talkmagic.co.uk

Hallowe'en proved to be a horror show for me this year. I arrived at the venue (two hours drive from home) only to realise that my show was in my case, back home in the kitchen. I had to do three half-hour shows with no props.

Deciding to improvise I opened the first show with a big fire blow-out. Unfortunately the shopping centre had the most sensitive fire alarm I have ever encountered, and immediately the lights went off and the sirens came on. All the shutters came down, and I was left with forty screaming kids in a locked-down corridor. Thankfully the sprinkler system didn't come on.

So the first show I did a lot of storytelling to get the crowd back on side. Luckily it worked well.

Before the start of the second show a child spotted a bandage on my neck, from where I had nicked myself shaving. He shouted at me to pull it off. I did - and it started spouting.

Luckily enough I was in a shopping centre and I was able to improvise. I replaced five minutes with a pocket hankey with five minutes with a cloth duster. I did unequal ropes with shoe laces, and made other substitutions which worked out all right.

The upshot was that the venue have hired me for their Christmas bash. But this time I will check the kitchen for brief cases before I set out.

I've done that one myself once before, it's something that you do twice. Sounds like you managed really well and put on a good show.

Well done Tony. Leaving props behind is a personal nightmare of mine. I tend to check everything a dozen times, and have even been known to pull the car into a lay-by and just check one more time!

Oh no, it doesn't sound like you'll be working there again!!!!
Couldn't you of bought a deck of cards? Cards across? Resorted to some hypnosis?

Sorry about that, it sounds like you've had a rough time.

Joel.

JoelDickinson wrote:Oh no, it doesn't sound like you'll be working there again!!!!

Except that he's already been rebooked:

TonyB wrote:The upshot was that the venue have hired me for their Christmas bash.

Well that is good bloody going!!
Well done for pulling it off...

Sounds like a nightmare! Glad you managed to pull it off.

TonyB wrote: I opened the first show with a big fire blow-out. the shopping centre had the most sensitive fire alarm I have ever encountered, and immediately the lights went off and the sirens came on. All the shutters came down, and I was left with forty screaming kids in a locked-down corridor.

That sounds like a good trick, where can I buy it?