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I was working at a bar in the centre of Sheffield tonight. I've worked on and off for this bar for several years, and I enjoy working for them when they have private functions. It gives me a chance to forget about ghosts, and ouija boards, and tarot cards, and just do a spot of light entertainment.

I was booked from 8 - 10 and the event was a 21st birthday party. The night had gone really well and I was very pleased with myself and the crowd who were all very appreciative. At 9.50 rather than go to the toilet, slowly pack my bag, and then go find the manageress to get paid, I thought "No! I've had a good night tonight, I'll just go over to one last table."

There were 4 lads sat together, so I went over and introduced myself, got a volunteer and proceeded to do a silly card prediction routine where I find the spec's card and he finds mine. Before I started one of the lads said "I'm a performer too. Just thought you should know before you start." Fair enough, I thought, no problem.

As I was halfway through the routine I noticed another lad approach the table and place a cocktail menu near me. I saw this out of the corner of my eye, and it looked like a magician's "move". Then he took the menu away and pulled a faux shocked face to his friend. I didn't realise it at the time but he had just "disappeared" by card case.

Anyway, routine over, all smiles, I say goodnight, go to get my card case, card case gone. "Have you seen my card case?" I ask Mr. I'm-a-performer. "I haven't got it!" he squeels. "Oh well," I say, "not to worry" and walk away. I wasn't about to kick off over a stupid Bike box.

But on the way home I felt more and more annoyed. What a stupid childish stunt to pull on a "fellow" magician. Whatever happened to professional courtesy.

Now of course they were young and drunk and it was only a card case, but even so it turned a great night into one that just left a sour taste in my mouth.

What my young friends don't realise is that I know voodoo. So if you visit these boards (I doubt it) my young apprentices, heed my words: Your every ACR will be clumsy and ham fisted, your spong balls will become hard and crusty, and your balloon flowers will wilt and sometimes pop. As it was in the beginning, so it shall always be.

I bet you wish you'd added (after your initial poliet request was blanked), "Oh, it was just that you covered my card box with the cocktail menu and took it then. I thought you would probably have remembered where it was."

I wouldn't regard that as a breach of professional courtesy as (a) he was being a plonker and (b) he's not a professional (in the colloquial sense and let's hope in the literal one too).

I've ended up on stage with a number of magicians, or helping with close-up and I never try to upstage them. In fact, if I can, I always try to make them look good. I did, however, refuse to let someone do the cheap "take them out of the box first" ID gag. Maybe he was too good to use it, but I wasn't taking any chances.

Part-Timer wrote:I did, however, refuse to let someone do the cheap "take them out of the box first" ID gag. Maybe he was too good to use it, but I wasn't taking any chances.

Yeah, I wouldn't use that, either. It reminds me of that old gag where you say you've got a little invisible man standing on your palm and you ask someone to tickle him under his chin. Wherever they mime the tickle you point to about twice that height and say "No, his chin's here".

I hate to be parochial and sad 'wand', but would you give my homesickness a little tickle by saying which bar it was - ?

I'm not from Sheffield but lived there shortly before leaving England and I absolutely love the place.

misterblack wrote:I hate to be parochial and sad 'wand', but would you give my homesickness a little tickle by saying which bar it was - ?

I'm not from Sheffield but lived there shortly before leaving England and I absolutely love the place.

It was Revolution, one of the new tendy bars down near the Forum, off West Street. Not sure what era you were in Sheffield for, but Revolution is now where the Hornblower and (for a short while) Tin Pan Alley used to be.

Yep, I know the Revolution. Used to live right in the centre of town in 2003 and 2004. Aahhhh. Will definitely visit friends in Sheffield on my next UK trip.

Next time, you should sneak a tarantula into the card box, just in case it happens again.

all hapening in Sheffield then over the weekend, i was performing in the Crystal bar on friday night and tthen saw a magician performing in Meadowhall on saturday

Sheffield - centre of the magical universe!