|
|
Close.Up.Dave Inner circle Behind you! 2956 Posts |
I'm going to be going back to a restaurant that I used to perform in like 2 years ago. I haven't performed in a restaurant in those two years due to school and what not. But now that I'm starting back up again I wanted to ask a few questions of if anyone thinks that what I am going to be performing a appropriate.
The first question I have is about a David Stone routine that I will be doing. The effect is basically a coin is produced from a silk and a few flourishes, productions, and vanishes are done with the coin. Then the coin is retention vanished into the silk and then reappears (wherever). You then make the coin vanish and then when the silk is moved a glass appears under the silk, then a shoe is produced from under the silk. Inside the shoe is the coin. The trick plays very well to laymen. This trick relies on misdirection, and it's possible for the steal of the shoe to be seen by other tables. Obviously I will have to be cautious of my surroundings and not perform this if I know other people are looking behind me. As for my question, do you think that producing the shoe at a restuarant table would be proper? My shoes are of course clean and don't smell (that bad) and I am using my own coin. They never touch my shoe and it never touches the table. And using my own coin they can't say that they don't want the coin because it was in my shoe, because I will never give them the coin to begin with. Still the thought of my with my shoe off in the restaurant is making me uneasy. Business Cards I have my own business cards, but I'm wondering when it's proper to give them my card. I think that giving your business card away to every table may look like I'm desperate for business (which I am....not?). But, giving away my business card at every table increases my chances of getting hired. I also think that if I use my business card in a trick then I have a reason to have it out. I have the perfect trick for this if I do end up doing that. But, I don't want to take the time out of my normal act to make sure that they get the business card, if it is apart of the act then it may just seem the same, I look so desparate for work that I even take the time to do a trick with my business card. Any thoughts? |
Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
Shoes on the table is a great trick, but for an employee performer in a restaurant, probably not a good idea. City health inspectors really love to come down on stuff like that - big time. I've seen it happen.
However, using a really unexpected big load of some kind - like maybe a clown shoe, where it's obvious that you weren't wearing it but the shock value is still there, would still blow the table away and probably would not have much impact on a health official, especially if you took him or her aside and showed them how clean it was. Just my two cent's worth. Now where did I put that clown shoe I got from that Shriner I mugged last week...? Lee Darrow, C.H.
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
Larry Davidson Inner circle Boynton Beach, FL 5270 Posts |
Don't take your shoe off in the restaurant.
Doing an effect with your business card, like Close's Pothole Trick, won't make you look desperate. If you ARE desparate when handing out the card, though, people will probably pick up on that. |
Niko Special user England 599 Posts |
Most people who are interested anyway will actually ask you if you have a card or something. They are the ones most likely to want you to perform at their function/party, so you shouldn't worry too much about giving your card out at a table, unless you see a good opportunity to give it out, have a trick involving a business card so you can give it to them, or get asked for it.
When you do something right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.
|
Jonathanmc Loyal user Las Vegas, NV 209 Posts |
David,
Totally give out your card at every table. Nobody will think you are over selling yourself. If they like what you do--and I'm sure they will, they will want to hire you |
Sam Tabar Inner circle Austin, Texas 1050 Posts |
A shoe on the table in a restaurant wouldn't be good idea. Giving out your business card especially in a magical way is a great idea.
"Knowledge comes from finding the answers, but understanding what the answers mean is what brings wisdom." - Anonymous
|
davidpaul$ Inner circle Georgetown, South Carolina 3086 Posts |
I regards to your business card question , check out this month's issue of Magic Magazine. Jim Sisti has some interesting comments on not handing out your businesss card at every table but rather utilizing a card effect with your contact information that ends up as a souvenir. He included the effect in the article.
David Paul
Guilt will betray you before technique betrays you!
|
Bob Johnston Inner circle Philadelphia, PA 1251 Posts |
Anything with a selected card production at the end, in some ways, may be better than a business card.
Just your name and phone number, there is no need to even say “magician” on the card. This is especially true if there is a child at the table. In fact, for children, you can sign the card and slip it into a (very cheap) protective sleeve and present it to a child sitting at the table. It is not even important if the child was directly involved in the last trick you did. The child will be showing the signed card to people for days. How many times has someone been proud and excited to show YOUR card around for days? I used to do this with Locked Deck and a card frame. Bob |
Alan Munro Inner circle Kentwood, Michigan, USA 5952 Posts |
It takes very little for a restaurant to be fined by the health department - when in doubt about a trick, don't perform it. My old college roommate's sister owns a restaurant and they were fined heavily when a customer switched an oxygen tank, used to assist his breathing, at a table.
|
daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
My wife uses oxygen tanks, but she often has to switch them. It doesn't matter where she is when they run out, she MUST put on a new tank or she will likely die. I was wondering exactly what they fined the restaurant for because a customer had to do something neccesary to keep breathing? As if was the restaurants fault? I don't get it! I was hoping you could please give a little more detail. Just what exactly was their problem with someone trying to keep breathing?
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
|
Bob Johnston Inner circle Philadelphia, PA 1251 Posts |
Daffydoug:
Stories tend to change when passed from person to person. I just called the Board of Health here in Philadelphia and was told that that would not be any violation in Philadelphia. You should do the same to ease your mind. The story, as presented, is ridicules. I also called a manager of a major restaurant chain here in the East Coast. He told me they go through a big course on health violations for restaurants, and he remembers no such restriction. He often has customers on Oxygen in the restaurant and would not think twice if a tank had to be changed. Bob |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Table hoppers & party strollers » » Is it proper to do this? (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |