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Mac_Stone Inner circle Miami, FL 1420 Posts |
I'm working on adding the classic Gypsy Thread (Yarn) trick to a parlor act. The handling I plan on using (for now) is Billy McComb's with some ideas from Ali Bongo. Usually this is performed as a solo piece with only the Magi on stage, but I've been thinking about doing this with a woman on stage with me. I think it will allow me to add more byplay into the routine and give more cover for the ditch. I also like the visual image of me and the audience member holding the restored length of yarn between our outstretched hands, think Michael Finney's Lady Rope Routine, I think it would be a huge applause cue.
I hear some Magi complain about using the audience's help to pull the string apart because they say it doesn't get as great a response or that they loose some of the lime light. I'm not a hog, I would gladly give up some of the lime light, and I hope the expression on the woman's face when the yarn restores will help sell the effect to the rest of the audience. But I don't know, I'm just thinking out loud. What do you guys think? Mac |
Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
I know what you are talking about. I like using a kid approach me to turn around "Afraidy Cat Rabbit." The kid's confused response on his/her will generate a laugh around the room. Sometimes the lady might have a straight face pulling "Gypsy Thread." Sometimes she might appear emotional. It sounds good to me. I advise you to perform it close-up on family, friends and others you meet on a daily basis to see if it is usually is pulled apart correctly.
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Oliver Ross Inner circle Europe 1724 Posts |
Gaëtan Bloom from France is presenting the Gypsy Thread in a round of kids with him on stage telling a little story, let them hold the pieces of yarn and "help" him to restore it.
Very nice even though it's not my piece of cake. Anyway, I would try out Dynamike's suggestion and see what a private audience thinks of it. This could look very nice on a well let stage. Have you tried Gary Ouellet's version of the Gypsy Thread ? Oliver. |
MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2869 Posts |
Brad Brown presented an excellent Gospel version of the Gypsy Thread before a live coffee house sized audience at the very end of one of the Now That's Magic! programs (might have been #4, I don't remember which one). See http://www.ChristianMagician.org
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Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-08-20 04:23, Oliver Ross wrote: In my opinion...this version is STILL the best. When you buy it, you are given performance rights to use his script (The Canvas of Love) and he even provides you with his original sheet music he had written for the piece. Personally (being a music guy), I thought his music a tad boring. The production company I go with wrote an original track for me timed to my tempo of the routine and then I had a professional voiceover recorded and synced up to the music. The end result is very pretty... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCkwbBLws......nel_page I love on the restore, there was one guy in the front row of the theater who yelled "woah!" and it picked up on camera. Moments like that are priceless. I know that some say this version is very cheesy, but if have any acting ability and are able to bring down the mood of the room a bit while still keeping the energy level high, I strongly suggest using this version. You can pull out an emotional response from your audience...and that is what we're all about! Christopher
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
Oliver Ross Inner circle Europe 1724 Posts |
Christopher, I agree totally with you. It's now 3 years that I use Gary Ouellet's version in my show as a closer and people always come after the show to tell me that they liked specially this one.
Of course I tell a short story before presenting the whole effect to music. But I always get such a big emotional response from the audience that I didn't yet find anything better to close my show. Thanks Gary for this present. Oliver. |
Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
I agree! I tell people about how when my wife and I decided to get married, we wanted to write our own wedding vows. There's more to my opening intro for this routine, but that's the gyst. So when people here the poem, they assume they're hearing how I vowed to my wife during our wedding.
Nice...
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
Mac_Stone Inner circle Miami, FL 1420 Posts |
I want to get away from the usually story telling with the gypsy thread, in my opinion (and this is only my opinion) its a little cheesy and I could never make it work. For me getting audience interaction would be the best way to go, and yes I would hand her all the broken pieces one at a time.
Here's another idea I had, also inspired by Michael Finney, that would eliminate any problem with the unwinding. I could stand behind her and restore the Yarn right in front of her face (should get a great reaction too) I could also use Michael's GREAT line about bending over. Dynamike is right, I'll just have to try it out but I would certainly appreciate the advice of those much wiser than myself. Mac |
Oliver Ross Inner circle Europe 1724 Posts |
Mac,
It's ok to have his own opinion, so don't worry. Nowhere is written you have to present this trick telling a story. It's because people trying out new things that the process of originality and creativity is started. Here a few ideas to help you a little bit : * First be very careful with the angle issue. To avoid any angle problems, get a magician (friend) to film the action from over your shoulder to see as what the helping audience member would see standing next to you or in front of you. * I think you can't give out all the broken pieces to the helping audience member without giving away the secret, but this depends on the method used. Good luck and tell us how you're going on withit. Oliver. |
MagicBus Inner circle Kalamazoo, Michigan 2869 Posts |
Of course there is always the "World's Greatest Magic" DVD available from L and L on The Gypsy Thread. Now on sale through midnight- 7 DVDs from this series for only $59 postpaid. Wow!
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cairo Elite user 406 Posts |
Mac give your idea a try and see how it goes.
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Colonel Clark Regular user Mesa, AZ 127 Posts |
IMHO, you have not experienced "Gypsy Thread" until you have seen (and heard)Eugene Burger do it in person at a small group gathering. WOW!
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Sam Sandler Inner circle 2487 Posts |
Lyle nice job,
not to longh ago having lunch with Alain Choquette the one who perofrmed it on tv we discussed the whole story telling idea. my take was that it should never be presented as a magic trick. it has the potential to bring the house down and have the audience on their feet. I believe it needs to be personal. my routine surronds the brokeness in life that I have faced from being a single dad to losing my hearing. I talk about believing in yourself and inspireing others. this IMHO is how it should be done. I like the Garys version very much I also do like Eugenes never tire of hearing him tell the story but notice that in each case it was made personal. I do think that if you are going to use some one from the audience I like it better if you reach around her and pull the thread yourself right infront of her face that should help create the aplause for you. good luck oh and a shameful plug to all(speaking of gypsy thread) if you happen to be in the atlantic city area sept 18-24th I will be performing at the trickzonetheatre at the tropicana casino (doing the gypsy thread I call it thread of life)as well as doing a lecture tuesday night and will be teaching the handling of gypsythread from start to finish with a guarenteed way that it will never tangle as you pull! ok shameful plug over good luck to all sam
sam sandler- America's only full-time DEAF Illusionist
http://www.samsandler.com http://www.deafinitelymagic.com |
Joshua Lozoff Inner circle Chapel Hill, NC 1332 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-08-21 12:49, Colonel Clark wrote: He's a great storyteller, but I think it's far from the most magical presentation of gypsy thread. I don't know why you need to tell a story if your point is this amazing thing you can do with thread. |
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