Having an Accomplice

Jan 26, 2017
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Virginia
I know that for the longest times, stage magicians have used stooges and assistants to get certain things done throughout there show. While the practice has been apparent in close up and stand up magic, it was never as apparent, and the idea is quickly dying out (in stand up).

However, what are your guys' thoughts on having someone who isn't a stooge or an assistant to help you out. On the street, or a mall, or a party, or wherever you are performing, there are always a ton of random people just chilling around, or walking from here to there, or whatever. What if you had a friend or someone who would help you out without being present in the show as far as the spectator's are concerned?

Here is an example to maybe help you understand:
You have a friend just chill somewhere. He knows what you are doing, and is waiting for a signal. During your show, you have a card signed and folded into quarters. You switch it out for another folded up card, keeping the selected one in palm. You now burn the indifferent card in a glass and crush it up, so you are essentially left with ash. Meanwhile, your friend has walked over, an in the natural action of walking past you, he bumped into you. While this happens, he takes the folded card and hides it somewhere, then leaves. You have just created an impossible location effect. Obviously there are other methods that could be used, but this is one specific example.

P.S. I saw this idea first when Brian Brushwood did this at a bar, but he was actually demonstrating how he secretly robbed the bar of the price of 1 drink - $1 (he borrowed a bill, had it signed, and did the same thing, except he had his friend go buy a drink with the bill, effectively putting it back in the till. Thus, no money actually changed in the till, but his friend bought a drink. Thus, the friend got the drink for free, except since Brian had to destroy a $1 bill for it, it cost $1). That was in a much more controlled environment, I am thinking of applying it to much more natural magic.
 
Jul 26, 2016
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I am totally jiggy with it. At the bar there are two things I do using, as Maas calls them, accomplices. One is to control then palm off a signed card and drop it on the floor behind me. The cocktail server passes by and picks it up and then goes outside to the window by the front entrance. She sticks the card on the outside of the window facing in with a tiny piece of double stick tape. You can guess the rest.the front.

The other effect is to supply the bartender with some duplicate cards. A card is controlled, palmed off and the deck is handed to the spectator to "locate and concentrate" on he is/her card. It has vanished. After a suitable pause I call to the bartender asking if he might know what happened to the card. It is on his forehead. It is quite visible to the patrons and people go crazy with laughter.
 
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Jul 26, 2016
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I know it is "M-A-A-Z," but the dang auto-correct wouldn't let it happen - even after I thought I corrected it. Sorry for the other typos as well --usually I try to be neater...
 
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What I typically like to do is stooge the whole audience so that they are all in on it and I coach them to react a certain way. It looks so good on camera and plays so well in live performance! I feel like a "magic god" when I do that but man does the cost add up!
 
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Jul 13, 2014
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Methods are methods. To quote helder guimeraes: "I try to not limit myself to a normal deck of cards. For me getting the magic moment, the magic feeling... that's really the most important thing. " as with any method, you must consider the potential repercussions if you get busted. The risks are higher with accomplices. But overall, just get the magic moment and the magic feeling and don't get caught.
 
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