Performing at a hospice next week - Please help

[Sepharoth]

Hey everyone,

So after about 8 months of practising magic at home and for a few friends at school (I'm 17), I've finally got my first performance at the local hospice's day care centre next Wednesday... the only problem is that I have no idea what I'm going to do.

I emailed them last week offering to do some magic for their residents, but expected to enter a long process with CRB checks and the like. However, I got a reply today asking if I could come in next week, so now I'm worried. I've never performed in public before, and I'm not sure if I've got enough material to put together something good.

I was thinking of doing some stuff with spongeballs, simple coin vanishes and productions, TT silk vanishes, maybe the odd card trick or two (french kiss, ID, Tnr etc). I also have the Fibre Optics DVD but haven't gotten round to watching it yet - would that be something you would recommend for this sort of show?

I'm not even sure if it's going to be stand up for a crowd or one-to-one - the latter I can handle but its the stand up which I'm scared about. So I was wondering if anyone had any advice on effects I can/should perform, whether to make a story out of everything or keep it short and simple, confidence tips or just anything in general.

I'll be visiting Davenport's tomorrow, so if there's any must-have effect or accessory that would help, I would be willing to buy it. Any help would me much appreciated

Cheers

 

[Zac Eckstein]

Classics are always good if you are unsure. Cups and balls, linking rings, etc. They are safe, not hard, and a classic. I'm sure what ever you come up with they will be appreciative.

 

[RealityOne]

Call the person and ask them some questions so that you understand their expectations. Whether you will be performing in a group setting (if so, how large a group) or one-on-one and for how long. You can do this very politely by just starting the conversation by saying "I would like to talk to you to go over the details and get your ideas on the best way to approach this." Also get a sense of the mental and physical abilities of the people you are performing for.

During the discussion ask if there are any guidelines that you need to follow. Hospitals often have guidelines that will affect what you do. For example there may be restrictions of having the spectators handle props (to prevent the spread of infection). That may effect your doing French Kiss, using sponge balls or even having spectators pick a card. There also may be restrictions on using certain props like balloons (due to the latex).

Don't learn anything new for the first performance. Go with what you know. A week isn't long enough to perfect a new routine that isn't self-working. Fiber Optics will definitely take you more than a week as would developing a GOOD linking rings or cups & balls routine.

The effects you perform will depend on whether you are performing for a large group or one-on-one. However, regardless of the effects you do, make sure you present them with some patter and interaction -- just don't say what you are doing.

Finally, don't be embarrassed to tell them you need more time to get ready. Simply tell them that you are working on developing a show and/or routines and that you want to take the time to get everything right so that the attendees will really enjoy the magic. I think it would be a great idea if you could even get a quick tour of the facility so that you will be more comfortable when you are performing there.

Good luck.

 

[towcheeze]

Fiber Optics is an astounding rope routine, and the moves aren't too hard. However, it will take some time to develop your own patter. Hope this helps

 

[William Draven]

Well I'd say knock em dead, but given the nature of who you are performing for that may be in bad taste.

 

[TomTom]

Seeing as time is of the essence, you should stick the stuff which a)you already know and b)you feel the most comfortable performing. The best magic you will do is the stuff where you are less concerned with the technique, and more concerned with the presentation of your magic. There are no exceptions to this.

If we're being pragmatic, then you should definitely definitely do sponge balls. The sleights are relatively simple, once you're comfortable doing them then the effect invariably hits like a sledgehammer. Card tricks: yes, we all know these are entertaining. If you know some good ones, that is. And some advice: I wouldn't even bother with Fibre Optics. To be honest, this close to the big day, it would involve way too much work with not enough pay-off. You're much better off just sticking with the stuff you know best.

I'm honestly not sure how good reactions one can get from people at a hospice, but so long as you're getting experience, it's all good. Don't take it personally if they are a little 'flat'. And most of all, respect to you for getting out there and living the dream

 

[ReservoirRed]

It's true. Stick with what you know. While I believe It is possible to learn an effect well in a week, (not as good as it will become, but that will come from performance, which brings me back to it being first performance ready in a week). But it doesn't mean that you should do the minimum. Ricky Jay maintains he practices a trick for a year before showing anyone. Why would you perform something you've known for a week when you can perform magic you've known for upwards on 8 months?
The forum will be glad to help you. But first you have to make the phone call and find out exactly what is expected of you. And dont be afraid to ask to change some details with the person who booked you. YOU are the entertainer. If you do not have a stage show, you will not be doing one in a week's time, and it cant be expected of you. You cant hire a tightrope walker and ask them to juggle. I assume you are doing this for free, so you should be allowed do your thing. Stage show is not something you want to be puting together in a week. However , a parlour show is within the grasp of every close up magician.

 

[Sepharoth]

Thanks for the replies; a lot of great advice that I'll definitely take on board.

I found out today that I'll be performing for a "small group", which (judging by the pictures of the lounge) will be about 5-7 people. I've emailed back asking about the physical/mental abilities (thanks for that one, David).

So yeah, thanks again, and I'll let you know how it goes. If there's any more advice, please keep it coming.

Regards

 

[NathanD2]

How long do you have to perform for? I remember when I first started performing gigs like this and I'd have so many tricks and I do them all in the space of half an hour...but then I learned to sloooooooooow doooooooowwwwwwnnnnnnn....
So try not to worry about the number of tricks you have, but how you present them...dont speed through them.
Build a relationship with your spectators, speak with them as a friend and not as a performer and most importantly...let the moments of magic truely sink in, the vanishing silk and TT is a wonderful trick to truely create magical moments...i cant explain why but it is.
I've had people come up to me years later, while they may not remember all my routines and tricks, they remember the silk...because i let the moments sink in and took my time