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Lothar
Loyal user
240 Posts
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Posted: Jun 19, 2008 11:26pm
Here is a great use of a male assistant in the slicer. Great set-up. Great performance.
http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=38UIf7fxwp8
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Angel Freire
New user
Long Island, NY
72 Posts
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Posted: Jul 1, 2008 8:04pm
Lothar , no matter what other magicians think ,if your audience enjoys the show and it works for you then use male assistants. Some magicians don't use assistants at all.In the end your audience is coming to see you not the assistants. If it fits your show and your style use it.
Angel
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Nell
Loyal user
Germany
265 Posts
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Posted: Jul 5, 2008 11:51am
Live magic at the end of the day is about theatre. If you play your cards right, are well prepared, and have an entertaining show, you'll be successful no matter what sex is helping out. As already stated by many, this is for your audience, not your fellow magicians.
So, if you have a unique idea, by all means, work with it! It will always fare better than the same old clap-trap we see day in and day out...
"A trick may be very good...but...the illusionist must be better than the trick." -René Lavand
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boynextdoor
Regular user
Lancaster
129 Posts
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Posted: Oct 18, 2008 2:23am
So, I remember asking about being a male assistant years ago. I still want to be a male assistant (At least for a while), and while trying to find stuff out I joined a yahoo group for male assistants. Wow... SOOOOOOO not what I was looking for, if you catch my drift.
Trapeze above the Grand Canyon. Be impressed.
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justmatt
New user
25 Posts
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Posted: Oct 18, 2008 12:47pm
I'm VERY confused by your posting Alex! that's MY yahoo group you are talking about and you seemed to enjoy it VERY much (if you catch MY drift!)
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boynextdoor
Regular user
Lancaster
129 Posts
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Posted: Oct 18, 2008 5:44pm
I thought it was gonna be more like a bunch of help wanted ads. You know?
I mean, I know I'm not bursting with professional experience as a helper, but I was expecting it to be mostly magicians and assistants talking about business stuff. Even if it's less assistant and more good natured box mover who has to clean up messes and make excuses and be the one to say thank you when the magician's in a hurry, I just wanna do something.
Trapeze above the Grand Canyon. Be impressed.
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Mary Jane
New user
41 Posts
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Posted: Oct 23, 2008 7:31am
In terms of the idea of female magicians using male volunteers/assistants, I've recently watched Oz magicians Tim Ellis and Sue-Anne Webster and there are clips of her cutting a bloke in half (might be Tim I can't tell). I think they are partners I don't know them so well but its pretty cool seeing the reversal of gender roles. She looks pretty good with a chainsaw.
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satcom
New user
78 Posts
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Posted: Oct 23, 2008 8:29am
Make sure you make him wear something nice  . I almost feel sad for him already.
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Tim Ellis
V.I.P.
Melbourne, Australia
1194 Posts
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Posted: Oct 23, 2008 6:13pm
Yep, it's me she's slicing through!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=SNz3d1TFSws
And she LOVES doing that trick! (You should ask her about the time the chain came off the saw while she was cutting through me during a show! Or the time she used a client's chainsaw and sliced through the metal table causing red hot sparks to burn through my clothes! She LOVES doing that trick!)
On a side note, I was an assistant to Terry Dansic back in 1981 in 'Star Magic Show'. I played his "apprentice" and was Zig Zagged among many other things.
Also, I had Michael Boyd play my assistant in a show called 'Pure Magic', and he played a role that was sort of like my butler rather than my assistant.
I think it's very important that your assistant, whether male of female, has a character or at least some kind of identity that takes them beyond the standard two dimensional helper.
www.MagicUnlimited.com
www.timellismagic.com
Visit our online shop for instant downloads and ebooks
http://www.australianmagician.com/store
Blog - www.magicunlimited.typepad.com
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justmatt
New user
25 Posts
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Posted: Oct 24, 2008 11:38pm
Any video of the zigzag performance available, Tim? Would love to see it!! 
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Tim Ellis
V.I.P.
Melbourne, Australia
1194 Posts
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Posted: Oct 25, 2008 5:27pm
LOL! Yes, some video exists... but it hasn't been transferred onto the net yet... hopefully it won't be either!!! LOL
www.MagicUnlimited.com
www.timellismagic.com
Visit our online shop for instant downloads and ebooks
http://www.australianmagician.com/store
Blog - www.magicunlimited.typepad.com
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escapologist2001
Regular user
Connah's Quay, Wales, UK
126 Posts
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Posted: Jul 14, 2010 2:02pm
I've just come across this thread - should have spotted it years ago.
I use male assistants for the sawing in half routine. Do people think I'm gay? They may well do. If they do, they're right. I am.
Most of the acts I do are at gay venues - private parties cabarets etc, and it's quite nice to get a nice guy from the audience and perform the jig-saw illusion on him.
There's already been mention of the sexual aspect of magic - usually a handsome male magician and a beautiful female assistant. Why shouldn't there be a gay equivalent? Or lesbian equivalent come to that ????
Lothar, did you ever get your guy zig-zagged?
Robin
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KerryJK
Special user
Northampton UK
621 Posts
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Posted: May 1, 2011 12:40pm
A plot I've worked on using my Harbin sawing involves sawing a guy based on a misprint. I get two volunteers up, one girl, one guy, making a big build-up to them assisting with the classic illusion of Sawing A Lady In Half. The equipment is unveiled, along with a flamboyant painted sign announcing "Sawing a laddy in half".
Cue much embarrassment, hand wringing and lines about the guy who painted the sign ("I spelt it out to him.."), before taking it as a cue to have the girl help saw the guy in half instead of the more traditional way round.
I haven't performed this enough yet to comment on how it is received, but it also has the benefit of being easily adapted on the fly, should the prevailing wind make sawing the better option on a particular occasion.
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Lothar
Loyal user
240 Posts
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Posted: May 20, 2012 8:38pm
I recorded a performance of my zig zag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX1Be34UWhk
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Lothar
Loyal user
240 Posts
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Posted: Jun 13, 2012 10:39pm
I gotta get back on my soapbox-
I just saw the latest episode of Australia's Got Talent- after searching for 3 hours. (The important thing is that I found it.) I only watched it for "Merlin award winner" Cosentino. He uses his brothers in his illusions, which makes him one of my favorites. Anyway- the bumper ad AGT runs right before Cos' segment shows him saying "This is a dangerous stunt I have never done here before." He ends up performing the broom levitation , with his red head female assistant. This is a guy known (by me) for creativity, great escapes, and complete originality. I really hope he keeps illusions in his act. He has an upcoming TV special that will be mostly street magic and dancing with his red head.
I guess it's up to me to carry the torch. My thin model sawing is my newest illusion. it's big enough for 5'8"- 6'0" and made of solid steel. I'm thinking the background song may be "Iron Lung" by the band Big Pig, lol.
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escapologist2001
Regular user
Connah's Quay, Wales, UK
126 Posts
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Posted: Jun 15, 2012 11:55am
Unfortunately your youtube link is blocked in the UK :-(
Robin
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Lothar
Loyal user
240 Posts
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Posted: Jun 15, 2012 11:58am
Try this one: (I might need to "Friend" in order for you to see it.)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150839199496501
Sorry for the rant. I should lay off the O'Douls.
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escapologist2001
Regular user
Connah's Quay, Wales, UK
126 Posts
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Posted: Jun 17, 2012 4:58pm
No, can't see that page either :-(
But feel free to add me as a friend - Robin Fox
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