CLOSE UP

THE REAL SECREIS OF MAGIC

THE BOOK

pomodono editircns
 Close-ttp
Magician: The backstage

Translated by
Graham Jones
 - Also by David Stone -

Lecture Notes
- MIETEK (1998) sold out
- SECRETS OF TABLE HOPPING (1999)
- LrcHT MY FrRE (1999)
- x RArED (2000)
- N{ADE rN FRA).rCE (2001)
- cocooN (2002)

David Stone on videos

- Basic Coin Magic (1995)
Stiphane Jardonnet Productions
- Generation Imagik Vol.2 (1996)
Joker Deluxe Productions
- Coin Magic Vol. 2 (1997)
Stiphane Jardonnet Productions/David Stone
- David Stone's fabulous close-up lecture (1999)
International magic
- Quit smoking (2001)
Magic Boutique
- Live in Boston (2002)
MagicZoom Entertainment
- Best of the best Vol.l I (2003)
International Magicians Society
- Best of the bestVol.l2 (2003)
International Magicians SocieU
- Best of the best Vol.l3 (2003)
International Magicians Society
- Live at FFFF (2004)
MagicZoom Entertaiment

- The real secrets of magic Vol.l (2006)

MagicZoom Entertaiment - Close-up Magic
- The real secrets of magic Vol.2 (2007)
MagicZoom Entertaiment - Close-up Magic
David STONE

CIose-Up
The real secrets of magic-

The book

Translated by Graham Jones

- Pamadana Editions -
 First published December 2005 by Pamadana Editions,
rsBN 2-9s25930-0-0
Copynght @ David Stone,2005. All rights reserved

This edition published April 2008 by Pamadana Editions

rsBN 2-9s2s930-2-7
Copynght @David Stone, 2008. All rights reserved
The right of David Muller-Stone to be identified as the
author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance
with the copynght Designs and Patents Act 1988
www.david-stone.fr

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, store4 in or introduced into a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the written
permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized
act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal
prosecution and civil claims for damages

Printed in France for MagicZoom Entertainment

www.magiczoom.com
Photo front cover: @Zakary Belamy
Photo back: @Gregory Gonzalez
Lay out: Ivan Laplaud - Cover design: JLB

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not,

by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or
otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent
in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it
is published and without a similar condition including this
condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Tb Aurelie and Byron
With love
 Aclorowledgments

With great thanks to my friend and editor Keith

"Kip" Pascal (magicmentor.com) who desperately
tried to clean up the adult references contained in
this book and British magician Paul Martin who
desperately tried to add more! Thanks for their
amazing help, advice, and editing of this book.
Thanks to Graham Jones, Steve Beam, Jean-
Jacques Sanvert and Jean-Luc Bertrand for their
participation. I am really proud to have them here!
Thanks also to my friends Ivan Laplaud,
Sebastien Clergue, Joshua Jay,Alan and fuin Jones
for their precious feedback and help.
With love to Lee Asher, Joyce and Jim "Zee"
Zachary, Happy and Bob Elliott, Sue-Anne Webster
and Tim Ellis-Long Live Lotte!
-for their support,
inspiration, trust and love.
 Translator's Note
By Graham Jones

In Paris, there is a smoky Latin Quarter pub

where, every Wednesday night, under Otto
Wessely's "watchful" ey€, professional magicians
gather after their cabaret and close-up gigs to swap
war stories until sunup. It's called the lllegal Magic
Club. Along with other amateurs and neophytes, I
used to go there religiously every week to listen to
the professionals talk shop. With booze and endless
rounds of espresso fueling conversation, wo always
stood to catch an earftrl about what it meant to be a
professional magician.
Now imagine you're at the lllegal nursing a
Pelforth (the Cadillac of European beers) in the back
ofthe bar, exchanging matrix routines (for instance)
with a few friends. Suddenly, an electric current
passes through the air. The David Stone, debonair
as ever, just walked in from a gigat the Jules Verne,
a luxury restaurant in the Eiffel Tower. He sees you
across the room and winks conspiratorially. Like
Gomer Pyle used to say, "SHAZAJAMI" In a few
minutes, you'll be talking shop with one of the
world's best close-up magicians.
Over the past several years I have been lucky
enough to talk magic with David many times.
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

