Greetings,
many have found coming to Our Inner Circle of Bizarre magick Gathering a help in their works as there is time to chat with other Bizarrists from around the country, workshop/lecture and a works in progress session. this all takes place in CT during November.
Vlad

As a person of Norse ancestry myself, I like where you're going with your concept, Margarette. I noticed the other day that Barnes & Noble's got a set of runestones on closeout. I may just have to go back there and pick up a set!

Bizarre is as bizarre does.

First you need to define bizarre for yourself (personally I think little is as bizarre as a guy in a tux/tails doing doves when compared to the "real world."

Determine your opinion (it will change) of what effects people emotionally - not limiting yourself to vampires, voodoo, ancient Eqypt, Lovecraft or Poe. Stories of love and winter, fright in the night, seeing and not believing can be as bizarre a trip down the path of magic as a spike through the arm. tongue or other regions.

If you want fast, identifiable connection with the audience for shock value -- tha is one small area. Check Brother Kotah's work (Ron Dayton) and look for Brother Shadow's materials.

Look to Blackhart, develop a Dungeons and Dragons theme -- go victorian or X-men -- but make it your own choice. THEN look for stories and effects that blend into your ideal character and back story. It will fall in place.

If yopu go with ONLY standard texts -- you will be standardly bizarre --which to me -- is an oxymoron.

Mary Tomich's magazine, The Altar Flame, is also an excellent source of ideas. Unfortunately, this magazine is out of print and nearly impossible to obtain.

In my opinion, bizarre magic is NOT doing Coins through the Table while telling some sort of ghost story. Bizarre magic is NOT doing the color-changing handkerchief while telling some far-fetched, obviously concocted tale.

Bizarre magic is Magic, as if it were real. It requires a completely different mind set than regular magic, or for that matter, escapes. It is magic as "Theater." It requires strong theatrical/acting abilities. I don't mean to make it sound impossible, just that it is much more difficult to do properly than is regular magic.

Bizarre magic is more closely related to mentalism (not mental magic) than it is to regular magic. For this reason, the Psychic Entertainers Association (of which I am a member) includes both mentalists and bizarre magicians.

Bizarre magic is really fun for the performer because of the audience reaction. Audiences sometimes remember a routine for years after it is performed.

Best of luck in your exploration of this wonderful field.

In addition to the above mentioned works...

Docc Hilford's written a lot of very nice little pamphlets.

His book on "Ball and Tube" is a marvelous discussion about how to make emotional connections with an audience, through the telling of a story (of sorts). It's a quick and easy read, that I go through every couple of months, not because I don't know it, but because it's a great reminder. And I've never even done ball and tube for an audience (and probably won't.)

Hi, Margarette,

Lots of good advice on inspiration so far. Good books and ideas.

What I would do at this point is to read a few of those things and then put it all away for a few days. Let it all stew and simmer inside my head. Sleep on it. Look at myself in the mirror...

Then figure out what about all this is attractive to me, why I want to do it, and what I want to say with it. And make it all very clear in my mind, even if it means letting it stew for a few more days.

At the end of that period, I would have a good idea of who my performing character is. TV cooking shows are a perfect example of this: every TV chef has his or her own personality, and they get their message across differently, even as they're all doing exactly the same thing. Once I know who I am as a performer, then I can go back and choose effects, based on how they fit my personality and style.

Good luck! Keep us posted!

Hey Margarette,
If you are playing to Memphis audiences, you can definately create material from so many existing ghost stories and hauntings that happen in this soulful place. You have riverboat ghosts, Bluesman ghosts, even Elvis's ghost!

Christian Chelman's "Hauntiques" did much to get my creative juices flowing. I like the idea of connecting a story with a tangeable object. Makes the effect even more scary.

I crave one of Doug Higley's dead Mer-creatures! If I could write the routine that would go where I want it, I would spring for my Mer today!
Autumn

Autumn...we got you covered on that one! Kotah has written some interesting pieces just for the mers (and so have I) that I make. PM me. Get your 'spring ready'.

D

Hey Doug! Maybe another book is in order?

Excellent, Gwyd! Inspiring! Maybe I will 'go Bizzare'!

Just to list one or two other good sources for bizarre routines, Sheherazade and Final Curtain by Borodin.
But I've never believed in doing routines as they are written in books, that's like doing someone else's magic.

I think Bizarre in particular, due to it's "primal" nature - as Gwyd pointed out- needs a personal touch, because believability is so critical. You have to be "you", albeit usually within a character. That is, choose a character that the real you can really get into; something natural, an extension or subset of yourself.
A good many of us identify with the mystics of old; the druids, the shamans, portraying magic as "real", as Bill Flemming said, although the character may be that of a curator of antiquities, for example.
That doesn't mean there's no room for humor, however, if you wish. Be unique, but consistent.

Where most magicians work for "oohs" and "aaahs",or applause and cheers, it is said that the bizarrist values a profound reaction of stunned silence and subsequent reflection above all else.

Margarette,
Spend a weekend with me, and you'll know what bizarre is.

OK guys go for the jugular.

Egregor, you give new meaning to the word primal.

I deeply apologize for never hitting on you earlier Autumn,but, One of my mentors was a Delaware Indian Shaman, and native american mojo is too powerful for me to repel, and Blackfeet mojo is really potent. So I only tease the newbies.

Egregor,
Don't let Margarette catch you calling her a newbie...she is president of the magic club in Memphis and I highly suspect she has some powerful Memphis mojo of her own brewing on her barbecue grill.

No problem with not hitting on me earlier. I appreciate the respect shown. That Blackfeet mojo can be pure Elk medicine. Don't ask me to elaborate, except to say it draws a person in like a mosquito to a bug zapper
Autumn

You could always take a look here: http://www.blackhart.co.uk

Keith Hart

"I'm an elk! Its elk Season!!!!"

Yes Margarette - the source of mystery magick can come from many places - even from a dark feathered master of madness who has ancient hatreds towards an avatar of the Trickster god (two of a pantheon of chaotic entities that held sway over many people's childhood)

Well.....when it comes to bizarre magic, I am a newbie. We all gotta start somewhere!! I have been reading all these responses and making notes. I appreciate all the recommendations and help that everyone is throwing my way!

Margarette

TZZZZZZT--!! Was that the bug zapper again?