Larry,

The way that I go about it doesn’t come across as I am forcing magic on them. I do give them a choice but not verbally. I am fairly good at reading people and I know when to walk away.

MDS

MDS, my understanding of your posting was that after you introduced yourself and engaged in small talk (which, by the way, I think is a very good approach), you immedietly starting performing your first effect without asking if it was okay. Regardless of what you do, though, my intent wasn't to negatively criticize you and of course you should continue doing whatever works best for you!

Regards, Larry D.

Larry,

I am sorry that I put it the way that I did. I guess that it is true that everyone has a different approach that works for them and what works for you may not work for me and vise versa.

MDS

First of all, thanks for the compliment pikacard. I'd say that approaching a table is different each time. After working restaurants for a while you develop a way to read the table as MDS said. This is very important. It allows you to treat each table different. Some tables it is best to approach with a "trick". I use the work "trick" lightly, because I don't like the label in this situation. Some tables it's best to ask. Your routine should be a living thing and should change from table to table depending on your audience. This does several things, one of which gives each audience a different show, one that fits what they want. The only thing that is for sure, is that there are no absolutes.

Joey Brummett

I've never understood the idea that we have 'trick' people into being entertained. Perhaps because artiface is central to our art we feel the need to create fake characters and situations around the tricks.

As you might have read I did my first walk around the other day. I say this so you know I am not qualified to give an answer that has years of experience. But I think that a lot of magicians make this harder than it is. Remember the KISS principle? I do this with all my magic and it seems to work well for me. I won a magic contest at Curley's in Colon this year at Abbott's "Get-Together". Not because I am a finger flicker, but because I was creative and entertaining. I have been doing magic for only 4 years, and I have less skills than most. But I seem to entertain people and I think that is the bottom line. Anyway I had no idea what to say when I went to my first table so I said, "Hi (with a big smile), tonight is Magic night here at Red Robin, would you like to see something fun and magicial? I said this 3 straight hours non stop and I only had 1 older lady and gentleman say no thank you. I just smiled, and said "well thank you and I please enjoy your evening". They smiled and said "ok, you too". I didn't feel hurt or threatened. They were just being honest, they didn't want to see any magic.

If someone came to my table playing a guitar and asked if I would like to request a song, I would say no thank you...But that doesn't mean I don't like music.

So from a newbie who doesn't know any better, keep it simple and sincere and I bet it will work.

I generaly ask if they want to see any magic, but I also love sight gags. These are a real ice breaker and establish me as a funny, entertaining guy right off the bat. Once you get one table hootin, the rest are more likely to follow.

It appears that my approach differs from all others but I have used it for many many years. Indeed I am aware that several of you will possibly even dislike it but it has always always worked for me. What is it? Send $25 for manuscript ..... no no I am joking. First let me say that I agree with MDS in that I don't like to give them an opportunity to think about do they want to see a "Trick" infact I dislike the word "trick" and never use it. I do not approach a group that is obviously in deep conversation, I return later. So, I spy my target person in the group from a distance, approach and say to the person, not the group, in a strong voice with my hand on their shoulder therefore getting immediate eye contact "Will you please just think of any card, any card in the deck". This gets that persons and thereby the groups full attention on me and it is immediate. Shudder if you wish but I have never never been turned away or had any putdowns as the group want to see the outcome
of my challange. I have not even given the opportunity for a member of the group to be nervouse about being selected to assist, it's done.
Well, that is my way, it suits.

I think you should have a number of different approaches. Some for more formal situations and a bunch for restaurant work.

If you are sincerely having fun performing your magic you find almost universal acceptance. If you are good and you know it, your confidence will shine as well.

All the best,

Dan Turcotte
November 10, 2004 - 10:33 AM EST

I sometimes go to a table, introduce myself and tell them the management have paid me to entertain then for 5 minutes. After a few tricks I tell them I'll come back shortly after visiting a few more tables, as I have something to show them that will blow there socks off. This keeps them there longer as waiting for more.

Hi all,

I agree with those who suggest beginning by introducing yourself and asking if they are enjoying the evening, event, or whatever.

Before I describe my next action, let's take a look at why this kind of soft introduction is useful. First of all, we like to think that the world is just WAITING for our performance, but in reality, even if there is a lull in the group's conversation, it will take them a moment to focus on your presence.

Therefore, opening with a line that requires some kind of abstract thought can often be lost by most people. However, we as adults in today's society are used to having a management-like person approach and ask us if "everything is going all right?" It's a comfortable shift of focus, we're not threatened with someone foreign to us, and we know how to react politely. Besides, I look like management.

I then continue with "your host (or the restaurant, etc.) invited me here this evening to provide a little entertainment. (Pause) How am I doing so far? (smile)"

OK, now they're focused on me and they can easily shift their attention from me-as-management to me-as-entertainment. The line works for me, and I always get a chuckle, and often a "great job!" Now, we're all at our ease and haven't been (too) weird. Then I go segue into the more specific information.

"(slight bow) Thank you very much. So now you're wondering what I do? Well, I'm sure you've all seen magicians who use sleight-of-hand to entertain, yes? Well, I don't do that. Well, I do ... sort of. I don't use my hands--I use ... your mind. Sort of "sleight-of-mind," if you will. May I join you for a few moments and demonstrate some of the hidden powers of your mind?"

