magic show tips – Page 9

Circus Rings around Russia

I just finished the book Circus Rings around Russia. This book is about how the circus was run in Russia when it was written in the early 1980’s along with some historical context. One thing that I found interesting was that the government used the circus as propaganda, yet there were acts (usually clowns) that would sneak in other political views into their shows. Some of these acts when caught would stick to their message and be fired, others would change.

Also in these circuses the importance of the clown is highlighted and according to the author they were really the star. The book also talks about the difference between American and Russian circuses, which is interesting.

One of the things the book mentions several times is how magicians were looked down upon. I think part of this is that you have high skill or risk act and then a magician, usually someone who does illusions. The magicians was considered a low skill/risk act when doing big box illusions. It’s not that it is low skill, it’s was perceived as that by other acts and show producers.

When I work with circus act, the difference shows in the amount of time warming up. I’ll share a green/dressing/warm up room with them and an aerialist will spend an hour stretching for a 3 minute act, where my warm up is maybe run a few new lines verbally. I can see why a circus act would consider a magician low skilled.

Overall the book was OK, and if you can find it for a few bucks and are into the circus it’s worth a read.

-Louie

Making a Snake Basket…

In the past I’ve tried to learn to use an Arduino to control motors, servos, etc. It was challenging as I never learned to do any programming in high school. None of the books really helped me figure it out. I was working with Greg Tarlin (juggler/puppeter) in the summer of 2024 and we were chatting about it. We worked together again a few months ago and he talked me through the very basics of it, but having a human tell me stuck more than a book.

I took a basic Arduino project kit on the road with me and have been working through the projects, and I’m understanding the code more and more.

The first real project I want to make is a snake basket. I want to combine the two “modern” snake baskets from my teenage years which were Terry Lunceford’s Viper Pro and Collector’s Workshop’s Khyber Kobra.

Here are videos of both of them:

What I want to do is have the snake rise out with the wrong card, then go back into the basket. Then a few cards shoot out of the basket a couple of times, and finally the snake jumps out.

I’m not sure that I want to do it with a snake, I was thinking of having an octopus or Kracken in the container. It sticks out a tentacle or two and at the end doesn’t jump out, but the tentacle reaches out quickly. Not sure if that will work, but it’s not a snake….

-Louie

Themed Magic Show

One thing I don’t really do are themed magic shows, I will do a show on a topic, but not really a themed show. The reason is that compared to some people like my friend Ace, the bar is really high!

The are so many shows where the performing wears a costume and that’s where the theming ends. Not for Ace, the who show is related to his character and theme. If you want a pirate magic show, you want Ace, not someone in a cheap Spirit Halloween costume.

If you’re going to do a themed show, do it fully!!!

-Louie

A Routine in Spanish?

I want to use more Spanish in my show, however it’s challenging. One idea I had the other day was to have a a “live translation” thru Google Translate on my phone.

An idea I like was to have an audio track play and someone from the audience who spoke Spanish could translate it for me. My first idea for the frame work would be Card Under Seat with the repeat after me style presentation. I’m not 100% sure this will play how I hope it would, but I may write up something and give it a try.

Another idea is to use cue cards that are in Spanish and have the person read them.

All of these ideas would incorporate Spanish and be more inclusive to Spanish speakers without me having to be better at Spanish. Yes, I’m still working on being a better Spanish speaker, but it’s just another way to get Spanish into the show.

-Louie

Rainy Day Show

I do my best to not cancel shows at fairs due to rain. Yes, there are times to not do the show, like if the stage isn’t covered and my gear is getting rained on. It’s important to look down the road, and if my show props get damaged today and I can’t work next week, that’s a problem.

Last week I was at a fair and it was the morning show, so it was slower and it was raining. Normally what I would do is stand on stage and work on jokes or routines that don’t involve spectators. But I’m on stage and on mic the for my time slot. I just happened to have my crank organ with me, so I put it onstage and played some music!

@louiefoxx Playing the organ because my magic show got rained out! #vanhalen #jump #organ #music #rainyday ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

After a couple of songs it drew about 8 people over, I gave them chairs onstage so they weren’t on the rain. Then I did a close up magic show for them. It was fun and the show still happened!

Don’t just cancel shows, try to make something happen! It’s fun and takes you out of your normal routine!

-Louie

The Crated Coin by Mark Strivings

Recently I came across The Crated Coin by Mark Strivings. This is a coin flip routine where you play “heads and tails” with the whole audience.

I’ve been playing with this premise as part of a larger routine. I’ve played with several other versions of the trick, however the main problem I have is dropping the coin. Mark’s solution, which he says is based on a Gaeton Bloom thing is to have the token put in a case and shaken. That makes it incredibly difficult to drop the coin. You are in 100% control of the result of the flip.

This also has the bonus of the sound factor of the token being shook inside the case. I’m a fan of this method!

-Louie

Mastering Comedy Magic by Ian Batterbury

On the plane the other day I read Mastering Comedy Magic by Ian Batterbury. This book goes through different techniques and objectives with using comedy in a magic show. The book says it’s intended for beginners at comedy magic. I would say it’s for beginning at adding unique comedy to their magic.

The difference is that there are a lot of comedy magicians out there who have never had an original thought in their life. They are doing Banana Bandana, or whatever using the jokes the trick came with, or worse using the jokes they’ve seen other people do without permission.

This book is a general “theory” of performing comedy magic, without much in the way of tools, like how a joke is structured. If you’ve never created your own original script for a routine, this book will give you some good guidelines to help you out. With it only being about $10 on Amazon, it’s worth looking into.

-Louie
PS Another good book to look into is Ryan Kane’s Out of Stock

Be Easy!

I was working at an event with a lot of bands. The tech sheet for for the band had each band tech needs, contact people and number of people in the band. This is helpful for the sound company, so they no what to expect.

This event’s tech needs had a little easter egg to give the sound company a heads up:

I try to be easy to work with, and not to become the act that they put notes about to warn the tech crew!

-Louie

Magic Show Script Writing…

Every year in my library show I try to have at least one trick that has a life larger than that show. Something that I’ll try to put into my main show. One of the new routines that I have been doing in my library shows uses a Cootie Catcher/Paper Fortune Teller.

This routine has been doing well, and it’s a great little solo routine that’s compact a trick that packs flat, but because it’s a three dimensional trick that moves, it has a bit more visual texture than a flat prop.

There’s not a ton to the routine that I’m working on. It’ll hopefully have 6 laughs in two minutes. I’m always looking for solo tricks that I can do without someone from the audience onstage.

-Louie

Vintage Magic!

Magicians always ask me where I get a lot of the vintage magic props. I seek them out while I’m travelling. When I was performing in Napa, CA I found someone with a box of magic from the 1970’s. Here’s a quick video of it:

@louiefoxx Hunting for Vintage Magic Tricks #magictricks #magic #treasure ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

Honestly, this box was just “meh” for me. There’s one thing that I want for my personal collection.

I am kinda excited to try to 3d print the gimmicks the two die boxes. It shouldn’t be too hard and they’re not complex shapes. The challenge will be making the hinge for the yellow die, but even that shouldn’t be too difficult.

For fun, I had AI make me a painting of the magic props on the desk of my hotel room.