I enjoy close-up tricks that tell a story and am looking for new ideas. I know a lot of magicians don't like them, but what are the best or your favorite close-up tricks that tell a story. (Not limited to card tricks)

Stories can be added to any close-up trick to make them better. I'd challenge you to come up with some. For some ideas, check out Vegas Visit by Josh Jay, Horizon Aces in the East Meets West download, and the Miser's Dream.

Ian,
Thanks for the examples. Vegas Visit is great and is something I haven't seen before. Usually I take the premise of the stories and change the characters, locations, ect. to fit it into my routine.

That's a great way to do it. Sam the Bellhop usually challenges your narrative skills, too, and is a fun experiment.

Gypsy Thread

Torn & Restored Cigarette Paper.

All of them.

Well, maybe not always a full "story." But every piece of magic should point beyond itself to something else. It needs at least a premise. Otherwise, it's not magic--it's just a trick.

Kate & Edith

You might want to check out my Magician Vs. Gambler.

Marc DeSouza has an excellent DVD of story magic.

When I was going through High School Bob Longe books where my treasure trove in the day, beginner level but the tricks diverse enough not be the run of the mill beginner tricks that everyone was doing.

One that sticks out in my mind was a trick called “Murder” out Bob’s book “World’s Best Card Tricks”. The theme was a wealthy lady in a mansion gets murdered and the cops surround the building cornering in all suspects and through a process of elimination find the murderer which turns out to be quite the surprise.

Nice trick and easy to do.

Magically

Aus

Wanna tell story magic? This book will inspire you not only to write fantastic stories, it can change the way you do, and view Magic! This $35 tome will give you the tools to really PERFORM, with YOUR tales of Enchantment!

http://www.leapinglizardsmagic.com/tales_of_enchantment.htm

Doug

Ariel Frailich has a cook called Card Stories

Brain Food by David Parr

I feel that telling stories as we do magic is a very strong thing we can do. I think ther are few things to bare in mind. The story has to be interesting - To you as the teller as much as them to the listener. This is obvious yet so many get it wrong. You have many great stories. don't use other people stories it seem to dilute. Also I have heard people go when I was in Africa and at the end you say were in Africa was you and they say I just say that for that effect. I know we can play charters and that's OK but there is a line.

I would start looking around at stories that interest you and work from there. If it can be your own story or your way of explain something it going to be strong. In my note books are stories with out effect and effects with out stories. But slowly the ides form.

Telling a story well can take as much practice as your magic effect. The reason why many magicians do not like story-telling, methinks, is that they are unwilling to put in the effort to do it well. You can't just add some words to a magic effect and expect it to enhance the effect any more than changing the color of your pocket handkerchief or buying an expensive wand. They may make it "different" but not "better."

Start by telling stories out-loud whenever possible. Go to hospitals and the park -- and tell stories. Learn to create magic with intonation, volume and gestures. Then add a magic trick.

Also, magic may be used to enhance a story as well as the other way around (as in Gospel Magic). A story may give relevance or framing to an effect without accompanying it. You can tell about a magic effect you have seen and recreate the awe and wonder without any prop. Remember - the magic impact you desire resides withing the spectator and not you. You can kindle it and nurture it. A story can serve you well -- if properly done.

Thank you Doug for adding my book to this thread. I am very proud of the impact it has made on magicians and their thoughts about the magic they do in a theatrical context! Magically, Walt

http://www.leapinglizardsmagic.com/aaa_n......ales.htm

My pleasure Walt!

Ya know, I wonder if anyone even considers my advice here. I kill a LOT of threads. Or, I'm just ignored. No matter. After forty years of this, I do know a few things, LOL! I only WISH I had “Tales of Enchantment: The Art of Magic” by Walt Anthony when I first started in 1971!

I would not have made the mistakes I made! Naturally, when I see, "Best Tricks That Tell A Story", I wanna tell everyone that EVERY effect has a story! How creative ARE you? And are you a MAGICIAN or a trickster? Showing tricks like they are puzzles to solve? Or taking your victi...er, spectator on an Enchanted Journey, "down the rabbit hole", so to speak?

It goes from "How did you DO that?" to, "Oh, wow! That was like real MAGIC!" Well, “Tales of Enchantment: The Art of Magic”, by Walt Anthony is the book you want. It shows you, for example, how to take a tacky, intelligence-insulting trick like the Sliding Die Box, and turn it into The Wizard's Herb Chest, along with an appropriate tale.

That effect is TOTALLY transformed! Today, even my Cups & Balls effect has a story! Really think about WHY you are doing what you do. Why does the ball vanish or change color? Why does the ball FLOAT? What Wizardry is going on around us that makes this stuff happen? What Alien presence is causing this? The government knows more than it's telling...etc.

Guys and gals...please. Make up a story for your magic effects! Get “Tales of Enchantment: The Art of Magic”, by Walt Anthony and let him show you just HOW to do that! $35 is not a lot of cash, compared to some of the lame effects I see out there. Good Magic to you all!

Doug

Ha! You must have inherited my magic and heraldic title. I went from Sir Walt the Dragon Slayer to Sir Walt the Thread Killer when I joined the Café long ago…

Yeah, LOL! I know what ya mean. Maybe folks are being polite. They really disagree but won't post it. I really pushed in one post and I got a reply that not every effect needs a story. Or it bogs it all down. People want FAST. In and out, over and done. That's not how I roll.

I guess I'm Old School in more ways than one. You want to see Magic? Then let me SHOW you Magic! You want a quick trick? A puzzle they'll want to solve? Fine. Not from me. I don't DO "tricks"! I play the role of the Wizard! Imagine Merlin being asked to show a "trick"! He'd say:

."F--k You! I'm MERLIN! I do MAGIC!"

Doug

Color Monte is a great story-telling effect.

And I agree with those who say that many tricks can be enhanced with a great story. I have had great success with a multi-coin copper silver effect in which the half dollars are men, the English pennies ladies.

Howard