"Can you show me a trick?"

Recentley went travelling and was sitting doing some flourishes(not that good) and then the question poopped up and i froze! Sp what trickss do you show someone in this instance?

i appreciate there was a thread a while back similar to this but cant find it.
 
Mar 16, 2010
106
1
Lithuania
Anything impromptu: ambitious card, biddle trick, card to mouth, mindereading trick, classic color change, cardini change card to pocket and meny more.
 
Jun 10, 2010
1,360
1
Anything impromptu: ambitious card, biddle trick, card to mouth, mindereading trick, classic color change, cardini change card to pocket and meny more.

If you have balloons with you, pressure. Since it's unlikely you'd have a few balloons on you, do an ACR or something.
 
Aug 17, 2010
411
4
Most of the time improvise. Doing that comes up with great ideas!

NO!!!! Don't improvise, be prepared.

Have a three-trick routine practiced and ready to go for situations like this. That way, when someone asks, you have a polished set ready to go instead of freezing up, or a handful of unrelated tricks as you think of them, with no thought about what trick makes a good closer, or opener. When you are left to improvise, the tricks don't come in the order of good opener, strong middle, great closer" - they come in the order you remember them.

The first little set I learned (and still do) is a cut to the aces trick, followed by twisting the aces, then Doc Daley's Last Trick. The tricks themselves aren't important - it's that it's practised, polished, and ready to go anytime. Don't have to wonder about what ones to do, what to say, transitions - it's all done.

Next thing you know, you have a solid routine that will only get better. A couple more mini-sets, and you have an entire show ready to go.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
NO!!!! Don't improvise, be prepared.

Have a three-trick routine practiced and ready to go for situations like this. That way, when someone asks, you have a polished set ready to go instead of freezing up, or a handful of unrelated tricks as you think of them, with no thought about what trick makes a good closer, or opener. When you are left to improvise, the tricks don't come in the order of good opener, strong middle, great closer" - they come in the order you remember them.

The first little set I learned (and still do) is a cut to the aces trick, followed by twisting the aces, then Doc Daley's Last Trick. The tricks themselves aren't important - it's that it's practised, polished, and ready to go anytime. Don't have to wonder about what ones to do, what to say, transitions - it's all done.

Next thing you know, you have a solid routine that will only get better. A couple more mini-sets, and you have an entire show ready to go.

Nothing wrong with improving. It shows intellect and the ability to think on your feet. Also why would you want to ALWAYS have an act ready for everything. Don't you have better things to do, don't you have a life. What are you a monkey?
 
Usually something not involving cards. And the reason is because it throws them off. And gives you an edge on them. They are expecting you to do a card trick. So when you agree and then proceed to put your cards away and do something completely unexpected I feel it works better.

An example for me was when I was in a Manchester Starbucks with two of my best mates. We were sitting on a big sofa and I started flourishing randomly and then some girls came and sat on the other end of it. I noticed them starting to watch me and after a while one of them finally said "Can I see a trick?" and I looked at them for a moment. And one of my friends said "Yeahh sure he will!" and so I decided to go ahead.
So I calmly agreed, then proceeded to put my cards in the box and then into my bag. At this point everyone looked confused, both the girls and my friends. I then went on to perform Dee Christophers amazing effect "VANITY". I got all three of them very involved and by the end they were blown away. I love the stunned amazement effect.

To sum up it went incredibly well and I was extremely happy with it and from what the girls told me so were they. And after they left my friends were asking me questions about what I'd just done for ages. As they're sceptical about magic, but had no idea how I'd done what I did.

And in responce to the improv issue. That was completely improv, not only that, it was the first time I'd ever performed that particular effect. I just decided to shake things up and do something new. And it payed off very well, much more than whacking out a few card tricks.

JL
 

Luis Vega

Elite Member
Mar 19, 2008
1,838
278
38
Leon, Guanajuato Mexico
luisvega.com.mx
Usually something not involving cards. And the reason is because it throws them off. And gives you an edge on them. They are expecting you to do a card trick. So when you agree and then proceed to put your cards away and do something completely unexpected I feel it works better.

Wow!! I have never thought about that!! I always felt that is was obvious and natural to show a card trick...but I realize magic should not be obvious or natural...
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
Recentley went travelling and was sitting doing some flourishes(not that good) and then the question poopped up and i froze! Sp what trickss do you show someone in this instance?

i appreciate there was a thread a while back similar to this but cant find it.

Hi cushing0,

I'm afraid you're asking the wrong question! The question is not what we perform, but rather what you would perform! What I would do is not what you would do If only for the simple fact that I am not you.

The real question Is what do you do.

I had this problem about a year or two ago. I didnt know my own repertoire well enough! There are several problems here. The first Is simply that you probably haven't practiced enough. If you can't recall any tricks at all and you blank, then you probably just need to practice so that they become second nature as go to tricks.

