I have always opened with either a bounce/no bounce ball routine by Chad Long in which the bounce of the ball acts as a barometer to guage how much magic I'll perform for the table. High bounce-lots of magic, low bounce-just one or two things. The spectators lose it when the ball lands on the table with a thud, no bounce and me saying well have a nice dinner thanks for coming out,etc., etc. ...great ice breaker! I also use Archer's "Eye Exam" and Doc Eason's "All Screwed Up" as openers at times. All Screwed Up has been afavorite for years.

I usually begin with a sponge bunnies routine. It gets everyone involved and it plays well for adults and kids.

Hello,
I read the effect of Chicago Surprise and from what I read it sounds exactly the same as Chicago Opener.

I was just wondering what is different in Chicago Surprise.
Thanks.
TJ

I do a coin roll, produce three more coins, I do a roll out and then a flashy coins across routine.

They get really impressed by the skill of the roll and roll out, then by the magic of the coins appearing and disappearing and jumping from hand to hand. I’ve done this routine for over twenty years so it flows like water and I feel very at ease doing it.

Here are 3 effects that will get them every time...at least they have for me.

I would say first of all, to help show you are a real magician, make sure you learn more than just card tricks and learn routines with everyday objects as well. If you do card tricks then do those that create illusions or where a story is told and the trick happens while they watch without you telling them it is going to happen versus just a "Pick a Card" Trick. Otherwise, here are 3 tricks I created routines for that I tend to use on a regular basis.

I open all my routines with my own routine of CARD WARP with the version I learned from a video of Derrick Dingle's where you actually open up the outer card and show the inside card completely inverted versus the original version where you leave the outer card closed and just show half of the inner card inverted. This trick is short and sweet and always blows the spectators mind. I have had people sit there and examine the card for serveral minutes afterward trying to figure out how it was done. I even have someone sign the card to be the inner card and then I initial the corners without the value and suit on them of my card (the outer one). This seems to add more proof that the cards are not gimmicked. I call my routine "A World of Magic".

For instance another quick and easy routine to learn is with a bar napkin or a paper napkin from the restaurant. Just do a tear, restore, and torn routine with it. But instead of leaving it restored, end it with it back in its original state (Torn). Thus, Tear, Restore, & Torn. Since I have been doing this it seems to have a greater response than just a torn and restore. You get to create your own patter.

The third one is a bill transposition where you turn a lower denomination bill (i.e. $1) into a higher denomination bill (i.e. $5) or vice-versus. I don't use a thumb tip for this either and it is a killer routine since you borrow their bill. When done right you can show your hands to be completely "empty" except for the borrowed bill.

Using the various principles and techniques of magic it shouldn't be too hard to use various everyday & or borrowed objects to perform magical feats and have people think you are a real magician or mentalist or both.



Mystery Indian Beads is a great routine that takes place in their hands. It is 3 beads threaded on two strings. They enclose the beads in their fist (fist facing down) and the strings are hanging out each end of the fist. They then choose a string from each side to tie around their fist. I try to borrow some rings to thread on the other two ends left dangling. When the other two strings are pulled the beads remain in the fist and the string "goes through" the hand tied together with the rings still threaded on them. It is an easy reset as well or you can make up a few of them and just give them away. I use two different patters...one where I am recreating Houdini's escape from metamorphosis. The other "Lover's Knot" when I am doing it for a couple.

Another Card routine I perform that does not take place in their hands but gets them extremely involved is my own routine called "Magic is an Illusion" where I perform three illusions for them with a deck of cards using various false cuts, forces, and revelations. In the process I have everyone watching saying "an Illusion!" when I say "Magic is what?" at various points which tends to rise in volume on its own and draws other people's attention to what is happening. I even have a little diddy in there that I say periodically that some of the spectators try to repeat. To this day I have some people that will see me and say, "Magic is an illusion!" Now that is magic to me...getting them to remember you with something from your routine.

Nice variations Vikki, and l totally agree in your oppinions, making magic a tool of entertainment and humour is very important.
It seems to me that you put more weight into the presentational aspect of your show, rather than impossible sleights, and the idea of making ajustments to more or less impromptu effects is always something l will work on to make it fit my routine.

L have not done tablehopping many times, but in my experience till now l find it more and more important to be an entertaining magician, and just as you said, let the audience take a part in what you're doing.

Like Doc Eason said: "you can be the best sleight of hand artist in the world, but they'll still remember the next guy who made them laugh"

-e-