We met in 2002 when I approached him after

his show in New York City. It was a cold, rainy,
December afternootr, but those of us who braved
the disgusting weather (and the cable car ride to
Roosevelt Island!) were treated to an hour of pure,
undiluted charisma-typical Stone! A PhD student
in anthropology and a newcomer to the world of
magic, I was gearing up to write a dissertation about
the magic scene in contemporary France. David
gave me his email address and, when I got to Paris
a month later, the names of several magicians to
contact. His name alone opened virtually every door
for ffio, and I always felt that it was his generosity
(which you too are about to experience!) that made
all my subsequent research possible.
In late 2004, David asked me to help out with
the English version of his DVD The Real Secrets Of
Magic. As you can imagino, I was happy to repay
a debt of gratitude and thrilled to participate in
what was shaping up to be an epoch-making magic
video. I was amazed by how driven David was to
improve his English - he thrives on a challenge - and
think the videos themselves are the best testament
to his hard work. When the filming ended, David
had other plans for me still. In December 2005,
I received a copy of the French version of this
book in the mail. In two weeks, it had already sold
almost 500 copies. Today, that number is over
2,000. By my calculations, that means that nearly
 Trarulator's Note

every professional, semi-professional, and aspiring

professional magician in the French-speaking
world probably now owns a copy-and rightly they
should!
Busy with teaching and writing projects of my
own, I at first politely declined David's request to
translate the book. David insisted, however, that no
one else could render his Gallic je-ne-sais-quoi into
the Queen's English (or some rrulgar approximation
thereof). I demurred. David cajoled. I wavered.
David persisted. Finally, I acquiesced. David
had won. In essence, this is a book about getting
everything you want from an audience-and let me
assure you, its author knows how to get what he
wants!
In the end, I dragged my feet for almost a year
(and then translated it in a flurry befitting the flurry
in which it was initially lvritten). For that, I owe an
apolory to David, but also to the entire English-
speaking magic world: the French now have a
one-year head start over you in digesting David's
rich lessons. In the meantirne, David went on to
win a prestigious award at the 2006 World Magic
Championships in Stockholm, confirming his status
as one of the best close-up artists performing today.
Luckily, his book is not time-sensitive.
Indeed, it has many of the timeless virhres of an
instant classic. Let me say a few words about the
text itself.
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

Another great French magician, Jean-Eugene

Robert-Houdin, described his famous Confessions
of a Magician as a "perforrnance in another form,"
with "the reader as an audience and the book as
a stage." Likewise, David's writing has much in
common with his magic. It is energetic, surprisi.g,
flashy, delirious, daritrB, and ftin. As both a writer
and a magician, David knows nothing if not how
to put on a good show. Prepare to be entertained,
but don't let the exuberance fool you. David
studied philosophy for many years, and behind his
sometimes smutty, adolescent, humor lies the work
of a razor-sharp analytic mind.
The original French text is very reminiscent
of spoken language, with all the informaliry non-
sequiturs, joking asides, slang, and profanity that
characterizes everyday speech (perhaps especially
among magicians). I'm sure this book skyrocketed
to best-seller status in the French magic world at
least in part due to its playful, informal, style. The
reader gets the impression of having an intimate,
candid, conversation with a jocular, irreverent, man
of the world ... another parallel between David's
writing and his approach to close-up.
In translating, I have tried to be faithful to the
tone of the original text, even when that meant
bypassing accustomed grammatical rules, stylistic
conventions, and standards ofgood taste . . . or moral
decency! More than once, I found myself laughing
 Translator b Note

in disbelief or even blushing like a schoolgirl as

I struggled to find the English equivalent for a
particularly off-color phrase. You may be shocked
or even offended by David's humor in places; if
so, firy to remember that it b all part of the show,
and don't let it interfere with absorbing all that this
wonderful book has to teach. And if nothing shocks
you, may God have mercy on yotr soul! So with
that, as the French say, "Bon appeitit!"

