Contents Module 4

Introduction
Constructing your shows
Comedy is no joke
How to use comedy
Comedy in what you say
One-liners
Themes
How to adapt and improve
How to deal with stage fright
Using volunteers
Using assistants
Putting shows together
Technical considerations













Copyright 2001-2002, Andrew Lock, Paul Daniels, FMI, All rights reserved.
This publication may not be re-sold, lent, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publishers prior consent.
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Welcome back again for another packed instalment to guide you along your
way as you develop into an expert magician, making money from magic.

Lets establish what we have learnt so far. We have reviewed how to find
magic, how to learn magic, and weve examined the types of magic that are
available. Weve also considered some of the practical elements to setting up
your business. Additionally, weve prepared you psychologically to develop
the belief in yourself that is so important to your success.

By this time you should be starting to get a feel for what type of magic you
prefer performing, so well also examine the process of putting acts together.
Well review the elements involved in producing shows of your own, from a
small family and friends party right through to a stage show. You are going to
really enjoy discovering some of these tricks of the trade. All these points will
save you the pain of doing it the wrong way.

Notice that we referred to acts and shows in the plural form. This is deliberate
because we truly believe that you should be interested in putting more than
one show or act together. In order to get the most work, you need to have
more than one type of show.

As an element of this module, well also focus on a secret weapon of magic.
Actually, its not really a weapon, its a tool, which if used correctly will
enhance your act immeasurably.

So what is this secret tool? Its the use of Comedy!

If you dont think you are funny at the moment, or even dont want to be,
dont worry. You will see how comedy can be a tremendous tool to all magic
performers.

On with the show


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Constructing Your Shows

If you are an established magician, you will already have a collection of tricks,
and maybe even an act. If you are not, we trust that the previous modules
have helped you on your way to learn some effects that suit you.

Reaching this point is a milestone in the course, because it means you are
ready to start thinking about putting a show together using what you have
learnt thus far.

You have already been provided with many magic effects in the videos
provided, and if you have practised them well, you should be proud of yourself
for the commitment youve shown. Probably you are anxious to get in front of
an audience, and youll be pleased to
know that you are rapidly
approaching that step.

From your notebooks, and from
watching other magicians, you will
have gathered ideas that appeal to
you. Its time to arrange these ideas
and effects into groups of close-up, night club (yes they still exist), after-dinner
cabaret, theatre, corporate and childrens shows.

You should also have a list of magical tricks that you think would work on
television. Later in the course we will be going into performing on television in
greater detail. But for now, you should remember the basic truth that on
television, you will mostly only be performing one trick at a time, and rarely a
sequence of effects.

Once you have divided your effects into these types of shows as sections in a
notebook, or in files in your computer, you should pick five in any given
section and try to put them into the best sequence you can think of (for now).

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If you go to magical conventions, and watch the competitions and gala shows,
you will see a lot of acts themed around a single subject. Remember that they
are performing for magicians, and that without a lot of acting ability and sense
of theatre they will be boring as hell to most lay audiences!

In magical terms, the word theme often tends to mean that the performer
works with only one type of prop, such as silks, beverages, a piece of rope,
cards, cigarettes etc. You too might want to construct such an act for magic
conventions. Fortunately for all of us, these acts are rarely longer than ten
minutes, and usually only six or seven.

French magician Tabary has a superb rope act, but you would
not want to watch it for an entire evening! If you have such a
sequence already, remember that for the lay public it should
be presented as an insert in an act, not as an entire act.

You are a magician, and therefore should be able to do magic with just about
anything. To leave the audience with the impression that you can only do one
kind of magic is to lessen their perception of your ability.

If you like the idea of hanging your act on a theme in the general sense of the
word, it is better to have a wide range of props and effects connected by you,
the character, who might be a gormless yokel, a man in a hardware shop, a
musician etc. Within such characters, the magic can (and should) be wide
and varied. Well develop this idea more in a moment.

Remember also that in order to maintain the attention of the audience, it is
highly desirable to vary the size, speed, look, and lighting during the
performance. We live in the high speed world of edited television, and that is
your visual competition. We also live in a world of high-tech, multi-million
dollar stage shows, and that is your theatrical competition.



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Paul learnt from examining
the performances of
Sammy Davis Jr.
Having said this, if as we have already recommended, you truly know your
routines inside out and can perform for them without thinking or hesitation in
any circumstances, then you will have a relaxed confidence that will carry you
through even where the venue cannot provide you with good staging and
lighting. Your magic and your presence will be enough.

If you go and See Paul Daniels current touring show, you come away having
had a great night watching a man standing on the stage alone! What you are
unaware of as an audience member is the visual psychology that Paul
deliberately built into his act. He enters alone, and within a few minutes he is
interacting with a man in the audience, creating an unseen downward slope
from himself to a single point. Next, he uses the whole audience and splits
them into two halves, making them visually bigger than he is as a whole, even
though he is controlling them.

Then at Pauls request, two men come on stage, and stand one each side of
him, whilst the audience continues to watch the play. After about seven
minutes, the audience sees a triangle structure, Paul being the tallest point of
the triangle. Next he goes into a routine where two spectators are standing
and one is sitting, and then one of them sits and the other stands. The point
is, the visual imagery is always changing. Before you know where you are,
the men leave the stage, and everything reverts back to the original state.

None of the above is accidental. As a young man,
Paul saw a performance of Sammy Davis Jr, one of
the greatest entertainers of all time. Having
subsequently enjoyed the show many times over on
an audio cassette in the car, Paul evaluated it and
slowly became aware of WHY the act was so
entertaining. It was constructed in such a way that
after the first couple of songs, which were sung in a
fairly straight manner, you never knew what the man
was going to do next.


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Every song was sung in a different manner, with surprising and creative
accompaniments, and you were left with the impression that Sammy Davis Jr
could just about do anything really well.

Wouldnt it be good if you could leave your audience at the end of the show,
thinking the same about your magic? Well you can!

You must not take anything for granted in your own act. When it comes to the
property business, they often say location, location, location. When it comes
to performance, you should say analyse, analyse, analyse!

Now, look at your five tricks again, in any given category. They might well
work alone, but can you combine them with another lesser effect to build the
single trick into a better routine? If for example, your trick demands that you
write something down, can you make the pen disappear as an aside?
Alternatively, can you do or say something with or about the pen that is funny,
because comedy is a powerful weapon in your act? In fact, lets now look at
comedy in a little more detail, and see how valuable it can be to enhance any
act.

Laughter is the best medicine:
Using Comedy to Enhance Magic

The pace of the western world seems to get faster every day. Stress levels
are high, energy levels are low, and many people dont have quality time to
themselves or their family.

Amidst that backdrop, as a magician you have a wonderful opportunity to
bring some happiness, relief, and laughter to your audience. Most people
want to escape from their monotonous routine, to be taken off into a fantasy
world where they can temporarily get relief from their daily worries.
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Your magic can
provide an escape,
just like Disney
theme parks!

Just look at the success of the Disney theme parks for
example. These places are an 'escape', and are even
marketed as magical places to 'get away from it all.'

So with your magic shows too, the entertainment you
provide can have a very positive effect on people.
However, as mentioned, theres a way of enhancing that
effect even further - by using comedy in your magic.


Before you go on your way however, simply telling every joke you can think of
during your next performance, you need to learn what to do and perhaps more
importantly what not to do. Bad reputations spread fast, and we are sure you
don't want to be known as someone who is 'trying to be funny.' Trying to be
funny and forcing jokes in to your act will be the kiss of death for your show.

First and foremost before being funny, is to remember that the magic itself
must be baffling. The comedy, even in a full blown comedy magic act must
always be secondary to the bewilderment.

Also bear in mind that many performers claim that they are performing
comedy magic. However, when a trick deliberately goes wrong, there is no
magic, it is only comedy, not magic. If on the other hand a magician recites a
set of jokes, and performs magic separately, that is not comedy magic either.
Comedy Magic is when the effect is funny AND baffling.


Heres an important wealth warning:
Underestimating the value of comedy
can seriously damage your earning potential!


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Every magic act should consider using some comedy elements, even if you
have or plan to have a serious act. In such an act, it provides a contrast to the
drama that the serious performer is offering. Yes, if you want your audiences,
no matter how large or small to be enthralled at your magic, comedy is a very
desirable element.

The problem with most magic acts is that they do not have light and shade.
There offerings are performed at the same pace from beginning to end. Most
illusion acts for example come on stage and present an illusion that is
absolutely mind blowing, and then they do something else that is absolutely
mind blowing, and something else, and something else, and so on until the
audience is burnt out!

The result of this relentless pace, even in otherwise good acts is, in theatrical
terms a lesser performance, and it will get a lessening reaction as the show
progresses. Yes, it is desirable to ease the tension occasionally, and it is
desirable to show that you have a more human side. Comedy, however
slight, performs this function admirably.

If your show is a full blown comedy performance however, then the opposite
should occur to what we just described. A moment of true wonder or
bafflement, performed quite seriously adds enormously to a comedy based
show.

Comedy is No Joke

Here is the bad news: you will have to work hard at learning to combine
comedy and magic. Again, lets consider Pauls experience concerning this.

Anybody who has seen Paul Daniels performing magic will have spent an
evening of laughter, but they will also have been completely baffled with
powerful magic effects.

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Interestingly, Paul was a shy, quiet youth, even on into his twenties. He could
tell jokes, as most people can, but definitely not to a semi-professional level.
When he moved from the ranks of amateur magician into the clubs of the day
however, his ten minute silent magic act (to
rock n roll music) had to be extended, so
Paul started to talk!

