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Flying Magus Loyal user 286 Posts |
I'm looking at doing 5 mins at a local open mike night. I'll be doing a short bit of straight stand-up followed by a Cards to Envelope routine. The routine is funny (unless you're not fluent in English) and finishes on a strong, yet not funny, magically note.
The question is, should I try and put a gag, line etc at the end or finish on the magic?
Magically yours,
Michel Fouché Believe in the Impossible |
Magic Enhancer Inner circle Robert Haas 1805 Posts |
Michael,
I work primarily in comedy clubs and have a good feel for what would work / not work in this market. I'd like to help you, but would need to know some more about the ending of your routine. WHatdo you say that is "unfunny?" How does the routine go? Do you vanish cards and they appear in an envelope? There are some real funny guys here on the Café, and I'm sure we can all help you. Just give us a little more insight and knowledge about your routine and what it entails. Robert Haas
Robert Haas
Magic Enhancer Quality magic products for the working professional. www.MagicEnhancer.com |
magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Robery is VERY funny. I mean just look at the lad. You can not look without laughing.
Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
Magic Enhancer Inner circle Robert Haas 1805 Posts |
Robbery is not funny. Many innocent people get shot and mugged and their posessions stolen form them....
:) Robert Haas
Robert Haas
Magic Enhancer Quality magic products for the working professional. www.MagicEnhancer.com |
NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
C'mon guys, why must you keep hijacking threads for your in joke! Just help the magnus out!
For a comedy club ALWAYS finish funny. I always finish with a short gag or story that leads straight into laughter and applause. I step on the final laugh with a 'thank you very much good night' so that the energy from the laugh transfers to the applause. Some possible concepts are 1) a funny outro in the vein of "if you've enjoy the show my name is magnus..." 2) a piece of advice "let me leave with this bit of advice. The man with no windscreen wipers, rarely gets a parking ticket." 3) a rhetorical question. "let me leave you with this final thought...if a tree falls on a mime, does it make a sound?" 4) a short story style 5) a call back to a previous very funny gag Obviously, these are just examples and are not original or that funny but they give you the idea. |
NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
Sorry "magus" not "magnus"
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Magus,
Try and tell us more about your own style of comedy and your own character. That will help us get a better sense of what might work better for you. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
Flying Magus Loyal user 286 Posts |
Character: I'm a positive kind of guy. Negative humor doesn't suit me. I've been described as quirky.
The routine: Invisible deck type of routine. 10 jumbo cards are counted into my hand by an onstage who then seals them in an envelope. I then mime taking another deck and toss it into the audience. Three members of the audience toss imaginary cards from this deck towards the audience member on stage who catches them in the envelope. The envelope is then opened and 13 cards are counted out into my hand. Hope this helps.
Magically yours,
Michel Fouché Believe in the Impossible |
Sealegs Inner circle The UK, Portsmouth 2596 Posts |
Flying M,
What works with what you describe might depend to some extent on the venue. You're going to have a Specky on stage with you at the deneumont of the effect. If the venue is a room in a pub with the specky's seat just a few steps away then you could finish with some funny remark just before the last 3 cards (or last card) is/are counted. You'll then be ending (hopefully)with a laugh from the comment at the end of your act. The appluse for the effect will turn into your 'getting off stage applause', and the fact that the specky can be off the stage and in their seat in a second will mean that you're not left with having to guide them off stage. This would diminishing the focus of the end of your act. Alternatively; If you finish the effect.... get your applause... send the specky back to their seat ...and then do a parting one liner.... it's not going to have the same structure. It could, of course, still work as a way to close your act. It's a more humble, 'I hope you enjoyed my act', kind of ending. As such this is only going to be a strong ending if the audience have REALLY been into your whole act in a big way. Alternatively again; you could get rid of the Specky before you finish the effect, then you don't have the problem of them being there as you end your act. Do the final counting of the cards yourself, maybe adding a line before the 11th, 12th and 13th card as you count. "....11's amazing, 12's impossible and 13 allows me to start my own religion." (Weak examples in themselves but I'm more trying to illustrate the structure.) Or maybe after the 10th card, "... and if there are 3 more cards here it'll be a feat so impressive someone here's gonna be clamering to pleasure my body in all sorts of unmentionable sexual ways....and (scanning the audience) I know exactly who that person is..... ME!... 11, 12, 13." (During the applause for the effect you squirt some KY on your hand and make your exit.) Obviously none of this may suit your style but hopefully it'll give you an idea of some different possible structuring that might be effective. Cheers Neal.
Neal Austin
"The golden rule is that there are no golden rules." G.B. Shaw |
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