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First of all, I know that the most likely answer to the question I'm going to ask is "Depends", but I'd like to hear from your personal experiences.

If you are planning your next show, how many tricks-routines-whatever, put in it?

I'm mostly interested in mentalism and séance-themed shows, but I'd like to hear also about other kinds of presentations.
Secondly, the time frame I'm thinking about is between 30 and 60 minutes, but I wonder if you have a sort of tricks-per-hour rule of thumb...

Depends

(This is probably not very helpful)

Let's get specific: how many tricks do YOU plan for your next show? And how long it is?

It does depend. What sort of show is it? How many people are you expecting to to perform for, are they people that you know, are they people that know each other? For me, if I'm doinga parlour show, I usually aim for 1 hour to an hour and a half and might have five different routines.

Lady of Mystery wrote: For me, if I'm doinga parlour show, I usually aim for 1 hour to an hour and a half and might have five different routines.

I am thinking of nothing particular (yet). I'm trying to get a feeling at how an experienced magician plan things, as I have not many occasion of enjoying a full show, apart from internet/tv, which I suspect can be quite different. Actually the answer you gave me is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for, although I'm a bit surprised as the timings you indicate imply something like 15 minutes (or more) per routine, which at first sight seems quite a lot.
I find the topic quite interesting...

The last time I put together a stage show, which was due to run for around 45 minutes, I had three distinct effects. These did connect to each other, to some degree, so ultimately the 'act' contained three closely-tied 'routines'. This was for mentalism, though, which is obviously different to a magic show.

That said, the last magician I saw was performing for children and he only did a very few tricks during his hour-long performance. Very good he was too.

EDIT: Hah! Yes, about 15 minutes per routine is where I found myself too. Coincidence?

Futhermore, when I do close-up (which is most of the time) I currently rely on up to three routines. I also happen to have a backup, which I may or may not use depending on how well things go. I figure that for one group of people two is probably enough. That's 15-20 minutes of attention seeking behaviour, which should satisfy most pub-goers before they get bored

Let's get on with the answers: I am creating a new prediction-based mentalism routine without even noticing

For stage and cabaret i normally do a 45 minute show and it will have 6 effects. For strolling i will use three effects in my set but they will be linked to form a common theme and flow like one piece and not 'tricks'. I do the same for table work.

Stephen Ward wrote:For stage and cabaret i normally do a 45 minute show and it will have 6 effects. For strolling i will use three effects in my set but they will be linked to form a common theme and flow like one piece and not 'tricks'. I do the same for table work.

Thanks for the answer, what kind of effects are you talking about (I am asking for nothing more than a broad category)?

MiKo wrote:I'm a bit surprised as the timings you indicate imply something like 15 minutes (or more) per routine, which at first sight seems quite a lot.
I find the topic quite interesting...

My act is mainly mentalism and mental magic, for those I actually find it very difficult to pull together a nice routine that lasts much less than that. Also if you're putting together a parlour show, you need to factor time in to over run because of banter and joking with the audience. I'd guess that a good quarter of the time that I'm doing routine is spent just interacting with the audience.

Close-up tends to be mind reading, prediction, picture duplication. The stage show has a theme of how the mind can be influenced so i have prediction, guest as a mind reader, telepathy and influence of the audience. I do use a number of effects by Paul Brook, Ken Dyne & Colin McCleod plus one of my own.

I joined this forum less than 10 days ago and I'm already loving the community . Thanks a lot for the answers.

Here is the thing. It Depends!

My advice don't worry so much about it, do what most magicians do, ease into it. Go out and start performing just a few effects for friends or at work, whatever, just one or two. Slowly over time you will see what works and what doesn't work for you, for your style and your abilities. Soon you may string an effect or two together. It may be something as handing somebody a sealed envelope and then going through an entire svengali deck routine, only to end with the card vanished and it ends up in the sealed envelope. Then you may introduce a coin effect, or rope or whatever. By doing this you will create an act that will work for you.

I can tell you I perform three effects in 20 minutes, but maybe I talk slow and drawn out. ( I don't, I move pretty quick) but I also engage my audience. I get to know them and have fun I don't perform one trick after another. I laugh with my audience, I let them be my guide. I constantly change patter to suit the situation, and always on the fly, I'll change effects mid stream, I learn what they like and act accordingly. Yes I have a basic path from which I do not wander. At the end of the day my story has its beginning, its middle and its end. And it is almost always the same, just the path is different.

In summery. It depends.

PS when I say 'you' I don't mean you personally so don't take offense I'm talking to anyone who is new to all this

Doing seance type mentalism shows, I would do two effects in thirty to forty minutes. For a more standard mentalism show I might do three effects over forty minutes. That's roughly the same as my kids act - five routines in an hour.