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BerkleyJL Veteran user Chicago, IL 397 Posts |
I have been learning and performing mostly close-up magic since I began, but lately I have had a few opportunities to perform for larger groups than I'm used to. The first time out, I tried a couple of my card tricks by bringing a spectator to the front...but they didn't play well for the rest of the audience. Since then, I have steered clear of any card tricks for that type of performance.
Are there any criteria that make a card trick play well for larger audiences? Any tips from seasoned performers that can do this sort of thing? Here's what I think I know:
I don't want to ask for a list of tricks that fit the bill, because I am interested in tailoring my performances of already polished card routines so they will be useful in parlor or maybe even stage situations.
I need a stage name.
Joe Berkley |
Eirik Special user Oslo 879 Posts |
After attending a Paul Cummins Lecture I got to see how well this trick plays live...
I strongly suggest you to look into the works of Paul Cummins / Doc Eason and their Multiple selection Trick. It involves as many as 20 spectators, and with the right patter/sleights is a real reputation maker. -e-
...As long as i`m not a world-champion at anything, the great reactions of doin` magic will do just fine.....
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BerkleyJL Veteran user Chicago, IL 397 Posts |
I worked with multiple selection after seeing Doc's lecture. One thing I didn't like was immediately revealing the last person's selection and going backward. What I do is have fewer cards selected (8), and during an overhand shuffle I run that many cards so I can start again at the beginning.
What trips me up when performing for strangers is remembering everyone's names. I'm getting better with names, though (thanks, Doc). The last thing about that trick is I need to learn some more exciting card revelations.
I need a stage name.
Joe Berkley |
Thoughtreader Inner circle Calgary, Alberta, Canada 1565 Posts |
There are numerous good stage card effects such as Zen's Cards across and Premonition (the way Ted Lesley does it). Just remember that with doing cards, you are relying more on the participants reactions to sell the effect.
PSIncerely Yours, Paul Alberstat |
MattWayne Special user Manhattan, NY | Studio City, CA 624 Posts |
How about the Harry Anderson, 'Monte' routine? Works well:) Comedic, but then again most card work on stage seems to be. Or- what about an Insurance Policy routine; comedic in nature.
Matt Tomasko
Matt Wayne
The Celebrity Magicianâ„¢ www.CelebrityMagician.com / youtube.com/celebritymagician / twitter.com/RealMattWayne / Facebook.com/CelebrityMagician Creator of, 'Got a Light?' and others. Spokesperson behind, TouchTricks |
BerkleyJL Veteran user Chicago, IL 397 Posts |
I hadn't thought about Insurance Policy. Some say it's a little overdone. Anderson's Monte is wonderful, but quite expensive.
I need a stage name.
Joe Berkley |
Stanyon Inner circle Landrum, S.C. by way of Chicago 3433 Posts |
How about Don Alan's "Great Put On" or "Big Deal"? Jumbo cards and can be seen by all. Uses one or two spectators as assistants.
Cheers!
Stanyon
aka Steve Taylor "Every move a move!" "If you've enjoyed my performance half as much as I've enjoyed performing for you, then you've enjoyed it twice as much as me!" |
Roland Henning Special user Kiel, Germany 511 Posts |
The "Card to Pocket" is a routine that works well for a lot of people.
And please don't use Jumbo Index Cards. Not only do they look ugly, but they are actually harder to see, for it is not the index that defines the cards for the spectators but the pips. And the pips are smaller on Jumbo Index Cards. A Three of Heart can be seen from as fas as 20 meters. So, even if it is not needed, force the card, so it can be seen. And a card travelling to an impossible location may also work well for a large group. And I am not talking about the wallet. And speaking of a large group... you could also use a stooge if you wanna do Blaine Like Magic. I remember a very awesome show. The magician had the spectator pick and sign a card and then the card was lost in the deck. The magician snapped his fingers and opened his shoe. Inside there was an envelope and inside of that was a card. The wrong card. And what now started I'll never forget. He started pulling envelopes form almost everywhere. From the chairs the specatators and always the card inside was wrong. It was very, very funny. The cardmagic was almost completely forgotten, when he pulled that signed card from a really impossible place. I won`t tell you from where, but it was mind blowing. Even I as a magician asked myself: "How did it get there?" Basically one trick, but it lasted about 10 minutes. But entertaining 10 minutes. |
Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
Card to forehead. I've done this for an audience of 1,100 people, without the fancy TV monitors that some performers use, and it played big time. Remember, the late, great Irv Weiner (Mr. Fingers) opened his college shows with the torn & restored cigarette paper and invariably got a standing ovation for it.
