How to Add a R Running unning Gag to your Ki ds Show By Danny Orleans Using a Running Running Gag Gag in your m agic show can take your show t o the next level. It It can make your show more memorable, unify your routi nes and give you a professi onal air. air. Does Does that sound like something you’d l ike to achieve? achieve? Let’s t ake a hard hard lo ok at the Running Gag and and how you can fin d one and and use it to m aximize the impact of you r kids s how. What What is a Runnin Runnin g Gag Gag and how is i t dif ferent than a Callback? Callback? For magicians, a running gag is a verbal, visual, or magical moment in your show that occurs repeatedly throughout your presentation. In the world of professional comedy, which usually relies on verbal ability instead of props, it is referred to as a callback. The humor results from an audience realizing that a comment about one situation surprisingly applies to another as well. This “repetition strategy” can be used very effectively in magic shows for kids. After all, most magic shows don’t have a plot. They are usually made up of a string of magic routines. Using one or two Running Gags is a terrific way of knitting the pieces of your act together. They can help define your character and make you and your show memorable. Three Categories of Running Gags There are three categories of running gags to consider when building a show for children and their families. Happily, within each category there are lots and lots of Running Gags to choose from. Verbal Running Gags do not use props. They rely on a phrase that is repeated at different times during your show. The humor is evident because the same phrase applies to different situations. A good example of a Verbal Running Gag is one used by the late, great Paul Daniels who became famous for his catchphrase, often used to introduce a magic routine: “You’ll like this… not a lot. But you’ll like it.” Another famous famous Verbal Running Gag within the magic community community belongs belongs to Mac King, who introduces himself, “Howdy, I’m Mac King,” to his audience, and then repeats the phrase throughout his show in different situations. Visual Running Gags Gags involve a prop that prop that makes a repeat appearance during your show. It is usually combined with some verbal byplay, perhaps implying that the magician will use the prop to achieve a goal. An example of this might be the kids show magician holding a sign that says APPLAUSE. APPLAUSE. This could be used when he walks out on stage to get the audience to clap for him, in an overly obvious and therefore humorous way to get kids clapping. Later in the show, he could hold the sign up again and release a flap which appears hanging below the word APPLA word APPLAUSE USE that that says LOUDER. This concept could easily be expanded as the words EVEN LOUDER, LOUDER , MORE, and STOP appear. You can customize these flap signs to your own show and character, even using them to cue applause for audience helpers as they come up to the stage.
Another example might involve a top hat that the magician approaches every so often. He picks it up, looks inside, then looks at his watch and says, “Not yet,” implying that he has to wait longer to make the bunny appear. This repeated silliness, along with being humorous, could create an enormous amount of anticipation among little tykes wanting to see a rabbit! Magical Running Gags combine a physical prop with a moment of magic. Usually this magical moment repeats itself, adding to the mystery. The first Magical Running Gag I ever saw used in a magic show was a Lota Bowl. Four or five times the magi would approach a copper vase on stage right. From it he’d pour out all the water. Then, later in the show, he’d pour out more… again and again. Where did that water come from? I had no idea. Many “Break-away props” could be used as Magical Running Gags if the magician were to turn the comedy onto himself. Imagine that you pick up a Breakaway Wand, only to have it collapse in your own hand. Children would find this hilarious. But it could get even funnier if you were to do this several times in your show. How do you find a Running Gag that’s right for you? Finding the best running gag for your show should be based on who you are and how the audience perceives you. It should fit your character. If you’re a serious conjurer, then perhaps the Running Gag that fits you best will be based on creating anticipation rather than a slapstick-like bit. If you’re doing a Reading Show at a library, maybe your running gag will involve producing a series of expanding props that pop out of a book. If you’re a confused clown, then you might find a collapsible prop will fit your ineptness and garner laughter from young children. I think of my character as the friendly neighborhood kindergarten teacher who sometimes takes offense when kids find situational humor to be funny. I think that the verbal running gag that I’ve incorporated works well for me. I generate an unscripted conversation with my audience after a prop mishap occurs that makes them laugh. Situations that generate such laughter include when my Breakaway Crayon or Fan falls apart while I’m holding it; when I get my fingers “caught” while closing a Genii Tube, or when a ball in a Strat-O-Sphere presentation mistakenly and magically relocates itself. After the children laugh, I look at them and say, “That’s not funny,” to which they all automatically respond, “Yes it is.” Then I say, “Well, maybe you’re right.” This back and forth conversation between my audience and me occurs several times in my show and is always as much fun for me as it is for the youngsters. The bottom line? Find a Running Gag that fits who you are and the character you’re trying to portray.
