I came up with this little illusion idea. Imagine the stage set featuring a bed on one side and a free standing door with frame on the other. The magician gets out of bed in pajamas and sleepwalks to the door. he leaves and then within seconds a loud yawn is heard and the magician sits up in bed whilst stretching! I think this could be achieved with a special bed and a double who could go to the door whilst the magician is in the gimmicked bed
What do you think?

Tom

I think that's great. How about having the magician interact with the audience or perform an illusion sleep walking. No one appears. No magic. Maybe he can climb up on the kitchen table and pull all the stuff off of the table grabing it's cloth all of the stuff falls through the floor. He throws the cloth up like he's going to do some sort of meta, nothing happens.
(his eyes are closed the whole time, hair all messed up and he's in his robe) then he takes a bow in some maniac fashion (audience laughs) He'll do some stuff like this for a few min then he'll dissappear somehow and then the REAL magician sits up gets dressed and gets on with some real magic?

Just a thought

Maybe when he reappears on the bed. He can levivate off the bed in his sleep then once he hits the bed then he can wake up and then get dress and leave the stage.

Michael

This is getting better. I believe Garry Ouellet had an idea for a "special" bed. P.M me for the details.

The concept rings really well for a follow-up bit of COMEDY MAGIC... I'd suggest looking at the old Henry Hay Magician's Handbook and the "Drunk'n Magician" routine for some ideas... let's face it, this guy is asleep in his bedroom and dreaming about doing a show... there's tons of material that can come into play... linking coat hangers, floating ball, billard balls, anderson tear, etc.

Years ago Owen's magic has a piece called "Doorway to Nod" that worked with a Floating Ball routine. At the end of the bit, the mage and ball moved through the ornate door and vanished... if I recall correctly, the door pivoted and swung around and through the doorway to prove both were gone!

Now, here's a kicker for you... you don't' need the body double!

If you're interested in knowing how and why, PM or Email me and we can work something out.

You lie on the bed... you scream, you die... you then rise up and fly out a window... your ghost... right???

Good ideas. Never seen magic performed sleep walking.... We should create a forum just for creative ideas........

For a great "bed" illusion check out FISM winner "Marcel, Prince of Illusions" and the wonderful Peggy from Holland.

This is a great use of a prop, and it is available to buy from Dutch Illusion Design:
http://www.di-design.nl/Photos/Bed.JPG

How about a little boy getting out of bed. He sit in front of a mirror to work on his magic.
Or has a big magic book he's reading.He goes back to bed and a clock on the table goes round and round as if time has past. Then a man get out of bed, the boy became a man.

See my post above!

Marcel enters the stage, climbs into the obviously empty bed. He sets his clock and falls asleep.Visually he changes into his energetic assistant Peggy. This is a great piece of magic.

The bed is later used again at the end of the routine, almost like a Metamorphosis effect - but boy is it fast!
You really have to see this to believe it!

There are several routines that fit this theme. I penned a piece some time ago that was based on Henning's "Playroom" act for a Christmas show. We used the Bed-Base idea in several ways including Ken Whitaker's "BEWILDERED" illusion (I believe Silvan is the only person doing that bit these days??? It's a hilarious vivisection routine though... suited only for a big show however!)

I can't recall for certain, but I do believe Chuck Jones did something similar, in conjunction to how he used the little Fire Engine (Vanishing Girl on Ladder) from the old John Daniel show.

What can I say... great minds think alike!

Thanks for all the ideas guys, I shall look into this. I've already drawn up some plans for the bed regarding mattress, etc.
Thanks again guys.

Tom