Derren Brown Biography Now Available in Paperback

Despite healthy sales of the Kindle version of my new Derren Brown Biography, Mind Stunts, I have learned that some Derren fans cannot buy the book because they do not live in the U.S., U.K., or Germany (the three countries in which Kindle books are apparently available).

So I have made this title available in paperback, too. The paperback listing is up on Amazon.com: Mind Stunts. Enjoy!

Did Derren Brown Cause the London Riots?

A hilarious spoof article on the Daily Mash claims that Derren Brown "masterminded the chaos for his latest Channel 4 extravaganza Derren Brown: I Can Make You Riot."

Download New Derren Brown Biography NOW!

It's here! Two days ahead of schedule, my new book Mind Stunts: An Unauthorized Account of Derren Brown's Rise to Fame is available for download. You can read it on a Kindle or on any PC, iPad, iPhone or Android device (using the free Kindle software). Here are the links:

     Mind Stunts at Amazon UK

     Mind Stunts at Amazon.com

     Mind Stunts at Amazon DE

Enjoy! And let me know what you think of it.

REVEALED: Cover of New Derren Brown Biography

My new biography of Derren Brown, entitled "Mind Stunts" should be available on Kindle one week from today. Here's the cover art -- let me know what you think:

Svengali Tour is on Hiatus

Derren Brown's London run of the Svengali stage show ended this past weekend (7/16). But don't worry if you missed it -- Derren will be on tour with Svengali again next spring. See the official tour schedule for dates.

In the meantime, what can we expect from DB? He has a new television show in the works, but no word yet on when it airs.

New Derren Brown Interview

Den of Geek has posted a new Derren Brown interview. Among other things, Derren discusses whether or not being famous is socially awkward:

The reality is that you sort of end up in this lovely situation where, some people obviously hate you, and just can't stand your work, and that's fine, but generally speaking people kind of... it's like the work of making friends, the first bit has been done, where you have to make a nice impression of yourself, and give peo

Join the Cast of Derren Brown's Next TV Series

Derren Brown has issued a call for volunteers to be on his new TV series. He offers no details about what the show will involve, but if you want to take a chance on being tricked/embarrassed/humiliated/frightened/all-of-the-above by the master of psychological illusion, all you have to do is send him an e-mail. The details are at: http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2011/06/take-part-in-my-new-series/

Keith Barry -- watered-down version of Derren Brown?

I just recently discovered Keith Barry. Not sure how that is possible because he has been doing television appearances in the U.S. for seven years or so. If I had never heard of Derren Brown, I think I would be pretty impressed by Barry. The problem is that no one is as good as DB, and he and Barry do the same type of performance.

While Derren tends to baffle me, I had a pretty easy time figuring out how Keith Barry does all of his tricks in the TED talk below (except for the last one):

Derren Brown Svengali FAIL?

I understand that at one of Derren Brown's Svengali shows last month, the Svengali prop failed to work. Did you witness that failure? or is the apparent failure part of his routine?

I'm not asking for any spoilers here -- you can just leave a comment stating the date you went to the show and whether the machine worked. Thanks!

Derren Brown's "Grown-Up" Magic

You might have noticed a shift in Derren Brown's magic routines over the years. He has moved from sheer astonishing tricks to themed, point-making documentaries. His recent show, Miracles for Sale, is typical of the kind of fraudulent-medium-debunking show that really inspires him these days.

In a recent article, he explained: "Over the years, I've entirely grown out of the urge that got me into magic.I've pulled it into areas that I think are more grown-up and worthwhile, into areas that aren't about me going 'Ta-dah! Aren't I amazing!'

Poll Results: Derren Brown Svengali Spoilers Surprisingly Unpopular

In my most recent poll, I asked: "Is it wrong for AboutDerrenBrown to offer Svengali Spoilers?" The results were as follows:

1. Derren wants you to stop: 80% (41 votes)
2. Not sure: 0%
3. No - This is a valuable service: 19% (10 votes)

I have to point out that only 51 people voted, out of perhaps 3000 people who visited the blog during the period of the poll. Nonetheless, it is clear that the overwhelming majority of people who care enough to vote think I should avoid posting Svengali spoilers. A few people left comments explaining their reasoning on my article entitled "Derren Brown Svengali Spoilers."

