Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.
WHAT IS HERMES?
When it comes to mentalism, few things pack a punch quite like a two-person coding system. A well-executed two-person act will leave your audience utterly baffled and, best of all, it’s completely prop-less and impromptu! If you can hear your partner, you’re ready to dazzle any crowd, anytime, anywhere (no pressure, right?).
EASY TO LEARN AND MASTER
Phedon Bilek had a lightbulb moment when he realised how beneficial it would be to perform such routines with his wife Flora. With a desire for a straightforward approach, he set out to create the ultimate system. Given that Flora is not a mentalist, the system had to be a breeze to learn and quick to memorise.
Anyone who’s witnessed Phedon’s previous works knows he’s a perfectionist (and rightly so). His routines not only look real, they feel real too. After a fruitless search for a system that met his high standards, he took matters into his own hands and crafted his own.
It’s worth noting that 'Hermes' wasn’t intended for public consumption. No, this was a personal project designed to help him teach his wife something simple and memorable—almost impossible to forget.
The result? A system that Phedon has painstakingly honed through countless performances, both casual and professional, over several years. Of all the effects he’s created, 'Hermes' has earned the most acclaim for both him and Flora.
In fact, this gem might have remained a secret if not for a cheeky mention tucked away in the footnotes of 'Orpheus' (set to drop in late 2023). It was only after some gentle prodding from his proofreader, Ian 'Rasp' Cheetham, that Phedon was convinced to spill the beans.
Phedon makes it clear that while this system won’t let you mimic exactly what the Evasons do (it's not designed for coding anything), the sky's the limit for the performer. This system offers a smorgasbord of possibilities while remaining a cinch to learn and master.
"Those that know me, know that I'm not a performer and probably class me as an 'Armchair Mentalist.' However, I have for a number of years been interested in two-person codes (teaming up with my very close friend, Michael Murray, and raising a few eyebrows and laughs in the process) and held a desire to give readings. But, the lack of confidence and fear of failure always held me back. Recently, I have felt a 'shift' within me, an excitement, as though an accelerant has been poured on burning embers. A feeling of...JUST DO IT!! This 'shift' stems from Phedon introducing me to Hermes. A system designed around his lovely wife, Flora, a non-performer...not even an 'Armchair Mentalist! Hermes is a simple and logical system. A two-person code. Simple, but...EFFECTIVE and POWERFUL!"
- Ian 'Rasp' Cheetham
SO WHAT'S NEW?
Sure, you’ll pick up how to code Numbers, Colours, Denomination Values, Types of Jewellery (including the materials they’re made from), Birthdays, Countries/Destinations and more, but that’s not the main event in this book.
What truly sets this system apart is the information that can be encoded and transmitted. The real magic lies in the psychic aspect, particularly in the 'Sending Questions and Concerns' section, where the system truly shines.
Picture this: with a simple, innocuous sentence or question sent to your partner, they’ll be able to pinpoint your participant’s concern, question, or goal, allowing them to respond in the most mystifying way. It’s just as mesmerising to experience as it is to behold!
As is typical of Phedon’s work, he doesn’t just teach the system; he generously shares invaluable tips (for both sender and receiver) that he’s earned through years of performing. These nuggets of wisdom will help you avoid miscommunication and ensure your demonstrations look and feel convincingly real!
"Wow, amazing stuff. Simple and effective coding system, but the gold is in sending concerns. That is phenomenal. I've never seen anything even close to that. That is the easiest cold read I've ever seen, and it perfectly describes ANY question thought of. Genius. As you perfectly show, just verbally deciphering the code is an effective reading. And, the best part is that I imagine this is the exact way real psychics would answer a question. They would get super specific feelings and answers without knowing precisely what the question is.
It also forces you to seem real as you give the reading. I can see in my head what it would look like as someone deciphered the CODE into a READING and it would look exactly like they were deciphering their FEELINGS into WORDS. It's really brilliant. I wish I could have seen you perform the code because I know I would be clueless, and if I saw the partner give a reading, I would never suspect that all of that information could be coded in a sentence."
- Madison Hagler