Some guys will do a mind reading effect - Invisible deck comes to mind - as it can be done for a large audience and play pretty much better than almost anything else, if performed well. But, thanks to some certain dealers (I won't name names), it's getting pretty well known. Cards to pocket, six card repeat, rising cards and even a card levitation all play well to large audiences. However, I disagree with the jumbo index idea. People recognize patterns at a distance, not necessarily read printing, so use standard cards - there is more room on the face of a standard card for the pips, which are what people see. Hope this helps! Lee Darrow, C.H.
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
mikeflex New user 81 Posts |
Roland,
Why can't you tell us where? |
Kentrell New user Cleveland, OH 72 Posts |
Some close-up card effects are difficult to convert to stand-up effects, mostly because they depend on the faces of multiple cards being distinguished from each other or the procedures involved require that the spectators have a downward angle of vision. If these two things are not importsnt in your effect, then you are right, you just have to find a way to perform it for the entire audience, not just perform for two people with a larger crowd of onlookers. This can be done with assisting spectators in the front as long as the rest of the audince isn't ignored. Also, jumbo cards are not needed and greatly limit the types of effects that you can do.
Card effects that work at a distance either have the face signed so that they are easily distinguished, don't depend on the value, or have the value confirmed by the assistant in a carefully planned manner. Also, they have to be easily seen with a slightly upward angle of vision. Some examples of good stand-up card effects are: "cards across" type routines (examples have been published by M Close and T Mullica), "card at any number" effects, and, as stated above, "card to impossible location". Good luck with the transition, K |
MagicbyCarlo Inner circle has squandered his time making 1062 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-03-10 15:16, BerkleyJL wrote: The insurance policy actually gets a great reaction and is, IMHO, a lesson in entertaining an audience with magic. I use it in family shows and really create the "magician in trouble" situation. However, let me add that because I don't start out with the audience knowing about the policy, there have been some spontaneous miracles of card location that have occurred. Those are the real moments of magic! I agree that it's not the type of effect you want for a sophisticated magic audience, but it's really not any worse than any other effect that uses that technique.
Carlo DeBlasio
<BR>Entertainment specialist <BR>and all around fun guy! |
Ibanez708 New user 8 Posts |
A Very good card trick that I have just purchased today was "The Real Floating Card"at http://www.expertmagic.com . IT is very simple and a 4 out of 10 hard factor.....i highly recomend this
Its all in your mind,not a gimmick,sleight,or move.
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Brad Lancaster Regular user 184 Posts |
Since you didn't ask for effects I won't offer any. But when working a larger audience it's all about engaging them. You cannot simply rely on the helper's expressions to sell the card effect. Everyone watching needs to be able to "see and hear everything!"
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Whitewolfny Loyal user 216 Posts |
The larger the audience, the more people you should try to directly involve with the trick. As mentioned above, multiple card selections get more of the audience involved and reduces the layperson's thoughts that you are using a stooge. I do a prediction effect in which I have as many as six people invloved, either holding an evelope with the prediction, or selecting cards etc. The presentation eliminates any reasonable solution that a layperson may think of and when the prediciton is read by the spectator, the reaction from the audience tells me this trick is really good.
Engage as many as you can in the trick and the reaction will be increased ten fold.
Braxton Mannar
<BR>Just an old dog trying to learn new tricks |
Parson Smith Inner circle 1937 Posts |
Rising card with three selections. All three rise in different ways.
Very dirrect, very powerful. Six card repeat makes people think that you are a great presdigitator.
Here kitty, kitty,kitty.
+++a posse ad esse+++ |
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