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magicbymccauley Special user 830 Posts |
I have to do FIVE HOURS of walk around magic tomorrow. For a small crowd of only 50. The client wanted a 10 minute magic show, a 10 minute juggling show, and the rest of the five hours to be walk around. This means walking around to the same patrons over and over. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
I'm going to do some contact juggling and walk around, and maybe walk around with a puppet (rocky) for a bit. I might also do walk around with full stage sized linking rings for a fun up close effect, and do a close up handcuff escape too. What do you guys think? Please help. It's from noon to five tomorrow and I'm really trying to think what will get me thru this.
"Tricks are about objects, Magic is about life."
-Max Maven |
Steve_Mollett Inner circle Eh, so I've made 3006 Posts |
I think you should have passed on the gig.
Author of: GARROTE ESCAPES
The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth. - Albert Camus |
Cliffg37 Inner circle Long Beach, CA 2491 Posts |
First of all I hope you are being paid very well for such a long gig. Also insist on breaks. 5 hours is along time to stand and walk.
1) you might want to consider thumbcuffs rather than handcuffs. Smaller, fit in the pocket and much better for in and out, and can be done nearly surrounded, given that your body blocks one important view. 2) Linking rings is good I guess, at least for a lay audience. Where will you keep them? Clipped to your belt? I would think they would be in the way, but given how much time you have to fill, a good long routine with the rings can be useful. Just don't do it too often as many people will watch each time you do. 3) Do you have some specific table magic that resets itself automatically? I am thinking that would be good for walk around. 4) How often will the audience change? I have sat behind a table doing card tricks for about 2 hours, but the audience was a walking by audience and so constantly changing. If you are in a room with the same people for five hours, you will need a huge repertoire, and people will get tired of you soon enough. 5)Assuming the audience is changing, you need one big thing that you only do once an hour. For me the straitjacket worked very well. It took time, lent itself to patter and it fascinated everyone there. It is also good for bringing the crowd to you. Hope this helped.
Magic is like Science,
Both are fun if you do it right! |
magicofCurtis Inner circle Los Angeles 2545 Posts |
I was once in a similar situation through an agent. 3 hours and 80 guests.
What was nice they had their little talk- award program which soaked up a few minutes. Plus, I made a few buddies, who wanted to see lots of stuff. We chit-chatted between tricks. Got them laughing. The client was very PLEASED. They saw their guests having a good time. Also, I do this one trick that makes the volunteer the magician. This is where, I hold up a card and they can tell me if it is black or red. They know the answer every time. They are in on it and and loving every moment as their friends and co-works are wondering. This eats up lots of time when you are running through an entire deck of cards.... Maybe, have a few people try to juggle - this could eat up lots of time, as well as it will bring smiles and laughs.... Best of luck...
Curtis Lovell II
http://www.CurtisLovell.com http://www.MagicofCurtis.com www.facebook.com/curtislovellii Los Angeles, California - U.S.A. |
Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
Curtis is right on this. You're not just being hired to do stuff. You're being a personality, too.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
dave_matkin Inner circle 4522 Posts |
Magicofcurtis that sounds a little like 'card trick for the blind' as in Street Magic by Pop Haydn. it's a similar plot if not, I love it have used it many a time and can be borrowed deck etc. it's great.
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magicofCurtis Inner circle Los Angeles 2545 Posts |
It is a great card trick. So much add live play on it. I love it when they start trying to guess how its done. I have been able to communicate with the volunteer as I perform the trick - so no prior chit chat. Also, with a good volunteer, I can walk away from them and still do this. Instead I simulate something else....
Curtis Lovell II
http://www.CurtisLovell.com http://www.MagicofCurtis.com www.facebook.com/curtislovellii Los Angeles, California - U.S.A. |
Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
Communicating with volunteers may be the most difficult thing we do...especially when we want them to do something specific, without letting them know.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
dave_matkin Inner circle 4522 Posts |
Curtisis your method based on Pop Haydans?
I have had someone say " you kep ki****g me" ...... Still was able to keep going and slayed with it. It's such a great trick. AND a great story of how Whit Haydn cam up with it for the blind lady. |
Ian McColl Inner circle 1493 Posts |
What any of this got to do with escapes?????????? Put it in the magic section.
handcuff keys https://www.facebook.com/groups/274871910110997/
old business https://www.facebook.com/Stockade-locksmiths-276492435716704/ |
magicofCurtis Inner circle Los Angeles 2545 Posts |
Dave_matkin
PVT you
Curtis Lovell II
http://www.CurtisLovell.com http://www.MagicofCurtis.com www.facebook.com/curtislovellii Los Angeles, California - U.S.A. |
magicbymccauley Special user 830 Posts |
Ian, this is in the escapes section because I am working mostly on escapes right now.
