I did a show Saturday in a fairly large hall. I have been using a dove to rabbit box to vanish my dove after he is produced.

Well the unthinkable happened. I say unthinkable because I did not think it could happen. The table under the box gave way just as I pulled the top off the box. Box & table crash to the floor.

I have always lived by the adage "just keep going" when something goes wrong. So I just picked everything up and put it down on the side. As I am turning back to the audience to go on the next effect it occurs to me, they don't know the dove is fine. I stop what I am doing, open the trap, and take out the dove. I walk out to front and center petting the dove. I told everyone that usually Barnum (the dove) does not come back after he leaves, but I wanted you to know that he was fine. The dove sat there calmly as I spoke, looking very relaxed. I gave him a little toss and he landed on my head (his big trick) and everyone laughed. Tension released and audience reassured.

After the show I brought Barnum out again and the kids lined up to pet him. Several of the mothers told me they were very glad that I brought the dove back. It saved them a lot of explaining and made me look good. When something goes wrong with a prop, make sure the audience knows the animal is OK. If you don't, they may spend the rest of the show thinking about the poor, dead, animal. That would not be good for your reputation.

Just thought I would share this with you.

Bruce

Way to go, Bruce. It just goes to show that it isn't always the magic that counts. I bet you didn't hear anyone say "oh that's how it's done" did you? The audience, especially kids are concerned about the animals even if they don't show it during the show.

I did one several years ago where my dove had scratched itself inside the box. I had no way of knowing this so when I produced my snow white bird, it had streaks of bright red blood running down it's neck. I could have packed up right then and they wouldn't have cared. All they wanted to know was if the bird was OK. As much as I wanted to get the dove to a vet, I spent a little extra time letting the kids see him before I left. A few months later I got another booking in the same neighborhood and the first thing the kids said was "is that bird OK?" From then on, I could do nothing wrong in that show.

Great Post fccfp!! - You did exactly what anyone should do. Always keep the animal first when it comes to that because as Dave says, people are going to wonder about the animals safety all the time. As good as the effect that you did is, it all turns to the animal, and bringing it out to show it was OK is OK in anyone's book. Also, as Dave pointed out, no one will say "Oh, that's how that works" As a matter of fact, they probably won't think about it too much (they may even start to wonder where the bunny came from!), but the fact that you were willing to show that the animal was perfectly fine probably gained the respect of many because they see that you are a caring pet owner, and you were just as worried as they may have been, and you became a 'human being' rather than the 'magician'. Great job, and that is what professionalism is all about *applause*.

That's great to hear, Bruce!

I'm glad you didn't go ahead with the show!

Thanks for sharing, and I'll keep that advice in mind!
-Vinnie

Dave & 1906Alpha1906
You are absolutely correct. No one said anything about how it was done. I am not sure they new what was done, or what it was supposed to look like. All it looked like was a box crashing to the floor.

B

Good job, you showed them that you're not just a magician, you're a caring human being. How could they not appreciate that? A lesson for everyone to keep in mind, in my opinion.

My rabbit does great but one day......

I was doing 2 doves to rabbit and after the boom the sides fall and there's my rabbit so far so good. Then she just leaps off the table to the floor. Making things worse I try to catch her and knock over the table and trap and 2 doves go walking across the stage.

I picked up my bunny and held her up to show she was OK then introduced her as bunny kanevile the most dare defying rabbit in the world got a laugh and went on with the show.

Good out w/ the rabbit. What did you do about the doves?

Lucky enough there is a curtain close by right there. The curtain closed and my stage people rounded them up.