I need a strong visual opener to a stand up routine that shows me to be both a) magical and b) funny.

E.g. I used to open by telling the crowd that most people would touch magic with a ten foot pole (and then pull out a ten foot pole from a gift). I'd follow that up by telling them this isn't a normal bag. I'd turn it around and it would have a pair of fake buttocks on it. "You see, this bag has a false bottom."

It got a lot of laughs but the pole has never been as amazing as I hoped.

Any ideas?

I have had some great success using Juan Pablo's "Roped" to open my show. It is visually amazing, and can be very funny with the right goofy expression.

-Dono

I'm still trying to figure out just how amazing the appearing pole is, and a good way to present it. It's fun but just how wowed are they?
Dave

It's very visual, but there is the problem of putting it away. If you are on stage, then there is no problem, but if you are in a parlor situation, I suggest you get Total Recoil, which allows you to VANISH it as well.

I open with a vent routine and then do the Vanishing Bandana routine. The audience reaction has been very good and it seems that you can go two ways from there.

Since the vanish is not particularly strong, but the routine humorous, the audience is not sure whether the rest of your magic is going to be comedy or "amazing" magic. You can go whichever way you wish from there. Besides I just enjoy doing VB.

I open with an appearing bowling ball routine. My routine and patter consists of a story, things kids can relate to, and starts my theme of making kids believe in magic. It also has some comedy that always gets good laughs.

I'd highly recommend the Nielsen Ketchup bottle. You can make it funny with several pseudo vanishes, then when they think you're just going to keep putting them on,POW you sock them with the real vanish. Now they'll be sure to watch them, you've let them know you've got a sense of humor, and the world is your oyster from then on.

A good blendo routine will be very appreciated by general audiences. As you grab the silks back you say,"tonight we will see a very magical show, full of color, and of course, lot of surprises (now you open the blendo)

Great idea Nicholas. A good mid show opener to keep it going is the classic draw a bowling ball, then a real one drops out from the pad! Brilliantly funny!

Hi Dave,

Pull three, not just one, appearing poles from the same small paper bag and the production looks funnier and more amazing. You can follow it up with more productions---Dream Bag folding flower production,nesting clocks, etc.

Ben Benjay
Manila, Philippines

GREAT IDEA!

How about you cut an 8ft wand into 3 and 5 foot wands?

First pull out at one foot want
Then three feet..
Then five feet...
Then EIGHT feet...

I think it would make the magic a lot stronger too!

I always open my stand-up shows/sets/acts with the Nielsen Ketchup Bottle (using an original routine)

I was thinking that a duo act with 2 different Nielsen bottle and two identical NORMAL bottles would be great!

The two of us pretend to transpo two different bottles eventually stuffing up and showing two identical bottles at once.

We then give up and screw up the bags and throw them away.

This one is pretty basic when I do card magic.

Get one of those cards with all 52 printed on the face. Just do a controlling shuffle to get it to the top of the deck.

Now, make up some mumbo jumbo that all of the values of each card are linked, and a single card can sprout its siblings.

Tell them to pick up the top card, face down, and slowly turn it over.

Once they reveal it, just go "Yeah, that'd be pretty cool." or something and other, and throw it back.

Basic, but eh, gets laughs sometimes.

If it's an adult audience you could talk about coming from a laboratory where they combined Viagra with Miracle Gro...and now your pencils are taking over your house... and don't even ask about the spaghetti...

Depending on the size of the audience, I do a bottle production as described in John Lovick's "What's the Rumpus." It's a funny bit, easy to set up, and it's a magical production so you immediately get attention.

My problem with the pole and others have addressed it, is what to do with it when its out. If you can recoil it great, but if you leave it on the floor or propped up against something so it is visible, the show centers around the pole whether you want it to or not. Don't get me wrong, I try to stash it but from a directoral standpoint it steals the scene.

oliver

I would personally say any trick can be funny. It's all in the presentation!
I usually use the pole nearer the end of my act but never as the closer. I agree to open up the show with it only clutters the stage and I feel my first few tricks should allow me to introduce my character and get to know the audience's humour therefore the quick effect is used later on as more of a gag than a miraculous event on its own

Ross

Then, lean them against the wall in the corner and stick a sign on them that says "STAFF PARKING ONLY."

Bad joke, but it gets a good laugh.

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.

The Old Banana/Bandana would make a good opener for a comedy magic show.

Its not flashy but it sets up the idea that you don't take yourself too seriously.

Huh. Ketchup bottle pseudo vanishes? Right at the top of the show? I don't know if showing a lack of skill ("I'm trying to fool you with this vanishing bottle, I really am...") - before you've shown them any real skill - is such a good idea... Unless you're working for some very seriously patient crowds.

Jump out there, let 'em know that you CAN do something, get used to each others' personalities, have fun, blow 'em away... And then later, only AFTER you've established that you know what you're talking about, do a "trick gone wrong" or "really bad bottle vanish". It'll probably have more impact later, and you won't run the risk of losing the crowd only 10 seconds into your act.

Same with the bandanna... It's a funny routine, yes, but I think it may be a bit too slow of a start to open a show with. Plus, those first few minutes are VERY important for developing a rapport with the people, and I'm not sure somebody else's recorded voice is really the best way to do that.

Just my opinion and my experience. But I'm a pretty young guy, so I could be totally wrong.