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Writer's pictureMark Dilliway

The Curse of the Forgotten Ones



A 10-Minute Bizarre Magic Performance Based Solely on Rituals and Curses An Homage to Charles W. Cameron


Introduction to the Effect: A Homage to Charles W. Cameron

This effect is written in the style of Charles W. Cameron, often referred to as the godfather of bizarre magic. Cameron’s performances relied heavily on atmosphere, storytelling, and the power of suggestion, making the audience feel as though they were witnessing true supernatural events. His work frequently involved the use of curses and rituals, and this effect is designed as a tribute to his style—where the performance is slow, methodical, and rich with psychological tension.


In "The Curse of the Forgotten Ones," no sleight of hand or traditional magic effects are used. Instead, the power of the performance comes from the eerie, immersive experience it creates, with the audience believing they are witnessing a ritual that holds real, supernatural power. Through the use of rituals, curses, and atmospheric tension, this effect is meant to evoke the same sense of awe, fear, and mystery that was central to Cameron's bizarre magic performances. There is of course the option of adding one small effect: please see the 'Haunted Box' section on these instructions. Ultimately, the aim of this effect is to create an atmospheric piece that focuses purely on performance, storytelling, and atmosphere. Perfect as an opener to your act.


Setting the Stage

The performance begins in an intimate, dimly lit space, with just enough light to create an air of mystery. The stage is set with a small wooden table draped in a black velvet cloth, upon which are placed several ancient-looking ritual objects:

  • A heavy leather-bound grimoire, its pages weathered and yellowed with age.

  • Two black candles, burning low and casting flickering shadows.

  • A rusted iron dagger, old and ominous.

  • A small, locked wooden box covered in strange carvings, which is at the heart of the performance.

  • A tarnished brass bell, cracked, with a dull tone that sounds unnatural.


In the background, a faint sound of low wind, distant whispers, and eerie chanting plays softly, creating an unsettling, haunting atmosphere utilising your preferred sound system). The scene feels ancient and foreboding, as if it is a forgotten place where curses have long been whispered.


Performance Breakdown (10 Minutes)


Introduction and Setup (2 Minutes)

The magician enters the dimly lit space slowly, cloaked in dark robes, reminiscent of an ancient sorcerer or occultist. The lighting is low, with only the flickering candles casting light onto the scene. The magician stands silently for a few moments, allowing the audience to adjust to the strange atmosphere and growing sense of unease. The presence of the magician feels heavy, intentional, as if they are about to perform something that transcends a mere magic trick.

Without immediate words, the magician reaches out and opens the leather-bound grimoire, turning to a page marked with an ancient sigil. They run their fingers over the symbols before looking up at the audience, addressing them in a low, deliberate tone:


Magician: "Tonight, we venture beyond the illusions of light and shadow. We will call upon those who have been forgotten—bound by curses lost to time."


The magician begins to read from the grimoire, slowly and with a sense of reverence:


Magician: "By the power of the forgotten ones, I summon thee. Through fire, earth, blood, and spirit, the curse shall be awakened."


The magician lights a small bundle of herbs (such as sage or another earthy fragrance), wafting the smoke over the table and around the audience, as if preparing the space for something greater than any mere illusion.


The audience begins to feel the ritual’s weight and the impending sense that something darker is about to unfold.


The Curse of the Forgotten (3 Minutes)

The magician turns their attention to the small, locked wooden box on the table. Slowly, they run their fingers over the carvings, tracing symbols as they murmur in a strange, ancient-sounding language. The audience begins to feel as though they are witnessing something real, as the ritual deepens.


Magician: "This box holds the key to a curse long sealed by forgotten sorcerers. The curse was never meant to be undone. But tonight, in this circle, we will unlock what should have remained hidden."


The magician lifts the rusted iron dagger, presenting it to the audience. They speak of its symbolic meaning, describing how such blades were often used in ancient rituals to bind spirits or ward off curses. The dagger is raised for all to see, and its presence feels powerful, charged with unseen energy.

The magician then carefully places the small wooden box in front of a selected audience member, holding their gaze.


Magician: "The curse will now choose its vessel."


The audience member is asked to hold the box without opening it. The magician explains that the box has been dormant for centuries, but the touch of a living soul will reactivate the curse sealed inside. The magician places a hand gently on the audience member’s shoulder and begins to circle the table, slowly chanting:

Magician (chanting):"Spirits of the forgotten, hear me. By flesh and bone, by fire and stone, from your slumber."

Suddenly, the magician rings the tarnished brass bell. Its eerie tone echoes through the room, cutting through the silence. The ritual begins to intensify, and the audience is now fully engrossed, sensing that something unseen has been stirred.


The Spirit’s Choice (2 Minutes)

The magician approaches the audience member holding the box and asks them if they can feel anything unusual. Whether they report feeling weight, heat, or cold, the magician suggests that the spirit within the box has made its presence known.

Another audience member is invited forward and asked to touch the box as well. The magician explains that the curse must now decide which of the two individuals will become its chosen "vessel."

