Call me cheap, mine had become torn in several spots so I took white medical tape and repaired it. One time at a kids show a kid yelled out "look the rope has tape on it." All I said was "Yup." I get use to my props which have performed for me well at every kids show. I pull the coiled rope out of my square circle and let it do its thing to music. I also pull the appearing canes out along with the 5 ft pole.

I use a stiff rope with solder in combination with a dancing hank in my Poltergeist routine. I use a regular rope to try to trap the hank/poltergeist, but it slips through the knot every time. Then I switch to the stiff rope (easy to do with a partner like the dancing hank) and pretend to make a quick loop in the stiff end (it's actually already there). Now I attach the hank to the stiff rope and pretend to struggle with it. The dancing hank gimmick can now be broken and drawn off stage and I can continue making the hank wiggle and act alive on the end of my rope as it appears to fight and struggle against the "leash." The hank "leads" me out into the audience where I end the act as described in my routine (The Wizards' Journal #6 - Poltergeist).

Great bit for a puppet. I have been planning on using mine with my vent routine for a while.

Marc,

Which issue of Magic Magazine did David Kaye publish that routine?

Thanks.

Regan

I do the stiff rope thing as part of a Gypsyesque routine with my partner. She claims extraordinary hypnotic powers too dangerous to use on people and proceeds to demonstrate these on a rope that I hold. Her crazy hypnosis routine generally causes me to lose it and shake with laughter whilst trying to hold the rope still.