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RJE2 Veteran user 383 Posts |
Performing with doves and rabbits for almost 30 years, I have noticed some trends. I think I can see a new one on the horizon.
In the past, perceived cruelty was rather obvious, but not necessarily forbidden. In the 1980's a lot of people were "biting" the heads off of their doves and resurrecting it. Harry Anderson got a great reaction when he "ate" his guinea pig on national tv. Those are a couple of graphic examples of past illusions of cruelty, done mostly for adult audiences.. Back then, the simple vanishing of a dove or rabbit was relatively harmless for adult or family audiences. Occassionally, a parent with a small child might approach you after the show and ask if their young son or daughter could see that the animal was alright. The child had been concerned that the vanish in some way harmed the animal. (A fairly recent popular movie hasn't helped that perception.) But, even this was rare 5 or 10 years ago. But today, my wife and I are getting more and more requests for our dove routine to not involve any vanishes at all. I am talking about vanishing cages, doves to rabbits, nightclub vanish etc... all pretty innocous (done without any hint of violence or misdeed) in their workings and done properly putting no risk at all to the animals health or safety. It may be time to rethink your dove and rabbit acts. Magically producing the animal is still wonderous. Magically vanishing it is becoming more perilous, to the performer. |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Interesting observation you've made. Do you see any reason to think this might be venue specific, or a regional thing?
One way to combat this might be to have the animal "reappear". The perception is then that the animal was not obliterated, but rather, turned invisible for a period of time. Like "Boy to Rabbit" or "Head Vanish", the magical incident is then thought of as temporary. Perhaps it would help to cement the idea if other effects were done in the same show that elude to the concept of "Something happened that needs to be fixed. Let's fix it with magic." A patter act could probably convey this concept much better than a silent act, I'd suspect.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
RJE2 Veteran user 383 Posts |
Hi Michael,
I don't know if it is regional or not. I live in southern Ontario Canada and most of my shows are performed there. I do know that occassionally I will get a parent bring a child to see the animals are alright after a show. Usually, following a show, our animals are tucked away safe and hidden in their travel cages. Our liability insurance does not permit us to have anyone come in direct contact with our animals other than ourselves. So there is no invited petting or peaking following a show. It is just an observation I'm making and wondering if it is a trend developing? Changing to a spoken routine where the audience is reassured of the animal's safety might not be an option, in that the venues and agents requesting the "no vanish" have not always seen our show or know what we do in the first place with the animals. I have to assume that the requests are being made because of previous audience reactions to other performers. And, I have no knowledge of anyone in the area that is being abusive to animals in their act so I have to assume again that it is just a changed perception of what is acceptable to the audiences. Have you ever been requested not to vanish one of your animals? |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
I have not had such a request, but in fairness I have not used animals for a long time. My son was diagnosed with asthma as a baby, so I had to make changes to my act at that point. It was a no-brainer. But, I did use doves, rabbits, and a duck over the course of many years.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
RJE2 Veteran user 383 Posts |
Thanks Michael.
Anyone else been requested "not to vanish," or noticed a trend of concerned parents/kids checking up on the animals after a show? |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
RJE, I've been doing dove magic for as long as I can remember and have never been asked not to do vanishes. When booking my shows, I tell person doing the hiring that I use doves in my act and that actually seems to sell the act.
I've had a few children come up and ask to see my doves but none seemed to be concerned that they might be hurt, just that they wanted to see the birds. Todays culture has changed and everyone is trying to be politically correct and worry about what others may think and I believe to some extent they become over protective which may lead to some of the comments you are getting. As has been mentioned earlier, to eleviate the concern about the vanished dove, re-producing it or them goes a long way. I'm reminded of Amos Levkovitch's closing routine. He vanishes all of his doves in a carosel and has them all fly down from the back of the auditorium.
