I finally received my Bag On Bunny from Mike Bent and thought I would reignite this topic by posting review of this great product after breaking it in!

THE PROPS 9/10
The first thing you will notice when you unwrap your Bag - o - Bunny is that this is a very well made prop that belongs in the same class of prop as Wolf's Magic. The props include a rabbit ear headband like those which can be found in any joke shop. Mike has included the best ones on the market and they look great. Also included is a pink split sponge ball nose. I believe the earlier releases had a red nose which looked a little clowny so the pink nose is much much nicer. Unfortunately, the nose is smaller then most and so is a bit of tight fit on my honker!

But the most important piece is the blendo bag. This is one of the nicest blendo bags I have ever seen and the artwork on the front is GREAT. The rabbit looks cartoony and bright without falling into the common trap of being too detailed, too pale or too much like an illustration in a 1950's copy of Watership down.

The satin material means that the bag unfurls very quickly into the rabbit shape and requires very little shaking or tugging. Unfortunately, the satin material also means that if you don't lay the bag down neatly in your case it can potentially come a little undone. It would never unravel completely but on my second time out the edge curled up a little and required a quick fix. I'd suggest a peg to hold it in place whilst in your case.



THE ROUTINE 3/10 (but that is not a bad thing)
The instructions come with very little in the way of patter. In fact, if you performed the effect as in the instructions it would be a very short bit. Personally, I think this is a GOOD THING as in encourages performers to come up with their own material to suit their style.

But if you want everything laid out in full 20 page script form ala Barry Mitchell (something I don't abide by) then you'll be disappointed.

MAGICAL CONTENT: 4/10
This is not the most magical routine in the world. Blendo bags are usually used to a vanish a series of objects into a bag which is then shown completely empty. However, in this routine, you pull the ears and nose FROM the bag and then turn the empty bag into a rabbit silk.

I would suggest producing dozens of sponge carrots (ala Terry Herbet) and putting them one by one into the bag. Then, when the bag is shaken out, the carrots are revealed.


REAL WORD APPLICATION: 7/10

Good things
*This is bright and plays for older and younger kids. Younger kids like dressing up and older kids love seeing dad get turned into a bunny.

*Packs flat and plays big...need I say more?

* Is the perfect inclusion to any act that features a rabbit production. The props could easily be used to produce a rabbit or be turned into a rabbit themselves.

*Great photo oppurtunity.

Bad Things.
* Child is wearing ears and nose. Child sees bag has turned into something. Child looks down to see what. Ears and nose fall off!

*Folding up the *** thing. This is a not a chuck it in your bag and go prop. You will need to fold it up (1-2 minutes tops) on a flat surface. You can't really do it subtley behind your case either.


FINAL SCORE 8/10

Nicholas,

thanks for sharing your very very thorough and thoughtful review of this prop...I should be receiving mine very soon and will provide my comments then.

Smartini

Thanks Nick!
One tip on the ears and nose: Place the headband for the ears behind the kid's ears.
Also, you can heat the band with a hairdryer to make it fit a little tighter. With the nose, a piece of double stick tape on the inside helps it fit on smaller noses.
I like the carrot idea. You could also sprinkle confetti into the folds for a magical appearance.
Tip on keeping the bag folded; clip one of these big potato chip bag clips over it when your done folding, and remove it as yout taking it out of your case, or the clip could hang behind your table.

Mike Bent

Thanks for the review!

Yeah, thanks Nicholas! This is still on my wish list.

Regan

Any other ideas out there on extending this routine?

HEre is some brainstorming ideas.

* get a small toilet seat with an open front (http://www.freehotgame.com/funnpictures/Man-Proof%20Toilet%20Seat.jpg ), cover it in fur and produce it so it looks like ears to begin with but is a toilet seat.

* Do sponge ball tricks with the nose.

* Sew in a extra pocket and use it as a change bag.

* Add a piece of wire (ala a small zombie) and have the rabbit 'kick' in the bag.

* Don't see the rabbit has appear. The kids will yell.

* Put the ears under your chin, call it a walrus. On your forhead, an alien. On your foot, a 'lucky rabbit foot'.

* Put nose on yourself and sneeze. Nose falls off into case. Switch for a nose on a reel. This time, it FLIES into the case. Switch in back again,

* Make lots of hairband/hareband jokes.

* Add double stick to the nose and get it stuck on your finger, thumb, ear etc.

* Choose the volunteer based on who is the best rabbit. You: "WHO HAS EARS?" Kids: MEEEE! You: "WHO HAS A NOSE?" Kids: MEEEE! You: "WHO HAS A TAIL?" Kids: MEEEE! You: You've got a tail!?!?!

* Ask child to reach into bag, pull bag away before they do without looking.

Great review. Waiting to get mine out of the next batch

I used this for the first time yesterday - what a great reaction!

It was in the 2nd to last part of my show. Here is how it flowed...

I got the birthday boy to stand on one of my ATA cases - I gave the child the choice of putting on the nose himelf or putting it on me - he chose to put it on himself.

After producing the ears and putting them on the child's head we looked in the bag and found an uninflated organge balloon with black stripes and some green (paper) leaves - an old carrot

We had the "photo moment" and then used the carrot in the Wolf's Magic Funhouse to produce.... a real rabbit - another photo moment

Thanks Mike and Tim for a great new addition to my show.

Cliff

Thanks for the great ideas! For those of you on the waiting list, they should be here soo!