Hi all,

Just wanted to collect some opinions about something I read in Ortiz' Strong Magic. He states that he always rolls up his jacket sleeves before every performance, to put off any 'it went up your sleeves' accusations. I've mentioned this to a few laypeople, just to hear their thoughts, and they all seem to concur that it would be impressive to do close up magic without the possibility of sleeves being involved (will they ever learn?). After experimentation, it's also easier to perform with rolled sleeves, as they don't hinder any moves or get tangled etc...

I was just thinking though that, on the whole, people don't look as smart with rolled up sleeves, so would this be advisable for a paid formal performance (not tux formal, but smart suit formal, if you see what I mean)? I just wanted to hear what other workers prefer/think about this. On the one hand, I don't want people thinking 'did he use his sleeves', but again, I don't want them thinking, 'blimey, can he not afford a suit that fits'.

Thanks in advance,

Munskin

As it's been said here many times, "Don't run if you aren't being chased." It's been YEARS since someone has claimed, "It's up your sleeve!" I get a lot of quick looks up and down my body as if trying to figure out where I stashed whatever just vanished, and sometimes they'll come right out and guess, often evidenced by them being wrong. I love it when that happens. "No, young man, it's not in my shirt pocket. Here, look. Are you satisfied? Are you sure? May I continue to entertain these fine people without interruption? Are you sure? Because I could let you entertain if that's what everyone wants. No? OK."

Believe me, do that once and you won't have anyone guessing any more.

Ummm, wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah! Don't worry about your sleeves. Work on your presentation.

I only roll up my sleeves in three occasions, and that is based on comments received from the audience.

1) Whenever I perform Visual Coins Across or ThreeFly.

2) When I perform Charles Gauci's Houdini card mystery. How on earth can that card get out of that card box, it must previously have been put up his sleeve. To avoid that I do everything slow and with rolled up sleeves.

3) Bob Kohlers Black Envelope, why? Because "you can" as Bob Kohler puts it.

So to me it really depends on the effect sometimes rolled up sleeves will enhance the effect, if not, I surely keep them down.

If you're wearing formal clothes and don't want to roll your sleeves up, I'd suggest getting volunteers to hold your wrists (thereby eliminating using your sleeves). This dramatises the condition whilst eliminating it, and avoids you looking like a hobo.

Ian

I work in a jacket almost all the time; when I approach a table my sleeves are down, when I start working, I sometimes push them up. I have a line I use (not original to me, but I couldn't tell you where I heard it). As I push them up I say "nothing up my sleeves but my arms, and my mom tells me that's a birth defect." If I am working with children I will turn to one of them and say "oh look, you have them too." It always gets a cheap laugh and nothing more is said about sleeves or things going up them.

Sometimes, I just start performing and wait until someone mentions the sleeves, then I will pull them up and use the above line. If no one says anything, the sleeves will stay down for that performance (no big deal).

As far as looking less professional, I personally don't think so. When your done with your performance just pull your sleeves back down and move on. I have to believe that most spectators who see you with your sleeves up realize why, and the thought of you looking unprofessional never crosses their minds.

Jered S.

I always work in rolled up sleeves, in fact I only work in a shirt (and trousers), no jacket, and still the odd time or two people have said they saw it go up my sleeves.

Darren...

Often, the venue dictates whether or not rolled sleeves is ok. In some places, it just plain doesn't matter, although the "Miami Vice" look went out 15 years ago. In very formal situations, where many of the gentlemen are wearing tuxedos, or their better suits, I've learned that I will get more odd glances if I stroll with rolled sleeves. This tends to come more from folks who I am merely walking past on the way to another group.

Internally, it has made me uncomfortable and made me think twice about doing it. Sometimes however, the advantages of rolled sleeves is obvious. In those situations, I will push back my jacket sleeves and secure them with one or two quick folds of the shirt sleeves, DURING the routine. They can just as easily be put back, and I tend to not worry about if the shirt sleeves are buttoned back at the cuffs, or not. That fact usually cannot be seen anyway.

I'm not sure this totally falls under the heading of running without being chased. Men are known for rolling up their sleeves before engaging in hard work. It's almost a cliche action. My experience is that doing so is usually met with light-hearted comments from the spectators as I prepare to "get down to work". It indicates that something even more special is about to happen, helping to peak interest.

