SPIRIT by Jamie Daws

“I remember the first time I saw a spirit. I was eleven. He sat at the end of my bed, silently staring at me with eyes that seemed to pierce right through the darkness. Oddly, I didn’t feel afraid. Instead, a strange sense of comfort washed over me, as if I was being protected. We talked for hours, whispering about everything: family, school, and, naturally, the afterlife. The night felt calm, almost comforting, until something chilling settled over me. I realised he had no idea he was dead…”

‘SPIRIT’ is an eerily mesmerising effect, inspired by the best-selling bizarre effects 'The Given' and 'Krampus.' But ‘SPIRIT’ has a chilling twist of its own…

The performer introduces the concept of spirits trapped in limbo, a state between the living world and the afterlife, where souls wander aimlessly, unaware that they've died.

A stack of Polaroid photos featuring various individuals is shown, and the participant is invited to select one at random. They choose ‘Grant’. Next, they are asked to sort the remaining photos into two piles: those of the living and those of the spirits. Any photos that seem to belong to neither category are placed in a third pile. Every decision is made freely by the participant, with no influence or manipulation.

Though the participant’s choices were entirely their own, a haunting revelation awaits. When the photos are turned over, the pile of living individuals spells out ‘L-I-V-I-N-G’, while the spirits’ pile spells ’S-P-I-R-I-T’. 

But one last mystery remains…

The final pile, the ones deemed neither living nor spirit, represents those caught in ‘Limbo'. The focus shifts back to the photo selected at the beginning: ‘Grant’. The cards in the Limbo pile are flipped over, revealing a spine-tingling truth, they spell out ‘G-R-A-N-T’.

‘SPIRIT’ is a wonderfully dark and elegant routine, practically self-working with no need for switches, extra photos, or gimmicks. Every element can be examined. Originally crafted for a theatrical performance, 'SPIRIT' is versatile enough to be performed on stage, in close-up settings, or in parlour shows.

‘SPIRIT’ comes complete with 18 beautifully double-laminated Polaroid photos, ready for to go out of the box. They handle beautifully and are instantly recognisable. The package also includes a full instructional download featuring live performance footage from Jamie’s acclaimed play, 'All the Fun of the Fear'.