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right, i have read in strong magic that if you are puting an act together it is good to unify effects, fir example if you are using cards then you would do an act based around cards, adding variety of effects with cards.
but guys and girls if you were to put a cabaret act together what would you do?
stick to darwins rule or mix it up with a little of hankys and then some cups and balls, and then a card effect
or one particular act such as a card act?
I think this will be a interesting thread for some
andy

when it comes to things like that, I generally would use a variety, but make it flow

for example, after receiving some inspiration from mr James Brown, I start off with a coin, do a load of stuff, watch steal, watch on shoulder, maybe the 11p trick, jam on shoulder, vanish jam

then, deck of cards on shoulder

brings me into a nic eset of card effects

e.t.c

you can do a random magical effect to bring them into play, but I never like to just "bring the stuff out" so to speak

Here's what I think would be a good way to run through tricks in a routine to join them all together.

1. Basic Card Tricks
2. Coin Matrix using cards
3. Coin Tricks
4. Disappearing a coin with a silk
5. Silk tricks
6. Turn silk into rope
7. Rope tricks

I just basically was thinking how to move from basic areas of magic to others.

The effects don't really need to "flow"--at least, I don't think they do. I've not been performing professionally for too long now (just a couple of years), but I get the best reactions from effects that aren't at all related. If I'm going a series of card effects for a show that's specifically for cards, I'll start with a quick, flashy color-changing card trick, move on to an "any number down" effect, then go on to an ambitious card or something. If I'm doing a cabaret/parlor performance, I'll move from trick to trick, using only the applause as the link between the two.

My thinking is that if you're too tightly routined, you a.) lose flexibility and b.) lose the audience's attention. On one hand, you know where you're going with the performance because one prop lends to the next effect, but on the other hand it's predictable, and predictable is boring. Further, if one prop is necessary for the next effect, what if you forgot one? What if you had to cut just one effect, but wanted your opener and closer? What if...?

Ciao,
Rob

Rob,

I entirely agree. A routine should not be fixed in stone. Vary your performance to what they enjoy.

hey monker, i too am thinking along the same lines as yourself, a very good way to unify effects, but thanks all and hope there is more opinions
andy

I made this point some where before but linking effects can be done easy. For example.

Sponge Balls
then go in to a cup and balls
then has the final load of the cups a deck of cards
card routine.
Deck swtich just the card cases and pull a rope out the case.......
so on and so forth.

This way its not all one thing and it becomes all linked.

This depends entirely on your act and how long you have to be on stage. If you have to put out a 45 - 60 minute act, then trying to link everything in such a way as is being suggested above can come out looking very contrived. Conversely, if you're doing a 15 - 20 minute set, linking the effects isn't terribly difficult and is certainly the way to go.

Then, of course, you have themed acts, too.

I will defer to Dai Vernon, who suggests that if you are going to move into something completely different without a specific segue (like having a deck as a final load of cups and balls, which sends you into a card set), then you simply tell the audience that you are changing up gears, as per se.

In other words, you've finished your card set and are going to do the linking rings, you would say something along the lines of, "Ladies and gentlemen, I can see that you are having as much fun as I am. In each act, I like to do a bit of true, classic magic. I'm sure you've heard of the Chinese Linking Rings - they are about as classic as classic gets in magic. I'd like to share this with you..." And, you go into the linking rings. You see, you've announced your intention to change things up and this is acceptable.

Stay away from such things as, "And now, for my next trick..."

If you can routine things so that they naturally segue, then excellent. But, if you can't, then you simply announce your intention.

Mike.

I agree with all of you
rob for his flexability which is a must, but I always have a set routine to aim for. If the audience decide they want something else then I change
Monker59 and markdini's ideas of loose linking will not effect this flexability but helps to smooth the ticks together. For example I do cups and balls with final loads of sponge balls and lemons, which leaves the sponges on the table for my sponge ball routine.
But I totaly agree also with Michael Jay
There needs sometimes to be a break for you aswell as the audience.
You are expecting them to concentrate for a long time.
In my 45-60 min routines I have three definate sections
Within these sections I have loose linking and flexability. Going from one section to the next I put in a full stop. I make it very obviouse. I say thank you that brings the first part of my show to an end. Now for something slightly different.
My three sections I call props (cups and balls, ropes, sponges, silks etc),mentalism(mindreading, memory stuff), cards
This also changes the pace of my performance fast and funny, to serious, to card manipulation/slight of hand skills.
I finish with a funny prop ending to leave the audience laughing as a false oncore type of thing.


You should aim to weave all the advice given in this thread together, because I have found that the flow of your performance makes a big impresion on the audience.

thanks for sharing all your views, some interesting points being made here, when i read in strong magic to stick with a prop and do an entire act based around the particular prop i thiught that the magician could come out as looking a bit weak, after all variety is the spice of life.

I think alot has to depend on how long you're performing for. A short 5-10 minute act, I'd probabaly focus on a single theme possibly ropes or silks and just build a routine around them.

For a longer act, you'll need to vary things alot more to keep the audience's attention. I like the idea of having some link beween one part and the next.

Another thing that you can do, which can be very impressive if done well is to build your routine around a story. That can be good fun to put together.

If your performing for friends and family (which I do) you have the added advantage that you know them well. I always try to use this knowledge and combine it into my tricks. It can make good patter.