|
|
rowdymagi5 Inner circle Virginia 3616 Posts |
I have heard that this prop is great for a comedy routine with kids. I am not familiar with it. I have heard it retails for about $40.00.
Can anybody shed some info on this one? Thanks! |
Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
Rowdy, although some kids entertainers do not like using the die-box principle, all in all, it must be one of, if not THE most popular tricks of all time. Now the original DIE box is literally that— you show a die, place it into a box, say you will make it disappear but in fact appear to all viewing to be just tipping it from side to side and showing the tilted up side empty. Eventually all doors to the box are opened and it's gone and preferably appears back from whence it originally came, i.e. a hat or similar.But the die-box routine developed into The Man In The Moon, Harry The Happy Ghost, Rabbit Run, Clown Loses Head, Block Of Gold, etc. etc.
I have a BREAKAWAY die box that comes in two sections and you can "tip the die through thin air" from one section to another before showing both sides empty and producing it from whence it came!! I think that (with a few exceptions of course) when most children's entertainers discover the 'die-box' principle, and realise the feedback from children it can bring, then you end up with half a dozen variations as we have— and never grow tired of them! I must say that $40 does not seem much for a die box these days— the Man In The Moon would probably cost in the region of £80/100 sterling these days— well over $100. If it's only made out of card it could have a limited life, whereas a good wood or metal prop lasts forever, doesn't it? All principles are practically self-working and just a moderate amount of dexterity and thought is needed, so you can really concentrate on the entertainment value of what you are doing. Just a final word though, if used as a "sucker" trick I personally feel that I should be the sucker, and not the chosen child or group of children— but this is just my personal view. Tony. |
DanTheMagicMan Regular user Edgewater, Maryland USA 139 Posts |
$40.00 seems low to me (at least in U.S. dollars). There are many different manufacturers out there making this effect. Check to see if the one you are interested in is the right size and quality you want.
Dan The Magic Man
e-mail:[email]info@familymagicshows.com[/email] web site:www.familymagicshows.com MagicEvents.org - View or subscribe to upcoming magic events and birthdays. |
p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
Hi,
Ace is correct about the many variations, but please consider when thinking of the alternatives, say "Man in the Moon", that there are bigger age restrictions on them than the original die box (I mean I doubt if you could do Man in the Moon for over fives). Also the magic effect is seriously weakened in most spin offs in that the vanishing object tends to be flat rather than 3 dimensional. Just something to consider. Phillip |
Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
Yes, Phillip is right on this point. I can stretch The Man In The Moon to about age 6, but I don't use any 'babyish' stories in the first place, so this is why I can get away with it. But when you hold up that 'original' (home) cloud section and the Moon keeps popping up, and everyone can see it BUT YOU (you think they are pointing at the curtains, or your tie, or those playgroup pictures on the wall don't you!!)— this to me is what entertaining kids is all about.
Some of the effects I mentioned do not 'tilt' (?) from side to side Rowdy, but are manually switched, i.e. the Ghost in the Castle etc. You can see I'm really enthusiastic about these things! When Phillip says the original concept is THREE dimensional, well that's maybe a clue... Tony. |
jlibby Inner circle 1044 Posts |
Ace, I have a similar model type Die Box... it breaks into two sections. Very cool.
A few years ago, Peter Marucci published an idea in Linking Ring where you paint the die box white (to become the White House) and decorated the die with pictures of one of the US presidents (can you imagine the patter possibilities if you used Clinton? Not suitable for kids, but great for a comedy club!!!). Anyway, I took the germ of that idea and decorated the Die with pictures of Ben Franklin, and I ended up with a great kid show routine! See ya! Joe L.
My new FREE ebook on the classic Mismade Bill trick is ready for you:
https://funnybirthdayshow.com/mismadebill/ |
Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Another idea that I used in my Linking Ring column, besides the one Joe mentioned, above, was to use a Rubik's Cube, which just happened to be the same size as the die.
After all, who on earth ever saw a die that big, except as a magician's prop? And what's the motivation for using a die that size? BTW, Rowdy, if you can get a die box these days for just 40 bucks— grab it! |
p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
Quote: Hi,
After all, who on earth ever saw a die that big, except as a magician's prop? And what's the motivation for using a die that size? Peter over here in the UK a die that size is not as odd as you might think. Baker Ross, a wholesale and school supplier, sells lage dice like those in pairs and you will often see them in schools. Phillip |
NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
I LOVE the Rubik's Cube. Anyone know where I can get a shell that big?
|
Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Nicholas Johnson writes: "I LOVE the rubiks cube. Anyone know where I can get a shell that big?"
Get two cubes— one to replace the die. The other cube will cover the die's shell; peel the square stickers off the second cube and stick them on the shell in the same pattern in which the whole cube is laid out. You now have a Rubiks' Cube and a Rubik's Cube shell. (I really LOVE these new smilies!) |
AragorntheMagician Veteran user Metro-Atlanta 304 Posts |
The sliding die box is one of the best routine's ever for kids of any age. I now use "Moshus" retired magician/magic rabbit story (taped a picture of a rabbit to die and shell). After 42 years of doing it, for the kids it's still a blast.
Yours, Aragorn the Magician aka: Bob
aka: I used to be BOB (It's Cellini's fault)
"All Right, Who's Volunteering to be Turned into a Frog???" www.aragornthemagician.com |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The little darlings » » sliding die box (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |