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Up To Spec by David Alnwick and Ken Dyne

Created by: David Alnwick, Ken Dyne

In 'Up To Spec,' a spectator is randomly selected from the audience and trained in just two minutes to read minds. The newly trained spectator then successfully identifies a freely chosen card from another audience member, seemingly demonstrating real mind-reading abilities. This is a mentalism/parlour trick that creates a powerful moment where an ordinary audience member appears to gain supernatural skills under your guidance. The method is surprisingly simple but creates a strong magical experience.

Key features

  • Uses ordinary playing cards

  • No difficult sleight of hand required

  • Can be performed in parlour or stage settings

  • Method is very easy to execute

  • Creates strong audience participation

Pros

  • Extremely simple method that anyone can learn

  • Creates a powerful moment of apparent mind-reading

  • Highly adaptable to different performing styles

  • Great audience participation element

  • Comes with professional performance footage and explanation

Cons

  • Requires confident audience management

  • Relies on a card force (though any force can be used)

  • Mentalism may not appeal to all magicians' styles

Effect

In Up To Spec, a spectator is randomly chosen from the audience. The magician spends up to two minutes "training" them to read minds. After this brief session, the newly trained spectator successfully identifies a freely chosen card from another audience member—without the magician knowing how they did it. The effect is baffling because the spectator appears to gain genuine mind-reading abilities in real time.

Full details

Up To Spec is part of Fringe Mentalism, a digital release by David Alnwick and Ken Dyne. The routine is designed for live performances and relies on simple, practical methods. No difficult sleight of hand is required, making it accessible to beginners while still offering strong impact for professionals. The method allows for complete freedom in scripting and presentation, letting performers adapt it to their style.

Who should consider the trick

This trick is ideal for:

  • Mentalists looking for a quick, interactive routine.
  • Magicians who want a strong audience participation piece.
  • Performers who prefer methods that don’t rely on complex moves.
  • Beginners, since the method is straightforward.

Information on how difficult it is to perform

The difficulty level is low. The most challenging aspect is the presentation—making the "mind-reading training" convincing and engaging. No advanced sleights are needed, and the method is easy to execute with minimal practice.

What magicians say

FiddlinJonny, a reviewer, praised Up To Spec for its simplicity and effectiveness:

  • "The amazing thing here is thinking like what does the method use? So ridiculously easy."
  • "It allows you to really create a great performance."
  • "The newly trained spectator will be able to read minds 100% of the time."

He also noted that the routine is adaptable, making it a strong choice for both beginners and professionals. The trick’s reliance on audience interaction and its clean, baffling finish make it a standout in the Fringe Mentalism set.

What people are saying about Up To Spec

fiddlinjonny says...

Up to spec means up to spectator - you're going to have someone randomly picked from the audience, take two minutes to train them on how to read minds, and then they are going to be able to read minds in real time by being able to define the card of one of the spectators within the audience.

Review videos