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BMWGuy Inner circle Texas 2563 Posts |
Hey guys,
After the successful run of our parlour show, featuring a comedy magician, a manipulator, a magician, and me(the mentalist)... we will continue to do parlour shows....but we just got a huge opportunity with a theatre in town to play 10 nights replacing hypnotist John Milton, since he wont be able to make it. So my question is, I know I have to change up my parlour act for stage since I am working with more people... I was thinking of doing the following: BTW, we will have 2 projector screens on each side. Pre Opener After I am introduced come out and briefly talk about mentalism, and what it entails, then throw a beach ball and choose 3 random spectators to come up. I will have a notepad and marker, and on 1/3 of the sheet at the bottom, the first spec will write someone special in her life, man or woman....in the center of the sheet someone will write any playing card, and at the top of the sheet,someone will write a number from 1-100. Each person tears of his or her section and pockets it, and I instruct each spec to sit down, I will call on them later. Here I plan on using Universal Impression 2....with an idea from John Riggs on Conversations with Mind Readers that allows all info to be written on one page, and you still get the impression with the Psypher. Opener I plan on using Marc Paul's Number Sense from the Fleetwood Notes, which predicts a number, and a date... for those that have it you know what I mean Second I plan on using the projection screens to my advantage and maybe do some sort of mental feat with cards, using the Gilbreath Principle. Third Book Test that I currently do in my parlour shows, and is the most requested piece in my act. Finish Call up all 3 people and read their minds by naming the number, card, and finally The thought of person. What do you think? We are 4 guys, 1) Dove magician 2) Manipulator 3) Magician 4) Mentalist. Please advise if possible Thanks, Alex
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BMWGuy Inner circle Texas 2563 Posts |
For the second effect I was thinking of doing
THE WHITE ROOM, or SILENT RUNNING projected on the screens. Also, I have a backup effect Tossed Out Deck....I use David Regals In Flight, or I always resort to HCE. Alex
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BMWGuy Inner circle Texas 2563 Posts |
Another idea I had was
Pre- Same as above with Universal Impression 1) Number Sense by Marc Paul 2) Book Test 3) Read their minds with what they wrote at Pre 4) Tossed Out Deck. Alex
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marklock Regular user 151 Posts |
Those are all great effects Alex. Sounds like a great opportunity. I'm not sure what you are looking for??
Affirmation of set list for stage? Presentation ideas? May I ask, What is your performance theme. character, perspective? Best, Mark |
BMWGuy Inner circle Texas 2563 Posts |
Yeah I guess just affirmation of my choices.
Thanks theme: influence Alex
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dmkraig Inner circle 1949 Posts |
Hi, Alex.
First, congratulations on this opportunity! You're doing great. I would like to suggest that it's time to move what you're doing "to the next level." What I would suggest is that you stop thinking about "doing tricks" and start thinking about your performance as part of a play. In your play, as a mentalist, you go from prologue, to rising action, to climax, to denouement, to conclusion. The tricks are "plot points" in this performance. If you come in strong and beat people over the head with EVERY!! ONE!!! OF!!! YOUR!!!! SPECTACULAR!!!! TRICKS!!!!!, they will become exhausted and bored. The capital letters and exclamation points I just used quickly lose their impact. I don't know how well you perform your tricks. I don't mean whether you can successfully perform them, but the impact they have on the audience. Perhaps someone you know who has seen you can tell you this. Perhaps you can tell by the applause you have received. What I suggest is that you give your BRIEF talk and do something that is quick and really gets their attention. Respectfully, throwing out a beach ball would make me laugh and want to leave. I would suggest you re-think. After you have done that first "grabber," move to something that takes a bit of time and fascinates more than astounds. Make each following effect more astounding so the climax is your strongest effect. By that I don't mean the cleverest or the one you like the best, but the one that gets the audience gasping. The denouement would be your closing talk. Good luck, and let us know how well you succeed! |
BMWGuy Inner circle Texas 2563 Posts |
Yeah you are correct!
sounds great! I think That the way I have structured it, it builds more and more, and for me the Tosees Out Deck is a closer, since last time I performed it......people left the parlour room I perform at scratching their heads, and astounded as to how I was able to discern the cards.......great!!! Ok so thanks for the advice. Alex
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magic maniac Special user 516 Posts |
I agree with dmkraig.
