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FairieSnuff wrote:

Magick wrote:

FairieSnuff wrote:If you have time, maybe print of some old photos of peeps they would know and do a living and dead test ?

If you are performing for OAP's I personally wouldn't recommend anything that touches on the subject of mortality.

Why ?

Well they're sat in a nursing home waiting to die (to put it bluntly). I'm sure they spend more than enough time thinking about death as it is. being entertained is an opportunity to escape that for a spell (in my opinion).

I think Discombobulators idea is excellent, nostalgia all the way.

I've worked a few gigs in old people's homes including a 90th birthday prarty and I have to say that it's not often that you will get to feel as welcome at a gig as I did when I visited.

A lot of performers give these venues a wide berth but I think that it's a mistake.

You'de probably not be surprised how many of them play cards as a past time so anything you can do with cards will often be very impressive to them and don't think that they won't understand what you're on about because they will.

I know that you can do this Tristan. Give it a go and I think that you will be very pleasantly surprised.

P.S. Don't be surprised though if one of them asks you to sing for them

dat8962 wrote:
P.S. Don't be surprised though if one of them asks you to sing for them

Which could be a nice peek idea if they were to write it down for you....
You start singing or humming the first few lines, i guarantee the rest of em will join in !!

F x

FairieSnuff wrote:If you have time, maybe print of some old photos of peeps they would know and do a living and dead test ?

I know this has been flagged already, but please, don't do this, especially not in an old people's home. It's got bad news written all over it for reasons that should be painfully apparent.
And I can only echo the sentiments about old people's homes being great gigs. They're pleased to see you, they're not going to drunkenly slap the cards out of your hand in the middle of a bar, and you're bound to hear some quality stories.

i didnt mean living and dead as in LIVING AND DEAD ... just as in seperating the cards into two piles...

Tiredness and forums do not mix !

F x

Reverend Tristan wrote:Hi I've picked up a few days doing magic at an oap day center. The audience will be aged between 70 and 90 and some have dementure.

I was wondering if anyone out there has worked this type of gig before and if so what went down well?

OMG! I've gone through that hell and it ain't fun.

Stick with visual and simple... kid's magic actually does work best just remove some of the sillier antics you'd normally have when working with the kiddies. Understand though, using tricks common to the 40's and 50s (their prime years) will strike up memories which will encourage them to be a part of the program and enjoy themselves.

Take your time and be sincere with your approach. Trust me, you're there to impress the employees more than the residents. If you win them over you will get referrals for more traditional situations and coherent audiences.

Craig Browning wrote:Take your time and be sincere with your approach. Trust me, you're there to impress the employees more than the residents. If you win them over you will get referrals for more traditional situations and coherent audiences.

That's what I'm thinking Craig. A few free palm readings while I'm there and Bob married your mums sister.

Hi there,

On a vaguely related note, last weekend I watched the film "Is anybody there?" with Michael Cain. He was playing a retired magician that had just moved into a retirement home. (It was an ok film if not a little sad for a wuss's like me).

Anyway....

During the film he performs a magic show for the other residents, although it does go a 'little' wrong.

He does do a nice (gimmicky) trick at the start where he mentions (spoiler coming up) that he doesn’t do card tricks, just before a deck of cards he'd left on the table a few seconds before shoots the cards up in the air , then he exclaims 'Well, maybe a few". That sort of thing could be nice and visual!

Also, in another part of the film he is doing a 3 card monte routine, might be worth thinking about. Of course since it’s a film, the audience is perfect and predictable, but I could really see a few of the residents having seen 3 card monte before in one of their many travels. It might bring back a few good memories.

Fiction eh. If only all audiences reacted as such.

Good luck

Scotbloke wrote:last weekend I watched the film "Is anybody there?" with Michael Cain.

I missed that at the cinema - is it out on DVD yet?

It is indeed out on DVD. At least for rental anyway. I picked it up from the local Video Drive in, not known for being the most up to date of video rental organisations.

After watching some of the film, you'll know instantly how the magic show the main character performs is going to end, but you still can't help but watch it happen.

Heading for Blockbusters right now - cheers!!

Its a great film, i loved it.

My Nan has asked me to go and entertain her crowd more than once but it's something i've always shied away from. Like Tristan i doubt my stuff would go over well with octogenarians.

I'll have a go if you do Tristan!

Maybe with cards, you could use some high vis cards?

Cards4magic has some high vis/braile/jumbo index cards...
http://www.cards4magic.co.uk/acatalog/c ... Cards.html

My pass with braile cards is awsome..never gets questioned, even in plain sight.

Maybe a routine with old coins from their era, changing to new "metric" coins? Just a thought... Take from it what you will?

Well should have been today and saturday but re booked for next week due to snow, I was thinking 3 card monty also coin matrix and a Sankey routine with 2 coins well 2 of his routines with 2 coins. Was just going back through some of my old books last night and found a beaut of a routine.

Looking forward to it, I've always been a people person and wouldn't have done my last job if I wasn't

How about something like an Cards anywhere routine ? I always though Coin Matrix was a bit to small for large groups. Is that the one where you have Four coins and four cards.. The coins dissapear and re-appear under the cards in various combinations. Lovley little close up effect. I could never really get it really smooth.... shame