The pocket management itself was good. I went to the tailor and got a shirt with 2 chest pockets and everything fit nicely.

I didn't read the tommy wonder material (yet), but I have taken your tip about instant resetting at hart. ive found a way to perform smoke about 5-7 times in a row. the 2 card monte will go if I have a nicer one, same goes for clip line. I find that if I left to reset, I got out of the flow. the first 6 tables where from a large group, and I had to leave in the middle (unneccessary, but I realised that later) and the flow that was building up went away.

my biggest learning point was the misdirection. my spongeballs routine was called out for a few times because of that reason. so for the time being I'm keeping the set as it is, and work on deepening the misdirection skills before I move on to material that suits me better

Great to hear you are learning from it!!!


As I often say we all needed a place to be bad when we started, I certainly did


Something to consider, you may be able to plant sponge balls or cards before you start working and do some very interesting and unique productions

You could do possibly a very bold card through window ;-) hidden behind the curtain, patron moves curtain, there is their card and it's gone from the deck

Congratulations dude. I've been [silently] reading this regularly to see how you'd get on. It brings me inspiration to start doing a similar thing in the months ahead. Out of curiosity, how long have you been practicing the magic art for now Servaas?

James

Hi James,
Ive started in the summer of 2009, so little over half a year. but ive been practising very (very) much.

I would advise you to go for it James. I know only 6 effects well, and it was more than enough to last me 2 hours walking around. ive read on this site that Lance Burton said that the best magicians are the ones that perform the most, so for me I have no other option than to do it.

How long have you been into magic?
And how many effects do you do well?

Servaas

it makes more sense now, about a place to be bad. it shows that I have work to do to become the magician I envision myself to be, but that's ok.

Hi Sev,

First up - congrats on the gig!

As you say, these are the times to work on the 'higher' level concepts such as audience management.

One trick I can recommend for your particular arena is 'Ace In The Pocket' (Darwin Ortiz, found in his book 'Scams and Fantasies'). The routine is short (2-5 mins, depending upon presentation and patter) and very powerful.

It's a very clean two card transposition. One card is in the spectators pocket, the other held between the palms of their hands. With the routine you start clean and finish clean (no reset to speak of) and it has the added advantage of playing well to an individual and to larger (15-20) groups.

It usually ellicits the response (after a momnet of stunned silence) "Do that again!" which is when I go into a two signed cards transposition ('Nulda's Revenge', Darwin Ortiz, from 'Cardshark') another short, powerful trick that starts clean and ends clean.

Hey Servaas,
I've been steadily practicing since late summer, and performing when I can on friends and acquaintances.

I've been studying the Royal Road, and do about 8 card effects well, but I would like to do more than cards before I start volunteering at places though. I will start looking at non-card effects soon..

James