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Only just joined so go easy on me. I'm at university at the moment and am studying a module on British Variety, at the end of the term we will put on a performance. I'm thinking of doing some magic. I have no experience with illusions but a bit with cards. The audience will b between 50 and 100 probably but in a smallish studio theatre. Any ideas on possible effects? I've become fascinated with the Copperfield Aces trick but I doubt whether it would fill a stage. Suggestions, comments, ideas all welcome. Cheers.

Firstly, welcome.

I would advise against cards on a stage and as you have already identified, they will be difficult for the audience to see unless you have a camera and large screen to project the images onto. The Copperfield Aces routine is also a difficult one to start with and is an intermediate skilled routine.

I would suggest some sponge, ropes, chop cup routines that will be visual and perhaps easier to learn.

I think some card effects are okay - such as Cards Across, where the effect isn't (necessarily) about the values of the cards, merely the quantity which the people on stage verify.

Performers have in the past made cards work on stage, performing close-up for people sat at a table - their reactions to the magic would be enough to delight the audience. But those were different times and you really have to be a good showman to make it work.

Go for a long cup and balls routine - Michael Ammar has some awesome work on it available. That would be plenty visual for a studio-size audience.

Also - have a look at some IT effects. Good visual magic, with clear story/plot lines, that you can make as big or small as you like.

Rope, Cups and Balls , My beloved sponges, Also for your next show do card manipulation if you got time to learn it. Card Manipulation is still impressive.

Am thinking of doing one single trick with a strong plot as you suggested Zack, also considering the chop cup (thanks dat8962) but im going to try and weave some comedy and/or some audience participation. Any further ideas, all this info is very much appreciated.

AS everyone is saying. You should do some card tricks but not too many. You should do some sponge ball routines and some rope and so on. You cold also do some interactive illusions where you can select people to do a trick to. A couple of flourishes would do good and some tricks with story lines will get their attention.

Why don't you do some mentalism stuff?

There are plenty of hood books on it and they have the right effect on a larger audience.

Definatley get at least one of the Jeff McBride magic on stage dvds, perferably all 3! If your short on money just get 'the comando act' one. There loads you can do with just rope, rings, silks ect

As said above, I'd try to avoid cards as they're not easily visible. I'm working on a similar stage routine at the moment. Ropes are good as are silks and sponge balls. There are also some nice simple illusions that are easy to make and don't cost a bomb.

I've just read the Steinmeyer book Hiding the Elephant which was incredible. I'm really interested in the Magic Kettle and think it would be an absolute killer in front of the audience, jsut wondering whether i am punching well above my weight as i have no idea how it is done or how to go about finding info on it.

Of course you can present Card Magic on stage Fonz IF you are skilled or prepared to work on Showmanship & Presentation, Billy O'Connor( & His 52 Assistants) and the great Lionel King ( The Nap Hand) were on the Large Music Halls/ Variety Theatres for years. Each used just a pack of cards. But they were working everyday of their performing lives.
Cards Across had already been mentioned. Then there's the Diminishing Cards ( been with me since 1946) 6 Card Repeat ( Paul D does it on stage) Cards To Pocket, Card To Wallet( with me since about 1974) and heaven knows how many Jumbo Card Tricks.
Size, in this case, is Not necessarily important! Billy McComb performed Coin In Bottle on the London Palladium stage.
In the case of Stage size/visibilty:
a. If there's a follow spot make sure it's focussed on you all the time.
b. You have to go with that worst( usually) kind of magician's patter ie Reported Speech. as. " Now watch the coin as I place it into my hand and--it's gone" " Here then is the 6 of hearts. It goes into this glass. Cover it with a handkerchief" " I throw away 1, 2 ,3 cards and I'm left with 1,2,3,4,5,and one makes 6 cards." etc.
IN OTHER words you will have to TELL them WHAT is happening.

Sponge Balls. Several times I've performed this in 2 of my lectures and often, particularly young magicians say " Oh I never thought of that as a stage effect" Mine is adapted from the late great Joe Ridings routine.
It is also published as ( a bit cheeky) Stage Sponges by Billy McComb, obtainable from Myles Sinclair's Magical Wonders

Illusions. There is ( but not around much now) a booklet by U F Grant called Victory Carton Ilusions. Put out in World War 2 time becauses of shortages of wood/metal etc. They are all worked with cardboard cartons. The original one, 'Victory Carton Girl Production' is in the Mark Wilson Course book.
Any other details pm me.
The advice on try mental magic is NOT good in your circumstances Mental Magic needs building upto with experience. Not as a one off. You also need to be able to 'act'.

The Magic Kettle I've presented on several shows. In my reproduction of the Dante Show I used Jeffrey Atkins VERY simple method. Dante used the Beer Barrel, but there was only one model of this available at the time and it had a limited capacity. The kettle offered more variety. Strangely i thre the 2 small kettles I used away only ;last week. Ah.
It costs a little as you need, perhaps miniatures, of the drinks.
The book telling all is obtainable from Magic Books By Post, at £5
I also presented 'Any Drinks Called For' when I impersonated Kalanag on one of my president's nights..'The Old & New( the junior members) Magic'
This was a totally different method. Kalanag used it as one scene in his big show but it is a complete Act. I still marvel at how brilliant he performed this on my video tapes and include the sequence in my Kalanag lecture.
Again it needs Showmanship and (very much) pace plus 2 assistantys to carry the trays in and out of the audience.
Allen Tipton

Can't thank you enough, fantastic post, i really appreciate all the help i have been given on here. Invaluable source. Just ordered the Magic Kettle book, also very tempted by a simple trick such as the Rising Card, along with a shortish Chop Cup routine. It's only a very short 5-10 min slot so I'm thinking of getting 5 or so tricks in mind then perfecting them and then timing then to the second.

5 to 10 minutes Fonz? 5 tricks!!! Oh dear no please. You'd never do it.
If it's 5 then 1 good trick preceded by a quickie is enough. If's it's 10 then a SHORT QUICKIE opening, your longest trick and a short closer which could be colourful or even a gag trick.
Allen Tipton.

Sorry meant to say get 5 tricks perfected then cut it down to one or two perhaps, no definite time scale yet though. Cheers for the advice on ordering as well, may try and find a small funny trick to finish off.