Mark Nathan Sicher had a great gag that would work as an attention grabber. He would grab someone’s tie and pull the lining from it, make some remark and started trying to poke it back up the tie. If you don't have their attention now you may want to start thinking of doing something other than magic.

Impromptu? Jay Marshall's “Shoes on the Table”.

I did this at a Consular dinner a few years ago and got HOWLS of laughter (they were Argentinean and not used to such hijinks, but were right in tune with the insanity.)

Fl!pstick with a drumstick from the band worked well, as does the salt trick (TT method.)

In Aikido, there's a thing called "Orenai-te," the Unbendable Arm, that's similar to the Georgia Magnet stuff (and any of that plays big, too!).

But, in the right situation, the shoes is an absolute killer effect!

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.
http://www.leedarrow.com

Lee,
Can you tell me a bit about “Shoes on the Table” and where you find it, please?

Cheers
Shanester

Pen thru bill?
or when someone produces a credit card - do a vanish to your wallet.

Like the reference to Mark Sicher - how about the gag where he picks popcorn off the floor and eats it!

I'm not familiar with "Shoes on the table" either.

Could we get a descrpition of the effect?

I find crazy man's handcuffs (rubber band through rubber band), will catch people's eyes from across the room. Most people saw it on David's special and want to see it again "close up". From there it's onto more rubber band magic.

Wow. Anyone who can pull that one off really has mastered the art, I say.

Not because any extreme sleights are required, but because it shows the performer has acquired the much more difficult skill of reading & understanding an audience.

Coin Roll, or a bunch of butterfly cuts with cards can be nice 'attention-getters'.

I think...

If I just start into my patter, talking very loudly, people stop and stare at me a wonder what I'm doing. If you really want the biggest crowd you've ever seen, start twisting balloons.
Ralph

I think my coin out arm effect is good too, but I'm still working the bugs out of it, but it freaks them out when they see their signed coin pop put where I want it to

alan

Old vaudeville gag....Take two alka seltzers, put them in your mouth...Start to convulse and fall on the ground....Never ever fails.

Oh yeah, Needle thru arm works good too..

Until it was exposed, the Balducci Levitation was good.

Other than that Crazy Man's Handcuffs and, to a degree, Magic Squares (as they can involve lots of people).

Lite Flite. You don't have to be there at the start and it attracts crowds.

Doing the "burning flashpaper - to d'Lite - to lighting the Budweiser sign with it" gathers up a pretty nice bunch of very curious guests in the bar I work...

-e-

I suggest checking out Michael Weber's book "Life Savers". It has many quick impromptu effects. One that works great is "appealing illusion". Basically you peel back a portion of the cover of any magazine off the rack to reveal what's underneath. Such as peeling back part of the hood of a car and seeing the engine underneath. Than just as quick rubbing the peeled portion back onto the magazine and placing it back on the rack. If that doesn't get people looking at, grabbing at or examining the cover afterwards...... you have to try to believe it. It works with any magazine and some minor preparation. Cheers.......

They make these called funkenrings that make sparks magically. They also make smoke producers. If you combine them you can get a very interesting effect that makes it appear is if any piece of electronics has just sparked and started smoking.

You will get a lot of attention if you do this to credit card readers.

I got to say that card manipulations really grab the eyes. For me, anyway. A little card shooting and catching can bring them over in droves!

How about the lit cig vanish? I always make sure to stand in an area that is clean because the first place they look is on the floor around you. ...then just pick up your glass with the dirty hand and "cheers"!

Fire wallets are good attention grabbers but use with caution and discretion. I did this once at a wedding reception. The bride and groom and their paparazzi came over to our table to greet us and receive best wishes including money envelopes.

After the burst of flames came out of my wallet, everyone in the restaurant turned around to see what the commotion was all about. They won't soon forget this every time they watch their wedding videos. Like I said, use discretion when it comes to fire effects.

Lots of magi have used TTs to great effect in impromtu situations.

kerpa
a/k/a Mike Miller
Chicago area