The Magic Café
Username:
Password:
[ Lost Password ]
  [ Forgot Username ]
The Magic Cafe Forum Index :: What happened, was this... :: Worst performance experience? (0 Likes) Printer Friendly Version

Good to here.
 Go to page [Previous]  1~2~3~4~5~6~7 [Next]
Jeremy L.
View Profile
Special user
800 Posts

Profile of Jeremy L.
I was doing a Miser's Dream effectbut with the coin on a piece of tape (I didn't have a coin with a ______ going through it) and when I put it back on my table it fell down. Also at the same show I did the old levitation gag with the sheet over the whole body. Anyway, one boy saw me flip over as the sheet was placed over me so he told everybody else in the room what he saw. Even though this did not explain the feet part it still wasn't good. I had not been doing magic very long at that point so I was probably not ready.
Jeremy L.
Do you buy ethically?
Magic Fakes
Tom Stevens
View Profile
Veteran user
Australia
361 Posts

Profile of Tom Stevens
I was performing a coin routine at a restaurant table and accidentally dropped a coin in a lady's coke.

I apologised and bought her another coke.

I found out the next day from the waiter that she had complained because it was a burbon and coke.
michaelmystic2003
View Profile
Inner circle
3068 Posts

Profile of michaelmystic2003
Quote:
On 2004-12-23 11:08, Ron Crumley wrote:

Even charitable shows can go south . . .

A handful of us were doing a benefit show for a large group of migrant farms workers in northern California. Because there was no building for the program, we did the entire show actually IN the lettuce field at the end of the workers shift. Because they knew there was going to be magic and music, the workers children made up more than 50% of the 300 plus audience. Fortunately the weather was great that evening and the audience was "seated" in the field, between the furrows.

I set up my equipment case on the only flat surface available; the tailgate of the pickup truck which had brought us into the field. Standing in the field, and nearly surrounded by over 100 Spanish-speaking children, through an interpreter I open my act with a large Hindu Water Vase. In order for the water to be seen and to add color, I had tinted the water with red food coloring. As soon as I made my first pour into the bucket, I found out these children knew at least one word in english as they all shouted "Kool-Aid"!! In a mass movement, they all jumped up and ran to the bucket in order to get some of the Kool-Aid. The 100 plus small bodies knocked over my case and sent the entire setting into chaos.

With the help of the other performers, we finally got all the kids to sit back down and I attempted to "go on with the show". My next effect was the dove pan. It wasn't until after I had dropped in a few kernels of unpopped popcorn, added a squirt of cooking oil, (lighter fluid) lit the contents and then lifted off the lid that I realized the children knew at least one more word in english; "POPCORN"!!! Again all of them rushed the truck and knocked over all the equipment in order to get some of the popcorn. With some of the equipment ruined, I called off the rest of my portion of the program and let the guitarist take over the "soiled stage".

Lessons learned:
1. If you have to perform from the tailgate of a truck, get IN the bed of the truck for your own protection.
2. If you find yourself in that setting, learn enough Spanish to ward off any human avalanches.

Even negative experiences can provide quality reflections. Though you generally have to wait a few years in order for the "sting" to wear away.






That is quite hilarious!
Learn more about my upcoming book of close up magic and theory SYNTHESIS & SECRETS: A Magic Book in Four Acts: https://www.michaelkrasworks.com/synthesis-secrets
michaelmystic2003
View Profile
Inner circle
3068 Posts

Profile of michaelmystic2003
Here's my biggest performing mistake... it's pretty funny, thinking back.

It was only recently, at school. I was performing Greg Wilson's excellent Ambitious Card routine involving completely blank cards and a single one of them signed by a willing spectator.

Now, I have a small crowd of only about 10 or so people surrounding me. And I know, from past experience, sometimes instead of a name, people write a crude word or phrase, or even draw a racy picture. I play along.

I give a card to a person, ask him to sign it with my Sharpie. He takes it, signs it, I take it back, and lo and behold, he has written (in big bold lettering), "***".

I play along... and for the remainder of my set I refer to the card as the "***" card (I do that with anyone... the Sam Card, the Amanda Card, etc) and after a few phases, my subject looks at me sheepishly and says "My name's Denis". (I know they will edit out the original word, but I think you can pretty much get what that word was by now).

