Patter, Plots & Scripts in Magic & Conjuring

The cure for hecklers and other problems. In this ebook you’ll find an incredible amount of funny lines (different from the other books) to use when those inevitable accidents happen. It’s not a question of IF it will happen; it's a question of WHEN it will happen. You face a heckler, you drop something, you make a mistake, you hear a noise off stage, a baby cries, etc., knowing exactly what to say at the appropriate moment will show the audience that you are a real professional. Hundreds of comedy one-liners to cover virtually every accident.

1st edition 2009; 20 pages.

The second ebook on comedy with over 300 one-liners, jokes and bits of business. Keep the laughter coming with Aldo's follow-up book to Make 'Em Laugh. All different from the previous volume. Why not get both?

1st edition 2009; 11 pages.

Yes, it’s here! Aldo's new comedy ebook is finally available. It contains hundreds of insults and comebacks for hecklers and every possible situation that may arise during a show. All one-liners are different from the previous books in this (now) famous comedy series. For magicians, comedians, you name it!

1st edition 2007; 13 pages.

The success of my previous comedy books ‘almost’ forced me to collect another incredible bunch of one liners and other funny material. The best compliment I had regarding these publications came from Ed Eckl (co-publisher of Precursor magazine), who said, “In the 60’s we had Robert Orben providing comedy material, now we have Aldo Colombini.”

Robert Orben was and still is my ‘hero’ and my mentor even though we have never met; so the words assume an even greater meaning to me. Here’s the content: HILARIOUS ONE LINERS, IRONIC AND FUNNY GRAFFITI, SMART HECKLERS REMARKS, and...

Here’s the third volume of my comedy series that started with Make’ em Laugh and continued with Funny Stuff. Laughing Out Loud has over 500 one liners! I’m sure you will use these jokes either in your acts or simply among friends in informal situations and gatherings. No matter what, MAKE’ EM LAUGH using this FUNNY STUFF and you’ll leave them LAUGHING OUT LOUD!

1st edition 2009; 15 pages.

An entertaining, fun-filled ebook written for anyone who wants to be a comedian! It contains:

• LIFE-SAVER LINES
• LINES FOR HECKLERS AND ACCIDENTS
• NEWS AND NEWSPAPERS
• PERFORMERS/PERFORMANCES
• COMEDY LETTER TO MOM
• LINES AND GAGS FOR M.C.
• ONE-LINERS FOR MAGIC PROPS
• OPENING LINES
• SIGHT GAGS
• COMEDY INVENTIONS
• ONE-LINERS FOR CHRISTMAS
• ROASTS
• TOASTERS AND TOASTMASTERS
• HUNDREDS OF GENERAL ONE-LINERS.

1st edition 2009; 23 pages.

Over 200 one-liners, jokes and bits of business for magicians, jugglers, MC's, etc. While you're knocking 'em dead with your magic, you might as well 'make em laugh' too!

1st edition 2007; 13 pages.

Finally, the long awaited ebook on how to MC is here! This is the professional MC’s handbook that teaches you how to be the perfect host for your show. It includes tips, funny bits of business and invaluable information. 30 years of experience all over the world condensed in dozens of pages full of advice. The importance of rehearsal, how to perfectly introduce the acts, know the acts, handle the end of the acts, how to manage... stage managers, sound and lights, don’t get trapped in the curtain, openings, stage standing ovations, intermissions, closing, curtain calls, life-saver lines,...

Funny stuff for magicians, MCs and other entertainers. For a pro just one new gag or bit of comedy that fits into his program is worth a lot of money. Even though Aldo demonstrates these gags not in front of a life audience, it is so much better to see a video and get a sense of how they have to be delivered, rather than just reading about them. Here you have a sampling of some great gags:

• FLIP-LINES
• BANTERS
• AD-LIBS
• COMEDY SIGHT BITS
• EMCEE BLOCKBUSTERS

From the Foreword:

• Foreword ...

How to Kill a Heckler is a whimsical look at what an entertainer can face on stage from the bane of his existence – The Heckler. It analyzes The Heckler, categorizes types of hecklers and offers advice on how to silence them – for good – with any of a couple hundred one-liners. A must read for entertainers, speakers, or anyone for that matter, who could use some ammunition to do away with an annoying loudmouth.

This ebook does not only give you hundreds of lines to choose from and alter to fit your needs, Barnaby also analyses the various heckler types and the underlying psychology....

Most of us are guilty of spending too little time on developing a unique and personal presentation. We rather work on perfecting moves and techniques. There is nothing against improving and honing your sleights, but we should spend equally on perfecting our presentation. Using rhymes is one way to develop an entertaining and memorable presentation. This booklet suggests rhymes for several classic effects such as 'Torn and Restored Newspaper', 'Cards up the Sleeve', 'Cut and Restored Rope', 'The Silk and Egg', 'Color Changing Silks', 'Passe Passe Bottles' and more. You can either take these rhymes...

This is a complete presentation for corporate and professional groups - performance rights included.

It's no secret that public and keynote speaking is one of the most lucrative markets for the skilled mentalist. Instead of earning $500 to $1500 for a typical program, the speaker generally makes ten times that. Many mentalists, though, feel a bit awkward with the idea of wrapping a piece of entertainment up as a serious lecture. Probably because of the natural feeling that's it's just a bit dishonest to use mentalism as a means of "selling" pop psychology or spurious science.

It was exactly...

Music is an element that can take a simple show and make it fantastic. This text will identify the various uses of music. I will go into detail on a simple "start up" system you can use. Sources for music will be identified as well as editing materials. A system you can control while on stage, using music that has been edited to fit your performance might already be near your fingertips.

• Uses of Music
• Legal Issues
• Emotion
• Getting Started
• Background
• Choreographed
• Looping and Editing
• Back Up
• Wrapping it Up

1st edition 2016, 22 pages.

As magicians we do the same range of magic over and over again. What makes it different is our character, presentation and patter. We all put our own twist on the routines. Patter is the glue that identifies the magic to us personally. It is our personal signature. If we don't take time to create new or updated patter then our performance begins to sound routine or "follow the motions". This ebook identifies different types of patter, offers some suggestions and provides a few examples.

• What's in the box
• Purpose of patter
• Story patter
• Instructional patter
• Narration patter
• Situation patter ...

As entertainers we must use every tool available to delivery our magic to the audience. Body language, often not considered, enhances the connection, compliments the communication and directly impacts the entertainment factor. This ebook identifies body language. It is an attempt to bring the skills associated with theater into the hands of the magician. We have to play to those in the back row and balcony. The best approach is to entertain using your full body.

• Body language
• Body elements
• Timing and body language
• Body language comparisons
• Wrapping it up

This PDF encapsulates Cara's practise on storytelling and how to turn a trick into a piece of theatre. It encompasses setting, attitude, sound, crafting a tale, inspiration, hints, tips, getting the most from your verbal presentation and much much more. It also includes essays by professional storytellers revealing facets of their art. This is not a work for someone looking for tricks. It is however a work that will take your Magic to the next level.

Chapters include:

• Isn't storytelling just for children?
• Storytelling is a 5 pointed star
• Finding a tale
• Scripting your tale
• Words from...

Excerpt from the preface:

A series of four visual ghost stories with a magical paper folding twist particularly suitable for grades K-6 where they want scary stories (but not too scary).

For each of the four stories you will get a PDF to print fold and glue, as well as a video where Dave is presenting the story. A separate video explains how the paper is to be folded, glued and presented.

1st edition 2018

The next time you select a volunteer for one of your magic routines, why not play a quick game of chance to decide who the volunteer's going to be? Yet . . . do so with total confidence that the person you want to use in your show is always the one who wins the game.

Here are two different versions where numbered word cards are selected by various members of the audience and then read aloud in numerical order by the audience members. From experience, it is strongly suggested that you consider using both versions in the same show. Both times you use these cards the audience laughs louder...

Excerpt from the Preface:

An easy to do show that you can also perform online and via video-conference. Hints, tips, ideas, novelties, patter, presentation and surprises enabling you to easily present ... a complete lightning cartoon act.

Here is great material, the cream of material collected from several out-of-print publications - over thirty Cartoon stunts plus "How Stage Cartoonists draw their pay" by Tommy Windsor an article that is packed with valuable information and ideas to help you become a Lightning Cartoonist. A feature act for any program. A welcome break in an all-magic show. Skill in drawing is not...

For the first time in the English language one of the most highly successful magical plays of all time. From the pen of Fu Manchu (David Bamberg) comes Satan's Daughter, a lost treasure of the history of magic, until now unknown in the English-speaking world of magic.

Fu Manchu (David Bamberg) was the son of the great Okito and the sixth generation of magicians, originally from the Netherlands. He toured for decades with one of the finest full-evening magic shows, mostly in Latin America but also in Spain. Fu Manchu wrote and performed several magic plays of which Satan's Daughter is among the...

This is quite an interesting booklet with very nice ideas for patter, as well as some card effects. Particularly noteworthy is a hilarious burlesque mind reading act. You have to check this one out!

1st edition, 1919, F. G. Thayer, Los Angeles; 45 pages.

5. A Few Remarks
6. Opening Patter
10. Some Card Effects and Accompanying Patter:
10. Four Ace Combination
13. The Wrapped Cards Divided by a Knife
16. Transposition
20. Miscellaneous Patter:
20. Kling Klang
20. Solid Through Solid
22. Straight Jacket Escape
23. The Rabbit Pan
25. The Spirit Hand
28. The Egg Bag
32. The Twentieth Century Handkerchief Trick
33. Cards from the Pocket ...

Two vaudeville comedy magic acts are described in terms of props stage setting and patter.

1st edition, 1922?, Geo DeLawrence; 25 pages.

3. Introductory
4. Props and Stage Setting (First Act)
5. Props and Stage Setting (Second Act)
7. Comedy Act: No. 1
17. Patter for Act No. 2

This is another of DeLawrence's humorous patter booklets. Among others you will find patter for 'rising cards', 'spirit slates', 'multiplying billiard balls' and 'card in egg'. The humor is almost 100 years old but still makes one laugh or smile and could therefore be a good source of inspiration for a new and modern presentation. Don't dismiss the old stuff just because it is old.

1st edition, 1920, Heaney Magic Co., Wisconsin; 31 pages.

5. Introductory
7. Opening Patter
7. Opening Patter for a Stage
8. Another Variety of Opening Patter
9. Rising Cards
11. Here, There, or Where?
13. The Card in the Egg ...

Old long-forgotten classics can be a real novelty for your audience. This is the case of the two very easy-to-do comical "sketches" or so-called chalk talks. Learning to draw the simple figures described in this hard-to-find manuscript, and you are always ready to entertain your audience.

From the introduction

A lightning sketch lecture.

The presentation of this amusing "Lightning Sketching" act involves no particular skill. Very little practice is required to produce the drawings that illustrate the booklet.

This ebook can also function as an introduction to learning to draw, because it takes the reader from the most simple beginnings of drawing (dots and straight lines) all the way to rather impressive sketches which can be achieved literally with a few well placed strokes.

• Foreword
• Presentation
• Fishes
• Notes On The "Birds" Sketch
• The Restless Fays

An attractive rapid sketching act suitable for any entertainment. Easily acquired by means of the guide to presentations, non-technical self-instructor. Includes 30 exclusive lightning, reversible, and plain line sketches. Accompanied with the appropriate and witty patter. Anyone can do it. Little practice required. No preparation necessary.

• A Triangular Yacht
• Oval Oddities
• An Animal With Points
• The Cat
• A Fruitful Pear
• A Full Man From An Empty Coffin
• Reversible Sketches
• Line Sketches
• Suggested "Patter" For Lightning Sketches

• Introduction
• Opening Patter
• The Chinese Rice Bowls
• Coffee, Milk and Sugar Trick
• The Enchanted Bird Cage
• The Aerial Treasury
• The Magic Duck Pan
• The Flying Bird Gage
• The Mysterious Clock Dial
• The Traveling Bottle and Glass
• The Rising Cards
• The Multiplying Billiard Ball
• The Floating Ball
• The Ten Ichi Thumb Tie
• The Mysterious Linking Rings
• The Japanese Wonder Bowl
• Closing Patter

A simple and easy form of drawing that anyone can do.

From the introduction:

• PREFACE
• INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER 1: Equipment and Materials
• CHAPTER 2: How to Sketch
• CHAPTER 3: Novelties
• CHAPTER 4: Secrets of the Lightning Cartoonists
• CHAPTER 5: The Business Side of Entertaining

1st edition 1940, 43 pages; PDF 19 pages.

Here's a cool new ebook that everyone should have. How many hundreds of dollars have you spent on tricks you don't use? Well here's a priceless collection that includes some hilarious ways for you to 'select' someone to help you on stage or for close-up.

There are visual gags, a few one-liners and a dozen or so fun ways to involve your audience. From frisbees-to-fruit, you'll win them over before you even begin with these brilliant bits of business.

We love the 'Pineapple in the bag' gag which is so much fun and a guarenteed laugh-getter! Plus, there's a very clever bonus trick called...

