulette special, and an emotional visit back to his old school, university, and bars/pubs where he first began his career. Celebrity contributors included Matt Lucas , Jo Whiley , Stephen Merchant , and Simon Pegg . In January 2013, he was featured in a Channel 4 Deal or No Deal special, where he appeared to have predicted all
11500-498: The streets of Venice by a volunteer. In January 2011, to celebrate 10 years since his first television appearance, Channel 4 held a special "Derren Brown Night". As well as re-showing The Heist (which had won a recent poll of favourite Brown specials) and one of his Enigma live shows, the channel screened a special documentary called Derren Brown: Behind the Mischief . It was a personal and candid film about Brown which included
11615-519: The system, and discusses it in the larger context of hypnotism and suggestion. In his book Tricks of the Mind , he mentions that he attended an NLP course with Richard Bandler , co-creator of NLP and mentor of Paul McKenna . He also describes the NLP concept of eye-accessing cues as a technique of "limited use" in his book Pure Effect . Brown also mentions in Tricks of the Mind that NLP students were given
11730-434: The times, some mentalists incorporate an iPhone into their routine. Mentalists typically seek to explain their effects as manifestations of psychology, hypnosis, an ability to influence by subtle verbal cues, an acute sensitivity to body language, etc. These are all genuine phenomena, but they are not sufficiently reliable or impressive to form the basis of a mentalism performance. These are in fact fake explanations - part of
11845-718: The track going towards the Feed NHS campaign, which aims to provide meals for NHS workers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK . The song reached No. 34 in the charts. Lucas also wrote a children's picture book based on "Thank You, Baked Potato", published by Egmont and all proceeds again go to Feed NHS. In 2020, Lucas, along with his Little Britain co-star David Walliams, apologised for their portrayal of characters using racial caricatures , "including an obese Caribbean woman called Desiree DeVere, portrayed in blackface , and
11960-615: The traditional skills of close-up magic in bars and restaurants. In 1992, he started performing stage shows at the University of Bristol under the stage name Darren V. Brown; the "V" stood for "Victor". At the International Magic shop in Clerkenwell , Brown met Scottish-American magician and comedian Jerry Sadowitz , who put him in touch with H&R publishers and magician Andrew O'Connor 's production company Objective Productions . This led to his television debut with
12075-477: The trick starts that everything they see is an illusion and that they are not really "having their mind read." This has been the cause of a lot of controversy in the sphere of magic as some mentalists want their audience to believe that this type of magic is "real" while others think that it is morally wrong to lie to a spectator. Professional mentalists generally do not mix "standard" magic tricks with their mental feats. Doing so associates mentalism too closely with
12190-535: The use of PWA; "perception without awareness"), and ideomotor suggestion . Others additionally ascribe methods to him that he denies, ranging from the pseudoscience neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) to paid actors. In an interview in New Scientist in 2005, when asked how he "acquired his psychological skills", Brown says that he learnt skills as a hypnotist, which he was not sure how to apply until he started performing close-up magic . When asked whether he
12305-538: The warnings given were sufficient. Additionally, the use of a 15-minute time delay ensured no viewer would have seen the result of any mistake. The police had also warned that the show might inspire copycat acts. In 2013, Brown said, "Controversy has never interested me for its own sake. It's always been about doing stuff that feels dramatic." Seance received a significant number of complaints, including 487 to Channel 4 and 208 to Ofcom. Most were from church groups and came before transmission, i.e. before Brown revealed during
12420-478: Was Thorpe Park's most expensive ride experience. The ride had live-action actors and holograms while passengers were strapped in wearing VR headsets. In 2017, the attraction added new experiences to the train and 'Rise of the Demon' to the name. The ride closed in 2022; it was rebranded and rethemed as Ghost Train, a project without Brown's involvement. In 2019, Brown collaborated with playing card company Theory11 on
12535-402: Was available only to practitioners through a password-protected "magicians only" area of his website. The clue to the password tells you that the word itself begins with T and is a type of palming trick. International Magic Presents: The Derren Brown Lecture is an 80-minute lecture DVD of close-up mentalism and subsequent discussion of various aspects of Brown's performance. Again, this product
12650-499: Was decided that it is not in breach. Self-proclaimed psychic Joe Power , the subject of the Derren Brown Investigates episode "The Man Who Contacts the Dead", complained to Ofcom about being misled and treated unfairly and said the programme "presented, disregarded or omitted material facts". He also alleged he had received threats from sceptics and had to move home because of it. Ofcom rejected his complaint on
12765-491: Was forced to withdraw from the show following a back injury. In March 2020, he became the new co-host of the Channel 4 and Love Productions television show The Great British Bake Off , taking over from Sandi Toksvig . He departed from the programme in December 2022. On 3 April 2020, Lucas released a reworked version of his "Baked Potato Song" from Shooting Stars titled "Thank You Baked Potato", with all proceeds from
12880-459: Was raised in a Reform Jewish household although his parents came from Orthodox Jewish families. He has had alopecia since childhood, having lost all his hair after being struck by a car at the age of 6. When Lucas was 22, his father died of a heart attack. Lucas was educated at Aylward Primary School and Haberdashers' Boys' School in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire . He studied drama at
12995-428: Was released on 7 June 2018. From 2 July to 25 August 2018, Lucas played Bill Snibson in a revival of Me and My Girl at Chichester Festival Theatre . In 2019, Lucas was the bank holiday cover host for the Radio 2 Breakfast Show. He will also cover Paul O'Grady 's Sunday 5–7pm show during the summer; Fearne Cotton will be the main holiday cover host. In 2021, Lucas continues to sit in for Zoe Ball and host
13110-644: Was the first celebrity to appear in 2008's Big Brother Celebrity Hijack on E4 . On 9 April 2009, the series Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire , featuring Lucas as a regular performer, premièred on Comedy Central , the first major comedy series which Lucas had worked on since Little Britain . In 2010, Lucas played Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Tim Burton 's Alice in Wonderland . Starting in February 2010, Lucas began hosting his own radio show, And The Winner Is , in which he handed out
13225-711: Was the subject of BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? and learned that many of his grandmother's cousins had been murdered in the Holocaust . His grandmother's cousin, Werner Goldschmidt, had lived with the family of diarist Anne Frank in Amsterdam in 1942. In 2021, 83 years after his grandmother left Berlin, Lucas obtained German citizenship . Lucas is an avid supporter of Arsenal Football Club . From 2012 to 2015, Lucas lived with his Bridesmaids co-star Rebel Wilson in West Hollywood . Lucas also has
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