Which effects are available where the magician sets out to do one thing and something else happens. For example, 20th Century Bra. You set out to get a silk passed through a volunteer's body, knotted in between two other silks. In the end, obviously, that doesn't happen. Something else does.
I'm working on an act that would have a few mess up's on behalf of the magician, giving the appearance that things aren't going his way, the act peaks with the visible sawing. Where if you screw up, or it doesn't go your way, you're in trouble...Any ideas? Thanks.

The one Robert Blair uses is "There you go ladies and gentlemen, the first time this has ever gone wrong again!"

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Addy

Hi - I would suggest you can pretty much do this with any trick. Tell them that one thing is going to happen, it goes wrong and then something else happens instead.

The "magician in trouble" syndrome is a classic comedy ruse.

WAY too many tricks to list from cards to coins to ropes to newspapers.

What are you looking for a little more specifically.

Kohle and Company (not sure of spelling here guys) do the exact act you are thinking of. It is a quite funny concept.

I tell people that much of my show is rehearsed mistakes. It's closer to fact than they are willing to believe.

The audience loves to see the magician in trouble. All of the MisMade Flag routines are based upon that belief. And it WORKS! Check with Ricker here on The Café for some MisMade Flag variations.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Kohl and Company does base their act on outrageous bloopers that no magician would ever dream of happening. Their act is greatly enjoyed by laymen, but I think it's more of a giant colaberation of inside jokes directed towards professional magicians. Dick did a Q&A session at the IBM Ring 50 Magi-Whirl last year, and in my opinion, was rather boring. He had some pretty good stories to tell, but I didn't get much out of the session. Here's the website, just so I can credit them:
http://www.kohlandcompany.com

Enjoy!
~Jonton

Well, I emcee some burlesque and variety shows in NYC, and the idea was to come off as buffoonish. Not being able to accomplish simple tricks that I set out to do. (Yet I really swallow swords) I wanted to string together a few of these tricks like the bra to culminate in the end with the visible sawing. I saw it as 'this guy keeps screwing up his tricks and now he's going to saw a woman in half...is he crazy?'
So I suppose I'm looking for some stage type things.
I'm going to look at Kohl's site now.
Thanks.

Get a video of Carl Balentine, I think it will help. He did the "wrong thing happens" to perfection. Also like DannyDoyle said, "Kohle and Company (not sure of spelling here guys) do the exact act you are thinking of. It is a quite funny concept." I saw a picture of them doing the sawing in half and the legg part fell over and the legs fell out. It was really funny.

Steven

Last summer during a competion at our local Ring 129 Magic Group, the rivet holding a load broke and down from the silks it came.

I quickly quipped, "These Things Happen".

Many people commented that they thought I had planned the drop so I could do the line.

You never know.

Harris

Bill in lemon can be made to this extent if you show that their bill (switched out for a flash bill) can not be burnt by the flame.......WHOOPS!! (Idea from Harry Anderson)
Than as a consolation, offer them a lemon, mention its whats on the inside that counts, and open it up showing their bill.

The different ways of making their bill disappear, making it look like its an accident is what sells the effect to you personality.

I was considering a burned bill and looking in a lemon only to find it empty, looking in a few more places but they come up empty, finally just replacing the money from my wallet (not the signed bill, or two tens for a twenty) and commenting how I really ought to stop doing this trick, I'm down 60 bucks this week. Or something like that.

By the way, I couldn't find much on Carl Ballantine. But the episode of Night Court that he guest starred on is going to be on soon.

Addy when is this on??
Anyway, while I don't really see the comedy in the routine you described above, if you can picture it in your mind it may work for you. You seem to just be setting up for disappointment than comedy. And the wallet may not be the best option.
Look at the Amazing Jonathan on one of his specials. He has the guys bill, rips it, and tries to restore it but cant, finally at the end he gets duct tape and undercover of it starts taping it up. Then he says, "not only is it restored, but now its in this neet little carrying case" and shows a crumbled bill covered in duct tape with a tail on it to carry it around,

Bottom line, if your going to "disappoint" them (setting them up for magic and giving comedy) than make SURE the comedy is there.

I messed up on the Night Court. I have Ballentine on my TIVO wish list, The Night Court must have aired earlier in the week. Sorry.
As far as the burned $$$ routine, like I said, I was considering it. My wife saw no humor in it, she's a very good test audience. In my mind, though it's funny.

Get "The Comedy Act of Tom Palmer." This is the act on which Thomsoni & Company is based (Johnny Thompson). The magician thinks he is suave but he can't do anything right. I believe in one portion there is a cabinet in which an assistant is placed and run through with a sword. The assistant screams and then is silent, but the sword moves as if an impaled body within the cabinet is slowly slumping down.