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The Ticking Bomb
In the fourth Mission: Impossible film, "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," the plot revolves around a terrorist organization's attempt to start a nuclear war by launching a missile at the Kremlin in Moscow. The protagonist, Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise), and his team must prevent the launch and clear the Impossible Mission Force's name after they are falsely accused of starting the attack.
One of the key scenes in the movie is the "nuclear countdown" scene, where Ethan and his team must infiltrate a heavily guarded Russian prison to retrieve the launch codes for the missile before the countdown reaches zero. The scene is intense and filled with action and suspense, as the team races against time to stop the launch and prevent a nuclear war.
This scene is a good example of the classic damsel on the railroad tracks myth, where by including a countdown time limit can escalate the stakes to hit a climax that's nail-biting tension that keeps us on the edge of our seats.
In the Art of Magic, tension is a common element in escape tricks, which are a staple of the magician's repertoire. Escape tricks involve the magician being bound or locked in some way, and then using their skills and ingenuity to free themselves before a set amount of time runs out. This creates a sense of tension and excitement for the audience, as they watch the magician struggle against the clock to escape.
The tension can be heightened by make-believe that the magician is in danger due to a time factor. A ticking clock countdown will keep audiences on the edge of their seats, wondering if the magician will be able to escape in time.
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This style of magic is not new; however, in Children or Comedy Magic, it can be something very new. The creative challenge is to figure out how to add a tension factor that is suitable for a children's audience. It needs to be safe and we need to be mindful of the environment we are performing in, such as a school or a birthday party.
How can we add tension for a younger audience?
This can be achieved by limiting the time. Think of stretching a rubber band to the limit. Does that cause tension? What if we added a timer like a ticking clock that will snap the rubber band into the magician's nose?
Imagine pointing a needle toward a balloon pretending to pop it. How tense is that? What if you added a time limit element to have the balloon slowly fall toward a lit candle? Does that take the tension to a new level?
Think about how you can create tension with a time-limited ticking bomb example, only in a children-friendly atmosphere. Then, somehow, combine it in your show!
Here is one idea I had; I'm still working on incorporating this into a trick somehow:
Imagine a clogged toilet, and like everyone on planet earth, what do I do when the toilet gets clogged? I flush it again! Duh?
Now imagine the water is rising with nowhere to go except up! Imagine the tension created. You need to do something about it before it spills out of the toilet bowl. To make matters worse, imagine you are in a public restroom and maybe you went into the wrong bathroom by mistake, adding to the embarrassment.