1.What do you look like on stage?

Before you can sell your magic you have to get people to like you. What is the impression they get when you step on stage or at their table? Do you look friendly? Do you make them feel they could welcome you into their home? Step outside of yourself and take a look at the person on stage from their viewpoint. Be bold and make improvements

2. Strike an attitude.

Do your clothes fit with your audience and performing environment? Do you smell nice?(Important!) Do they like your personality and feel they’d like to know you better? Act your age. Do you connect with the audience? Once you do, you’re more than halfway to success.

3. Make eye to eye contact and smile.

Many very skilled magicians never look at their audience but focus on their hands. That’s nerves or ego. Both on and off stage always look directly at people and smile. You’ll get an immediate response Defensive barriers are immediately lowered. Try it next time you show a trick or talk to a waiter. Don’t gush, be yourself

3. Make an initial, friendly remark.

The audience want you to be successful. But they seek a signal that confirms that you are friendly. Make the opening, positive remark that bridges the gap immediately. It can be slightly humorous or formal. Michael Bailey used to open with “Hello. My name is Michael Bailey – I expect you know yours” The ice was broken. Mac King says “Howdy – I’m Mac King” affirming his friendly, country-style persona.

*************************************************************************************** 

STOP RIGHT THERE! PUT DOWN THAT PACK OF CARDS!

YOU’LL FIND MANY, MANY MORE VALUABLE, PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE- PROVEN POINTS THAT CAN ADVANCE YOUR MAGIC INSTANTLY IN JOHN DERRIS’S ACCLAIMED 50 PAGE “KISS” LECTURE. AVAILABLE TO YOU NOW TO DOWNLOAD IN PDF AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON! CHECK THE DETAILS

THIS TIME NEXT WEEK YOUR ACT COULD IMPROVE BY AT LEAST 50% AND ATTRACT MORE BOOKERS, MORE INCOME! DON’T BUY ANOTHER CARD TRICK. INVEST IN YOUR CAREER

**********************************************************************************************

I spoke to Matt who confirmed that many of the Page classics, the Miser’s Dream, the Stacked Deck, the Coins Through the Table and other gems were indeed included in this new book to which Pat is constantly adding fresh touches and photographs. This must be his Opus, a publication of his lifetime in magic which will undoubtedly be a major work that will be an outstanding British publication as I understand that Pat is publishing it himself.

This is big news indeed and I know a hundred people who would place an order tomorrow for possession of the work of one of Britain’s finest masters of magic. Put me down for the first copy!

He showed in fine detail many of the great classic effects that he includes in his stage act as well as many outstanding close-up ideas that he has created in the last fifty years or so. He showed the subtleties and time-polished technique of his Miser’s Dream routine which he does to perfection. The secret loads of coins blatantly stolen from the table top and from the coin bucket stand in full view the whole time. All blended into a practical routine that has taken him around the world for years. He showed his outstanding handling of the stacked deck, inspired by street magician Charlie Edwards, with which he demonstrated incredible card predictions and names of unseen cards in the spectator’s pocket. And simple little impromptu effects with coins in the hand, finishing with the bold production of a dinner plate from out of thin air. This was classic professional magic Pat Page style and a lesson for anyone who purports to entertain with the ancient art..

Many other Page classics followed. His famed sponge ball routine, his excellent developments of the Han Ping Chien coins through the table and an unbelievable cards to pocket with no palming that suddenly develops into a six card repeat climax. Masterly!

This lecture was going on into the late hours and unfortunately I had to leave early and cannot comment on the rest of the programme But I was enthralled with this presentation of the real, classic Pat Page that I saw and was more than satisfied. Pat’s reputation and the quality of his work is world wide that drew to this little Italian Restaurant in Holborn some of the current ”names” of magic. Paul Wilson, famed for his card work and his current “Hustle” TV programme. Andy Nyman, the creative brain behind the highly successful Derren Brown shows also a  film and stage actor. Anthony Owen, lifetime magician and now a big wheel in Objective Productions responsible for many of the current TV programmes involving magic. And Jerry Sadowitz, stunning card man and long time friend of Pat and many others. It was an amazing evening from a highly respected magician now approaching eighty years of age and if it comes your way, I beg you,  don’t miss it. (Or you can buy the DVD!)

But what pays off handsomely is to offer at the end of the dinner to present a small cabaret spot in the corner of the room by which time people are well relaxed. Nothing elaborate but perhaps two or three tricks presented to the collective audience.

By now they have met you performing magic at their table so you don’t really have to establish yourself again but the reaction to this added bonus is always good. The guests enjoy the extra  unexpected magic and the hosts are delighted with what they consider is something extra that you have added to the booking.

I’ve received excellent letters following this idea from more than satisfied clients and it has paid  good dividends in recommendations and new bookings.

The  routine I finished with is part classic, part Vernon, part Pat Page and for the closer I succumbed to the Jerry O’Connell wallet which is great but again everyone is doing it. I then changed to the Paul Le Paul nest of envelopes which I first saw performed by Vernon but again it’s difficult to do table to table which is a problem the wallet overcomes.

I then came up with the card in a pocket watch which is different, spectacular and a great finish using the Kaps dodge with the loose folded card in the watch prior to the shuttle pass. I use this today but I also use a really solid version which I present just once, perhaps for the top table or the Booker’s. Again this is in the philosophy of Etienne Pradier’s signed card in wine bottle which logistically is difficult to do at every table and so strong that you want to keep it as the highlight of your performance.

What I now do as a special one off is to force a card, have the spectator sign with a big signature with a  Pentel pen on the card and then go into the standard ambitious card routine.

But for the climax I palm the selected card with a gambler’s cop and hand the pack to the spectator to shuffle thoroughly, turning away from them as this is done, But with the card in my left palm I hold it flat against my left thigh and  fold it three times with the card facing out whereas normally the card is folded with the back out. Jack Avis taught me this folding idea as I couldn’t handle the |Mercury card fold which only folds the card into quarters.

So now you have the card folded in your left finger palm and say “Watch! Watch! Watch!” and as you do this you pull the Hunter type pocket watch on a short chain from your inside jacket pocket and hold it in your left hand. I then have a lot of nonsense with a mock hypnotic bit and then swing the watch, into the right hand still holding the end of the chain in the left hand.

Flip the watch open and show the folded card which is face out and can be identified and with the vestige of the spectator’s signature in view. Shake it a la the Kaps bit, have it identified and then tip it into the left hand and hand it to the spectator as a souvenir. The routine management that makes this so strong is that in the normal version with the card back out the climax does not occur until after the switch. In this version the climax to the effect comes as you open the watch and they actually see the face of the card and the signature inside the watch. This is the Wow time! Tipping the card into the left hand for the switch is really an aftermath. I’ve done this for years and it’s very strong.

I must give credit to Jerry Sadowitz who also devised this dodge and published it in The Crimp magazine. It’s absolutely true that I came up with this in a session with Jack Avis and neither of us had any knowledge that Jerry had published his idea. I fully acknowledge the unwitting duplicity in this idea which often happens in magic and to which I refereed in an earlier blog. Nevertheless, full credit to Jerry and to the sheer power of this very strong, a little more ambitious climax to a classic effect.

So if you’re on that train, walk around and meet up with the 100 mile an hour convention on wheels. (I’ll be in coach C)