Mythopolis by Jon Racherbaumer

Description

Unpacking the Smith Myth and the Rashomon Concept.

This collection of tricks focuses on a similar motif because they fit the precise definition of that word and, in each case, the goal is to show what unifies and specifically defines each one. I’m also using the term “curate,” because I sifted through lots of material so readers can compare and analyze everything. I consider this to be a contextualizing exercise that reveals the motif’s history and pinpoints its rightful place in the Creative Continuum.

The two motifs compiled here are the Smith Myth and what’s popularly known as the Rashomon Concept. (It should be noted and emphasized that most versions of the Smith Myth incorporate the Rashomon Concept.)

As a stand-alone trick, the original Smith Myth first appeared in a small booklet titled The Five O’ Fetsch: A Quintette of Card Miracles in 1956. It was a collaborative effort by Fred Smith and Hen Fetsch. It’s also where I first read Sydney Lawrence’s ingenious way to force the same card on two spectators.

IntroductionThe Lawrence two-card forcing procedureThe Rashomon ConceptTrio / Sydney LawrenceSmyth Bliss / Edward MarloTwo Mental Selections, never named, play unexpected roles / Jon RacherbaumerDo You See Your Card? / Scott GuinnSmith Turns Over / Larry JenningsConvincing Smith Myth / Jon RacherbaumerSmith without the myth / Dave SolomonSmythled / Thomas BaxterSmyth Myth selected Bibliography

1st edition 2022, PDF 33 pages.
word count: 8336 which is equivalent to 33 standard pages of text