Graham Jones
New York, October 2006
 Foreword
By Jean-Luc Bertrand

What follows is an account of the genesis of

this work, an explanation of why David decided to
write a book about table-hopping. I don't know if
it's apartrcularly exciting story but oh well, maybe
you'd like to know where things all began? If not,
skip ahead to the first chapter: that's where the real
secrets of magic are, believe you me!
A trick blows you away. Sit down for a minute
and ask yourself why it had such an impact ...
Was the trick itself extraordinary? Upon reflection,
yeah sure, not bad, but Of course, having a
killer effect doesn't hurt, but that doesn't explain
everything. In reality, the magician blew your mind
because he was right there in front of you giving
off something dffirent. It's almost imperceptible,
but there's just something more credible about that
particular magician-maybe the confidence in his
voice, the precision of his movements, or a spirit
of playfulness so powerful and fun that you can't
resist it. You forget that you're a magician and
enjoy the show like the other ... lalrmen.
Watching David Stone, I completely forget that
I'm amagician and gleefully rejoin the ranks of the
uninitiated, the real spectators. To sum up, I love his
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

personality and I love his work. The things that make

him a close-up demigod, a genius of misdirection,
and a table-hopping virhroso are all right here in
this book. We all know that having good effects is
a basic necessity, but with David, the magic begins
the second he arrives and lasts until the second he
leaves. He leads us elsewhere, inviting us to think
of nothing else. His presence, his magnetism, the
connection he knows how to establish with the
public, his punctuality, his professionalism-all
these are the ingredients that enable him to create
these moments. You should know that, in this book,
he explains EXACTLY how he himself does it.
David has summanzed, explained, and
organized, in page after precious page, all the things
that experienced magicians have been doing every
day,without thinking, for years. All this lenowledgr,
all this experience accumulated in over 10 years as
a professional close-up magician, is what allowed
David to become what he is today: a magician
in a class by himself, who often finds himself
performing in amazing places or for amazing
people. Like Bruce Willis. Or Bono, who waited
in the caf6 downstairs from David's apartment (it's
tnre!) to take him to perform on his boat for his
daughter's birthday pafi. Or Robbie Williaffis,
who was hired for the same gig as David ...
There you geRobbie Williams! Another
of the things that David and I have in common:
 Forqword

we're both man enough to admit we admire him.

He's just one of the artistic reference points that
we've been finding in common since we first met.
Although nothing predestined our collaboration,
I can't imagine myself working without David
today. Our professional bond is so strong that it's
sometimes a little scary. Worse than an old married
couple, we just need to exchange a quick look to
reach total understanding-and, more astounding,
total agreement. This is the source of our biggest
problem: we never know when to stop.
This book is, in essence, the paper version-
without the tricks--<f the two D\IDs The Real
Secrets of Mogic. One My, David came to tell me
he wanted to make a D\ID, something simple-I0
tricks, then box it up. I explained that I thought it
would be a shame for one of France's top close-up
magicians to satisff himself with a run-of-the-mill
D\fD. If that was all he wanted, he certainly didn't
need me. From there, we naturally got the idea to
inject a healy dose of reality into the project and
to try to translate onto film why David has earned
such an incredible reputation.
- "Let's start with some tricks ..."
- "That's fine, but it would be awesome to explain
why this or that trick is right for this or that situation.
To explain the why and how. Explore the theories
you can apply to turn a simple trick into a huge
success."
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

"But if we talk theory that's going to get old

fast..."
- "'What if we filmed little sketches to illustrate the
theories? We could put our heads together and come
up with absolutely insane things to film ..."
- "OK, but what theories are we talking about? We
need to make a list ..."
David reaches into his bag. - "'Well, I've got these
old lecture notes on table-hopping, if that could be
useful ..." he casually mentions. "Useful! Are
you crazy?" This was nothing less than his Secrets
of Table-Hopping notes. And that's where it all
began ...
I'll spare you the details about the huge, two-
yea\ nightmare the project became. Let's just say
our eyes were too big for our stomachs. We had no
idea how much work we were creating for otrrselves,
by tryirrg to turn the lechrre notes into the script for
a film. It was during these phases of scriptwriting
that we realizedthat the notes themselves were kind
of a mess. We started over from scratch, creating a
new outline to make the fitm logical and coherent.
That outline is also the basis for this book. David
went back to work writing, coming up with dozens
and dozens of theoretical insights to enrich the
substance of the film. Unfornrnately, it's always
impossible to adapt a written work in its entirety
to the language of film without boring the viewer
to death. We had to face the facts: painful though it
 Forcvvord

