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nattefrost Special user 703 Posts |
Aside from my friends giving me a hard time sometimes with my magic, I have a very good friend who is a customer at my job and I've been doing magic on her for a long time. She makes me feel so good when I perform for her and her husband, she thinks I am a pro and is always shocked whenever I do a trick for her. She insisted that I do some table hopping at her daughters wedding in November. I would love to do it and I know I can pull off some good ones. Doing tricks that require a key card floors these people so you can imagine how they react to tricks like the Extractor, Kennedy Mystery box, and the "big ones" so to speak, which I have so many of. I have only performed for family gatherings and this will be a HUGE step for me. All I want to do is have fun and if I mess one or two up.......so be it. But should I bring the "biggie" tricks or a simple deck of cards and keep it simple. She wanted me to perform for everybody at once but I explained that I am into close-up magic and she knew that I would have to go table to table. Shoul I just bring the tricks I am most confident in and not worry about a routine or should I bring my suitcase full of everything. Please keep in mind that the easiest tricks will floor these people, so I am tempted to "shock them" with the big ones. I know Tagged by Richard Sanders will be one of them, but I can't do the same trick at every table. Or can I? This is all for fun and I know I can succeed, I just want to do it as best as I can.
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dark kard Regular user Providence, RI 142 Posts |
I have performed a few weddings before and my advise is this. I would bring along maybe 3-4 tricks depending on the size of the audience you can repeat routines as long as the room is big enough and you aren't performing for the same people over and over again. Also make sure you have some routines that can be done with out a table since there may not be much room on the tables. I would also recommend not having Tagged with you since most people are dressed nicely and wouldn't take kindly to being written on. I personally like to work out of my pockets rather than having a case. Good luck with the show.
"flying is easy all you have to do is miss the ground" Douglas Adams
<BR>dark kard |
abc Inner circle South African in Taiwan 1081 Posts |
Keep it small and work out of your pockets if at all possible. There are going to be a lot of things happening other than your performance so keep it as simple as possible.
Make sure of when you perform. People are going to be doing speeches and they are going to be eating, usually all at the same time. If it is a buffet then people are going to get up and get food in the middle of your performance. Dannydoyle posted a while back about a show where he told the table that if they get called to get up and leave in the middle of the show. It happened but it was humorous when it did (according to him and I tend to believe him). I am sure you will have a good time though. |
Father Photius Grammar Host El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo) 17161 Posts |
Definitely keep it small and keep it simple. You don't need a lot of tricks for a strolling gig like that, plus there will be many other things to distract the guests besides magic.
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
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Vick Inner circle It's taken me 10+ years to make 1120 Posts |
You've got it right, HAVE FUN!!!!!
but you have 9 months to practice, there should be no mistakes. You are performing, your performance reflects on you and on all of us and will affect your future work. Your attitude of "if I mess one or two up.......so be it" is detrimental. The attitude of the best I can is a much better approach! As you posted, often the easiest effects are the ones that get the best reaction. Take what you are most confident in performing. The ones you feel will get the best reaction. Also see if you can put together a few routines appropriate for the wedding, see if the bride and or groom have special interests or members of the bridal party. Maybe learn the "Anniversary Waltz" http://www.dennymagic.com/cgi-bin/hazel.......m=003359
Unique, Thought Provoking & Amazing Magical Entertainment Experiences
Illusions By Vick Blog of a real world working magician Magic would be great, if not for magicians |
Chappo Special user Bris Vegas 754 Posts |
I second the Anniversary Waltz option. This is nothing short of essential for weddings.
The rules of a sleight of hand artist, Are three, and all others are vain,
The 1st & the 2nd are practice... And the 3rd one is practice again - 'Magic of the Hands', Edward Victor (1940) |
Maxinho New user 7 Posts |
If you are going to have a little fun it's better to keep it simple and take only the tricks you are comfortable. You don't want to be embarrassed about a mistake
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karthik New user 61 Posts |
Some good advice there...IMHO any small arsenal of tricks can be made topical and relevant to any occasion by performance, personality and storyline with a little thought (I third Vick's and chappo's recommendation on effects like Anniversary Waltz for this!)..everyone gets invovled, it suits the occasion and now that's totally fun!
