Hi Gang

I'm doing a bookstore gig here in my town in Sweden in a couple of weeks when the "new" Harry Potter book comes out in Swedish. I need to find some nice close-up stuff with a potter theme/feel to it.

I thought I'l do cup and balls, floating feather, D'lite and maybe Vanni Bossi's Chick a flame. But I nead more. Any ideas?

Jonas Karlsson
Vibono Magic

Twilight for the mirror?
A die box for the philosopher's stone?
A flip book for the diary?

Andrew Mayne had a DVD devoted to children's magic with a Harry Potter/Sorcery theme to it. I think it was called Wizard School. http://www.weirdthings.com is his website.

K.C. Ushijima

Keep you eyes open in the Linking Ring Magazine later this year (next two to six months). Someone I know is contributing his restaurant Harry Potter trick. It plays well and kids love it. It won't kill magicians, but it should generate tips. You'll have to wait for it.

Thanks! These are all great ideas. Any more?

Jonas Karlsson

Some sort of "potions" tricks, if you can run w/ that theme. (I have three cups which stack on top of each other, and each cup has holes in it so you can pour one colored liquid into the top cup, then another liquid which travels "through" the top cup to the middle cup and a third liquid which goes all the way to the bottom cup.) If that made sense. Make something disappear. Perhaps an appearing pole from your hat.

I did a bookstore gig for the book when it came out in america. I did Haunted Key and Golden Key(I think that is what it is called) I also did some card stuff with ESP cards and Tarot Cards. ITR work is also ok esp if you can get the kids to say the magic words from the books.

How about card tricks using a Harry Potter deck? Penguin used to carry them and Wal-Mart should have them.
Jonathan

You could do a story of how evil is always trying to put Harry down (put card in middle of deck) but he keeps fighting and always comes out on top (ambitious move).

Thanks guys! The gig is tomorow at midnight as that is the time the book will be released so there is still time for more.

Jonas Karlsson
Vibono Magic

Good Luck. Try vanishing salt in a TT. Tell them it's magic powder. (Have a small glass of salt. Make a fist w/ the TT in it. Pour in the salt, and vanish it. Then reach up after a few moments of searching and pour the salt back out into the glass.) Just don't tell them it's salt. For my cake routine I say that it's sugar. You could also pick up a firebook if you have time and get a Harry Potter cover (from one of the books). Cut it if you need to then glue it on the book. Tell them you'd like to recite a passage from the book. Open it and pretend to look for your glasses, as the book catches fire. Do this two or three times only realizing on the last time the book is on fire.

--Thumb-cuffs themed with Harry Potter type stuff ("Open sesame" in potterspeak)

--A coin change routine (works well, "alchemy")

--Hummingbird card (gimmicked, but effective)

Hi folks,
The gig went well. Unfortunatly there weren't that many people in the store that night. I played from 00:00 to 01:00 and did a street show befor we opened.
However, some of the ideas were used and went well. Thanks for your help.

Jonas Karlsson
Vibono Magic

Use IT to levitate. Always an eye popper: "Wingardian Levioso" or something like that which they used to levitate the ogre's club. I am thinking of making a small club of balsa wood to use for children.

Also, there is an auction on EBay for gold coins from the bank in the movie. They are authentic from the movie - you can vanish them or make the appear, push through a table, etc.

Almost anything works because Potter is attending the school of Witch Craft and Wizardry, after all.

Just a note on that, it's wingaadian (I think there's an r but it's not really pronounced) and it's levioSA. They are also most famous for saying that while levitating a feather, not the club. Minor details that the children may correct. Not a big deal though.
Jordini

Hey, I think I remember it better with the club from the film, as that is when it pays off, and Ron is able to beat the baddie.

....er, yeah, but the feather was first.....

Actually the word is "Windgardium Leviosa".

There are several ideas that can be adapted to this line.

Surprisingly noone has mentioned anything about Harrys wand. This leads you into a story of Harry choosing his wand and trying all sorts before selecting his own (rubber wand, nest of wands, breakaway wand, feather duster wand).

S. Patrick

About two years ago (shortly after the release of the first Harry Potter movie) there was a column in one of the magazines (I can't remember whether it was in Magic's "Turn it Around" or Genii's "Pediatrix") that explained how to gaff a sack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans and do a routine separating the good tasting and bad tasting beans using an audience volunteer. I haven't had an opportunity to use the trick (my students are too old to have read Harry Potter as children and too young to have read it as parents)but it looks like a great routine for a HP themed show. The column gives the complete routine.

Ed

I am doing a Harry Potter theme for our local Girl Guides in August, and I am interested in getting more suggestions. I am planning on doing a potion with a dove pan to make some Every Flavoured Beans.