Introduction.

The question is sometimes raised as to whether bizarre magic can include comedy. Well, I don't see why not - provided it's done properly. After all, the great Ted Annemann, in his full evening show of mentalism, did a cut and restored rope right in the middle of the act. And, by all accounts, it worked. So the following offering combines (or attempts to combine) bizarre magic with comedy.

Effect: The magus relates a story of vampires: "High in the mountains of Pennsylvania - or was it 'Transylvania?' - no matter; high in the mountains, there was a  castle that towered over the local village". 

"By day, the castle was inhabited by the infamous Count Dracula. (The magus takes out a nine-inch silk with a picture of Count Dracula drawn on it.) The villagers lived in fear of Dracula for, while they could prove nothing, it was rumored that the count possessed supernatural powers, the kind of powers that mere mortals did not even dare to think about".

"For much of the time, at night, Count Dracula appeared to be normal - or as normal as a count could be in far-off Pennsylvania - or was it Transylvania? During the daylight hours, the count would live in a cave underneath the castle. (The magus tucks the vampire silk into this closed left fist.) But, once a month, the moon would be full. And, when the moon would rise, the count would leave his cave and be transformed into - (pause here and let the audience add the words "a bat". If they don't, carry on, adding the words yourself.) - a bat!"

The magus then opens his closed left fist, showing that the vampire silk has vanished, to be replaced by a bat - a tiny baseball bat!

Working: This is fairly straightforward and I assume most of you are ahead of me already. When you reach into your pocket for the silk, the left hand palms the small bat and a thumb tip. The silk is pushed into the left fist (the thumb tip) and the tip is then stolen out.
The left hand is then opened and the baseball bat is allowed to drop to the table.

Second thoughts: To make the silk, get a picture of a vampire (I got one from clip art on the internet) and tape a nine-inch while silk to the picture. With a black Sharpie marker, use light, brush-like strokes to trace the picture; the brush-like strokes will keep the ink from bleeding into the silk. With a red marker, add touches of blood to the lips and fangs. Let dry for at least 24 hours.

For the bat, I found a baseball bat and ball key chain at a flea market; however, larger craft stores also carry tiny, wooden bats (along with a whole range of other cool stuff that can be adapted to magic). This is one of those routines that is 90 per cent presentation and 10 per cent mechanics. The entire routine - until the punch line - should be done semi-seriously and pompously (even the Pennsylvania-Transylvania gags).

You are leading the audience in the wrong direction here, so pause and freeze at the end, when the baseball bat appears, to give them a chance to understand what has happened and to get the gag.
Don't be in a hurry to rush into the next routine; remember a cardinal rule of entertaining (or comedy): Never step on applause (or a laugh).
cheers,
Peter Marucci.