talkmagic.co.uk

Hello all,

I'm relatively new to magic and I could really use some advice! I've been offered the chance to do my first "gig" and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I was in a restaurant recently and did a trick for a friend. The restaurant owner saw it and asked me to do a trick for him - I did a few tricks for him and the staff and he liked it and he's asked me to perform at his cousin's wedding.

I've been doing magic for about 6 months now and I've got a bank of card tricks, like a pretty decent acr and a few others. My pass is strong and I'm confident doing DLs (trying not to break house-rules by being too explicit; I don't think I'm being cool by writing acr and dl). I only do cards tricks, nothing else so far. In terms of learning, I've been through royal road, practiced from some dvds and I've learned several other tricks from various other sources.

I've always been pretty confident in performing, and have really enjoyed doing tricks for friends. I've also performed some "street magic" for strangers, but I fully admit that my experience is very limited.

Also, not that this is the reason I would do it, but he's offered to pay me - he asked me what my rates were, so I just picked a number out of the air and said 50 quid (he said it would be for two hours). I have no idea if this is a reasonable amount for the event - can anyone advise?

So, should I agree to perform at the wedding at all? He said it would be "to entertain the kids" but obviously they'd expect a decent level of skill. I think I would be able to perform to small groups of people to a decent standard and have enough in the bank to get by. Basically, I'd love to get into doing this kind of thing more regularly as I've really enjoyed performing in front of strangers when I've done it, but after such little experience, should turn it down in case I mess up, or throw caution to the wind and see how it goes? At the moment I'm very much leaning towards giving it a go, but would really welcome the opinion of people with more experience.

Thanks to anyone who's read this far down, and for any help you can give.

Firstly congrats on getting the gig, my first came in a very similar way. How long have you got to prepare? Do you feel confident enough that you've got the time to get yourself ready? I'd probably say go for it, a gig like that is the perfect place to learn and get experience. You need to think about your routines and if you're confident that you can entertain, if you are and to be honest this guy was impressed enough to offer you the job then go for it and take the plunge

I agree - with one proviso. If he wants you to entertain the kids, then have something that will entertain the kids. Cards hold the older kids only for so long, and the younger not at all. Learn a few simple rope things, or a sponge ball routine.

However it sounds like you are ready for the adults, so take the gig and enjoy it. All the professionals on this forum have one thing in common. We took that first gig, which many others didn't. Welcome on board.

I agree with all of the above. You learn so much more performing live and it also gives you a great platform to try new routines/patter.

£50 is brilliant value for the party organiser. For most people that would probably only cover fuel!

Treat it as a learning experience and don't forget, if a trick goes wrong just laugh it off. It's not the end of the world.

Good luck and enjoy.

Alec

How long do you have till the gig? If you have time you should learn something besides card tricks for a bit of diversity. Normally £50 for two hours is way to low, but considering your still practicing the money isn't a priority, getting experience is.

You should definitely do the gig no matter what happens, worst case scenario, you completely bomb, it's happened to every performer many times and is a valuable experience.

Weddings are also a great place to start. I was hired by the bride to do a wedding once, and I didn't even meet her on the day. Magicians are a low priority during weddings and chances are you'll be left to your own devices.

Try to put together a five to ten minute set and go table to table, if a group seems bored after five minutes move on, if they want more you can give them more.
If anyone at the party shows an interest in hiring you, don't give them your details, take theirs. Often people will plan to hire you and then forget, it's best if you can contact them to remind them.

Just to even up the score a little..
1> Well done for getting a gig!
2> £50 - for what? It sounds as though they want a babysitter.
3> I have never worked a wedding yet where the "kids" wanted or responded to cards. Learn a spongeball routine, something simple with ropes, and balloon hats.
4> Do NOT go table-to-table with the adults unless you have been asked and it has been agreed with your hosts or the wedding organiser. It demonstrates horribly bad manners (IMHO), is against etiquette, is arrogant on someone's "special day", and totally out of order. I do not know Jean or his experience, however...work tables uninvited at any of the weddings I have done and you would have been leaving the wedding on the wrong end of someone's boot.

Jean is, in effect, telling you it's "OK to have a magician that bombs - 'coz he's just getting some experience at your wedding".
If you are not ready to entertain at a wedding, do not ruin someone's day.

Oh - and for the love of everything merciful - do not try and do wedding entertainment with just cards. Cards, on their own, unless you are a Paul Gordon type character bore many people stupid.

Just my 2p worth.
Bruce

Perhaps I came across wrong let me try to clarify.
1) I agree £50 is an insulting price for a professional, but zclgb29 is not a professional he's been doing this for 6 months this is work experience.

2) When I said 'Go table to table' I did not mean just walk up and start performing. I meant approach a table say 'Hello I'm a magician, I've been hired to do some entertainment would anyone like to see some magic?' There's nothing rude about that.

BrucUK wrote:Jean is, in effect, telling you it's "OK to have a magician that bombs - 'coz he's just getting some experience at your wedding". If you are not ready to entertain at a wedding, do not ruin someone's day.

Unless your rude vile or cause an accident you're not going to ruin a wedding. A magician is probably the least important part of that day.

This has to be in two parts because my computer is c*** (not the best).

BrucUK wrote:Oh - and for the love of everything merciful - do not try and do wedding entertainment with just cards. Cards, on their own, unless you are a Paul Gordon type character bore many people stupid.

I do agree with this which is why I said he should diversify but I don't like the idea of discouraging people from performing because they don't have enough experience. This applys to every field, the only way you'll have enough experience to perform at weddings is to have already performed at weddings. It doesn't matter how much you study and practice, your first bunch of real world performances will be c*** (not the best). You shouldn't be put off by that and I hate it when people come here for genuine advice and instead get told not to do it.