He soon realised in that arena of the clubs
that the comedians were earning more than
the singers. He also took a good look at
himself, his height, his looks, and his stocky
body, and chose to go down a comedy
route in magic, rather than the more usual
restrained style of magicians of that time.

Paul worked at it. He worked hard. Interestingly, it was never Pauls intention
to be as saturated in comedy as he has become, he merely wanted to create
contrasts within the magic to make a lighter performance. Sometimes,
circumstances lead you in another direction and its better to go with that flow.

How to use Comedy (and how not to)

If we all dress up like a clown, with big floppy shoes, a bright
shiny nose, and trousers five times too large for us, will our
audiences naturally roll around in hysterical laughter?
Obviously not, it doesnt work like that, in fact that kind of
stereotype clown approach is probably the worst thing you
could do. Leave that genre to the Circus performers who do it really well.

We mentioned earlier that a common trap that many magicians and other
entertainers fall into is that they try to use comedy to support or prop up an
inherently weak act. The reality is that your act must already be strong for the
comedy to be successful. Its an enhancement of the magic, not a device to
try and cover up poor planning and practice. We make no apology for
emphasising this again.
Paul reinvented himself in the
early days of performing in clubs.
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If an audience laughs during your act, thats the measure of a great show,
right? Unfortunately not. Its important to understand that just because
people laugh, it doesnt automatically mean they are enjoying the show. To
explain, many performers dont realise that people sometimes laugh to cover
embarrassment or to hide their real feelings, a kind of nervous or awkward
laugh. On other occasions an audience might laugh because they think the
performer is silly, a fool (when you dont want them to think that).

It follows then that you need to evaluate your performance based on the
opinions of some trusted friends who wont mind telling you the truth - good or
bad! It doesn't mean they will always be right, but it will help you to gauge the
value of your comedy ideas. And if you plan on doing kids shows, test the
ideas on some kids rather than adults.

Audiences are all Different

Whatever comedy elements you use should be presented according to an
understanding of the type of audience, because all audiences are different.
Once you start to perform, you will be amazed at how differently people react
to the same routines. This of course, depends on all sorts of factors.

Remember, its not just age groups that differ, but different areas of the
country and different nationalities also have wildly different views of what they
consider to be amusing. Additionally, if one or two in an audience are
particularly lively, they can influence everyone else, laughter can be
contagious.

As an example of different audience reactions to
comedy, some nationalities prefer 'visual' comedy,
when the performer accidentally drops things, falls
over, messes up the magic etc. This is especially
true of children - for some reason they love visual
comedy, even slapstick style. Adult audiences tend
to prefer a more slick presentation with witty comedy and intelligent humour.
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So how do you, the humble magician cope with all these varieties? Well, it's
simply not practical to have a different act for every type of audience you
might come across, nor should you attempt that. But if you are aware of what
you are likely to face, you can make small adjustments. You will build up
experience in this regard very quickly.

A useful tip when taking your show to a new area of the country (where the
accent is different) is to speak at a slow to medium pace for the first five
minutes or so, until the audience have got used to the sound of your voice and
accent. That way, they wont miss what you are saying at the start of the
show.

Choose a Comedy Style that You are Comfortable with

Consult with some trusted friends about how they view your sense of humour.
Ask them detailed questions to get the real truths rather than accepting their
first response which may be what they think you want to hear. As you go
about your daily routine, try to discover what sort of things make you laugh.
What are your favourite comedy T.V. shows? Who are your favourite
comedians? What makes you laugh?

That kind of evaluation will help you choose a style that you are comfortable
with. Be careful though, because even if you enjoy a type of comedy, it
doesn't always follow that you will be good at it, that's why you need to ask
people close to you what they think you would be good at.

Have you started to realise yet that what we are saying to you is not to accept
the status quo, dont ever accept a normal level of competency in magic?
Study every aspect of the performance and yourself. Take stock of yourself
by using every possible means of self evaluation. You have to be totally
aware of what and who you are to build yourself into someone better.

Remember that magic is all about acting, so the purpose of the exercise is to
'cast' you in the right role, in order to be convincing and entertaining using and
developing all of your natural characteristics.
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Let's now review some full blown comedy act styles, to see how humour can
be used in a variety of ways, and to give you some initial ideas for your own
shows. See what appeals from the following suggestions.

The Incompetent, who turns Competent

The first example is where the magician acts very differently from what is
considered to be a 'normal' character, but then turns the tables at the end of
the routine to perform some stunning magic.

For example, you could act incompetent, clumsily handling props etc, making
the audience laugh in the process, and getting them to think that you couldnt
possibly perform anything good. Then, at the last moment, to their great
surprise, everything falls into place with some baffling magic being performed!

Tommy Cooper often used this kind of approach. In terms of variations of this
style, we have seen performers within this genre react
to their achievements in several different ways.
Sometimes they are more surprised than the audience
that the magic has worked, and sometimes in a
comedic style they become incredibly proud and
stupidly conceited over what they have just achieved.


Note that we just used the word react, and this is a crucial aspect of comedy.
Your reaction to what you do on stage is an essential ingredient to make the
comedy effective. When watching comedy on TV (the U.S. TV sitcom
Friends is an excellent example to study) dont just listen to the lines watch
how the actors react their eyes might widen, their body might take a step
backwards, an eyebrow might raise, and so on.

Remember:
For every action, there should be a reaction.

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In the phenomenally successful act of Cardini,
who was one of the greatest manipulators of all
time, his wonderful reaction to finding a card at
his fingertips was what created the comedy, and
at the same time, emphasised the magic.

Lets give you some other examples of this
incompetent who turns competent genre that
you may not have considered. You might
appear drunk and out of control, acting
unpredictably so that the audience really doesnt know what you might do
next. Or maybe you could pretend to be a 'stand in' for the magician who
couldn't make it, or who is late for the show. In this instance, you could
pretend that he left you instructions for the tricks, and that you'll 'try your best'
to perform them.

Audience Member Turns Magician

If you and a friend are learning magic, you could play the role of the magician,
and a friend could come out of the audience and perform some magic
supposedly without realising how they are doing it. The impression on the
rest of the audience is that an audience member unwittingly performs the
magic effect, whilst the magician seems to falter. Audiences love this kind of
approach because it is like getting their own back on the magician; they exalt
a mere helper to the realm of accomplished magician.

The Assistants Revenge

Many magicians use assistants as
helpers, and because audiences are used
to seeing them standing on stage not
doing much apart from looking glamorous
for most of the time, the assistants
revenge style of comedy can work quite
well.
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To accomplish this type of comedy, the scene ideally needs to be set by the
magician by perhaps including various put-downs of the assistant verbally or
visually in the lead up to the assistants revenge.

The basic premise of this idea is that somehow the assistant is able to
perform some magic that gets their own back on the magician who has
treated them unfairly. It can work well, because the audience tend to drum up
support for the underdog, and it makes a refreshing change from the usual
stereotyped magician / assistant relationship.

Zany, Wacky, Silly but Funny

The fourth concept is for the magician to act as a
wacky, zany character the whole time. Not only do
they look funny, but their actions and presentation
style are funny. Mac King in Las Vegas pulls this off
very well. From the moment you see him come on
stage you know he is a comedy magician from the
way he looks right through to the way he moves.
Mac reinforces this perception straight away at the
opening of his show, by walking up to the microphone dressed in a ridiculous
looking plaid suit, saying something like, Do you like this suit? It was my
fathersit was also my mothers couch!

As another example, you might pretend to be a nutty professor who
'experiments' with a table of strange looking chemicals and strange
contraptions, only to find things keep going wrong right up until the end of the
routine.

On the other hand, there is also a very sophisticated level of magic, with
subtle comedy. A past president of the magic circle, Francis White, who was
very well spoken and well dressed, would say to his audience part way
through his act that he would going to go amongst them to have a card
chosen, but would they please not touch his suit it as he had just had it
cleaned! This elegant, underplaying of comedy worked incredibly well.
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Penn and Teller also use an interesting comic
technique by pretending that they are just a
couple of regular guys who learned how to do
some cool stuff. They perform in a very down
to earth way, sometimes pretending to show
the audience how the magic is done, and then
often turning it round at the last minute by
accomplishing something quite different. Its a
clever idea that many other magicians use at
sometimes act, and it's commonly referred to as a 'sucker' effect.

Another variation of comedy in a magic show is to act
as if you, the magician are amazed at everything you
do, which is humorous to watch. In this approach, the
magic really does seem to be incredible to you, and
even you cant believe what you accomplish! The late
Doug Henning used this style of comedy to very good
effect.

Comedy also often comes from things other than words. Weve briefly
mentioned how a look, a change of body position and language can enhance
the comedy. This will obviously apply more if you intend to do a silent act.

Do you remember when we advised you not to look in a mirror when
rehearsing? NOW IS the time to look in a mirror! Paul used to sit for hours
doing this, looking at the effect of raising an eyebrow, lifting a shoulder, pulling
his scalp back, and so on. We urge you to honestly look at yourself, and
discover how to use every aspect of your natural physiognomy.

Have fun researching your visual comedy style, it will be very rewarding.
Audiences love to see interesting characters. Dont be a stereotype magician
who performs the same old magic in the same old way!


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Using Comedy In What You Say

Apart from visual humour or humour inherent in a character, you should also
consider using humour in what you say. A simple magic effect can be greatly
enhanced just by adding some amusing patter (that's the magicians term for
what is said to the audience).

How do you learn this? You can pick up and adapt some great lines from
other magicians, you can read dedicated books on the subject of patter, or
just make your own up. Thanks to the internet, it is much easier and cheaper
than ever before to find spoken comedy ideas.

