talkmagic.co.uk

Tom, the problem as I see it is that if upu are anything like me you are chiefly a "Hobbiest" magician. I personally am constantly running out of new effects to show to my relatively small circle of spectators.

By now I have built up a considerable selection of effects, some of which our firm favourites, and I have the patter and performance as slick I think I can possibly make it.

However, the majority of my effects, even some of the really good ones I only get to perform relatively seldomly.

CUPS isnt just about buying new magioc for myself, it's about wanting to impress everyone else with something new.

Where I am is that I am currently trying to read more and learn more sleights (and the ones do know, to practice more).

One thing I will say is that joining the local magic society worked really well for me. From time to time this gives me the opportunity to work to a real audience, either up on stage, or in a close up environment, but the bottom line is that it makes me focus putting together routines.

This is excellent for me. as it gives me the opportunity to structure an act. I will know in advance exactly how long I am expected to perform, and the type of audience I will be performing to. The hardest part is working out in advance the few effects that I will do, and to try and achieve some sort of continuity between them.

If I was you, and I know I am not - this is where I would try and go next. If there is not a society close by, then there are always old peoples homes crying out for a free magic show.

Just think how you would feel if you knew that you had to give a performance for say 15-30 minutes standing up in front of a group of people who had never seen you perform before. Or if you prefered a more personal close up environment seet them all at tables and do maybe 15 minutes at each table.

I found that when performing magic to just friends, family and colleagues I only usually had time to show the odd trick, maybe 2 or 3 if I was lucky, and then it was whatever was new to me. Having to think a little more about the magic I perform, and to structure routines, - then fine tune them for subsequent shows has really given me a new lease of life with the magic, and I can't recommend it enough.

Of course we are all different, and want different things, but that is where I am at the moment....

Well, to add to this in a diverse way (which is usually my style...)

I am BORED of the effects currently on the market. CUPS proved to me that the magic 'niche' has been over-filled with overpriced, recycled tripe.

It's a learning curve to work out what 'mode' of magician you are, and when you do, it's a struggle to keep impressing/beating the last trick.

However, my own personal antidote is to write write write. In fact, I seem to have discovered that buying and discovering that "oh, that's how its' done" infuriates me.

So, lately, I have been doing my own stuff, and getting the best reactions of my life.

I shall keep y'all posted...