I guess I should start off by introducing myself. My name is Ronald Summers and I have been interested in magic ever since my parents bought me my Paul Daniels magic set as a get-well present when I broke my pelvis one summer.
I vividly remember wowing Mum and Dad as I performed trick after trick from my magic set. Now 10 years on I still perform magic but no longer to my parents - partly due to the fact that I haven’t seen my parents since they threw me out but also because I now perform at children’s parties. Fortunately though the Paul Daniels set is still going strong. Obviously I have expanded my show over the years and it now includes making red jelly turn into orange jelly (I basically just swap them over) and making myself levitate (I do this clever thing with my feet). With my introduction now out of the way I will continue with my main reason for posting.
Last week I had a call from “Poppy’s Mum” who phoned to book my services for Poppy’s 8th Birthday party in a couple of week’s time. As with all bookings for children’s parties I asked what Poppy’s favourite things were. I like to do this because sometimes I manage to incorporate something special into my performance. On this particular occasion Poppy’s mother told me that Poppy was very “into” pigs and fairies.
I’ve decided that this time I want to try and do something pretty spectacular but as of yet I am not entirely sure how I am going to accomplish it. I’ve given it a lot of thought over the last few days and have decided that the name of my trick will be “make a fairy pig appear as if from nowhere”. I would hope that you can guess what I am attempting to accomplish with this.
I’ve already contacted George, my slightly simple farmer brother who has agreed to lend me one of his pigs for Poppy’s special day. I spent most of last weekend making some fairy wings from a net curtain I ripped down from my bathroom window and some pieces of cardboard from a Frosties packet. I haven’t thought of how I am going to affix this to the pig yet though. I am guessing that most glue will either be not strong enough or too strong – I doubt my brother would lend me a pig again if I left the wings on!
I’ve started to set-up a test illusion at home with cardboard boxes cut to roughly the same size as “Ginger”, the pig I will be borrowing and even went so far as drawing some simple pig features onto the boxes (which I realised shortly after was an entirely pointless exercise). I also have a linen sheet, two only slightly visible threads, a piece of chicken wire and about half a roll of pink duct-tape.
The party is only a week or so away and seems to be getting closer by the day. Unfortunately I am yet to have overcome a number of hurdles with the first being the trick itself. What I think I want to do is to rig a simple pulley system to the ceiling, hide the pig behind the linen sheet and duct-tape a toy pig to the chicken wire which I will then ask Poppy to tug – Hey Presto – a fairy pig!
My second problem as far as I can see is in trying to keep Ginger hidden and quiet for at least 20 minutes whilst I perform the first half of my show. My brother tells me unfortunately that Ginger is not his most quiet pig! My first thought was that I could just tape the pig’s mouth up but I am starting to think that this may border on some sort of animal cruelty.
My third problem is in telling Poppy’s mother that I want a live pig in her house. I am pretty sure that if I mentioned what I was planning on doing that she would not approve. While my trick isn’t finished yet I do feel I have already gone to a lot of effort with this and don’t really want to give up now.
I guess what I am asking is whether anyone has any ideas to help me with this. Maybe someone else has experience of doing magic with live pigs. If anyone has any thoughts on this - that would be magic.
I thank you in advance of any responses
The Incredible Ronald Summers
Hi Ron, and welcome...
...Your idea is exceptionally...bold, and I heartily admire your enthusiasm.
That said, working with livestock is bad enough when it's a bunny or a dove. In all fairness, I'm pretty certain that introducing a full-blown pig into a child's party, in a home environment would not go down very well.
Personally, I'd ditch the pig idea, and go for something more like a Rhino-Fairy; at least Poppy's mother will be less-inclined to berate you if you have armour-plate back-up, with fully-loaded horns
Kelvin
It's May the 1st not April the 1st
Fred
It's not April 1st is it???
Len
Great minds think alike Len
Fred
great minds alike Wacky - we must have posted at the same time.....
If you really want to do something like this I'd use a toy pig, dressed as a fairy, produced from a square circle...
Len
Fred
My middle name is Derren
Len
Ron,
I couldn't stop laughing after that...
...perhaps you could use a packet of bacon instead and tell the child she killed the fairy pig?
Richard
Hello again,
I must thank you very much for your very quick responses. I have to say though that I can’t help but feel people think this is some sort of wind-up. I spent a good hour or two yesterday reading some of the threads on this forum and everybody seems to be very supportive and helpful with each other.
Please bare in mind that this is my first post on this forum and I may not know the exact etiquette to use. I do thank Kelvin though for at least he answers me genuinely. Is there no-one out there who may be able to help me out with this?
The Incredible Ronald Summers
Ron, the linen sheet won't work, it just doesn't suit pigs.
Also, I spot a problem with the two 'only slightly visible threads'. I have used these and there's a strong possibility that they could become entwined - producing a VERY visible single thread.
As little Poppy is 'into' pigs and fairies - could you not perhaps re-theme that lovely old Kid's classic "Doctors and Nurses" (Aka 'Birds and Bees') as 'Pigs and Fairies'? I think it would look lovely, although you'd have to decide which is to be the 'plug' and which the 'socket' so to speak.
Best,
Jonathon
Hello The Amazing Ronald
Why not do a version of Edwins Three Litte Pigs - with 3 live pigs and a live wolf?
That would go down a storm
Oh and by the way A wind up my very dear sir certainly not we welcome you to our fold and hope that you will be hogging up the message board with some crackling suggestions before trotting off to some where else.
We do hope that you sty for a while and help us to improve our shows and bring home the bacon.