Within every magic magazine, you will find the occasional joke that pertains to
a trick, effect or prop. Write it down in your book of ideas! Do that even if you
dont currently do the trick or effect, because one day you might!

Paul used to buy all the small booklets written by Robert
Orben. These were American in style, and Paul anglicised
them to fit the language of the UK. By contrast, (and there
is a lesson here) a well known British comedian of the time
did not. He merely recited the jokes word for word from the
American booklets. Within a relatively short space of time,
he ceased to be a well known comedian!

So, as we said, start to collect comedy lines and jokes the shorter the better.
It is very rare that as a magician you stand and tell a long story joke. You
need one-liners.

But I cant tell jokes you might be saying. Neither could Paul! Over a period
of time however, you will find yourself suddenly recalling a suitable line that
fits the situation or occasion. Remember too that it is not your ability to tell a
joke that matters, it is the ability to be topical at the moment of every
happening that will make you funny.

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Now lets look at any one of your magic tricks. In writing this section together,
I (Andrew) have just been asked by Paul to name any trick, with the purpose
of examining how to inject comedy into the routine. In this instance I named
the card to wallet effect, and Ive been asked to write down what I would use
in the card to wallet trick. I wrote down a deck of cards, and a wallet!

Paul says that when learning comedy in the beginning, he wrote down in his
notebook the items used in the card to wallet trick, in order to know what he
could make jokes about. This is how the list looked, and as you can see, it is
far more comprehensive than my initial list!

Myself
The venue
The boss of the venue
Is there a band or musical group?
Is there a comedy way of getting somebody out of the audience?
The spectators clothes
Their name
Their job
The place they are from
Is there a special box for the cards?
The cards

Next to each item in the list, Paul would then write down the first comedic
things that came into his head. This list would not be discarded however, and
in continuing to read comedy in magic books, he would continue to add these
ideas into the book, but only if they were genuinely funny to him.

As an aside, in the example above, Paul would never make jokes about the
wallet because that might indicate that it was somehow special, and he knew
it was important to underplay it and treat it as just a wallet.

18
The number one rule once you have collected lots of comedy words and
phrases is not to try and use all of them at every performance. And with the
ones you do use, dont relay them word for word.

Try to get the reason for the joke in mind, and in performance let your instincts
be your guide. If a line jumps into your head, and you feel its right, use it!
Dont worry if no line jumps into your head, you may not be in a funny mood at
that time, and you are still going to baffle them anyway!

Incidentally, if an audience member says something funny, (which they
sometimes do) let them! You dont have to come back with a smart reply or
witty retort. Laugh with them, applaud them, show that you can take a joke,
after all, you are going to get paid anyway!

The more you read and absorb comedy in any form, the funnier you will
become, and that will happen as a natural phenomenon, whether you are
brash or quiet, attacking or droll. Your comedy will find you, but only, as we
said, if you work at it.

Topical news items work well for comic patter because they demonstrate that
you are thinking fresh, you are not just saying the same words every time.
Use news events that are appropriate though, and steer clear of sensitive or
inappropriate subjects. Politicians can often be made fun of; no one seems to
mind that. In fact, very often they probably deserve it!

In the 1980s, there was a great TV show in Britain called Spitting Image
which often used the weeks political news to provide the script for
exaggerated rubber puppets. It was a bit like The Muppets but with the
puppets based on real people! That show was a great example of using
topical humour in an already visually comic situation.

Think too about the props you are using in each magic effect. Could there be
a more amusing way of describing them that will make the audience laugh?

19
Over the years, many great one-liners and comedy pieces have been devised
and developed by magicians and entertainers, and whilst we dont want to
encourage anyone to simply recite these classics thinking they will
automatically generate laughs, used selectively under the right circumstances
they can be really useful in enhancing an act. And they will start your
collection.

For example, after asking a volunteer to choose a card you might say "Do you
want to change your mind, or are you happy with the mind you've got?" Or
when showing the Chinese linking rings you could tell the audience "this effect
was originally performed by the famous Chinese magician 'Fu Ling You'
(fooling you)!"

Here are some more of our favourite one-liners. Feel free to use or adapt
them:

Introducing Yourself:
How many people have seen me before? How many people havent seen me before? How
many people couldnt care less if they never see me again?

Is there anyone here doesnt like magic? (Point and fire a blank gun into the audience)
Is there anyone else?

Card Tricks:
Pass the deck to a helper, and say Shuffle the cards, but please dont mix them.

Pick a card. Show it to all your friends, that shouldnt take long.

Shuffle the cards. Now please arrange them back in the original order they came in.

When you get the wrong card: At least the backs match




20
Miscellaneous
Before I did this, I used to sell mattresses. I thought it would be something to fall back
on.
I lost my last job because of illness. The boss got sick of me.

For anyone who guesses how I do this next trick, Ill give them, right after the show, a
brand new Carbrochure.

I started doing magic because of my shyness, and its definitely helped. I can now be
more shy, in front of much larger audiences.

It looks like Ive got another booking here. I heard the theatre owner talking after my
rehearsal. By the way, when does hell freeze over?

(A rope trick) Heres a nice little trick I came up with whilst strangling my wife.

Mistakes
This is the first time it didnt work again.

My friends used to laugh at me when I did magic, so I decided I had to something about
it. I got some new friends.

(Drop something) Did you see that sudden burst of gravity?

Introducing a trick
This next tricks so good, I think Ill watch it myself.

There are many great feats in magic today that never fail to impress audiences.
Unfortunately, this next trick is not one of them.

This next trick took a lot of drugs, alcohol and practice to achieve it perfectly. Okay, Im
joking, I skipped the practice.



21
Dealing with audience members
To female: Do you have a boyfriend? (Yes) Would you like another one? (No) Would
you like one?

When you ask their name and they only give you their first: Think hard, it usually
comes in two parts.

(To small person): Have you tried eating yeast?

(To small person): I do feel sorry for you. Whats it like being the last person to know
when it rains?

For this trick, I need someone who is strong, intelligent, and good looking? Does anyone
out there do impressions?

(Someone with glasses): I love using people with glasses. I breathe on their lenses so that
they fog up, then they cant see what Im doing.

Spectator says do it again: If you didnt get it the first time, Im sure you wont get it the
second either!

Magician: Where are you from?
Assistant: London
Magician: Im sorry?
Assistant: London
Magician: I heard you the first time, Im just sorry.

A number of assistants on stage: Id like you to quickly line up in alphabetical order and
by height.

People leaving: Hey, I didnt leave when you showed up.

Latecomers: Hi, can I get you anything, like a watch.


22
During tricks:
Mind reading: Now concentrate, just like orange juice.

Wave your hand over a prop, and say: I do all my own choreography you know

Pen trick: Feel this pen. Thanks, now its definitely a felt pen.

Street performer: Please feel free to give any amount, just make sure you fold it up so that
it wont blow away.

Someone talking in audience: Lets play a new game. The one with the microphone does
the talking.

Endings:
Ive had a wonderful evening, but this wasnt it.

Please drive home carefullybecause Im walking.

And now for the trick you have all been waiting for, my last one
My wifes not here tonight. Im quite upset with her actually. She showed some friends a
few of my baby pictures without any clothes onI mean she could have at least worn
a dressing gown.

I had an interesting experience in this hotel at breakfast time. I asked the waiter for 2
eggs like rubber, burnt bacon, butter as hard as a rock, and some luke-warm coffee. The
waiter said that was a rather complicated order. I told him that thats exactly what he gave
me yesterday.


You should be able to see that to use comedy effectively involves learning a
new skill. To be a master magician on its own takes development, practice,
and skill, so to add yet another element to the equation makes the task even
more involved. You need to be aware of this.

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Think of all those that have accomplished it successfully. Why should you be
any less successful yourself? The effort you put in will be well rewarded and
will increase your popularity in many other areas of your life too.


Catchphrases

We thought we should include a few comments about catchphrases, as its a
related area of comedy. The value of catchphrases is undisputed, but you
must realise that in our opinion a great catchphrase cant be written.

Mr Sid Daniels (no relation to Paul) performed under the name Sir Dani on the
radio, in the wartime. He used a comic pseudo Italian accent, often chopping
the ends off his words. To reassure the audience, he used to say dont be
fright and this became his catchphrase. The whole nation seemed to use it
yet no one could have ever predicted that phrase would catch on to the extent
it did! Even Sir Dani had no idea this phrase would catch on, but it just
happened - thats what the audience picked up on.

At one of his club performances, Paul Daniels had a man shout out, I dont
like your suit! Paul replied, thats a shame, because I like yours..not a lot,
but I like it! And thats how Pauls catchphrase started.

If you find a catchphrase that sticks, lucky you, but as we said, its our view
that they cant be written!

We have already started to look at some of the specifics of how you can be
successful in magic where many others have failed, but it is an expansive
subject, and in the section that follows we are going to develop and expand on
some of the techniques we have touched on already, as well as to look at
some new aspects of performing that you can use to good effect.



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Developing Your Performance Techniques

The subject of performance techniques could take up many books by itself, in
fact many volumes have been written about it, but to save you investing in a
set of new book shelves, we will endeavour to give you the most important
and useful guidance on the subject.

When you have seen many magicians acts (as we have), the ones that stand
out as the best are those that are original in style and content, and that focus
on entertaining rather than on being technically clever. It's as simple as that.

There are far too many 'text book' magicians around, and they should be shot
on the spot! It's so frustrating that even with the ability to create their own
great act, they simply copy their effects straight from a textbook, or even
worse, from another magicians act.

