Hat Tear Routine

When performing birthday party shows, it is important to remember that the birthday child should be the star of the show. It is their special day, so the magician or clown should strive to give the birthday child extra special attention.

The birthday child's parents are paying your fee, and they too will appreciate you making their child a star. I came up with a routine to close the birthday show on a happy, positive note.

The routine uses a paper hat tear. This is a standard effect, where the magician tears two pieces of tissue paper, and then transforms the torn tissues into a paper hat. For girls, I use the bonnet style of hat. For boys, there is a triangular wizard's hat which works well.

In addition to the hat tear, you also need a mouth coil, also known as a rainbow streamer. This is a coil of tissue paper, about one inch in diameter. When you pull the center of the coil, you end up with 25 feet of multi-colored tissue paper.

The mouth coil is placed in your right pants pocket. As an option, you can do as I do, and place the coil into a utility holdout gimmick. This is pinned under your jacket or vest on the right side, and will hold the coil securely, yet release it instantly.

Many times, the hat tear is performed in a manner that serves to show off the magician, and put down the spectator. In this routine, I've tried to make it appear that the volunteer spectator is the one performing the magic.

Invite the birthday child up, and have them stand on your left. Pick up the two pieces of tissue paper, and show them to the audience. You say, "I have two pieces of tissue paper that were left over when I was wrapping gifts. If I tear the two pieces in half, how many pieces will I have? That's right, four pieces. That means I get two, and you get two." While you're speaking your lines, you tear the two pieces of tissue in half, show them, and then hand two pieces to your helper. You keep two pieces, including the piece with the concealed hat.

Turn to your helper, and say, "Repeat after me. I am the amazing Julie" (of course you substitute the birthday child's name). The child repeats the line, and you say, "Hey, she's the amazing Julie!" Continue, "I will perform magic."She repeats the line. "I will perform mystery." Again she repeats the line. Finally, "I will perform professional, polished prestidigitation!" Pause here, and you will get a laugh. Sometimes the child will try to repeat this, and other times they will just laugh. Whatever, get a round of applause for your helper at this point, so they're not embarrased.

Have your helper tear their paper in half, while you tear yours. Many times your helper will tear their paper against the grain, so it will tear in a very uneven manner. Jut look at your helper and pause, and you'll get a laugh.

You and your helper tear the tissue again. Once more, pause and look at your helper, and you'll get a laugh. Then, instruct your helper to crush their torn pieces into a ball. You apparently crush your pieces too. In reality you're tearing open the packet which contains the hat, and then folding the torn pieces into a "flower" attached to the hat.

Have the child hold their torn pieces in their left hand, and place your torn pieces (and hat) into the child's right hand. Don't worry about the child discovering the hat. Their left hand is tied up holding torn pieces, so they won't be able to inspect the pieces in their right hand.

Get everyone to say the magic words, and then say, "Look what Julie has made. She has the magic touch today!" You take the pieces from her left hand, and open them up, revealing that nothing has happened. I make a surprised look on my face, as I say, "Yuck." Put the torn pieces back into your helper's left hand.

Then say, "Wait a minute. We need to check the other pieces to see what she's made." Take the pieces from her right hand, and slowly unfold them, revealing the hat. Place the hat on the child's head, and as you do say, "It should fit perfectly, since you made it." Once in a great while, the child, especially boys, may not want to wear the hat. In this case, don't force it. I just tell them they can try it on later, or give it to their mom to wear.

When you open the hat and give it to the child, all of the audience will be looking at the child. At this moment, you steal the rainbow streamer from your holdout or pocket. Keep the coil in your right hand, with your hand casually down at your side.

Then you say, "Let's try this again, with everyone saying the magic words." Reach over with your left hand, and take the torn pieces from your helper's left hand. Bring your left and right hands together, as if you're squeezing the torn pieces. You then hold the coil and torn pieces in your left hand.

Have the entire audience say the magic words. Reach into your left hand, and pull up about a foot of the coil. Look surprised, because the paper is white. Then pull again, and you'll get a colored section of paper. Keep pulling, and more and more colored paper will keep coming out of your hand.

Say, "I know, Julie has made a long birthday decoration!" When all of the paper is revealed, you say, "Wow. A birthday decoration and a beautiful hat. Julie, you really are a magician. Let's give her a big hand!"

And with that, the birthday show comes to a happy end. The child feels like they've done the magic, the audience is excited and laughing, and hopefully the parents have captured it all on film!

Mouth Coils and Hat Tears are available from most dealers. This routine will cost about $2 dollars each time it is performed, but in my opinion the cost is well worth it.

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