I'm expanding me repertoire and I'd like to include a couple of liquid effects. This leads to the practical problem of transporting the prop and liquid, setting up, cleaning up and packing up.

For example, if I add Multim in Parvo into my act, I have to safely transport the props so they don't break. Ok, I've got a plan for that. I need to transport stage milk--is a screw-cap pop bottle sufficient? Or what's better?

When I get to the gig, I have to set up. How do I do this discreetly?

When done, I have to get the props out of play. How?

Finally, when I pack up, I need to ditch the liquid, wipe the props dry and repack.

This strikes me as a lot of work, but I really do want to add liquid to my show.

Any advice?

This is exactly why most magician's do not do liquid tricks. They would rather be like everyone else and take the easy road. If a magician wants to be above all the rest, doing a trick that requires a little more effort and planning is one way to do it.

Much depends on place you are going to perform, and the room available. If you do not have an assistant, then it will take even more planning. I carry my OOM pre mixed in a refrigerator 16 oz. plastic water bottle. It has a pop open pouring spout on the lid.

Did you give this any thought at all. You will only have one glass with liquid in it at the end. I think that is easy to handle. Dump the OOM back in the container you brought. If you only have this show for the day, bring a large plastic bag that you can seal. Place the glasses in it and go home.

I do silk to egg and in most cases just go to the bathroom/restroom and rinse out the glass. I always carry paper towels with me. Wipe the glass out and am on my way. No big deal, we all have to do dishes if we eat.

Presentation takes more planning. If you do not have an assistant, then a table will be needed, or you can use a serving tray, and place on your table you are using. This gets into prop management and that can be different for everyone doing even the same trick. You have to work that out yourself depending on your table setting and ease of having it available to you.

When magicians get into prop magic, you should think how you want to transport you props. In the old days, the foot locker was the case of choice. It was large, and individual sections could be made with padding to protect the props. Four glasses do not take up that much room, so build or find a case to carry the props in, if you do not have room in your current table/case setup.

I never setup out in the open, I have a "Jet Set" curtain if there is not going to be stage. Before I obtained the curtain, I simply did all my setup behind my suitcase table. Yes, most of the time I was on my knees crouched down and preparing the last minute props.

As far as the "a lot of work" comment, yes it is, if you are being paid, it is considered a "job", and that is work. They are paying you to work. Don't you think that for $1000 you can rinse out 4 glasses. If not hire an assistant and pay her $400 to clean the glasses.

I think he most important part of this process is figuring out how to have the glasses on a tray or table and insure that they will not fall over, spill, or crash to the floor. It could be as simple as using a free drink carrier from a from a fast food restaurant to a fancy tray that held the glasses in place.

Well, there are a few things to think about.

Thanks Bill. That is a lot of good information. I hadn't thought about sealing the glasses and jug in separate ziplock bags. Nice.

And I am thinking a lot about it. I really do want to add the liquids for precisely the reason you suggest--it will add something special to my show that many others don't bother doing.

My biggest fears are 1. breaking the props and 2. getting the OOM onto other props where they don't belong. The rest are tips to help me make the fewest (and cheapest) mistakes.

Thanks again.

John

Performance - Most of the magicians I have seen that perform this trick and other tricks with liquid, stand behind a table while performing. This is not good stage presence. A performer should stand beside the table, eliminating the barrier between him and the audience. The glasses should be picked up and exchanged from hand to hand, do not turn the body and show you back to the audience. Decide which side of the table will allow you to do this. Practice your handling of the props.

Hold the glass up high after each pour, display what has happened, punctuate the moment. Sell the effect and magic.

This is pure gold. Thank you again!

I've also had better luck with Soy Milk than Oom. Soy milk comes in single serving size boxes that are the right size for most tricks. It needs no refrigeration so you can always keep a couple of extra cartons in your kit for emergencies.

I also keep a collapsible silicon funnel with my liquid magic as this comes in handy if you're filling a magic tea kettle or the liquid load on a passé passé bottle set. If folds flat when not in use so it takes up virtually no space in your bag of tricks.

Nice tip on the funnel, Payne. Thank you.

Thanks Payne. I also like to use real milk for my milk pitcher even though I have OOM. With children at a party I don't have to worry that they might dip a finger in the milk and taste it, and the amount is small.
Like Magnus noted liquids need set-up and removal. A small amount of liquid can be changed into something else by using a m****r g***s and g** p****r - problem solved. I also carry a bottle of alcohol for a fire effect. 3 containers of liquid for my parlour show.
I would like to bring back a great effect where a liquid turns from colourless to black instantly at a voice command, but it needs 2 bottles of liquid and a lot of setting up and disposal.
I try to travel as light as possible.

Richard

Yes Ricardo! --Orville Meyer's "Think Ink" from the early '50s.

Great comments from all. Liquid tricks are great, but they come with a price of inconvenience. I have laughable memories from when I was a kid magician doing birthday parties, using the family's bathroom to set up my milk pitcher and then later dump the "milk" and clean it out, then try to dry it as much as possible before putting it gingerly in my suitcase. I'm afraid I eventually took the easy way out and dropped it from my show. Of course I was making a WHOLE lot less than the $1000 that Bill refers to!

Take a look at this and never again have to worry about setting up or cleaning up a mess:

http://www.abbottmagic.com/Abbotts-Mirac......rpit.htm

I have one, and I LOVE it!!!

Unruly kids are the bane of magicians who use liquids -- and - when I was doing kids shows in ancient days -- seemed more well behaved than children today. Even so, while doing a show in a newly carpeted living room using classic single pedestal side tables -- one "tyke" (this forum does no let me use appropriate descriptive words with accuracy) took a table full of liquid loaded props including the old style milk pitcher with OOM over. Not only wiped out the act -- but offered me a cleaning bill for the carpet.