was, we would have to cut out huge chunks of the

script if we wanted to make a watchable D\ID.
David then decided to repackage all of the
knowledge he had gathered together for the D\ID
as the present book. I suggest you get a highlighter
to mark key passages, if you ever want to fuid
them again: there are literally hundreds of brilliant
insights scattered a bit haphazardly throughout
this book. I'm not sure if David realizes the
magnitude of the gift he's offering you. Some of the
professionals who read this manuscript before the
book came out even cautioned that he was sawing
off the very branch he was sitting on. But that's
just the way David is-generous. To make sure
that this book would be accessible to every bud5at,
he insisted on publishing it as a pocket edition.
The small fonnat, in my humble opinion, doesn't
do justice to the enonnous scope and value of the
contents. This book, I'm sure of it, is destined to
become the BIBLE of close-up magicians starting
their careers-for a long, long time to come!
Jean-Luc Bertrand
Paris, November 2005
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

Today's Menu

Tfanslator's Note - Graham Jones

Foreword - Jean-Luc Bertrand
Preface - JeanJacques Sanvert

1 - Cocktail reception
Make yours elves comfortabl e
Introduction .....41
Back to basics! 47

2 - Amuse-bottches
Something to nibble on while you wait
The magic artist .....67
The notion of the magic artist ...........67
Presentation, personality and style ..............70

Working conditions.... ......77

Professional close-up ....78
Obstacles . 80

Different tlpes of events. .. 85

Restaurants .... 85
Private parties ..... 96
Corporate banquets l0l
Shopping centers 103
 Todayb Menu

3 - Some Hors-d'euvre
Tb whet your appetite
The nitty-gritty ...125
Etiquette . 125
Mr clean . 130
Healthy lifestyle .. .. l3l
The voice 133
Patter 135
You speeka lngleesh? . ... 138

Stage fright ....141

Stage fright? What's that? .... 143
What does it do? .. 145
That's all great, but so what? ... ..... 147
Six leshniques for reducing stage fright 148
Before the party 156
In the arena... 157
Life is good ! 158

The accessories of an artist-magician 16l

The look r6l
Materials 170
The close-up kit . ... 172

Logistics ..... 177

Travel and transportation 177
Recon .... 183

4 - Soap Course
Something that sticks to the ribs
Vertical magic 1t9
Why vertical magic? 190
Professional magic tricks.. 192
Routines and acts 198
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

Advantages of magic for magicians in a

professional setting 201
The table ...203
A table is like a bubble! .....204
The breach . .... 205
I'm the boss! 207
Different kinds of tables . ..208
Making contact ...211
With your client ..211
With the statr.. ..,214
With the other entertainers ... ....216
With spectators . 218

5 - Fish Course
Time to get serious
The moment of action 225
Managing the timing of the evening ... 227
General rules for performing at tables........... 228
Learn to save time 233
Establish yourself as an authority .. 235
Approaching a table ... ..239
The spectator'sterritory ...240
The first impression .243
The approach: Two schools of thought 247
A friend of yours is a friend of mine! ......249
Someone turns you away 251
The Opening trick . 257
The good Samaritan . 258
The gift of giving ... ...262
That'll show'em! .263
Indirect affention-getters ..... 265
 Todayb Menu

6 - Le Trou Normand
A glass of Calvados to rekindle the appetite
Managrng your performance 271
Anticipating intemrptions .... 272
Remember the tables 274
Managrng the spectators 277
Different kinds of spectators ......278
Don't glve them the rod the beat you! .....281
It's not a competition! .... 283
Reassure your spectators . .....285
Dealing with audience reactions 2t9
Foreseeable reactions . .....289
Unforeseeable reactions . .....293
The pest ..294
The ball-buster .....295
The heckler ... ..296

7 - Main Course
Tb make sure you are full
Applause. .. 301
Getting applause? No problem! ........... ...... 301
No applause? 302
Indirect requests . 304
Direct requests... .. 305

Tips 307
A word of warning ....... 307
This being said 308
Getting rich by entertaining your peers ... 308
The joy of getting! ....310
It rains where it's wet ... ....314
Playing with other people's money.. 316
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic
It all boils down to money . 320
Tipping accessories ...323
You'll need an accomplice! .... 326
Time is money . .....328
How 'bout a shopping spree? .....329

