Have your performed some place exotic, some place exciting, some place funny, or even your home town? Write any stories here.

I THINK I performed in japan as a kid. We lived there for a bit, and my dad was still performing at the time. I remember being involved in some of his shows around that age (I was 8 while in japan) I am not 100% certain if I did any while in japan, or if it was just before, or after living there.

I juggled flaming torches at a large hotel atrium, wearing a surfer bathing suit, and nothing else. It was at a clown convention, and the president of the clown club swore that if the sprinkler system went off she would bail me out of jail.

I also did a motor cycle club banquet, but that story would be censored.

I did a gay bar on a Saturday night, and got a standing ovation from a room full of drunken men. My wife had the time of her life that night, but the rest of that story would be censored too.

I've performed at a Renaissance fair held in the Guam Hilton. Eaten fire at Groombridge house in England (the shooting location for The Draughtsman Contract and the most recent Pride and Prejudice) Actually got to spend four days in the house to boot. Slept in the old servants quarters. I've done cups and balls on the streets of Venice Italy and on a cruise ship off the coast of California. I've played the Magic Castle and did a show for a Bondage and Discipline camp out. I've stood in ceremonial guard for the Queen of England, but didn't get to do any tricks. I've played old vaudeville theatres and was in the very first Jim Rose Circus Side Show. As well as the infamous Café Sophie performance. I've performed as a pirate, a pink bunny, Santa, a Hogwart's Professor, a Cowboy as well as a mediaeval jongleur. I once performed at a company Christmas party that ended up landing a job in the computer business. Even though at the time I knew nothing about PC's. I wowed the crowd at a sixty pound a plate dinner in the tithe barn at Buckland Abbey in Plymouth and entertained friends in period appropriate attire in Williamsburg. All in all I've had some rather interesting gigs over the years.

Hi there-

Great post above I guess we all have some weird stories about functions & people
heres a few lines from my promo that goes out..........


Brent has over 15 yrs Experience & has
Performed in a variety of venues whether
Close up or Stage- from Street Festivals
& Theatres to Cabaret shows
throughout NZ.

Ive performed Magic in venues
for 21st or 50th Birthdays,
Engagements, Weddings,Corporate Functions to Cruise Ship auditions
or Privately while I travelled,
From Bars & Restaurants in London,
New York , Paris & Australia,
to performing at a Kibbutz in Israel, Falluccas in Egypt
Ferrys & Tavernas in the Greek Islands,
to late night crowds at Hotels in Italy,
Japan, Thailand and Fiji...

I wont even go into details about Gang Parties, Womens Hen Nights
or Functions for over 250 Military women & I was 1 of 2 guys present for the whole night......

This world of magic we live & perform in has some unusual events to say the least..

Cheers

I am not a professional magician, and my contribution seems insignificantly small. That notwithstanding, I wish to tell of just one really memorable adventure:

The days were dull and dreary- like a scene from Orwell's 1984. Color of any kind was in short supply, laughter seldom heard.

Gypsies surrounded me on my way to the exhibit hall where I would participate as a known member of my chosen profession. Escaping with a light jog, I entered the building as the show began.

Halfway through we were stopped and told to board our bus immediately to go back to our hotel. The scene outside was startling- tanks larger than one could imagine lead a fully-armed force down the street.

The bus ride to the hotel was terrifying. The tanks were in places they shouldn't be, and armored machine gun vehicles were everywhere, accompanied by foot soldiers carrying huge guns. Roads were blocked, frequent long stops required. Would they board the bus? Had someone from our group committed an unforgivable mistake? Would we be imprisoned in Moscow forever?

At the hotel, we finally got the story- there was a major coupe in progress, the Soviet Union was likely to fall. Do not go out- do not be alone, even on the chancy elevators.

The lobby became our great meeting place- a comfort, safe haven even, that one's room sadly lacked. No one slept - fear was too palpable a companion.

Various diversions were trotted out that long night, one of which... magic. I likely was not that good- I had few of my "supplies", spoke as little russian as the hotel staff did english, but communicated with smiles, facial expressions and gestures, and my "show" seemed well received.

A performance I treasure... an adventure I will not forget...

Jim

U.S Embassy in Seoul South Korea
Penthouse Club in the same
Throughout Japan
Pizza Hut in Chelsea, MA (it closed soon after)

I once played Opdyke, Tx.

