Project 365 (99/365): The Lady And The Rope

.:99/365: The Lady And The Rope:.

Well, it was just a matter of time before I finally showed this routine, as it has been one of my treasured signature acts, courtesy of course, of Michael Finney himself.

The Lady and the Rope is a comedy routine that involves the traditional cut and restored rope trick, with a pointedly funny and risqué twist. I don’t really want to explain the mechanics and I’d rather let the video do the talking, but the thing that really sells this routine is the fact that you are just so smarmy and you just move from phase one to phase two to phase three of the routine without giving much room for the audience to breathe. The more compelling your ability to deliver the jokes and to riff on your audience’s reactions, the better the routine is.

Some magicians find it either scary or exciting that you have to perform a particular series of moves that could only be construed as you getting a tad fresh with your spectator. Those who are excited think it’s awesome that you get to cop a feel, and believe me when I say that the less that’s on your mind, the better. For the most part, I establish that there’s a certain level of decency that I insist on maintaining at all times, and I won’t just go out there and take liberties with my volunteers. They’re supposed to be the star of that bit, after all.

As for those who are afraid, just act naturally, and don’t think too much about the moves. When I started doing this, it was very understandable that I had a few not-so-pleasant run-ins with people who didn’t take too kindly to the routine. Essentially, the less I was conscious and the more I became smarmy but controlled, the less likely the lady would react. In fact, several times, I’ve performed these routines in full view of the lady’s boyfriend, but I have never earned the ire of the boyfriend because they know it’s all part of the show.

This is a keeper of a routine. If some aspiring magician ends up using this routine as part of their repertoire, I’d sincerely appreciate if they let me know about it, though. ;) Not for anything else but a bit of courtesy since the idea, while not originally mine, was inspired by me.