Im 15 years old, turning 16 pretty soon, I live in brisbane Australia and there are a couple of nice small resturants pretty close by. I was wondering how to firstly get some shows, like small shows for adults and kids.

The biggest concern I have about getting shows is that most of the tricks i perform are pretty complictated, like the card tricks i perform and i doubt if i do a kid show that they will be very interested because they will not udnerstand the effect. (eg. jazz aces, pocket interchange, club sandwich etc.) i cant see kids getting entertained from that stuff. So for the kids I have decided to maybe buy a few large gimmicks, ones I am looking at at the moment are Hippity hop rabbits, penut butter and jelly illusion, wobbly wand thing, and the appearing cane. I already have sponge balls n such and am also thinking about purchasing cups and balls. If you think you have any more advice on what to buy or anything please post.

I would also like to know if kids shows is the most common age group, or the only age group that really orders a magician for a show. I myself just cant see anyone over the age of 10 ordering a magician to come and do a show for them... I may be wrong and if like the 15-25 year old age group comes in what tricks would you reccommend? I could do a fair few card tricks and sponge ball effects that they would like such as invisible deck, jazz aces (my own version), reset, la dama inquiete (restless lady) and stuff but what else would they like.

Now for the resturant bit. At a resturant this is where I think I would work best, it seems like the best place that suits my type of magic, close up, in ure face, short and to the point hard hitting magic. But which resturants to go to? And in Australia, I doubt any of the resturants have even heard of magicians working in resturants, or even heard of magicians lol. How would i sort of arrange anything.

My last concern is exactly how do you know when you are ready, what skill level do you have to sort of be at to start doing shows or working in a resturant, i have been doing sleight of hand for about a year now. Please share your thoughts, I will keep checking back at this post and ANY advice or thoughts are GREATLY appreciated!!!!

I can do a fair load of effects a few of the good ones are: (some are gimmicked but when it comes down to audience there are not alot of sleight of hand effects you can really do, i have the sponge balls and i know alot of card tricks that envolve sleight of hand. lol that was just for all the people that may burn me for saying i dont have enuff sleight of hand, and i may be gettting cups and balls depending on peoples replies to this post)

-ACR
-Restless Lady
-Jazz Aces
-Twisting the aces
-Maxi-twist
-Paperclipped
-B2-bomber
-Brainwave+Invisible Deck
-Sponge balls
-Vanashing Silk
-Bill Malones Bill to lemon
-Hummingbird card
-Floating Bill
-Club Sandwich
-2 Card Montes
-Michael Skinners 3 card monte
-Golden 3 shell game
-3 card monte (dai vernons soh vesion)
- invisible palm aces
-Coin Matrix

- and many more...

I dont think i am really short on effects, just need to plan routines and need some advice on how to go about getting work.
-

Thank you,
Kind Regards,
Dylan Tollemache!

use the search function. There are so many threads that are identical to this one. Most of the information is from kids who have never worked a restaurant in their lives so watch who you get the info from.

Some of us are regular restaurant magicians, working full time as such. Just look through the archives and you will be answered.

Please give some useful advice, There may be other posts but i want advice on my routines, on what i should buy etc. None have a post like this.

THanks

Hey Dylan,

You've got quite a bit of good stuff there! Don't sell yourself short. If you are very comfortable with these effects and can do them without fumbling, forgetting patter, or getting extremely nervous, then you are probably ready to start performing for people.

As far as routines, it really depends on the crowd you are aiming for. A routine for a kids show would probably (depending on the length) have anywhere from 6 - 12 or so effects (again, depending on the length of the show and the length of each effect.) What I tend to do is make a list of all the effects I have according to type (coins, cards, etc.) I then try to put a very visual attention-getting effect first. I'll then move on to other effects of the same type before switch gears to a different type of effect. When you are routining, always have a reason to switch to the other type of effect. Make up some patter that allows you to move from card tricks to coin tricks. Also, make sure you finish with your best effect. You want to leave them wanting more! Make sure its visual and really gets a reaction!

I just wrote a pretty long post in the general restaurant sticky topic (sorry, I forget the exact name) about some ideas for restaurant magic. Check it out and let me know if you have any other questions.

I can suggest that if you want to do restaurant magic, try the following:

1. Practice 3 really hard-hitting, visual effects. In your case you might take out a deck of cards, magically produce the 4 aces, go into Twisting the Aces, and then as a finish, float one of the Aces as the Hummingbird card (if you can do that. Sorry, but I'm not 100% familiar with the Hummingbird)

2. Once you have that routine down pat, call a couple of the restaurants that you would like to work in during the slow part of the day - usually a couple hours after lunch, but an hour or two before the dinner crowd comes in. Ask to speak to the manager. Introduce yourself and ask to meet with the manager, possibly near the end of lunch some day or before the beginning of the dinner rush. Set an exact time and then be on time! Go through your routine and let the manager know how you can be a benefit to their restaurant. Happy customers = return customers. When you are finished with this little "interview" offer to give the manager a "free 1/2 hour" trial so he can see you in action and see the wonderful results you can bring. When he sees the guests laughing and smiling and having a great time, you can be sure to get a call! You can then discuss pricing and work schedule, etc.

Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.

Take care,

Dave

Thanks alot for your help, I'll practice my routines alot within the next 2 weeks, 4-5 Hours a day, especially the routine ill try to make up for the manager and I will start calling some resturants, I think the biggest thing I have to worry about is my nerves kicking in and my stutter effecting everything

I will also buy some cups and balls and maybe a kids trick, i was thinkin about Smiling Assasin for kids shows and kids at resturants but im now wondering if its maybe a little bit too gory? Im not to sure check it out http://www.penguinmagic.com/product.php?ID=758. If you can please recommend me some other kids magic gimmicks etc.
Thanks again.

I have done 4 kids birthday parties and 2 shows at my daughters school and these are some effects that got very good reactions:

-Use your TT to vanish and reappear a silk
-Vanishing crayons followed with magic coloring book
-Some magic with rope ( make it funny)
-Cardtoon 1 or 2 (the kids love this)
-Sponge Balls


These are just a few examples. With kids you have to make yourself likeable. Dont do any sucker tricks like 2 card monte that might make them feel stupid. Kids and cards dont go so well. I do one card trick where they pick a card, loose it in the pack then I cant seem to find it. Eventually they notice that it is stuck to my forehead. Thay all laugh and then I play dumb as if I dont know what they are laughing at, but any more complicated than that and they will loose interest.

Big, colorful, easy to see and follow tricks I have found go over best with children. If you make yourself look a little silly , in my opinion, the kids wont think of you as an adult, they will see you as a big kid and I think that is something that they can relate to.

Gary

Definately a no-no at a restaurant. And a bigtime no-no for kids. Reasons:

1. Too violent for a restaurant setting.
2. Too loud/surprising (don't want to give someone a heart attack at the restaurant).
3. Too violent for kids. Sure, kids watch violent movies and such because their parents allow them too...but you have no way of knowing which parents would be cool with you shooting a pack of cards with faces on them and showing their kid the one with the bloody bullet wound in its head. Some parents would definately have a problem with that, especially in that setting.

Sure the trick can be a neat effect, but its a bigtime no-no for any restaurant gig. I'd suggest you take some time to learn what's acceptable and whats not before even thinking about getting a restaurant gig.

Some of the best advice I have heard.

Ya I thought that it would be an inappropriate effect, I might go with something like Cardtoon, At the moment can anyone recommend me a good stand up close-up magic dvd??? I have looked around but cant really find any dvd's that grab my attention... Any of you know of a good one?

Thanks

hi...
Develop a routine with patter, practice until you cant get it wrong, then go to a restaraunt, talk to the manager and tell him/her, that you'll work for free, as long as you get to keep the tips, this way you can make yourself over $200 a week in tips...

As long as you can convince him that you can entertain the customers, and promote them to return another time..everything should be fine. It doesnt really matter what trick you do, as long as its enteratining, thats all the manager wants to see..

take care and goodluck

Hello, you come from Australia so you should be one to have known that in Australia tips are extremely rare, 200 dollers in tips is extremely doubtful not matter how good a magician is, I spoke to a magician that works at Tweed Heads, he makes at most 10 dollers a night from tips..., therefore i cant afford to work for free.

Anyone who works for free is worth exactly what they are paid, NOTHING. If your not good enough to get paid for performing, you should not even try to do magic. The ONLY exception to this is a ONE NIGHT ONLY audition. After that is cost money to have you in the restaurant.

Peter

hold on sunny jim..
First of all, in Australia..the tight-asses do give tips if you're worth them.... i know this magician that works with me and he does restaurant walk-arounds and he is a fantastic magician and he goes up to a table, asks them whether they want to see some magic..they say yes most times, then he does the magic, and asks for tips in a polite way..the give him tips and usually he doesnt get anthing less than $10...if not at least $5. now if you're getting 5-10 dollars per table, do 15 tables in one night....thats about $125+...for one nights work. I live in Australia and if you go to a decent restaurant, not mcdonalds..but a 5 star restaurant..of course they'll usually give tips....IF YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH!!

They guy working in tweed heads must'nt be too good or he would get more. The guy i know works in a restaurant in Sanctuary Cove..and he makes minimum of $250 per night for a 3 hr shift. Plus he doesnt get paid by the manager...and if you're saying that hes not good enought to get paid from the maganer..how come he earns so much in tips???

Then also..when you start a job in a restauraunt, why would the manager pay you if he doesnt know how good you are? if you keep the tips...he shouldnt need to pay you.

I've found nite flite and d'lite to both be big winners. I say nite flite because you mentioned hummingbird (you have space to fly a card all the way around you?) and d'lite because, in the dim light of a restaurant it will be outstanding.

I work in Melbourne and have done for 25 years ... sure would hate to rely on tips from Aussies.. It certainly is not our culture.

Cheers..