|
|
Scott O. Inner circle Midwest 1143 Posts |
I'm wondering if anyone here has ever performed Mike Bent's Mummy Dearest? I actually bought the CD and made the prop. I undertand that everyone has a different persona on stage. And this might work very well for some and not be so great for others. I'm just trying to get a few takes on what has worked in actual performance for others. Thanks for any constructive comments.
Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest, if you do not give up. Galatians 6:9
|
Scott O. Inner circle Midwest 1143 Posts |
So. . . judging by the responses, does this mean that nobody here has ever performed this?
Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest, if you do not give up. Galatians 6:9
|
Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
Yes, I use it for my Halowe'en shows. The prop looks fabulous - though it takes a bit of effort to make, and the printing wasn't cheap.
But as I use it very infrequently, I pretty much stick to the original routine, with a couple of added gags. Off the top of my head: "Why do demons and ghouls get on so well? Because demons are a ghoul's best friend"...etc. Here are a couple of pics of the prop: |
tom hughes Loyal user 225 Posts |
I performed it... once... but for me the response was tepid... it didn't really fit my style and since it's a bit of a Halloween trick I don't really think I'll to get to use it often enough to hone it and make it my own.
But Potty is right, it's a nice looking prop and the premise makes sense,,, with enough shows I'm sure it'd be great. tom
http://www.ashevillemagic.com
http://www.themagictomshow.com magician/magic show in asheville w.n.c. |
Scott O. Inner circle Midwest 1143 Posts |
Potty, I've already made the prop as well. The graphics do have a ver nice look. I'm wondering about the wrapping of the child though. Did that play well? It sounded good when I first thought about using this, and everywhere I see this listed its called the 'classic' by Mike Bent. But now I'm second guessing the actual effectiveness of this. I obviously haven't tried it in a show yet.
I do remember seeing a video of RJE performing his version of Mummy Dearest a few years back. But his wife works with him and that allowed him to 'rework' the routine and actually change the ending. That played very well I thought.
Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest, if you do not give up. Galatians 6:9
|
Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
I do find that it really only works with an older kid (7 yrs +), as younger kids don't "get" the wrapping up bit. You need to cue them to stay still, so that the wrapping is effective. I also only wrap a few times, before "noticing" that I'm turning the kid into a mummy....depending on the reaction - sometimes the kids scream with delight - other times, the reaction is more muted.
The best presentation I've had, is to find an older kid (about 10 years old or more), and have a quick "pep talk" before the show. If you do this, you can tell them they have to stand absolutely still during the end of the trick - and then, you can get a lot more wrapping done. I use a good quality paper, so it doesn't tear too easily. To be honest, I can't remember the original instructions any more - I tell the kids the prop was found in Tutankhamun's tomb, and that if we all chant together (any suitable chant works), a REAL MUMMY will appear! First time, I reach in, and just find the end of the roll - then, after handing the kid the end to hold, I "remember" that I need to walk in circles as we all chant. It probably is a good trick for any time of the year: it's quite magical (the Temple Screen is quite deceptive, in my opinion)....and the more you can wrap, the funnier is the ending. It certainly plays better for me, if I get through it fairly quickly...but I also feel that if you have prepped your assistant, it plays far better. Perhaps the way to go with this, is to use a kid's dad, then you could probably unwrap most of the roll, obviously the more you can wrap, the better it plays.... |
Scott O. Inner circle Midwest 1143 Posts |
That is exactaly the type of info I was looking for. I did plan on using an older kid and cueing him prior to the show. I know children won't all stand still if they aren't a bit "in" on what they are supposed to do. And it is imperative they cooperate if this is to work at all.
I plan on using this prop in a number of shows and it's nice to hear from someone who has actually had some real-world experience with it. I agree that the temple screen is a deceptive prop as long as the angles can be controlled. Thanks for your input Potty.
Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest, if you do not give up. Galatians 6:9
|
Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
I must admit, having put down my thoughts in this thread, that I think this would play much better if used with an adult male volunteer (dad, at a kid's birthday).
That way, it would be easily possible to create a much more convincing "mummy", than if you use a kid. The issue with the routine is this: if you start to wrap an unsuspecting kid up, they will nearly always spoil things one way or another, before you get much wrapping done - either by tearing off the wrappings, or calling out that they're getting wrapped. Even an older kid might not quite "get" the best way to play it. But an adult will immediately understand the concept, and hopefully play along... As ever, at the MC, giving further thought to effects leads to logical solutions. I think I'm gona try this with a dad in a few days' time - my suspicion is that, properly prepped, an adult could turn this routine into a riot. Surely, it will be hilarious to see "daddy" becoming a "mummy" - the entire roll could be used, as dad stands perfectly still - perhaps "mesmerised" by the chanting. Gonna need to re-work my routine somewhat, and I sense some funny gags. Thanks, Scott, for your OP, it's really made me re-think this, and now I'm starting to see a fantastic routine emerging. I'll try it out, and report back shortly. |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The little darlings » » Mummy Dearest (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 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 < |