Rolling/pushing back your sleeves at some point during the routine, instead of being this way all the time, also allows the fashion cops to see you at your best, and by virtue of your job, this temporary "look" won't present you to the them as a "hobo". All but the most anal people will accommodate you.

~michael

The only time I have ever rolled my sleeves was the last time I did a stage show and did a manipulation routine. I agree with the don't run remark, heck I live by it. Plus, following Michael's comment, I wouldn't roll a suit, but I might push them back a bit to "clear the stage for work"

AND, there's always Rocco's line/book - If it fits, sleeve it!

Azrael

When I do stand-up magic, I always roll up my sleeves. It signals "something special" and even "he's a magician" to some. As a matter of fact, I've chosen to wear rolled up sleves on my promo picture on my webpage for the same reasons.

When I do table-hopping I don't roll up my sleeves - I need them to ditch stuff

I don't recommend this, but I usually wear a short sleeve shirt under my jacket, so when I do the juggling portion of my show I take of my jacket and have no excuses. Even when I'm in a tux I wear short sleeve formal shirts, but that's just the superstitious old juggler in me.
Al

I usually do this for all of my routine, for me it's a lot more comfortable and as long as I don't need my sleeves for anything I'd rather they were rolled up,
For me there's nothing worse than getting to the end of some finger breaking slieght of hand whilst your sleeves are down and someone shouts "it was in his sleeve!", it really does tend to annoy, firstly because you can't prove to the audience that it wasn't in the sleeve, and secondly, if you had used your sleeve chances are you wouldn't need any of the terrifying sleights you just used

Tom

Often people remark, "look his sleeves are even rolled up".

I continue to roll up mine.

I've been pulling my sleeves up for 30 years. When working restauarants back in the 70's I had people commenting about "it must've gone up his sleeve". I started rolling them up and the response to my magic escalated.

When I tell jokes, I unbutton my collar. The jokes are funnier.

I do not walk around with my sleeves rolled up, but will roll them up when I'm doing a coins across routine, for example. Interestingly, I have gotten a number of favorable comments from women when I finish and am reassembling myself to the effect that they're impressed that I can put on my own cuff links. Deftly.

When the concept of "don't run when you're not being chased," I always fret.
Try and make your magic sooo clean that it you never will be chased. I would run sometimes, but never with my voice, but with my body language and hand movements-- yes.

I roll-up my sleeves when I perform, It is just more comfortable. I wear a black velvet jacket that looks (IMO) really cool. With sleeves rolled-up, everything looks nice and clean and classy.

You roll the sleeves on a velvet jacket? How do you avoid crushing the velvet and looking rumpled?

I always roll up my sleeves. ALWAYS. I can't even do magic with my sleeves being down. It gets bigger reactions. Even if I do tricks, which have nothing to do with sleeves (e.g. Ring & Rope) I keep them up.

Even in formal situations I keep them up. I am an artist, so it is perfectly legitimized to have the sleeves rolled up. I you worry about your appearance, then there is something wrong with your self-confidence. Maximize the effects and roll up your sleeve. ALWAYS, even if the trick has nothing to do with the sleeves.

Sorry Roland I disagree.

I have been a professional magician now for over 11 years. A lot of my work is sleeving. But I very rarely hear anyone say "its in your sleeves" why? Because of the way I structure my routines and patter. If the style you are going for is formal or three piece suit then you need to work around the suit. It has nothing to do if you are confident or not, it has to do with the style and presentation of the performer. However, like yourself and people like Tom Frank, then working out in the open is a style more suited to your "pulling the sleeves up" I go over in great length sleeving and the art of it in my new lecture HUH? Hope you can make it sometime. It might change your mind. Who knows?
Justin Miller

Good point Lord Of Illusion. Actually, I roll it under, then push is up to my elbow. It stays right up there.

I don't think that's the point.

The point is that this generates a greater reaction from the audience, and not that your audience is saying you've used your sleeves.

I've never had an audience say I use my sleeves, but my experience is that rolling sleeves *does* generate a better response. As do the other two convincers for card magic described by Ortiz in "Strong Magic". I think Ortiz's theories are right on this, and are closely linked to Michael Close's theories in his "Workers" series.

And:



I got a round of applause in a similar fashion after somehow managing to unravel my bow tie, and then retying it without a mirror. I may be a magician, but I'll take all the applause I can get (especially when an agent is present ...).

Ian