Here at AboutDerrenBrown, we support democracy, so I intend to lay off of the spoilers. But I have to admit that I don't really get it. No one is forced to read articles on this blog; why is it so offensive for spoilers to exist somewhere on the web for people who happen to want them?

And those of you who voted against my posting spoilers (all 41 of you) -- and especially those of you who have seen The Gathering -- don't you at least wonder a little bit if Derren has hypnotized you to oppose Svengali spoilers?

Nordic minds will be controlled by Derren Brown

Although Derren Brown is a household name in the UK, the lack of worldwide distribution of his shows has frustrated many non-UK fans. The Nordic countries are in luck, though.

Beginning in August 2011, many of Derren's shows (including both specials and series) will be aired in the Nordic region. You can see the details at Media News International.

Poll: Is it wrong to offer Svengali Spoilers?

Not everyone approves of my efforts to uncover information about Derren Brown's Svengali. See, for example, my full-length piece called "Derren Brown Svengali Spoilers." One reader commented that the "decent thing" would be to take down the article, because Derren does not want spoilers on the web.

Personally, I don't see any harm in finding out as much as we can about Derren's new stage show. But I'm interested in your opinion.

So please vote in the new poll (over there somewhere --->) that asks whether it is wrong for AboutDerrenBrown to offer Svengali Spoilers.

Top 5 Derren Brown Tricks of All Time

Here are my picks for top 5 Derren Brown tricks ever. Leave a comment if you disagree:

1. Dog track trick. Short piece in which Derren gets a dog track to pay out on a losing ticket. This is the first Derren clip I ever saw.

2. Russian Roulette. Sensational TV special in which Derren Brown seemingly plays Russian Roulette on live TV.

3. Paying with paper (in NYC). Derren manages to make major purchases from New York retailers using blank pieces of paper.

4. The Heist. A special about getting ordinary people to commit a major crime. Beyond the trick itself, the concept was interesting.

5. Hero at 30,000 feet. A passenger on an airpline is made to overcome his fears and become a hero.

Three of my five picks are specials, but that shouldn't be too surprising -- Derren had more time to develop those tricks. Each of them was unique and stunning.

Derren Brown co-host Kat Akingbade on Positive Action

You know Kat Akingbade as Derren Brown's co-host on Channel 4's web series. Today, in a compelling critique about the UK's positive action law, Akingbade says she was hired to work with Derren because she is black.
Read the piece at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-devastating-blow-of-positive-action-2260821.html

Svengali - the Next Best Thing to Being There

Lady Claire has posted a great, in-depth account of her two viewings of Svengali -- including the whole pre-show experience as well as accounts of meeting Derren after the show (with photos, naturally). There are no spoilers about the show itself, for those of you who are sensitive to that.

So here's the link: Derren Brown, Svengali, Brighton - 9 & 12th March 2011

Andy Nyman: Working with Derren Brown was a "Hobby"

From the start, Andy Nyman was a critical part of Derren Brown's television show. Recently, though, Nyman went off on his own, producing Ghost Stories, and now starring in the TV show Campus. Digital Spy just posted an interview with Nyman, and asked him if he will be working with Derren again in the future. Here is Andy's response:

No, no, for now I've stepped away from that. I did 10 years with Derren and I worked with him on everything from Russian Roulette to The Heist, the lottery prediction, I helped write all of those and the stage shows. But as ridiculous as this sounds that was always my hobby. I am so busy with everything else right now, I don't have time to be writing Derren's stuff now.