I didn't know what to say at first. Everybody else burst into laughter, which gave me a moment to think about my next move. All I could muster was "Well, that's unfortunate..." and I continued on.
Learn more about my upcoming book of close up magic and theory SYNTHESIS & SECRETS: A Magic Book in Four Acts: https://www.michaelkrasworks.com/synthesis-secrets
M Sini
View Profile
Inner circle
1359 Posts

Profile of M Sini
Quote:
On 2009-01-06 20:18, Michaelmystic2003 wrote:
Here's my biggest performing mistake... it's pretty funny, thinking back.

It was only recently, at school. I was performing Greg Wilson's excellent Ambitious Card routine involving completely blank cards and a single one of them signed by a willing spectator.

Now, I have a small crowd of only about 10 or so people surrounding me. And I know, from past experience, sometimes instead of a name, people write a crude word or phrase, or even draw a racy picture. I play along.

I give a card to a person, ask him to sign it with my Sharpie. He takes it, signs it, I take it back, and lo and behold, he has written (in big bold lettering), "***".

I play along... and for the remainder of my set I refer to the card as the "***" card (I do that with anyone... the Sam Card, the Amanda Card, etc) and after a few phases, my subject looks at me sheepishly and says "My name's Denis". (I know they will edit out the original word, but I think you can pretty much get what that word was by now).

I didn't know what to say at first. Everybody else burst into laughter, which gave me a moment to think about my next move. All I could muster was "Well, that's unfortunate..." and I continued on.


LMAO!
gsidhe
View Profile
Inner circle
Michigan
1725 Posts

Profile of gsidhe
Back in the early 90's I was doing a two person slapstick magic act (This was long before I knew my current partner Sylver) for a corperate picnic when my worst onstage mishap happened.
The trick was a simple one- Needle through balloon. The set up was that I hold the balloon, she popped it with the 9" long needle to show that it was impossible to push a huge needle through a balloon then I take the needle from her and proceed to do it with another balloon.
Well, there I was holding the balloon, she stabbed it with the needle...no pop. The needle made a hole and the balloon just sat there.
The audience would have been impressed if we had stopped there.
I thought we were going to stop there.
We really really should have stopped there.
But she really really wanted to pop the balloon. so she drew back her arm and rammed the needle with considerable force into the balloon with a satisfying popping sound.

As a consequence of her powerful thrust, she also thrust the needle through the palm of my left hand with an equally satisfying popping sound.
Yes...I said through. Through the center of my palm and out the back by about an inch.
It was stuck too tightly for her to hold onto it when she pulled her hand back. It stayed there, clearly through my hand, the substance that makes a needle capable of going through a balloon sealing the wound shut so it didn't bleed.
I just stared at it as the audience burst into amazed applause.
I mentioned it was a slapstick show? They were used to terrible things happening to me- Being hit by foam bats, squirted with squirt guns, pies in the face...
They were absolutely sure it was part of the show.
I'm not exactly sure what I said at that point, but the audience laughed. My partner was looking noticably pale so I sent her loudly to "get the BIG roll of gause".
I involuntarily made a good show of trying to remove a stuck needle from my hand. It took an effort (I'd touch the needle and scream "OW!") and eventually got it free with no blood showing thanks to a red bandanna.
My partner got back to the stage with the fist aid kit. I had her stall while I went out of sight and wrapped two rolls of gause around my hand making it into a giant white mitten.
We finished the show out with her doing all of the magic (I'm left handed. The only trick I could still do was a dove from balloon with the dove tray.)
We finished the show, talked to the organizers and got our check. The only comment that they had was that the needle through hand was amazing, but too intense for a family audience. "We'd rather you didn't do that one next time."
My partner drove me to the hospital where they irrigated the wound to clean it out and gave me a tetnus shot.
When we did the same picnic next year, the main comment was "Why didn't you do the needle through hand trick?"


Now I do sideshow acts and wind up bleeding one 1 out of 20 shows from glasswalking. That is nothing compared to the horror endured from a stupid needle through balloon trick.
I never did the trick again.
Gwyd
Loyal R
View Profile
Elite user
Canada
417 Posts

Profile of Loyal R
My worst experience was when I did the Red Production/Mirror box to open the show and I said : You can see there is nothing in the box. BUT... I had open the box the wrong side so the saw all the silks that was in it... Later in the show, I did it back but this time I had open the box the good side! Thanks God!
Dare to Dream...
ladirector
View Profile
Regular user
128 Posts

Profile of ladirector
See my post under "You don't have to be crazy to be a magician, but it sure does help."
magicnix
View Profile
New user
North Eastern CA
51 Posts

Profile of magicnix
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


On 2002-05-31 19:59, Greg Arce wrote:
So, like the brain that I was, I rolled up two pieces of flashpaper and gave them the shape of two comets with tails. I pushed them up my nose with the tails sticking out... stop laughing until I've finished... I lit the tails and snorted out.

