I've got an old (1968) issue of Magigram, where they ran a Missing Bag Competition.

The idea was that you've arrived for a show and discovered that your bag of tricks is missing - left behind or stolen. Now, we're talking about a show here, not just close-up tricks - a parlour or stage act of about 12-15 minutes. The rules of the competition stated that, while you may be able to borrow a deck of cards (or you may be one of those sorts of guys who actually walks around with a deck of cards in his pocket!), only one card trick may be included.

Bear in mind that the audience is reasonably large so choose your tricks accordingly.

I'd love to hear what people would do in that situation (cos I had to stall for time in a similar situation a few days ago. What did I do? I did a 4-5 minute routine of storytelling with a loop of string!)
I'd love to hear your ideas.

Cheers,

Bill

Better pull your shoelaces for some rope magic. As always BoBos can help you with anything flat that you find and then there are all those business cards in your wallet.
And then I'm sure I could probably do the world's longest card trick. Did you say these folks have to be entertained?

Cups and balls with borrowed Coffee or tea cups with borrowed dollar bills for the balls. If the hostess had a lemon in the kitchen then you could finish with one of the dollars ending up in the final load.

Torn and restored newspaper as everyone has old newspapers lying around. There is a chapeaugraphy act with paper hats made out of a single piece of newsprint that can be quite amusing. Paper balls over the head could also be used.

Any number of mental miracles could be acomplished with a pad of paper and a pen or pencil. A one ahead act or billet switch reading come to mind.

With your shoelaces you could do a cords of fantasia routine with some borrowed rings from the audience or a ring on string routine.

Even the old shirt pulling stunt could be utilised.

Come to think of it why am I hauling all these props to a show when I could just be doing 30 minutes of impromptu conjuring?

Ring on stick comes to mind, using a wooden stirring spoon or a long pencil.

Most households will have rubberbands in the drawers, ready for your CMH or what have you.

Mentalism effects like a Center Tear Routine or Ken Brooke's Clean Prediction are also excellent choices.

I have always something with me, that I can not forget: my own head! I am always prepared to perform a memory stunt or even a complete memory act consisting of the Knight's Tour, Giant Memory, the Eternal Calendar and a few other pieces.

-Uli

Great ideas, guys!

I'm not too sure about those rubber bands, though (remember the premise is a parlour or stage act!)

I love the idea of newspaper stuff (I'm working on a paper tearing routine at the moment).

I think a borrowed bangle or bracelet and something a little thicker than a shoelace (maybe a scarf or a belt if there's no rope around) might look better (though Bev Bergeron does a Ring on a Stick with two assistants that plays big).

KingStardog - you said that 'as always BoBo's can help you with anything flat' - would you mind explaining? (I've got Modern Coin Magic and Bobo's Magic Show, but I can't see the connection).

Uli - would you mind describing the effect of Knights Tour? I presume it's some sort of a memory routine, does it have a medieval theme, perhaps, or a chess one?

Lots of good ideas.

Thanks,

Bill

You could perform some silk/handkerchief magic with a handkerchief or silk borrowed from the audience. Be careful to specify an unused handkerchief unless you are into bizzare magic.

That's a good idea.

You'd have to choose your tricks - you're not likely to be able to borrow a small, compressable magicians silk, or have any of the gimmicks needed to contain it.

I've just remembered that George Anderson has a routine using a borrowed scarf or tie in his 'Magic Digest' - it's mostly knots and penetrations, as I recall, but that'd be pretty effective. Must look it out again. I usually carry a plain white hank with me for the mouse and rabbit and a few other bits.

Cheers,

Bill

Napkins are your friends...If some are available, Ball one up, and keep it in your pocket. When the time is right, you can do a nice little act with napkins alone. First, paper balls over the head,...A short version...see Tony Clark video, or Seabrooke's routine.... followed by "trash compactor" which was one of Mike Skinner's favorite impromptu effects. This is a "do as I do effect where you both stuff a napkin in your closed fists, when you open yours, only a tiny pellet of the napkin remains. No thumbtip, and the napkin is visible in your fist the whole time (sort of), which makes it very convincing. Finally, you can show your helper how to do a trick...Each of you tears up your napkin, you both ball them up, you switch their torn wad for the prepared one in your pocket, (as you assist them in one last "squeeze") THEY end up with the restored napkin, which is a happy ending, making the helper the hero. As a nice touch at the end, make a paper rose out of one of the napkins, and present it to your assistant. Enjoy!! PS this is my first post...Hi there!!