Topic: Suggestive stiff rope patter? help!

Message:

Posted by: ibm_usa (Oct 1, 2007 5:15pm)

I have a stiff rope gimmick that I have been using for years, but I never had a really good patter for it. I am thinking about putting it back on the shelf away from my show. I am finding it hard to explain why the rope all of the sudden stiffens like a peice of stick.
does anyone have any suggestive patter for this routine?

Message:

Posted by: Pete Biro (Oct 2, 2007 12:58am)

"You can always tell a magician that uses Viagra" (rope stiffens)... "Only trouble with me, it doesn't last long." (rope falls loose, roll it up and toss it aside).

Posted: Oct 2, 2007 12:59am
Polite version I used for years. "The Hindu Rope..." Rope is held rigid. "The Hindu boy climbs the rope... I don't have a Hindu boy handy so I'll use this bagel." Here I drop a bagel from the top, it slides down to stop at my hand holding the rope. "Up!" and the bagel climbs back up the rope and off. Thanks to a R**L.

Message:

Posted by: MagicSanta (Oct 2, 2007 2:18am)

Go to the Silly Billy site and while waiting to order his new kids show DVD look up his article on the stiff rope using a puppet sumbitted by another magician.

Message:

Posted by: Father Photius (Oct 2, 2007 2:34am)

Much like Pete's line, I "hypnotize the rope and make it stiff. Then I slowly appear to levitate one end until the rope is nearly totally vertical, while making a nasal musical noise like coming out of a flutey pipe, then as it reaches the point of about to fall, I snap my fingers to wake it up and it goes limp. I also put it "back under" and straighten it out in a downward 45 degree angle and attach it as a leash to my invisible dog, and run the dog around the stage a bit while I yap and bark a bit, then get near the edge of the stage and let it go limp and say "ah he got away again"
Amazingly both get a laugh and seem to entertain people of all ages, as hokey as it is. But then I do a comedy act.

Message:

Posted by: korttihai_82 (Oct 2, 2007 8:27am)

Not really good taste but I once saw magician in adult enviroment do it with pattern where lady assistant was asked to rub it until it stiffened and in the end say something about marriage or anything like that and it went back to normal. But that is rather cheeky and requires right kind of performer to get away with. I woundnt personally go anywhere near that presentation. When anything isn't said straight however, but you let the spectator make out the connection themselves, like in Whit Haydens mongolian pop knot, it can be very funny.

J-M

Message:

Posted by: ibm_usa (Oct 2, 2007 12:53pm)

I have used something similar to the Hindu rope trick, but my problem was that people scratched their heads even after I explained it. Lay people don't care about history of our art or history it's self.

Message:

Posted by: Andre Hagen (Oct 4, 2007 10:34pm)

I've used it in children's shows to pick helpers. It goes limp over the head of the 'chosen' one as I walk among the little darlings.

It is a staple effect for a low-budget Flea Circus.

Otherwise I only thought of it as a sight gag not requiring patter any more than a break-away wand requires patter.

Andy

Message:

Posted by: Hawkan (Oct 10, 2007 3:29pm)

I use it instead of the blooming flower. Telling the kids I´m gonna perform a rope trick, needing a white soft rope, I pick up the stiff rope. When I see that it´s not soft, I put it under my arm where it gets limp, telling the children I´m gonna get a soft rope from my bag. And so on...

Håkan
:wavey:

Message:

Posted by: Andre Hagen (Oct 10, 2007 3:43pm)

Great idea Hawkan! Why didn't I think of that!

Andy

Message:

Posted by: 74magic92 (Oct 10, 2007 6:29pm)

Like Pete Biro said...the Hindu rope trick....I have seen magicians use this patter and it seems to work for them...

Message:

Posted by: robwar0100 (Oct 19, 2007 12:19am)

I use it as a gag with children to show my great and awesome powers. I hold the rope up with one hand on the bottom and one on the top. In a forceful voice, I tell the rope to stay! However, it falls flat.

I turn my back to the audience, and I proceed to get a little upset with the rope and try to strongly encourage it to stay. I turn around, forcefully tell the rope to stay, and it falls again.

I then plead with one of the children in the audience to tell the rope to stay, and it does. I then bring the rope down to a horizontal position (still stiff). I then try to show off and tell the rope to stay, and it falls yet again.

I realize this does not provide the patter asked for, but it is my presentation. When I am performing it in a Christian setting, I follow Duane Laflin's patter about man's attempts to reach God on his own power falls flat. God has to come down to us (he holds the rope from the top on this one).

I don't always use this one, but if the audience is primarily children I bring it out.

Bobby

Message:

Posted by: jay leslie (Oct 19, 2007 10:12am)

Stiff rope does not get the praise it deserves.

Message:

Posted by: robwar0100 (Oct 30, 2007 11:29pm)

Quote:

On 2007-10-19 10:12, jay leslie wrote:
Stiff rope does not get the praise it deserves.

Jay,

I used the stiff rope during a church show in Lynchburg, Ohio, this past Sunday, and when the rope stayed, I could hear gasps coming from the crowd.

Bobby

Message:

Posted by: harris (Jun 7, 2011 9:12am)

I've only had mine for a short time.

Been using it like "a prop" in an improv. (think Jonathan Winter's stick"

Rope becomes...
1. dental floss for a dinosaur
2. head band for me
3. pool cue
4. Franklin (no not the turtle) discovering electrickery
5. baseball bat...(when I swing it droops down...

Look no see applies a few times in this routine.
possible others

6 golf club...
7..
8.
9
your suggestions go here. Anyone care to share in this game of "Props"?

Harris

Message:

Posted by: MagicMan1957 (Jun 7, 2011 3:47pm)

If performing for adults...

I sprinkle Blue Confetti over the rope....which I call Viagra Confetti....

Message:

Posted by: Dr_J_Ayala (Jun 7, 2011 3:53pm)

A terrible dowsing rod...could also be used to find cards as a dowsing rod, in the same way Andre uses it to pick his little helpers.

Back when I was still doing illusion shows, I had a silent show, à la Charlie Chaplin with classic mime work mixed in, and used the stiff rope for many different things. A walking cane that collapses at the most inconvenient moments, a stick that goes into a box and flies back out in a limp state, a hat/cane hanger that collapses as soon as you place the object on it, etc.

For parties I used to do a routine where I would introduce the rope as a tool for mesmerizing people. As time went on, the rope mesmerized me and as it became stiff, I became limp and clumsy. When the rope went limp, I found it harder to move, etc.

As far as adult material, I came up with a plot but never used it and I think it is pretty clean, at least more on a comical adult theme level: Go into a rope tie routine and have a male and female volunteer from the audience come up to help you. As you describe what is supposed to happen, you say that you will tie each of them up...and they have to get loose. As you try to tie the man up, the rope becomes stiff as if it is being picky. You then move over to tie the woman up and the rope goes limp, willingly allowing the woman to be bound. Seeming baffled, you untie it to try it on the man again but it gets stiff again, now back to the woman...after giving up you allow them to tie you up with a switched-in regular rope and go into the rope-tie routine from there.

Message:

Posted by: Woland (Jun 7, 2011 6:25pm)

Wouldn't it be more "suggestive" the other way around?

Message:

Posted by: Peter Stobie (Jun 7, 2011 10:12pm)

Harris,

7. What happened to the one snake that actually looked back at Medusa!
8. Always room for a Star Wars line using it as a light saber. "You should not have come back Obi Wan . . ."
9.

Pete

Message:

Posted by: slowkneenuh (Jun 7, 2011 11:17pm)

9. A training "sword" for pirates. It teaches them how to hold the sword correctly or it's useless.....

Message:

Posted by: Mind_Magic (Jun 8, 2011 9:06am)

I use the stiff rope with a Flea Circus context, where the flea walks and jumps on the rope.

Message:

Posted by: magicians (Jun 8, 2011 9:32am)

Tenyo once had a stiff rope supplied with their spinning plate effect, it was a superb gimmick.

Message:

Posted by: Dr_J_Ayala (Jun 16, 2011 11:40pm)

Quote:

On 2011-06-07 18:25, Woland wrote:
Wouldn't it be more "suggestive" the other way around?

