I've alway though a time traveling mentalist (looking in to the past/future to see what happens next/happened behind ones back) would be a good idea.

With the renewed interest in Dr. Who, has anyone gone down that road - Does anyone have any good ideas?

O

What do you mean by "the renewed interest in Dr. Who?" Dr. Who has been in continuous production for a couple of decades. It's just not been shown in the States for the last few years. The DVD's, etc. have been available.

Time travel in mentalism has been around for about 40 years as a theme.

Two things for you: a bit of tub-thumping for this excellent show, and also an idea for a Doctor Who-themed effect.

First, let me talk-up this great British TV show. Bill - you're partly correct.

Doctor Who is the longest-running television science fiction programme in the world. It first aired in the UK in 1963 and ran until 1989, when it was axed by the BBC (in fairness, it had become fairly tired). It was relaunched, revitalised and rebranded in 2005 and is being made by BBC Wales. The fourth series of the new programme will be transmitted in the Spring next year. The new series has been an incredible success for the BBC. The programme has high viewing figures and is critically acclaimed. They must also be raking in the cash from all the merchandising. In addition, the programme has spawned two spin-off series: Torchwood (post-watershed adult-themed sci-fi) and The Sarah Jane Adventures (for kids).

For devotees of the programme, Bill is absolutely right - interest has never dropped. But the new series has brought a whole new generation of fans to the show and has really sparked the public imagination. If you get a chance to see it, it well worth your time (try and catch an episode from the third series called 'Blink'). Great stuff.

Okay, here's an idea...

Back to O's original question. Yes, it's likely that a Doctor Who-themed presentation would be of interest. Maybe it would have more resonance in the UK (has it become popular in the US too?). So many toys and games have been produced, it might even be woth cannibalising something to create a home made prop.

Here's an idea. I've seen some boxes of chocolates in the shape of a Tardis (for the uninitiated, the Tardis is a time machine in the shape of a blue police telephone kiosk - similar to the classic British telephone boxes). Take two of them and 'Chop' them both - that's fairly easy to do with a bit of experimentation. You could have a ball travel in time & space between the boxes using a fairly standard Chop cup routine. As everyone knows, the inside of the Tardis is bigger than the outside (sorry, those unfamiliar with the show will be lost now) and would provide a very nice ending with the production of the large loads from one or even both of the Tardises.

I'm featuring a time travelling character in one of my new shows, as its perfect to take the children back in time and the character is able to talk on both a historical level, as well as relating to the children and their own world. The show is a living history style presentaion dealing with World War Two, but with magic to illustrate such things as rationing, evacuation etc. The concept works very well.
Cheers Phil

It was broadcast on PBS here for a long time during the hiatus in the UK.

Be very careful, though. As with any character that is owned by a production company or other corporate entity, there are trademarks, etc. on the character and various props. There are also copyrights on various other aspects -- music, etc.

So, you can't advertise that you perform as Dr. Who, unless you get permission from the owner of the character. Nor can you perform Dr. Who themed magic for profit.

It's a very tricky business, this character work.

Hmmm.... Tardis chop cup? I like it. I like it a lot!

I have created/performed a routine called "Recollection" in which I establish psychic communication with myself in the past in order to change a photograph the moment it was taken.

The original idea for the routine was given to me by Brad Gordon (Scarnecky).

I am publishing it in my upcoming book. If you come up with any great ideas based on this, please let me know.


By the way, I love the new Dr. Who. It's fantastic.

New book?

Man, I can't wait - I Love 'The Dark Waltz'

Looking foward to the new series of Dr.Who, I think its starting soonish

Aidan

This is my 100th post.

Thanks for high opinion of my work. Yes, I am writing a new book. The working title is "A Voice From The Flame".

My only resource for the Dr. Who series is our local library. They have just received the third season, and I am number 71 in line for it.

The wait will be worth it.


Try this link:

tubeyak.com

It has lots of links to Dr. Who online.

Michael,
I've been wondering for quite some time now when you were gonna put that idea into print-
That was a great day, a great conversation, and I'm looking forward to the write up..

Warmly
Scar

Bore da, from a very proud Welshman. Quality drama from the land of the valleys and mountains

for a magic wand why not use the Sonic screwdriver. I got mine from http://www.play.com for £3.99 and kids love it.

I don't think you need to do a whole show themed on Doctor Who. I'm a "sci-fi nutter" (a close friends description as we used to get together every Tuesday evening for drink, nibbles, jerky and sci-fi on Sky One), but I would just do a few themed effects like producing a model dalek in a ?square circle? then vanish it.

Maybe I'd have a graphic of the tardis behind me (image projected via powerpoint onto paper, draw it, add colour and use in your next act.)

Maybe stay within an alien or science theme. So magnets and chemical tricks come to mind. But the kids will accept anything if the sonic screwdriver is used.

What would you use as a magic word? "Exterminate" seems too strong.

Jelly Baby?

With time magic story plots you also might want to look at some of the other time travel fiction.
HG Wells - The Time Machine
Warren comics - Eerie - The Rook [time travel adventures]
Comic - Brick Bradford and his Time Balloon
Star Trek - whatever those Federation time police called themselves
Agent of T.E.R.R.A. - time police - paperback series
Back to the Future - movies

Time magic has plenty of potential as a theme - Stefan

Doctor Who themed magic word "Allons y" (spelling?)

or if you want to be more old school "Reverse the polarity!"

I came up with a few effects with the sonic screw driver. It was mainly to justify my purchase of the toy but use one of those and little kids in the UK will be convinced of your genuine timelord credentials.
"Do you really know the Doctor?"
"I've got one of those but mine's just a toy" Hehehehe...

Another year on and Dr. Who is more popular than ever in the UK and elsewhere it plays.

Other effects would include a version of Charlie's Invisible Message or PATEO selection for Dr Who's enemies or companions. Maybe have the Daleks in four envelopes and a companion in the one that's forced. (So five volunteers used.)

A variant of 20th Century silks with the tardis lost in space then mysteriously found. Or possibily peanut butter and jelly for the transposition.

And of course a magic colouring picture of Dr. Who.

All need a good story-line though.

I think "Retro-Sight" by Devin Knight has a Dr. Who-like quality to it. Cards you hold in your hand switch places with their reflections in a mirror.

Regards, Steve

I saw a time-travelling magic show about a year ago called "Futurology". It was very good indeed and if you're in the UK, I recommend going to see "Futurology Live" http://www.whatsonstage.com/blogs/midlands/?p=195 by the same guy. He has an eggscellent (no pun intended) time travelling egg routine which had me in stitches. His explanation of the "Time Trumpet" and the "Animal Hardness Scale" were also brilliant.

So, yes, people have already gone down that route, which seems quite logical for a mentalist magician.

Cheers,
Matt

Posted: Jul 4, 2009 4:34pm
Actually, just spotted that it was the above link to the show I went to see rather than a new version of the show. My, how time flies when you're travelling through it at the speed of light.

Matt

I'm seeing a nice scarf production followed by the vanishing jelly babies.

I've been mulling this as well. In fact, last year at a benefit I used a modified sonic screwdriver (from Tennant's Dr.) as a sort of magic wand. A convenient prop, and the black light and sound are useful

Currently I'm working on a bigger time travel-based routine and I'm considering building the "time fountain" http://cre.ations.net/creation/the-time-fountain

It is pretty involved (and I'm pretty sure the kit is no longer sold as the creator has moved on to much bigger things), but think about being able to dim the lights and visibly show your audience going back in time (or stopping time)!