The kid who fell asleep in houdinis show was jay marshall at the time he was 5 years old.
I think a lot of the people who post here just don't get what performance of escape is or maybe should be in the minds and eyes of the crowd.
This summer we had approx 271 standing room only shows out of a total of approx 280 shows. A lot of those people were returning for multiple shows - they were not bored in fact they said they really thought it was cool. Now we needed to do a box escape inside a cabinet and keep them entertained for up to 15 mins hidden from view. This is not terribly hard to do with a legitimate challenge built box but, with the problems of getting a challenger to come to this particular venue we had to create a vignette escape. It worked extremely well. I titled it 3 tried 3 died. It consisted of being handcuffed adding 30 pounds of chain being sealed into an airtight, waterproofed canvas bag which lockes on the outside and then placed into a heavy box made of marine grade plywood, locked and then stitched up in a form fitting canvas cover laced at the tope like a football finally placed in the cabinet. Man, with the proper story this worked like gangbusters
sorry this is longwinded but my point is you can take time if you create beliveability speed kills in something like quickest straitjacet escape (there is no sense of oh my gosh he wont make it)
think theater in the audience mind and you will go far grasshoper
ps check out the new vids on our site http://www.escapeguy.com

Now here comes a question again. how long should it take or be allowed to escape without. losing your audience or their interest

How long should it take?
The only people who can tell you is the audience.
If you ask the question in hopes of trying the escape it comes out like reading the words to hound dog or some other music classic - its just on paper. This is the biggest problem in magic. Performers think that if they go by whats on paper step by step even down to how long it should take that they will be a good performer no, just the opposite a passionless copy.

you have to go by your gut and feel. This may sound crass to some on here but its like sex. Every situation is a different personality and if you go strickly by the book and don't do anything unique for the instance then its done poorly and remembered if at all for the wrong reason

Go by instinct

100% correct.

Well, I'm glad Steve Santini is back at escapes because he was an absolutely terrible Hypnotist. Sorry Steve, o'l buddy, some my think ur Harry Houdini...because you certainly ain't no Terry Stokes.

Not evrey body is good at evreything but evreyone trys

Ladies and gentleman of the forum, I am a crude man. Please forgive me, I was completly out of line saying this. I have personal issues with Steve and I should not have taken them up here...again, my humble apologies and this will not happen again.

Hi Rick, welcome to the board, good to see a straight forward talker.
Many believe the same thing and don't have the heart to say so, or not a Christmas anyway.

David

Thanks Dave, LOL....really...LOL...LOL. I have placed myself into trouble at times with my bluntness. My apologie for what I said was directed at the fair readers of this form, not at Santini. But I have more things to worry about than him...nuff said about that and him.

Rick its ok and its not the first time this has happened. others have done it to.

It is no secret that Santini and I are not friends, but I believe in giving the devil his due, and must disagree with Mr. Silmser's description of Santini as a terrible hypnotist. I saw him perform an act for a group here in Winnipeg some years ago, and I have to admit that he did a good job. I do not do the hypnotist act myself, but am relying on a background of having seen numerous live hypnotists over the years, most of which I could only describe as bottom drawer performers. It does not change my personal opinion of Santini.

To coin a phrase..."To each, his own"

Evreyone has their likes and dislikes.