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I was asked to do a show for a christmas party in Kayamandi (one of the townships in South Africa) on Saterday. I asked how many kids there'd be, and they said they weren't too sure. I assumed it would be around 40.
I was told t was at this community centre, so I picture performing indoors to a group of about 40 kids. I knew language would be a bit of a barrier, so I made sure the effects I did were quite visual.
I arrived to find over 400 kids
When I arrived I walked around a bit and I pulled a sponge ball from some kid's ear. Within seconds I was surrounded by about 50 kids. It was really cool - they were so responsive to my magic.
I then heard an announcement - they called me "Mr Magic" for some or other reason - and I had to be on stage. No time to set up or anything. Fortunately my show is setup so I can perform almost straight away - but I was hoping for a little time.
The show wasn't the best I've ever done, but went well under the circumstances. It was strange because there was a whole lot of kids in front of me, but also on the stage, on either side - so i was pretty much surrounded.
The organizers were very happy with what I did - so I guess that's what counts - and it looked as if the kids had a good time

taneous - sounds like a real make or break gig. I reckon if you can succeed so well with a show like that, especially as it was all so unexpected, then you are certainly on your way. You seem to be going from strength to strength.

Well done.

Well done, good to hear you're doing so well - I think I ought to get your autograph now before you get even more famous and start charging a lot of money for it!

Thanks guys. Hmm - i think it'll be a while before things go that route, but i have had fun lately. A friend of mine said that one way to get good is to do 1000 shows (or something like that) so I'm doing all i can to get to that number. Got a long way to go. At the moment I've tried to take every oppurtunity to perform that comes my way. I don't know if that is the wisest approach - but as long as I don't blow it and learn from each experience I think it can be a good thing. I'm getting to the stage where it's a bit of a juggling act to fit in shows between work and a family with two kids - but it's working out for now.

I did a show yesterday for a christmas party that included my two kids. I've recently bought a pop-off wand - you know the one where the end of the wand pops off. Well the kid's were laughing a lot so I got a bit carried away and accidently shot one of the kids in the front row with the end of the wand Fortunately it was one of my kids so i didn't need to apologize to any parents - but I felt really bad about it. She burst out crying and ran off to my wife at the back. - Dangerous things - magicians with wands..

Dangerous things - magicians with wands..

Tell me about it! A few years ago I bought one of those wands which fire a flash paper and cotton pellet into the air. Most impressive and I decided to get the version which fires out of both ends so I could just reverse the wand and fire a second time if required. The gizmo is fired by pushing one of two small button in the centre of the wand and it was sooooo easy for me to press the wrong one. The third time I used it, I held the thing aloft, pointed it at the heavens and, instead of firing it out of the far end and into space, I pushed the wrong button, shot the flaming pellet straight up my jacket sleeve, singed all the hair off my arm and ruined a perfectly good shirt. Strangely enough, I haven't looked at the wand since!

The third time I used it, I held the thing aloft, pointed it at the heavens and, instead of firing it out of the far end and into space, I pushed the wrong button, shot the flaming pellet straight up my jacket sleeve, singed all the hair off my arm and ruined a perfectly good shirt. Strangely enough, I haven't looked at the wand since!

I'm sorry Mandrake, but I had to laugh at that! I have the exact same wand that you're talking about (I use it in my fire show) and I can simply imagine what that had to look like...I can see me dancing around on stage under the cirmcumstance!

Regarding Taneous's kids show - Congratulations on a job well done! I've been doing kids shows for the better part of 3 decades now and I would have been floored walking into a group of 400, having been told 40 or so would be there...Yes, I've done shows where the audience was sizeable (not 400, but 200+ at times), but I would have set my show up for 40 kids. Ah, well, either way we overcome because the show must go on, but still, it would have been a smack right in the face seeing that huge of an audience without a "heads-up."

Again, good job Brother.

Mike.

(I used some very unusual magic words that day as well! )