I perform at restaurants. Mostly I am balloon twisting. However, I always have three tricks with me.

1) Invisible Deck
2) Extreme Burn 2.0 by Richard Sanders
3) Deluxe Nest of Wallets by Nick Einhorn

Of course, all three kill. They pack small and play HUGE!!!

I get requests to do one of these three every time. Often it is the restaurant manager pulling me over to show his favorite customers.



Here is my question.

If you were going to add one more trick to this list that plays as strongly and is easy or instant to reset, what would it be?

I'm sure you'll get all sorts of great responses but personally I would carry a deck of cards and perform Card to Mouth. I'm sure it goes without saying you can perform an million more routines with the deck, if need be.

Finger ring and a shoe string. I can get 5-7 min from a . Not that I do all that I know in one set, but still. Small, instant reset. Greg Wilson and Garrett Thomas both have great DVD's on ring and string material.

Double back by Jon Allen: Packet trick using 4 cards.

Coin routine with halves

Lipstick for ashes to palm

11c hand penetration trick a la Greg Wilson on "Off The Cuff"

Hard to go wrong with sponge bunnies.

Simple sponge ball
Short ring & string (to NoW?)
Coin unique or simmilar

Good luck

Sponge balls would be my shout but how good are these for restaurant work? don't they roll everywhere?

Sponge bunnies

Sponge Balls with a squeeker.

I'd go with a chop cup or mini-chop cup

it takes up a bit of pocket space... and it takes a bit of skill... but it resets instantly at least.

or you can just use an ungimmicked cup. check out this video and see how well this simple routine plays.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2nbWcVio_g

Crazy man handcuffs!

Misled by Timothy Winks.

As I read your post sponge bunnies and crazy man hand cuffs came in to mind. Then I took a few momnet to think about it and thro working it out on a few bits of note paper I came up with this.

What is each effect a demonstration of,
1) Invisible Deck - A type of production,
2) Extreme Burn 2.0 by Richard Sanders - transformation,
3) Deluxe Nest of Wallets by Nick Einhorn- coin to impossible location / re location,

So then I started to make a list of what else we see magicians do,
Escapes,
Torn and restored,
Vanish and multiple production,
Levitation,
Solid through solid,

The next step is to find a effect that suite your crita, style and rest requirements and go from there. Here are a few ideas,
Escapes,- Thumb cuffs,
Torn and restored,- Mark mason news paper trick / gyspy thread,
Vanish and multiple production,- Sponge bunnies / sponge balls/ coin productions,
Levitation,- Floating match / Pk ring effect,
Solid through solid,- crazy man handcuffs / Pen thru bill,

This is just something I spent a bit of time on hope it helps. Not knowing full patter routine and patter line I migth be a bit of track. But I hope you get were the thinking coming from and this helps in some way.

Industrial revelation is very good. a bit expensive, and it's heavy... but otherwise, it's very easy to do and a very powerful trick.

I have something that would fit perfect.. Brent Braun's Torched and Restored.. Check out his latest Penguinmagic.com Lecture.
Easy and fantastic!

FANTASTIC info and insights!!

FANTASTIC info and insights!!

Are you dressed as a clown while doing this? I only ask because of your avatar and that could have an effect on pocket space.

90% of the time I am dressed as a clown when doing this. So, I do have a bit more pocket space.

When I am doing the magic I play to the grown-ups and the kids are looking on. I find that for things like Invisible Deck it works to my advantage because I say something like, "If that was the three of spades would that be amazing? I wish I could do that trick. It would be like Las Vegas good if I could do that."

So, they are set up to expect the typical cheesy beginner clown joke (like a card with all 52 cards printed very small on the face, or a card with the words "Your Card" or something).

Then, when they see the real magic the reactions are even stronger. Because I've amazed Mommy and Daddy they are telling the kids I'm good and telling their friends. After that booking birthday parties is easy because they have seen "real" magic.

When I do corporate or grown-up events I have a Western character (think a cheap copy of the great Pop Haydn). I do live in East Texas so it works well.

I guess I'm over explaining because I hate that many clowns think that because of the costume they don't have to do good magic and thus don't work hard. I might go to the other extreme because so many clown performers don't work at their magic so I feel the pressure to try to be the best I can possibly be.

Has anybody mentioned ambitious card?
Optical ropes is great and reset is instant.
There are a ton of possibilities, but it's past midnight and my brain is hanging up a closed sign for the night.

It sounds like you need quick effects that hit hard. I can't see you dressed as a clown going into a chop cup or ambitious card routine. Dean's Beads or Nana's Necklace could be great effect a for you. They look like props a clown would naturally carry. I use them often and they plays great for kids and adults.

I'm thinking the Phil card trick easy fun and little pocket space

Leo Jr