talkmagic.co.uk

Hi people.

As holidays are coming fast and chrismas parties are coming up I could use a bit of help. I'm attending a christmas party with people from my university, and I've been asked to do some sort of entertainment since they know I'm a magician. I could easily show them some effects, I was just thinking if you guys had any ideas, or knew about bigger effects that could be fun and entertaining while people sat around the table eating? Something funny and something that would involve spectator participation perhaps.

Any comments would be much appreciated.

Thank you very much.

First thing to jump to mind is Derren Brown's Lift

I indeed think that lift would be an great effect to perform, the only problem is that I need to get my hands on the 1st edition of Pure effect to learn the method, and it's quite hard to find and expensive. But thanks for your comment though.

How long have you got until the party? What sort of magic do you perform normally?

I've got a bit more than two weeks. And it doesn't necessarily have to be a magic trick or effect, it could just be some sort of funny game etc. I was just thinking that since most people from here a from the UK, and I am from Denmark, I thought that there might be some cool foreign idea that would be new to most of the guest:)

The magic I normally perform is a mix of closeup and parlor magic, usually performed in a funny, silly and unexpected way not taking the role of being the magician too seriously, but still with a great respect for the secrets though.

Why don't you do a Christmas present type routine? You can have six bits of paper with fantastic presents on them and have someone choose a present. Switch the paper for one with the most horrendous present imagineable! Maybe giving you a big sloppy kiss!!! Have them read out the presents they could have won, then go for a big reveal. If you don't want the trouble of switching you could use six A4 envelopes with pictures of presents inside. You can then use a Pxxxo force or a rxxxxxg nxxxxr force. Hilarity ensues - or at least, it did when I did it last Christmas!!!!!!


K

Oh, and I own pure effect. It's over-rated!!! Just my opinion! People want it because no-one has it!!! Not because its any good!

I've suggested this before, but Woody Aragon has a mentalism/comedy routine (presented as mentalism, but ends as comedy) that all members of the audience participate in.
it's on his dvd set, and also on his penguin live lecture. Its more of a game than magic, but i'd say it is magical also. No one will know how it happened. Not one for your grandparents, but probably suitable for a university crowd.

also perhaps some form of verbal magic, where everyone at the table could take part, could make different choices to each other but the effect still works for all of them?

How many people are going to be sat at the table?

We're going to be around 20 people in total, and I will try to look up Woody Aragons routine as you suggested it sounds quite interesting, does it have a specific name?

On his DVD set it is called Ring Divination.