How many sets do you have?

A set being a string of tricks that would make up an entire performance for one table. I have three currently.

i would do 5. Make them Quick, but memorable tricks like scoth and soda or penny ad dime. Make them quick and to the point but also make them string together nicely and leave an impact.

I would say 3 is the best. 3 sets of 3 tricks. That way you have lots for restaurant, walk around or at school, anywhere. It's not much to remember and you'll get lots of practice in a night of magic.

I don't think in terms of sets. I do what works best at the time. What if the food arrives? Finish that phase of the trick, after the plates hit the table, and get out of there - let them eat. Be prepared to wrap up quickly, if performing before the food arrives.

That depends on the place. I have table routines that I use in restaurants, but I will limit myself to using 2-3 in a night. Which ones depends on which one's I've used at that location before.

I also keep several alternates (trump card effects you can use for hecklers and dead crowds) prepped and ready to go.

A secondary note that Alan already touched on:
You need to be able to end your routine at any moment. That's why effects like Ambitious Card are perfect for restaurants. You can end the effect at any time, and the impact of the effect remains.

I go by an old map
Intro Effect: High visibility, funny, perhaps a non-conventional prop.
Bulk: Flexible routine that can end at any moment - multiple phases, lots of action.
Closer: Hard hitting finisher. Visual (not the same as "visibility"), short, to the point, preferrably ending with the distribution of a business card.

Note: A chop-cup can serve as both the Intro and Bulk of a routine.

Set-up 2-3 routines like that and figure out how to keep them all on your person, but still seperated (you may need to buy duplicate props for some things).
Make sure everything re-sets automatically (not quickly, not in 2 seconds, AUTOMATICALLY) - it's ready to go again as soon as it's over.
Practice performing the routines in sequence - Routine 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, . . . When you have the motions down, start on the patter.

Almost forgot, stay away from effects that use "restaurant items". Effects with salt shakers, knives, forks and alike are generally a bad idea.

I enter every walkaround gig with 3-5 sets of 1-4 tricks each. I almost NEVER do more than one set per table. In walkaround magic, the goal is to hit as many table/groups as possible in the time you are given...not to do as many tricks/sets as possible for a single table/group.

Thank you for the advice. I am going to try and manipulate my routines so that they will work even when there is a language barrier.(This happens a lot in Southern California) And try and shorten each set to 4-6 minutes each.

Once again thanks for all the advice.

Really?

I think Liquid metal is great for walk arounds and resturants..

I think what he's saying is don't use the ones that actually belong to the restaurant.

i thought he might have been saying that but wasn't sure

That to, but I suggest staying away from using such things in general.

Every time I do a fork bending routine, a spectator will hand me their fork and ask me to do it again. I explain that I don't do metal bending routines with the establishmets silverware, and I get a very "yeah right" responce. The thinking is that if you are doing magic with an "everyday object" you should be able to do it with 'any' everyday object. "I can but I won't" doesn't fly.

I've found it's better to leave the worms in the can.


On a side note, I know a magician who purchased forks and spoons identical to those used by his restaurant. He performs his bending routines with silverware straight from the table, then replaces it with another when he's done. The down side is, the restaurant holds him responsible if forks are ever missing.

Again, I'd rather leave the worms in the can.

dbaker_creator

I like your thinking about fork bending in general... But that happens IF you stop at just bending forks. Move onto bending there personel key or a coin or something!

Also you MUST get them invloved by allowing THEM to try and bend the very same forks. Example would be is asking them to put in the corkscrew in the fork. Let them touch and feel the for before you use it.


this is the same concept with a gimmicked card routine you need to move unto another trick that ends you clean where they can examine the items. Thats my opimion...

Bending their keys isn't the same as bending the restaurant's silverware.

I've bent a spectator's keys several times, but only after explaining that the key will REALLY be bent and I can't fix it. Most say, "That's fine, it's an old key I don't even remember what it's from." or something alike.

People typically don't mind if you bend their coins, though the only coin bend I use is the Closer so that's not important.

Silverware is a little different because it belongs to the restaurant and the restaurant doesn't have a representative present to give the okay.

Aside from that: If you're doing magic with an everyday object - the point being that it isn't gimmicked - you should borrow it; it just seems less suspicious and makes more sense. Look at it from the spectator's view, "Why does he walk around with forks in his pockets? This is a restaurant, there's forks everywhere? ? ?"

I see where you're coming from on the silverware, but using salt shakers and things of that nature, unless you explode them, should be fine. In fact using those add to the I can do magic with ANY everyday object. Also, the silverware thing, can be resolved very easily by a talk with the manager, asking for approval, explain what'll be happening, and even offer to replace any silverware you "damage" and give away. If you explain that using the silverware will promote and encourage word of mouth advertisement, which it will, a manager is probably going to be willing to lose a couple forks a week for that. Just MHO.