Thursday 25 April 2013

Mommy and Poppy



So this is a continuation of an effect I've been working on for a long time now. I've been performing it ever since as well. I changed the ending to the original handling. The Original had two nuts being screwed on the bolt. Which was fine, but you basically had to admit to use two nuts to make it logical. The main reason for the original two nuts on the bolt was the source. I took it from Doc Eason's "All Screwed Up" routine. Doc Eason told me that the originator of the routine was the late Christopher Frings of Birmingham in Alabama. So initial credits go to him.

So let's talk about this version. The main reason I call the nut "Mommy" is simple. In German the technical nut is called "Mutter" which is the same word for "Mother". (What is meant of course we see from the context of the sentence.) So in German the thing is called "mother" so calling the bold "Poppy" kinda makes sense in Germany. And it gets a chuckle, do to the phallic nature that is implied. Sure the routine is kind of immature and still lacks a decent premise. That's why it is still work in progress.

Now the routine is not about how your brain is confused if I show you the same two nuts over and over again; it's about the same nut coming back and back again. So method wise the first one is a standard FT which is fine as it gives you hand a reason to go into the pocket. What follows is a series of either flying shuttle passes (popularised and made up by Jay Sankey) and the Sylvester Pitch by Dan Sylvester the Jester also known as the "Intertia Pass".

What follows after the appearance of the bolt is simple a shuttle pass and David Williamson's Striking Vanish in yet another variation.

The setup is really, really simple. Just reconstruct the routine and you know how simple it is and that it really won't hinder your other magic.

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Some Manipulation



Here we go with some basic manipulation. A similar routine is my opener for one of my shows. The angles are not bad but best would be a palor setting. As some of you know by now, I have got my own little theater now. A close up theater. And some of the routines I do there will eventually end up here. For those I have decided not to go into detail so much, on where to find all the sources. Bread and butter after all. I hope you forgive me for that decision.

So why is the above routine a good opener? Well it has some good speed, pacing, effects and sets the tone for the rest. In my case "Sleight of Hand"-guy. My theory behind this: If I show a whole lot within a few seconds, it buys me some time to slow down later on. People expect a magician. They expect magic. I better deliver on that expectation. People paid for that. If I would start with a trick that takes ages to get to the magic, I lost my "magic cred" even if the result of the wait is a brilliant magic trick. I have to built up some credit before such longer routine. That is why a series of manipulations seems like a good, solid opener.

Also, it is one of the more hard things to do. If I manage that routine I will have no trouble during the rest of the act.