Copying another act is a great temptation, but you must avoid it all costs. If
you see a trick or what is known as a bit of business that you think you can
develop into your own style, then by all means go to the performer and seek
their permission. If they say no, walk away and dont do it!

When Paul was developing his own
performances in the clubs of the UK, whilst on
stage one night he noticed that he said
something in the tone and manner of Eric
Morecambe. Eric at that time was part of the
fabulously successful British comedy duo, Morecambe and Wise, and their
show was always on television. It was one of Pauls favourite TV programs,
but from that night he vowed never to watch another show, such was his
desire to be his own person, not copying someone else!

Paul firmly believes that at magic club level, if anyone sees another member
obviously copying an established performers routines, handling or patter, it
should be stopped immediately. Unfortunately, this rarely happens.
25
Paul as Ching Ling Soo one of the thousands
of superb routines on the TV show.
In devising each and every BBC
magic show for television, Paul
went to amazing lengths to make
the content highly original. Very
very rarely did he perform a
dealer effect out of the packet
as it were. Even with those few,
he always added his own
personality.


Regardless of where the effect had originally been developed, each one was
painstakingly taken apart, every aspect of it carefully considered to see
whether it could be done in a better way, and whether a full stage dressing,
costumes, and lighting would enhance it.

Frequently a routine would be developed that needed special scenery to be
built, and within the Paul Daniels magic show, even old or classic magic
effects were performed in a completely new manner.

It didnt have to be like that of course, and frequently the BBC were irritated at
the expense of the production values and attention to detail that Paul insisted
on, but they did end up with some extraordinarily high quality TV as a result.
The fact that the show won the coveted Golden Rose of Montreux award
(International TV festival) was independent testimony to this fact. Even
seasoned magicians had no choice but to admit that Paul excelled at the task
of consistently creating interesting and entertaining magic shows. And thats
what its all about!

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You may say that you cant do the same because you dont have the budget
of a national TV show, and thats true, but you can still be original with your
effects and routines, and develop your unique presentation style.

It is not about lavish production, it is about being original and entertaining.

Siegfried and Roy in Las Vegas put on a superb magic show, and they have
the most lavish production on the planet (with ticket prices to match), yet you
can be equally entertained by Mac Kings afternoon magic show which is
basically him on a small stage, with a few props. The point is that you dont
HAVE to have the lavish production values like Siegfried and Roy, it is not
essential, its just a different style. Again, what counts is being original and
entertaining.

There are many advantages to being original. You will feel better about the
performance when you make the magic your own, it will always come across
as much more entertaining to the audience, and the magic will be more
memorable because it wont be a clone of another magicians show.

Enhance and Improve

Imagine sitting down to watch a popular TV programme only to find that the
same episode is shown over and over again, every single time you tune in!
How boring that would be. So don't do it with your magic either! Give both
yourself and the audience variety.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with including an audiences favourite
routines (a bit like a pop group playing their greatest hits at a concert), but you
should still regularly enhance and improve your act, giving it very careful
thought.

Keep your magic fresh for yourself
and your audience by regularly improving.

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I was talking to Teller (of Penn and Teller') on one occasion, and he
mentioned that although their show follows a basic format and structure, they
continually add little refinements and additions to keep it fresh. A great
example of this was a comic illusion they performed. It involved what
appeared to the audience to be an 'exposure' of Teller escaping from a trunk.

Teller was first encased in a clear plastic container
which was then placed in a large wooden trunk.
The lid was shut and padlocked. The audience
were led to believe that it would take great effort to
escape, a real struggle, but when Penn dispensed
with the screen that normally hides the secret,
Teller escaped easily in just a couple of seconds,
requiring no effort at all. It was a laughably simple
secret, and it was very amusing to see Teller
casually exiting from the trunk.

After discussions earlier in the day as to how they could improve this effect,
the night I watched the illusion performed Teller had added a new detail to the
effect. When he escaped from the trunk, he took out a little water spray
canister from his jacket, and quickly sprayed his face as if to make sweat
appear, which significantly enhanced the comic element of the apparently
'exhausting and physical' escape!

It was such a simple idea, but it gave the routine a lovely finishing touch, and
the audience loved it.

So put your inventive cap on, and try to make your magic unique and
evolving, never stale. The effort put in will pay dividends, and will give you a
definite edge over the many average magicians, who are content to perform
their effects straight out of the packet!

Never believe that a trick is complete. Paul is still surprised to find new
lines drifting into his three bears rope routine, which he has been performing
for over 40 years now!
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This principle of evolving and improving applies to every type of magic. For
example, never believe that there is nothing new to be added to even a
classic piece of magic.

A case in point: The Chinese linking rings had been done to death in the eyes
of most magicians. Paul and his
comedian son Martin, sat in the empty
seats of the Prince of Wales theatre in
Londons West End one morning (during
Pauls run of shows there), and together
they completely stripped the effect
down, to create one of the greatest linking routines of all time.

What made it unique, and better than those that had preceded it?

Having sat in audiences with lay people, Paul discovered they were never
impressed with a silent linking routine. Yes, it was pretty, and could be
beautifully staged, but magically it was very weak because the audience
usually believed it was mechanical.

Three ring routines had been done before, but there was always a visual
imbalance whenever an examination of the rings took place. This applied to
using five rings too, and there did not seem to be any benefit to using more
than five rings.

So Paul and Martin arrived at using four rings, which no doubt upset some
classicists of magic. Interestingly however, when this routine was included
in the show that won the Golden Rose of Montreux award, magicians in many
lands copied it in its entirety, in their own language!

As Paul says, I suppose it was a compliment, but it would have been nice to
have been asked, or even better to be paid a royalty!



29
The point is that even the classic tricks of magic are worth another look. Dont
automatically assume that an effect has been done to death or that the
standard approach is the best approach. Challenge everything. Sure, the
current way MIGHT be the best way, but dont automatically assume that it is.

Another fundamental performance technique is:

Give The Audience a Reason!

When learning from watching poor magicians, one discovers that many magic
effects are viewed as meaningless feats of accomplishment that leave the
audience cold. Why? Often its because the magician has not given a valid
reason why the effect being performed, and so the audience reaction naturally
tends to be, so what?!

Frequently, you will achieve a better result in terms of magic and audience
reaction if there is a reason for doing each effect. Sometimes the reason will
come before the trick, sometimes during the trick, and sometimes at the end.

Have you noticed that many magicians tear up a piece of paper, and then put
it back together again? Lets look at this one simple trick in different ways.
Surely, if the magician tears up a piece of paper, the audience quickly works
out that because they are watching a magician, he will put it back together.
Thats logical isnt it? But if he is going to put it back together, there is no
REASON for tearing it up in the first place, is there?! You can save a lot of
time by not bothering!

So what could be the reason for tearing it up?

The great Robert Harbin used to mime reading a newspaper whilst on a
subway train that gradually became more and more crowded. He started off
with his arms quite wide apart, opening the pages wide open, but as more and
more people got into the train, he had to tear his newspaper up into smaller
pieces so that he could handle them.

30

Although the routine was filmed on a set rather than in a real train, at each
stop where more people apparently got on the train, Harbin even took the
trouble to lurch slightly as the train stopped! As everyone finally got off, he
mimed opening his arms again, and the paper was restored to its original
size. Harbin had a reason for performing the torn and restored newspaper,
and the result was a far more entertaining routine!

An American performer published another really good suggestion relating to
the torn and restored newspaper, which Paul took on board because it suits
his style. The performer says that he has recently seen something really
interesting in a newspaper, and he goes into his pocket to pull out a couple of
pieces of the newsprint. Although he subsequently says no, its not on here,
it gives him the opportunity to read something silly from the paper, as a
comedy aside.

He then reaches into the other pocket, pulls out another few pieces, and does
the same thing. Eventually, he is holding a wad of papers from many different
pockets. In Pauls case, he says something like, Oh! Now I remember what
it was, and as he flicks the paper out to become one piece, he looks it and
reveals the headline, reading it out loud, Magician restores newspaper.

Yet another approach is to actually tell the truth! For example, you could say,
you must have seen the trick where a magician takes a newspaper and tears
it up like this. Some people believe its not really happening. So you put the
newspaper next to the microphone, and ask the audience to listen to the fact
that you are actually tearing the newspaper. Tell the audience that other
magicians cant do that!

Having torn the paper several times, and with all the pieces in your hand you
say, now, there is a problem. If you heard it being torn, it really has been
torn, and you cant put back together. As you say that line, you open it up
and show it restored!

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A further approach is to do the trick as a sucker type of effect, so that you
pretend to show the audience how the trick is done, and subsequently baffle
them at the end by using a different method to the one you showed them!
That style gives you yet another reason for tearing the newspaper, the reason
in this instance being that you are pretending to show the audience how a
trick is done.

Now thats just one effect. So it is possible to find a REASON for tearing up
the newspaper, and thats a trick that is usually considered to be fairly boring
because normally it doesnt go anywhere!

The magic WILL be stronger if you find reasons for performing the effects.
You dont HAVE to have a reason for everything, but think carefully, analyse
every effect, and keep the audience guessing throughout your show!

Another advantage of doing this is that you'll be building anticipation, which of
course is highly desirable, otherwise the actual effect could be over in just a
few seconds leaving the audience to think, as weve said, 'it's clever, but so
what?' They must care!

The routine can be based around a story, an experience, an anecdote or a
challenge. But be very careful. If you are a young magician, dont take lines
of patter from some old magic book that couldnt possibly be true, or recite for
example that you have entertained the Raja of Kazakhstan when you have no
idea who he even is! Be sensible, and be aware of who you are and what you
are, and apply your patter accordingly. You should be believable.

