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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
Never never never ignore anyone in the audience.
If you are trying to reach the adults then you can do the show for the kids but make a lot of side comments the adults will appreciate. (A few above get it) I really need to make a DVD of routines showing this but here is a free example that not only entertains the kids but challenges the adults to keep watching and bebinvolved. -------- Very early on I produce a 12 inch coin using a silk that's been pulled through my fingers enough times to disprove it's hiding anything. I say "many people believe that magicians hide things in their sleeves (pull up the sleeves as I patter) or they hide things in their coats (open one side then the other allowing people to see the sides of my shirt). "but I do have a special lucky coin... Does anyone want to see my special lucky coin? Let me ask you, does anyone have a lucky rock? A pet rock , I want to see how old you are." (Some of the kids have raised their hands but it's rare that any adults do ... and remember, the mention of a Pet Rock is aimed at the adults because none of the kids have heard of one). "So no one has a pet rock or a special coin... so ... none of the adults have any money" (now there involved) With that, the silk is whisked away to reveal the 12 inch coin. Do you see how to entertain both the kids and the adults at the same time? Not only can it be done, 70 percent of the party show has these hooks and patter which involve both the kids and the adults. watch Saturday morning cartoons (as the post above stated) and see how the humor is two-pronged. It's a mind set. Performing only for the kids is probably why American audiences view magicians as cheesy bottom feeders, they only see someone doing silly stuff they find boring even if you use their kids as volunteers. Here's an aside if you're doing linking rings and one of the volunteers is an adult but the other one is s kid "and you thought George there, could link three rings but you only have two..... show them how it's done-I won't look, I don't want to ruin your secrets. Look he did it" How hard is that?
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
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Jack Skipton Regular user 127 Posts |
Appealing to kids and adults is a winning formula. If you can do magic that fools the adults while being funny and entertaining to kids you can work anywhere. I guess this is why the classics work so well in family shows.
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Most of the tricks/routines that I regularly performed, are what we consider the classics! To keep the PRESENTATION, TOPICAL, I continually "updated" the lines and bits of business. Although some lines and bits will "last forever", and, always get a laugh, some "magicians" don't seem to realize that the average child, or adult, may see a magician only occasionally. So, the "old hackneyed, corny, line" ("Stand right there! On the trap door!") is fresh to them.
Other, very topical lines, may "last only one season!" Example(s): Back in the early '70s when the first dove appeared, I would gently "kiss" the bird's beak. Then, I would 'make a face' and say, "Gaah! Once in the morning didn't do it!" It got a big laugh in high schools, because there was a commercial on TV about a mouthwash, and the "punch" line was, "Once in the morning, does it!" But, by the next season, the line was DEAD! Far too many performers fall into the habit of not really listening to the audience! Involvement of those watching, is important! I keep them involved by talking WITH them, not TO, or AT them. When Wendy's had a commercial with an older lady asking "Where's the beef?", I would drag the "Weller Wieners" (string of hot dogs) from a boy's shirt, and, get a nice laugh, when I displayed the dogs, and used that line. It lasted almost a season. When "Fantasy Island" was "big" on TV, a plane would be approaching the island with people who would be in the episode that week. I can't remember the little person's name, but he would point in the air, and shout, "The PLANE, THE PLANE! I had a dove that when produced. would fly in a circle around me, and land on my outstretched hand. As that bird circled, I would shout, 'The plane, the plane!" It was good for the run of that show, and, shortly after. That sort of topical lines, would play to kids and teachers, and yes, parents, when I was booked for a Parents' night.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 28, 2017, jay leslie wrote: Right Jay! I used the term: "Throw lines over the kids' heads." I meant the same thing that you just said.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Gerry Walkowski Inner circle 1450 Posts |
I've used the line, "Would you believe me if I told you xxxxx?" I then followed that up with,"Would you believe I just saved 15% on my car insurance?"
Of course, that car insurance bit is a play on all those GEICO commercials. It gets a good laugh. Gerry |
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
YES! THAT is exactly the type of line that I would look for and use! Of course, as I noted, and, I'm sure that Gerry realizes, it will play as long as that commercial is running, plus perhaps, a month or two.
Gerry motivated my wrinkled old mind, and caused me to remember another one that I used. It was an Alka Seltzer commercial. A man with obvious abdominal distress, and an empty pizza box, nearby, would moan: "I can't believe I ate the whole thing! I used it when I had apparently swallowed a golf ball.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
And there you are... for those that only do silly stuff - now you know how to do silly stuff for all ages. 😊
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
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The Great Zucchini Inner circle 1347 Posts |
You don't have to aim lines at the adults to make them laugh, either, the kids can do that themselves. I asked a 4 year old what he wanted to be when he grew up and he said, 'I want to be a baseball player and I want to work at chick filet". The parents were rolling.
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Adults are being entertained when they see their kids are being entertained.
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The Great Zucchini Inner circle 1347 Posts |
I agree with that Dynamike
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