talkmagic.co.uk

ok, I'm not sure now...

i've been reading the magic menu (first five years)

how do you approach a table, do you do the magic approach or the normal approach and what ideas do you have for a first trick?

magic approach - don't wanna weird people out... that stuff jay sankey does would not work in my hands.

normal approach - i want to introduce myself, but i do want magic immediately.

any ideas for a wowza oopening trick, that grabs attention, introduces me, and maybe can be learnt relatively easily

cheers.
Ed.

Hocus Pocus is good for a card effect... but I like to start off with letting them examine the deck have a shuffle around and such. then do a few effects that will show them the way I always get a trick wrong half way through and then tell them to keep the card until the end as if it aint going to cooperate with me it can sit this one out

then finish it off with my effect where by riffling through the pack I can tell them what card it is thats acting up or missing from the pack.

If ya want any advice just pm me, I am more then happy to help.

TLS

Ed writes, in part: ". . . any ideas for a wowza oopening trick, that grabs attention, introduces me, and maybe can be learnt relatively easily . . . "

What's wrong with just walking up to a table and chatting with the people as you would wih any strangers? Then, after a few seconds, you can do some magic for them IF THEY WANT (not everyone does; better you find out first before you step in it!)

BTW, EVERYBODY would like a "wowza" opener, but VERY few have the ability to come up with one. And fewer still can carry it off.

Peter Marucci wrote:What's wrong with just walking up to a table and chatting with the people as you would wih any strangers? Then, after a few seconds, you can do some magic for them IF THEY WANT (not everyone does; better you find out first before you step in it!)

My thoughts exactly...I casually shuffle the cards (with various in the hands cuts, flourishes, etc...all the while asking them things like...

"How are you doing tonight?"
"From town....really, where you from?"
"I am (Insert name) and I am here to entertian you...may I..."

Keep it simple...rarely are they going to say no I don't want to see it, and even rarer that they will be rude about it...so just talk!

Moodini old chap. The reason they are not rude to you is because you are in boring Canada where the populace are polite wimps.

If you had gone up to a table in the UK and said that dreadful insincere North American expression that I detest namely, "How are you doing tonight?" the response would have been "Mind your own business"

I grind my teeth when entertainers in this frostbitten excuse of a country come out and say "how are you all doing tonight?" when everyone knows that you don't give a stuff how they are doing.

As for that question "where are you from?" that is just as bad. I do not approve of being friendly to people in that insincere Canadian manner.

I remember once going to the UK with Paul Pacific. I thought it would be a good idea to work on Yarmouth market while I was there and Paul reluctantly agreed to help out. I don't suppose he did half an hour's work all day. He was demonstrating the svengali deck and was getting nowhere with his false Canadian friendliness. He has a dreadful habit of saying "what's your name" to strangers and even in poxy Canada it is a little too strong. In Britain it is considered an invasion of privacy. He also goes around touching people and his excuse is that he is Italian and is supposed to act like that. Since he has never been to Italy in his life he is as Italian as my left fingernail.

Anyway he was daft enough to ask a punter on Yarmouth market, "what's your name" wheripon the said punter stared at him and said in the British manner, "I'd rather not say"
In Canada nobody would have the nerve and would in the usual wimpy Canadian manner actually told him their name.
Paul was taken aback by this response but there is worse to come. He asked the question again of another punter who responded "mind your own business" in an even more British manner.

He then lost heart and gave up at that point.

I find it odd that you've read the first 5 years of Magic Menu and are asking this question.

I think it's all down to understanding the type of performer you are. I know what you mean about Sakey's opening suggestions and I would never use them in a month of Sundays.

In a restaraunt, it really is a case of keeping it simple - and by that I mean purely of case of introducing yourself "Hi, I'm Sean and I'm the house magician." I don't do any card flourishes, springs or anything like that because I want the customers to concentrate on what I've just said - my name and what I'm there for. In any case, approaching a couple at a table with a card spring is going to be accompanied by the 'PRRRRRRRT!' sound of the cards jumping... I feel the softly, softly approach works better for me. It gives the customers a chance to say "No thanks/Maybe later, etc" without me already having 'done' an effect.

Also, by introducing yourself as the magician, it's been my experience that the customers will then give you a clue as to what your opening effect would be. For example, in the past as soon as I've mentioned the word magician I've had all sorts of responses:

Female: Excitedly clapping "Oooh great, I love magic"
Male "OK. I know a few card tricks myself"
Female "Ugh - no card tricks, please. I HATE card tricks - my dad used to bore us to tears with them at every family get-together"
Etc....

Now, you've got a perfect opportunity to choose your opening effect based upon what they've said. Of course, if they don't say anything then you can just follow up your introduction with "Would you like to see a card trick?", "Would you like a demonstration of my skills", etc (whatever fits your style)

One thing I definitley don't agree with on Sankey's excellent Restaraunt DVD is his tip "Never to ask them". I think that's just the height of rudeness - of course, by introducing yourself to them as the magician you ARE implicitly asking them whether they want to see a trick, anyway but I like the idea of engaging in a little small talk beforehand.

Anyway, just my opinions.... Hope this helps,


Sean

I think the solution to the approach and whether you introduce yourself as the magician or just get stuck in is really completely dependent on your personality.
I do tend to agree with Sankey when he says that the audience aren't qualified to answer the question "Do you want to see magic?" due to the fact that most people have only ever seen it on tv. However I also can see it is difficult to get an effect in without barging in there and coming across as rude.

