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BScott8870 Loyal user Texas 230 Posts |
Just got my Bill Abbott DVD in to see how the Chico the Monkey routine works.
My initial impression. It wasn't that funny. Cute perhaps, but I just don't think it even compares in quality to Axtell Drawing Board, Bigger Wands, Blow Yur Stack, Square Circle even a Magic Coloring Book or Silver Sceptre. I also watched Bill Abbott and wasn't that impressed. I am of the Silly Billy form of magic with slapstick humor. I am glad I didn't spend the $550 yet on this effect. Their are a lot better routine you can buy for $550 IMHO. Looking for others thoughts. Thanks, |
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jiayi Veteran user Canada 313 Posts |
I have seen Bill performed this live. It is a really good routine that plays both kids and adults. Everybody loved it there! It was funny, I love it! I think you are probably judging from a magician's perspective. and you really don't have to do the exact same routine. get a monkey and a little thinking, you will have a solid routine as good as Chico.
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RJE Inner circle 1848 Posts |
This gets to the root of being a pro.
Bill is a great guy and very creative. He offers his props and routines for sale and a lot of people buy them. They get their money's worth. The fact that you don't find his style that interesting only reflects that you have a different approach to entertaining. However, no one should ever think of buying any routine and then having it fit them and perform it as packaged. Anyone that does that is not really taking the time to define their own character and will never be able to put together anything other than a cookie cutter act. It doesn't matter whether the material came from Bill Abbott or Silly Billy. Clones can only go so far. |
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Mumblemore Inner circle 1429 Posts |
Hi Bart,
While I think it is a pretty good routine, I agree that it is not $550 good. It's a good routine with a puppet and Abbott does it really well. But frankly he has better tricks on that very DVD. It's basically a combination of the puppet finds card and puppet wants to make your volunteer into girlfriend routines. |
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Futureal Inner circle 1695 Posts |
Yup, Square Circle is pretty hilarious.
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Red Shadow Inner circle 1788 Posts |
I didn't care for Bill's Chico routine. It was poor by any puppet show standard.
But, you have to remember that its the ONLY American DVD on children's entertainment that involves a puppet. There is no other DVD out there featuring a puppet routine from a USA Magician. So for that reason, they have nothing to compare it to in regards to quality. If you want to see a decent magician handle a puppet, check out Magic Dave's DVD or mine. As an entertainer he wear a business suit (which is not going to work if you want to do this job professionally for many years), and does only 3 routines lasting approximately 20 minutes (too short for most clients - they want a 45 minute - 60 minute show length). Both of these points have been argued on other threads, but from a working magicians perspective, Bill is not what the client want to see in a children's entertainer. This has been proven by the fact that he looks to no-longer offer children's party shows what-so-ever, as his website is purely for his close-up work. It proves his children's show was not wanted by real world clients. Anyway, I'm about to get insulted by the magic police as usually, but I share your views on Bills performing style and his puppet routine. Steve |
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Markymark Inner circle 1686 Posts |
It may just prove that Bill would prefer to do adult stand up and close up?
None of his stuff is for babies! Three and 4 year olds are not going to get the concept of a letter being selected and found by a puppet but this is why his puppet routine is so great for older children. [and adults!] I found the 3 routines worth more to me then a half hour 'Who's a silly sausage' type show!
''In memory of a once fluid man,crammed and distorted by the classical mess'' -Bruce Lee
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Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
Wow! I find Bill's style and presentation absolutely fantastic! He is my FAVOURITE kids' entertainer. I love his expressions, timing, and understated sense of humour. I have Chico, and use the routine a LOT. It gets LOADS of laughs, and is highly engaging, incredibly strong. For sure, it's "horses for courses" - I rate Chico way, way above Magic Dave's cow routine, but of course, there are those who won't "get" his style, I guess.
Potty |
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magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts |
Full instructions on how to assemble the routine were on the DVD so noones being forced to part with $550. I suppose they'll be picked up by the collectors, the lazy and the manually inept.
I loved the routine and Mr Abbott's performance. Someone who can entertain children while not only wearing a suit but also not acting like a crazed loon? Whatever next? His performance reminded me a bit of the silent clowns. Buster Keaton never cracked a smile which provided a good contrast to the chaos that surrounded him and in the same way it's funny to see a serene but slightly disgruntled Canadian be hassled by a monkey. Quote:
On 2009-11-18 04:53, ku7uk3 wrote: Tell that to Terry Herbert... Quote:
, and does only 3 routines lasting approximately 20 minutes (too short for most clients - they want a 45 minute - 60 minute show length). Assumption 1: His working show must be the same length as his instructional DVD Quote:
This has been proven by the fact that he looks to no-longer offer children's party shows what-so-ever, as his website is purely for his close-up work. It proves his children's show was not wanted by real world clients. Assumption 2: and therefore that means he's bad a children's magic as opposed to very good at close-up? However his style may not fit yours. I am more of a high-energy performer (not because I think it's the best way to act just it's the best way for me to act) so I have my own monkey routine more suitable to my style (and original (mostly) to me). If your looking for a monkey glove puppet routine for younger audiences rather than family audiences then you could try magic for under 5s by Terry Herbert there's a cute one there. George |
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RJE Inner circle 1848 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-18 04:53, ku7uk3 wrote: Bill is Canadian and that is a Canadian DVD that was shot in Canada. And again, debating whether Bill's routine is funny or not is like debating whether the colour red is beautiful. It is all in the eyes of the beholder. |
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Red Shadow Inner circle 1788 Posts |
Terry Herbert use to dress as a Wizard, in fact he even had a DVD out with him performing a workshop in it.
