I’ve been into magic my whole life and I got to thinking that maybe it would be fun to do a little show for friends on Halloween.
I was mainly leaning towards finding a good kit. Anyone have any tips on a good kit to buy for adults? Or are those all awful?
Any other tips? Thanks!
Posted Sep 12, 2018, 2:07 AM UTC
Get Joshua Jay’s Magic: The Complete Course. It’s pretty cheap for what you get: a book full of good tricks and a DVD teaching you how to do some of the best ones.
Be like teller (don't say anything and be amazing.)
This is probably the best advice ever .
Have you ever done amy magic before? If not Halloween might be a bit optimistic for a stage show for your mates.
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If you want to change it up and include some new technology using your smartphone then Call a member of the audience up and ask them to pick a card. Then call WeKnowAnyCard . The call center that knows the card. Download the App and practice a few times to perfect your technique before bringing it to your performance . It’s completely free with unlimited use after paying small fee for the App
Curious about this, can you pm, or post here without revealing too much about what I can expect if I get the app? Thank you!
Hi Mighty Potter. Not sure how to pm if you pm me then I could directly reply. I’m new to reddit. So in this App available on google playstore , ( and soon be on Apple,it’s under review for Apple just now.)you ask your friend to name a card then you call The WeKnowAnyCard call center . Obviously there are instructions when you download the app but it is very discreet. You then hand the phone to friend or press the speaker button for all to hear and Then, after a few rings, a call center agent, mostly funny character will answer and tell them the card. It’s 0.99 cents to download but be assured after that it’s completely free unlimited use. There is no actual call being made so no cellular cost. Its all magically done soundfiles within the app. Works off line. It’s already been reviewed by magician Scott Wells who may give it a mention in his The Magic Word podcast tomorrow . Thanks for your interest.
When you say you've been "into magic" what do you mean?
Do you currently have any books or equipment?
I'm taking this to be something like 5-10 minutes of closeup for 5-10 people? Is that a reasonable assumption?
There are a pile of tricks out there where the shop's advertising says, "You can do this five minutes after you open the box!" This is a lie. Figuring out the presentation will take you a lot longer than five minutes all by itself. Check out Henry Hay's Amateur Magician's Handbook, particularly the part where he talks about "easy hard tricks" and "hard easy tricks."
Speaking of routines, as we were, both Hugard and Braue's Royal Road to Card Magic and Bobo's Modern Coin Magic have chapters that consist of nothing but suggested routines. You have a month and a half between now and Halloween -- plenty of time to learn one routine.
Consider checking out about three hundred hours of instruction at Scam School to find ten minutes you really like, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOSSdjmc9f4
Consider a set of sponge balls and any of the instructional DVDs on sponge balls; e.g. World's Greatest Magic (L&L Publishing), Essentials of Magic: Sponge Balls (Daryl), Clever Sponge Ball Magic (Duane Laflin), etc. etc.
Something doesn't have to be difficult, or even particularly magical, to be entertaining. "Entertaining" should be your watchword.
Thanks!!
I will try that. I just want to find maybe 5 tricks that will entertain 10 people. This should help a lot!
Routining and presentation are the two real secrets of magic.
"The vanishing card trick" on Scam School amazes and works with a devilishly simple idea. One of my favorites.
I love the Johnny Depp trick Daniel Garcia does on this old Scam School.
It’s just so fun. Did it at a fundraiser event I was performing at years ago and it was a hit.
I'd advise to get a pack of cards or some ropes, then find one of Karl Fulve's Self working magic books. You'll easily be able to perform the effects in them with little practice, and some of them are quite stunning.
Just learn how to double lift that's it
Okay.... So kits are pretty much crap. What you need is a routine. Something that requires little skill and packs a punch. No sleight of hand, no odd manipulation...
Let's talk about the variables you can control.
I think you should start with a prediction, then do a few fun things with audience members, finalize with something impressive, and come back around to reveal the prediction.
Here's a routine I often suggest to people for 10min sets at talent shows, school functions, or office mixers. The main thing is PRACTICE. Run through it minimum 3x a night.
Hand a deck of cards in a wine glass to a female in the audience then cover it with a cloth napkin. Ask her to "keep an eye on that for the rest of the show".
Do a fun opener... Maybe some rubber band magic... here are some additional tricks that rock.
Then say, "I know you're not suppose to have your phones out right now, but everyone get your phone out....Text a friend and ask them to send you the name of a card. I'll give you a second... (wait 30 seconds). Alright. Everyone done?"
Bring the "big fun guy" on stage and do Paper Balls over the head with a toiler paper roll.
Ask if anyone at that table has had a response to the text they sent out.
Have them join you on stage. Ask where their friend lives. (Canada)
Look at the woman with the wine glass and say... "You've been holding on to that glass, right? Nobody's touched it, correct?"
Tell them. "Last night I had a dream. One card was so clear in my mind that I knew it was destiny. In this glass is a deck of cards with one card reversed..."
Take the deck from her, leave the glass.... "What was the card your friend in Canada picked?" (Nine of hearts). Fan out the deck and reveal the nine of hearts.
Everyone goes nuts. You look like a baller. Bang everyone at the party.
Edit: Lastly, take off your jacket have pull a full tall glass of booze out of it before you say goodbye and walk off the stage.
Thanks for the detailed response!
I am a little confused about how that Glass trick is done. How do I know they will choose the 9 of hearts?
SO... if you're interested in that routine we can discuss details in PM... this sub has rules against exposure.
Can I get a name or source for that trick as well?
PM'd.
I'm hoping that this doesn't sound rude... but you clearly have a lot to learn. It's a great card trick, and this suggested handling is even better!!!!
The above is really good advice. A routine that flows is far better than string together tricks - and kits all use the same old tricks that many of your audience know anyhow!
Good luck - and this is a great subreddit to hang around in and ask questions. Post your potential routine when you've had a chance to think...
But think about who you are, and who you can be on stage. One of the most important things is to be relaxed during performance. You will be scared, excited and things may (will!) go wrong. With experience you learn about "outs" where you utilise mistakes and unusual situations to change what you are doing and sometimes even have a better result! Remember - the audience doesn't know where you going so things can be changed on the fly.
Don't try to copy anyone - be yourself, but turned up to 11, and you have a major stumbling block covered.
For this first routine stick to simple, almost self working tricks. The example here is great for that. Practice the eyelines on the balls over the head, but that one is about timing and repetition. The card "just thought of" is simple but will play HUGE, and ending the routine on the drink clearly signifies to the audience that the performance is over. There's a few different methods there - I'm sure this other redditor will help you with his favourite. I do something similar, but with wine - though I'm thinking a full pint might be more astounding (but wouldn't work with my method damn it!)
Thanks! I was hoping to avoid card tricks because cards never really interested me much but i think it would be best as a beginner to try befriend cards.