How to actually get things done PART VI

The second part of the show is structured around a prop. I call it "The Thing"... no not the Bill Abbott product. Basically it's a gadget gun from a toy store. It makes fart sounds. But that is secondary.

Oh I forgot to mention. Part of the Doc Eason routine that ended the first part is patter that consists of all puns. And prior to that I say that there a three types of humor. Way up would be the intelligent situational humor, then way, way lower would be TV comedy and then even lower would be puns.... "And if you had to add an even lower one it would be fart humor."

Then follows the pun routine. Back to the second part of the show: As soon as the fart gun makes the fart sounds you can see the merry go round of themes. But how is the gun being used? Well like a magic wand. But first here are the tricks:

Warm Up
Sponge Balls
Ring to Box
Finding a Card using Dice
The Cups and Balls
ADVERTISEMENT
THE TRAILER
The second part of the Prediction about the End of the World
A little bit of Mentalism
A Book Test
Encore

As you can see two things are a little bit weird. Advertisement? A Trailer?

Yeah before I go on with the show itself let me explain both things. I never see any theater doing this, sometimes comedy clubs do this. I tell my audience, that if they like the show they can help us out by writing something in our guest book, liking us on Facebook and telling their friends about it. I do all of that with some funny patter, but with a sense of seriousness. This is direct marketing. And this usually is not part of an act. But I run a business here, so I do that bit. And it works well. Well all know that word of mouth is the best advertisement you can have. It's free and full of "testimonials". Think about it. At that point in the show people like me already, they would gladly help to let me continue. They are having fun, and they are about to have some more fun. And in the middle of that some advertisement. It's perfect timing.

And then the trailer. This I have not seen anybody do, but I think it solves so many issues at once. Let me tell you what it is first. The trailer is a trick from the other shows. First: it redeems me doing that advertisement. Second: it creates real interest about the other shows they are missing. Third: It feels like they are getting a bonus, more than they paid for, which is always good. Fourth: It makes the show longer without doing any actual work. Fifth: In theory it is bad to have duplicate tricks in different shows. But here I get to show a highlight from the other show, giving them a strong piece of magic that actually is a duplicate and there is a reason to do it. Sixth: It expands on my character. It tells the audience, that there is more to me than just this flavor of a show.

Back to the fart gun!

More in Part VII