The Genii Forum

It has been a while since I visited this great Forum. I recently returned from lecturing at Kidabra and also attending Magic Live. I was delighted to briefly bump into RK at Live. The title of my Kidabra lecture was Merry Mayhem, and that is what it turned out to be!!! There was much discussion at Kidabra about how to entertain and control children. I have a rather British way of doing things where I allow the kids to shout, have fun, and occasionally allow things to seemingly get out of hand. Kids love pandemonium!! Many entertainers on these shores are much more gentle, scripted, organized and politically correct. I am not saying that I am right and they are wrong. What I will tell you is that many attendees seemed to enjoy my lecture, and in it two kids got into a fight with each other and I allowed it to continue. It was hilarious IMHO. Nobody got hurt too badly. What are your thoughts on allowing kids to be kids during a magic show? I would value your input. JR

:-/

Just so you know I released my first ever 2 hour DVD at Kidabra, and it has been receiving rave reviews: http://www.comicmagician.com/page_child ... ducts.html

JR

I supposed one of the most important things, in this country at any rate, is what do the parents think when two kids get into a fight during a show and you let them keep slugging away?

Great question Richard! It really depends very much on the severity of the fight. In my Kidabra lecture, I was fully aware that the kids were actually having fun. I will admit that one of them did get hurt, and returned to their seat in tears. However, a few seconds later the kid got back on the stage, and continued to have fun. Kids will be kids, and I think it is wrong to over discipline them in your show. The parents will nearly always see it for what it is and enjoy the mayhem. I have to say, it is rare for kids to get in a fight on stage!! Danny Orleans and myself both lectured at Kidabra, and we are poles apart when it comes to how we deal with our helpers on stage. However, we remain friends, and agree to disagree. What works for one entertainer does not necessarily work for another. I do hundreds of kids birthday parties every year, and have done for 40 years. I constantly get asked back, so I feel I must be doing something right!!! JR

Here is a kid having fun in the Gala Show at Kidabra:



JR

Here are the kids in question fighting with each other during my lecture:




JR