talkmagic.co.uk

I did a school Christmas fayre yesterday at a local school a few miles from me. The school contacted me through our website and told me what they were after. We agreed a price and I said I would bring along our walking puppet stage to meet and greet the visitors as an extra. As I was setting up I noticed the little children in front of me and they were really lovely, year Two, perfect. They were getting quite excited at the sight of a magic set being prepared.

End of school came and the fayre started. All the lovely little children disappeared being dragged home by their chavvy parents to be replaced by obnoxious rude 10 -11 year olds. I had two small shows to do with the walking puppet stage before, in between and after.

The magic shows were hard going but we did get them on our side. The puppet was a different kettle of fish. It is difficult to explain what the walking puppet stage looks like but it is all contained in a canvas box around 5-6ft tall. It is designed so that I can walk through doorways and walk up steps.

The problems started when the little terrors, I call them terrors because it is not politically correct to call them brats or Sh@ts, decided that it would be fun to push the Puppet down the stairs. Then they tried to steal his hat saying they were going to, and I quote "poo in it". They tried poking his eyes out, sticking lollypops in his mouth and a number of other things I am too polite to mention. The teachers when they were about, stepped in but not enough.

Our puppet was also smacked across the face by a chavvy parent who thought he was being clever in front of his ugly spotty offspring. I did, or rather the puppet did, smack him back to the delight of the watching brats.

When I finished the set I walked the stage and puppet into a classroom and locked the door only to hear kids hammering and kicking the door and telling me that I had to come back out at some time.

I know the school is on special measures and is on a council estate but this behavior I did not expect. The puppet always goes down well at festivals etc but kids seem to just want to kill him.

I have done a Mentalism evening at this school or rather for the teachers and PTA and they are really nice and I had no problems or behavior issues. The school have asked me back to do a number of other events, magic and puppet but I have told them if they want the puppet then they will have to provide somebody in authority to walk with him. I don't need the hassle and no money is worth the stress I experienced yesterday. The Puppet was custom made and we built the stage unit so I am not prepared for it to be trashed by a bunch of riotous brats.

Where did it all go wrong? I consider myself to be a good competent entertainer so I know it was not me. I know people do blame the parents for their childrens' behavior and after what I saw yesterday, who am I too argue?

You could write a book on discipline in schools and still not cover a fraction of the issues. The main problem, unfortunately, is that a lot of the kids who were causing you issues did so because they live a life without consequence. Simple as that really. They can terrorise who they wish and not very much will happen to them as a result. It's a great shame but I simply wouldn't ever perform there again.

If there's two things I hate it's bad beer and cheeky kids!!!!

K

this is the main reason I stopped doing kids partys that and the kids kicking in the speakers and the parents going like you know man..... what am I suposed to do about it he's expressing himself.
health and safty wouldn't let me fit the flame thrower to express myself.

Where did you go wrong?

I doubt you have done anything wrong, it sounds like an absolute nightmare...although the kicking the door and demanding you come back sounds like a compliment!

No discipline at home, and not much at school by the sounds of it, doubt these kids have much of a chance in life, the parent smacking the puppet across the face? Says so much about today's society right there

Sounds like you did a fine job, don't let this leave a sour taste in your mouth, you are obviously very good at what you do, experiences like this are few and far between

I dont doubt for a minute that you did anything wrong.

There is very little discipline at school these days, as the teachers are virtually powerless to do anything, gone are the days when you used to get a blackboard rubber thrown at you for talking in class, or a cricket stump across your a*** for not getting changed for PE quick enough. Also some parent these days have very little control over their offspring.

Keep up the good work.

All the best

Steve

This is a fine example of the dilemma we face when doing childrens shows. You can get caught out in the least likely seeming places.

I once did a show for a colleague at work. It was for her sons seventh birthday. She seems like a really pleasant normal woman, I could only surmise that her children and their friends would just be normal kids.

Oh dear, what a mistake!

My first clue as to the nature of the catchment area for the kids was when I turned off the road in to the council estate where the hall I was performing in was situated. The menacing gangs of skinheads with multiple tattoos and multi multiple piercings (and the men were just as bad!) were my first clues that this wasn't a good place to be.

I got to the hall and was greeted by my colleague and other than parking my car ( a company Jaguar at the time!) as close as possible to the door I set off in to the gig in as normal a frame of mind as possible. The next thing that hit me was the noise in the hall. Kids parties are not quiet sedate affairs, in fact I wind up as much participatory noise as I can, but this was different. The kids were totally out of parental control and pitched battles were being fought all over.

But I perservered and set up my table. My colleagues best mate brought the mob to order with a piercing double fingered whistle. Then every parent left the room and I was alone with the crowd.

As I performed the kids moved menacingly closer. My rope magic line was just ignored. As I finished with props I had to put them back in my bag to stop prying hands and eyes coming up to the table and grabbing them.

My finale was a turn with my puppet parrot Archie. that was when I was really mobbed. Children were trying to grab him from all sides and I literally had to fight them off to save him!

In the end I took a packet of sweets out of my bag and threw them all over the floor. The children scattered immediately to GBH each other for sweets.

Whilst this was going on I chucked everyting in my bag and left the hall. My colleague was outside on her umpteenth cigarette and all I got was "Oh, are you going already? The seemed to be enjoying you".

I have performed at countless childrens parties since and am returning for a second year to a local village childrens Christmas party on Saturday.

But last week whilst talking to the colleague who booked me in the first place she suddenly asked "Are you free on 16th of February? My sister is having a party for her son and wonders if you could do them a magic show". As I was muttering about checking my diary I heard the words that put enough steel in me to say a flat no. "You will do a special price for me won't you?"

you deserve a special price 2x what I charged last time plus £100 damger pay ok.

Hmmm, it sounds like there's a market here which the magic dealers are not covering... see http://www.wholesalemidwest.com/electric_prods.htm" target="_blank

Johnny Wizz wrote: I heard the words that put enough steel in me to say a flat no. "You will do a special price for me won't you?"

Special prices don't have to be cheaper! >:)
T.

magicdiscoman wrote:you deserve a special price 2x what I charged last time plus £100 damger pay ok.

Gah! Somehow didn't see this! +1 etc

Mandrake wrote:Hmmm, it sounds like there's a market here which the magic dealers are not covering... see http://www.wholesalemidwest.com/electric_prods.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank

Alakazam should stock these as standard. The perfect "magic wand" for any children's entertainer.

They should be available in three strengths, a) Mild Rebuff, b) Strong Resistance and c) Take that yer little b*s@ar#s

I had a nightmare show like this a few years ago. I arrived and the kids were completely wild, no discipline. I was to do a show, balloons, then a show. I did the first show - complete fiasco with the kids running riot. And, like you, I knew it was not down to me. Then the balloons. They wouldn't queue. Just a mob. One parent got very aggressive because I would not let her kid jump to the front. He pushed me. I knocked him over. Then I packed up, went to the organiser, demanded my full fee right there, and left, an hour early.

They rang me back for the following year, and I just laughed at them.

I would love (and I am sure I am not the only one) to see a pic or a video of the puppet man. Sounds great.

Thanks all. Thankfully these problems don't happen too often. We only bring him out for fayres and marketing and it always goes well. Children love to shake his hand etc so there is good interaction. We also get to give our business cards out at the same time. Tony, I feel your pain and thanks for sharing that one. I had one similar on Saturday where the adults who were there just let their kids run riot. They ignored my white line,and kept on charging onto the stage. I was expecting 17 children at the party and there turned out to be nearly 40. It was really difficult to control and the adults just talked over the whole show. I asked the parents/adults to give a bit of hush as the children were being distracted and they just ignored me. I do consider myself to have good audience management skills but I guess I have been a bit unfortunate in a couple of shows this December. Got a nice 7 year old Birthday party in a couple of days. Should be a breeze.....

Absolutely love the puppet man! I can see how he would be a big hit.