I had for the first time in my performance career, not one, but TWO co-ed bachelor/bachelorette parties on the same day this last week. Because of what you said, I actually decided break out my stiff rope and try it that way. I performed it the other way around, to very little reaction, at both parties. Deciding on the fly to try it the original way, when I went back to the rope allowing me to tie up the lady volunteers, I had people rolling in the aisles. Neither of these parties were overflowing with alcohol either - in fact, one was completely dry because that was just how they are (and they still know how to party!). I think I may just keep this routine around for these types of events if I ever get anymore of them...

I can see what you mean though: One would think it should work the other way around! Maybe changing the patter and the routine just slightly might make it work though...for that idea, I thank you!

And while we are on the subject of adult humor - I was watching a friend of mine perform at an 80th birthday party yesterday for a friend in common and oh boy, man alive - some of those elder folks just put everybody to shame when it comes to dirty jokes and humor...

Message:

Posted by: Ms. Merizing (Aug 13, 2011 6:29pm)

Dale says,"Nothing lasts forever": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgC1wP9uVJ8.

Message:

Posted by: Pete Biro (Aug 16, 2011 11:47am)

What's the trick with the Bottle that gets stock on the rope? Anyway use a bottle of Viagra.

Question, what's with the couple at end of Cialis commercials sitting in individual bath tubs?

Message:

Posted by: Dr_J_Ayala (Aug 24, 2011 9:48am)

Quote:

On 2011-08-16 11:47, Pete Biro wrote:
What's the trick with the Bottle that gets stock on the rope? Anyway use a bottle of Viagra.

I think that is the Prayer Vase, sometimes called The Genie In A Bottle and other times the Rope Vase Trick.

Quote:

Question, what's with the couple at end of Cialis commercials sitting in individual bath tubs?

I have often wondered about that myself...

Message:

Posted by: Woland (Sep 1, 2011 5:28am)

The individual bath tubs are probably there for the same reason that Ricky & Lucy Ricardo and Rob & Laura Petrie had twin beds.

Message:

Posted by: Dr_J_Ayala (Sep 1, 2011 3:05pm)

Quote:

On 2011-09-01 05:28, Woland wrote:
The individual bath tubs are probably there for the same reason that Ricky & Lucy Ricardo and Rob & Laura Petrie had twin beds.

But that was back when it was taboo...

Message:

Posted by: Woland (Sep 2, 2011 7:04am)

Yes, Dr Ayala, but in the context of the product being advertised, I think the taboo is probably still there . . . on the other hand, it may be a reflection of the phenomenon described in "Bowling Alone."

I've been working with a stiff rope gimmick, but I find it somewhat erratic in its behavior . . . do these things vary a lot, one from another?

Thanks.

W.

Message:

Posted by: Dr_J_Ayala (Sep 2, 2011 5:16pm)

Quote:

On 2011-09-02 07:04, Woland wrote:
I've been working with a stiff rope gimmick, but I find it somewhat erratic in its behavior . . . do these things vary a lot, one from another?

Thanks.

W.

They do vary from maker to maker, because it depends on the system (read: Modus Operandi) being employed and to some degree, the type and quality of rope sleeve used. Some are better than others, and there are some good quality versions out there. I use the Doug Edwards version called Rope Fantasy and the last time I checked, Elmwood Magic still carries it, and it sells somwhere in the range of $15/USD.

Message:

Posted by: Woland (Sep 2, 2011 9:22pm)

Thanks for the information, Doctor Ayala! I will give that one a try.

Message:

Posted by: MagicJuggler (Oct 3, 2011 6:53am)

If it stays this way for over four hours I have to consult my doctor immediately.

Message:

Posted by: Woland (Oct 5, 2011 7:01am)

That would probably get a laugh!

By the way, "Rope Fantasy" is still OOS @ Elmwood Magic . . .

Message:

Posted by: Dr_J_Ayala (Oct 5, 2011 8:58am)

Did you put your e-mail address in for notification when it comes back in stock? Paul actually uses those e-mails when an item sells out to know what customers are expecting, so if not, revisit the site and look up Rope Fantasy, and then put your e-mail address in where it says "E-Mail me when this item is in stock;" you will get notification when it does arrive. If you have already done that, it will eventually return to stock. Hope this helps!

Message:

Posted by: Woland (Oct 5, 2011 9:28am)

I did when your recommendation was made before . . . haven't received anything . . . and checked the site today, to be sure. Thanks for the suggestion, it is helpful.