Let the audience be wondering what you will do, and if you can do it, rather
than wondering how you will do it. The audience should have as much or
more fun during the build up, as in the climax of the effect, the moment when
the magic occurs.

Encourage the audience to use their imagination by painting a picture for
them. Take them to a fantasy land where anything is possible.
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Use all the technical means at your disposal such as sound and lighting
effects, and use interesting sets and costumes where possible. All these
techniques can help the audience have a positive reaction to the routine,
ultimately entertaining them.

Again, a word of caution. We have all seen acts that use wild lighting, fog like
smoke effects and dancers leaping everywhere. Somewhere in the middle of
that lot there is a magic trick going on! Be careful!

Never divide the attention of the audience that YOU are creating. Never stand
at the end of the trick gesturing towards some prop. If you do, you are saying
to the audience, look at that item, IT did the trick! ALWAYS REMEMBER
that you are the magician, and you do the magic. Never let the theatricals get
in the way of the audience appreciating YOU.

Using Your Background

Think about your background. No, we dont mean the cloth that hangs at the
back of the stage. We are talking about your interests and hobbies that you
have developed over the years. Is there
something amongst these that you can use
in your routines? A good example of this is
the magician Steve Wyrick. When you
enter his theatre in Las Vegas, it's styled
like an aircraft hangar, complete with
landing lights, search beacons, industrial
props, and a metallic aviation themed finish to the set.
All these features immediately set the scene,
and Steve lets the audience know at the outset
of his show that he grew up with a strong
interest in aviation. He explains how his father
was a pilot, and how he himself also always
wanted to fly. With that understanding clear,
his show features all sorts of illusions and
effects related to the theme of aviation.
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There is an effect where he walks through a jet engine whilst it is spinning
fast, another where he makes a helicopter appear, and so on.

What kind of subjects could you use? What was your background like? If you
grew up on a farm, perhaps you could theme an act around farmyard animals
and farm equipment illusions. If you are fascinated by science you might
pretend that your parents were scientists, and use that as an excuse for some
experiment with various scientific looking props.

You don't have to use the subject throughout the show, but when the topic re-
occurs at certain points during the show, it can tie it very neatly together.

None of this is absolutely necessary, but it could well be to your advantage
because you are more likely to be enthusiastic about your subject, and that
enthusiasm will be conveyed to the audience.

Telling stories is an effective way of developing interest in an routine.
Audiences love stories, they can bring the magic alive and give it meaning.
They can turn even the most basic effect into something interesting, and
entertaining.

If you are really struggling to get your creative juices flowing, here are some
specific examples of patter that in you can adapt them, or use them for
inspiration in creating your own ideas:

"When I was a lad my father always used to tell me............... I've always
remembered that advice, and it came in useful recently when.............."

"I have been fortunate to travel the world, and when I was in ........... recently,
something strange happened which I'd like to tell you about."

Or if you are younger, I went on a funny holiday last year

Ive always done magic, but not always for a living.
34
If youre lucky in magic, you get to meet some great older magicians, and they
have some great props. Can I show you one of them

You see that group of dancers over there, well I went out with the third one from the
left the other night, and we had a great time. Thats got nothing to do with the
next trick, but I wanted to tell someone about it!

"I was approached by a young girl before the show, and she asked me what was the
most difficult....."

"At school, one of my teachers was always trying out new scientific theories that
seemed pretty crazy at the time. He would have gone nuts if hed seen this one"

"There's a saying in Romania that............................ I didn't realise how true that
was until recently when I ......................................"

Such lines said positively, and of course with interest from YOU, enhance the
performance apparently without any effort. The patter also gives you a reason
for performing an effect, even if it is just a few introductory words - sometimes
that is all that is needed.

In considering this advice, remember that you are acting. You can say
whatever you want to on stage to enhance the effect (within reason), even if
you are stretching the truth sometimes! Give the audience a compelling
reason to continue watching, and give them entertainment throughout the
effect, not just at the end.

In their efforts to do well as a magician, it is very common for magicians to
overlook one of the most basic requirements of magic. What is it? Weve
been saying it all along, and we are going to emphasis it again. It is to
entertain. You might think that this comes automatically, but actually it is often
neglected.
35
Many magicians fall into the trap of being so concerned about the technique
or presentation of an effect that they forget what they are there for! Dont let
that be you!
Always remember

Your Aimis to Entertain
Moving on, if you are new to performing (which many readers will be), one of
the burning questions often asked is how do I overcome stage fright? Its a
good question, and you might be surprised how common pre-performance
nerves are.

How to Handle Your Nerves
Nervousness, or stage fright as its sometimes called can get the better of us if
we allow it to, causing us to forget our lines, be distracted by other thoughts, or
lose confidence. You know the signs. Heart pounding. Hands trembling.
Knees knocking. Voice wavering.
Paul hates being nervous for a theatrical reason. To Paul, the audience is like
a pack of animals. As such, he thinks they have a heightened awareness, a
kind of mob instinct. As science has shown us, if we are nervous we emanate
a different smell! Paul thinks an audience is aware of your fear. Instinctively,
they start to worry for you, and as such your entertainment level is lessened.
Paul says he used to be quite nervous at the beginning of his career. As an
amateur magician in Hong Kong, on one occasion he went to back palm a
coin, and to his horror, when he looked at his hand it was shaking badly! To
cover this, he immediately moved the coin from hand to hand, took a long slow
deep breath to steady himself, and he continued with the trick.
36
As the years went by, and Paul worked his way through club land, he noticed
that whenever he slowed down his breathing rate, he gave a steady, relaxed
performance. That isnt to say that the performance wasnt dynamic, it was.
We mean that Paul was in control.
Over the years Paul has arrived at what he believes to be the truth about this
subject that nervousness about performing comes about mostly from
conceit.
To explain, perhaps unconsciously you believe that you are so wonderful that
what you are about to do is of major importance in the grand scheme of things.
What dawned on Paul was that tomorrow, the Prime Minister would still be in
power, the President of America would still believe he ruled the world, and the
major forces that drive the world along would not be thrown into disarray if he
dropped a pack of cards!
Lets face it, what we are doing in the entertainment profession is a mere
frippery, a passing shadow, but for you and I especially, it should also be fun,
fun, fun! In our society, nobody FORCES you to go on stage, you CHOOSE to
perform, you WANT to perform, you ENJOY performing.
If it does all go wrong (as it will do very occasionally), in a couple of nights time
you will be the only one that remembers it, so stop worrying about it. Make
sure you really know what you are doing every time you perform. Never under
rehearse, never under analyse, and just get up there and have a good time!
Paul was backstage once with the great Judy Garland, and she, along with her
crew did something that Paul still does from time to time, particularly after a
long journey when he needs picking up to go on stage. Other people might
think that you are growing crazy or having a fit, but trust us on this one, it
works!
You start to breathe very deep and fast, you pump your arms up and down,
jumping up and down, faster and faster in the last few seconds as you are
being introduced. Just as your name is announced, you blow it all out, with a
huge relief, and walk on. You will find by then that your body is up for it.
This high speed pumping up energises your whole performance, and the herd
that is the audience can really feel the power that you emanate.
37
Of course, there are occasions when despite your normal confidence, you do
get nervous. There were a couple of occasions where the circumstances got
the better of Paul, leading him to be very nervous.
The first was at the opening night of what turned out to be a 14 month run of
his West End Theatre show in London. Paul suddenly realised that if his part
of the show didnt go well, many people would be out of work, and he had to
really control his emotions at the start of the show in order to carry on.
The second time was some years later, when Paul was closing the Royal
Variety Show, singing a song from Barnum, whilst performing illusions at the
same time. He suddenly realised that many other well known singers had
been miming, and that he was about to sing live and perform magic at the
same time! As Paul comments, if I had that feeling every night, I would never
go on again. However, I realised of course that audiences dont pay me to be
nervous or trembling, they pay me to be entertaining!
There are some actors, and others in show business who believe that nerves
give them an edge, and that might work for you too. But if you find yourself
becoming a nervous wreck, or even worse - take to drink to get out there,
remember what Paul says its only fun, and in the grand scheme of things it
doesnt matter! Have fun!
On a practical note, well now look at some specific preventative measures, as
well as how to deal with nervousness when you are forced to, such as when
something goes wrong. This is a bit like a Doctor's approach to your health.
Ideally a good Doctor wants to get to the root cause of the problem, but they
may need to treat the symptoms too!

Some Underlying Causes of Stage Fright (and solutions):
1. Not fully prepared - There is no substitute for preparation. This includes
much more than being familiar with each effect. It encompasses full
rehearsals of the show many times over, technical rehearsals, contingency
plans, exits and entrances, and so on. Leave no stone unturned as it were. If
you can't do that, or don't have the time, it's better not to do the show at that
time.
38
2. Undue concern for the audience Many performers get consumed with
questions such as what will they think, how will they react, and other such
unnecessary paranoia. If you put on the best performance you can, the
audience will enjoy it. Remember, they have likely paid to come and see you,
so they are on your side, they want you to succeed. Don't get wrapped up in
needlessly worrying about the audience. Concentrate on, and enjoy the show,
and the rest will follow. Just for you: Your really not doing it for them are you,
your doing it for you arent you!
3. Fear of something going wrong - Get used to the fact that occasionally you
will make a mistake, we are all imperfect. When something does go wrong,
have a system to get you back into the routine smoothly. Paul has a great
system for when things go wrong. It all stems from something Ken Brooke
(the first dealer Paul met) told him about the classic force with a pack of cards.
Ken said always classic force* a card, even when you dont need to. When
you need to force a card, and they dont take it, always have a few back up
methods of finding out what it is they have taken.
In Pauls words, I always do this, and that makes me very relaxed about doing
the classic force. The audience feel relaxed because they can sense that I
dont care, and so they always choose the card I want them too!
From the invaluable observations of Ken Brooke, Paul subsequently sat down
and wrote down every trick, and highlighted to himself the points where the
trick could possibly go wrong. Against those marks, he then decided and
wrote down what he would do if it did go wrong. By having all these back up
plans, the tricks never went wrong!
Plan ahead to imagine what potentially could go wrong, and think about what
you would do to overcome it in each case. Usually it's only the magician who
knows he has messed something up, and by changing a sequence around he
can often get back on track again. If something does go wrong then focus on
moving on quickly, and the audience will not be concerned.

