I'm considering adding my straight jacket routine to my family show for shopping centres.

This isn't for children but is for a wider, family audience that include young children, teens and adults.

I've always found escapes play well for families but I'm concerned it might not be appropriate,

What are your thoughts?

I don't see an issue with it. I do a SJ escape for mixed audiences and kids all of the time. They love it.
G

Done this many times. No Problems.

I use the SJ even in church outreach programs.

Finding the right volunteer and family friendly lines is as crucial in these routines as it is in other effects.

Some volunteers pause or refuse to buckle a certain strap.
Choosing the right person to help....Priceless.

IF your jacket has a CROTCH STRAP (and in this instance, it's best if it does NOT)...just use common sense when it comes time to have a volunteer reach between your legs and grab the strap: No girls-women, or kids.

Use a guy for this, and make sure your patter doesn't offend or cross-the-line.

This being a FAMILY audience, perhaps you should just think of what you would do & say if you were performing at a church social.

Get just ONE "complaint" from just ONE person in the crowd, and you have zero chance of ever being being booked at that venue again.

Best of luck.

Hi Nick,
I use a straitjacket escape for all my library/elementary school shows and have been for the last 3 years. It gets a great reaction and is my closing routine. I performed it right at 100 times this past summer for mixed audiences at the libraries. As far as humor, I always pick a guy if there is one in the audience to do the straps and when it comes time for the crotch strap. I do some jokes about not doing it too tight/not giving in to peer pressure and then swing it through my legs a few times before he catches it. It gets huge laughs and stays appropriate for the audience as well.

If there are no guys (like at many schools) I will use a woman and NOT do the swinging strap bit. I still use the lines about not too tight/peer pressure but for the strap itself I take my leg and push the strap up behind me so they can easily grab it and latch it. I have NEVER had a complaint with it and it has been done for thousands of people.

Hope that helps, let me know if you'd like more details.

Chad

At times I have given the volunteer a hanger to grab the strap.
Sometimes I don't even have it buckled.

Been thinking about this a lot lately, what is and what isn't suitable for what type of audience and I've come to the conclusion it all boils down to you as a performer.

I've been re-watching my Cellini street performing dvds (get 'em if you ain't got 'em) and Gazzo features quite heavily in it. Now if you've not seen Gazzo perform he comes very close to the edge... In fact many might describe him as having jumped over the edge and just kept on running... But he can perform in his way for mixed age/gender audiences highly successfully.

The reason is simply because he IS Gazzo.

If I tried performing his way it wouldn't work. I'd probably end up getting arrested.

In my own SJ escape I do use lines that definitely have double meaning. I would also disagree with the comment above about using an SJ with no crotch strap. Use it, its funny!

Now I'm not (almost forgot to type that then... would've created a little controversy eh?) saying its ok to present a bondage show to a family audience, but a little risky humor is fine.

And if you word things right the adults will get it... the teens will think they get it and the kids just won't understand. You see it in Disney films all the time. Humor that the adults "get" and flies over the kids heads.

In fact I had a similar conversation the other day regarding my performance of Human Blockhead (side note: Ken, can you PM me regarding the nails you use... How BIG!). People were worried that the kids in the audience would immediately rush off to the local hardware store, buy a bunch of nails and then try and hammer them into their face!

Here's a news flash: KIDS AREN'T STUPID!

Just because they saw me doing something doesn't mean they then think its ok to try it themselves. They know that sticking 6inch nail up your nose IS stupid.

Same with using fire, knives, plastic bags, the list goes on. As long as they know what you're doing is STUPID and DANGEROUS they won't do it... If they do then there's always the Darwin Awards I guess <joke, before anyone loses the plot>.

Just do what you feel comfortable with. Be yourself and have fun. Judge each situation on its own merits and you'll be fine...














<disclaimer... following this advice could have adverse effects. you do so at your own risk. there are certain situations where "being yourself" may not be the best idea. see thread on franky houdini for an example. he was "just being himself" and now he's in a spot of bother. you have been warned!>

In the U.S., it's not so much about what stupid children (and adults) will or will not do, so much as it is all the attorneys laying in wait like vultures.