Derren Brown turned out to be a pretty lucrative "hobby" for Andy Nyman. There is no question that Nyman will be missed, though. People who have seen all of Derren's shows over the years are saying that Svengali is a little below average, and some are attributing the difference to weaker writing due to the absence of Nyman.

e-Mail the AboutDerrenBrown blog

I have posted my new e-mail address on the sidebar --->

Here are 3 good reasons to send me an e-mail:

1. Suggest a topic. Am I missing your favorite Derren Brown trick? biographical event? trivia?

2. Give a tip. Do you have a hot lead or other information you want covered on this Derren Brown fan blog?

3. Ask a question. If you ask, I'll try to answer. And if the question is compelling enough, I might address it on the blog, as well.

Svengali Poll Results

The AboutDerrenBrown poll about whether visitors to the blog are going to see Svengali has closed. Here are the final results:

Are you going to Svengali?

Yes = 28 (87%)
Maybe = 1 (3%)
No - but I wish I could = 3 (9%)
No - and don't want to = 0 (0%)

I know a lot of our regular visitors here are going to the show, and it has become clear in the last couple of weeks that many people who do not usually visit drop by before going to the show.

Review: Derren Brown, Behind the Mischief

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Derren Brown's first appearance on Channel 4, the television station had a Derren Brown evening, which began with a new documentary: "Derren Brown - Behind the Mischief."

Behind the Mischief is the most personal on-air biographical material Derren has shown us to date. The 50-minute special is well worth your time. Here are a few of the highlights:

1. Film of taxidermy in Derren's home. Previously, I thought his interest in taxidermy was just part of his stage persona. Apparently not. The best piece is probably the 8-legged lamb.

2. Interview with James Copeman, the guy who put the bullet in the gun for Russian Roulette, and was generally terrified throughout his 15 minutes of fame.

3. As it turns out, Derren met Iain Sharkey (now a co-writer of his) when Sharkey appeared as a volunteer on the Seance special. Behind the Mischief includes footage of Sharkey screaming on Seance.

4. Derren reveals the show of his that he is least happy with: The portion of "The Event" series where he offers a misleading explanation of how he predicted the winning lottery numbers (he claims it was by averaging a group of volunteers' guesses).

5. A scene at DB's parents' home, in which his brother also appears, followed by a reminiscent visit to his childhood school.

There are plenty of other good moments, including a follow-up visit with Matt Galley, the subject of Hero at 30,000 Feet. For serious fans of Derren Brown, it is a must-see.

Derren Brown Plays with Lemurs

Derren Brown has been a donor/spokesperson for the National Parrot Sanctuary and Zoo for some time, and, according to his most recent blog post, he recently took a break from the Svengali stage show tour recently to stop by and play with the parrots and lemurs.

See Derren's post -- Tour So Far -- for pictures of DB with lemurs, as well as an account of how the tour is developing.

Secret of Derren Brown Svengali's 9889 (SPOILER ALERT)

I have posted a couple times now about what the number "9889" might mean in Derren Brown's new stage show, Svengali. I am told now that 9889 is supposed to be the number of mechanical pieces in the Hungarian Svengali device/automaton/robot/doll that is the centerpiece of Derren's new show.

I have not seen Svengali myself, so I cannot confirm this from firsthand knowledge. Also, I assume the 9889 number has some greater significance as part of the Svengali trick.

Now if I can just figure out what "4 8 15 16 23 42" means...

Derren Brown Svengali Taping -- This Year or Next?

In the past, Derren Brown has videotaped a live performance of each of his stage shows for later broadcast on television and dvd release -- so it stands to reason that he will do the same with Svengali. A recent forum post speculated that the taping will probably occur next year (2012).

Although I am not aware of any statement by Derren on the topic, that theory makes sense. Svengali is running for two years (2011 and 2012), and obviously DB will want to wait until he is very well-rehearsed before taping the show. Many commentators have said Svengali has been a little rough in its first few showings.

9889 and Needles in Derren Brown's Svengali (SPOILER ALERT)

The number 9889 is turning up in numerous posts about Derren Brown's Svengali, and obviously has some significance to people who have seen the show.

Also, the stage show reportedly includes a volunteer(s) going up on stage and putting needles through his/her skin (reminiscent of various past Derren shows, including the Robbie Williams episode).

