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Brian Lehr Inner circle Edmonton, Canada 1605 Posts |
Next week I'm doing a birthday show for a group of 5 and 6 year olds. Yesterday the mother of the birthday child left me a phone message that said that one of the 5 year old guests is blind, and asking if I could include a magic trick or two that he would be able to understand.
Since magic is primarily a visual art, I've been thinking about what I currently do that would fit this category. My opening is the Miser's Dream, which has a very strong auditory element to it. (I will get him involved in this effect). My closing is the production of a Bearded Dragon (I will let him touch the reptile). While Blendo is a colorful effect, I miscall all the colors. So this may be somewhat beneficial. For those of you who have performed magic for blind children, what effects have you found useful in entertaining them? Brian |
threecardmonte Loyal user 278 Posts |
Maybe "Growing Sponge Ball"? Have it happen in their hands.
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rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
Let me preface my comment by saying that I have no specific experience with blind children and magic. However I did have a lengthy relationship with a blind woman and picked up some strong impressions about "blind culture" (so to speak) and how the blind tend to relate to this sort of challenge.
The hostess is likely to be far touchier than the blind kid when faced with issues surrounding the kid's condition. The "miscalling" Blendo routine sounds like fun, and if you wanted to get just a tad "edgy" you could even say "these kids don't know what color this is - I said it's green - Billy [blind kid'a name] tell 'em what color this is!" (Whatever his reaction it's guaranteed to be interesting unless he just curls up and starts crying, which I'll bet he won't if you have befriended him first - maybe "Hi, Billy, I think I'm going to need some special magic help today, do you think you could help me out if I get stuck?") Linking rings with the blind kid as helper would work nicely, especially if you let him touch your set (in your hand) "see, I want you to put them together like this." Don't be afraid to let him be 'the helper who can't seem to take the rings apart' as in the usual linking rings routine. If letting him check something out by touching it, don't be afraid to use the words "see" or "look" - guaranteed they're the words he'd use for the same thing. Anything not TOO lengthy would work with the kid as a "stand right here and wave this wand while we say the magic words" helper. Generalizing wildly, I'd say that the blind tend to be able to tolerate being in a mixed group and enjoy it greatly if you make very modest concessions to them (letting them "see something" by touch now and then) but, like anyone, they're uncomfortable if the whole event gets skewed too far toward "now we'll all wait while Billy looks at it." |
Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Whit Haydn has the most amazing trick in his Street Magic lecture notes that is just for this audience.
It is a mind reading trick where the blind child is instant stooged and looks like the hero. It is well worth considering. Just a great, great, piece of entertainment that lets the kid be the hero. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts |
I used to have a regular customer at one of my restaurants. She was about 9 or 10 years old. She was blind from a brain tumor and, sadly, died in the past year. However, in the time I knew her I used to do lots of magic with her.
Sponge balls worked great. I know two versions of "Powers of Darkness" that are killer for a blind child, and extremely entertaining for those who can see it done. "2 in the hand ..." and Coin Matrix are excellent if the child is allowed to feel the coins before they are covered or put away In general, anything that can be felt by the person can be enjoyed by them. Let them hold an empty bottle and a coin before doing the "Coin in bottle," then hand it back to gently shake once the coin is inside. Let them feel two pieces of tissue paper before tearing them into a hat. Let them examine three pieces of rope when doing "Professor's Nightmare." Once you do this a few times, the tricks and their methods for using with a blind child will become apparent. |
Steve V Inner circle Northern California 1878 Posts |
I vote for sponge balls. Whits routine is great if the child is old enough to be hip to it.
Steve V |
Brian Lehr Inner circle Edmonton, Canada 1605 Posts |
Thanks for the suggestions. I like the sponge balls and Professor's Nightmare.
Brian |
nucinud Inner circle New York, New York 1298 Posts |
Yesterday I did a show where, unbeknown to me, there was a blind lady in the audience. At the end of the show, she and her friends called me over. She told me she enjoyed the show very much. She said that I was very discriptive in my act and she only had to ask her friends very little about what was going on to understand my act. That made me feel very humble.
So you never know . . .
"We are what we pretend to be" Kurt Vonnegut, jr.
Now U C It Now U Don't Harry Mandel www.mandelmagic.com |
threecardmonte Loyal user 278 Posts |
I performed at a school last week and (unknowingly) picked a legally blind child to help out with the mismade flag. The kid did great and I didn't even find out about his condition until after the show. You may be surprised how well the child will adapt.
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daser New user MARS 28 Posts |
-a simple routine with sponge balls it 'll be the best for this situation
professor is not bad -maybe syldini silks , raven ???? -i think that if there are special cards which blind can understand the differences beetwen them maybe you can do something using double lift |
Daniel Santos Special user 562 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-04-04 06:09, daser wrote: New idea: Braille Playing Cards! LOL |
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