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MorrisCH Veteran user 393 Posts |
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this source!!
but Curtis Kam wrote a set of lecture notes that specifically address poster's questions he even provide more than 15 example of how to approach patter for coin magic you can contact him directly as he is the member of Café |
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Quentin Inner circle 1020 Posts |
At the British Ring convention in Hastings, 1974, someone had a Malini Egg Bag and accidentally left it on a seat in the HQ hotel, Two businessmen (non-magicians) who were also in the hotel had seen the impromptu performance and picked up the egg and bag. One of them attempted to mimic the magician and put the egg in the bag and turn it inside out. The egg ended up in the pocket and the guy was stunned to find the egg had vanished. At that point the magician returned to collect the bag. I'll never forget the look on the businessman's face.
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Chucklerich....
In the "Odds 'n' Ends" 'Department' of the Café, you will find a forum titled: "THE WORDS WE USE". It's a good place to get ideas about "what to say". I could write a script for YOU, but it would be ME talking! When I was a teen starting out, I had the same problem, so, I can readily understand. I tended to use what is called "descriptive patter" ("I have here an ordinary TT"!!! or, "I will now shuffle the deck." or, "As you can see, this box is empty." In the later '40s, a number of magicians authored books on patter. All kinds of "stories", with "jokes", were printed. Trouble was that I was 14, and the guy who wrote the patter book was 40! Some dealers supplied patter with the trick. --"I went to the magic store down town, and bought this trick this morning and... or, I asked the magic store man if he had the trick that...I didn't want to tell the audience that I had "bought" a trick, and, I definitely didn't even want them to know that magic shops existed. The only music, then, was a 78 rpm record player! --not very practical!! A magician died, and I bought a few books on patter (from the 1920s!!!!!) They were even worse than those in the '40s!!! Example (opening patter): "I shall endeavor to entertain you this evening with a few feats of prestidigitation, and demonstrations of illusionary science. My first trick will involve this Foo can, which I bought on my last vacation in the Himmalayan Mountains of Tibet....." Yuk! Robert Orben wrote an "Encylopedia of Patter" (sold for ONE dollar--about 1946) It was basically a bunch of monologs. Apparently it sold well (I bought one) as Orben sold a whole series of patter books, and started a correspondence "school" of material for disc jockeys. --Orben ended up as a joke writer for President Ford! So, that's a bit of history, but, it doesn't help you much, except to tell you that your problem is not new, and, you are definitely not the first one to have the problem. So, check out the "words we use in the odds n ends "department". When I, occasionally use my Okito box, I bring it out with a few coins in it. I say, "Magicians don't use coin purses, they use coin boxes." I dump out the coin(s) and do a little routine. That isn't anything great, but, by not doing a "build up" on the box, it has played OK for a long time. Too many magi handle the box too much like a "magic box". BTW, My box is a little 'TIN' thing, and has no extra "add ons" to a "normal" Okito box. Hope this has helped a little. We inadvertently took your OP off the track a bit (!!!)when Dorian started "quoting" Ron Bauer. I think he got too far afield for a beginner. Egg Bags and Okito boxes are not too comparable. (Analogia semper clauditer.) One of the problems with using a prop that "must be a 'trick' box", is the one he brought up. That's why I use mostly "ordinary" things like a piece of rope, a golf ball, a deck of cards, a few handkerchiefs, some coins, etc., especially when I'm working "closeup". When I'm doing a platform show, for example, I may use a DISECTO (arm chopper!) but, it's "dragged in" as a "commercial" and, it is immediately perceived as a "put on". It's played for LAUGHS,and,it gets many laughs, but, it does fool them. I only do it for high schools and colleges. It's a strong 5 minutes. It wouldn't play for Kindergarteners. The "situation" comedy would be a bit over their heads. I even use an egg bag! But, I bring it 'on' with, "We're going to have a bit of fun with this little cloth bag." --and, I let the girl who is helping, EXAMINE IT!!! (Well, I definitely CONTROL her examining, just as I do when she later examines the linking rings, later. She, and, the audience believe that she has examined that bag, and those rings. For little kids, I even use the MUTILATED PARASOL! The little kids LOVE it! They understand my 'show and tell" with it, and it gets a show stop laugh...AND, APPLAUSE. The best advice, other than what's above, is: BE YOURSELF! As Nate Leipzig always said, "If they like YOU, they'll like what you do.!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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1KJ Inner circle Warning: We will run out of new tricks in 4385 Posts |
Dick,
You should write a book. You have a lot of good advice. I think examples of your scripts, while they may not be exactly suited to someone else, could be a source of inspiration. I watch and read other people's scripts and they are a source of inspiration for my own routines KJ |