One problem: I had packed them in my nostrils so tight that they didn't come out. I can now say I'm probably the only guy to scorch the inside of my nose. You don't even want to know on what level that pain reached. Okay, everybody, deep breath... start laughing.
Greg


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I am still getting the giggles over this story.
mumford
View Profile
Special user
652 Posts

Profile of mumford
A sorority hired me to play a study hall. During midterms. On the door of Study Hall C was a little card that said Magician Tonight. That was the extent of the advance publicity.

I start with a rope routine and some kid groaned, "Hey we're studying we don't want a magic show." Of course I wanted to leave right then. I said, "Hey how you guys doing tonight?" The same kid yelled "You suck, you stink."

And he never stopped. I was supposed to do 40 minutes, but with no reaction to anything I did, I was done in under 30 minutes. At last I finished with my prediction trick and went over to the sorority girls, who were sneering at me. I said "these kids don't want to be bothered with a show." One of the girls said "You were supposed to do 40 minutes, you stopped too soon.
markmiller
View Profile
Special user
731 Posts

Profile of markmiller
Your post reminds me many years ago I went on a mini tour of the State University of New York schools like Cobleskill, Delhi, Cortland, and Binghamton. Sometimes this meant playing in various quads in the center of campuses, doing what they called "nooners" - midday shows during which you stood on steps, doing your act for students on their way to class, who couldn't of cared less. Basically, you felt like a raving lunatic making a soapbox harangue.
Greg Arce
View Profile
Inner circle
6732 Posts

Profile of Greg Arce
Quote:
On 2009-04-05 00:17, magicnix wrote:
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


On 2002-05-31 19:59, Greg Arce wrote:
So, like the brain that I was, I rolled up two pieces of flashpaper and gave them the shape of two comets with tails. I pushed them up my nose with the tails sticking out... stop laughing until I've finished... I lit the tails and snorted out.

One problem: I had packed them in my nostrils so tight that they didn't come out. I can now say I'm probably the only guy to scorch the inside of my nose. You don't even want to know on what level that pain reached. Okay, everybody, deep breath... start laughing.
Greg


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I am still getting the giggles over this story.



I've told this story over the years and there are times when I can't stop laughing as I come to the end. It's a pain I will never forget, but it's got to be the stupidest moment in my life... at least in the top three.

Another day I'll recount the day I set off a very large explosive as a special effect... on stage... very close to where people were. Let's just say when the smoked cleared my heart practically jumped out of my mouth.

Greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
noble1
View Profile
Special user
651 Posts

Profile of noble1
I once was booked for an evening bay cruise on a party boat. I wasn't told it was a gay nude cruise party. As soon as we got out into the bay all the guys were naked, yelling, and chasing each other around. When I did my little show they kept yelling at me to take of my clothes.
Greg Arce
View Profile
Inner circle
6732 Posts

Profile of Greg Arce
Quote:
On 2009-04-07 21:22, noble1 wrote:
I once was booked for an evening bay cruise on a party boat. I wasn't told it was a gay nude cruise party. As soon as we got out into the bay all the guys were naked, yelling, and chasing each other around. When I did my little show they kept yelling at me to take of my clothes.


If you had only brought The Magic Ding Dong trick you would have killed that night! Smile

greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
RJE
View Profile
Inner circle
1848 Posts

Profile of RJE
I was doing a comedy night at a bar. The pool table was shut down and the volume on the televisions was turned down, but the screen was left on.

About 3/4's of the way through my act, I noticed more and more of the audience was looking at the tv and ignoring me. I thought, "What the heck? I was doing well and now I have almost totally lost them."

I finally glanced over at the television to see what had drawn their attention. It was the O.J. Simpson slow motion chase being broadcast live. I wrapped up my set, ordered a rum and coke and sat at the bar and watched the tv with the rest of the patrons.
noble1
View Profile
Special user
651 Posts

Profile of noble1
Thanks Greg, I'll remember that for my next cruise.
M.Frymus
View Profile
Loyal user
Oakville, Ontario, Canada!
293 Posts

Profile of M.Frymus
Well, mine happened not too long ago. And ALL in the same show!

I had a fundraiser show for kids and adults at an elementary school.
I walk in, its not a stage, its a platform. How do you lift over 80lbs full of props continuously on/off stage during the show?