Following that show, the only liquid I would do for kids was the classic lota as a running gag. I later converted my lota routines to a serious story piece running three minutes.

About 15 years ago or so George Kovari resurrected my interest in the old milk pitcher disappearing liquid and funnel under the elbow routine. His routine and set of "Passing Water"where you pour a liquid through a volunteers body is a clever and funny piece -- and liquid does indeed pour out of a pitcher in sight and our through holes you have bored into the volunteer on the back (or front) of his/her body. However, it plays at waste height and cannot be well viewed in a flat floor show such as a wedding reception or bar-mitzvah if you have no platform for performance and raising the sight lines only performing on a dance floor surrounded by an audience seated at tables.

The advent of sealed milk pitchers has solved some spillage problems -- but must make the performer aware that pour from the pitcher must be concealed. If you ever saw Mr. Electric's performances you would realize that one of the best part of liquid effects is in extending the pour between the vessels to let the liquid shimmer in the light as it pours. Watch his way of pouring the liquid from the light bulb and the way he moves the pouring (full) bulb away from catching implement making an arc of liquid.

I have successfully use a full liquid sequence of the milk from lightbulb with different rigs (some of which I have for sale nowI cannot regularly perform them) using aa milk pitcher to condense milk to a white silk -- which I would use a silk pistol go shoot it across the stage into the light fixture which would go out -- then pull the bulb from the fixture and make a dramatic pour into a glass.

I often did Multum-in-Parvo (in reverse) and was sad to sell both of my sets of fine European manufacture a year or two ago. Although I never needed the second set I did have the peace of mind knowing I had any breakage under control by having the spare. It is with these I found that using non-dairy creamers offered good opacity even when diluted, and were obtainable in must convenience stores on the way to date, drinkable, and easy to clean up with simple soap and water offering no staining on modern carpet.

Liquids also came into play with the climax of my multiplying bottles -- discovering glasses filled with wine at the conclusion. I also used the liquid holding gimmicks that were made by Norm Nielsen for his disappearing bottles - proving they were real by pouring the wine out of them.

Yes, set-up can be inconvenient --and care must be taken when using liquids, but is that not what we are paid for? If you are fortunate enough to have an assistant who can fetch, carry and protect your props liquids can be a lot easier to do. Some props, like the classic disappearing bowl full of water I am selling,require an assistant to make them look great when you are floating the bowl full of water in mid air just before it vanishes.

There are some things in liquids I still cannot wrap my head around as they do not fit my "style" or requirements. For instance the very clever and audience participation with tasting "Hospitality" liquids after they are all poured from a single source. My feeling was (for my act and personality) the taking the beverages out to the audience slowed the pace and could not involve a large audience in the taste experience.

And, sometimes, as with Sand of the Desert the liquid is only one supporting part of the trick and the versions with the color change to opaque water and then back to clear do present some potential dangers as opposed to the Blackstone method where only clear water is used. But the water is essential either way while it is not the point of the trick, dry colored sand is. And can you envision doing a "Snow" or "Snowstorm in China" routine without liquid?

This, then, is to say that I feel liquid tricks are part of the full palette a magician must offer his audience regardless of his/her inconvenience and need for care. To shortcut around all uses of liquids is to cheat yourself and your audience out of witnessing things they know are impossible.

Great advice here, especially from Bill. Also, chmara's last sentence is an important point. "To shortcut around all uses of liquids is to cheat yourself and your audience out of witnessing things they know are impossible." Yes!

I usally include several liquid effects in my show.
As said above it will bring your show to the next level.
The effort is well worth the reaction your audience's have.
Todd

For the moment I only use one liquid effect in my show, which is the production of a glass full of drinkable liquid. The preparation isn't that much of a hassle for me. Since I drink the liquid and empty the glass at the end of the show, the clean up is very easy for me too.

I just use some kitchen clean up papers that I stuff into the empty glass, wrap it into some plastic bubble protection to avoid breaking it and put it back into the carrying box that goes into my case.

At home I can clean the glass correctly, ready to go for the next show.


Oliver.

This will happen no matter how much you plan. I always carry paper towels and a few big old towels that are just off to the side of the stage. You can Scotch Guard your costumes and waterproof your carrying containers. Just think grandmother and put one container in another then put those in a plastic bag.

As far as spilling them while in performance, you can use a dump box behind you and after each liquid trick, put the props inside. If you are using a regular glass then use one that's short instead of tall and thin.... common sence eh? Also, Use a sturdy table. If you use a tripod for a table bast that table will be top heave and possibly swivel if you bump it as you walk by so use a swuitcase table or something sturdy. BUT if you have a Black A== We-- then you can use that to hold some of the liquid items too. Put props in front or make a topless/bottomless box that surronds the we-- no one notices the tall glass going in the short box... as long as you don't stare at it yourself.

Thank you for the great tips. I'm feeling braver, and am rehearsing away.

John

When ever I use glasses, I always, always, make a bag out of bubble wrap. This is a step I never skip. I slip the glass into the bag and then close it with tape. And if you have expensive Multim in Parvo glasses, this might be wise.

Just released my Lemonade Racket as a complete routine entitled, "Cheers." On the video I mention that it's always a good idea to have a towel handy onstage with you when you perform with liquids. Try as you might, at some point, you're going to spill a little. If you have a spectator up on stage with you and the slip and fall because of liquid, that spells "lawsuit." I've seen it happen.

I am looking for a glass of milk which slowly empties when you hold it. Can anyone tell me what the name of it is?