For me I found a happy medium is to go to a table or group (not just with restaurants but walk around too) with an effect in which the patter disguises it as a general enquiry or an imparting of information.

For example at a table you can use Dave Williamsons teaspoon bend. Go up to the table and politely say you are just checking the cutlery is up to standard...go into the effect and then announce that you are the magician.
At this point the spectators have seen some cracking close up magic before theyknow you are a magician and before they can premeturely turn you away.
Obviously at this point if you are turned away then at least both you and the spectator knows that they maybe don't like magic.
I think whatever the opening gambit is it has to be quick so that you are not disturbing a table too much.

The one I personally have used and still do is Easy Money under the guise of informing and warning the table of counterfeit notes (the sheets of paper I have are very badly drawn dollar bills).

damianjennings wrote:I find it odd that you've read the first 5 years of Magic Menu and are asking this question.

That's not a very useful comment, at all really.

Thanks for the other replies. Sean, you bring up some good points, thanks.

It seems to be 50/50... in the magic approach vs general introduction...
and i think a happy medium may be something i have to find myself, (i was just asking for ideas, which might trigger something) - but i think even the approach of 'checking the cutlery' and doing a spoon bend is a bit too weird for a uk market - people are gonna think 'who is this guy?'
when you go into a restaurant people don't expect someone to check the cutlery!!

I would like something visual... ie I'm talking... introduces myself and some magic happens while I'm talking...
so maybe a card spring, maybe a coin production - maybe flash paper to coin, or something like that - where the magic is up and it's at my eye level - look at me, rather than down on the table...

i feel as you're introducing yourself, you haven't got the go-ahead to perform yet, you shouldn't invade people's space, on their table, until they have said you can - but it would be nice to show something 'wowza' so that they have a flavour that it's going to be a professional show rather than some smarmy amateur doing card tricks.

Here is my table approach, word for word. Ive been doing it this way ever since I started working at any sort of professional level.


"Hi guys! My name is Mark Waddington. Im a Magician and ive been asked by the mangement/bride and groom/party host to come over to you guys and do some magic as part of the evenings entertainment. Would you be interested in seeing something??"

I then always start my set with my sponge rabbit routine.


This approach is straight forward, to the point, isnt intrusive and feels special to the audience.

You have greet them with a smile as you come to the table and I always casually put my hand on the shoulder blade of the person to my left. Its a spot which is comfortable for the person who is sat/stood next to you without being too committing, and without any inappropriate contact.

Make eye contact with every single person on the table, smile at them, putting them at ease.

You have made them feel special because you have said that the host has personally asked you to go to THEIR table and show THEM some magic. Nobody else matters at the point, its just for them.

99 times out of 100 they will say yes and invite you to join the group, I mean who would say no when the host has personally requested you visit them, it makes them feel special.

If they do say no simply say "Thats not a problem, magic isnt for everyone. If you change your mind later on then give me a shout and Ill be happy to come back"


To be quite honest, the opening effect doesnt matter. You could just go straight in and show the most amazing thing but get no reaction, The important thing is to get your audience to like you.

Hope that helps

Mark

Jing wrote:
i think even the approach of 'checking the cutlery' and doing a spoon bend is a bit too weird for a uk market - people are gonna think 'who is this guy?'
when you go into a restaurant people don't expect someone to check the cutlery!!

As far as this routine goes the point that it is weird and will think "who is this guy?" is kind of the point of doing it.
However as stated before this approach isn't for everyone. I tend to use it as I have a tendancy to be a bit nervous when approaching tables in restaurants or bars and can sometimes fumble over my words ever so slightly which I think can lead to an audience thinking "this bloke don't know what he's doing" so instead I just resort to an approach which gets me straight in to the magic.

Going to a table and asking a weird question can lead into magic effects so effortlessly for example David Penns Salt Inspector effect where he will approach the table and ask for the salt as he is the salt inspector. He then does a routine involving the salt cellar.

I would have the raving needle if anyone touched my shoulder. I am surprise that sort of thing goes on in a place like Yorkshire.

As for the force feeding approach by Sankey it isn't my style and I once read Scott Guinn rail against it saying it was bad manners and all that guff. But yet I have seen it done very successfully by Daniel 0" Donoghue
years ago. But then Dan is a fantastic magician. I think if you are going to go that route you had better be a bloody good magician.

If people are going to be force fed then it is preferable they like the meal.

Jing wrote: Going to a table and asking a weird question can lead into magic effects so effortlessly for example David Penns Salt Inspector effect where he will approach the table and ask for the salt as he is the salt inspector. He then does a routine involving the salt cellar.

I think that is just as awful as "did someone drop a really small odd black pocket knife?"

What's wrong with:

"Hello, my name is Damian* and I have been hired by the restaurant to show you some magic while the kitchen prepare your food"


*Only use this line if your name is actually Damian.

When I approach a table, I like to introduce myself first and start up a little friendly chit chat before asking them if they're interested in seeing some magic. I don't really like just going up and doing a trick, I think it's only polite to ask first. But then again that's just me and for other people a different way of doing things might well be better.

Lady of Mystery wrote:When I approach a table, I like to introduce myself first and start up a little friendly chit chat before asking them if they're interested in seeing some magic. I don't really like just going up and doing a trick, I think it's only polite to ask first. But then again that's just me and for other people a different way of doing things might well be better.

As stated earlier, do you think they are qualified to know if they want to see something?

I used to work in sales many years ago. We were taught never to ask a closed question. ie one someone could say YES or NO to.