I´ll go with a good center tear...

ANY coin trick. Coins across, coin in ear, coin in nose, coin in mouth. Wilson's on the spot video has tons of GREAT material. I love the pen trick, and Shoot and Apollo have a nice routine with pens that borrows off of Wilson on their Cultural Xchange 2 dvd.

-Joel

I find a bit of simple Mentalism helps.

Since you live in Vegas, never leave home without 3 chips in your pockets.

Show 2 chips in your left hand. Take one and put it in pocket, closing left hand as you take it. Open left hand and its back. If this has been published somewhere I'm not aware of it, but a buddy and I came up with it and I use it all the time with Kennedys. No gaffs and it resets itself *while* you do it. Supply your own patter.

Barry

Barry,
Good thinking, but there have been several things in print that use the 3 in the hand 1 in the pocket. Not saying your method is the same, but I have used the 3 in the hand 1 in the pocket bit for years. Just a thought at the end how many are in the hand? None they are all gone..
Now back to the topic, I use 3 in the hand 1 in the pocket with quaters...and my cigerette routine called two cigs having sex.LOL yes that's the name of the routine. But I do not do it for kids....lol or people that don't smoke..lol It is a trick that I use all the time in the bars.
tpdmagic

Flight of the Paper Balls, including my One-handed move (interested, L&L? - lol), a 1 coin routine, paddle trick with a borrowed pencil (the standard Number 2 pencil, not the excellent gimmick by Mark Genest), Fl!p Stick with a borrowed drum stick (musical instrument, not the food! - now THERE's a nasty mental image...!), Han Ping Chien with borrowed coins, Kathy's Screwy Finger Bit (Jim Ryan issue of The Magic Menu), hypnosis (I am a Certified Hypnotherapist and recommend that anyone doing hypnosis get some professional training).

Other things might be Vernon's Impromptu Cups & Balls (Stars of Magic, coin through hanky and just about anything on the Jay Marshall video titled Table Crap from Stevens.

A copy of The Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic, by Martin Gardener, published by Magic, Inc, Chicago is also a necessary purchase for anyone who may have to work without anything at hand. Best $30 I have spend in magic in decades.

Lee Darrow, C.H.

Coin Flurry
Bill switch ( NO TT )
Fork Bending
Glass through Table
Napkin Ball Routine (such as on the "Off the Cuff" Video of Gregory Wilson)

Coin(s) from pencap

PK Time
Watch Routine
That which you fear (this is great stuff) by Sean Fields
Metal Bending
Twisting Arm

Watch routine, recap, centre tear and crazy mans handcuffs. Maybe cups and balls using napkins and plastic cups

If given a suitably sized coin I will do the coin that falls up...if only a small coin is available I will do a quick flurry.

Also if in a restaurant then Mac King's Eye Scream (Tricks With Your Head) is excellent...depending on the audience of course!

Rune Klan's Pensive, which appeared in MAGIC a few years back is a very strong pen production, which I will often do if someone asks to borrow a pen.
Owen

I really want to see Eirek do all that "on the top of his head" LOL!

I do a routine with my wedding ring of my own design,
dissapearing eye glasses, watch steal fake (Aldo), coin magic with pocket change. The list goes on and on.

Ashes in Palm.
I used to think that it was a pretty weak effect, but I've been doing it more lately, and it can have a very profound effect on people.

Twisting the arm.

Think of any number between 1-50, make both digits odd and different force.

Healing a cigarette burn on your finger.
Sorry, I don't know who to credit. Stunning.

Number Squares.

Cold reading/taking chances.


Jason

1.) Recap
2.) Finger Fantasies
3.) Paper Chase
4.) Cocktail Time
5.) Skinner Matches (VERY STRONG and COMICAL)
6.) Crazy Man's Handcuffs

Coins across, copper/silver transpo, or ungimmicked S&S

If I am working "non equipped" then I work with what I have. That usually is the removal and replacement of my finger (ring finger). Then when asked how that was done I then remove and replace my tongue (to explain why I can't tell them). The nice part of these is that they can even be performed in a public shower (talk about impromptu) I won't go into the not equipped part of this.

Using an invisible hair from my head go on to sew things like fingers or a tie if I am wearing one with the thread VISIBLY pulling the clothing I am sewing.

Making money disappear is a trick most people can understand even if it is with just a credit card. I usually get a fantastic response when I go to pay for anything.

I usually carry with me some dice, coins and such or can usually persuade someone to lend me an object to make vanish and appear. I also do a "cigarette" routine using an ordinary chapstick. No I don't light it.

In a restaurant with the normal things found there I could probably do at least a 30 minute show using the everyday items. Lots of fun. We actually did that at an IBM meeting once. We used only the items found on the table and had a great time.

- Brian Nadworny

The Center Tear, The Trellis Caper, A Gory Slot to name but a few....

Watch routine and CT

Watch steal, any table crap at a restaurant including sponge balls with napkins ("On The Spot" DVD) or even cups and balls.

No manmade props whatsoever: arm twist, the thing Max Maven did on World's Greatest Magic 1 (touch your finger to your chin, and grey/elephant/Denmark) and even though I know someone will "cyber" kick my butt, Steve Fearson's Self Vanish (yes I like it and fool people with it).

Oh and one more, Balducci levitation.

This has been discussed several times before in this section.

Werner is right on here. You don’t need to load up with anything or carry any thing (especially a TT, deck, etc., etc, ad nauseatium). Reread his post.

I know that I have said it before somewhere on this impromptu thread that I believe that the way to think about impromptu is not what you can “load yourself” up with “just in case” someone at the bookstore wants to see a bit-o-magic.

It is not even about what you can do with the “non-magical” items that you normally carry on your person. Rather it is about what can you do with the items that the average person carries on them! (OK, what any non-magician type of person might have on them!)

Think for a minute, do you have a strong routine using borrowed bills (as does our friend Werner)? How about using coins (everyday coins)? What can you do with a finger ring, or a pencil or an ink pen, or a clean handkerchief, or a lipstick (yes lipstick, why use ashes?)? Can you think of anything to do with those borrowed objects?

Are you prepared to use paper napkins from a bar top or a waiters station (or just one napkin from your place setting) in the restaurant? What can you do with those common items?

Honestly, just using those few items you could entertain (emphasis on “entertain”) a small gathering for 15 minutes or more. And get this, NOTHING came out of your own pockets (hey you were at the bookstore to buy the latest Mack King paperback, right?)

As Scott Ginn has said again and again (and I strongly agree with him) there is no obligation for any of us to perform on demand. Which basically gives us permission to NOT load up when we head for the lumberyard or the bookstore to live our daily lives.

However, as I continue to say (preach?), IF (big IF here) you are asked to perform on the spot AND IF (another big IF) you want to perform on the spot, then there is no excuse for you to NOT be ready to perform.

Ready, that is, to perform a strong effect with items borrowed from the spectators who happen to be asking for the performance. That is powerful magic that will be remembered. (“Hey Mable, that little old fat guy over there just tore up my ten spot and made it well again! Yeah, mine, here look!”). You get the idea

A little thought, a little more study, and a lot of practice time you will be able to develop strong routines that only use the common objects found on average people. Thus you are never caught unprepared.

Leave the TT’s, the deck of cards, the dice, the coins that no one carries anymore, the sponge balls, and hot rods at home. But do leave home prepared to work wonders!