*The classic force is the ultimate way of forcing a card on a spectator because the way the
cards are fanned out appears to be a totally free choice to the spectator.
39
If there's obviously no way of saving an effect, and no way back, it depends on
the moment as to what you should do. Honesty is usually the best policy.
Shrug your shoulders, smile and say something like, "Oh well, that's my
mistake for this year." The audience will soon be engrossed in the next item,
and forget your error. Be human - dont be afraid to show your feelings!
4. Warm up before the show Just as athletes spend time preparing for an
event by physical exercises, a magician should be no different. Spend time
before every show preparing your body for the event. Try slow breathing
exercises to calm your racing pulse, and just before you go on, try Pauls
suggestion.
Other physical exercises such as stretching and wiggling your hands and
fingers can help you to warm up and to be less prone to fumbling with props.
Associated with this is a technique to imagine that you have already finished
the show. Visualise the audience laughing and clapping, yes imagine that you
were a phenomenal success! Run this through your mind, and you will go on
stage in a very positive manner.
The great motivational speaker Anthony Robbins is often seen talking to
himself before a presentation doing the same technique, and by the time he
hits the spotlights, he is enthusiastic, and oozes confidence.
Ultimately there is no substitute for practice and rehearsal, that way you will
greatly reduce your chances of mistake, and potential embarrassment.

So weve covered some specific elements that comprise a successful show,
and we now want to put these techniques and principles into practice,
formulating some shows.

Your first show might be simply in front of family and friends for experience.
Thats fine, dont try and run before you can walk. A successful small show
will boost your confidence and lead on to greater things, so just take it step by
step.



40
Putting Shows Together

There is actually much more to putting shows together than most magicians
realise, certainly anyone who just turns up with a bunch of tricks in their
pockets they just bought from a magic shop, hoping to put on an effective
performance is deceiving themselves.

We make no apology for repeating the importance of the underlying truth that
magicians are actors whose purpose is to entertain. You cant do that
simply by knowing how to do a couple of tricks. The advice in this and
subsequent modules will help you achieve the best possible presentation in
the easiest way.

In the beginning, you will want to build a collection of suitable effects and
show them to anyone you can, forcing them to watch you. Thats okay, you
have to start somewhere.

At this stage, realise that the magic is still individual tricks that are almost self
selecting, in that when you get a reaction, you want to do them again. The
ones that dont get a reaction to tend to drop out of your repertoire, even if you
like them yourself.

When we earlier said that when you find tricks, only perform the ones you like,
its the same when you get to actually perform them. Even if you like the trick,
you may not like yourself performing it. If thats the case, go back over the
effect, and remember, is there any way it can be made better? That is so
important.

If its a new effect, ask people if they liked it. Ask them to be honest what do
they really think of it? Dont rely on the flattery of family and friends, you must
get a true audience reaction.

We would now like you to create from your selection of tricks, several acts for
different types of show, for example a childrens show and a close-up show.
Some tricks will cross over, but thats fine.
41
These guys know
a thing or two about
putting on a show!
Think, can you do your close-up tricks in a stand up situation in a comedy
store, or even an after dinner cabaret? If you do an illusion show, can you get
it in and out of the venue with the minimum of fuss, and can you perform it in
99% of venues? These and similar questions need to be asked at the outset.
We are now starting to look at the construction of your act as a business you
must be able to work anywhere.

Yes, you could become a successful childrens entertainer and do nothing
else. The same applies to other genres of magic such as illusions, mentalism
and so on. But magic is now your business. To sit at home because you can
only do close-up for example, when other performance areas are open to you,
is to throw away opportunities to increase your income.

Lets review some of the most important aspects of
putting a show together.

Perhaps first we should mention the common
mistakes many magicians make, so that you can
immediately eliminate them. Firstly, they perform an
individual trick or even an entire show that is too long.
Second, no storytelling and variety are used. Thirdly,
no pace, pitch and power used in the delivery style.

Like a good book, a good magic show needs a
beginning, middle and an ending. Continuing with the
book analogy, have you ever picked up a new book only to read a few lines
and lose interest? Whatever the author tried used to capture your attention
obviously didn't work because you were not sufficiently stimulated to continue
reading. Similarly with your show, you absolutely must win the audience
over within the first minute or so in order for them to stay with you for the
rest of the act.

Even if the audience is bolted to the floor (dont try it), it's still entirely possible
for them to 'not be with you' in the sense of them losing interest. However, if
you capture their attention at the outset, they will pay attention throughout.
42
How do you win the audience over then at the start of the show? In most
cases, you have to open with an attention grabbing effect. Notice that we
don't say use your best effect. If you did that, the rest of your show would
seem less powerful, even tame.

Having said this, a balanced view says not to waste the trick. Often
audiences take awhile to settle down. If you are a talker, it may be preferable
to let the audience get to know you. If you are a silent act, give the audience
plenty of time to get settled.

Ideally, the opening of your show should accomplish several things. As
mentioned, it should first grab the attention of the audience, but it should also
establish yourself to the audience so they know what kind of personality you
have.

Additionally, the opening prepares the audience for what type of show to
expect (comedy, serious etc) as well as demonstrating to them in a small way
that they will enjoy it, in essence that you are worth watching!

Talk to the Audience

We suggest that fairly early on in the show you should not perform any magic
but stop and speak to the audience. In most cases they will have paid good
money to come and see you, and they want to like you, but they need to get to
know you. Whats the best way of doing that? Simply talking to them! So for
a few moments, forget the effects, the illusions, the spectacle, just talk.

Speak slowly and clearly. Make sure they can hear you and they understand
you, its really important to build this rapport. Be natural, be yourself.

Make eye contact with individuals in the audience whenever you can. Scan
from one person to the next around the auditorium, it will make the audience
feel much more attracted to you as a performer and person.

43
Anecdotes, jokes (preferably topical) or brief stories are ideal to break the ice
and are another good way of enabling the audience to get to know you.

Its a very good idea early on to either talk to a single member of the audience
near the front, or to get them involved in a trick, or both. The rest of the
audience will be very curious about who you are talking to (they wont be able
to see the person), and its a great attention grabber.

We mentioned pitch, pace and power earlier. These qualities are extremely
helpful in making an interesting presentation.

Pitch refers to the way your voice raises and lowers depending on the subject
matter and your enthusiasm. Practice varying your pitch when you speak, but
dont start yodelling. Have you a strong regional accent? If so, try to
modulate it so that everyone can understand you! Were not being pedantic
when we say that elocution lessons are a good idea if you have a strong
accent.

Pace refers to the speed of your presentation, both physically and vocally.
This should be varied for effect. Think of the tempo in a musical tune to get
the idea, perhaps the difference between a relaxing classical piece, and a
fast, thrash metal, bass thumping track. They are two extremes of pace.

In a magic show, a comic routine might benefit from a faster pace whereas a
dangerous illusion could be better suited to a slow, deliberate, deeply spoken
presentation.

Note that it is better to build up from a slower pace through an act rather than
the other way around.

Lastly, power refers to the overall control of the voice. As a rule, you need to
be assertive and in control, speaking with authority. Practice projecting your
voice in normal day to day activities. Understand how it sounds to speak in a
controlled manner, and experiment by changing the power of your voice to
suit a particular effect.
44
All of these techniques are perhaps best exemplified by comedians, and you
would certainly benefit by watching as many comedians as you can over the
next few weeks to see for yourself the way these factors of timing, pitch, pace
and power are used to superb effect.

If you took our previous tip to take acting classes, you would learn that actors
dont shout. They merely talk to the person in the back row. It gives their
voice a power and projection.

Magicians are normally notoriously bad at using a microphone. Thats okay
so are DJs. They tend to swallow the end of the microphone and their words
are indistinct. Many magicians also tend to wander away from the
microphone, forgetting its there.

Microphones, amplifiers and speakers were never designed to replace the
voice, they were designed to enhance and assist it. If you have to turn your
head, you should turn your head so that you are always talking across the
microphone and not into it.

Build Interest

The middle section of your show is where you perform the majority of your
effects, with variety in order to sustain interest. There should be a steady
build up of effects, each one building on the last in terms of audience reaction.

Successful songwriters follow the same format - because it works. They like
to use a strong, attention grabbing introduction that makes you want to listen,
and then the arrangement continually builds interest, adding instruments or
musical parts as the song progresses. So too with a magic act, it should
develop interest as it goes along, not lose it!

Its also important that the show flows well, particularly being careful to avoid
gaps or holes in the performance. This is true regardless of the scale of the
show.

45
Be careful not to use similar looking effects, even though the method may be
different. Audiences dont want to see variations on a theme, they want each
effect or illusion to be very different. An obvious example would be not to do
two similar card tricks in a row, unless there is a powerful reason for doing so.

