Yellow Bandana, The

Actors: 1 magician, 1 volunteer

Props: 1 yellow neckerchief, 1 banana, 1 jacket, 1 shirt with a front pocket

(like a Scout shirt)

The magician is on stage, with the yellow bandana and banana placed behind him (preferably on a table, but the ground will work), in plain sight of the audience. He is wearing a shirt with a front pocket, and a jacket on top of it. Unbeknownst to the audience, he has a banana in the inside pocket of his jacket. He explains to the audience that he is about to perform a great magic trick and asks for a volunteer to help accomplish this feat.

Of course, a million hands will go up, but the person playing the part of the volunteer should jump up and down, make obnoxious "Oh, Oh, Oh" sounds, and yell in an over-enthusiastic kind of way "Pick me! Pick me!" repeatedly, until it becomes obvious to the magician that in the very least he needs to pick this person just to quiet him down somewhat. When he is chosen, he should hoop and holler and just live it up as he makes his way to the stage. A messy, sloppy dress (shirt untucked, hat on sideways, etc.) will really help him fit the part. He should also act slightly mentally challenged (i.e. slow).

When the volunteer gets on stage, the magician (after a little chat with the volunteer so the audience gets the impression that he truly is mentally challenged) should tell him to stand behind the table containing the objects mentioned before, so as to be out of the magician's view. He then explains to the audience that he will attempt to transfer the object on the table from the volunteer to his front shirt pocket. He should demonstrate that the pocket is empty to the audience. He should tell the volunteer (keeping his eyes toward the audience) that he needs to follow every instruction he is given very carefully and that he cannot speak at all, or the magic will not work.

Now comes the fun part.

Magician: (facing the audience, but speaking to the volunteer) "Pick up the yellow BANDANA."

Volunteer: (looks confused, starts to ask a question, remembers he should not speak, so he picks up the BANANA)

Magician: (Mimicking the motion as if he had a bandana) "Now, Lay IT out flat on your left hand." (notice he never says the word BANDANA)

Volunteer: (again confused, lays the banana in his left hand)

Magician: "Take the upper left corner, and fold it to the bottom right corner."

Volunteer: (really ham this up - confused, wanting to talk, etc. - finally he takes one end of the banana and folds it over to the other. Be careful not to lose any part of it in the process!)

The magician should go through a few more steps of folding, etc., to the banana, never saying the word BANDANA in the process, with the volunteer whole-heartedly attempting to do exactly as he says.

Magician: "Finally, make a fist with your left hand, take the folded object, and stuff it inside your fist, hiding it from our view."

Volunteer: (grimaces terribly as he attempts to stuff the entire banana into his fist)

Magician: "Using your other hand, wave it over the top of your fist, saying the magic words 'Ali-Sis-Koombah' three times." (the magic words can be changed as you prefer)

Volunteer: (motions) "Ali-Sis-Koombah, Ali-Sis-Koombah, Ali-Sis-Koombah."

Magician: "Ladies and gentlemen I shall now pull the object out of my pocket" (reaches into a jacket pocket, pulls out a BANANA, looks very surprised) "A BANANA?! What? How did that...?" (quickly turns to look at volunteer and sees the BANANA oozing out of his fingers) "I thought I told you to pick up the yellow BANDANA, not BANANA!"

Volunteer: "That's not a BANDANA, that's a neckerchief!"

NOTE: The success of this skit depends on the seriousness of the magician and the facial expressions of the volunteer.

 

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