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Magi

I'm looking for some advice. My son (11) will be doing a short set as part of a show at our local village hall. He has about 5 minutes and most of what he currently does is with cards or sponge balls - all pretty much close-up stuff. He has not done this sort of show before.

He has a couple of props that will work visually from the stage and he is keen that the main trick will be a card effect. Here is what I'm thinking and I would be most grateful for any and all helpful and constructive advice.

Stage has a small table for props and a balloon either taped to the wall or on some kind of stand, ideally since before the show. He walks on, taking pink/green colour changing silks from pocket, complains about the colours not fitting his colour scheme, changes to purple/yellow which is much better.

Introduces the next trick and shows newspaper front and back, opens it to the middle and rolls it into a cone. Picks up glass of milk and pours carefully into the paper. Puts down almost-empty glass, then shakes the newspaper open. Milk has vanished and ribbons or streamers fly out (probably can't do confetti as no opportunity to sweep the stage).

Asks for a volunteer to help with the next trick. Spec picks a card from the deck, a little by-play about guessing the card, possibly involving clips of music - motorhead and/or Dave Edmunds - gets it wrong. Asks spec to fold card into quarters and then tear it into 4 pieces. The pieces are then dropped into a pouch made by folding a handkerchief but the expected vanish goes wrong leaving one quarter floating to the floor. Gives it to spec as a souvenir before having them burst the balloon to find the other 3 quarters have magically restored and the spec's piece fits perfectly.

We don't need to know how to do any of this - I'm describing the effects to avoid exposure. It's all well within his capability and we have the necessary props (the package from madetomeasuremagic arrived with the last bit in today's post - thanks Dave). However if anyone has any suggestions for improvement or spots something that's weak or won't work, I'd be happy to hear. I feel it's important that the first thing he does is visual and largely self-working to help his confidence in an unfamiliar setting.

I also don't know whether to be encouraged or disappointed by the fact that Peter Firmin used two similar effects on The Magicians in the last couple of weeks.

Thanks,

Ian

This sounds like a fun act! A few of my own opinions which obviously may not be right for everyone!

I would perform the card vanish at the very beginning of the act. When the single piece flutters down, look ashamed and inform everyone that you have forgotten where you vanished the rest of the car to. Obviously make sure the balloon is far away from your son at all times.

Announce that you may have to come back to that later. Right at the end (in typical Derren Brown style) after his bow he can 'remember' there is still a little way to go. That gap should build the suspense and allow for a WOW reaction.

Re the milk vanish, I wouldn't bother with any confetti, would you be able to use the milk bottle sweets and pour them into the hands of a young audience member? They will be expecting wet hands but will receive a nice little present!

The act sounds good! Best of luck with it!

Alec

Not sure I agree completely with Alec in this case, but as he says, it's all about opinions...

With a lot of effects, I think coming back to it as an after thought at the end is a really strong ending, in this case I think it would benefit more from coming quite quickly after the vanish, so there's no way the card could be smuggled out and put in a balloon (however you're supposed to put it in an inflated balloon, sure the audience will have some interesting suggestions on how it's done...)

I also think that streamers/confetti would be more visual for a stage context, which is pretty essential for a five minute stage show.

I think it sounds like a pretty good act, all fairly classic without being naff. Good combination...

It sounds like a nice act to me, good luck to your son and let us know how he gets on.

It sounds nice, and hopefully he will have fun and put it over well. My only comment is that I wouldn't bother with streamers out of the paper. Vanishing the milk is a stronger effect than turning it into paper streamers.

Overall, it sounds like a nice routine. I think that putting some distance between the card vanish and the reappearance of the restored 3/4 card could work, but my gut instinct is that kartoffelngeist is right and it would be better to go straight to the end of the routine (at least in a five minute act).

I've got a few minor suggestions/observations. The colour changing double silk at the start is a nothing trick. I know the idea is that it's a quick visual opener, but muttering to oneself about a colour scheme feels a bit awkward. Fine is you do have a purple and yellow colour scheme, maybe, but otherwise it's a trick that doesn't seem to have any purpose. I admit I am slightly biased against this sort of thing after reading a Richard Osterlind book. If you can do magic, why would you change the colour of a small bit of fabric? It's not the sort of power theme that appeals to people. Except fashion designers, perhaps!

How about a short sponge ball production instead? Sponges don't have to be solely close-up.

I know where Tony is coming from about the ribbons. I think that they have two advantages, in that it's a nice visual "punch" and the presence of something impliedly suggests that the milk has gone, perhaps more strongly than merely showing the paper empty. On the other hand, the more you add, the more "tricksy" it becomes, and there's arguably a stronger suggestion that there's something "up". As it's a little village hall show, I think go for the wow factor and keept the ribbons. Again, what kartoffelngeist suggested. (In spite of his avatar, he is not a sock puppet...).

The other thing that occurred to me is that the T&R card, as written up, requires your son to fail twice in a row. Once with naming the card, once with the vanish (although only a partial failure). I can see why getting the name of the card wrong is actually helpful in some ways for this trick, but in such a short act, is it going to make the audience feel a bit like he deserves sympathy rather than applause because he's a great magician? I'm asking that because I did a "sucker" trick on stage when I was 16, and the false mistake really seemed to kill the applause at the end.

EDIT: I am aware that there is some irony in my suggesting that a colour changing silk is a "nothing", and then asking if someone could produce sponge balls instead! I think my issue might have been mainly to do with the rather forced explanation given for the change.

Hi folks,

Thanks for all of your feedback so far. The show is in a few weeks and I will definitely post an update to let you know how Adam got on.

