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The subject of dealing with nerves while performing has been mentioned on other threads and somebody offered the great piece of advice that you should begin with a trick you can do in your sleep. Personally if somebody asks me to show them a trick I always have a weird moment of blankness where I wouldn't even know how to spell the word kards. However if I can get through one quick minor miracle I suddenly feel a surge of confidence, I relax and start to have fun.

I thought perhaps we could share some ideas for openers that are easy, impromptu (assuming a deck is to hand) and will allow you to release the composed magician in all of us which admittedly sounds a bit weird but you see what I mean.

For me, I enjoy Crazyman's cuffs, generally performed with hair bands. It gets a really good reaction, particularly if one of the bands is in/on a specs hands. Most importantly I don't have to think about it, my hands do all the work and once I've established that I'm a magician I feel free to levitate across the room on a carpet of flame loudly reading the thoughts of passers by. Alternatively a classic force is good as if it hits you can take a deep breath and really enjoy whatever you've got lined up, perhaps Stigmata. If it misses maybe an impromptu haunted deck although that does involve a bit of fiddling so maybe not ideal.

How about you?

An effect that I can perform in my sleep (although hopefully with a bit more animation) is The Tipsy Trick in RRTCM, with a few extra 'shuffles' thrown in. It involves cards (borrowed if necesary), is short and surprising.

Generally I only perform tricks to laymen when I know them in my sleep backwards anyway

Even something as simple as a retention vanish with a borrowed coin will help. as long as its something you KNOW you can do, and do well.

Anything to get you through that first few minutes when your body's dealing with a massive adrenaline dump, and you have no control over your hands, voice or faculties!!

I usually begin with a hindu force, then a "tell" reading exercise. Nothing could be simpler, but if done properly, it can be very effective.

The nerves go with practice and performing.

You are only nervous for a few of reasons

You don't know your stuff
You don't have confidence to perform
You are scared what people will think

Crack these and your off, the first leads to the others.

Perfrom for friends they will be about as hard as it gets. Your nerves will be a lot better with strangers who will or should give you more respect.

Once you get a few wows you will know what you are doing is good and the nerves just melt away!

I use "machine gun aces" from the art of astonishment books.

Very visual and can be very easy to perform depending on the handling you prefer to use. It is also a good way of secretly getting your aces located should you wish to use them in the next effect.

cymru1991 wrote:I usually begin with a hindu force, then a "tell" reading exercise. Nothing could be simpler, but if done properly, it can be very effective.

I do a very similar thing, but with a different force. It's quick and lets me concentrate on a bit of acting and showmanship as well as giving me a chance to get a sense of the person/people I'm performing for.

why start with a trick?

your performance starts as you aproach your spectators, and introduce yourself. get that bit right,( which IS the hardest bit of any performance) and you wont have any issues with nerves from there on in.

I like 'twins'. Only involves minor stock retention with an overhand shuffle and mostly happens in their hands (so nobody is looking at mine shaking to bu****y) and has a very strong reaction.

Strep, if you are referring The Gemini Twins then I agree with you though the way I learned it requires only some simple misdirection and no real work on the performers part.

I prefer to shuffle the cards after taking out the two random ones.

cymru1991 wrote:I usually begin with a hindu force, then a "tell" reading exercise. Nothing could be simpler, but if done properly, it can be very effective.

That's interesting; personally, I'd almost never start with a trick like this, as I find that, for most audiences, the impact of this type of magic is exponentially greater when I've already established credibility and conviction with the spectators.

In answer to the question, I tend to start with any quick and impressive card trick, like Rub-a-Dub-Dub. However, it's possible to go up a couple of notches when you've been both persuaded into performing and when you only want to perform one or two effects. An ACR in this context is effective, given that it is already designed to build dramatically.

Maybe a straight forward self worker from one of karl Fulves books? Some simple tricks available in those involving little skill so you can concentrate on the performance and get settled in.

I usually do Richard Sander's trick with the "magician club's ID", if you know what I mean? It's a great opener and really goes well with just one force.