8 - For Dessert
Something sweet to round offthe meal...
The Exit. 335
myselfl
Let me re-introduce 337
Business cards ..339
Merci beaucoup! 34
Encore! ... ....346
I(now how to make an exit 347
Conclusion 349
The Last Word - Steve Beam
or The icing on the cokc 361

9 -A Little Coffee?
Before you hit the road
Advice for startingout 369
DVD's
Secrets, books and .....370
What is a magic DVD? 370
D\ID: School of the 21'* centtrry? .... 371
Magic shops: The cavern of Ali Baba .......... 375
Awhal shop? 375
What do they sell? 376
Magic clubs: Magic among friends ...oo.oo.oo... 379
What's a magrc clubfor? .379
How does it work? ... 379
How do you become a member? 380
 Todoy's Menu

10 - Second helpings?
You've got quite the appetite!

Some useful addresses ..385

Magazines .....385
Magic clubs 386
Internet .....387
Wanna see some magic? . ...... . 388

They helped to make this book possible! . 391

Bibliography. ...393
Filmography 397
 Preface
By Jean-Jacques Sanvert

David Stone learns fast. Over the years, I've

watched him become the top performer working
today. The reason is simple, he as survived yotrr
worst nightmare: close-up for the jet set, on the
beach, in a swimsuit, with a bimbo gyrating next to
him-and paid only by tips, thank you very much.
I'd known La Yoile Rouge (the chicest beach in
Saint-Tropez) for a long time, but never had the
balls to actually work there. That's where David
got his chops. The results speak for themselves.
He could wear an "f Survived La Voile Rouge" tee
shirt. Respect.
In 2003, I also saw him bowl over the
international elite of close-up magic at the FFFF
convention (bV invitation only, the get-together for
the Who's Who among the planet's magicians). He
was named the best magician of the convention.
Total respect. Every time we have a gig together,
I learn something new from him: not the flaming
sleight of death that keeps magicians yammering
for months on Internet forums, but the way he
presents his magic, establishes himself as the boss
of the table where he's workinB, and sells himself.
He commands respect.
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

These ore the real secrets of mogfc. This is what

makes the difference between a magician who's
good and a magician who's unlbryettable. They
say you can't learn from the experience of others. It
would be a shame if that were true, because you're
holding between your hands something that could
transform you life as a professional entertainer
forever, allowing you to avoid the mistakes that
can transform a seemingly worry-free gig into a
cataclysmic, guaranteed fiasco.
My experience with Babybel isthe best example.
You know Babybel, the individually wrapped, bite-
size bits of French cheese, sold by the half-dozen in
mesh sacks? Sounds innocent enough, right? Wrong.
Someone called me in November to ask if I could
do gig for a big cheese distributor. I heard a pleasant
voice on the phone saying, "it would be nice if, for
a grand finale, you could do a trick feahrring some
cheesr-you know, a little nod to the industry. We
distribute all the cheeses, so it would make people
laugh." I say OK, thinking immediately of making
a borrowed bill appear in a mini-Babybel. The little
cheese would be easy to palm and I saw a perfect
application for the Shuttle Pass. The party was in
a place called Gerardmer. The client reserved the
train and the hotel, and promised to pay me after the
gig. Everything sounded fine. The train didn't stop
in Gerardmer, but the client was to send a taxi to the
nearest train station. At the time, I always worked
 Preface

in a tux-it was something of a tradition in close

up, and it made me feel classy. I thought about the
Babybel effect, and found an even better solution,
without changing cheeses at the end. Everything
was coming up roses.
Finally the day of the gig was here. The client
had booked me a train that arrived just before the
show was supposed to begin, knowing that there
was about a 30 minute taxi ride from the train station
to the banquet hall. When I showed ,p, everyone
was already there, having cocktails. I immediately
noticed trvo problems:
(l) All the guests were wearing torn jeans and
tank tops, which is a disaster when you're planning
to work in a tux.
(2) 314 of the guests were already completely
sloshed. When you've been around these kinds of
events, you can tell right away.
I said to myselfthat things were going to be harder
than I thought ... My client led me into the main
room (the guests were going to be seated for dinner
in five minutes). I asked where I could change. "In
the bathrooffi, over there," she responded. Dashing
to the bathroom across the main dining room, and
I noticed that there were posters everywhere for
Caprice des Dieux, another French cheese. I asked
the client (with a mounting sense of dread), "You
guys do Babybel, right?" There she turned to me
with a look of utter disgust, "Woah! Whatever you
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

