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rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
I'm working on an idea (it's still forming) to see what can be added to a sideshow act by finishing with a played-for-serious Russian Roulette theme.
A few people out there use an actual loaded pistol (Derren Brown got a half-hour of pretty good TV out of just this one stunt) - most other easily-researched routines use the theme for a "which upside-down cup or bag is the danger in?" routine involving a sharp spike, and then there's the (IMO) old-hat "which glass has the water and which has the acid?" routine. Does anyone out there have any [suggestions / routines / secrets / reactions] they can pass on, either here or by PM? And yes, I realize that beside the danger, using an actual pistol would be pretty tough given the temper of the times. |
Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Traps.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
You could make a two-level routine. The first forces a paintball gun. The second is the paintball catch. It's commercially available.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
Todd Robbins V.I.P. New York 2922 Posts |
I have done a Russian Roulette routine. I did it last Summer at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. The irony was doing the routine in a show at a festival with that name, for it was the darkest toned routine I have ever done. It is a VERY hard thing to make entertaining. It is just too disturbing for most people to watch. That is, if they believe it is real. If they don't buy into the danger, then there is no reason to do the piece. And if they do buy into it, it can be an unpleasant experience for an audience. You HAVE to have a very good reason to put something like this into a show. The audience must understand why you are doing what you are doing.
Larry Becker does a Russian Roulette routine. There is a point to it all, and yet it is still a hard act to watch. |
Stephon Special user Maryland, USA 911 Posts |
Hi Doug!
~Les S. Moore, The Dapper Dipper
Swami Yomahmi and Cheeky Monkey Sideshow "Comedy is a man in trouble." ~Bill Irwin |
Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
I just went and read Doug's trap routine again. Hmmm...
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
Years ago I did the knife under a bag routine and it was hard to make entertaining and not just tense. The audience liked it but I didn't so I eventually sold it off. Just couldn't get the laughs I wanted to matter how hard I tried. If it isn't comedy I don't want it in my show.
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MagiciennesUnlimited Regular user of the phrase 'Bite Me'. 197 Posts |
I agree with Todd. I'm not a big fan of Russian Roulette styled effects, for the same reasons. It's an awkward situation. It's hard to present well...and most everyone I know has messed up at least once...
Anyhoo. That being said...I went online to try and find the name of the magician who created the noose roulette effect, (a friend of mine performs it here in town) BUT, in doing so, I discovered that Keith Barry already did it on National TV. :P"" (How do you draw vomit?) lol So. Nooses. (or is it noosi?) But nevermind. ;) |
Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
The noose routine was created by Maurice Fogel.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
MagiciennesUnlimited Regular user of the phrase 'Bite Me'. 197 Posts |
Thank You Harley!
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
You're welcome. It's a wonderful routine. Fogel's one of my heroes.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
The weak point is the number force, get over that and make the gallows as big as possible then you have a chance !!!
Once saw this done as a chair jump,,,looked pathetic ! Ken. |
Sid Mayer Special user Santa Fe, NM 656 Posts |
Terry Nosek, whom some of you will remember as the brilliant Dr. Sigmund Fraud, had a version of the gallows effect. His method did not involve a force of any kind. When he moved from Chicago to Las Vegas, he abandoned the props in my basement and, with his permission, I destroyed them six years ago when I moved to smaller quarters.
Sid
All the world's a stage ... and everybody on it is overacting.
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