Hello All
I’m sure my start in magic is not that different from others: got interested in magic as a kid when my father bought me a magic set, started doing the odd magic show at school fairs and birthday parties, spent a fortune on mail order effects before realising that a couple of good books (Bill Tarrs’ Now you see it, now you don’t and Hugard’s Expert Card Technique especially) were all I needed, started busking and doing shows as a teenager and then . . . I stopped and moved onto other things. I still did the occasional trick whenever I was asked but I never added anything new. For the next 20 years I did the same seven effects. It was enough for a small performance in a pub or at a party and, since I knew the material backwards, it went down very well. It was satisfying enough and I had no real desire to learn more.

Then I saw Derren Brown on TV and suddenly wanted to know a lot more about mentalism. I started getting hold of as many books and DVDs as I could afford, bought a ton of stuff, read indiscriminately and absorbed little. I had discovered one of the main problems of modern magic and mentalism. It’s too easy to get hold of stuff.! I was moving on to the next thing before I had fully appreciated what I had just learned. There was always the promise of something better. In the end I became a bit overwhelmed and felt guilty about the ton of expensive crap building up in my drawers. Also realised that I was still thinking like a magician and therefore doing mental magic rather than the type of mentalism I actually aspired to. The sad thing was that I had all these great effects but when I someone asked me to show them something I would inevitably get out the sponge balls. Ouch! In the end I got rid of most of it.

Then about two years ago I bought a subscription to Penguin Live. Suddenly I saw Looch, Atlas, Turner, Alan Nyman, Colin McLeod, Ian Rowlinson, Chris Smith et al perform and I was hooked again. But this time I was determined to do it right. I was more open to advice from others, more discerning about what I bought, I worked hard on developing my own effects and presentations, performed more frequently, and . . . retired the sponge balls. I still fall for the occasional overhyped, slickly videoed piece of junk but I don't think we ever grow out of that. I have my first wedding next summer, which has given me a focus to develop three strong strolling sets, and I am really looking forward to it. I also promised myself that by the end of this year I would stop lurking and become a part of the Magic Café community and get more involved. So, here I am . . .

Welcome Mobius,

I enjoyed your back story.

My interest in Mental Magic has put me in a similar circumstance. I feel stuck. Congratulations for finding your way through it.

Glad you made your New Year's resolution come true.

-Mary Mowder

Welcome to the Café! I love Penguin lectures.

Check out the Table Hoping thread...lots of good advice on strolling and wedding gigs...

Welcome Mobius,

Yes I can sure Relate I was in the same boat I was just focusing as well on fooling people
and doing Tricks. as well as buying every prop,Gimmick,Book and DVD that Read "Rep Maker"
Penguin is Cool always a Great experience with them.