As noted previously, a mind-reading automaton named Svengali is the centerpiece of the show. The back story is apparently that Derren claims to have bought the mind-reading doll in Hungary.

Meet Derren Brown in person at Svengali

Dozens of people hang around after Svengali each night to meet Derren Brown in person, and he is apparently gracious and friendly with everyone (despite undoubtedly being exhausted). If you want to meet Derren in person, there is no better time to do it.

Here's a YouTube video of the post-show scene outside a recent Liverpool performance of Svengali (I would apologize for the poor lighting, but it's not my video):

Derren Brown Svengali Brochure

Even if you can't make it to Derren Brown's Svengali, you can get the Svengali Brochure from DB's online store: Svengali Brochure. The website lists the contents of the brochure.

It doesn't seem to give away much about the show -- mostly just typical Derren facts and humor -- but it might be worth a look.

Derren Brown's Svengali Hand-Stamp -- What's that all about?

A couple of Svengali attendees have posted pictures of their hand stamps. For example, see this one: Hand Stamp, which includes the caption "9889: Derren Brown Svengali - you have to be there to understand!"

What is the hand stamp all about? It's part of a trick, obviously. Does Derren select volunteers based on the number stamped on their hand? Or is something else going on here?

And here's another photograph of the stage, taken at the March 24 Liverpool show, apparently: Svengali Stage. The flickr caption calls this the "opening stage set," implying that the stage looks different later in the show.

Help a fellow Derren Brown fan preview Svengali

I have a request for those of you going to Derren Brown's Svengali stage show. Thanks to the new AboutDerrenBrown poll (over there --->) we know that many of those visiting the blog at the moment are planning to see Svengali. And we can safely conclude that they are visiting this blog pre-show, to get an idea of what will be in the program.

Unfortunately, experience shows that, when such visitors go to the show, Derren sweet-talks them into not telling anyone else what has gone on. They then publish blog posts online about how the show was great but they can't reveal anything.

Those of you who are here before going to the show -- after you've seen Svengali, remember how you feel right now, and then do us all a favor by coming back to this blog (yes, bookmark it) and posting some details about the show in a comment or two. There are plenty of people like you who would love to have that information.

And telling people what is going to happen at Svengali does not ruin the show for them (Was the movie Titanic disappointing because you knew from the start that the boat would sink? Of course not. It was disappointing because of the idiotic script).

If anything, it builds buzz -- which makes me think that Derren Brown's plea that you not reveal details about the show might actually be a negative suggestion designed to make you reveal the details to others and create word-of-mouth publicity for the show. So let's do that.

Derren Brown's Svengali is not the first Mind-Reading Robot

Svengali is reportedly a mind-reading robot in Derren Brown's new stage show. While Derren's robot undoubtedly works through a mix of illusion, misdirection, showmanship, etc..., there is a real-life mind-reading robot that works through science:

Derren Brown Cringes at the Past

I've often thought that if you are constantly learning and improving yourself, then you are bound to regret your past actions (i.e., things that you did before learning what you know now). Derren Brown made the point much more eloquently in an interview with the Guardian a while back, and I just came across the quote:

“I always look back on myself and cringe. . . . I feel I’ve learned so much about how to behave in the last 10 years, and I view everything before that as . . .” He tails off into a wince.

Are you going to Svengali? (new survey)

I'm busily digging up every detail I can find about Svengali, which I will continue to post for your blog-reading pleasure. I have also posted a new survey over there --->

Take a second to vote and we'll see how many Svengali attendees we have in our midst.

Photo of Derren Brown's Svengali Stage -- Robot/Automaton Theme

A flickr user has helpfully posted a photograph of the stage at Derren Brown's Svengali stage show. The picture (apparently taken pre-show, judging from the sparse, attentive, and seated audience) shows a blue-lit stage with three tables spread across it. Each table appears to have a covered object on it.

The decor of the stage (i.e., edges and top) has a robot/automaton theme, which is appropriate because Svengali is apparently a mind-reading robot/automaton of some type. The photo (according to flickr) was taken March 18, 2011.

