i have my firrst gigs performing in restaurants a couple nights a week coming soon. i wondered if anybody had any tips i could use. anything from makin a routine if needed and what tricks i should most definitely have in my repetoire.
I hate to say this, but really, if you don't feel you're ready, you aren't. Unless you can think of way to organize the tricks you do best into a decent routine, I would call it off. And also, only do tricks that you do best... as in the ones you can do in your sleep. Sorry if I sound discouraging, but this is just my perspective as I've done gigs myself.
i agree. definitely not professional. i dont know what to do when performing. the gig is mostly walking around tables at three restaurants a night. i would like some help at least becoming a better performer. i have about thrirty tricks. 5 from helders red mirror, the sculpture, helder skelter, invisble thread, sloth. a couple fromdan and dave, collectors, tivo 2.0, hoffzy osbourne. then random ones that have been around awhile, biddle trick, astounding appearance, invisible card,jacks be nimble, refined.
i don't think those tricks are ideal for table hopping, try professor's nightmare, red hot mama and a card ambitious, may be a triumph and a rubberband trick like stairway (ideal for tips) and the bill switch, simple tricks visual at chest level, no table required
Roberto Giobbi explains routines well in Card college Vol 2
As many here say: keep it short. First of all, have fun with it. Choose 5 tricks, as in the classical plays, you want to choose your five best. If you like them, everyone else will too.
Secondly, start building your routine.
You would like to choose a structure of tricks becoming increasingly fascinating and magical. Take a sharpie with you. *****es love to sign card just kidding. But take one with you, personifying a card helps to captivate the audience and they feel part of the trick. Really, what is the price of a pack of cards?
The first trick should be short and humurous, as an introduction. Secondly, pick an effect with a little audience input (pick a card for instance).
Now you have their full attention. Do a trick that requires some attention (for instance, I noticed you know the invisible card, do that one).
As a fourth, go for a mentalism effect of something alike. Keep them a bit at a distance this time, in await for the final trick. I prefer Clutch from Oz Pearlman, it's a perfect tricks for your restaurant surroundings.
Now end with you best trick. I prefer Card to Pocket (homing card plus from Roberto Giobbi, CC vol 2) for it ends with the deck vanishing for the main part. I read here someone chose to end his performance with: "Now the deck is gone, so I fear I can't do more tricks", but do whatever you want You can leave by simply thanking them and wishing them a lovely evening with their company
I hope I was of some help
All the advice given has been really good, and I hope you learn a lot from it.
My main concern is that you said you are looking to be a better performer, which doesn't make it sound like you are ready for this. People at restaurants vary considerably. You can get some people who absolutely love magic at one table, and then completely blank slates at the next.
If you are not confident in your performing abilities, and are asking for effects to do in just a few weeks, it doesn't seem like you are prepared for this.
The effects you should do are ones that you've been doing for a while now that you know are workers for you. Not ones that you haven't heard before and will need to look up, buy, and practice for just a few weeks before performing. That's not enough time to be doing some of these effects, since they need a good amount of practice in not just sleights, but presentation and knowing their weak and strong spots.
Also, if you can't take the 30 effects you know and make some sort of routine with them, that's not good. Pick effects that are similar, like triumph and inversion effects. One of my routines is a sandwich effect with the four kings, then Doc Daley's last trick with them, and I close with Panic. They all use the kings, and they are all justified in moving into the next one. Since Panic is so powerful, I usually tell them to have a good night and walk away at that point.
Another point, if you're still an amateur like you say you are, that's another pretty big indicator that you're not ready. People on the amateur level tend to either get really nervous performing for strangers and/or get the shakes. How often have you performed for someone you've NEVER met before? How often have you been out and about performing magic for random people? How good are you at approaching people, introducing yourself and what you do, and then performing for them? These are questions to think about to see if you are ready for this. I'm not claiming I'm a professional, but I know for sure I'm well beyond an amateur level and am very good with meeting new people.
I'm not trying to bring you down, I think it's great you're getting out there and performing, but this might not be the right environment to start off in. I'm assuming this is a paid thing or you got hired for it since you said it'll start in a few weeks. If that's so, then the above questions are very vital to determining how prepared you are, along with others. I wish you all the best if you feel more than ready for it, and I hope it goes very well. Don't take offense to this, it's just a constructive critical way of looking at what you have been telling us.
Jacob