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I'm in the process of changing my table routine and am looking for a new opener to really grab the specs attention.

In the past I've used The Professors Nightmare, James Brown's 11p trick, The Silent Treatment etc but now really struggling to find something that's really got that WOW factor and gets the specs engaged.

Any ideas anyone? My only criteria is I don't want it to be a card or card based trick, and I finish with chop cup so it can't be that! Also it'd help if it was done in the hands rather than on the table to get everyone involved!

I'll put the best suggestions to a poll and the winner will be what I learn and perform!

Cheers

Carl

What about spongeballs, or along similar lines the good old multiplying rabbits?

I've been doing spongeballs for what feels like ever, so just fancied a complete change and bring some new material in.

They always get good reactions though so I may have to reconsider..

I have always found finding an opener so difficult as it needs to have some magic happening quite quickly so to engage your audience, it needs to set the tone for your performance and is helpful if it gives you an 'in' as far as approach goes.


Diceman by Nyman is an effect really designed to be an opener and goes down great with an audience.
I also really like 'Behind the 8 Ball' too but fear it may be too similar to the chop cup routine you perform.

hows about an "I light the flash paper and a coin appears"

it's big, bold, quick, gets your attention, and leads you on to do summit else

if you fancy it, you could lead that onto the 11p trick, giving you istant status as actually being good - fire, and jam, in but 5 minutes!

Crazy Man's Handcuffs (bet you didn't see that one coming!). I use that and Red Hot Mama more or less exclusively as openers but Red Hot Mama is cards so you may not fancy it.

From all the closeup magic I have experienced as an spectator I think a strong money effect involving a note lend from a spectator is one of the best
options. Change one of the spectators £50 note to a 5£ note and I can ensure you that you have got the attention of at least one spectator!

You can then insert a few other routines and a bit later you can produce the
spectators note in spectacular fashion (if I was to extend my repertoire I would produce it in a lemon or kiwi).

An old classics people do not do that much these days is to borrow a watch
that you put in a bag you then slam with a hammer until cogwheels and springs are visibly seen dropping out. I think this trick/gag would work well as an opener. If you have done the effect without mistakes you complete it by assembling the watch in a magical fashion (make sure you have a good out for this effect e.g. make sure you have a way of leaving the party unnoticed and before they realised what happened).

You want to see how hard it is finding an opener for close-up mentalism but I am getting there.

Something I've used on occasion - if there are candles on the table, arrange for them to be unlit. Then, with a quick "excuse me", light the candle with a match from a matchbook, silently but dramatically shove it into your fist, execute vanish (I'm starting to sound like Brian Tudor!), and reveal an empty, unburnt hand with a smile as you say, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be your magician this evening..."

Really, the 11p trick is a very good opener, I use a similar effect, just with a total vanish rather than a jumbo load for a finish. I'd also agree with Bronz - Red Hot Mama/Chicago Opener really knocks them between the eyes and lets them know you know your stuff, unfortunately for you it's cards. (Although I also see the benefit of not starting with a card trick... I tend to go into card stuff with John Archer's line, "it's in the magician's code that every act should include a card trick... otherwise magic will become popular again and everyone will be doing it..." )

Personally I'd do something with money, either coins or a bill or as suggested in another thread, vanish something at the start of the routine and bring it back at the end as the final load in your chop cup.

Obviously there are a number of ways of vanishing objects but I've been working with the Devil's pocket square again recently and it'a a wonderful way to vanish medium sized objects.

I suggest a simple but visual routine using any object you want to keep for your final load, i suggest something that has no value whatsoever. Ex: olive, bottle cap, anything you can incorporate in your act.

Start easy with a borrowed coin and a wand(optional), the coin Vanish, appear and vanish From your hand then at your stupefaction your object appear instead of the coin.

Proceed to send that object from where it comes and switch back for the coin. thats it give back the coin to who ever it is.

This could easily been used as a running gag and repeated another time in middle of another routine. Then before a final load at the end inside a story wich would finnaly justify its apparition.

Of course this is just a plain idea and you would have to figure the texts as well as the sleights you can use.

Jay Sankey's Holy Moly is a good opener, its a quick trick that happens in the spectators hands.

My 2 penneth, Card Warp

I know that this is really very basic, and I don't perform professionally, only socially, but I always start with a simple TT silk vanish. It starts the spectators off with a "how did he do that" moment.

Probably to basic for a pro performance though.

For decades now, I've started every show with the Miser's Dream.

It's fast, so it quickly establishes that you are a magician.

The way I do it, it gets the audience settled down.

And I agree with Vernon, who called it the perfect trick.