Hey guys, what’s up?
I decided to start practicing a routine for my first performance. I do strictly card magic, and the place I'm going to perform at will only allow me to do stand up work and no tabled effects due to there seating arrangement for the audience. What I would like for you guys to help me with is to name some effect the would be really hard hitting to the audience and that I can do stand up, close up with out a table and that would really get audience members involved. Please note that they may change the seating for the audience so there’s a chance I can actually do some tabled effects...so if you got some good table routines toss them in!!!
Please note that I'm very dedicated to card magic and anything I do I put a lot into the handling and presentation, so what ever you guys suggest, be sure I will practice it till I get paper cuts on my hands… LOL

I have to at lease my routine 10 -15 minutes long, with a nice opener and a strong closer... I have a few ideas on what I want to do, but since its my first time I would like to see what you guys who are more experienced come up with. Thanks in advance!!!

15 minutes!!! Man that's a lot of time. Is it a paid performance? I suggest you look into getting AOA by Paul Harris. that sounds like exactly what you need. hopefully you will have time to learn some effects from it. Run now!!!

Lol, yea I got his tapes...great tapes at that...i mean I can make it from 10-15 minutes up to me...I just wanna see what kind of effects you guys come up with

What effects do you already perform?

Keep in mind that if you're table hopping, you will usually have the option of tabling certain items. Even if you won't sit down at the table and do an ace production, you usually have the option of putting the deck down, or maybe a couple of cards, or of having the specs hold things. In other words, you can use the table discretely, even in the context of an in the hands routine.

Guy Hollingworth has a great in the hands triumph routine. Some form of the Biddle Trick is always a good in the hands option. And of course don't neglect the classic packet stuff like Twisting the Aces and Daley's Last Trick.

For a powerful ending, what comes to my mind in that respect is Jay Sankey's paperclipped. At the beginning of your routine, pull out the paperclipped card and set it on the table. End your routine with an ACR, followed by Paperclipped. It's very strong, but you'll have to watch the situation to make sure you're not doing it at one table, and spoiling the effect for the tables next to it. Sometimes when you table hop you need a few different routines so that each table gets a performance they haven't seen.

15 minutes can be a very short time period. Before I throw in any suggestion it would be nice to hear from you what you have in mind, so that I know your direction.

Magixx

ACR- Daryl
Last man Standing- John Bannon
T & R- I would say either Torn by Dan Garcia or Fusion by Sean Fields
Mysterious- Jack Carpenter
Jacks Backs- Jack Carpenter
No Tabled Aces- Jack Carpenter
Twisting the Aces- Dai Vernon
Weighted Aces- Greg Wilson
Funner Colour Stunner- Dave Williamson
Memory Test- Dave Williamson
Cocktail Dazzler- Dave Williamson

Those should last you about an hour and have all served me well for a long time

OPENER

• Deck production - "Chill Pack" by Carney. (jacket required).
  
• ACR or any location effect that appears to fails.
  
  
• Your favorite production of 4 Aces.
  
• "Twisting the Aces" or "Fab Four Revisited" by JC Wagner.
  
• "Too Many Cards" by Dingle(4 Ace version, surprise card is from the failed location ot the ACR card reappearing.)
  
  
• "Las Vegas Leaper" by Harris.
  
• "Kundalini Rising" by McBride or "Clipped" by Sankey.
  

CLOSER

• "Final Trace" (jacket required) or "Natural Selection" both by Carney.
  

Minimum table space may be needed for a couple.
Best,

Wow thanks guys, great stuff!

In no particular order,
for stand up..my ideas were:
1) Back In Time
2) Biddle Trick using two people
3) A 4 move ACR routine..with card going to paper clip or match box.
4) My variation of Daley's Last Trick...where the cards turn into jokers.
5) Twisted Sisters, if tabled
6) My variation of Anniversary Waltz
That's a few. I still gotta go through my notes.

I would open with "Between the Palms" by Elmsley (I think), and I also would include some sort of Card to Pocket, both effects get a ridiculous reaction from a lay person.
SanCho

Weapon,

A suggestion is to try not to use a lot of "pick a card tricks". I see you've pretty much done this already.
Also using a variety of effects like impossible location, animation, restoration, penetration, transformation, etc, can only add to your act.

I like your act so far.
Take them on a roller coaster ride with a big finish.

Luck to ya,

If you can put cards down on a table, I would use a McCombical Prediction Deck routine. It has a lot of audience participation and is a very effective and funny routine to perform. It also lasts between 4 and 7 minutes so it'll help you fill the time. Good Luck!!!

Quick question man. where you going to perform?

Check out The Homing Card by Francis Carlyle from Stars of Magic.

Simple, and a great idea.

I'm not referring to Jennings' Homing Card.

In Queens, at Rouges Magic Shop...
Thanks guys, a lot of great ideas...keep 'em coming!!!

I was going to suggest the first four things on that list already (well, not specifically "Back In Time" because I don't have it, but that's a Triumph variation, right? If so, then I definitely agree on including it), it sounds like all of that stuff will make for a very strong routine.

Not sure if you wanted to keep it to an all-normal-deck routine, but if you're open to other decks then Bill Malone's handling of the mental photography deck could be a good stand-up addition. With a secret deck switch afterward, you could probably use it as a strong opener, and then use the "newly printed" cards for the rest of the magic.

HB

I think that multiple card locations are the best routine closers

Card To Wallet packs a punch and can be done stand up.

I second the Homing Card suggestion from Frank.

Add some effects with various magic in, i.e.
Torn & restored effect (I suggest Torn)
Changing colour effect (Red Hot Mama/variation?)
Transfer (card to pocket)
*mentalism*(as you suggested, Twisted Sisters)
Production (Ace production leding into ace routine)

So every trick is completely different, and hopefully the audience will forget it was just card tricks.

Take your time, don't rush - 15 minutes will go by quickly, and you will easily be able to cover that with four or five tricks as long as you plan it properly with the patter, allow the audience to appreciate the effect and let them react.


//Nik

Deck production (Opening effect)
Two card monte (Strong opener)
Triumph (Select a card effect)
Two card transposition (Impossible exchange)
Homming card (Select a card effect)
ACR (Card in impossible location, strong closer)
Topit deck vanish (Closing effect)

Remember to employ all the tricks of the theatre.



Break a leg.

Tommy