The Running Gag defines your Character The gag or event that you choose to repeat can be used to define your character. Running Gags often allow a performer to show his or her vulnerability to an audience. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. 1. You might repeat the same magical mistake. 2. You might show incompetence. 3. You could demonstrate inexplicable magical powers. 4. You could act confused. 5. The Running Gag could bring you closer to previously mentioned goal. 6. You could be a witness to the event, being amazed (along with your audience) each time the magic happens. So, as important as it is to choose a Running Gag that fits you, be aware that the gag itself can begin to define who you are. Your final goal, of course, is to merge your show with your Running Gags and your character into a successful, consistent presentation. The Psychol ogical Benefits of th e Running Gag You may not realize it, but including a Running Gag in your show has psychological benefits for your audience. Children, especially those aged between 3 and 6 years old, love repetition. The repetition of the gag becomes predictable and that predictability empowers kids and gives them a sense of security because they know what’s going to happen next. This is why repetition is such a successful literary device and used throughout children’s literature as well as cartoons and movies written for young audiences. For example, let’s say your character is one that is frightened by yellow fruit. You establish this early in your show with a statement such as, “ Today’s magic show is going to be great. It’ll be filled with magic wands, magic hats, and magic scarves. You’re going to have a lot of fun watching and helping and I’m going to have a lot of fun performing – as long as I don’t see a yellow lemon. I’m a little scared of lemons. Whenever I see a lemon, my knees shake and I make funny sounds ‘cause I’m scared… like this. (You demonstrate and kids laugh). Sorry, I can’t help it. But don’t worry as long as no one has any yellow lemons, it’ll be a great show. Now, whenever a lemon appears, you have a predictable reaction. Children will laugh because of the absurdness of the phobia and look forward to the next appearance of the lemon. Where will it come from? When will one appear? That’s part of the fun and surprise, but the predictability of your reaction – which should be consistent throughout your show -- is what children find entertaining because they know what you’re going to do and say when you see a lemon! It’s a wonderful thing to know that your audience will feel stronger and more confident about watching your show if you employ a Running Gag.
The Running Event The running gag is, by its very definition, funny. But you can certainly create a repeating event that is more magical and wondrous than it is funny. A classic example is the aforementioned Lota Bowl from which you repeatedly pour water, emptying it each time, at different points of your show. Another version of this created by Gaetan Bloom is the Inexhaustible Sponge from which you can repeatedly wring out a lot of water. Any type of container that you can show empty and then produce an object could be used to create a Running Event. For example if you used a Square Circle to intermittently produce silks throughout your show, you could use the collection of silks at the end of your show in a Blendo Effect. Who does the Running Gag Fool? Another question for you to consider as you design your Running Gag, is “Who is going to be fooled?” Is the bit going to fool or surprise you, or your audience, or both? The character you portray should influence the decision you make. If your character is exceedingly foolish, then perhaps your Running Gag fools or surprises you, but your audience knows when it will happen and how it works. Perhaps the gag fools you and your audience together allowing you to share the experience with them. Finally, you can select a repeating moment that is mysterious. The fact that you repeat it makes the magical impossibility even more so. Pick a Gag, any Gag. To start you off on your search to find a Running Gag for your kids show, I’ve compiled a list of Visual and Magical Running Gags to start your thought process. This is just a beginning. The fact is, with a little forethought, rewriting and creativity, you can convert many magic routines into a Running Gag. List of Visual and Magical Runnin g Gags for Ki ds Audi ences: 1. Breakaway Wand: We usually think of this prop as something that we hand to an onstage volunteer; then it falls apart in their hands. Try having it fall apart in your hands, over and over again at strategic points during your show. 2. Wilting Flower : Like the above Breakaway Wand, you could pick up a Wilting Flower intermittently during your show, ostensibly to wave it over another prop to make magic. But of course it collapses, losing its power. Another idea is to claim, “I’m going to make this flower grow,” only to have it wilt. Toward the end of the show, the gimmicked prop could magically change into a bigger flower or a bouquet. 3. Breakaway Fan : Use the same approach described in #1, Breakaway Wand. 4. Stiff Rope: Tell your audience that your goal for the show is to make the rope “stiff as a board and straight as an arrow” for ten seconds. Each time you attempt the trick, you are able to achieve better results before the
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rope collapses. Perhaps at the end of the show the rope straightens for ten seconds – an applause cue, for sure, if you’ve prepared your audience correctly. Juggling Balls. One of the three balls doesn’t stay in the pattern. Bounce/No Boun ce Balls: A ball sits on one of your tables. Each time you go over the ball, you pick it up and command it to bounce. You drop it and it doesn’t bounce. The children will laugh. Immediately after your penultimate attempt of it failing to bounce, you switch the ball for the “Bounce Ball” as you put it back on your table. Then, later, when you command it to bounce, it will – and your audience will never see the switch! Bigger and Bigger: Any object, such as a silk, a rope, or a flower could be shown, then put in a container in which most of the object is hidden. Every so often during your show, you could sprinkle something on it such as salt, invisible woofle dust, or glitter from a watering can. Then when you remove the object from its container, it would be longer or bigger. Mispronun ciation of th e Magic Word: If your character is a bit silly, you could repeatedly attempt to say a magic word out loud, forgetting the exact pronunciation as you say, “Abra-banana, Abra-California, Abra-cadaisy or Abra-spaghetti. The Reappearin g Object: Make an object appear from different places over and over again, at different times during your show. Wouldn’t it be funny if you kept finding chocolate chip cookies, or a banana or a small squeaking toy in your pockets, your table or from different tubes, boxes and bags? What’s the right object? To answer that question, examine your character. It should be an object that fits; something to which your character would naturally react emotionally. Here is a short list of some ideas to give you a springboard for inspiration. Most of the perishable items are made of rubber or foam, but look realistic. These can also squash or fold to make a magical appearance from a place that is too big to hold them. Some can be purchased from magic shops or websites. a. Banana b. Egg c. Orange d. Lemon e. Pencil f. Chocolate Chip Cookie g. Baby Pacifier h. Toothbrush i. Squeak Toy j. Baby Rattle k. Sponge Ball l. Candy Cane m. Chocolate Bar n. Small Purple Silk o. Pickle
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Experiment with different approaches to the Running Gag until you find one that works for you and your audiences. Be patient with the discovery process. It’ll be worth the wait.
