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flimnar Special user Salt Lake 577 Posts |
I have been doing an ungimmicked rope through body routine using the old thread method. I have a funny lead-up where I dress to protect myself from the blood splatters. However, when I finally pull the rope through the spectator, it is really anticlimactic. I would just as soon not go to any of the gimmicked routines--which I understand are terrific--but does anyone have a suggestion or source to make the final rope through body seem more dramatic or entertaining?
Thanks!
"This one goes to eleven..." Nigel Tufnel
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dpe666 Inner circle 2895 Posts |
That is hard to answer when we have never seen your routine. Maybe post it on YouTube and we can help.
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larrymoore New user 31 Posts |
Sir,
brian flora did this routine many years ago and carried the props in his apron. he has two kids get on each side and they pull on the ropes. it is a huge buildup and he has the kids primed and ready to go. he also calls the child helping the dumbest child in the world. and the kids raise their hands. he restates it. and again the kids raise their hands to help. duh. he brings the ropes around the person and ties them in the middle and asks the kids to pull hard. I add a red bandana so no blood... I mean dust, gets on the ropes. that way, when It happens, the person steps back and the ropes pass through the persons body. this is a simple routine and you can lengthen the routine if you need to. let me know if you have other questions. a great routine and fun to perform. |
Sealegs Inner circle The UK, Portsmouth 2596 Posts |
Larrymoore, the routine you mention has the same basic structure and consequently still sounds like it has the same anticlimactic ending that filmnar is trying to find a way around or find something to add to it that gives it more of a punch.
I have to agree that this effect doesn't really do anything for me. The audience know what's coming, and there is no surprise when the effect is successful. There's no suspense/tension created by the possibility of it not working out and the worse that can happen is some ropes get pulled tight. Sure it's a bit of a puzzle that the ropes went through the body but I've never found the tying up procedure particularly straight forward to follow or even convincing. Some of the gimmicked versions that filmnar wants to avoid using (why?) overcome this and are more direct but generally even these versions when performed do little to engage the audience or make them care as to what's going on. So what to do? Well whenever I'm faced with an effect that I like... but that has an inherent weakness I try to integrate that weakness into the routine and make it a feature. So how about 1st doing a string through finger, then a silk through wrist, then a rope though neck and build the routine up to the rope through body. You can act as though the response from each effect isn't what you were hoping for and so gee the crowd along to give you a bigger and bigger reaction as you penetrate larger and larger bits of your body until you get them to go mad for the rope through body. Effectively you get your audience to take your side of being disappointed at their reaction. You acknowledge that the effect isn't the most spectacular in the world but play it up and goad them, in a fun way, to give you a disproportionate reaction to the subsequent penetrations. This way they are let in on the presentation. The success of the routine depends as much on their enthusiastic participation as it does your magical prowess. They, through their reaction and response become part of the effect and so become involved and invested in the effect leading to a triumphant final rope through body effect. This is just an idea but even as an untested routine that I've just thought of I believe it reads better than most I've seen.
Neal Austin
"The golden rule is that there are no golden rules." G.B. Shaw |
flimnar Special user Salt Lake 577 Posts |
Thanks Larrymore--I appreciate the touches you suggest that would definitely make my routine better.
Wow Neal! Your ideas do rachet the whole routine up several notches. They certainly sounds more engaging than what I've been doing. Thanks for the excellent tip!
"This one goes to eleven..." Nigel Tufnel
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Spellbinder Inner circle The Holy City of East Orange, NJ 6438 Posts |
Wiz Kid Qua-Fiki has a "Blendo Ropes" routine in The Wizards' Journal #16 on my site, in which he does a series of rope penetrations with red, white and bloe (other colors can be used) ropes, ending with pulling the three colored roped through his own body and blending them into one long red white and blue striped rope at the same time. As a bonus, he threw in something he had been toying around with that is a simultaneous triple penetration of ropes at one time, a rope through his neck, one through his waist and one through his leg (at the knee).
Professor Spellbinder
Professor Emeritus at the Turkey Buzzard Academy of Magik, Witchcraft and Wizardry http://www.magicnook.com Publisher of The Wizards' Journals |
larrymoore New user 31 Posts |
Sealeg,
The original routine by brian explains why you tie the ropes around the child. I will try and explain more of the routine. it is all really in the presentation. You bring the child up onstage and tell them that " years ago, there was a tradition or sort of a test to see who was the bravest person of all. THey would pull a set of ropes through a persons body." Now. get the child up and have them stand in the middle. " Last time we tried this, the little boy who was helping got so scared he had to go to the bathroom and he never came back. I am going to make sure you don't go anywhere". ( reason to tie them up) now. get ready to pull. and please pull hard. one time we did this, the ropes went halfway through the childs body and they were handing out the sides. the child went in to the street and tied up traffic. ( bad joke). One time, the ropes went through but were hanging out the childs bellybutton which made it really hard to shop for. ( brians emphasis was on presentation and a lot of schtick. that is what I admired most about him. he was a really quick thinker. you cant practise this stuff.) ready to pull? ooops. I forgot something. these are really new ropes and I need a bandana to make sure no blood,,, I mean dust gets on the ropes. ( now you have two helpers each holding ends of the rope, and you have a bandana tied around the front and you are ready to pull and break the gimmick. ) ready, One, two days ago we did this and the top half fell off. one little boy grabbed it and left. still looking for that little dude. if it falls, we will take care of the problem fast and effortlessly. ready, one two years ago, I dropped my insurance for the trick so I hope this trick works today. ready, one, two, three, PULL. it works and you thank everyone for the help. there is really a reason for the tieing up. it is all in the presentation. |
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