I cannot find a forum topic that is about conjuring for the elderly people (>80 years). Therefore I post it her in the kids section.

I have to perform 2 parlour/stage tricks for 20-30 elderly people arpund the age of 80, however I cannt find the inspiration for good, straight and clear magic tricks for this targetgroup. Who can help me to give some inspiration?

Thanks a lot!

They are adults. I do the same stuff for this group that I do for 50 year olds, which is a mostly of my regular act, but I take out some of the really kid-specific stuff (magic coloring book) and I replace whatever I take out with more ventriloquism. They love the classic vent stuff. Basically, I just do my best stuff for them like I would anyone else. What two effects would you do if the audience were 50 year olds, and why wouldn't that work for this group? If there's no clear reason, then just do those two effects. People in their 80's are not necessarily diminished in their capacity to understand what you're doing.

Yes,

Keep it simple and visual. Magic done to Music works very well.

Silk Magic.

Productions of any sort, simple color change.

Ring and rope (if you pay more than usual attention to making the pre-effect situation clear with "shows" and directed eye attention.)

Linking Rings.

Juggling to music.

Just remember, some can't see, some can't hear and some can't think clearly but some can in all categories.

There are many here who have more experience than I do in this group. Good luck!

A little more searching would turn up results on this topic.

- Mary Mowder

Good advice .... and no card tricks, or popping balloons etc.

Jim

Hoooooold on hate mongers. They are 80 not idiots. They might have some hearing difficulties so speak in a loud clear voice, you should be doing that anyway. They typically can see but don't wave a card expecting them to see the pips, I couldn't have seen pips when I was 10 without my glasses on.

There are people who are 80 who are as clear headed and able to watch a magic show as you are. There are 100 year olds that are clear headed. My father is 80 and not only does he look 60 he can hear, think, walk, communicate, and likely take most of you in a fist fight if you insulted him by treating him as a child because of his age.

Regarding what Santa said.. I should emphasize, I do my act, my regular act which is geared for all ages for everyone EXCEPT this group and older kids/adults with disabilities. For these groups I remove my kidshow specific stuff like the magic coloring book because I don't want them to feel I'm treating them like children. I know that with groups of disabled people, for instance (my son has a disability, we talk) I have to be more aware of this because they are more likely to be treated like children by folks who don't know better, and they become very aware of the condescension. I think as people approach 80 they start getting a lot of this and become annoyed by it.

I cut my teeth on nursing home and retirement comunity shows when I was still "Dave Cox: Boy Magician." I did hundreds.

Here's what I can tell you - most of your audience will be sharp. Many will be a little depressed, and most of them will react to you with gratitude and delight, and some will be sullen. You do need to speak loudly - use amplification if you can - but, avoid, at all costs, SOUNDING like you're yelling because you think they're deaf. Most can hear just fine. If you do a card trick - and card tricks are fine - and you have a card selected, let them keep it. It's a simple way to avoid a forgotten card. Most of the have very clearly defined and, at this point, very confident egos, and have no problem being part of the fun, and will do a great job hamming it up. Sometimes, toooooo good of a job. Enjoy it. If you do kid tricks, you run a big risk of having them think you're condescending to them - they are much less likely than someone in their 40's to think "Aw, what irony. How cute. He's pretending we're like kids." and more likely to think "This A-hole thinks we're idiots!" In my experience, they liked (and still like) most everything I did for any regular show of adults - I just had to keep things clear.

If you're in a home, you may find someone with dementia - I have a lot of heartbreaking stories, including someone telling the audience very loudly that their husband is taking her to Europe now that the war is over, and a woman in an open backed hospital gown wandering into the stage area very upset that she can't find her sister, who had apparently passed away many, many years ago. If that happens, speak calmly and get an attendant to help you out.

If your show is not in a home, but in a retirement community or for a club, they're most likely going to be active, sharp minded, and, unlike many audiences today, actually know how to be an audience for a live show. Have a great time!

Thank you for doing your own shows. There is a difference, in most places, between a home for seniors and a convelencent (sp) home. Wait....Dave, man magician said that.

Old folks are cool. Treat them like you do anyone else. In fact this shouldn't even be in the darlings section because you would not do a kids show for them.

Dear Magic Santa,

Chill. Go to your happy place. No one here is a hate monger.

Tomassi did not state what the cognitive level was for the proposed audience. I told him what I found useful in my last engagement at a convalescent hospital. Perhaps I made an assumption but I'm certainly not a hate monger. As I said there is a variance in the abilities of the group so it's really a balancing act to please the most people without leaving too many out of the fun. I did not suggest any Magic that I wouldn't do for any other audience.

I don't think Mr. Pitts or Jim were hateful either.

What Magic would you suggest is appropriate.

- Mary Mowder

I didn't mention Tomassi, I was taught to cook Italian food by a guy named Tomassi.

I see you 'think' the others are okay.

As I said, do a stand up or parlour show, if they don't have one then don't do it.

So, is that an apology or a clarification of the hate monger comment,? because it is not clear.

Yes, I do think what the others said was OK.

What part of anything that was said by anyone was hateful?

