Theatrical séances

From MagicPedia

Theatrical séances is that aspect of stage magic that pretends to contact the spirits of the dead.

Theatrical séances are usually performed in either total or partial darkness to set the mood for the performance and to hide the "behind-the-scenes" goings-on of the magician and his assistants. Performance-goers can be treated to a variety of magic tricks during a theatrical séance include examples of clairvoyance, ESP, precognition and telekinesis. Séances performers will often utilize ventriloquism, hypnotism, cold reading, warm reading, hot reading, secret confederates and many other theatrical and stage magic tricks to present the illusion they are in "contact with spirits."

Popular examples of theatrical séances

Theatrical séances are very popular at Halloween and are offered for fright value. Private magic cabarets usually offer this type of performance including the Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brooks's Psychic Theater in Scranton, Pennsylvania which offers theatrical séances year round. It one of the longest running performances of its type having started in 2003.

The Magic Castle has a separate room dedicated to theatrical séances. ] Their evening séance program entitled, "Demons" is a recreation of a Victorian-era séance replete with staples such as table-rapping, slate (writing), spirit photography, eerie inexplicable sounds and many other "psychic" experiments.