Anyone perform in a pirate persona?
How do you present it? Comedy pirate? Blood and guts? Scary? Storytelling old salt?
What works - what doesn't?
What effects do you do and how do you weave them into the pirate theme?
Any good books/videos to recommend that helped you with your persona?

It looks like SeaDawg is the captain on this topic so I hope he chimes in. Anyone else?

I've seen this Torn and Restored Pirate Treasure Map that would seem to fit the bill.

http://www.bottsbeans.com/shop/index.php?productID=162

Miser's dream with gold dabloons comes to mind, you could use a treasure chest instead of a bucket.

I suppose technically...I work as a pirate. Well...My character used to be a pirate and currently travels as a welcome passenger on board pirate ships. They go to all of the best ports.

Pirates are thieves, so magic that could assist them in thievery would be of the most interest them. I would want to look at the following categories-

Pick Pocketing/Watch stealing acts
Escaping from stocks, shackles, from behind bars
Using cursed or magical items.
One thing that came to mind is a straightup Pirates of the Carib. ripoff.
The dubloons gave the bearer a form of immortality, so you hand one to a spec, and then you could perform sword through neck or a guillotine bit, or wear it yourself and perfrom Iron Garotte or Saw.
Look at Doug Higleys Dark Museum sets. Very easy to convert to a pirate themed act.
Look at the things that a pirate would have on them. A compass (PK Ring fun anyone?), a sword (Sword through neck, card sword), a bottle of rum (At last...One that never empties!!), a parrot, an eyepatch (Flip it up and you have a great card reveal), a bandanna (Glorpy?), a spyglass (OK...Nothing magical I can think of right now, but you could have a great comedy moment by either blcking your or a specs eye, or have it fall apart when fully extended), Treasure..(I don't do any coin work, but it would work great)
Just my initial thoughts,
Gwyd

Rope is great, coins, eerrrr... rope.

I have been doing a pirate-themed children's show for about 5 years now and it's working very well. There is no one else doing this in the area (Louisville, KY) so not a lot of competition. I started this show before the first "Pirates of the Carribean" flick and once that came out my show volume increased quite a bit. I started years ago working renaissance faires and found that pirates was a natural extension of that theme. Also, I get just as many parties for girls who want the pirate theme as I do for the boys. So the theme doesn't limit your audience.

My wife is a costume designer so no cheesy rental stuff. I have themed all of my effects and props of course. The show packs into a couple of small pirate chests and a muslin bag which I roll in on a fold-up dolly. When the show is set up there are 2 tables, a big pirate rope "stage" border, and the pirate chests where I keep the tricks. Lots of interaction and comedy is the key, plus the right giveaways, etc. I do use a snake basket which is the one expensive prop in the show, but it is one of the most popular tricks as you might imagine.

I am currently working on a manuscript for the show detailing everything and hope to have it done before the end of the year. I'll keep you all posted.

The relic sounds like it fit the bill.....

I already have the Relic and wear it as part of my (non-magic) pirate persona. I use it as part of telling a story of how pirates were always able to find their treasure. It's one of my favorite pieces.

I got a large, antique looking compass at the last rendezvous and am, indeed, having a lot of PK fun with it. I think I can work it into a story of a sea voyage - getting lost while trying to find the treasure island. I was never much for rope work, but I am trying to learn some rope tricks that would fit into a pirate theme. I appreciate all of the comments so far - these are all great ideas that I will be looking at.

Dan

About the compass perhaps a spell put upon the island to keep people away because it contains monster, treasure, some other deadly secret? The compass was never the same after that voyage.

Posted: Nov 19, 2007 5:08pm
Another idea I had just had -

In the story 'The terrible old man' by H.P.Lovecraft the terrible old man was a pirate and one thing he does is talk to bottles with pendulums hanging inside they answer him by moving. But the thing is he calls them by name 'Old Jack', 'Bluebeard' etc. I'm sure you can get what that means.

I think it is just beginning for a routine.

I probably explained that badly but read the story and you will understand.


Aidan

Full text on line (Along with everything else Lovecraft wrote)
http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lov......dman.htm

I don't do a pirate character, although my wife has been hinting about going to some pirate festivals to supplement our ren faire habit.

Gambling could fit in well, especially Fast and Loose, also known as "On the Barrelhead" where swindlers would separate seamen from their hard earned doubloons with this game played on barrel heads (thus the name) on the docks. It involves swindles, and lots of "bling" which seems to be mandatory for pirates.

Pirate Festivals....
Do them. My best hats come from pirate festivals that are open to the public (No admission)
They have a very broad appeal right now (Thanks to a certain Mr. Depp).
Ride the wave while you can.
Gwyd

Thanks for that link Gwyd...

I found an old treasure chest shaped jewelry box at a yard sale a few years ago. I re-covered the whole thing and also made a shell insert for the lid which is slowley being covered by larger crystals and coloured cut stones, dabloons and pearls.
I also put in some colour changing dlite bulbs - from radioshack - which has a small switch that has the effect of making the treasure look alive and glistening.
I have been working on it for a couple of years now along with a few stories that will accompany the chest.

Open chest to show its empty except for an olde treasure map, then tell your tale. Reopen it and treasure spills forth from the chest.

Hope this gives you a few ideas.

I'm gonna start collecting old bottles now. I think there are some great PK possibilities with the fortune telling bottles in the 'Terrible Old Man' story. I could see you forcing a particular bottle that reacts differently to a PK ring and really creep them out.

Silvertongue - I like the treasure chest idea. I would like to see some pictures of it. I have seen some chests that I like at Old Town Pottery so I may just have to go pick one up and play with it. I will have to head over to The Workshop to get the mechanism figured out.

Bedford - We are not terribly far from Louisville (Southern Illinois.) Let me know if you are going to be performing at a festival sometime - I would be interested in seeing you work.

Thanks to all of you for the great ideas. Let's keep them coming.

Slartibartfast - These days it's mostly corporate stuff and private parties. Once in awhile we do a show on Star Cruises (the riverboat out of Louisville) which is open to the public. I'll let you know when one comes up, though we are done with those for this year.

Most of my great props (the ones I don't make myself) come from antique stores and consignment stores. It's always worth checking those places out. Hobby Lobby has some nice boxes which can be adapted to the pirate theme. You can also find props at your local renaissance festival but usually at a higher price.

If you work as a pirate with a hook, you can do a very interesting card stab.

I work as a comedy pirate with a family show. Some of my routines are pirate, some are not.

I find that I need to keep it soft or any young children will be terrified. For older groups I am more blood & guts. I have a iron hook and a parrot too.

Bill, I have not done a card stab with a hook, but you can bet I will now! Thanks!
Currently I sometimes start my show with the hook, and magically replace it with a "mechanical" hand. I may to the arm twist and/or finger fantasy to show the hand is not real.

Coin magic like the misers dream works well. I also like "Saw" and the iVanish for older audiences.

Of course my Parrot does a card trick.

Fiber Optics, the shell game, 3 card monte & cup & balls the one where you shove your hand through someone’s stomach is fun. You can use a ball-n-chain for the appearing bowling ball . . . as well as shackle escapes.

Yup one of my characters is "Mystical Johny the Scott" have been doing pirate magic for 10 years or so, My presentation is that I don't really know how the magic works, as I "stole" it from a magician, etc,, it just kinda happens as I am telling stories

Matthew Stanley won IBM junior divison a few years back with it.


Bairefoot