The Parlor Room Seance by Benjamin Francis and Louis Le Val

Effect

The Parlor Room Seance is a ticketed mentalism show designed to immerse the audience in a theatrical, themed experience. The performance creates the illusion of a supernatural seance, blending storytelling, psychological techniques, and carefully crafted effects to evoke mystery and wonder. The show is structured around a central theme, ensuring cohesion and a strong emotional impact on the audience.

Full Details

The Parlor Room Seance is not just a collection of tricks but a fully realized theatrical production. It emphasizes theme development, scripting, prop selection, and atmospheric elements like lighting and sound to enhance the experience. The show uses Louis Levall's performances as practical examples, demonstrating how mentalism can be elevated into an artistic, immersive event.

Key aspects include:

• Theme Development: The show is built around a unifying concept rather than disconnected effects.
• Scripting: Tightly written scripts guide the performance, ensuring precision and emotional engagement.
• Props and Atmosphere: Every prop, piece of music, and lighting choice is selected to reinforce the seance theme.
• Business Considerations: The project also covers logistical elements like venue selection, licensing, and ticketing.

Who Should Consider the Trick

This show is ideal for mentalists and magicians who want to move beyond commercial performances and create ticketed, theatrical experiences. It suits performers interested in storytelling, immersive environments, and structured show design. Those who prefer quick, stand-alone tricks may find the production aspects less relevant.

Information on How Difficult It Is to Perform

The Parlor Room Seance requires significant preparation, including scripting, prop sourcing, and technical coordination (lighting, sound). Performers must be comfortable with theatrical presentation and audience interaction. While the effects themselves may not be overly complex, the show's success depends on the performer's ability to maintain atmosphere and narrative flow.

What Magicians Say

Nique Tan highlights the value of the show's structured approach, stating, "Your show has to be about something—it has to have a theme of some kind. It's not going to be a show where you just string a whole bunch of tricks together." He praises the use of Louis Levall's performances as teaching tools, comparing it to Darren Brown's Notes from a Fellow Traveler.

Tan also emphasizes the importance of scripting and atmosphere, noting, "Scripting allows you a kind of freedom to perform the show because you know exactly where you are going." He acknowledges that the project is a substantial time investment but highly recommends it for those serious about producing ticketed shows.

The Parlor Room Seance is described as inspirational, with Tan calling it "a valuable resource for those seeking to elevate their performances beyond the constraints of commercial events."