Haiku
Before I begin with this review of one of my favourite book tests, I should probably explain what a Haiku is. A Haiku is a Japanese poem, traditionally they are 3, 5 or 7 lines of poetry that evoke images of the natural world.
The word Haiku immediately conjures images of simplicity, those tiny Japanese poems somehow capture entire worlds in just a few syllables. Vincent Hedan’s Haiku does the same thing.
The premise:
The spectator opens a small, elegant book filled with haikus. They choose one and you divine it via a simple but beautiful drawing. That’s it, no fishing, no convoluted procedure and no need to ask what line, what page or which direction the wind was blowing when they blinked!
Design and feel
The Haiku book feels like something you’d find in a minimalist art gallery. It doesn’t scream gimmick, it breathes. Everything about Haiku is designed for deceptive innocence. Spectators don’t suspect it because they’re drawn in by the poetry and the beauty of the Haikus. It doesn’t feel like you’re doing a trick, it feels like you’re sharing a literary moment that bends reality.
The method
I won’t expose the inner workings, that would be like explaining why a Haiku makes you feel something but what I will say is Vincent Hedan has engineered a system so seamless it’s invisible. When you perform Haiku, you don’t feel like you’re doing something dodgy because you’re not! You feel like you’re listening to the spectator, their choices and to the moment.
That’s what separates this from many other book tests on the market. Haiku operates in silence, you just know. Performing it feels like cheating but in the most beautiful way possible.
Performance potential
Haiku shines everywhere; from small, thoughtful settings like cafés, parlours and small stages to huge theatres. Haiku helps you build tension and makes every breath count.
Imagine you hand the book to someone and tell them;
These poems were written by people who found enlightenment in single moments, like standing under a cherry blossom tree or hearing the rain fall on a temple roof. I want you to find a moment that speaks to you. They choose one, they smile and you draw what they’re thinking of as if the poem whispered directly to your subconscious.
That’s theatre, connection and mentalism at its finest.
You can play it as art, mysticism, psychology or even nostalgia.
It’s flexible enough to fit your style, whether you’re a poetic performer or a calculated mind reader. Haiku doesn’t feel like a trick, it feels like a shared human moment.
Fragmented Thoughts
Mentalism is often loud in its cleverness, with layers of methods, justification and structure designed to fool audiences. Haiku is different, it fools through silence.
It’s a rare creation where art and method hold hands so gently that you can’t tell where one ends and the other begins.
In a world where every performer is trying to say more, Vincent Hedan has taught us the magic of saying less. If you want a book test that doesn’t just impress but inspires, then let Haiku teach you that the truest form of mind reading is empathy wrapped in seventeen syllables!
You can get Haiku by clicking below:
Stay Weird
ЯYΛП MΣПƬIƧ
International Man of Mischief
Founder of The Temple of Mentis
Summoner of The Oddsock Oracle™