Something else that will help you put together a show is to visualise it in your
mind, as if you were watching yourself performing it. That might sound a bit
strange, but you will be amazed how helpful it can be.

You will be forced to see how you introduce yourself, the structure of the
show, and the potential audience reactions. Do not see your show in general
terms. See it in your minds eye in great detail. Imagine that you are in the
audience where would you be looking at any given moment, what would you
be looking at?

The Conclusion

You should ideally save the strongest effect for last, to leave the audience on
a high, and so that they remember you for a long time. Incidentally, by
'strongest' we mean the effect that has the greatest 'wow' factor, the one that
really leaves the audience wanting more, like no other effect you do. It's up to
you to judge what will be best to perform for the closing sequence.

We might add that some magicians choose to perform their best effect second
to last, reasoning that it is better to let the audience
come down a bit from the high before they leave.
Sometimes pop groups follow this idea during an
encore, where they perform their big hits second to
last, then a more relaxed, perhaps not so well known
song as a finale. The choice is yours, both methods
seem to work well for different individuals and styles.

When the audience applauds, (when, not if) accept it and dont be quick to
stop it. Audiences like to show appreciation for entertainment that is well
done, and its appropriate to let it continue.
46
How long is the ideal length for a show?

Long before you get to the venue, unless you have an act with removable
segments, you should have ascertained from the person who booked you how
long they want you to perform for. It is then up to you to design an
appropriate performance that will leave the audience wanting more. Dont
overrun. It wont make you any better, and it certainly wont endear you to the
booker or agent!

In one of Pauls first shows in London at the Hilton on Park Lane, the
organiser asked Paul to keep it short, as one of the honoured guests had to
leave early. No more than 15 minutes, the man said. As he left, the agent
then said, thats no good to me, one of the other acts hasnt turned up, and I
need you to do a much longer time. Paul went on, confident of his ability,
and ended up doing an hour!

Afterwards, the organiser went backstage and said, you were fantastic, and
as it happened, the guest of honour decided to stay.but I did tell you to only
do 15 minutes.

Smiling, Paul gave the organiser a friendly smile, and said Im so sorry, I
thought you said 50 minutes!

Sometimes you have to think on your feet!

The length of each effect needs to be assessed too. Make sure you use
variety so that longer and shorter routines are mixed. That said, generally,
around 3 minutes for each effect is a good average to work towards.

Again, think of the music analogy. Most pop songs last around three minutes,
because it gives time to build interest for the listener, but it isn't too long so
that the interest wanes. The aim is to keep the attention span sustained
throughout each effect, and throughout the length of the show.

47
Technical Considerations

So far, weve reviewed the basics of how to choose and compile the magic
effects for your shows. Its also important of course to consider the many
technical elements of a live performance, all of which you will need to make
decisions about ahead of the show.

In general terms, the development of habit is of paramount performance in the
performance of magic also. What do we mean by this? No matter what kind
of magic you perform, the props should ALWAYS be put into the same place
EVERYTIME, and in the same relationship to each other. In this way, your
hands will never have to fumble as they reach onto your table, into your case,
or even into your pockets. Rummaging for props does not look good!

Even the greatest magical clown of all times, Tommy Cooper, had detailed
drawings made to show the stage crew exactly where his tables went, and
exactly what props were on those tables. Although watching Tommy perform,
it may have appeared random, every detail was planned and implemented.

Music has incredible power when used properly. It
can enhance your magic immensely by stimulating
additional senses. It really can be a powerful
emotional tool. However, music always needs careful
thought. You cant just play your favourite thrash
metal album and expect the audience to follow along
as you head bang your way through the show. (Okay,
we exaggerate but you get the point.)

Even music that you think will work really well, will often create a very different
atmosphere or mental imagery when played in the context of your magic
show.

The music you choose should fit the mood of each effect.
48
A comic trick needs comic music, a serious death defying feat needs
dramatic, serious music and so on. Used in this way, the music enhances
rather than detracts from the magic.

Endeavour to vary the way the music is used too. For example, for some
effects you might use the music purely as a subtle background that you talk
over, whilst for others the music might play a central role, with the magic being
performed silently in time with the music. On other occasions, the music is
used as a theme to introduce an effect.

Where do you find suitable music for magic? Its all around you already! If
you have a CD collection, search through for instrumental tracks (without
vocals) without prejudging the content or the artist(s). You will likely be
amazed at not only the amount of songs you come up with but also the
variety.

Movie soundtracks are often ideal because they tend to be written specifically
to engage the viewers emotions, with amazing results. If you need any proof,
dig out a scene you know from your favourite movie, and watch it first with the
sound down, then with it up, youll experience an amazing difference.

A danger to watch out for in choosing any music is that it is not so well known
that it detracts from the magic. Some melodies, even from films, are so
powerfully attached to the original image that the audience will tend to think of
the more powerful association, with the result that your effect could be spoilt in
the process.

Sometimes you might find a great piece of music that is just too long (or too
short). If thats the case, take a look in your yellow pages for an audio-visual
company, they can easily edit it for you to make it longer or shorter. They can
also compile a custom CD for you with all the tracks for your show
conveniently in order.

49
Copyright issues are not a great problem for most performers as most venues
have a general agreement that covers all the performers. However, if you are
in any doubt, ask the manager of the venue.

This brings us on to the next technical area the P.A. or audio system



Often forgotten
about as a minor detail, just think how effective your show would be if no one
could hear you! Accurate audio reproduction is important. You may be
surprised to know that even in rooms of a relatively small group of people, you
may need a microphone to be clearly heard.

You should never have to shout to be heard, but very often un-planned factors
come into play when you least expect them such as air-conditioning, traffic, or
other noises that suddenly cause people to struggle hearing you. Dont risk it
if you are unsure.

A good quality radio microphone is ideal, as you can almost forget you are
wearing it, but be warned that decent ones are very expensive.

Dont bother with cheap radio microphones as they are not worth the hassle of
the likely occurrence of being interrupted every few minutes during your
performance with a blaring request through the speakers that someone is
taking a taxi to Walthamstow.

If you use a hand-held cabled microphone, be aware of the cable, and the
need to hold the microphone consistently at a distance of around 4 inches
from your mouth. Any closer and youll get pops and booming, and any
further away and youll increase the likelihood of feedback as the sound
technician struggles to get enough volume.

AUDI O
50
Bear in mind that a hand held mic will
take up one of your hands to hold it,
which will not be desirable for many
types of performance. A tie-clip mic,
also called a lapel or lavalier
microphone will be more suited to most performance styles
as it frees up both hands. Alternatively, some performers
like a headset style of microphone as pictured here on the
right.

A basic P.A. system consists of a microphone, a mixer to control the level, an
amplifier and some speakers. The music equipment such as CD or mini-disc
connects to the mixer too. You dont need anything too fancy, even for larger
venues, and many places will already have suitable equipment already
installed and available.

Try and get someone you trust (and preferably who has experience) to
regularly operate the sound, as there is no substitute for someone who is
familiar with your routines. They will know the quiet and loud parts of your act,
when to turn the microphone off and on, and when to cue the music, which is
a great help.

If you do play in a venue where the house (on-site) technicians control the
sound and lights for you, remember to prime them as to what to do, and make
sure they understand! Also, dont forget to thank them for their work,
remember, they have the ability to make you look great (or not), so
acknowledge their efforts. You will find that given respect and appreciation,
most technicians will go out of their way to make sure you look and sound
great!

Having mentioned CDs, through experience we would say that CDs are
better than cassettes for a magic show because of their better quality and
instant access, but even better than CDs are Mini-discs. Why? Because
they still have the instant access and great quality, but unlike CDs they are
not prone to skipping.
51
I watched a professional magician perform in a high profile venue in Las
Vegas recently, and as he was trying to perform a serious routine, to equally
dramatic music, the CD starting skipping, and the whole effect was wrecked!

The magician was noticeably upset; he did manage to recover by starting the
routine again from the beginning, but Im sure that the sound man limped
home that day with two broken knee caps. There is no excuse for poor sound
when you have a professional technician. They have a responsibility to make
sure the equipment is well maintained.

Weve mentioned the way you look on stage, and a significant factor that can
contribute to this is lighting






Lighting plays an important role in any size show, even in a small room. That
is to say, lighting in terms of how light falls, rather than simply the use of
additional lights. In larger venues, stage lighting is always provided anyway,
and in such cases, it is vital that the lighting designer and operator understand
the implications of how they light you, and the stage area.
Basically, the main principle is that you want to be able to control, by the use
of lighting, what the audience sees (and what they dont see) at any give point
in your show. In a small room you wont have much control over the lighting,
but if the lights fall in such a way as to expose invisible thread for example,
either they need to be redirected, turned off, or you might need to move to
another part of the room for the show.

Lighting is also used in theatres and larger venues to enhance the visual
interest for the audience. Coloured lights, varying brightness levels, and
different types of lights can all contribute to making you look good on stage.

LIGHTING
52
Generally you should not have to worry too much about the creative part of
lighting, other than to ensure that secrets are not exposed by inappropriate
use of it. Dont take this for granted as we have even on occasion seen
National TV shows where the lighting has revealed the secret of a trick, and
the director really should have known better.

Associated with lighting is smoke, as it is often used to enhance the lighting.
Smoke, properly supervised and controlled can be used to great effect. If its
managed badly, you might disappear from view on stage or cause a fire alarm
to go off in the middle of your act.

