An Interview with Derren Brown.

An Interview with Derren Brown.

The Model magazine, Edition 1 March 2006.

Those who have seen him on TV, or in his extraordinary live shows, know that Derren Brown is an astonishing, mesmerising, and utterly baffling talent. His brand of psychological illusion uses elements of magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship. Whether he appears to be reading people's minds, contacting the dead, guessing people's dreams, or telling them their detailed medical history just by looking at them the results seem to defy logic.

Yet what's refreshing about Brown is his open and honest approach to what he does. He cheerfully reveals that he can't read people's minds or commune with the afterlife - his skill is to make it look like he can.

His most recent TV programme Derren Brown: The Heist was the most ambitious and challenging of Derren's specials to date. It's a look at what little it takes to cross into deviant behaviour and a masterclass in persuasion.

Under the guise of a motivational seminar and a follow-up documentary, Derren set out to persuade a group of responsible, middle-management businessmen and women to steal £100.000 in an armed robbery.

Talking to Derren is a weird and wonderful experience. We are not sure whether the questions we asked him are our original questions, or those that Derren subliminally made us ask... His most recent work has really got people talking, and love him or hate him you have to admire the skill and grace in which he performs.

Born in Croydon in 1971, Derren traces his interest in psychological techniques to childhood. "I was a very good liar and a revoltingly charming child", he says. Like a lot of solitary children he developed an interest in magic but it was only later at Bristol University, where he studied Law and German that he started to take it seriously. "I found myself developing an analytical mind-set, able to spot the loopholes in anyone's argument very quickly".

After graduating, Derren abandoned a career in Law and concentrated on developing his skills at psychological magic. He was able to pay the bills by combining performing in cafes and bars with a sideline in portraiture.

So what is the label Derren would put upon his skils? Derren doesn't consider himself a "Mentalist". "I do not restrict myself to mindreading effects when I am performing in the real world. Enough magicians have asked me about the wisdom of combining magic and mindreading in performance. No lay participant in my effects has ever queried this. If I explain my thoughts here, I will be able to express a few points that I find important.

They begin with the old worry about mentalists' disclaimers and the ethics of psychic performances. I have an interest in suggestion and what gets labelled ‘hypnosis'. I work to combine magic and mindreading with ‘hypnosis' to create something new and powerful. Because this is a keen interest of mine, I tend to communicate it in my performances. I find that most intelligent spectators are more interested in the psychological techniques than the sleight-of-hand."

Derren kicked off 2006 with his most ambitious and controversial special to date - DERREN BROWN: THE HEIST, which, once again, baffled and astonished both the press and public alike.

Those who watched the show know exactly what happened but how did he come up with idea in the first place? "As ever, these things come about by thinking what I'd personally like to see on TV. I'm finally having my TV removed and replaced by a tropical fish tank, which I hope will provide more interesting viewing. I've also always had a vague distaste for the cult of selfishness apotheosised through self-help seminars, which form the starting point for the show."

Derren was pleased with the reaction he got from his show and said "The show was very well received. I felt it was the best thing I'd done so far, and the only one of the Specials to be entirely honest and open. The reaction I was most concerned about was that of the guys who actually went through with the robbery. It was very important to me that they were comfortable with their involvement and with the final edit of the show once it was all assembled (in terms of its accuracy and so on). I had them come along to the screening before it was broadcast and they were really happy with it. That did mean a lot to me."

Some quarters found it offensive, a large number of BBNLP / GONLP members have commented on the shows ethics but Derren doesn't seem worried about the controversy that sometimes surrounds his work. He takes it as "a signal that I must be doing something right."

We asked about some of the controversial moments in the live show Derren is bringing back on tour. What reactions did he get to them last time round? "There are a couple of moments in the show which sometimes cause a strong response from sensitive people: last year I would have one or two people leave, faint or be ill most nights. I was surprised when it first occurred; and then I started looking forward to it, and was disappointed if it didn't happen. But I try to tap into different emotional responses throughout the couple of hours or so I'm on stage: some of it's funny, sometimes you don't want to look, and in some parts are very tense and you can hear a pin drop. I think it's a very enjoyable ride. I hope it is."

Derren is touring again this year and a lot of fans are pleased that he is back on the road. He is constantly working on new projects and is "working to a pattern of writing a new show every two years. Because the tour last year sold out pretty quickly, which is very nice, it's worth extending it this year to those cities which didn't get it last year."

The show will be different again this year and Derren explains, "If anyone decides to come back again, I imagine there'll always be things which go a little differently from night to night. I'm planning on tightening up a couple of things I felt may have been a little slow last year and seeing if I can improve anything of course, but it's essentially the same show. Certainly if anyone saw it last year and is coming back, they should realise it's the same show."

With 42 dates on his tour it must be difficult to relax. Derren seems quite fidgety in the interview and likes to constantly be on the go. We asked him what he does to relax in between his shows. "I tend to get bored and fidgety, wanting to get back on the road to do the next one. I love doing it so much more than the TV. The buzz of a real audience, and knowing that you're giving them a good show, make it hugely enjoyable. But I suspect this time I'll be working on a book project."

Derren's new series on Channel 4 promises to be a little different to the previous series. "It follows the format of the previous series, only this time I get to go abroad. The first series was all in London, and then the next was across England, so it made sense to go world-wide for segments of this series. Of course I was very opposed to the idea of being handed any sort of exciting paid-for holiday and it was only with great reluctance that I suggested we go and film in the US, in Venice, Vienna and Monte Carlo. Not sure where to go for the next series. ‘Moon Control', maybe. Also, the feel of the series is a little different: we've shifted things away from the cool 60's look of the previous shows to a darker 50's tone. Has a more Hitchcocky feel, I suppose. I think it looks rather good. And it means I get to occasionally wear my trilby which I'm more than happy with." Derren's new show also includes some fantastic celebrity guests although when asked what he does with them he says, "a very famous pop star gets to bleed quite nastily."

The Heist, to date, is the most challenging programme Derren has done. So what could you do to top it? Are there plans for another special? "There are certainly plans for another special at some point, but it's too soon after the last to decide yet. I tend to hide out for the latter half of each year making the shows and keeping off the screen. I don't think in terms of topping each project; I just try and make things which I find raise interesting questions and will be dramatic to watch."

And his plans for the future... "I'm thinking about making the shows in America for the TV there, and I think I'll be writing a book about it all. I get asked a lot about how I do it, and it would be good to be able to point people towards a fairly comprehensive book that would help. I'm also looking into an exhibition of my portraits". A hobby which has now become more serious: there's a gallery on www.derrenbrown.co.uk. "I imagine I'll be buying a lot more rubbish off E-bay too."

Derren is back on tour by popular demand. Following the huge success of his SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES tour last year Derren takes the show back on the road again. With 42 dates in the UK culminating with two nights at the Hammersmith Apollo, Derren will once again demonstrate why he is one of the country's most revered live performers; a master of magic, mind control and psychological illusion.

On stage as well as on TV, he is in a class of his own, exhilarating audiences with his unique brand of intelligent and theatrical entertainment. His Mind Control and Trick of the Mind TV programmes have garnered rave reviews and award nominations and in 2003 Derren won The Silver Rose in the Variety Category at Rose d'Or, Montreux. His specials have provoked much debate and his latest Derren Brown: The Heist has further consolidated his reputation as a performer prepared to constantly challenge and break boundaries. Also, he returns with another series of his award-winning show, Trick of The Mind later this year.

The BBNLP would like to thank Derren Brown and Greg Day for this interview.