Greetings to the Hogfather of magic The Amazing Ronald and I mean that by the Hair of My Chinny Chin Chin!
I apologise if you you thought my comments were mocking and I hope that I did'nt upset you as some of the things came out a little rasher than I thought.
PS Streaky and Smokey my pet Pot Bellied's send their love
Wacky
Fred
Hi again Ron - I'm very glad that my post was of some small help to you
I think you will find that this will actually go a very long way indeed to helping you solve quite a few of your problems.
Firstly, it resolves the problem of keeping the pig quiet, without needing to resort to gaffer-tape or some other kind of 'gag'/muffler.
Also, it will ensure that there are no little accidents, with the pig needing to spend a penny (or - worse still - do a number two) in the middle of your act; the smell, I'm certain, would give the game-away before the big finale.
Finally, you will find it ever so much easier to attach the fairy-wings to this pig, and it shouldn't matter how strong the glue you use is.
However - I would urge caution in ensuring that the 'rear-hole' is suitably disguised, so Poppy's mum doesn't have to complain about the use of an 'inappropriate' prop.
I hope tthis is of help, and look forward to hearing how you get along with it.
All the best,
Kelvin
I can't quite beleive what I am reading here. Can no-one take me seriously on this forum? I feel a little hurt that you mock me as much as you do.
Can I ask which part of my post people seem to think is some sort of prank? I may not be as proffesional as some of you are but I really thought that maybe a forum such as this with so many members may be of help to me.
If everyone feels that a live pig would not in fact be suitable for the party, can I ask that you suggest something else as an alternative.
Thank you
The Incredible Ronald Summers
Hello Ron - actually my last post above was VERY serious.
If your really *are* genuinely wanting to introduce a full-size pig, this is the ONLY viable option.
I'm certain that any of the kind of set-up you describe in your first post would be highly impractical, and would - at the very least - damage Poppy's Mum's decor.
This is before we get to having a live animal urinating/defecating all over the carpet and/or furnishings.
Can you seriously-imagine Poppy's mum thanking you for this?!!
Whilst you may - in all seriousness - feel this would be a stunning finale to your set, I guarantee you that:
(a) You would not get paid
(b) You would possibly end up being assaulted by Poppy's parents
(c) You may end up with a hefty damages claim against you.
Use a stuffed or blow-up pig
Kelvin
Ron,
I refer you to my earlier post for a 'non-live pig idea'. Also, you might find some inspiration in the works of Henry Root.
If your parents ever let you back in the house, you might look through your old Paul Daniels set for a couple of tricks?
Best,
Jonathon
Assuming your first post was serious, live animals are a HUGE challenge to work with even when you are very familiar with their habits and ideosyncrasies. Look at Siegfreid & Roy--they were working with animals for over 40 years and they still misjudged one of them.
I'm not even a big fan of adding a different trick for each show, even when no animals are involved, as it often takes several performances to get really perfect--no way you can do that if you change your show for each performance. OK, you say, it's only one trick--well, if one trick goes wrong and the rest of the shows goes perfect, guess what the audience will remember best? That's right, the trick that flubbed.
Think about it.
Tom
Three Little Pigs went out to dinner one night.
The waiter came and took their drink order.
"I would like a Sprite," said the first little piggy.
"I would like a Coke," said the second little piggy.
"I want beer, lots and lots of beer," said the third little piggy.
The drinks were brought out and the waiter took their orders for dinner.
"I want a nice big steak," said the first piggy.
"I want the salad plate," said the second piggy.
"I want beer, lots and lots of beer," said the third little piggy.
The meals were brought out and a while later, the waiter approached the table and asked if the piggies would like any dessert.
"I want a banana split," said the first piggy.
"I want a root beer float," said the second piggy.
"I want beer, lots and lots of beer," exclaimed the third little piggy.
"Pardon me for asking," said the waiter to the third little piggy, "but why have you only ordered beer all evening?"
The third piggy says -
"Well, somebody has to go 'Wee, wee, wee, all the way home!"
Len
“I can't quite beleive what I am reading here. Can no-one take me seriously on this forum? I feel a little hurt that you mock me as much as you do.
Can I ask which part of my post people seem to think is some sort of prank? I may not be as proffesional as some of you are but I really thought that maybe a forum such as this with so many members may be of help to me.
If everyone feels that a live pig would not in fact be suitable for the party, can I ask that you suggest something else as an alternative.
Thank you”
Incredible. Yes, that is a good name for you sir.
Your opening post would be very entertaining if I had time for these shenanigans. But I don't.
Let me give you the short list of why you are a wind up:
“Now 10 years on I still perform magic but no longer to my parents - partly due to the fact that I haven’t seen my parents since they threw me out but also because I now perform at children’s parties.”
Excellent narrative, but it falls short in the believability category.
"Obviously I have expanded my show over the years and it now includes making red jelly turn into orange jelly (I basically just swap them over) and making myself levitate (I do this clever thing with my feet). With my introduction now out of the way I will continue with my main reason for posting."
Again, excellent narrative, but not believable.
"On this particular occasion Poppy’s mother told me that Poppy was very “into” pigs and fairies. I’ve decided that this time I want to try and do something pretty spectacular but as of yet I am not entirely sure how I am going to accomplish it. I’ve given it a lot of thought over the last few days and have decided that the name of my trick will be “make a fairy pig appear as if from nowhere”.
This is laughable on several levels.
"I’ve already contacted George, my slightly simple farmer brother..."
Your "simple farmer brother?" Comical, entertaining, but again falls short on the believability scale.
Anyway, to save time here, the whole idea of an appearing "fairy pig" is just too outlandish to be believable. You need a better hobby.