do, don't say that name here. They're our number

one rival!" I tried not to loose it. "That's OK," I
thought to myself, "I'll produce a signed silk from
inside a Caprice des Dieux" (it's a bigger, soft
cheese, shaped in a disk). I asked if she might have
any Caprice des Dieux laying arowrd (enough
to test the trick, then perfiorm it). She responded,
delighte4 "no shortage of that around here!"
I closed myself in the tiny little bathroom stall
to get dressed. It's not easy to put on a tux in a
bathroom stall. I was sweating bullets. People were
banging on the door, yelling, "hey magician, can
you make my wife disappear! l??" I must have lost
three litres of sweat that day. Now imagine the
following scene (and go get a Caprice des Diew to
test it out if you don't believe me). The cheese must
have been sitting in a wann room for hours, and had
turned soft and runny. I jab my thumb tip into the
middle of one of the cheeses and discovered ... that
I couldn't get it back out! As I struggled, the cheese
literally exploded, splattering all over my already
sweat-soaked tux. Meanwhile, the doofuses in tank
tops kept poundirg away on my stall. I never felt
so alone.
That evening, I presented my regular act,
and everything eventually went fine. But I was
exhausted by the time it was all over. Drained. The
client came congratulate ffio, very happy with my
performance. Then she added, '!ou're going to
 Preface

laugh, but I forgot to bring your check." I suddenly

remembered that we never signed a contract, I asked
her to send it to me Monday. "Sure, no problem ...
IJm, your hotel is in another town. I'll need to fuid
someone to drive you." It was one in the morning
and all I wanted to do was take a shower and hit the
hay. I waite d 45 minutes before she found someone
who wasn't too drunk to drive.
Finally, one of the guests very kindly drove me
to my hotel, in the middle of nowhere. Imagine
the house in Psych*this was exactly the same.
They dropped me off in front of the hotel. I rang
the doorbell. Nothing. No night watchmun, no
intercom, nobody. So I'm alone, in the middle of
a freezing November night, wearing a tux, in the
middle of nowhere, yelling at the door of a totally
dark and utterly dreary hotel: "fs there someone
there? Anyone?" A spectacular nightmare. The end
of the line. After l5 minutes, someone finally woke
up and came to let me in. The client paid me the
following week. And, since this adventu€, I close
every actwith the Babybel rctfiine. But I got lucky.
All the lessons are in this book: fud out about a
client's product, make sure the hotel knows you'll
be arriving late, dress according to the event (since
that evening, I've never worn a tux, expect one
someone makes a special request) ...
In the same vein, I had another misadventure
some time ago. Someone called me for a table-
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

hopping gig on a boat on the river Seine. At the

time, I was working on the pass. I was pretty good
in the mirror, but not so hot in front of an audience,
in a real situation. I could tell they could just feel I
was doing something fishy. Anyvay, I showed up
for the gi5, and found myself on an enonnous boat
with tons of tables, four people each, spread out
over two floors. Eighty-five tables, to be exact (I
counted). When the orgarrtzer arrived, I could tell
he was overwhelmed, and a bit firrstrated, by the
size of the event. He said, "Ah, the magician. OK,
it's simple. You do tricks at all the tables." f blinked
at him, utterly bewildered. "But that's impossible!
There are too many tables! I couldn't stay for more
than a minute at each table!" His response? "Great.
I just want everyone to see a magician." Again, I
felt totally alone. I contemplated the eighty-five
tables, trying to figrue out what to do. Then I had
a stroke of genius, which I still use whenever fate
tosses me one of these nighunarish gigs that even
the most illustrious among us can't always avoid.
I went to the first table and had someone choose
a card and put it back in the deck. I did my pass,
and showed that the card had returned to the top
of the deck. Then I asked the spectators, "Did you
see anything?" They all responded, "Well, it looked
like you cut the deck very fast." "OK thanks. Have
a good night," I replied, and then did the same thing
at the next table.
 Preface