There are four main types of smoke (and you
thought smoke was just smoke). Firstly, there
is smoke that produces a haze or mist over the
entire stage. It is a very fine smoke, and can
often only be detected when lights shone on it.
This is the most common type these days, and virtually every musical group
uses it.

Sometimes this type of smoke is created from a cracked oil machine (which
are well known for leaving a thin film of oil over everything on stage) or more
commonly now, a water or liquid based substance that is heated up in a small
unit.

The second type of smoke is the type of smoke that can be clearly seen in the
air, even without the benefit of the lights hitting it. This type of smoke is
sometimes used in short blasts for effect, or pumped out in high volumes by
magicians to disguise a scene change or a secret action. On other occasions
it is used to simulate a smoky room such as a nightclub, or simply for dramatic
effect.

The third type of smoke effect is dry ice. This is frozen carbon dioxide (CO
2
)
that is heated to produce a low level fog that stays low and thick, as it is
heavier than air. This is typically used in dreamy sequences to soft music,
where a waterfall of smoke is needed, or again, for dramatic effect.
53
The effect is created by dropping a lump of frozen CO
2
, called dry ice, into
boiling water. Dry ice is kept frozen at an extremely low temperature so its
very dangerous to touch it with bare skin. It has the unusual property of
turning straight from a solid to a gas without going through a liquid state.

Lastly, there are pyrotechnics. These are small canisters that are remotely
fired by an off stage operator to produce anything from a plume of smoke to a
shower of sparks, depending on the desired effect. They look great, but they
are only to be set up and operated by qualified personnel for obvious reasons.
They are really a type of firework, and used sparingly they can add to the
moment of a dramatic production, or to the finale of a show.





Okay, we know that males generally dont like wearing make up (although
these days its becoming more difficult to tell who is male and female) but for
any stage show you need make-up.

Unfortunately stage lights have a tendency to make you look washed out or
ghostly, and thats not desirable for a magician. The other factor is that under
the hot lights, you will naturally perspire (okay, we admit it, youll sweat
buckets), and this makes your skin shine, which is also undesirable.
If you are not familiar with applying make-up (lets face it most men are not)
then you need help. The aim is to accentuate your features and it is a
specialised skill. If you are short of advice, buy a book on stage make-up and
get a trusted friend to learn the basics.

Bear in mind that whoever eventually does your make-up, will need to be
made aware that its a very different technique to the regular make-up that
women normally wear.

MAKE-UP
54
So weve covered in this section the basic requirements for putting a show
together. This should give you some food for thought over the coming weeks.
Well be covering the important aspects of your show in much more detail as
the course progresses, so dont worry too much if it seems like a lot to take in
at this stage.

Thats it for this module. In the next instalment, well be getting to grips with
promoting your shows, with numerous techniques that most magicians have
no idea about. Once again, you will have a real edge over your competition!

Well also review some further ideas on developing originality to make you
stand out from the crowd, and well disclose some very special mind-blowing
marketing techniques that are sure to get you excited about promoting your
business effectively.

Also, look out for the video instruction which will reveal some classics of
magic youll be amazing others with these tricks in no time! Until next time,
keep practising and performing

P.S. Dont forget to review and apply the action tasks on the next page.


















55
ACTION TASKS
MODULE 4


1. Determine a comedy style I will be comfortable with, and think of ways
the style might come through in my magic.


2. Reread the one-liners section, and select two each week for the next 4
weeks to learn, memorise, and use.


3. Think about my background, and write down all my interests and
hobbies that I might incorporate into theming my shows.


4. Practice what I might say when choosing volunteers from the audience
until I am comfortable with the process.


5. Evaluate on a scale of 1 to 10 how well I perform the tricks I have been
provided with thus far. Incorporate the most familiar into a basic
routine, with a beginning, middle, and end.


6. Over the next four weeks, study comedians to identify and learn timing
techniques, as well as the advanced use of pitch, pace and power.
56
Video Tutorials with Module Four

One from three

This is a good trick for a sales related event, perhaps after a corporate dinner.
Note that the trick does not stand repetition. Say something like, Thanks for
inviting me. Now I know that you make these objects here on the table - this
widget, this thingy, and this other whatsit! Ive never met you before Sir, but
which one is your best seller? Of course, you then reveal the prediction,
whatever they say.

Crayon Choice

Here is a nice patter line for this trick: In Russia, they started to investigate
psychic phenomena, and some of the scientists were badly fooled by
magicians. Lets do an experiment today. Here we have four coloured
objects, red, green, yellow, and blue. Im going to turn around, and now
please place one of these colours into my fingertips. As you turn around and
face the audience, thats the moment when you scrape a little colour onto your
thumb.

If you work with a partner or accomplice, you can create a nice add-on to this
effect. With your back to the audience, you ask another spectator to take one
of the remaining colours, and repeat this process for all the remaining colours,
so you have three spectators all with crayons hidden from the view of the
magician. Note that you must know approximately where the spectators with
the crayons are seated.

You have arranged a pre-selected order of the colours with your accomplice.
For example, red, yellow, green, blue. Your accomplice then signals to you
where each crayon is, in the order of spectators 1,2, and 3. The sequence of
the colours ALWAYS stays the same,

Say, Now, I know that out here, there are three people with different colours.
At this point the confederate signals to you where the first available colour is
in the audience, in position one, two or three. You work out the signals with
them beforehand, but it can be something as simple as hand movements to
represent position one, two or three.


Amazing Word Prediction

Otherwise known as the centre tear, this trick can be performed anywhere.
The first thing about this trick that is important is, before you take out the piece
of paper you say to the spectator, In a moment, Im going to ask you to think
of a word. It needs to be fairly short. Sometimes peoples minds tend to flit
between all sorts of words, and so I have drawn a circle of concentration.

That piece of preamble gets over any suspicion of the circle.
57
Pre-fold the paper in halves, to aid the spectator in understanding how to fold
it properly.

Have an ashtray, with an insulated pad underneath to take the heat away,
because you are going to burn the paper over it. Be prepared with a box of
matches, and with several squares of paper with the circles drawn on them,
already in the ashtray. You will use one of these pieces of paper.

Once you have talked about the circle of concentration, you point to the
pieces of paper and invite the spectator to take one of the pieces. Say, print
your word inside the circle of concentration, and I want you to print it, because
it will make it clearer in your mind. This is a very helpful point, because you
know that you will be then able to read their writing!

Invite the spectator to fold the paper. Ask if they have done that. Ask them to
fold it again in half. Take the piece of paper, and immediately hold it above
your head. Say, I cannot possibly know what this word is, can I? Now,
concentrate on your word. Is it clearly in mind? Right, well we dont need this
paper anymore. As you say this, casually tear the paper up. Sprinkle the torn
pieces into the ashtray. In the same movement, turn away from the spectator
and say, now, pick up the matches and set light to the paper in the ashtray.

With your back turned, you have ample opportunity to read the word within the
circle, whilst the attention of the audience is focused on the flames.

Say, now concentrate on your word, and look into the flames, imagining the
word rising up into the flames. You get the idea, you then of course reveal
the word.

Cut and restored rope

Although this wasnt done in the video, it is important to hold your hands so
that the audience views the front of your hand when you roll the rope around
your hand. This is so that the audience has a restricted view of this process
you dont want them to see that the knot is not on the rope as you wind it
around your hand.

An alternative to the wand is to use a little glitter. Say, now as I roll this rope
up, I need some special magical dust. You reach inside your pocket, dump
the knot, bring out the glitter and sprinkle a little over the fist that holds the
rope. As a joke, you could say, I need to be careful not to use too much, as I
might get tinsellitus!

One other point to note is that when you make the knot in the middle, it
sometimes help to trim the stub ends a bit, as they sometimes stick out a little
too much if the knot is large.






58
Vanishing Glass

Paul uses a form of this trick in some of his shows. In his version however,
the glass is lifted off the tray and placed on to his hand. It takes a bit more
making, but its worth the effort, as it makes it more powerful.

As usual, the assistant enters with a small tray, with the cloth and the glass on
the tray. The magician picks up the glass, and slightly afterwards, picks up
the cloth by the corner. He returns the glass to the tray, covers it, and
vanishes.

So how does Paul manage to stand the glass on the palm of his hand? First
of all the tray has a strong magnet in it. The lightweight plastic beaker (or
glass) has a circle of metal in the bottom of it. This means it can be picked up
easily (its not on the magnet when it is brought in), but it will stay on the tray
when needed (when placed back on the tray)!

In Pauls cloth, the gimmick is made of wire rather than cardboard, with a
clever form of the glass. This required some experimentation to get the exact
shape needed, but it means that with the cloth over the wire frame, it really
does look as though the entire glass is still there beneath the cloth.

Crushed!

Paul says that if ever there is a trick that relies on rhythm, then this is it. Note
how the performer suddenly speeded up when performing the trick, at the
moment the secret was being performed! That sudden dash away to the back
of the table suddenly took the viewers eye away from where they should be
looking, so that could have been done better! Note that point! The timing is
critical.

Another tip is to place the napkin down flat on the table and roll the glass over
the napkin. If you then twist the top, it should stay on.

The audience attention should ALWAYS be on the coin.

The first time you pretend to penetrate the table, take the glass and napkin as
one, lift it up, and bring it back towards the back of the table, approximately
half way back between the back of the table and the position of the coin.

After you have repeated this, on the third time invite a spectator to help,
saying, perhaps you could turn the coin over, it might work better.

As the spectator moves their hand over towards the coin, THATS the moment
when you drop the glass into your lap. This is the perfect time because the
spectator is not only creating a large movement in FRONT of your hand, but
they are helping to focus the attention of the rest of the audience on the coin.