Hi all,

I'm doing a magic cabaret act early next month and wanted to run some ideas past you. You have always impressed me with your experiece and generosity and I'm open to all comments etc.

So, I'm lucky in that I have a very good musical ear. That means I can play most songs on the guitar if I can sing them in my head. My thoughts are to do a magic act while playing the guitar and using popular songs to forward the action.

My style is very informal and fun, so mistakes and bad song puns will go down well.

Effect: I get a voluenteer up from the audience, they pick a card from a pack, I read their mind and get it wrong. I try again and get it wrong. I send them back to their seat, stop playing and as I put my guitar down, their card is enlarged, stuck on the back of my guitar all the time.

Method: don't worry about this bit - I have this sorted.

Here are the ideas so far:
Get someone up from the audience:
- I need a hero (Bonnie Tylor)
- Help me if you can I need a hand (Beatles)
- Say your name (Beyonce)

They pick a card:
- (to the tune of take a chance on me)
- Take a card take a card take a ca ca card card, Take a card take a card take a ca ca card card
- You can change your mind, that would spoil the trick
- So please mentally, send your card to me
- Gonna do my very best to read your eyes
- So put me to te test, go on let me try,
- So please mentaly
- Send your card to me.

I guess wrong:
- I can feel it, I can feel it, I can feel it (Can you feel it, The Jacksons)
- All the corners of my mind can see your card forming mentally
And here I'm lost - need more ideas
- Could we start again please. (From JCS)

Start again:
- (Everything I do) Look into my eyes
- Not around my eyes, but into my eyes
- Mentally send your card to me
- Don’t tell me that would spoil the trick
- Don’t tell me that would make it ****
- Cos you say it best … when you say nothing at all (nothing at all)

I guess wrong:
- Your card is a King (your love is King)

One more try:
- don’t speak, I know what your thinking (Don't speak)
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, king (That Seasemee street tune)
- Abra abra cadabra

Give Up:
- Sorry, is all that I can say!
need to ask her for her card somehow
- Oh sit down oh sit down oh sit down (Sit Down)
- Lets hear it for the girl, let's give the girl a hand (from Flashdance)


I think I need some more song ideas, some general comments, hints or tips and I'm sorry if someone has done this before, I can't find anything close (excepting of course Shawn Farquhar's "shape of my heart").

Open to (and grateful for) all comments. I've also posted this at http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=412105&forum=46&0.

Thanks,

Paul

No one got any thoughts?

I like the idea but think it could be a lot more 'magical'. I'll try to post a youtube of the event when it happens.

All input gratefully received. Although I've done a lot on stage, this is my first MAGIC gig (despite being a hobbyist for many years now), so I'd be honestly grateful for all advice.

Many thanks,

Paul

Music and magic go well together.

I don't get out much with my guitar, but do use my ukulele in shows.
With a strap, I can stop and have my hands free.

I start a song and then hit a wrong note...pause ..hit the right one...pause..start to sing...and then go into a balls from the mouth.

I produce a washboard clip on tie out of three silks, and go into a coin or thimble routine. The coins or thimbles are used to "play" the tie.

I love your idea about the reveal on the back of the guitar, as I have thought about it, but never tried it out.

For the heart song, I use Love me Tender.
You might also consider spell bound type routines with picks, multiplying pics, small to large pic. I know there are jumbo display pics out there, but have not purchased one(or two) yet.

Be safe, well and well tuned.

Harris
have harmonicas will travel

Hi all,

Thanks for all your help and advice. The final video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8lRPupz13Y

Beware, there is some strong language - it was an adult comedy night in the foyer of a local theatre.

Open to build comments and suggestions etc.

Paul