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Quote:
On Mar 1, 2015, 1KJ wrote: Thanks for your kind words--and the "suggestion" about a book. I have done it! 180,000 words! It's an autobiography, with anecdotes about magicians I met from "the beginning" when I first saw Stanley the Magician (1938) to the present. I was a part time pro. from age 13, in 1945 to 1967, when I turned full time pro. I wrote an "essay" about how to produce a show that could play almost anywhere for almost anybody. Then, I wrote up most of the routines and tricks that I've used. They're mostly the classics, because they had to play under any conditions for any age group. I included much of the patter that I used. I relied heavily on situation comedy, although here and there I sneaked in a gag or two. It's "Sunday School clean". It's written for my personality, but, it may help some young fellows see the sort of stuff that played for me. When I started as a teenager, I worked a couple of sideshows in summer and whatever I could book in winter. In the Navy, (51-55) I had an agent who booked club dates around Norfolk, VA. Through college, I booked 'everything and anything'. In '67, I "hit the road!". I also wrote up a "whole bunch" of anecdotes about what happened on the road, playing the 'knowledge boxes on the kerosene lamp circuit'! It has been a 'wonder filled life'! The "manuscript" is now in the hands of my "collaborator". I'm hoping we can get it off the press by late spring. Again, thanks! Dick
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Quote:
On Mar 1, 2015, Quentin wrote: Hi Quentin! That is some story! I've heard of "self working tricks', but, I never thought of an egg bag as one of them!!!!!!!!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dorian Rhodell Inner circle San Francisco, CA. 1633 Posts |
I just remembered that the late Dr. Steven Kramer had a combination dial attached to the top of his box.
He had a good presentation for it. Funny little lead in as well. |
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landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts |
Hi, I recently wrote a script for a coin routine that you may enjoy looking at. It's for a more formal kind of performance, but it might give you some idea of the possibilities even for a simple set of tricks.
You can read it here on my daily blog: http://jackshalom.net/2015/03/18/script-......routine/
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
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dleiber New user Temecula, CA, USA 29 Posts |
For the OP, whatever patter you eventually create and regardless of which resources help you, make sure it's natural for you when you deliver it. I've heard so much bad patter that sounds stilted and awkward, especially with a lot of newbies learning some suggested script from a trick's packaging insert/instructions. If it sounds memorized, or worse yet, poorly memorized, you might as well not use it. Use something that engages you and is interesting or funny to you and it'll most likely be received as engaging, funny, and interesting by others.
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Aus Special user Australia 996 Posts |
I this think chucklerich check out this thread on a healthy discussion on meaning: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=27
Magically Aus |
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Aus Special user Australia 996 Posts |
I think chucklerich might benefit from checking out this thread on a healthy discussion on meaning: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=27
Magically Aus |
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Rainboguy Inner circle 1915 Posts |
When I moved here (Green Bay, Wisconsin) from Missouri in the mid 80's I met a number of local Magicians and became friends with them. One of the local "Old-"Timers was a charming older gentleman named Ted Monyette, (R.I.P. Ted) who invited me to his home in Appleton so he could show me his collection of Magic Props and Magic Books.
Upon arriving at Ted's house, he took me downstairs to his basement and proceeded to show me his Miser's Dream Routine. Much to my amazement and surprise, Ted's Miser's Dream patter was VERBATIM....WORD FOR WORD From Tarbell!!! I can even remember those words to this day..."Deep down in our hearts...everyone has the desire to make money......" Out of respect, I didn't say anything out loud to Ted regarding his patter, but I sure was thinking to myself.."WOW. If he only took the time to write a script....he could have done much better than that!" Example: My Opening line for the Miser's Dream is: (raising my hand........"Does anyone here like MONEY? Most people do...." In other words, I have PERSONALIZED the patter and have involved the audience by asking a question at the same time.... If you ask most magicians who entertain civilians for a buck or two, they may very well admit to "lifting a few lines" here and there, but, for the most part, just about EVERY working pro I have known has developed their own patter to fit the routines they like, and how they "like to play it". My best advice for good patter: Make it your own! Try it out and see how it plays.........and edit, edit, edit.... In time.......you will know what is right for YOU........How? Your audiences will let you know~! And by the way, if you ever see a Magician that you like and think that he or she uses great patter, it certainly won't hurt to ASK THEM PERMISSION to use a line or two of theirs........ |
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