Don't take a gift to Derren Brown's Svengali Stage Show

Derren Brown is happy to see his fans at Svengali -- as long as they don't bring gifts. In a tactful message on his blog, Derren asked his die-hard fans to refrain from bringing presents to his new stage show:

"[I] must gently ask again that people don’t turn up bearing gifts, as some regularly do: they’re very hard to keep hold of when we’re touring and you spending your money on tickets is more than super-kind and embarrassingly generous enough."

So, if you're feeling compliant, leave your Derren Brown gifts at home. But if you're feeling mischievous, an over-sized teddy bear could be a nice gesture.

Why Svengali? Deciphering the name of Derren Brown's new stage show

Derren Brown is calling his new stage show "Svengali." So what does Svengali mean?

Svengali is the name of the hypnotist character in George du Maurier's novel "Trilby," which was published in 1894. Svenali created the pop-culture stereotype of an evil hypnotist who controls a vulnerable woman (in the case of the novel, a singer named Trilby).

In the past, Derren has avoided stereotypes about hypnotists and magicians, but this time he apparently is taking them head-on. As noted previously, the Svengali trick itself involves an automaton, apparently named Svengali.

Change Blindness -- Illustrated by Derren Brown

UX Magazine posted an article about "change blindness" a while back, illustrated by a video of a Harvard study and by Derren Brown's classic on-street illustration of the effect.

The idea of "change blindness" (see Wikipedia for more) is that when we are made to focus on particular details, we miss other obvious pieces of information that are presented to us. In the videos posted by UX, observers fail to notice that the person they are speaking with has turned into another person, because they are so focused on another fact/task.

While change blindness is obviously useful to an illusionist, being aware of the effect can be worthwhile for anyone.

Derren Brown Reunion with Fake Drunk Guy

Remember the Derren Brown episode where he gets a guy drunk with hypnotic suggestions? After a showing of Svengali in Brighton this past week, the fake drunk guy met up with Derren Brown for a bit of a reunion. You can see it in an excellent video posted by xLadyClairex on YouTube, beginning about 2 minutes in: Drunk Guy Reunion.

Also, just 12 seconds into the film you see a glimpse of a mannequin, which might be the Svengali stage prop.

Why "Confessions of a Conjuror" is a Brilliant Autobiography

I'm just finishing Derren Brown's "Confessions of a Conjuror" (finally), an autobiography with an unusually high quantity of footnotes and tangential ramblings. Plenty of readers have criticized the book for these features, but I actually think it is quite good.

Through his rambling writing style, Derren has provided what no other biographer could possibly provide -- a look inside of his mind as it operates on a daily basis. He writes about unusual thoughts that no one else writes about (witness, ege, his lengthy analysis of the awkwardness of seeing someone start to get off an elevator at the wrong floor). But it all serves a purpose.

What is Derren Brown's "Svengali Doll"?

In his latest stage show, Svengali, Derren Brown is (as usual) asking the audience not to tell others what happens in the show. Consequently, the internet is full of very vague reviews of the show. But we can glean one key detail from bliter's account of the show:

Svengali is an "automaton" that reads minds. This is reminiscent of the televised DB trick in which he pretended to be a mechanical mind-reading device. Here, though, obviously Derren will be outside of the machine. Thus, a stand-alone machine will somehow be made to reveal details about audience members.

It's kind of odd that DB would choose to use a prop as the centerpiece of his show -- but that simply implies that it is an unusually impressive prop.

For a full explanation of what we know about Derren Brown's Svengali, see my article: "Derren Brown Svengali Spoilers."

And to read all about Derren Brown's career, see my unauthorized biography of Derren Brown.

Svengali = 3 Hours of Derren Brown

The Latest published a review of Svengali, Derren Brown's new stage show, which opened March 9, 2011. While the review reveals nothing about the show's content, it gushes about how good Svengali is, and reveals that the production is three hours long.

Derren intends to perform this feat of endurance about 60 times in the next four months. You can see the list of show dates here: Svengali dates.