Ummmm....NO!

Sorry but a restaurant is not a place to practice and get used to perfroming for strangers. Unless you are ready to perform at a professional level this is bad advice.

Second, sponge balls are an EXCELLENT effect for restaurants. Its small, packs around easy, and gets the spectator involved. I would leave the three shell game at home. You don't want to bring any effects that require any table space.

Gary

WRONG, IGOR. Restaurant work is not for beginners, it is for experienced magicians that can hold the people's attention and handle any situation. What do you do when the server just really upset the guests and you come to the table so they are FURIOUS? You walk up to a family, mom is holding a baby, you start to entertain the kids, mom pulls out a breast and starts to feed baby. She doesn't put a diaper over her just pops it out in front of you and everyone else. What do you do? A woman has had a little (actually a edited of a lot) too much alcohol so when you approach the table and start your magic she reaches out and starts to unzip your pants. How do you handle that?

These are not imaginary scenes. Each and every one has happened to me, the breast feeding scenario happens every week. Others not so often.

As a restaurant magus, YOU are THE representative of that restaurant. You represent the staff, management, owners and the image of that place. Sorry but beginners just can not represent a multi million dollar organization the way it deserves to be represented.

Peter

I agree with peter. I was difinatley not thinking when i was going to go to a small resturaunt for no pey, and even worse, for PRACTICE! Now that I look back I see that was a little more that dumb. But know I have some good routines, I got the perfect resturaunt, and I am alot more confident now for performing for people I dont know. As a matter of fact, I got 2 shows tomorrow for people I dont know. So, in confidence, I am doing much better. Now the only reason I want the job is because it will be fun, nand I will get money to do thinks I want to do. Anyway, it should be two weeks from now. Wish me luck!

hey peter, people really wip out their boobs in a resturaunt? Thats a little odd... And when that drunk girl was unzipping your pants, I know exactly how to deal with that. "here, come with me to the washroom!"

No when baby is hungry and is breastfed, that's how mama feeds them so not so odd at all. As to the other, unfortunatly I am a children's entertainer so my responses have to be a little different than enjoying it. The bad part is she was a BEAUTIFUL woman, if she was an ugly old fat lady it would have been a lot easier to leave.

Peter

I believe that that was Paddys first post that wasn't critiscising someone or complaining about something

You're wrong.

proof please

oh my, here we go again...

Well I ment to post this a couple days ago, but it accidently got deleted, so I am posting it now.

First of all eoghan, Paddy doesn't need to prove anything to you. He has proven himself time and time again that he has the ability in magic and is only trying to help the people and trying to stop people from ruining the art of magic. Do they hang paintings that were drawn by babys next to Picaso's?Unfortunately people can't make the same distinction in magic like they can in paintings. So in order to keep the light on the good parts of magic then people won't ruin it for others. Also, I have seen paddy encouraging others to start performing so I don't want to hear that crap.

Now on topic. I think going to the restaurant to practice is the worst idea you can come up with. Going out performing for free for friends family and getting better at handling crowds and learning your routines back to back detail by detail so that you are sure you are ready is great, but getting paid to practice is stupid. I have been performing for years,but not professionally. Only within the past couple months have I been doing it for pay because I knew I wasn't ready.

Now I want to quote Genii magazine as best I can from their October edition. The Article is called "Should You Be Performing?" by Harold Cataquet.

I am not musicallt trained. That is I don't play a instument nor can I even read music . Nonetheless, let's suppose that I were to take up the art. Surely it would be years before I thought to perform for money. Okay I might be cheeky and and set up on a street corner and busk while I practice. However, the idea of going to an afent and claiming to be a musician would be unimaginable.
Fortunately, even if I had the foolish bravado to try to get a job as a musician, there are various recognized qualifications that would prevent rank amateurs from claiming to be professionals. So someone who claims ro be a musician has to actually be capable of playing a musical instrument. Sadly, in the context of magic, I know several instances where individuals have been learning (not performing) for less than six months. Suddenly they are professionals taking booksing.

Genii Magazine October, 2005

Unfortunately that rings true to me also. I have heard of many magicians who have ruined it for others. I have talked to people who I did a party for and they said their last magician was terrible, then I performed for them (luckily they hired me) and changed their entire view. Think of this when you are ready to go out and perform. Check out the entire article, because it is really informational and helpful.

-Mike

As a girl performing at AJs Sports Bar in Long Beach for the last 3 summers, I have had my share of encounters with drunken men and women, and I would agree that restaurant work is not for the unsure hand.
Demeanor is so important when approaching people, because some people
A. Do not like magic
B. Are not in the mood
C. Are feeling bad about themselves and looking to put someone else down.

Be prepared to deal with strange situations. I know it is a "family" restaurant. It will still be nervewracking and unpredicatable.

On another note: Leave the cards at home. I know this attitude will take a beating, but cards make you a charlatan, a cheap manipulator, and PEOPLE HAVE SEEN CARD TRICKS BEFORE.
True magic happens in the mind of the spectator. With cards, that is sometimes impossible because dozens of crappy card tricks have cheapened the art for all but the best of performers. Unless you are Lenart Green, cards are a turn-off.
Many people have never seen something as simple as the pen through dollar or sponge ball vanishes. I close floating a borrowed dollar bill (or alternatively flipping over a pair of glasses (both embarassingly easy tricks to perform) and leave people with their jaws on the floor. Sometimes impact, not difficulty, make great entertainment.
My two cents.

I thought about doing some levetation, probably light flight, but I find people around here automaticly say "Its invisible string" I say "no, its the electricity in the air" While Im thinking. "Its not string, its thread" But I would have to say that card tricks are good for any situation. I know, and live near the best magician in Canada, and he does a number of resturaunts, and he does card tricks. I will be doing a few card effects, but they arent going to be crappy 21 card tricks, or "pick a card and I will find it" trick. Here is just a taste of a few odf the card tricks I will be doing.
-Ambitious Card.
-Two card Monte.
-Houdini and Bess.
-Joker Police (I made this up)
-Ultamate Transpo.
-Biddle Trick
-Full suite triumph (Maybe)

Those are a few, I dont have them written down in from of me now, but I think I will post my routines here.

My goal is by the end of this month. Wish me luck.

People in their late 20's and up won't heckle you. Trust me.

Remember that routining consists of one trick after another. Try to make your tricks flow and add gimmicks to your deck if needed. Walking up to a person is by far the easiest part in my opinion. People love seeing magic and will generally be happy for it. As for tips, don't mention it. If they give you something just say "awsome enjoy your meal" or along the lines.

yes. I have 6 routines, each 5 min long. They consist of three tricks each. They flow well together, and the patter is great! I know pretty much everything I need to get going, and I am pretty sure I am ready, or at least thats what everyone is telling me. (And trust me, these people know what they are talking about) The only thing holding me back is my nervousness.
Now, when you say people 20 and over wont heckle me, is that proven and tested? If so, Im am a happy kid! What if they are drunk?? I am hoping people wont give me a tough time, and if they do, I know how to handle it.

If you're young and performing for older people in a formal setting, people will respect you as a performer. Think about it. It's not proven and I am sure I am not 100% correct but most hecklers have a certain image to them that doesn't cry professional in appearance at all or mature at that.