Where the magic begins
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Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
In all these years I have never be asked to not vanish an animal. However, after the show I have made it a point that the animals are visible to the audience. It is really just a matter of setting the cage(s) on top of my rolling table while I pack. They are in plain view for anyone who wants to see them.
Bob Sanders Magic By Sander PS --- When Lucy and I vanish a horse, it is part of a walk-around and the horse reappears at the back of the theater. Click here to view attached image. |
RJE2 Veteran user 383 Posts |
Hello Dave and Bob,
Interesting isn't it. It may well be a localized thing. It's not anything that we're doing because the requests are coming at the time of the bookings and before the agent or client has even seen our act. When it is requested, we simply say "no problem" and take the vanishes out. I was curious to find out if others had run into this or not and if this was the beginning of the end for vanishes. So far, the consensus is, no. Thanks for your input. |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-12-01 20:48, Dave Scribner wrote: I was thinking of his act when I made my post!
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
tropicalillusions Special user Tulsa Okla 631 Posts |
If it seems to be an issue, then Vanish the cute little feathered fellow, only to have him or her reappear, and perhaps when he or she reappears, a small gift (souvineer)that comes back with him is given to the child, bird dissappears,to perhaps retrieve something then reapppears, and with a gift... man cant complain now,,,LOL I have never been asked not to dissappear the dove over our many years. And if someone ever did ask, they usually asked where did he go, then I actually have the Carrier with the dove to show them. They always seem to vanish back to their resting place. Perhaps it is in the presentation??? Just make it a positive situation.
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RJE2 Veteran user 383 Posts |
Chris,
I like your idea of vanishing the bird to have it retrieve something and then reappear with the item. I think that is quite clever. However, the requests to not vanish are coming from people who have never seen the show. The request is being made at the time of the booking and in order to secure the booking, a promise was made not to vanish any animal. Having said that, in all the other shows, where the request not to vanish has not been made, incorporating your idea may well find its way into one or more of my routines if that is alright with you. Again, I was curious to see if anyone else had been requested not to vanish any animals. So far, it seems like it is more of an anomaly rather than the beginning of a trend, but time will tell. |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Your question reminds me of the scene in the Movie "The Prestige", of magic in the early 19th or 20th century where the magician vanished a cage with a canary in it, the child in the audience yelled out while crying "He killed it!"
Maybe that is the reason you are getting these strange and bizarre requests up front, as they do not know that you even vanish any kind of animal. It would be interesting for you to inquire further as to their concern and what they perceive from the vanishing of animals. As you give no information as to your geographic area of the country where you are experiencing this phenomena, it would be an interesting poll on these very unusual thinking people. Where they would get the idea in the 1st place to even ask such a question. I only had one woman come up to me at a show, and ask me to remove my Multiplying Bottles, as they were evil. I later realized I was performing near a section of the state that had Amish, Mennonite, Baptist, etc. groups of people living in the surrounding area. The Bottles went over just great, by the way. Quote:
On 2011-12-01 20:48, Dave Scribner wrote: Dave, wouldn't that be a teleportation or trasportaton instead of a vanish per se? |
RJE2 Veteran user 383 Posts |
The requests come from the greater Toronto area in Ontario. We do shows throughout the province of Ontario and beyond, but the requests to not vanish all come from the GTA.
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Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Sounds like a pro-active marketing campaign might be in order. See if you can get some video and print coverage, using "the great life of being a magician's dove" as a hook.
Develop something for your web site, too.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
tropicalillusions Special user Tulsa Okla 631 Posts |
RJ, You are more than welcome to use the retrieval Premise, appreciate the asking. I understand your point about the pre booking situation, and having to seal the deal with that issue at that point. Wish you the best my friend.
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-12-02 09:10, wmhegbli wrote: I don't think so. He does a standard Carousel vanish. Then after the applause dies down and almost as an after thought, he summons the birds down from the balcony. If he were to have everyone see the empty balcony first, vanish the doves and immediately have them appear in the balcony, I would agree that it was a teleportation or transportation
Where the magic begins
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