OK, so now they know what I do (sort of). I've told them I've been "invited" by their host to perform (now they must at least be polite to me) and I've asked permission to join them. Lastly, I've told them that what I'm going to do will be about THEM, and not about ME. Who could resist?

Well, granted, there are people who do. I, too, have had religious people shut me down, and rude people know no social-behavioral bounds. And occasionally, people just aren't buying what you're selling. And like all of you, I simply thank the group and politely and move on.

Now, your approach and dialogue may be different and suited to your performance material and demeanor, but I think the overarching theme (and I didn't invent this approach. I picked it up from years of observing, trying new things, and talking with friends) is to be polite, ask permission to perform, and not be a smart-guy. Very, very few performers can get away with it any other way. If you can, for an extended period of time (I'm talking years) more power to you. However, politeness and the "soft-sell" will always get you farther in the long run.

After the group accepts you, you have a lot more leeway for letting your character develop. You're one of their group now, and if you make them the stars, they'll love you for it.

Fred Zimmerman

What I fail to understand is:

Why something cliché to us magicians should preclude its use to laymen.

It seems more in vogue to disparage the "lost white knife" as a matter of making a point about restaurant expertise than to think about whether or not it may actually work in a particular situation.

Suppose you approach a table, and you wind up standing there for a second while finding the appropriate conversational moment to "interrupt". Every now and then, the group will simultaneously look up at you and go dead quiet unexpectedly. Go ahead and use you stock lines; perhaps you will risk sounding scripted and stiff--maybe not.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a little acting here--to look like you are off-guard and nervous, hands in your pockets, and say, "Um, anybody here lose a white knife?" while pulling it out. if you make an immediate shift into your performing character, it could play very well(it would for me).

I think there is sort of a problem with magical inbreeding that starts to poison our acts. We spend too much time pulling our collective taffy for each other at conventions that we start to think a layman will not appreciate a "boring old ambitious card routine." True, if we perform for them with the same, half-reared presentations we do for each other.

Fortunately, I could care less about magic's commonwealth opinion of my act...

The only common rule for restaurant magic is: Do not pee on the table. If you want to start out with a trick, for Pete's sake start out with a trick. To say there are cardinal sins with regard to this approach is to invest being a restaurant entertainer with the spiritual gravity of a Secretary of State.

Well said, Ron.

What usually works for me is the "Hi, how are you folks doing' tonight" approach.

I always ask how everything is. Drinks, how the meal was. (I perform either before or after dinner, but not during.) We often make small talk for several minutes before the subject of magic is even brought up.

Find out where they're from; are they out celebrating something? Possibly a birthday or anniversary, maybe they're new to town.

I then explain that I am the house magician, and I'm lucky enough to be working tonight while they are visiting. During all this chitchat, I've been sizing them up, and I know where this is going. I already know how they will respond, and I have determined what effects I will do.

I really believe Leipzig's advice "They like to be fooled by a Gentleman."

Be careful on how long you make the patrons wait. Remember that the restaurant makes money from turning tables. If they have finished their meal and are waiting for the magician to return, this delays in the seating of other guests who might be waiting for that table.

I have seen this happen on several occasions, and I can tell you first hand that the managers tend to frown on this. Remember, they brought you into the restaurant. They can just as easily kick you out if you are making people wait.

Also, a good thing to keep in mind is if there is a wait. I have gotten many gigs from folks who have been seated outside waiting for their table to be ready. If the atmosphere is really busy inside, and there are people waiting outside, it is best to stay out of the way and entertain the waiting patrons. Tell them that if they liked what they saw, you may stop by their table later.

Wait staff tend to get a little testy when the magician is in the way on a busy night, so tread lightly.

Just my two cents.

Phil

First, let me say that I do not do restaurant work for a living. However, I have done table hopping many times. So, I may not really be qualified to give advice. But, these are a few things that have worked well for me:

I think is is invaluable to be in good relationship with the wait staff. For the most part, I have bypassed having to approach a table cold. I simply have the waiter or waitress ask the table if they are interested in seeing some magic that evening. If they are, the waiter will place a playing card on the edge of the table, which in turn tells me that the table is ready for me. This has worked VERY well for me.

Another way of doing this is to have them place the card face up if they are interested in some magic, or to place it face down if not. This gives the customers a second chance to change their mind when I come to collect the card.

You must really be in sync with the wait staff for this to work well for you. How does one go about that? Easy . I DO NOT accept tips. When a tip is offered, I simply ask the customer to add it to the tip for the waiter if they enjoyed the show. Trust me. Your wait staff will LOVE you for this.

Another thing I like to do is, once I see the card on the table, I do not walk up and say, "Hi, I am the magician". If there is sitting space, I just walk up, sit down, grab a menu and say, "Hi guys, I am really sorry that I am late, traffic was terrible." This always gets a great laugh. I then stand up and introduce myself.

I typically use one of two opening effects. In the scenario above, I like to open with Eugene Burger's "Shot glass from Nowhere". It is a guessing game that immediately gets their full attention. Eugene uses this as a closer, I use it as an opener. And when you produce that shot glass, you have them for sure.

Another opener that I always use when approaching a table cold is Jon Allen's Destination Box. Most of the time you don't have to say anything. Just walk up, say hello ... they almost ALWAYS ask what is in the box? This is great magic folks.

OK, I'm done now!