Using a macro effect at the beginning of your set is a great way to get people's attention. Marc Salem opens his act with a variation of 'The Fource', using a NW as an out. |
suspectacts Elite user Boston 493 Posts |
My two suggestions are:
Start working on a script for each effect. Take the time to write out every word you plan on saying and then practice making improvements as you go. Also start videotaping rehearsals and watch them back (it can be painful). If you can find one, I highly recommend working with a theatrical coach or director, but only after you have the script written, edited and learned. Best of luck. peter |
suspectacts Elite user Boston 493 Posts |
My two suggestions are:
Start working on a script for each effect. Take the time to write out every word you plan on saying and then practice making improvements as you go. Also start videotaping rehearsals and watch them back (it can be painful). If you can find one, I highly recommend working with a theatrical coach or director, but only after you have the script written, edited and learned. Best of luck. peter |
marklock Regular user 151 Posts |
I'm not sure about the "pre-opener", if you could read anyone's thought, why would you have them only select a number and a playing card etc? Why not try having the three people write something more interesting, something that packs some emotion? be sure to have a reason for them writing it down AND for revealing it at a later time.
This could create a really interesting hook that could be a great ending for the show, or... could be something that holds the show together, perhaps you reveal the thought of items at different points in the program. Or the page they write their thoughts on is sealed in an envelope and put in plain view on stage. Every now and then you could reference it, etc.. I have some specific ideas of what these 3 "thoughts" could be, but don't really want to cheat you out of the joy of creating (and some ideas I may actually want to use myself!) |
r1z08 Inner circle 1158 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-08-18 00:19, suspectacts wrote: Solid, sage-like advice, Peter. -rob |
Humester New user 67 Posts |
I too am working on a stage show that recently presented itself. Some great advice from everyone. I especially like dmkraigs ideas of incorporating "plot points" into the performance.
Best of Luck, Alex.
Humester
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Sting New user 73 Posts |
I might also suggest that from a spectator's point of view, it might be more interesting to open with a hit in the beginning to get some attention. Perhaps then you can do what is currently your pre-opener just after that.
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Owen Mc Ginty Special user not a stupid user, a special user. 533 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-08-17 21:35, suspectacts wrote: I second the suggestion on scripting - leave nothing to chance. This and other food for thought regarding performance as opposed to "doing tricks" can be found in Paul Brooks "The Alchemical Tools". I´m a beginner and have no idea how you present your effects, but remember the old 90% / 10% rule (90% presentation, 10% content). I wish you well on your progression to stage work, well done!
If you never fail, you're not trying hard enough.
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dmkraig Inner circle 1949 Posts |
I often use the TOD as a closer, too. It's just that strong.
Concerning scripts: yes, come up with good scripts for the effects...and then forget them! Most people who memorize scripts sound like they've memorized scripts. Use the basic concepts for the script. If there is some line that is extremely clever, memorize and use it. IMO scripts should be guides and directions, not memorized lines. I would also suggest coming up with "transition scripts." That is, WHY are you moving from one effect to the next? If there is not a logical progression and story, you'll appear to be like the beginning magician who repeatedly says, "for my next trick..." Trick after trick quickly becomes boring. Giving a reason to present one demonstration and then another than's even better draws attention and brings people in. When practicing, learn that pauses can be your friends. On the other hand, "ums," 'uhs," and other sound effects are not wanted. Silence can draw attention. Ums and uhs are amateurish and distracting. When you videotape your rehearsals, every time you use and um or uh or similar filler, fine yourself a quarter or a dollar. Put it in a "fine" jar. You'll learn how to stop making those sounds very quickly...and probably have money to buy another effect, too! Good luck! |
Rafael The Master Hypnotist Elite user South East Asia 498 Posts |
Those are great, but if I were you, I will perform my Mentalism Act revolving around Magician VS Manipulator VS Mentalist
you could open with this theme so this way the audience did not think you as "just another magician" exclude the fancy cards and Sleight of hand this is inspired from Stuart Cumberland Anneman Complete Act where he open his set with some sort of Magician VS Mentalist type of effect ....
The BIGEST Room in the world is the Room for Improvement
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Withnail Special user 974 Posts |
Just my two penneth in here as well, although better people than me have already given sage advice...
I'd drop TOD. Not that there's a "should playing cards be used in mentalism" debate going on, but if you're on stage after a magician, you can bet your bottom dollar he'll do something with cards. As soon as you pull out your deck, I believe that most of the audience will compare whatever you do next with "that cool card trick the other guy did" and I think you may risk ending on an anticlimax, no matter how good your presentation is. If you really need to use some cards, why not buy a Lexicon deck and do some Thought Chunnelling instead? Just mho - feel free to disagree or whatever
Yet again that oaf has destroyed my day
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BMWGuy Inner circle Texas 2563 Posts |
Thank you all for the advice.
Alex
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