Every working magician starts out by doing gigs they're not ready for.

BruceU.K I mean no disrespect or bad will to you when I ask this, but could you tell me what zclgb29 gains from turning down this gig?

Jean,
No disrespect taken, but you do not perform at a wedding unless you have been invited!
It's called "Pi55ing on someone else's parade".
I'm not talking about his approach or style, I am talking about him being there at the tables at all!
Get real - you get an "invitation" to perform for the adults - from what I can see he's been asked to perform for the children, and he's not ready for that.....He does card tricks - with the greatest of respect - NO!!!!! They want someone to entertain the children at that point in the wedding breakfast when they are all getting "techy". I've done it many times. A pack of cards will work for precisely 0.000436 milliseconds.

BruceU.K I mean no disrespect or bad will to you when I ask this, but could you tell me what zclgb29 gains from turning down this gig?

I spend a lot of my life trying to get people to perform in one way or another. PLEASE!!! Perform as much as you can - but not at a wedding if it is your "first time".
He gains nothing from turning it down, but answer me this...what do the bride and groom gain from him [b]accepting it?[/b]

There are many, many other more appropriate places to learn one's trade. I would be more than happy for him to join me and the other magicians at Heathrow for the Dreamflight event on Sat 26th November at the prestigious brand new Hilton Hotel at Terminal 5 Heathrow. He can "test the waters" as much as he wants - he can take tips, he can busk it, he'll have tables, and a bar, whatever, go play!
Go learn....
(zclgb29 - apologies for talking about you in the 3rd person).
You do not "learn" at a wedding - sod what the magician wants and/or needs, become AUDIENCE-CENTRIC. This is socially inept "magician thinking".

To think that he should be there, without getting a lot more "real World" experience first, (bars, restaurants, banquets, balls, old peoples homes, schools etc etc etc etc). is insulting and frankly - dumb (In my opinion).
Get real.
Bruce

The bride and groom probably wont gain anything from him accepting they also won't lose anything from him accepting unless he behaves badly.
It's true there are better places for him to gain experience and if we haven't scared him off he should accept your offer, but those weren't the places he was offerd, he got an opportunity to do a wedding.

Yes he will not be able to entertain kids with card tricks for two hours which is why I advised him to take the strolling magician route.

He also didn't say it would be the wedding breakfast he just said the wedding, right now I'm assuming that will be an evening event, perhaps I'm wrong.

But the whole point of this thread, the question he actually posed was 'I've been given an opportunity to perform, but I'm quite new should I take it?'
For me the answer to that question should always be yes, take any opportunity you can get.

Once again in two parts

You also said that my opinions were insulting and dumb, I don't know who I was insulting or if it was dumb, but I do feel you said that as an attack perhaps because you felt I was attacking you. If so I apologies I often have a hard time getting my views across in writing and can appear rude. I don't want differing opinions to lead to personal attacks.

For me the answer to that question should always be yes, take any opportunity you can get.

Not a wedding - until you have got enough experience, gained elsewhere.
He sounds as though he has neither the experience to entertain the children or the adults. A wedding is NOT a playground for a magician to learn - it does all of us a disservice.
If I have succeeded in "scaring you off" this wedding gig, then I feel I have done magicians a service.
Please feel free to PM me if you want to come and learn at Heathrow.
And Jean - apologies, but I do feel that suggesting it's "OK to practice" at someone's wedding, when you have never really performed for cash before shows a staggering level of social ineptitude and lack of social awareness.
If anyone else had suggested that they had an inexperienced act that could come and entertain, (and possibly get it all wrong) - would you like that for your "special day", what would the bride and groom have said?
It's a no-brainer really........
I would be willing to bet that you are neither married or have children, so do not understand the realities of wwhat I say. If you are married, and DO have kids (that need entertaining), then you really should know better.
Just my 2p worth.
Bruce

One rather obvious question - how long is it until the wedding? One week, one month, one year?

Jean Eugene Roberts wrote:The bride and groom probably wont gain anything from him accepting they also won't lose anything from him accepting unless he behaves badly.

One of the most worrying things I have ever read on a magic forum. Most of the stuff we magicians get agitated about really don't matter much in the long run, but this statement suggests a complete lack of understanding about other people.

If the OP knew the bride and groom, and could therefore judge what they might be like if the kids end up bored and screaming, it might be OK, but this is a stranger's wedding. It's a stranger's wedding where he doesn't have the skill set or experience to do the job he's been asked to do. He has not been asked to do the job for which he is possibly (and only possibly) qualified.

I think you should take up Bruce's offer to practise at a much more suitable occasion.

You can't do a wedding gig, especially one mainly aimed at the kids there, with card tricks. No-one could. They'll be bored within five minutes tops.

Thanks for the advice everyone - there's lots of issues mentioned that hadn't crossed my mind so thanks for helping me avoid some basic pitfalls.

I've still got a month until the wedding, so there's still some time to prepare - I'll try to get to grips with some (very) basic sponge ball stuff in that time so I can keep interest up.

The way I see it, if I remain polite and sensitive to the host and guests' wants, then a magician can only add something positive to the evening. I agree, it would be awful manners to butt in when not wanted, but so long as I judge the mood and gauge if people want to be left alone and respect that, then I don't think there's any danger of ruining the bride's big day.

End of the day, no-one's going to look back on their life and wish they'd taken fewer risks over the years, so I'm going for it!