Wishlist

Roflcopter - 2014-03-10 19:56:46 UTC - Parent #

colour (like the British spelling?) or other small details are also nice.

Little Paul - 2014-03-11 06:58:05 UTC - Parent #

I don't know what Jon is using (looks like it's possibly some variant of the carbon fibre tent/fishing pole approach?) but I used to use a 6ft garden cane with a pop rivet pushed into the end and held in place with a bit of tape.

I say "used to" because I've since swapped the pop rivet for the end off a cheap plastic spinning plate stick. It's a bit smoother so I find it's a little kinder on the ball. Although attacking the pop rivet with a piece of sandpaper would probably have done the same job!

If I'm travelling any distance to a fest and for some reason I'm not taking the car/van (so don't have space for the cane) I just take the tip with me and stop off at a local garden centre near the fest to buy a replacement cane.

Whatever you use, I've found it better for the pole to be slightly flexible rather than stiff as it takes some of the wobble out of the balance introduced by precession of the ball.

Marlon - 2014-03-11 22:35:15 UTC - Parent #

I've tried using tent poles from a tent I had lying around.
The cheaper versions aren't strong enough for me. I use regular footballs for ball spinning and they were too heavy.
Luckily the broken pole could still sort of hold the tent upright and my dog enjoys having her own little home.

I think what I'm using could be a garden cane as well. It seems like a fitting name for it.
Google image search only returns bamboo sticks which mine isn't. The size is similar though and I like that it is a little heavier as bamboo.

I've always considered buying spinning plates just to toy with them for a while but I couldn't imagine getting into plate spinning*. Maybe I'll buy them and use the stick as a better tip for my pole as soon as I tire of them.

* Isn't padiddling much cooler?

charlieh - 2014-03-12 12:55:05 UTC - Parent #

For the Bungay Trick (for that is the official name) I use a bamboo cane, available very cheaply from any garden centre. So does Monte who I first saw do the trick (at Bungay, naturally). I also use a pop-rivet (blind rivet). I make sure the cane is reasonably straight - there's always some bend in them, but I make sure when balancing it that the bend is in line with the centre of my body, so it doesn't really affect the balance. The rivet has to be a smooth one (some are a bit ragged) to avoid damaging the ball. Pros: this is all very cheap, Cons: it doesn't pack down neatly. My ball is particularly light compared to standard footballs.

I've also tried tent poles and extending fishing rods (too flexible for me) although I know others are happy with them (Rob Fiery, Ste3void for example). Depends where you'll be working on it I suppose: I used to keep a spare pole at our local workshop.

Monte - 2014-03-14 22:13:42 UTC - Parent #

I'm still using my original stick which I have had since the last Taunton convention which I'm guessing was about 18 or 19 years ago.My pole has quite a big bend in it but as I look at the ball not the stick it doesn't seem to affect the balance.
I thought the trick was called the "Bungay entrance exam" after a throw away comment during one of my early Bungay performances.
I heard this week that I have been accepted to do a food stall at EJC Millstreet.I am very exited about this as I have wanted to do one since attending my first EJC in Grenoble 1999.When I have my menu's finalised I will give juggling edge a sneak preview.
Monte

Colin E. - 2014-03-11 20:14:43 UTC - Parent #

A vent puppet.

That sounds fun! Ventriloquism is one of the many variety acts that has all but died out.

A few years ago we hired a local ventriloquist for one of our kids parties, a guy called Karl Jeffery (https://www.themagicalventriloquist.co.uk). His acts was fantastic, full of humour and slapstick.

You can find some really good performers doing the rounds at kids parties. One of my favourites is the (rather generically titled) Mr. Merlin (https://www.mrmerlin.co.uk/), I've booked him about three times so far! Another local favourite of mind is Captain Raggy Beard - who is primarily a storyteller, there are very few of them around these days.

Anyhow, you keep yourself amused on long car journeys. Are you the driver?! I can imagine you with a large bird on one arm, holding the steering wheel in its beak ;-)

Colin E.

Little Paul - 2014-03-12 11:58:42 UTC - Parent #

I managed to lose most of the evening last night clicking around youtube watching videos of children's entertainers. It's been a long time since I last did a show for a kids birthday party so I've been a bit out of the loop - but the amount of respect I've got for a good kids entertainer is immense.

Birthday party magicians come in for a lot of stick from other magicians (and a lot of the poor quality ones deserve it!) but to do it well is a real skill that takes a fair bit of effort to perfect. It's not something I've had cause to look into since I quit performing myself and got a real job - so it was an evening well spent.

Anyway, long car journeys - yes it's me driving (and generally the only one in the car, or I wouldn't be talking to myself) - your suggestion of driving with the puppet reminds me. I used to keep a set of ping pong balls and a shell in the car. If I was stuck in a traffic jam, I would amuse myself by waiting until there was a car full of kids next to me, and then producing an endless stream of ping pong balls from my mouth.

Lots of fun to be had when they inevitably jump up and down until their parents turn to look at which point I would stop and go back to watching the road... until the parents turn away again.

Topper - 2014-03-11 19:48:25 UTC - Parent #

On my wish list is a couple of acres of land with a massive barn and a big top so I could hold another Kevention.

mtb - 2014-03-18 19:13:49 UTC - Parent #

What am I whittling off it, and where?