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augiemagic Regular user Overland Park, KS 162 Posts |
Today, many magicians (not myself, necessarily) consider some of the classics, say, the cups and balls, overdone. I'm curious as to what the overdone and "stock" effects of the vaudeville era were. For example, I've heard of vaudeville halls specifically prohibiting the egg bag because of overuse. Are there other routines that were considered done to death?
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JNeal Inner circle I used to have 999 posts, now I have 1617 Posts |
Well , it's an interesting question. On the other side of the coin were tricks from that era that based on the literature you would think were very prevalent. For example , in Rice's Silke encyclopedia are about 20 methods for "soup plates and sliks" and even more for sympathetic silks. Yet, when you read the routine...you kinda' wonder what the big deal was all about!
I remember asking Danny Dew (who was around in those days!) why there were so many methods for these routines...because reading them didn't sound like they were all that special. Danny's candid reply was that they weren't all that specil...they were 'filler tricks' that acts used, when they needed to extend their time! So you just never know.....
visit me @ JNealShow.com
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Yes! Filler or Pad tricks are important yet today! School shows generally are planned to run 45 minutes--the school "period" in most schools, But,the assembly bureaus, when I was on the road, would, occasionally, schedule an evening program. It might be a company employee Holiday party or similar event. The fee for such a program was substantially higher than for a school assembly program. Often, the client (especially if it was a "high grass town" (old circus argot)would request an hour program.
I carried the whole school program in a 13" x 20" x 8" case. Because I worked mainly with generic props (e.g. silks, rope, cards, etc.)it was easy to "pad" out the program to fill an hour. An extra length of rope to match the Nightmare long rope, and a couple extra polys (not SILKS)added to the two polys I used for the Vanishing Square Knot, and I could fill about 5 minutes with the CORDS OF FANTASIA (the "Lazy Magician! Two pieces of tissue paper tucked in a corner of the case, "gave" me the Cecil Lyle Paper Hat" (3 minutes) The deck of cards that I used for the "Fancy Shuffles" also provided "Ten Cards Across" 3-4 minutes. By doing the "third phase" of my egg bag routine, I had another 2 minutes. By adding the Sympathetic Silks "segment" to the Vanishing Square Knot (called by the young guys: "Slydini Knots")I had 60 minutes. Note...when I first saw the silks and soup plates in Abbott's #7 catalog, I almost bought it. I didn't. I'm glad I didn't. (It would have meant carrying those %#@& plates!) I learned many years later that Percy had bought some chromed brass "soup bowls" on some sort of "deal". They had a "brain storm" session! "What can we make "out of" these bowls? They made fire bowls and soup bowls & silks, that I remember. Perhaps there were other items! Many dealers survived by adapting something already being made by a factory for an entirely different use. Gen Grant saw a little metal tea pot in a dime store. Merv Taylor was hand making a metal "pitcher" that he called "Fil-Mor". Gen bought a supply of the tea pots (cheap!). He soldered the lid down. punched an air hole in the side, and PRESTO, he had a "FilMor". Percy got a "deal" on glass water tumblers (Toledo Ohio--"the glass city") Mirror glasses, bottomless glasses, slit glasses, ETC.were in the catalog! Dealers had "pad tricks" too!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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JNeal Inner circle I used to have 999 posts, now I have 1617 Posts |
Dick ...I got a real 'kick' reading your notes on padding out a show, because I've done the exact same thing myself...even as far as my egg bag routine:
When I learned it, it was from Charlie Miller (himself) and it had three phases. but over time, I just tightened it up and used the first and third sequences...but in the back of my mind, when I need a little more time, I can put it back in Now I'm thinking that with the cards across, I can take your ideas to the next level: like maybe having the two people (holding the cards) stand further apart. In this way, it will take me a little longer to walk between them... (now that can eat up a few seconds!) and maybe instead of three cards traveling ...I'll go for five! LOL! those seconds turn into minutes pretty fast this way! Seriously, you are a real resource for this forum...and I can't wait for your book!! Highest regards (to a modern day master)! J.Neal
visit me @ JNealShow.com
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augiemagic Regular user Overland Park, KS 162 Posts |
Dick, is there one of these forums you're not on? I appreciate the response!
I'm working on putting together some pack small/play big stuff I can fit in a briefcase, and I like the idea of recycling props throughout the show. Getting lots of use out of the things I'm already carrying. I'll have to look more into that. |
Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
I would think that any vaudeville halls that prohibited the performance of the egg bag because of overuse had no understanding of what makes a routine great. Would you think that acts that did the linking rings were guilty of using a trick that had been overdone??? Booking agents who rejected an act for such an inane reason have no concept of quality entertainment. It's like an agent prohibiting a song like Lennon/McCartney's "Yesterday" because of overuse. Fire the booking agent!
----- Sonny
----- Sonny Narvaez
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