If you had not a single prop and had one hour to purchase a few props at a local non-magic store (Ex: a drug store), and one hour to prepare for a stage or parlor show (i.e. not closeup), AND you were going to do a show with little sleight of hand, what would you buy and what would you do?

Here are a few things I would do:

Get some index cards and do an effect similar to Cinema Verite but with emotions.

Get a few decks of cards, a sharpie, and double sided tape and do some effects using a key card with the tape.

Get a rope, pair of scissors, and perhaps a few ring Frisbees if they have them and do rope and rope and ring effects.

Get a box of cleenex and do sponge ball and disappearing balls with a spectator routines.

What would you buy and what would you do?

KJ

Palour style, Ring and rope, I have made a egg bag from a apron before, 6 card repeat.

You might want to check this site out http://www.magicnook.com/‎ I have down loaded a few things and there prety good ideas.

Also a while back a friend of mine in the UK that is into juggling took a long walking staff (a bit lord of the rings look) from a pound shop and using fishing weight made a very nice dancing cane. Just a note he made to proto types then made two individual and a twin set for his show. This make it not fit into you have a hour time limit. But hat they worked and he used them for a pro show.

While we talk about juggling. Juggler find lots of great stuff in dolor store but its usalyy a bit light so wegithing them is usally requided.

Hope this helps.

Read the new publication on the life of the Famous Emil Jarrow. He performed for 40 years doing just what you are asking.

Torn and Restored Newspaper, learn Pat Pages 10 Second Newspaper Tear as well.
3 bills - a dollar, a fiver, and a ten or twenty in Lemon
penny and nickel trick

Read the book for the other 3 routines that composed of his act.

He made $2000 a week during the depression, before movies and television.

Of course, you cannot do anything without the knowledge, practice and rehearsal of the tricks and routines. So if you don't read a few books, you cannot do anything at all, because knowledge is power, after all.

I second Bill Hegbli. Knowledge is wealth. It is not tricks that make an act, you r THE ACT. If I had nothing on my hand for close up I can always entertain with borrowed coins, currency, paper, shoe lace, rings, watches etc..
If I had nothing on my hand but an hours preparation time I can easily perform the Torn n restored News paper, Production of tumblers silks etc that I can borrow there, Bill in Potato/Kiwi/Orange,Ropes,3 cup monte, a load of mental effects,.......
This is your show you shud do it, if a dancer /singer can do impromptu, you as a magician shud develop your skill level to do impromptu.... I hate those magicians who say "sorry I didn't get any of my stuff" These are the people who make their props the reason of the magic happening not "THE MAGICIAN"
Regards,
Raj.

Excellent answers! Thanks.

Bill,
I had never heard of Emil Jarrow and I have been doing magic for over 40 years! I think I would like to learn more about him.

KJ

Jarrow invented Bill in Lemon in early 1900's. Sometimes I just sit back amazed at the longevity of some tricks. Today, Bill in Lemon is still a wonderful effect.

Hudson

Bill Hegbli and Raj understand! I think you would enjoy the Jarrow book! His cousin, the late Dick Jarrow and I were members of the "SECRET SIX" and I learned a lot about Emil. Like Bill said, Emil was a "standard" act with the agents, and got $$$$ in the DEPRESSION Days. He featured INERTIA (the eggs, tray and glasses) --it was his finish. He had the bill in lemon simplified to the nth degree. His "coin switch" with a front row spectator, was a killer. --and he could buy "the act" in a DIME STORE!!

BTW! If you can find a copy, check out Martin Gardner's "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IMPROMPTU MAGIC". AVNER "THE ECCENTRIC" EISENBERG told me that he got his ACT from Martin's book! Avner did an act somewhat like Georgie KARL.

IT'S THE PERFORMER, NOT THE PROP!

Absolutely get Martin Gardner's "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF IMPROMPTU MAGIC". It's a must read.

MM

Wow. I just realized, all but one effect I perform in my show is stuff I get at Wal-Mart. I need to look more magickey.