The opening silk colour change was chosen because he already has the prop, and we wanted something that was visual and self-working to get him started. It's a bit contrived, so I'm very much open to suggestions. And happy to obtain a reasonably inexpensive prop if required. Will think about a sponge thing, but would prefer a self-worker.

Alec, I love the suggestion to transform the milk into milk sweets and we will definitely use that sometime, but I can't see it working in this hall this time. I'm still thinking some white confetti for the visual impact, but the clearing up aspect may force us down another route.

I'm now seeing the card thing going like his:
Riffles through deck, spec calls stop and takes card.
Looks at it, doesn't show anyone, folds it into quarters and holds it between palms.
Asked to concentrate on the card, say the name over and over in his mind.
2-3 second clip of Motörhead A of S dismissed by Adam
Starts concentrating again as above, similar clip of Dave Edmunds Q of H also dismissed.
Final clip - Steve Miller Band dismissed too. That's not possible - he took the joker out before we started!
Identifies card, either just by repeating it over and over while spec does that in his mind or by getting colour, suit and value as a simple mind-read.
Asks spec to tear card into 4 and hold the pieces face down. Prepares handkerchief, vanishes all but one piece. Claims the big finish was supposed to be making the card disappear. Spec takes the piece as Adam decides he needs to go out with a bang - spec bursts balloon and matches card. Standing ovation (hopefully).

I'm still very much open to thoughts and feedback.

Thanks again everyone.

Ian

Not all sponges tricks are sleight heavy. The classic production I learned from the Paul Daniels sponge ball sets is pretty easy. You probably know the one; the performer shows one hand empty, then the other. He rolls up one sleeve, then the other. Nothing there. Then he places his hands together and there is a ball. Use a growing ball and you have a nice (almost) self working two stage routine that's very visual. If there is a compere and you can get him or her to say that the audience will have a ball watching the next act, you've got a good reason for it too.

Part of me thinks it would be funny for the card name revelation to be proceeded by more music, perhaps Anyone Who Had a Heart (first, I want you to concentrate on the suit) and Seven Seconds (now think of the value). Your son then pauses and says the card is the four of clubs (or whatever it actually is). This might tread on the toes of the previous music gag, though.

Folks,

Thanks again for your suggestions and advice. Adam’s performance was last night.

He came on holding a green silk, explaining that when he was asked if he wanted to perform he was so excited that he ran all the way home, straight upstairs and to the special place where he keeps his magic stuff – his bedroom floor. Anyway he got his coloured silk cloths, “girly” green and “pretty” pink (drops to show both colours) – but it’s a boys brigade show, not a girly thing, so the colours were just wrong. Maybe better a dark blue to match the uniform and a gold for the anchor on their tie – no problem (change) to a magician like him.

He then talked about colours being important – if we didn’t have any colours then everything would look like the photos of <leader’s name> when he was a boy. (picks up bowl of sweets). He explains that he has these little coloured sweets – all the colours of the rainbow, even called rainbow drops – and he can’t get enough of them. (still eating the sweets and talking about his favourite colour). But when he starts eating them he just can’t stop. And if he eats too many he starts to feel a bit funny. (grabs handful and stuffs them into his mouth – starts to cough, produces streamers from coil).

(picks up newspaper and starts thumbing through) He saw an old advert that he thought was really clever and it had a glass of milk in it. This is his own version. (opens paper to centre, shakes it and shows front and back then rolls it into a cone. Music: “In the Air Tonight” starts - edited to suit the timing of the effect).
The glass was pouring into a big bowl (pours milk into paper – carefully not wanting to spill – pauses, swirls milk round in glass – keeps pouring then takes a drink from the glass) and then at the end, as if by magic, out came a bar of chocolate (music hits the “gorilla” drum solo from the other ad, Adam reaches in and pulls out a Dairy Milk and passes it to a child in the audience, opens and shakes the newspaper to reveal the milk has vanished).

He then asks for a volunteer, who chooses a card from the deck and then folds it up. Spec concentrates on card and Adam then tries to read his mind and pick up on his thoughts.
(music :”Ace of Spades” – shakes his head as soon as it starts) Too obvious.
(music: “Queen of Hearts” – shakes his head again) A lot of girls choose that card.
(music “The Joker” – puzzled, then realises what it is) The Joker? No – he took them out.
Concentrate on the colour, could be red or black, red or black, red or… (identifies colour). (similarly identifies suit). Now the value, could be Ace, Two, Three, Fo… It’s the King (spec opens it up and shows audience.)
(picks up cloth from table and starts to fold it, asks spec to tear card into quarters and deal into the folded cloth). And now your card has completely vanished (opens cloth, one quarter card falls out). Ah – almost completely vanished. (spec picks up card, is asked to take a pin and burst the balloon that’s been on the far wall all the time, ¾ card falls out and matches the quarter that’s in his hand, audience gasps and then goes wild).

Adam’s 11 and still at primary school. This was his first attempt at stage magic and he was very nervous, but he came over as really calm and confident, delivered his 10-minute set really well and knocked ‘em dead. I’ve had nothing but positive comments from the audience. He was the last solo act on the programme, and all of the others were musical acts. There have been some great comments on Facebook about his act, some from people we don’t know. I think one of the leaders videoed it – fingers crossed. And of course Adam is now on cloud nine and keen to get to the magic DVDs he got for his birthday a few weeks ago now that he’s not concentrating on preparation for the show.

So thanks again for all of your suggestions.

Ian
(Adam’s really proud dad)

That all sounds extremely good - well done Adam!!!

That sounds like a really nice routine, a massive well done to Adam!

Excellent! What a start...