REBIRTH OF THE PHOENIX

The late, great Eugene Poinc was a firm believer in two things, when it came to bizarre magic:

1: He used props that were so basic, so simple that no one else would given them a second glance; consequently, he was able to pull off some wonderful things, given all his thought to the presentation.

2: He believed that bizarre magic didn't have to be ghoulish, ghastly, or ghostly. In fact, it could be downright funny at times.

As a great believer in those two things myself, I have taken one of Gene's routines, put some of my own spin on it, and - even though it finishes with a joke, I add a second punchline, to:

REBIRTH OF THE PHOENIX
By Fredrick McValentine and Gene Poinc

The magus places an empty, silver pan on the table and takes a piece of paper.
With a few deft folds, he turns the paper into a bird, which he places in the pan.

"Among the ancients, was the belief in the phoenix, that mythical bird that could never die. When it lived out its lie span - usually about 100 years - it would burst into flames and then, when it appeared to be totally destroyed, it would rise again - young and virile - from the ashes of its former self.

"Phoenixes are hard to come by and don't always self-immolate on command. So I will use this piece of origami paper made into the shape of a bird in its place.

"When its time came, the bird would burst into flames!"

Set the paper bird in the pan on fire and put the lid on the pan.

"And then, when the ashes had cooled, the phoenix would be reborn."

Remove the lid from the pan, showing a scrawny rubber chicken. Look slightly puzzled and give the audience time to react.

Take the chicken out of the pan and old it up by the neck.

"Well, it appears they aren't making phoenixes like they used to."

(First laugh - we hope - attributed to Gene Poinc.)

"Gee, the magic catalog was right - it said I'd get a laugh just by showing this rubber chicken.

(Another laugh - we hope)

"Now this reminds me of the old question: Why did the chicken cross the road. Well, it appears that all of them didn't make it."

As you say this, you turn the other side of the chicken to the audience, showing a tire tread across its middle.

(Third laugh - we again hope, this one attributed to me, Fredrick McValentine.)

Working: Okay, this shouldn't even be necessary.

The pan is, of course, a dove pan and the rubber chicken is stored in the load chamber in the lid.

In the bottom is an origami bird; this can be made of flash paper or regular paper. (For the making of the bird, check any of a dozen or so origami sites on the Internet; many explain how to make a basic swan. And the nice thing is, it's free!)

On one side of the large rubber chicken, use a Sharpie marker to draw two lines, about three inches apart; the lines should be about a half-inch wide, at least. Between the lines, do a cross-hatching effect so that the finished product looks like a tire tread.

Have fun with this; I know your audience will enjoy it.