Stepping back, the magician uses salt or chalk to draw a circle of protection around the two participants, ensuring that the curse will not spread beyond them.


Magician: "Once the spirit chooses its host, there is no turning back. One of you will carry the curse—unless we can bind it once again."


The magician raises the iron dagger and performs a series of ritualistic gestures, cutting through the air as if severing invisible ties. Their voice becomes more commanding as they call for the spirit to reveal itself.


The Binding Ritual (3 Minutes)

As the tension builds, the magician retrieves the grimoire and begins reading aloud in a strange, ancient language. The words flow rhythmically, as though they are invoking something beyond this world. They gesture over the box, making slow circles before gently placing their hand upon it.


Magician: "One shall be chosen. One shall carry the burden of the forgotten. But the curse must be bound before it takes hold."


The magician takes the box from the audience member and places it back on the table. They tap the surface of the box with the flat edge of the iron dagger, as though trying to seal the spirit back inside. Finally, the magician takes a red cord and begins tying it around the box, symbolically binding the spirit within.

The magician now begins to extinguish the candles, one by one, murmuring as they do so:


Magician (softly):"By the light that fades, the curse is sealed once more."


The brass bell rings again, its sharp tone signalling the end of the ritual. Silence falls, thick and heavy, allowing the audience to absorb the eerie, unsettling experience they’ve just witnessed.


Conclusion (1 Minute)

The magician turns to the audience and speaks softly, but with a sense of finality:


Magician: "The forgotten spirits are once again bound, but the curse lingers. Perhaps one day, it will find its way back into the world, through the touch of an unwitting soul. Until then, may you all tread carefully, for curses, once spoken, are never truly broken."


With these final words, the magician slowly exits the stage, leaving the box, still tied, as a lingering reminder of the curse’s presence.


Enhancing the Ritual: The Haunted Box Effect

For an additional layer of mystery, the Haunted Box Effect can be incorporated into the performance. This effect will create the illusion that the box moves on its own, as if the spirit within is stirring.


Setup for the Haunted Box Effect

Before the performance begins, a small, nearly invisible thread is attached to the box. The thread is run to a discreet anchor point offstage or behind the magician, allowing them to subtly manipulate the box's movement during the ritual.


Steps for the Haunted Box Trick

  1. The Build-Up:

    As the magician chants and gestures toward the box, they subtly pull the thread, causing the box to move slightly, just enough to be noticed by the audience.


Magician: "The spirit... it stirs. The curse is restless."


  1. The Climax—A Stronger Movement:

    At a key moment in the ritual, the magician pulls the thread again, this time more strongly, causing the box to move as though something is trying to escape.


Magician (stepping back in shock):"No... it is too powerful... the curse must be contained!"


  1. The Final Movement:

    As the magician performs the binding ritual, they make the box move once more, resisting the binding. Once the red cord is tied around it, the movement stops, signifying that the spirit has been sealed.


Chanting Script for the Ritual

The chanting throughout the performance plays a key role in building suspense and engaging the audience. It should be slow, deliberate, and filled with a sense of ancient power.


Part 1: The Summoning Chant

The magician begins tracing symbols over the box, speaking softly:


Magician (softly):"By the forgotten, by the forsaken, by the cursed ones who dwell in the shadows, I call thee, I invoke thee, I awaken thee."


Part 2: The Curse Manifestation

As the box begins to move, the chant becomes more urgent:


Magician: "It stirs... it stirs...By the breath of the cursed and the will of the damned, The forgotten ones rise, the forgotten ones call."


Part 3: The Binding Chant

As the magician binds the box, they speak with authority:


Magician: "By the blade that severs all ties, By the blood of earth, by fire’s light, bind thee once more to thy tomb of darkness, Return to the shadows, forgotten once more!"


Final Thoughts

"The Curse of the Forgotten Ones" is an homage to the eerie, narrative-driven style of Charles W. Cameron, combining atmosphere, ritual, and psychological tension to create a lasting impression. Through the use of curses, ritualistic chanting, and the optional Haunted Box Effect, this performance blurs the line between illusion and the supernatural, leaving the audience to wonder if they have witnessed something truly otherworldly.


Unless you are using the 'Haunted Box Effect' you will obviously notice there is NO 'Magic' (in the traditional sense) involved. I deliberately created it that way, as this is an exercise in performance and storytelling, giving you the ability to build the atmosphere that will, from that moment, permeate throughout the rest of your act. This is Bizarre Magick stripped back to where it started. Electronic gadgets and knuckle busting sleights, I guess, have their place in the Bizarre performance field (not for me per se), but why not try this effect, learn that ritual, and learn to deliver it well (using your own style), and nestle yourself back into the genesis from where we are now? Once you have this down, with no sleights, you can really invest in your own performance and storytelling skills!



 


ENDNOTE: I would love to see any performance videos (in practice or in front of an audience). Please feel free to contact me, and I will create a 'performers performance' page to upload your video and highlight your ongoing journey.

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