Another thing Is planning. On this point, I think its important to plan for performances. This doesnt mean you can't Improvise. But people often misunderstand the meaning of improvisation. Its not making stuff up on the spot. All good improvisers realise that improvisation is never done completely off the cuff. Instead, there must be a good basis from which you Improvise. It's not an excuse for not planning or not practicing. Repeated watchings of whose line is it anyway will show you that In reality, those great improvisers use a formulaic basis.

So rather than ask us what to do, ask what you do. What tricks do you know? no need to learn new stuff, that's not the problem. Think about what you know, and use that. Think about what you could perform at a moments notice if asked, and then practice so that when the time comes, you know it so well that you could perform it and won't freeze, and even if you did you could still perform it. Freezing is a function of not practicing enough and therefore not being comfortable enough with your material to the point that it becomes second nature. I know, because I was guilty of it myself.

Hope this helps!
 
Aug 17, 2010
411
4
Nothing wrong with improving. It shows intellect and the ability to think on your feet. Also why would you want to ALWAYS have an act ready for everything. Don't you have better things to do, don't you have a life. What are you a monkey?

Well, one should always improve...

My point is, I don't have to worry about it now, because I have something to fall back on. I'm prepared.

I have a great life, full and rewarding. Why the personal attack? Don't YOU have a life? Don't you have better things to do than insult people on the internet? What are you, six?
 
Aug 4, 2010
167
0
Tell him no...Thats what I would do...I only perform when I want to... not when someone tells me to..."I am not your personal entertainer... leave me alone"...If I feel like it...If I choose to perform I do a quick sandwich effect...Portal is a nice one too.

That is one of the reasons I don't like to flourish in public that much....

Usually something not involving cards. And the reason is because it throws them off. And gives you an edge on them. They are expecting you to do a card trick.

The only reason they asked you in the first place is because they saw the cards...If you are going to give in at least deliver and do the card trick...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
this is excellent i love the vanity idea of putting cards away and showing them that very neat although im not aware of this effect ill look into it i bought AOA a while back and will delve into that to see if i can put something together many thanks.
 
Hi cushing0,

I'm afraid you're asking the wrong question! The question is not what we perform, but rather what you would perform! What I would do is not what you would do If only for the simple fact that I am not you.

The real question Is what do you do.

I had this problem about a year or two ago. I didnt know my own repertoire well enough! There are several problems here. The first Is simply that you probably haven't practiced enough. If you can't recall any tricks at all and you blank, then you probably just need to practice so that they become second nature as go to tricks.

Another thing Is planning. On this point, I think its important to plan for performances. This doesnt mean you can't Improvise. But people often misunderstand the meaning of improvisation. Its not making stuff up on the spot. All good improvisers realise that improvisation is never done completely off the cuff. Instead, there must be a good basis from which you Improvise. It's not an excuse for not planning or not practicing. Repeated watchings of whose line is it anyway will show you that In reality, those great improvisers use a formulaic basis.

So rather than ask us what to do, ask what you do. What tricks do you know? no need to learn new stuff, that's not the problem. Think about what you know, and use that. Think about what you could perform at a moments notice if asked, and then practice so that when the time comes, you know it so well that you could perform it and won't freeze, and even if you did you could still perform it. Freezing is a function of not practicing enough and therefore not being comfortable enough with your material to the point that it becomes second nature. I know, because I was guilty of it myself.

Hope this helps!

excellent man!!! yeah ive never took that approach to it every performers different a lot of people do more mind reading type effects then card effects, you hit the nail on the head in terms of not practicing enough, i admit i dont practice as much as i used to which is why i froze this weekend is going to be putting a routine together signed card routine etc problems with me when i started 3 years ago is i learnt so many tricks all at one which is the main problem, im going to go back to basics and learn say 4 off the cuff so im good to go thanks again for the advice!
 

Mad

Jul 16, 2009
14
0
I always tell people that I need to warm up so I perform Freak. :) Then I do a card trick but then I bring a coin into the picture and says: you know, money is alot more fun than cards, I mean, everyone loves money.
And then I do some fun things with it, like Ivanish or coin under watch.
But that is what kind of tricks I do. You need to try out what you think is fun to perform cause that is what is important. If you are having fun, so will they.
 
Dec 20, 2009
343
0
Mumbai, India
I always tell people that I need to warm up so I perform Freak. :) Then I do a card trick but then I bring a coin into the picture and says: you know, money is alot more fun than cards, I mean, everyone loves money.
And then I do some fun things with it, like Ivanish or coin under watch.
But that is what kind of tricks I do. You need to try out what you think is fun to perform cause that is what is important. If you are having fun, so will they.

I agree with you 100% . Do what you enjoy!

I have a routine ready for these situations. But i usually change it around a bit. I would suggest you script your routine but don't "learn it". What I mean is, Know the tricks back to front, but don't just repeat the patter like a parrot. Interact with your audience listen to them, talk to them.


I usually perform something like a quick coin effect, some rubberband magic (if i can find one, since i don't carry one with me) or a D.L card change in their hands, or something along those lines.



- Jenai
 
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