So, to make a short story long: I have been working on escapes so much lately that some of my regular stuff has been a bit rusty. Also they wanted a juggling show, and so that was rusty too. Basically I've been focusing on escapes and illusions exclusively for about six months. This was a gig at the National Zoo, which in case you don't know, is a hellish place to do magic. It's all outside, no shade, for 5 hours, remote bathrooms and I was required to do two fifteen minute shows (one juggling, one escape/magic) and do walk around for the rest of the time. I got there 45 minutes early, and it took 30 minutes just to get through the series of parking lots at the zoo. When I got to my designated parking lot, it was full. Crap. I had to drive until I found parking. Called the guy and told him I would be there in ten minutes (would be ten minutes late). At that point I had to run A MILE down a hill with a rolling suitcase with a soundsystem and a backpack ABSOLUTELY STUFFED with juggling supplies. I got there at 12:03. Only three minutes late. Then I had to trek up "Tiger hill" (where they keep the tigers) and find the event. When I got there I realized they had a DJ (could have told me that so I didn't bring a soundsystem.) I Got a text from my agent "What the hell! Are you there yet?" For the magic show I did my one coin routine to a Jumbo Coin, a Rope routine that turned into an escape routine set to music (Fiona Apple: Paper Bag), jumbo sponge balls, and the Linking rings. For the juggling show, I did ball juggling, and club juggling while explaining the mathematical principles of juggling. Then I did a stunt where I juggle half dollars in the same pattern I did with the balls. Then I went onto Cigar Box and Ball and Box Juggling set to the song "The Distance" by Cake. I ended with the Mail Bag Escape, which with my wireless mic I was talking to the audience while inside the bag, which was really funny to "O Fortuna". Dave had a great idea for me which was "Don't panic, break it into chunks". Which is exactly what I did and worked well. Pick up a few props and go around to everyone you can switch props and repeat. Also Dave reminded me that you don't have to do tons and tons of magic. You're there to entertain them in any way you can. I also tried to make the escapes I used progressively tougher and this was the first time I integrated escapes into my act. Walk around Sets were as follows: 1. Card tricks: Ambitious, Transposition, Triumph, Kellar rope tie. 2. Walk around Mentalism with a small whiteboard: Equivoque, Small book test, Forced card, pseudo-hypnosis stunts. 3. Coin tricks: Coins across, Copper Silver, In and out thumbcuffs. 4. Table cups and balls (Vernon routine), Examinable handcuffs: escape with hands inside a bag. 5. Sponge Balls, Cut and restored Rope 6. Walk around Contact Juggling 7. Walk around with Rocky the Raccoon puppet, making jokes and mayhem. 8. Repeat Set 1 9. Repeat Set 2. Mercifully it was actually COOL today and they had tents up so I didn't have to stay outside in the sun. Yes, I was paid well, and they were very VERY happy with my performance. They already booked me for the same event next year. (Next year, PARK EARLY). I have so much thanks to all of you both for helping me with escapes and all your help on material to do for this. I cannot thank you enough. I felt like I did every single show biz skill I ever learned today. It was exhausting and exhillirating. The vibe I got from most people was actually "Holy Ship! This guy is actually a good magician". They just didn't expect that. Compared to the moon bounces and dj, I was really the center of attention, and a lot of people there hadn't ever really seen a good magician before, I don't think. In DC people are very jaded, and it was nice to see them shocked out of that, if just for a moment. Again, thanks all, it was a helluva day.
"Tricks are about objects, Magic is about life."
-Max Maven |
Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
5 hours of magic!!!! Madness. Lesson, don't take on what you cant do. I couldn't do that,,,no way and any booker that expected it wouldnt be any good to me.
Ken. |
thatmatt New user 51 Posts |
Congratulations on your performance, magicbymccauley! I have never had any performance longer than 2 hours. I'm not sure I would be able to do five hours, but then again it would indeed be easier to break it up into chunks. That was a great idea you came up with, and it would probably get me through such a long performance with little to no screw-ups.
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magicbymccauley Special user 830 Posts |
Thanks thatmatt! It was far easier than I expected. Included in that was a lit of set up time two fifteen minute breaks and time to change out props. It was daunting at first because so few people were there. But after a while I spent time just talking to people before and after the magic and concentrating on being entertaining and fun rather than churning out trick after trick.
And koundini they already booked me for next year. I convinced them to let.me have a table next.year and set up a juggling station where kids can be taught and learn juggling at the event. The worst thing was actually parking in a busy city and hauling my props for miles and finding the site inside a zoo.
"Tricks are about objects, Magic is about life."
-Max Maven |
Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
Convenient parking is a clause in either the contract or the rider.
See? You were a personality, who also happened to do stuff! May the check clear!
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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