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Bill Scarlett Veteran user Vermont 366 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-02-01 15:30, Potty the Pirate wrote: I am going to be teaching a magic class in the spring and one of the things I am teaching is the Hexaflexagon by Martin Gardner. It can be found in his encyclopedia of impromptu magic. It is a great optical illusion for the kids and something tangible that they can show their families. It's fun to do and not too hard to make. I got my first one when I was a kid, inside the album of Doug Hennings "Magic Show" on broadway. |
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Habu Veteran user Texas / Alabama 393 Posts |
I want to put on a ballet without any dancers...oh; I guess that's just a concert.
It seems to me that semantics are all that is in discussion here. If a show has no magic in it, it is not a magic show. Not being a magic show does not lesson the entertainment value of a show or of the showman. But it is not a magic show and should probably be billed as a children's entertainment program by some other title. I would not want to have to justify why I called my show magic when it had no magic in it, in the perception of the people paying for the show. It's an interesting debate however.
www.magicbyhabu.com
Real name: Rick Jackson Habu: Taken from SR-71 spy plane I worked on. It's name came from a poisonous snake on Okinawa. Hope my magic isn't poisonous! |
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TrickyRicky Inner circle TrickyRicky 1653 Posts |
Most of the time a good routine will be 90% entertainment and 10% magic, but there must still be an element of magic to promote your show as a "magic" show.
Well said Harv. I believe the mistake that some magician makes--is to try to fool the children that they forget to entertain them. Use the props to entertain the children. Do the tricks that the children like, and not because you like doing it. Richard |
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Bill Scarlett Veteran user Vermont 366 Posts |
Well said Richard. I like that ratio; 90/10. I think that some childrens magicians get it wrong and do more of a 10/90 ratio. They cram as many tricks in as possible and the entertainment value is low. Others are under the mistaken belief that props are inherently funny and that funny props create laughter, when I feel that the performer creates the laughter.
As Canada's most popular childrens entertainer, I sure wish you would put out a book with your wisdom, Mr. Lyn! |
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Julian Franklin Regular user Houston, TX 139 Posts |
Tommy Johns, out of Atlanta, Georgia has a school assembly program called "Work Smarter" that is a physics based program geared around the 6 simple machines (lever, wedge, incline plane, wheel, pulley, and screw). Throughout the entire show he does amazing things like lifting a 50 pound bucket of rocks with a 5 pound weight and having a small child effortlessly bend a quarter using the power of leverage.
Is there "magic"? Only in the sense that impossible things are made easy through the power of very simple machines. Are the kids amazed and entertained (while also learning quite a bit about science)? No doubt! Could it be billed as a "magic show with no magic"? Actually, that's kind of how I sell it now that I bought the performance rights from Tommy. It's an amazing show and even more amazing because there are no thumb tips or mirror boxes, nor is there a need for them because the show demonstrates something that is magical in and of itself and there are no need for "tricks" in the way magicians often covet them. --Julian Franklin |
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Smarty Pants Loyal user 261 Posts |
-Could it be billed as a "magic show with no magic"? Actually, that's kind of how I sell it now that I bought the performance rights from Tommy.-
I am delighted that my original post has caused such a lively discussion. I am also delighted that someone as distinguished as Julian Franklin appears to agree with me! Thanks, Julian. For me, life is one giant magic trick, just as I am sure it is for many of the little folk all over the planet.....especially on Christmas morning! |
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NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
The idea of a show without magic, to my mind, would be to test the strength and weaknesses of the performer.
For example, we often 'challenge' each other to entertain with less props. (" I can tansfix 7000 children with three paperclips and a rubberband. Or we take voice projection classes to be able to perform with a PA (even if you use one) Or we perform naked to ensure our flashy costume isn't showing us up. (maybe not) So whilst few magicians would perform a show without magic, such a show makes us look closer at character, pace, comedy and plot without thinking in terms of 'tricks' |
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Tony James Inner circle Cheshire UK 1398 Posts |
Looking at this from a slightly different angle, one of the things I would always hesitate to do for children is 'magic' magic.
Magic is a challenge to any bright thinking child. Away from the 3 and 4 year olds - for whom water coming out of a tap is magic - I would keep well away from doing 'magic' magic. Something I can never understand is the person who does clever stuff and wonders why the children are more concerned with finding out how it's done. Stick to routines where the magic is incidental and creeps up on them, taking them (and you too?) by surprise and the 'how' becomes unimportant. And the other bit I find invaluable is having the skullduggery well out of the way, long before the 'magic' is revealed. A much better impact - if you have to have impact. I prefer an entertained audience. They don't bother so much about the 'how'.
Tony James
Still A Child At Heart |
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Smarty Pants Loyal user 261 Posts |
I will concede, one magic trick in a magic show is probably necessary if you are selling it as a magic show. Here is my suggestion. One magic tick, and 26 bits of business or non magic tricks. Total=27, the magic number as discussed in other threads!
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NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
Silly Bill has an interesting essay in his book on the idea of children seeing everything as 'magic'. If you introduce a magical lolly making machine they won't be as amazed but the appearance of lollies from it then if it came from a lunch box or something else they knew the limitations of.
In my routines, I always beging by getting the children to discover the limitations or preconditions of the props. They tell ME that the box is empty. Once they have set the groundrules themselves, cemeting in their heads the idea, I break the rule and create the magic! That is why sucker tricks works so well for children's routines. They convince YOU that the die is behind the other door or that the rabbits are black on one side and white on the other. |
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-02-03 06:34, Harv wrote: You took the words right out of my mouth. Magic is an art of entertainmnt that mystifies an audience. To make sure all of us are looking at magic the same way, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_%28illusion%29 If it is not a magic show, it is a different art. It would be "magic" to perform a magic show without any magic. A real magician would know that. |
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