On the length of his show, I can only assume from what he shows me. And from what I've seen, he only does 20 minute shows. As a simple hand-puppet finding a card - its cute, just not funny. It can work in a short show, but if you have 2 hours to fill, then this routine after 20 minutes would lose your audience (in my opinion). Sorry, he is Canadian. That was my mistake. But his DVD is still one of the very rare ones to include a puppet routine. I will also say that this works in his favour - he was one of the first to get a DVD out there. Myself and other magicians have only developed our routines probably after seeing his. As a pioneer of the magician with a puppet, he will always be admired. I just think the routine itself is outdated with modern audiences. I also hate DVDs that feature just one or a few tricks. There use to be a time when magic DVDs were crammed with tricks and you could choose your favorite. His dvd was too short. Steve |
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billappleton Inner circle Los Gatos, California 1154 Posts |
I really wish there were more routines for puppets and magic. I like the magic and the puppets give a show a whole new dimension for kids. there is a great example on axtell's site of a magic routine with dusty. more, please!
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keeblem Inner circle Essex, UK 1167 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-18 05:52, Potty the Pirate wrote: I too love Bill's style. Obviously I'm looking at it from an adult magician's perspective, but if you watch his "Close-up for kids" DVD (one of my favourite magic DVDs) you can see that the children obviously like his very engaging style. I guess this is another "horses for courses" type of thing. Some people when booking a children's entertainer want a wacky, loud, shouting type of guy (and there's plenty of those) and some people want more of a classy type of entertainment. And of course there is room for both. Mark |
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harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
Though I don't use Chico, I do find puppets and their bits of business, very useful. Ventriloquism adds a lot to my routines, but I find a lot of value with silent(mime based) puppetry.
Puppets (and performers) can elicit a lot more than just comedy. Harris deutsch laughologist and nearly normal puppeteer http://magician.org/member/doctoroflaughology
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
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Kevinr Inner circle 1854 Posts |
My daughter is 12 my son Brian is 9 My other daughter is 4.
I own blow yur stack, waky wakoon, (most wolf props) Bigger Wands.. Many others.. They think Chico is the best! that's not adults like us. Its what the kids say. I think it plays best 8-18 Second they like Bigger Wands.. I also have let them watch the video sof other perform it as well and still they like Chico and Bigger Wands best! Go figure... |
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Neznarf Inner circle NY then AZ now 1840 Posts |
I watched my magican friend do the "Chico" routine in front of an family audience.
He did it pretty much like on the DVD. I was really funny and the audience loved it. The routine got some BIG laughs.
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."
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BScott8870 Loyal user Texas 230 Posts |
I have to agree with Steve.
Magicians in business suits don't need to be performing for young children. I understand that it is all personal taste, but I teach young ones and also have a 4 year old daughter. I have a pretty good pulse on what funny is too a 4 year old. She will watch Silly Billy over and over again, but only routine she found even remotely close to a Silly Billy routine was the old sponge in mouth trick. Glad I only spent $12 for a DVD before jumping in a spending hundreds for a effect that I don't believe is that great. Steve, very interested in seeing what DVD's you have using puppets. I have my own routine with a puppet that has gotten really good reviews from the kiddos. Please PM with where I can get your stuff and a catalog of what you offer. Bart |
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Markymark Inner circle 1686 Posts |
But it's not a puppet routine for 4 year olds! You have to compare like with like.
The Terry Herbet monkey puppet routine on his under 5's dvd is for 4 year olds.
''In memory of a once fluid man,crammed and distorted by the classical mess'' -Bruce Lee
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deadcatbounce Special user the Wilds of Ireland 863 Posts |
I bought the Bill Abbot Deluxe DVDs about a year ago, when I was starting out in the kid show business. AT the time, I didn't find the Chico segment to be as amusing as everyone else (on here) seemed to. But I liked the idea of having a puppet in the show.
So I bought the dog from Practical Magic at Blackpool. Wrote a script for it, and never got round to using it ... I use a lot of the other stuff on the Bill Abbot DVD - and I recently started using his 5 card opener, which is an ABSOLUTE winner, incidentally. I looked at the Chico routine again, a few weeks ago, and, with more experience under my belt, could see how it could be a GREAT routine. It doesn't play so good on the DVD, because the kids are pretty well behaved. Too well behaved, really. I've been using Tipper the Monkey for the past few months, and that never fails to get the kids going - and that's what made me take a second look at the Chico routine. As for the price tag - well. What can I say. I've gathered all the props myself, and all I'll say is that it cost me a lot less. That's not to say its' over-priced - only the performer can put a price on a 10 minute routine. Look at it like this - if you work for $2 a minute, and you do 100 shows in a year - you'll earn $2,000 from Chico. Adjust the numbers to suit yourself. Now, deduct the cost of the props, and you've got your profit. Every year after that, is pure profit. As for performing in a suit for young kids? It works for Bill. Canadians have a reputation for, shall we say.. being a little conservative. As someone else mentioned - Terry Herbert wore a suit - but - things move on - and most people don't wear suits to their work anymore. Unless they're into jobs that still require suits. I know I haven't worn a suit for as long as I can remember - but I've been self employed for over 35 years, in some form or another. I think I can make Chico work - I made the mistake of judging the audience reaction on the DVD. I'm looking forward to moulding it to suit myself... Regards, DCB
"With every mistake - we must surely be learning..." George Harrison.
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BIlly James Special user 991 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-18 05:58, magicgeorge wrote: I think you'll find that's the drugs. ;) |
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