talkmagic.co.uk

On either friday or one of the days in the weekend I am performing a short show for family. Its only for about five people, but of course I want it to go well. After lots of chopping and changing I have come up with this- an effect similar to Andy Nymans diceman, but with a different (worse ) method. I follow this up with my own colour changing knives routine, before admitting that all this is byplay to cover the fact that I have forgoten my cards. To remedy this I pour some red and black rice into a dove pan and give it a good stir before replacing the lid. After a bit of patter I lift the lid to show a freshly baked deck. Now I move onto an observation test routine and finish with a card to orange.

Does anyone have any tips, advice or improvements? It just doesnt feel like a finished routine to me at the moment.

It sounds nice (especially the part with the deck baking), but seems to lack a definite and big ending.

How about you burn the deck back into rice, or something of the sort? Eliminate all evidence of the crime, so to speak.

I like that idea. Perhaps I could cover it with a napkin, then smash my hand down on it and lift the napking to reveal nothing but rice (using tt, lapping and the rigidity of the napkin to my advantage )? I would just burn as you sugested but cant risk setting off smoke alarms .

I may be over my head here, but I would suggest giving at least the last effect a personal touch. Dedicate it to your mother and father, and make one last attempt at transmorgrifrying the deck... into what turns out to be two linked rings.
I'm working on a silly little routine right now in which a sponge ball becomes pregnant in the hands of a spectator. They're actually feeling it grow, putting pressure on their hands from the inside. And when they open their hand, they discover it has given birth to three other baby-balls (or as many as you like). Maybe you can make that into part of a story about your mother (I spared you the part where papa-ball gets mama-ball pregnant then runs away and vanishes from my hand in thin air)

The way Id approach this (incorperating Dups idea aswell) is as follows.

1 - something quick, easy and visual (non card). This is a sort of introduction. 2 - the deck appears (dove pan) followed by 3 - a card effect using the deck.

4 & 5 non card effects. 6 - card in orange (big trick). 7 - the deck changes back to rice.

The idea of the quick visual opener is standard fare. The deck appearing next and vanishing at the end will give a sense of completeness to the show. Notice the big trick (card in orange) isnt placed last, but second last - If you watch someone like Lance Burton you'll see this idea in use, and also see how the pacing should be at this point. Mark Lewis has spoken about the placement of the 'big trick' and recommends a book, which I cant remember the name of

jim

Thanks for the tips everyone. It turns out the peformance will not be this weekend but the next. Can anyone point me in the direction of potential methods to do the deck to rice bit (I'm baffled )?

Good luck with the show.

As for the deck to rice, how about a variation of this?

http://www.yostuff.com/video/Magic-Secr ... ble/58230/

dup wrote:Good luck with the show.

As for the deck to rice, how about a variation of this?

http://www.yostuff.com/video/Magic-Secr ... ble/58230/

Thanks. Ive made a change bag in the hope that I can use that but I havent tested it yet.

I will try to get a video of the performance to post here.

Ok, I think I may need a bit of advice on the card to fruit. I am no longer having it appear in a fruit but in a locked box entrusted to a spectator (to create suspense at the start of the routine, with everyone wondering where the box will come in). But I thought to myself that having a card torn up and then having it appear restored in a box suggests the method to the spectators, and was wondering if I should just tear of a single corner and switch that rather than tearing the whole card up?

Hope that makes sense, I'm stuck!

If the card isnt going to be signed then a corner switch is the next best thing. There defenetely has to be some sort of identifier with something like this, to sell the effect.

Are you going to be vanishing the rest of the card whole ?

jim

Well everyone will be here in about 15 mins and I will be doing the routine tonight. Wish me luck!

(Oh, and sorry Jim, I didn't see your question, yes I am vanishing the card whole using a vanishing card case type prop)

spooneythegoon wrote:Well everyone will be here in about 15 mins and I will be doing the routine tonight. Wish me luck!

Good luck Spooney

jim

Have a good one and tell us how it goes!

Good luck!

Thanks everyone!

Things started off fine with the diceman like effect. When I moved into colour changing knives it went very well indeed, and people seemed impressed by it. As I began cooking the cards my grandad hinted at the correct method but it seemed to be dismissed by everyone including him as a joke. I completely messed up the observation test trick, and ended up just having to apologise and say I'd made a mistake (at least it's one less to make next time). Things went much better when I performed the "card to envelope in locked box" effect (a card in lemon, really) and my grandad (it's always him! ) had to spend about 15 minutes examining the corner against the card before admitting it was a perfect fit. I turned the cards into rice for a surpise finale.