All over ireland and the u.k. as well as the british virgin islands,american virgin islands,canada and all over the states(united that is)

I have been lucky enough to perform in Niagra Falls and Toronto Canada as well as London, and Manchester England, Tokyo Japan , Orlando, New York, Fresno, Buffalo, Rochester, Batavia In the USA ETC>>>

I was visiting some friends who were living in Kailua, Hawaii (on the island of Oahu). One evening they took me to Waikiki, where there were a lot of tourist attractions.

As we were walking down the street we saw a street magician (I can't remember his name, but when I asked he said he had an account on themagiccafe.com). We watched him perform a few tricks (which included the traditional routine "The Professor's Nightmare" rope trick but with some impressive additions of his own at the end). At one point he looked at my friend and asked, "Are you a magician?"

My friend pointed to me and replied, "No, but he is."

After he finished his performance, the magician asked me to do a few tricks for him, so I obliged and did several card tricks for him: the "Blank Fan" from Joshua Jay's "Amazing Book of Cards" and Karl Fulves' "Quick as a Wink" (one of my friends was amazed that I could do the blank fan on a deck that I didn't own).

Later that evening we took a long walk to Waikiki beach. It was getting dark, so I took the opportunity to use my Rocco's D'lite gimmick to pluck shining lights out of thin air (to be enjoyed by any passer-bys who happened to be walking by at the time).

I've never performed professionally (neither before, during, or since Hawaii) but even still, I was glad I got the chance to perform a few tricks on the famous Waikiki strip.

-- J-L

A couple of longterm care rehabilatation facilities (no , not prisons...resthomes)

When I visted the great wall outside of Beijing there was a souvenier stand selling magic, including a cheap set of linking rings (which I bought). The vendor told me he would teach me how to do it but was surprised to see that I already knew how and fooled him with some handling beyond the basic.

Malaysia. Obviously.

Indonesia. When I visited family.

Australia. When I studied there.

In a tiny village at 14,000 feet in the Himalayas near the Everest base camp. I believe I hold the record for the highest altitude balloon swallow.

I also did a blindfold drive on a snowmobile in the Finnish Arctic.

Mexico. A bit of magic, juggling, but the most memorable was balloon animals for some orphans and poor kids. The pump broke so I was blowing them up by mouth in the Mexico summer sun surrounded by dirty lovable kids! They were swarming me and jumping all over me, excited to get a balloon. These kids had nothing and were so fun to perform for. They had to drag me to the bus out of the crowd of kids... So gratifying.

Oh Boy.... stretch the memory gland....
Dozens of conventions here in the USA... TV here and Japan, Shows in London, Japan, Germany, Italy and France. Comedy Clubs, corporate gigs and trade shows. Hundreds of shows in the Army. Magic Castle several times. Avoided kids shows but once worked one for a group of blind youngsters.

I've never really performed professionally. I've performed for a few large audiences, but only as a volunteer.

But the most "exotic" place I've performed was at the Pennsylvania Registry of Motor Vehicles. Or was it... the Twilight Zone?

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......rum=66&1

I have just done a gig in Lisbon, Portugal.

A fun show with a great audience.

And proof that magic (for me) crosses all language, sex and age barriers.

I guess I am lucky I perform a (dumb) act.

Best part is I have been asked to come back and perform for a long run and not just a one night stand.

I do love my job!

Let's see... besides on flatbed trailers in dusty fields, or under a viaduct bridge, or with my heels to a diving well, or in the locker room of a bowling alley... I was once sent to France to perform at the Paris Air Show. That was sweet.

I've also performed on the stage at a strip club. The poles were a pain to work around, but the dressing room was to die for.

But, most notably... I was on my way home from a show in Phenix City, Alabama. Along the road, my van burned a coil wire, so I was dead on the side of the highway. It was about a hundred degrees outside, and here I am dressed in my show clothes (see my avatar), and in the middle of drop call central. No cell phone reception.

Eventually, a county deputy pulled up to investigate and he contacted a tow truck and offered me a bottle of water. So, after a bit of conversation, he finds out why I'm dressed like a magician, and he asks me to do a trick. I tell him I have deck of cards in the back, so we both go to the back of the van and I start to show him a card trick when a state trooper pulls up.

The deputy says it's his dad, and to show him, too. Then another deputy pulls up, so here I am, standing on the side of a highway, in hundred degree weather, three police cars behind me, showing all these cops some card tricks. The looks coming from cars and trucks that passed by was priceless. They had to be thinking this was one hell of a field sobriety test!!

Forget street magic... I invented highway magic!!!