In the middle of the show, a woman runs up to me and screams, "Call someone who knows CPR!" People went nuts! - Well, the adults at that time.

The camera for interlace stopped working, when previously it was working during rehearsal.
During the performance of interlace, I kinda 'lost' the woman's ring. The ring got tangled around with the shoelaces and ended up inside of my shoe. I had to dig it out. I still don't know how it happened.

The kids were jumping and crabbing my legs when I went into the audience looking for someone. I didn't even mention I need someone and they all went "ME, ME!!!" [Grab, pull]

The curtains when closing pretty much crushed the little ones. The curtains were really old and heavy. Took forever to close too. They closed from up-down, instead of the traditional sideways. So, basically, when I walked off stage, the curtain starts closing, and I turn back around and I see kids just about to get crushed by the curtain. Luckily I had plenty of stage hands.

I bet there's more, but I don't remember.

What a horrible day!!
This is why I don't like working with kids.
MICHAEL FRYMUS
Director of Photography

WEBSITE: michaelfrymus.com

289.795.4195
Filmming worldwide

Email: dop-michaelfrymus@live.com
noble1
View Profile
Special user
651 Posts

Profile of noble1
Another of my worst experieneces. Years ago I did a show for a Kiwanis club along with some old-time acts for a vaudeville night. A very elderly man had an act with some fat old dogs, he ended by saying "Folks, if you tell other people how good my act is ATTENDANCE WILL MOUNT" then one dog mounted the other and started humping. This was the lingering image left with the uniformly repulsed audience. Then I went on to try and obliterate the memory.
msmaster
View Profile
Special user
522 Posts

Profile of msmaster
This goes back to when I was nineteen and a restauarnt tablehopper. A man approached me and asked if I did private gigs. The next day I went to his house in the suburbs, there were five guys sitting around his living room looking very uncomfortable. They were smoking and not making any kind of eye contact with each other. They just kind of looked down at the floor.

The guy who hired me said do your show for them. Slowly it bagan to occur to me this guy was running a ***house. The girls were upstairs and the men would wait doenstairs for their turns. This guy must have decided it would be a nice touch to have a magician entertain customers while they waited. So with no introduction I cleared my throat and started my act.

I took out a deck of cards and this particularly burly guy says "Hey what are you doing?" I said I'm a magician and the boss wanted me to entertain you guys. "What? You're going to entertain us? Get the hell out of here." I just ran out the door and never turned back. I didn't even want to get paid, which is really saying something. I figured if money changed hands I'd still be trying to ex[plain my prostitution record.
michaelmystic2003
View Profile
Inner circle
3068 Posts

Profile of michaelmystic2003
Here's one that still makes me shudder to think about.

There was this very attractive girl at my high school who got in touch with me on Facebook asking if I'd perform at her Grandmother's 90th birthday party. Naturally, I said yes. When the day finally arrived I found myself really looking forward to the gig. I packed my stuff in the trunk of our car and my dad drove me over to this large office building where the party was taking place. Unfortunately, I barely made it into the building.

It was around the time we pulled up to the front door that I started to feel a bit... off. I was gagging non-stop and my stomach was turning. Figuring it would pass, I got out of the car, unloaded the trunk, and carried my cases into the building. The party's host came down to meet me in the lobby and began briefing me on the event. However, I feel so terrible that I start to panic and I barely listen to her. My mind is racing, trying to figure out my next move and I'm terrified because I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm gagging so severely I can barely talk. However, I conceal this as well as I can since my priority is to not alarm my client and, hopefully, eventually get upstairs to do the show. As she continues talking I decide I can't take it anymore. I ask her to pause for a moment so I can go 'grab something I forgot'... Thankfully, my dad was still waiting outside. I quickly departed and approached my dad's window, telling him that something is seriously wrong and that I don't know whether or not I can do the show. I'm suddenly overcome by nausea and I run to a bush by the front door and start throwing up. It was at that exact same moment that my client decided to follow me outside and she saw the whole thing.

Thankfully, she was wonderfully understanding when I expressed my embarrassment and told her I sadly didn't think I could do the show. My embarrassment only increased when the girl from my school (you know, the attractive one) came outside and stood there, looking very concerned for me. They grabbed me some plastic bags and a water bottle before I shamefully climbed back in the car and drove off.

Ever since, I couldn't look that girl in the eye at school let alone talk to her.
Learn more about my upcoming book of close up magic and theory SYNTHESIS & SECRETS: A Magic Book in Four Acts: https://www.michaelkrasworks.com/synthesis-secrets