This is along the lines of a magic club theme I've tried in the past. It's called Road Kill magic. You go by a store or store on the way to a meeting and take no props with you. It can be good practice if you happen to forget a case or lose one on the way to a gig or while touring.

Michaels or any craft store. Instant Cardiographic!

I had this happen to me once. I went to see a fellow magician perfom his show and he didn't turn up. With an entire audinece of 30 people waiting for him, I decided to offer my services to the management who jumped at the opportunity.

I had zero time to prepapre, and dressed in street clothes I stepped before the audince. I survived 50 minutes before I decided to end the show as It felt time to wrap things up.

The first thing to consider in a situation like this is not to do trick after trick after trick. I having had a show for so many years had developed a pattern of doing audience participation routine, followed by a solo routine, followed by an audience participation routine etc. This same rule is true here. If you want to keep an audinece watching you for that long, the show must have structure and feel like you know exactly what you are doing at all times. At no point must it ever appear that you are 'winging it'.

As for the tricks, well I had just finished my book and dvd 'body tricks' at the time, and there is an hour of material in that straight away. I only did about fifteen minutes of those tricks for varieties sake, but they served me well. My ring tricks routine was to follow. Much of the routine is designed to play big, even in a stage show. I did a coin routine (from my money project dvd) and several mental effects from my other dvds. The tricks themselves were mainly all my own, so listing them all wont help you much.

But the point I am trying to make is that this situation does happen and without realising it, I had the ability to step in and do exactly what you are asking already within my arsenal. I wouldnt choose to do it again as I like my props but its nice to know that I can survive should I have to.

And Baby Oil...?

I would go to office store to buy envelopes, paper (a5, a3 format), few markers. Also I would buy few identical deck of cards.
With envelopes I can do a lot of prediction effects, bank night, card stab in the envelope.
With cards I will choose from effects like card calling (Osterlind), french kiss, card on forehead (with jumbo cards funnier, but can work without them), 5 card repeat, card memory (Bob Cassidy).
Paperballs over the head.
With nothing at all I can use body magic,I can divine zodiak signs of spectators, I can do PK touches, work with borrowed watches (predicting time)
If you can do pickpocketing - you can do it.
If you find a rope - cut and restored rope, fiber optic, borrowed ring on rope.

Unfortunately, it is running around $200 on Amazon!

KJ

WOW! I helped plan and produce that book when I was staying in the Charlie Miller Suite! I loaned my copy to a friend (?), and he has not returned it.

ku7uk3>>>>Great Story~! Someday,when I get the urge, I'll write up the late Jack Pyle's similar type story.

Yup!!! "What you carry in your head, is a lot lighter than what you carry in your hands,"

Shawn Farquar is a cruse ship veteran performer. He told a story in a lecture that his show case did not make the ship and he had to stop at the first port to make a show.
He created a topsy turvey (?) effect from PVC pipe and ungimmicked coke bottles. He challange a spectator to a Do as I Do routine with comedy. He showed this and it played great. He is so comfortble with his audience!
Lynn

Shawn is the ultimate 'comfortable with his audience'. I would pick up some envelopes and lottery tickets and perform bank night (make my own tt from cardboard and scotch tape. Two decks of cards would supply me with enough material to do Osterlind's D***M**e D*** and a series of card effects with the other deck. Index cards and golf pencils (cut the regular ones in half if you have to) and you have a complete routine as well. It's amazing what you can create after visiting the stationary store or your local Walmart.

Ray

That's an old survivalist idea "the more you know the less you need" look at what Rambo did with just a knife.

I'd get some index cards, post-it notes, 2 notebooks, a pen, a deck of cards, 2 large manila envelopes, and 2 sharpies. With that, you can do:

- Center tear
- Any stacked deck effect (I like Card Calling)
- Q & A
- and Osterlind's Drawing Duplication System
- Plus anything involving words and forces.

I just realized these are all Osterlind effects. I guess that guy really knows how to do more with less.