I have never worked as a resaurant magician, but I hope to someday. How many effects do I need to perform restaurant magic?

I can do the following routines very well.

Crazy Man's Handcuffs
3/4 Across
U.F. Grants 5 and 1 Transpo
Hundy 500
Vanishing Hankercheif

and with cards...

Weighted Aces or Two card Monte
Rosini Surprise Stab or I've Got a Surprise For You
"That's It" by Eddie Fechter

I haven't worked them into two or three trick routines yet, but I hope to have three sets of three tricks. Is this enough?

Thanks,

Matt

The thing with Stage, Restaurant, and most magic, its not the amount of tricks to do... its the amount of time they hire you to perform.

Lets say they hired you to do a 30 minute show everyday for their restuarant, and its up to you to do table-hopping, or a stand up show.

With 30 minutes, i would say you should be able to do about 5-6 or 7 different effects. Why 5-7? Becuase of the presentation. Your not going to do a trick and stop, you need to mix your magic with stories and different presentations.

Hope i made sense...
-magicman135

You need to know as much as possible. My theory is that if you have to ask, you should learn more. You need to understand the psychology of magic to work restaurants. Learn as many ungimmicked card and coin effects as possible and know how to improvise.

X, another post with quality advice... I agree with that 100%.

When a magician performs with actual Sleight of Hand, it not only helps him/her become a better magician, but i think that it also it shows more professionality toward the audience.

-magicman135

ok this is a great question. First restraunt magicians pack light that means no cases, or bags, or pouches inless your also doing balloons then a pouch is acceptable. You should be able to fit 2-3 hours of entertainment into your coat, vest, and pockets. that dosnt mean you want to have your pockets so filled you loose stuff. Only take the bear assentials. Here is what i mean, you need to bring things that you have multiple routines with, like coins I could do an hour of magic with just coins (not that I would but its just an example) Cards Most restraunt magicians have a huge portions of their routines based around cards. sponge balls are common fun for kids AND ADULTS dont under estimate them and they are small. Rubber bands for crazy mans handcuffs and more elastic magic. possibly pen through bill it only has one effect to it but it packs small and plays big. TT is a no brainer vanishing salt or silk for the kids. basically bring things that can be used for multiple routines.

Ok now for how many tricks. I personally have 3 routines with 3 tricks per routine, this allows me to not get to confused with millions of tricks and routines thats only 9 tricks total for 2-3 hours. pocket management is huge to restraunt magic so you dont get mixed up, also never preform for the table next to one you just preformed for because you will have onlookers and they will ruin the show you are about to do for them. So do a show, then walk across the room and do the same one and walk back and do it again for another table you will do those 3 routines all night for different people each time. you can have more or less tricks per routine, but 3 tricks per routine and 3 routines has always worked for me.

now for my restraunt act i am always prepared so i pack doubles of most things this is what i bring with me to restraunt acts.

-4 rubber bands(crazymans handcuffs, and rubber star)and 8 invisible loops
-2 decks of cards one red one blue(just incase always have 2)
-2 sharpies(incase one goes out)
-papercliped card(2 incase I loose one)
-three Half inch sponges, and four two inch ones
-TT
-bilit prediction
-8 half dollars, 4 pennys, and 3 dimes
-rings and a peice of string, and a coat hanger rod
-pen through bill
-2 different color rubber balls and a silk

that is about 2-3 hours of magic in a restraunt for me. work on those routines you choose intill you do them in your sleep. work out all the buggs be funny and entertaining, and dont pack your pockets full of gimmicks because you will run out of material in 5 minutes. some gimmicks are ok but keep it light.

GOOD LUCK PRACTISE YOUR BUTT OFF and hope to see you in a restraunt some day!!

Graham ROBBINS.

That is great advice that is often neglected. Double up on everything. Trust me, if it's small enough to lose, you will lose it eventually. I always have at least two sharpies, two decks, a dozen bands (due to my routine), at least 5 halves and a shell (I'm not too worried about losing it and if I do, I can improv or redesign the set), My pocket full of sponges, and my Ninja Rings(which are too large to lose.). That's really a lot of stuff to carry, if you think about it. I leave my case in the back and leave all my extras in it. I'd recommend that you do the same thing, but also be prepared to improv a good part of the routine. In all my walk around shows, I'm prepared to go into a jazz performance if I have too. Remember though, I've been doing magic for 13 years. I've performed for everyone from the homeless to millionaires. I'm very comfortable in practically any situation and have no problems doing my magic.

So, three routines, with three effects each should do the trick?

I'm thinking the reason you have three different routines, is so if you perform for one table, and end up performing for another table later, that was close to the first one, they will not see repeats.

Is that correct, and is that enough?

Did you read any of what I wrote? He said that's what he has, not what you need. That works for him. That would actually work for a lot of people, but it might not work for you.

X is right that stuff works for me not everyone else be original and do it your own way.

Tunafish2,
Instead of going into something blind why don't you take the time and money and buy 'learning' material on the subject. There's a vast network out there where you can get valuable info on restaurant work. Everyone is so worried about what to get instead of learning the trade before you waste your time getting anything.
Read up on it and you will be suprised what you come away with. You will not get the answers you really need on here.