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I have been recently been learning alot about the performance side of things from the differing books and dvds and they all seem to say the same thing about introductions:

Never introduce yourself as a magician and never ask whether they want to see some magic.

The concensus of opinion seems to be using a false premise (borrowing an object, asking for something) in order to do a quick visual effect.
For example inthe David Stone Dvd he drops a coin on the floor as a way of gaining attention to perform a one coin routine or uses a candle on the table in which ignite flash paper for a deck production.

In my bid to become a better performer I have been thinking on what to do along these lines. The deck production I feel would be perfect for me but there has never been candles or a naked flame at any gig I have worked to date. Yes I could ask for a borrowed lighter and get the spec to light the paper but I feel this to be a slightly odd thing to ask and might be awkward as an opener.
The coin routine is a go-er but will take me sometime to learn so that's not practical for now.

My only other idea would be to TT vanish salt after asking to borrow a salt shaker.

Any ideas on effects or indeed the whole notion of the introduction part of a walkaround performance?

You could come up with a cigarette in your mouth, asking for a light and then pull of some tricks with the cig. Just an idea (i dont smoke) and the smoking ban might complicate it but its worth a try, eh?

What a load of tosh.

If someone was to walk up to my table in a restaurant and start doing something, id be reluctant to react and would feel like I had been intruded on.

This is what I say, at EVERY table to introduce myself:

"Good evening, my names Mark Waddington, and im a Magician from Skipton. The management has asked me to come across to perform as part of tonights celebrations. Would you be interested in seeing a thing or two?"

I have NEVER had anyone say "no". Do your first effect, and asess the table. If they look to be enjoying themselves, stay a bit longer, if they dont look too interested, when youve finished the effect say "Thanks for your time, enjoy your night".


I think there are far more pressing issues when performing, and if you dont introduce yourself, I think you will do your performance a lot of harm.



Mark

See I'm a bit torn on this because I personally feel it is rude not to introduce myself and would feel very awkward to just go up and do magic but saying that I was doing a charity event back in March in a really busy pub and no-one was interested in magic much as it was late and half of them was already bladdered and I got refused about 3 times in the whole pub where as one of the other guys didn't get refused once, So after I had a word with him and he told me that he never asked he just went up and did the magic and that was why he got better results.

I have been recently been learning alot about the performance side of things from the differing books and dvds and they all seem to say the same thing about introductions:

Never introduce yourself as a magician and never ask whether they want to see some magic.

Which books say this?

I dont work restaurants or the like, but speaking from a customers perspective, I would think it rather rude for a magician to approach the table and not even introduce himself. How you introduce yourself, and what you introduce yourself as, is worth discussing however.

Obviously there are different situations, but unless you want to be dropping coins on the floor all night, I would think an intro would be appropriate.

The only time such an approach may be acceptable was if you were performing informally, when out and about.

we had a pro table hopper down the magic club the other month
from what I can remember they said the golden rules were
don't say your a magician
say you have been asked by the managment to entertain them as way of introduction.
don't do couples unless asked, may be about to propose/divorce.
fours and above generaly safe
always leave them two tricks short

no idea if any of this works as my experience with tables is very very limited. Can others please confirm/rubbish as required.

How do you leave two tricks short? carry on untill they tell you to leave and then ask them to forget the last couple of tricks?

Im going to guess the two tricks short part is more of a, "leave them wanting more" or "don't overstay your welcome" kind of thing.

Which books say this?

Thanks for the answers guys. In response to this it is in Jay Sankeys restaurant and bar magic Dvd where, as I understood it, he says not to ask if they want to see magic as they 'aren't qualified to answer'.
It is in the David Stone dvd where he recommends creating a 'happening' in order to introduce oneself.
Se before I saw all this I was in the same realm of working as Magic Mark and although did get a few refusals it on the whole went rather well.

I think maybe the advice is more along the realms of:

1)Approach the table and politely ask a simple question that allows you to perform a very quick visual effect (say borrow a lighter, light some flash and something appears)
2) Introduce yourself as the entertainment and then ask them if they would like to see something.

one I have used from sankeys restaurant DVD is the "excuse me, anyone drop a button? No? how about a chinese coin? a half dollar? ok how about a penny?" changing from one to the other in quick succession with minimal sleights. It shows you are a magi without stating it.

Thanks for the answers guys. In response to this it is in Jay Sankeys restaurant and bar magic Dvd where, as I understood it, he says not to ask if they want to see magic as they 'aren't qualified to answer'.

Is it only me, or do other people find this kind of attitude astonishing. I wouldn't want a magician with this kind of (arrogant, patronising) attitude coming to my table in a restaurant. I'd rather someone with a bit of class and charm introducing themselves, rather than a hyperactive twerp trying to shove sponge bunnies or flash paper up my nose.

Now I quite often find that people have a preconcieved image of what magic is in their mind (mostly childrens magicians and rabbits from hats). Although I do think that an introduction is important if just to be polite.

Something that I've just started to do is to first introduce myself and tell the spec that I'm doing a little bit of research into psychology and if they'd mind helping me with a quick experiment. I'll perform a simple trick dressed up as psychology and if that goes well, I've got a good platform to gointo my other routines from.

Seems to be working well so far.

Tommy Wonder points out that you should never ask if people want to see some magic because they aren't qualified to answer.

I think the advice is partly based on what Lady of Magic wrote. People have a pre-conceived idea of what magic is like and customers who might actually have enjoyed the performance could turn away the offer to see some magic.

There's another side to this. There is an implicit assumption that it is up to the performer to 'disabuse' the diners (or guests) of their notions about magic, or to perform for them in any event. I am not entirely happy with this.

Say you start with an effect (I love the idea of the changing coins) and the people really aren't enjoying it, or have things they want to get on with. You have already got your 'foot in the door' and it's then hard for some people to say they really aren't interested. Of course, you can look for signs that the diners are in mid-conversation and wouldn't welcome interruption and you can try to spot if your magic is leaving them cold.

Is it about you performing magic, irrespective of audience's wishes, even if they might enjoy it, or you potentially enhancing their dining experience (or whatever) and leaving your ego and the crusade to promote magic at the door?

I don't do table-hopping, but I really don't know which route is best. I think the advice that makes sense is not to ask if they want to see magic. However, that is not the same as not introducing youself as a magician.

"not qualified to answer" is not meant as demeaning.

It is simply stating that they do not know what you are about to entertain them with due to preconceptions that you will either pull a rabbit from a hat, or sit in a glass box starving yourself for hours next to their table etc etc.

Many people have never experienced close up performances, and will not realise that they will be the stars of their very own personal show, and more than likely enjoy every minute of it!

That, or they may have seen bad magi who may have, for example, used many embarrassing lines and put-downs which could also put them off, despite the fact that if you word things slightly differently you will get the opportunity to change their outlook on magic forever for the positive.

Put quite simply, they are not qualified because they do not know what they are on the verge of experiencing, not because they are stupid.

Your spot on there mr.monkey of magic.

I have (and I'm sure most have) experienced a doubtful or even hostile spectator who proclaims to hate magic only to be turned around completely after an effect or two.
In fact these people tend to get more excited.

I have a gig in a weeks time and am going to try out the ' Is this coin/lighter yours?' bit and then do a very quick effect with it (a flash deck production e.g) and then introduce myself as the entertainment and ask if they wish to see anything.
This way of working seems to make sense to me as it gives you a chance to show the spec a sample of what you can do yet doesn't appear too rude or intrusive.