by LobowolfXXX » Sep 25th, '07, 18:17
I'm partial to Ed Alonzo's (?) "Oral Fixational,"
From the audience's perspective - cube shown to be complete scrambled... performer gives a few twists and turns and doesn't seem to be doing much good...cube goes in performer's mouth...performer talks and appears to manipulate cube with teeth/tongue/uvula/whateverelsehe'sgotinhismouth...performer takes cube out of his mouth, shows various sides and tosses it in the air, completely solved.
That description isn't 100% accurate as to what actually happens, but that's absolutely the perception. Because it has to fit in the performer's mouth, obviously, the cube is smaller and this effect is thus not appropriate for a large stage show. Because there's some "cheating," you wouldn't want to do it completely surrounded in a close-up setting. However, it's ideal for parlor type settings, and works in close-up if not surrounded (restaurant gig would probably be fine, if you controlled your angles), though you can't pass it out at the end of the routine. However, since it's just come out of your MOUTH, I've found that an offer to pass it out for examination, followed by holding it as if it still has saliva, etc., so you can say something like, "Oh...maybe that's not such a good idea" or just make a disgusted expression, etc. will generate a laugh and allow you to just put it away without them feeling like they really wanted to handle it.
I guess there's a good general rule in there somewhere...if you don't want the audience to examine a prop...put it in your mouth!! Not recommended for color-changing knives.