This month I will be going on a mission trip to Africa (Kenya) with my family. We will be bringing many of our illusions and we have over 30 shows planned in just 10 days!! All in different places. We'll be really busy.

Back to my question. I want to know what your favorite close-up tricks are that are HIGHLY VISUAL and don't involve much, if any, patter. They don't speak enough English for any long confusing patter.

Tell be your thoughts...

Superman (it's in Jon Tremaine's The Amazing book of Magic Tricks), it's easy astounding and visual. Basically the effect is:you roll three balls (I use the cigarette foil inside the box--but you can use any paper, but silver shows up better), these are vanished in your ear, eye, behind your neck and reproduced from your mouth. These are then put in your hand (which is above the spectator's hand), and this time all 3 balls vanish completely.
Try Healed and Sealed -- although the set up is frustrating, the overall effect is visually good.
TT and IT--you can do lots of tricks with these.
Penetrating Ash is another brilliant impromptu effect.
Andre
South Africa
ajcombri@telkomsa.net

Take string and small scissors, and do the Chewing a string back together. Works one on one, or for a small crowd, is very visual, builds nicely and is something they can try and fail at.

I'm sure you know it. It's a neglected kiddy trick that is in many old books. Show the string, have it examined and have them tie the ends into a knot. Proceed. You can pack a hundred setups in a shirt pocket! I carry the small folding chinese seamstress scissors.

You could also do a small Gramma's Necklace around their upper arm (place the two long strings underneath their arm and have them hold their arm tight to their body to keep the string from falling as you tie it....this, of course, guarantees that the gaffication stays solidly hidden underneath their arm. All this can be done wordlessly.

Take one length of magicians rope for the ring off knot, which is very visual. If they don't have a ring, use yours.

If you carry a piece of rope, a silk and a ring, you can do the Okito moves in OHO (magic inc.) This is most beautiful and as visual as you can get..plus use the props for other magic...ring and rope stuff is easy to learn and looks great.

Lemme see....Why not make up some Chinese Paper packets and do that effect, then give them the trick and teach it to them? Show it empty fold it up, give it to them to hold, take a coin and put it in your pocket, take it invisibly out of your pocket and toss it into the paper...you unfold it to show the coin has magically arrived. This presentation is simplistic, but is simple enough for them to remember, and to do, no sleights.

sling wonders!

Thanks for your imput guys. I'm leaving this Friday (the 16th) so please pray for me and my family as we share God's love.

Rubber bands. CMH can be done without saying a word, even where you get a volunteer to hold one of the bands. I use it all the time in loud clubs and corporate parties.

Sponge balls. Again, they can be done with little patter or even in double-talk.

Pen Through Anything, linking rings, cups & balls and, if you want to be classy, look up a routine called "Owan to Tama" in the magic of Shigeo Futagawa (IIRC). It's a variation of the cups & balls using rice bowls and is very pretty when done to music (boom box with a CD).

Fl!pStick. Fast, visual and a great lead-in to a ring on want effect.

Card to unexpected place. Cop the selection as you give them the deck to mix. Saves time.

Just some thoughts on the topic from an old hand at working in loud places where one really can't talk much.

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.
http://www.leedarrow.com