talkmagic.co.uk

Well, I got back a short while ago from a children's show I performed for my niece's class at school. Since it was on the eve of Halloween, I gave my typical show a bit of a Halloween edge.

I know others were on the boards discussing some Halloween show ideas, so I thought I'd share my set with everyone. Perhaps some of you can pull some ideas from it. If you want details - feel free to pm me.

Opening -

Monkey production - I started the show with a small crate in my hands, which I said contained my special assistant - Dewey the Sponge Ball Magic Monkey. After explaining how cranky he is, I said the children needed to quietly knock on the crate to get his attention. Naturally, this was a great way to get them all quiet and then do the old gag of scaring them by making the box "jump".

After that a traditional empty box closed up -magic words - monkey is produced.

From there I talked about how magician's weave their magic by using magical threads that exist all around us. This little speech led into:

silk production
vanish/appearance
color change
Transform into sponge ball

Traditional style sponge ball routine (I used orange sponges - which worked nicely later on) - vanishes/appearances/transfers/multiplications.

I finished the routine with a multiple color change, ending up with a 2" orange sponge ball, a 1.5" black sponge ball and a 1" green sponge ball. The children said they were like the colors of a jack-o-lantern. It was nice that the kids got that idea without any prodding on my behalf.

From there - the three sponges are squeezed together in the hand, and when opened it reveals a large, 4" jack-o-lantern (I found a cool one at a local shop that I just had to toss into the routine).

To finish, I had the teacher turn out the lights, and then started telling a ghost story - about small ghosts the fly all around us - sometimes even flying right inside of us!! I let the tension build up - getting the kids to tell me what the ghosts look like (white - glowing). Just when they were all quiet and really involved in the story - BAM - white d'lites from the nearest child's ears. Suddenly ghosts are appearing everywhere!!! Out of thin air, in the ears of children. Disappearing and reappearing all over the place.

Then I told a story about how to catch them, and see what they really look like. So I grabbed one up, closing it tight in my fist. Then on the count of 3 the lights came back on and it finishes with a production of a 6" tall "ghost" (another wonderful purchase from a local shop). The especially cool thing about these ghosts is that they're rubber and have a light in them. So when I brought my hand down to "catch him", it pressed the top of the ghosts head, making it glow white.

All in all it was a great show. The kids had a blast - and I was complimented by the adults that were present (and yes, I passed out the b-cards). It was a relatively short show - about 15 minutes, but I was quite happy with it.

Anyone else have any Halloween show stories? I'd LOVE to hear them!!

Well done Demitri that sounded realy cool.

I did a hallowen show here in the UK (Jack o Lantern not quite so known here, we just call them pumpkins, hehehe)

I started with some PK effects, I had a spoon on the table and I got all the kids to concentrate on the spoon and saying that a ghost was about to come into the room, suddenly the spoon started to lift up on its bowl, then it spun around before falling back into place on the table, (thank you to my M5 for the help there.)

I then took the spoon off the table and spun a yarn about the spoon bveing effected by the ghost (missdirection and a quick switch) and did some Spoon Bending via " Autobend Silverware". They were all gobsmaked when it broke into two pieces and it fell onto the table.

I lightened the atmosphear by doing some sponge ball tricks, like you, I did multiplying balls, vanishes, productions and changes, then there were 4 and ball to square routine. I gave them all a sponge ball as a souviner.

I asked them "who likes magic?" and "who likes money?" then I did a quick coin change form a £1 coin to a 20p piece, with the help on my Raven, that was sweet and they loved it.

I got out a pack of cards, my "Ghost Deck" (well it was Halloween) I started with about 3 card changes, (Erdnase style and a DL) they were very well exepted by the children.

I got the lights in the room turned down by the dimmer switch, and we all sat around in a little circle while they all told a ghost story, after they had finished it was my turn to tell a ghost story, so! off I went telling them all about these 4 happy smiling kings that came from the North, South, East and West and onday some very bad people came and gathered up all the 4 kings and buried them alive!!!!!! (I put them on top of the deck, and did a pass) then I said oneday there was an earthquake and the coffins that had the kings inside came tumbling out of the ground, North, South, East and West, and I asked them what do you think they found when the coffins were opened? and as one child was told to turn the cards over, they found them all to be the "Ghost Skull Kings"!!!!!!! they loved that story and the fact that the kings were all dead now was fantastic! (a great reaction) That is my way of using the ghost kings from the gaff deck. (feel free to use it if you like it)

I then said lets try somthing different, as there was a PC in the room with an optical mouse, I decided to put my hands into my pocket and grab my RED D'Lights, off we went with the show, I pinched the light from the mouse and proceded to throw it about and pluck it from here and there, it went through my mouth cheeks and my ears, through my tee-shirt etc etc, then I asked who would like to blow out the light, and every kid stood up all at the same time shouting ME ME ME!!!!!!!

There were more quick tricks, but I will not mention them all now or I will be writing an essay.

It was a very fun night and I did a show for about 45 minutes, I got two bookings from that, by some parents for upcoming birthdays.

After all the kids went off to play I did somthing for the adults, in short, Needle Through Arm, Saw (string through neck) Watch Stopping, Wee-Ja Board (from BlackHarts with a change bag and some Tarot cards) Voodoo Ash (a card reveal) and Superman (signed borrowed coin bend)

It was the climax for all of the parents.

Thank you all for listening.

(Maybe I have said too much and this should this be classed as a routine and put into the secret routins section, hehehehe)

Thanks, Leighton.

Your show sounded liked a great one! Excellent work!

Hey Demitri,

My next event has been confirmed for the 18th of November! I am both nervous and exited at the same time. I realy need to put pen to paper and work out some routines.

Maybe it is time for me to change my profile from SH to the next one up (not sure what it is)

Well, I don't know if I can be of any assistance, but if you wanted some ideas and/or a person to bounce them off of, hit me up.