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A friend of mine has a wonderful routine that is scripted to a poem.
I totally want to copy him, but I can't do the same trick as him.
I'm not going to say what that is, just now (or at all).

I'm looking for some classic stand up magic routines that have enough of a blank canvas to add a new script to, but also are lengthy enough with a few things going on in them, so that it's not too short.
4 to 6 minutes is a good start.

I'll kick off some ideas...

Cut and Restored Rope
Vanishing Bandana
Perhaps something says literature, a book test?

That's all for now. I'll be happy to expand if anyone has any questions or ideas.

It really depends on the poem.

But, with nothing to go on, how about the Linking Rings?

Actually every trick is a blank script. Sometimes it is just difficult to scrap what you know about it's presentation and start over.

If it were me, (but its not) I would not start with the poem, I would start with an effect that I am happy performing and figure out how to make it tell the story I want it to tell. That was how I started because it eliminated learning a new trick and creating a totally unique presentation. After a few successes I turned the tables and found I could hear a story, listen to a song or just pull an experience out of my head and come up with an effect to tell that story. Now it all happens at the same time, sort of.

The problem with advice in this matter is that we are all so different when it comes to the creative process.

Clippo is a great place to start because you can tell the story about how you were looking for a job in the classifieds, or buying a car, or just how you decided to cut out all the negativity in your life and realizing you just have to change your attitude.

Six Card Repeat is another. You could easily put that to a poem you just have to find a poem about loss and recovery. I tell the story of how I saw Paul Daniels on TV and he did the effect and I just had to learn how. So I went to the local magic shop and said "Dad, I saw Paul Daniels on tv and he did this trick, do we have it?" and he replied... Not going to go into the entire routine but the routine is the truth and is exactly what happened, and its funny because my dad happens to own the magic shop, so it throws in a bit of my history as well.

Some effects become so ingrained in our magic culture that we think that is how they have to be done. ID is a great example of that. Almost everyone does the same Don Allen routine note for note. But really that is one of dozens upon dozens of possible routines.

One of my favourite uses of a poem in magic was on a Eugene Burger video (can't remember which). he just reads it before starting any effects, absolutely brilliant, really magical.

If you think about what the effects are in magic (pretty sure there are 5 or 7 or something, vanish, production, transposition etc), that might be a good place to start thinking about how magic would apply to the story or poem. Then you could get away from thinking in terms of routines (not that you are, but it's where I would start).

A poem by one of my favorite magicians - Martin A. Nash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFRPfnNN-Z4" target="_blank" target="_blank

Ooops, i posted before finishing and then left the house...

was gonna say that something like this could be worked into an intro for a gambling routine?

I've also considered trying to make a routine fit with a song, poker face or something... Magic by Bruce Springsteen could be good. Do the actions as he sings about them