|
|
Go to page [Previous] 1~2 | ||||||||||
GSmithson Regular user 101 Posts |
Take some advice from an old man...
Adding some actual drops -- from a height so that the coins are seen clearly and singularly descending and landing with a CLANG -- is a nice touch. And it also serves to heighten the cheers emanating from the highly excitable crowd gathered round you pointing at your every magical move as the coins materialise from thin air. Especially in the beginning of your routine; say four or five ducats. You should strive to convince without deception of any kind. Naturally, it is then a fine gesture to pour out the coins from the bucket, turning it upside down above your awaiting and empty hand. These coins, of course, are promptly returned to where they came from quite honestly. Should you wish at this point, although it is not necessary, drop them individually into the bucket. How wicked we can be! My motto for situations such as this is: "age and treachery will defeat youth and enthusiasm every time." |
|||||||||
noland Veteran user 350 Posts |
I perform the miser's dream on the street as well as in my children's and family shows. But I developed it on the street, which makes it a very practical routine that can be performed under pretty much any performing conditions. When I created the routine, Chris Capehart hadn't realeased his routine yet, so my inspiration was John Carney's routine ( I have since added a few bits from Chris's routine, however). The routine runs 3 minutes. A major difference between my routine and Carney's is that I invite a 5 or 6 year old child to come up to assist me before the routine starts. My first production is from the air, my next two from behind me knee and elbow, then all the rest are from the child or by the child, including the Carney bit where the child reaches into the air, grabs an imaginary coin and drops it in the bucket. The key to my routine is my interaction with the child and the child's reactions to each production--that's why I use a 5 or 6 year old child. The child's surprise and excitement are very funny and usually get non-stop laughs from the audience. And because the by-play is so strong, heckling is seldom a problem. I say seldom--because kids of a certain age (8-12) can be know-it-alls as others have commented in this thread, and have occasionally spoken up as they will in any routine. But I just keep going because no one else seems to care, thanks to my focusing attention on my helper and the comedy flowing from our interaction.
|
|||||||||
Ocha Loyal user 225 Posts |
All Excellent advise, I advise takeing it all in and experimenting in front of a camera to "work things out" before you take it to the streets again.
Gerald
I was Me but now He is gone.......
|
|||||||||
sethb Inner circle The Jersey Shore 2719 Posts |
Levent's "Miser's Dream" DVD set will definitely be a big help to you, no question about it.
BTW, it's quite easy to do actual drops several times during the routine, if you then pour the coins from the bucket into your hand, under the pretense of showing them to the specs. In the process of pouring them back into the bucket, just use a friction palm to get back to the same position you were in before the actual drop, so that you can then continue on as before. And it's true, many kids (and some adults) see magic as a contest or a puzzle, in which they think they are supposed to guess the secret. So they shout out anything they can think of, expecting you to stop and say "That's right, you got me." Instead, just say "that's a good guess" and keep right on going. Meanwhile, you can switch sleights or methods to throw them off the track. Other posters here have noted that people trying to guess the method are not really hecklers -- they are warning signs to you that something needs fixing, polishing or more practice. I think that's usually the case. If as you noted, kids could see inside the pail, then that was a dead giveaway for sure. Glad you caught and fixed it. Good luck with it, and let us know how it goes. SETH
"Watch the Professor!!" -- Al Flosso (1895-1976)
"The better you are, the closer they watch" -- Darwin Ortiz, STRONG MAGIC |
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Nothing up my sleeve... » » Miser's dream heckling (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page [Previous] 1~2 |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |