An ebook for the children's conjurer.
The first chapter is required reading for any performer doing shows for kids.
Excerpt from the preface by Goodliffe:
It has been generally accepted, by those "in the know," that conjuring for children, besides being the most remunerative branch of the art, is also the most difficult, and so it is not surprising that, as Eric Lewis points out in his first chapter, very few magical authors have ventured to explore the field in print.
Some eighteen months ago the author, who is a personal friend of mine, described to me at my home a few of the routines and ideas which he was using in his current children's programme, and these so impressed me that I suggested he should incorporate these in a book on the subject. "OPEN SESAME" is the result. It had not occurred to me that it would attain the bulk or compass which eventuated - indeed, I had not imagined that he had such stocks of ideas upon which to draw, even though aided by another friend in the person of Wilfred Tyler.
- Dedication
- Preface
- Introduction
- Note
- CHAPTER ONE The Entertainment Of Children
- Bibliography
- The Basic Principle
- Factors In The Entertainment Of Children
- Comedy
- Situation
- Suspense
- Repetition
- Audience Participation
- Dressing Up
- Action
- Story
- Colour
- An Interesting Factor - Education
- CHAPTER TWO Magigags And Bits Of Business
- Routining The Breakaway Wand
- Silks From Pocket
- The Dropping Paper
- The Lazy Boy
- Another "Whisper" Gag
- Shaking Hands
- CHAPTER THREE Characterised Magic
- "What A Lifebuoy"
- Chuff-Chuff
- Opium
- Big Chief Money Ha-Ha
- CHAPTER FOUR With Glove Puppets
- A Slate, Silk And Rabbit Routine
- Monkeying With The Monkey
- A Spelling Puppet Routine
- CHAPTER FIVE Routining Standard Effects
- The Recipe A Comedy Presentation Of The Dove Pan
- The Children's Penelease
- The Linking Rings For Children
- CHAPTER SIX Story Magic
- Little Bo-Peep
- The Temperamental Clown
- School Ok Picnic? A Story With A Just End
- CHAPTER SEVEN Various Effects And Routines
- The Paint Book
- The Jumping Clown
- Aladdin's Palace
- A Paint-Pot Picture
- An Afghan Band Presentation
- Alf's Button
- The Noah's Ark Production
- CHAPTER EIGHT The Games Master
1st edition 1947, 154 pages; PDF 108 pages.
word count: 46999 which is equivalent to 187 standard pages of text
