Hello!! As some of you know I bought the Trick Lock and Key from the dealers room at the convention. Was playing with it around and was deciding how should I present it. Yes..one of the perils of not deciding on an idea before buying the gimmick.

Well, was thinking of telling a story about a Polish Magician, obviously inspired by the Johnny Thomson. As polish magicians are percieved as cheats and stupid people who always try to get your money, this money related trick may have the potential to be part of a great routine. The Polish magician challenges me to choose a key and open the lock. Quite a few jokes can be planted here and there, some copied and modified from JT and some newly invented. Well you guys know how the routine goes.

Another idea I have is to use only the lock. We can borrow a lady's ring or someone's round earings and lock it in the lock. Then we can get the bf or husband or just another spectator to try to open the lock. Something like a suitors game or likes of The bachelor.

What other ideas can you generate for this intriguing effect? ;)

this kinda exposes the secret, but heck, no1 is cooperating...

anyway, this is how i would present it:

Do the linking borrowed finger rings, unlink them (as have to return), BUT, say, "u know, u can link them too." and then take out the opened lock and lock it. this will get u laughs.

then, just say, "no, im kidding". reach into your pocket to take out the key, but realise that you have 4 keys in your pocket, of which 1 is the correct key. "oops, i mixed it up with my other keys".

you then think up a great idea...

have each of the 3 ppl who lent you their rings select a key, and whoever's key opens the lock gets all 3 rings... you of course, are also playing the game. so this becomes a little "probability" type thing. say "i'll give u each a chance to win back your ring, and the other 2 rings as well". this will get a laugh. "but, if i win it, i'll make all 3 disappear."

this of course, you win. i would then say "but im an honest magician, here, you take back your rings." i return the rings to 2 ppl, but the last person, i just look at him, look at the ring, and walk back on to stage. another laugh from the audience.

say "as i PROMISED earlier, i'll have make it disappear, sorry". yet another laugh and u make it disappear, then offer to give him a souvenir. this souvenir is a nest of boxes, and well, u know the rest...

I like your using the lock on a ring idea. The problem could be that you might not have as much hold on the ring as you have with the panels. But it's a very nice idea and presentation.
Spawning from that, maybe a little Merchant of Venice plot of Portia's challenge to suitors with 3 keys instead could be fun.

For a single spec, maybe can present it as "ALL keys can open the lock, except ONE", just Don't choose the key that doesn't open the lock and they can keep the money. It seems like overwhelming odds on their side.

Hey! Good idea... you can come up with some brilliant patter with that ^_^

Since it came with a whole bunch, why not place a bet with them? Put them in separate envelopes, get them to bet if they can pick the right key - the winner gets a stack of money in another envelope :lol: LOL

Getting a bit inspired by Richard Osterlind. I like the idea about the linked wedding bands... you can link it together and get a 3rd party to try to open the lock but they wouldnt be able too... onlt the husband or wife would be able to when you assist. Just think of some mushy patter to go along with it *g*

Ask Pam! Pam, you're the creative one... what nice routine or patter would you suggest to Jason? :)

OK, How can I reject the request of such a nice lady :-)

This is my suggestion :

You put 100$ inside the plastic flat box

You tell them that you have 5 keys, only one will open the lock
( You prove that by trying to open with all 5 keys, and obviously (with your control), only 1 key open the lock

Now you mix the key on the table
you tell them that we will bet, they put 1$, and if they choose the right key they will get 50$ in return
they fail ...(obviously )
now you give them another chance but you increase the bet to 2$
they lost (again)
increase again to 5$, they lost again
now there are only 2 keys, they have 1 of 2 chance now
increase the bet to 10$
and they will lost again
you open with the right key (???) and take a bow,
and off course you tell them in the end that we are not here for money,
we are only here to entertain people, so you give them back all the money

second pattern :

put 50$ and tell them that if they get the right key at the first try they will get 50$, 2nd try you give them 10$, 3rd try 5$, 4th try 2$, 5th try they will get nothing !

good luck

By the way,
this discussion should go to mental effect rather than in close up magic

LOL... it's become a marriage of both :) Nice one Pam, you did it again! :wub:

Pam I see a few problems with your suggestion. Firstly some people will feel uncomfortable being asked to take out their cash on stage. Some are already feeling uncomfortable being asked on stage.
And since the routine looks pretty rigid and formulated ($1, $2, $5 $10...) the volunteer must have those denominations on them! What if you get a spec with only one $10? What if the spec has no money on them! Very possible, happened to me before and I had to use my own note, proving it is real of course. And I feel the whole concept of multiple denominations and figures makes it a little confusing to explain, especially if the crowd catches on slow. And it makes the volunteer look like a loser and leave the stage disappointed.
Just my thought on this idea Pam, I know you like betting and money and all that...hahah! Maybe it works for you! You have a set of these too right?

Morphine, really nice idea on the Merchant of Venice!! Very interesting way of introducing literature to magic. The lock can represent the key to Portia's heart and the poor Bassanio has to choose the correct key which represent one of the three chests Portia's suitors has to choose to win her over. On an afterthought, the downside is if we were to use this story, only three keys can be used as there are only three chests.

erm, i think i have to disagree a little.

it sounds a little too much for this effect. the audience will know after the 1st time that somehow they will fail again and again. i dun think this effect requires that much emphasis as once the volunteer realises its a game he'll never win, he'll start to feel bad. thats why in the routine i suggested, i went through the effect up to its maximum effective point, and too prevent bad feelings, built in *certain* light-hearted points in the routine and moved on (yet with a flow).

of course, this is only in my opinion (i really hate having to always say this, too cliched, but if i dont, ppl will complain)...

Are you talking abt Pam's idea gordie? Exactly my sentiments...what do you think Pam? Or others who wants to voice their views? Constructive comments only please...

yes i was refering to it, its a little too "over-bearing" on this effect?

Jason and Gordon (hey ... your names rhyme.... )
You might be right, the first idea that I put might work in a country where gambling is well accepted ( US or Europe ), it may not be well accepted in Singapore where Casino is still a very long debat, eventhough people keep buying 4D and there is a long queue

Never mind, do you remember that Thomas Alva Edison has to do hundreds experiments before he found light bulb ?

OK, this is my third idea ....

for my third idea, I am still working on it, but I promise you that you will be able to see that in my next performance ( SMC Outing, IBM meeting or SAM meeting )

See you there ....

Magical Pam