Good luck.. |
Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
Wedding receptions are one of my favorite venues to perform in. If done right you really can help make their wedding day special. By that I mean you're service can serve as a sort of middle ground in which the two families can become acquainted with each other. Sometimes weddings can be a little divided into brides family and grooms family. So in my experience being there performing can "Sometimes" help bring them together. Make sense?
Anyway, I have a set of rules I fallow at wedding receptions that I fallow. I'll share them with you because I think they are very important. First of all. The bride an groom are the stars of the show and never pull any attention away from them. When they are cutting the cake or what ever. It's time to stop even if some kids ask you to do more magic. If you'r asked to do something special for the bride and groom. Be sure it's something you do "For them" and not "to them". One of my personal favorites for this is Kevin James Floating Rose. <Not long ago I ran into a couple I did that for at their wedding over 10 years ago and they told me the rose is still in their wedding album. It's a great feeling to know that.). Be prepared for the kids. They'll fallow you around like the pied piper. Now this is going to seem against what I said above about not performing while they are doing anything with the bride and groom. But there is an exception. If they are doing something "For the adults" and the kids might just get in the way then one thing you can do to help is during that time is to have the kids rounded up and put on a kids show to keep them busy while the "grown up kids" are doing their thing. Since these are your friends all you gotta do is be their guest and enjoy their event and perhaps make it a little entertaining for those who like magic. So just do what you can to help your friends have a great wedding day. That's all you really need to do. |
Rockabilly Regular user Victoria, BC, 158 Posts |
Another vote here for Anniversary Waltz it's absolutely the best effect you can do for newlyweds.
Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That'll teach you to keep your mouth shut.
Quando omni flunkus moritati |
Vaughn Ver Steegt New user Janesville, Iowa 56 Posts |
Wedding receptions are different for every wedding but most have elements that are the samae. Usually there is a time when the guest are arriving. The Bride and Groom have not showed up yet and the guest are waiting for something to happen. This is a great time for magicians to do their thing. Some guests will find a seat and settle in, others will be moving aroung and visiting or finding the bar if that is an option. So you don't need a ton of tricks because you could be moving around doing your work in differnt areas of the reception hall. The next big thing to happen is when the Bride and Groom show up. Time to stop and help divert all of the attention to the honored couple. Sometimes the Bride and Groom are in no hurry to do anything but usually once they are there it is time to get the dinner started or take some photos or make last minute decisions about something that was over looked or forgotten about. So if there is a delay before dinner you could keep working after the excitment of the Bride and Grooms arrival has died down. The next main event is dinner. If it is a sit down dinner find out if they want you to do anything before they start serving the first course. Probably not a lot of time to do anything. Once people start eating I'd back off. If it is a buffet and they want you working try and find out what order the tables are being dismissed to get in line. Work with the tables that are going to be last. Help them take their minds off the fact that they are not going to be eating for a while. Usually cutting the cake, the toast and speaeches are next. Probably not a working time. After that it should be time for the dance if they are going to have one. So after the first dance/dances you could start in again if needed. Most of the time the garter and bouquet toss is the next big thing that will draw the attention back to the Bride and Groom. After that some guest will leave and others will stay until the last dance. It will be harder to do magic after the dance starts if you are in the same room as the dance. Noise levels can make it very hard and remember with some crowds they've had plenty to drink by then. Just make sure you talk with the Bride and Groom along with the parents as to how long they want you to perform and when. Receptions are a fun time, people are in a good mood and want to enjoy their night out. Take this time to perfect what you are going to do and make sure you are going to have a good time also.
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Focus on what makes you most comfortable while performing.
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joseph Eternal Order Please ignore my 17407 Posts |
Indeed, there are some very good tips here, and I hope they will help you...
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." (Einstein)...
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Paul Spaniels Loyal user Hull, UK 249 Posts |
Good luck Nattefrost, I hope it all goes well and you have a whale of a time.
Why not keep it simple but maybe pull out a biggie - the special one - for the bride and groom's table? You will probably have a few more eyes on you when you go to them. And again, the Waltz is a great idea they're bound to love. |
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