 This method has been a staple of mentalist acts throughout the 20th century.One of the best known variations of this trick was repeatedly performed by The Piddingtons, whose version included elaborate stagecraft that placed Lesley Piddington, the "reader", in a variety of bizarre locations, from London Tower to a diving bell.James Randi uses the trick as a staple of his impromptu shows, selecting among a wide variety of methods at whim.