The chalk talk is an almost forgotten entertainment type. The only time I have seen a chalk talk was on a Saturday Night Live show. The idea of the chalk talk is to combine story telling with drawing usually in a funny way. Today one can do this with a whiteboard. You don't need to be a skilled artist to do a chalk talk.

1st edition 1924; PDF 70 pages.

• Introduction
• Preparations For A Chalk Talk
• The Lazy Man’s Chalk Talk
• Evolution Pictures
• Roman Art
• Upside Down Stunt
• Holiday Suggestions
• The Circle, The Triangle, And The Square
• Easy Human Figure Drawing For Chalk Talks
• Chalk Talk Phases Of The World War
• A Novelty Telephone Stunt
• Coloring A Picture
• A Youthful Chalk Talker

1st edition 1926, 101 pages; digital edition 2017, 75 pages.

A magical mystery in one act.

From the introduction:

Want to make your show different? Can't figure out how? We all do some of the same basic skits in our hypnosis shows and it is time to stop. It is time to take control of your show and make it DIFFERENT! In this skit building workshop you will discover the secrets of making your show Unique and creating a show that uses classic skits but in a different way than everyone else.

Price is Just $7 You cannot go wrong!

[You will receive a PDF workbook and an MP3 audio file. Download both from your digital shelf.]

workbook 10 pages, audio length 18 minutes.

This complete show is Jim's geography-themed program performed for libraries all over Ohio and is aimed at children. It uses several standard props, some commercial tricks no longer made, but which may be available on used lists, and a couple of original effects especially created. The goal in this show was to give audiences a wide range of surprising magic routines that each involved a separate country and culture. Jim deliberately chose old and new tricks, and intermixed them with old and new cultures to give some sense of current world situations as well as some historical perspective. ...

Five haunted tales for bizarre magic performances. Includes the full script of each 5-10 minute story plus information and complete instructions on how to make and use a correlated magic effect in each presentation. Includes stories from Jim's professional working repertoire, The Invisible Man, Aunt Cora's Haunted Toy, The Ghost of the Lafayette Hotel, The Steampunk You, and the eerie, nostalgic and scary For Whom The Bell Tolls. Audience-tested routines just as they are used by Jim in his bizarre Ohio Spirits programs. Also includes a section on how to put together a spirit show, where to present...

Have you ever wanted to be the life of the party? The fellow everyone counts on to deliver a good laugh? Or make light of a situation at just the perfect time?

Jimmy Muir has this knack. And he reveals all in this worthy successor to his Laugh Lines manuscripts with this booklet, packed to the gills with great material, including gags, one-liners, and good-natured heckler-stoppers which you can put to immediate use.

If you didn't know better, you'd think that Jimmy was Johnny Carson's brother, for they both had a knack for perfect timing and were masters of having fun ... more often at...

Many performers are called upon, at one time or another, to host a show. Now you can prepare yourself in advance, to deliver a dynamic and exciting performance. Whether it's for a talent show, a two-hour evening show, or a variety telethon in front of a TV audience, being the Master of Ceremonies can be a fun and rewarding experience - if you know what you're doing.

The authors, who have performed as emcees for magic shows, beauty pageants, fairs, outdoor festivals, in hotels, and on theatre stages for hundreds of performances, reveal all their tips and secrets in this easy-to-understand...

The pro guide to better compèring.

From the introduction by Billy McComb:

1st edition 1984, 13 pages; PDF 14 pages.

People who know comedy recommend Ken Allen's Pilfered Patter as the book to get. Don Lawton, Bill Larsen Jr., John Braun and other professional entertainers and comedy writers raved about the material in Pilfered Patter No. 1. But we didn't stop there. Introducing Pilfered Patter 1.5, the new and improved ebook of comic monologues, one- and two-liners, gags, jokes and funny stories to intersperse during or between effects in your routine.

Nothing is off limits - not even sex - which is why this ebook carries a warning that it may not be appropriate for those under 17 years of age. (There's...

How to write a script that entertains and reaches your audience. Topics include BRAINSTORMING PLOTS as well as ANALYZING THE TRICK FOR WEAKNESSES and many others..

One of the most neglected and misunderstood aspects of performing is: What do I say - how do I say it - and why do I say it? In other words - SCRIPTING!

This ebook is written for the magician who performs for people and wants to have better patter than just "Hey, wanna see a trick?" It's written to be used by a performer who wants to amuse, entertain, and add an extra layer of deception to his magic.

It's for the magician...