some ideal effects to use for restaurant magic, that resets easily, packs small and plays big?

I really would appreciate that.

punctured

Perfection by Oz Pearlman
Misled by Timothy Wenk
Chicago opener/ 'Red Hot Mama'
Card to Wallet
ACR
I havent done it but I have seen 'Ring Leader by Greg Wilson' done in a restaurant setting and to great effect.

Perfection would be a VERY bad trick to use in a restaurant.
Requires spectator to handle your cards
Requires spectator to shuffle your cards
Requires you to take up table space
Requires a pre-set assembly - so I'm told.

Short answer: There are dozens of threads about this.

I have used this in a walkaround setting. Yes it requires pre-set assembly but once it is assembled, you dont have to set it up again for the rest of the night. It resets almost straight away. Yes, the spectator handle the cards and shuffle the cards...so what. I think it really strengthens the effect. If your cards are really messed up by the end of the night...throw them out and get a new one. They're cheap as.
Do you even have this? Have you used it?

Would I write "so I'm told" if I had it?

A Few General Rules of Table Hopping:
Don't let spectator's shuffle your cards - unless you brought a deck for every table.
Don't take up table space, just because it's rude.
Don't use effects that require a set-deck, you're wasting pocket space on 2 decks when 1 will do.

Another aspect of the effect that's bad for Restaurants:
It takes too long. Start to finsh the effect would take up an entire restaurant act's time.

Questions for you:
Have you ever worked a restaurant? Walk around and restaurant magic are far from the same thing.


If you can go through a night of pro-level walk around (let alone restaurant magic) without destroying at least 3 decks - I'd love to know how.

Since the effect is only about 3 weeks old, I'd like to know how much you practiced the effect before you decided to use it in a performance.

Anything by Jay Sankey. Mercuring, Holy Moly, Smashed, About Face, Snowstorm, Public Transit, Prediction Impossible, Nailed!, Papperclipped, anything by Jay!

How long should the effects be?

I have not worked in a resaurant but I do have one view on the subject. The customers did not come there to watch magic, they came there to enjoy each others company. That may be obvious but I know from experience when performing that it is hard to leave when they are loving your magic but you can never let them get bored. I guess the old saying: "leave 'em wanting more" is a good rule to stand by. Mostly you want quick, visual tricks with high impact that will leave them awestruck.

what effects do you think will work for restaurant magic?

I use a piece of rope, sponge balls and a set of 4" dia rings. That's all you need. I don't do cards because EVERYBODY has an uncle that showed them card tricks, just too common.

thats the way I do

Never been a problem for me because I do uncommon card tricks.


On a semi-related note, I never had an uncle who showed me card tricks; in fact, I showed my uncles card card tricks. Now that I think about it, none of my relatives ever showed me any card tricks. In fact, my uncles showed me coin tricks... "Oh, look... what's that in your ear..." type of stuff. But I don't see that as a reason to avoid coin magic.

I've been an uncle for about 20 years now. I've shown my nieces and nephews card tricks. Now, I happen to be a professional magician who is very selective about the card tricks he chooses to do. So... when my nieces and nephews hear a phrase like, "You know... it's like one of those card tricks your uncle shows you" uttered with disdain, they'll have a completely different interpretation. At least, I hope they will!


While I appreciate and agree with the overall point paddy is making about choosing unique magic that will stand out (and, in doing so, make you stand out), IMHO, "Because everybody has an uncle who did X or Y kind of magic" is not a valid reason for turning one's back on an entire class of magic, whether it be cards or coins or rope or whatever. It might be a good reason for avoiding certain specific tricks, but not for avoiding an entire genre of the art.

But, hey, that's just me. And I guess every magician is different. Except for all those uncles.

Right, which is why "Perfection" is a bad suggestion. It's neither visual nor quick.




50% of my restaurant magic is card magic. Ambitious Card, Biddle Trick, Corner Card (my own), Bigger Finish, and several odd revelations - all great stuff.

I wish I knew enough rope magic to let it take up such a chunk of my work - then I could do that ring on a string routine I like more often.


You need to fit an Opener, Bulk, and Closer into 3-5minutes.

Opener: As Jay Sankey says, "Within 5 seconds of you approaching a table, there better be magic." The opener must be extremely visual, fast, and hopefully lead you into your next effect.

Bulk: Whatever you want to do, this is where you get to be funny and charming so make the most of it. Many magicians advise using a "sequence of 3" within the Bulk area. ie: you can do an ACR with 2 reveals, then Card to wallet (1,2,3). You can do several sequences of 3 as long as they all go "something, something, climax".

Closer: This is your farewell to your guests. It should be hardhitting, but not as flashy. The point is not to make them go WOW!, it's to make them miss you.

Few card tricks, spongeballs and a rope trick (I suggest: Ring on rope, or Professor's nightmare)