Curtis

I appreciate your thoughts. It emphasizes, amongst other things, what I've just started to think about in the last few weeks, my performance persona. That will take some time work out. Besides just doing some experimenting, I've been thinking that watching other's performances would help to see what "fits". Unfortuantely, most video clips I've found on the web are little more than someone doing the mechanics of the trick. The exceptions to that are clips of Steven Bargatze, Billy Biship, and Whit Haydn(his apparently new character). Three very different personas; three very entertaining to watch performers. I would like to see Kaps perform(I just have one of him smoking his thumb, but no sound). Further suggestions along this line are welcomed.


"Regardless of where you decide to place the "focus of suspicion", the fact remains that the effect will mainly be conveyed through your (and your assistants')Reactions to the magic, rather than by the magic itself."

Good point, I will remember that.

John

In case anyone is interested, Stevens' Magic has Kaps Currency in stock. I got mine from Joe last week.
Ray

John,
I found Steven Bargatze clip, but couldn't locate Billy Bishop or Whit Haydn. Do you have a url for them?

Thanks.

They were posted somewhere, I don't know where now, but I recommend that you look on the Café for a forum that has links to many other performers. I don't remember where that is either. I found the two you were asking for from my browsers "favorites"

http://www.mrhypnotist.org/bmmagictheater.html
http://whithaydn.com/video_clips.htm

John

Kasps 11 bill trick book has been reprinted.

http://www.bishmagic.org

Enjoy!

John,

There's a DVD out there called "Seeing is Believing" featuring the history and extracts from Fred Kaps' Shows.

The 11 bill trick is shown on this DVD, but not explained.

Steve just did his version of the $11.00 trick at Abbott's , he killed em , packs small plays real big

I've known Steve Bargatze for over 12 years and if there is one thing I can guarantee you (having seen him perform live as many or more times than any other magician I've seen) I know of no one who could pull off most of the stuff that Steve does and easily gets away with. It would be like trying to copy or imitate Don Rickles...where he gets laughs, the average person would get beaten.

Rick

I just performed this for the first time 2 days ago for a few "friends".

They took it upon themselves to disrupt the presentation, talked to each other, counted the extra bills when not supposed to, put their faces right up to the bills as I did the counts, grabbed at me and my in-use pocket, fiddled with the bills they held, pulled so hard on the bills I thought they would tear them..

Yet Kaps Currency/$11 bill trick worked perfectly, they were amazed!

One problem that I might warn people of. The prep of the bills causes the (visual) orientation of the bills while in the first spectator's hands to be 180 degrees off of what most people seemed to prefer. My first spectator immediatly reoriented the bills in her hands(which makes for a suboptimal situation). Fortunately she miss counted, so I regrouped and reoriented the bills, she dutifully reoriented them back again! She did this for each of the two counts that involve the "move". I just reoriented them in my hand before doing the "move".

Suggestions on this? Possibly preping the bills in both directions would help, and ensuring the usefull folding right at the break?

John

Hallo everybody,

I've ordered 2 weeks ago the booklet "Kaps' Currency" by phone from "magicbooksbypost.com" paying with my credit card, but didn't get anything yet delivered.

I've tried to call them again, but in vain. I'm in France, so this shouldn't take so long 'cause base in the United Kingdom. I've tried to contact them by mail but their adress isn't working either.

Does anybody know, if their busness is serious ?

Thanks for your help.

I got my copy from them in less than 2 weeks. You should have gotten a confirmation of the order by email.

My post office told me deliveries to France can take up to 8 weeks....I am in U.S. ...

Hi all,

I got the booklet delivered a few days after I send the posting on the forum. To make things clear, the company is serious. They only had a few technicial problems.

I'm really happy with the product.

Fred Kaps was really a genious.

I cannot find the performance of Steve's $11 bill trick. Is this the exact performance for Fred Kaps' Currency or did he do his own twist on it?

Can someone please post a link of Steve's performance or manuscript?

I already have Fred Kaps' Currency. I just want to know if Steve had a variation.

If you know of this variation can you please explain the routine to get a better idea?

Thanks in advance

Steve only post his version on his web site, password protected for Clients only!

He does the exact same version as discribed in the Fred Kaps Book with the Kaps Wallet as a table, only with a lot of Stephen Bargatze comedy. It really cannot be copied as it is all acting, nothing to do with clever lines.

He used 2 people on stage, married couple makes it perfect. That is all I dare say.

Apparently Steve B has changed the access to his video clips.

Steve added a lot to the routine - his acting, jokes, and interaction with the spectators. There was little variation to the effect itself.
You can find some of his videos on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hd0LoXeR......index=30
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=magicofstephen#play/all

but I didn't see the World Famous $11 Bill Trick

John

Well, Stephen has made this video available. There is a clip on youtube that adds a different twist to the effect, but I don't think it is as funny as the one he has on his web site. Both are given below


http://www.globalmix.ch/magic_of_stephen_video.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPqKLM3Tedk&feature=related

Just for reference, check these notes out from Stevens Magic Emporium:

http://www.stevensmagic.com/index.php?ma......d=112649

You will find the effect there, among many other great pieces of material.

As far as the Roy Benson salt pour, he was a master at it and his routine always got wild reactions, but as much as I love the Benson salt pour routine, by far and wide the most entertaining version was done by the aforementioned Fred Kaps. There is a video of him doing his salt pour on YouTube. Check it out!

Dr J

Do you know what is in that? The "I Am In Debt (The famous count effect with bills or cards)" could be explaining the how to do the effect, or thought on how to routine it. Do you know?

Johm