talkmagic.co.uk

I don't know if it is allowed (apologies if it is not), but I have just published a DVD on entertaining children with minimal props. The idea is to be able to build up routines from the close-up skills we all have, to create big tricks for kids with small props. I also explain in detail my balloon swallow routine.
Here is a promo clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39L9CYcN ... e=youtu.be
The DVD is available through my website www.partymagic.ie at the moment.
All the best, Tony

It's only OK if you have over 1293 posts... ah... yes....

Thanks. I don't want to be one of those self-promoting guys who only posts when he wants to push something, but I do want to spread the word!

Good luck with it Tony, hope it does well.

It looks like a great tool for anyone wanting to break into childrens magic Tony.
I myself have learnt so much from dvd format.

Good luck with the sales.

CArl...

Sounds like a good theme for a DVD. There are only a couple out there that touch on close up stuff for kids. Good luck with it.

That's how I run my kids show too, all from a single case.
So, I'm pretty interested, how much is it?

And also... you mentioned the balloon swallow - aren't you worried a kid might try to copy you? I never put balloons in my mouth.

This last point is indeed a controversial matter which I think Tony has addressed before. I, personally am not in favour of it. Children DO copy. Over here even balloon modelling is a little controversial let alone swallowing the damn things. There are even a few venues that won't allow a performer to even have balloons in his show. A child can choke on a broken or uninflated balloon. Of course in some cases, I will concede that this may not altogether be a bad thing.

I have even seen one idiotic magician advocate doing the razor blade trick in a kid show. The chap stated that razor blades are not available any more and kids won't be able to find them so they can't copy. The weakness of that argument is that you shouldn't put ANYTHING in your mouth in a kid show. I will concede that I saw a magician when I was around 7 years old produce mouth coils galore which fascinated me but I think he was wrong to do so. There are also various silly people who use fire in kid shows such as the hot book and that sort of thing.

I would have thought all this was common sense. Alas common sense isn't that common.

In fifteen years I have never seen a child try to copy the balloon trick, and the reason is simple; children are less stupid than we believe. They know it is a trick that they are not trained or qualified to do, and they don't try it.

I have also never had a parent complain or raise an objection - but I have had bookings on the strength of it. The two most common things I am asked on the phone is am I the man with the talking dog, and am I the man that eats the balloons. Kids love it.

My routine has been designed to eliminate any possibility of off-colour remarks (a bigger danger, actually) and I also warn the kids not to try this at home. The warning is for the benefit of the watching adults, as the kids already know.

There have been a tiny few instances of children choking on burst balloons, but less than you would imagine. And none have involved a modelling balloon. The reason that many places do not allow balloons is not because of the choking hazard, but because of the possibility of a latex allergy.

Personally I would not have a hand chop or a guillotine in my act, but I know several kids entertainers who do. I am satisfied there is no danger in what I do - if I had any doubts, I wouldn't be doing it.

Any children's entertainer who uses that ghastly head or arm chopper is a complete incompetent and has no idea what he is doing. For adults it is fine but for kids no. I shudder when I see the sort of things that children's entertainers do.

Of course Tony works to Irish kids. They are indeed a hardy bunch. I remember the department stores in Dublin used to station a security man at the entrance all day so the kids wouldn't come in and rob the place blind. I still remember somebody once said to me about a group of little monsters in Belfast. "These kids are afraid of nothing. They go out at night and throw stones at the British army". I suppose a little balloon swallowing is no big deal after that.