- Mary Mowder

It was to get their attention Mary....poetic license. I do not think these people hate old people. I admit it. It is the reference to juggling that got me. I can't juggle. People tell me I can learn and I can't, it makes me miserable.

Posted: Sep 27, 2010 9:23pm
By the way. Those senior centers have budgets for entertainment and is a good market. Another thing. For those of you wanting to practice your strolling magic they are a great place to go do it. On weekends they also have family visits and you might see if they want a kids show. The geez love watching the little ones enjoying themselves and might get the kids in to visit.

No matter what props or routines you use be sure to include lots of humor. Audiences that age love it, and . . . . . . "THEY GET IT !!!"

I agree Mary - I don't consider ourselves HATE mongers. Not even close.

Well...yeah, include humor. Morose magic isn't real popular.

Senior shows amount to about 15-18% of my current gig calendar. So I feel qualified to chime in.

1. RESPECT your audience. As Santa said, they're 80, NOT idiots.
2. COMEDY, and lots of it - not jokes about age, health, etc. unless you are of that age and have those issues FOR REAL.
3. Speak clearly and talk a little slower than you might usually do. Not aggerately (is that a word?) so but just so it's easy to hear and follow.
4. Bigger props. Again, Santa mentioned the problem with cards.
5. Do NOT do a KIDS show! Some comedy, tricks songs, etc. transcend age (the song "3 Little Fishies" for example) but don't insult them with a kiddie show. Way too many hacks are already doing that.
6. Relate to your audience. Be personable, real, and again RESPECTFUL.
7. If you don't all that - don't do the show.

If I seem blunt, forgive me. I'm a little sensitive when it comes to how seniors are treated. But if you do it right, you'll always have work, and you'll feel great every time you do it.

The worst part of working senior facilities is that a lot of them will cry about not having money, and that's true for some (a small number) but most have good budgets for entertainment. It can break your heart to turn down a gig and deny the seniors a fun day, but we have to make a living too. THAT'S the hardest part.

Good thread guys.

Beano

Along with my magic, I also add things like Ventriloquism, Music (harmonica and ukulele) and a strait jacket escape.

I love these shows, as I am more closer to 80 than the preschool crowd.

I live with my wonderful in-laws. (age 87 and 89) They are wonderful and both very with it. Ruthie helps make my puppets and vest. Our latest collaboration is Baby Gaga. Charlie helps me with electrical stuff.

"not jokes about age, health, etc. unless you are of that age and have those issues FOR REAL."

Good points Beano. This reminded me though... When I got back into doing vent, I figured on doing a lot of senior shows. Part of the reason I got back into it was to expand the age range for my shows. I already did some senior centers when they had family days because my act is a family act, but it seemed a little insulting to do my regular show when there weren't any kids around, for the reasons we have discussed here. In working ventriloquism into the act and pulling out the kid stuff I did make a notable mistake, but one I think a lot of vents make. I assumed I needed an old guy puppet to appeal to this group. I don't know WHY I assumed this, I guess I was just not thinking it through. My character was a nice little old man soft puppet. I liked his face, he was a decent inexpensive puppet. I gave him a kind of gruff personality. I liked him. He had some funny material about getting old. But when I did the act, well.. it was ok, nobody was visibly offended, but he was kind of a dud. But Henry, my traditional hard figure (pictured in my avatar) went over much better. He totally stole the show. People just lit up over Henry. Now I just bring him, my concertina, my plate spinning and rope twirling coyote, and a magic drawing board. Plus a couple of magic tricks, a dove pan routine I do with Henry, and a change bag routine.

The thing about the drawing board by the way...
Typically you might rely on some look/don't see stuff with a MDB routine, but this group won't really respond to it. Look/don't see is really a kidshow principle and doesn't work very well for any adult group, at least that's been my experience. I use the drawing board as more of just a novelty puppet in most circumstances now, and don't even rely too much on look/don't see when I use it in my kidshows.

A question for the group though.. how long is your senior show? I do 30 minutes plus about 15 minutes of walkaround with Henry after the show. The walkaround is important to me because they really enjoy a bit of conversation as much as anything else. I've picked up a lot of good, interesting, anecdotal history in these conversations.

I ask a lower rate for senior shows than for birthday parties because they tend to be weekday afternoon shows and they don't run as along as my birthday parties. I have found that if I can work with their budget (which is usually modest, but not unreasonable) I can get a lot of shows. These care providers talk to eachother as well, so I get recommendations.

I don't hate the old folks, I'm almost one of them! But I've done more than my share of shows at "retirement centers", and my suggestions still stand (from experience!).

Jim

About card tricks for the older crowd - go for it! Sure, you have to carefully select your routines and make them easy to follow, but that could be said for any routine. I've had people of all ages forget cards. That's why several people look at the card. If possible, have the card signed. Have some outs, if the method requires it.

Some of us can hold an audience's attention, with nothing but a pack of cards...even without any props, for that matter. Put enough thought into your show and the audience will appreciate it.

Here are a few routines I think work well for an older crowd:

Torn & restored newspaper

Linking Rings

Mismade Flag (not the comedy mismade flag version, but Dwayne Laflin's where he explains the patriot meaning of the three colors and then produces a giant American flag.--His even comes on a pole.)

Cardiographic with a large sketch pad card.