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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Last night my wife and I were having a rare supper out. There was a strolling magician performing that I didn't know -- not a member of our IBM Circle anyway. He avoided our table -- I figured because we were only two people, but I wasn't paying much attention. Finally, in the middle of our entre' he sauntered over and asked, "Wanta see some magic?" I replied that we might if he came back during desert and could do something besides card tricks or mentalism.
He got quite offended, telling us he wasn't a "magic on demand" kind of guy, and stomped off. I certainly agree that honoring requests for a specific effect might be unreasonable, but surely asking not to see certain effects is reasonable. My wife is visually impaired and can't see cards well enough for most tricks to work --not that it should matter. Guess we have to carry a "do not disturb" sign. Has anyone worked a restaurant in which you are asked about a stroller when seated?
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
davidpaul$ Inner circle Georgetown, South Carolina 3086 Posts |
Didn't sound like he was very professional. Number 1 rule : Don't perform while people are eating and always be polite. Interacting with you like he did won't serve him well as a place to work for very long.
I'm not sure I understand your question. Care to rephrase?
Guilt will betray you before technique betrays you!
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Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
Sounds like this guy was a real tool that has very little experience in our industry.
Just the fact that he approched during the meal just screams hack to me. A pro knows that performing during the meal is OFF LIMITS unless they ASK you to come over to perform while they are eating...and even then, make it brief. Blow it off...he's not worth it.
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Rephrase -- It seems to me that the person seating people could ask if guests would like the magicians should stop by and place a table card or something. Maybe not practical but I hate to be interupted even by an aggressive waiter -- or a table card announcing what the magician will be doing.
Yes ago in Vegas we were asked if we wished to be seated in the magician's area or not -- but it was a big place.
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
In a "perfect world," the host/hostess and the wait staff should be working with you. Either the host/hostess or the server would ask the guests, "would you like our Magician to come and entertain you?" That way, the Magician only visits tables that "WANT" entertainment. The server comes to you and says "hey Christopher, table 12 wants to see magic."
That way, you never cold call a table and are only performing By Request. Back in the day, this was routine. Sadly, we live in an imperfect world. In these modern times, the host/hostess and servers are under paid High Schoolers that don't give a flick about anything. Most of them are working there b/c their parents made them get a job and this was the first place that told them "yes!" They're over worked, under paid, and are being stressed out by their manager who is trying to get them to push the Jalapeno Pepper Poppers on the day that you're there along with the added stress of that new pimple that just developed on their chin that will no doubt stop Johnny Hotpants from asking them out to the Prom and stealing their innocence away! Therefore, the Magician must rely on his "common sense" (which he may not possess) to learn how to "approach" a table at the right time. Table signs, little flags that say yes or not, chimes, etc., etc. All of that stuff in a busy restaurant just doesn't work. The best way to do it (if you can manage it) is to perform by request. But again, since that doesn't happen in most places, the performer must learn thru expereince the best way to approach each table...and every table is different.
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
steve j Special user Long Island, New York 559 Posts |
When I worked restaurants years ago a couple of them would ask and it helped quite a bit so I didn't have to walk up cold. The hostess would just tell me table numbers and I would perform their tables first. From the sounds of it though he wasn't very professional.
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