At the eights table, the spectators on the left said

they saw the packet move, and the spectators on
the right said they saw me cut the deck. At the 156
table, they said they saw something suspicious. By
the 306 hble, they were starting to say that they
couldn't rightly see how I did it. Around the 56tr
table, they sai( "That's impossible! How did you
do that!?" By the end of the evening,lhad mastered
the pass. The moral of the story? I always keep in
mind a technique or a routine I need to work on in
public, so I can practice it if the opporhmity arises.
It's at this kind of event that I concenfrate on it.
Rather than coming away feeling demoralized
because an organizer subjected me to gnreling
torture, I turn the situation to my advantage.I come
away better, and quite happy about my evening. I
sometimes almost want to thank the organizer for
paying me to test a new trick.
All these recipes can't protect you from some
bad strrprises; only experience will teach you to
get over. I know a magician who was once hired
for a wedding. When he was supposed to go on
after the meal, the groom, holding a rolled up
poster, joined him on stage. The groom said to the
magician, "before you perform, I'd just like to say
a little something." He took the microphone and
began his speech. "Now that I have you all here
together tonight, I'd like to show you a photo," he
said, slowly unrolling the poster. "This is a picture
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

of my best friend Philipp€, who's seated right

here in front, and my new wife. They're kissing,
because they've been seeing each other for the past
two months. I wanted you to know I'll be filing for
a divorce on Monday. I just wanted you to know.
Now, I leave you with the magician!" Talk about
feeling alone ...
Professional magicians collect anecdotes like
that. One day at the Sporting in Monaco, I came up
to a young couple seated at a table. Approaching
from behind, I said gleefully, "Hello! I'd like to
show you something furury with my deck of cards!"
The woman turned to me: she was sobbing ...
Another night, still at the Sportitrg, a group of
Russian millionaires came in and sat down at the
big central table, ultra-hot bimbos in miniskirts
in tow. I asked one of the ladies to choose a card,
which she took and immediately sat upon. To
the great mirth of all, she asked me to make it
reappear ... Another evening (still at the SportitrB,
of course) an emir showed up with his translator,
bodygrrard, and three wives. I rubbed my hands
together, already anticipating the huge tip I would
receive. At the time, I had established a typology
of spectators based on the kinds of tips they gave.
At the beginning of the evenin g, I'd scope out the
most promising tables based on the names printed
on the reservation cards. Then I'd only hit the
best tables. You may have already guessed that
 Preface

emirs were always at the top of my list. Anyvay, I

presented myself at his table. The second I got out
my deck of cards, he intemrpted me: "Find the card
I'm thinking of." After a sudden, legitimate, rush
of adrenaline, I managed to make his card appear
behind the ear of one of his wives, who shrieked
with amazement. The emir stopped everything and
got out a roll as think as a roll or toilet paper-but
these were 100 Euro bills. He peeled one off and
gave it to me. My performance had hardly lasted
two minutes.
It's not the latest ace cutting routine that will get
you through a situation like that, but your chops.
The experience and the golden rules-you'll find it
all in the pages to come. These are the real secrets
of magic. Make the most of it-you won't find this
stuff on the Internet, no one else is talking about it!
Read and, more importantly, absorb what David is
about to teach you. He's someone who knows.

Jean-Jacques Sanvert
Paris, November 2005
Cocktail Reception
Make Yourselves Comfortable
 Introduction
I have always lamented that the best advice on
professional magic is scaffered everywhere. Lost
in the pages of a book, stated parenthetically, or
appended as an afterthought to the explanation
of some random trick-this is where I learned
to look for the real secrets of magic. I'm talking
about knowing in advance what will work and what
won't, about recognrztngbefore it's too late which
common temptations are destined to fail. It's often
said that this kind of wisdom only comes from first-
hand experience: trial-and-error... or trial by fire!
But what if there was another way?
Several years &Bo, I tried to share my experiences
as a professional close-up magician in Secrets
of Table Hopping. The passage of time has only
confirmed my ideas about the demeanor necessary
for close-up and strategies for approaching tables.
Still, the principles I discussed in these lecture notes
were underdeveloped and, in some cases, simply
glossed over. During the years of intervening
experience, I noted and stockpiled dozens of new
stratag some gleaned in the heat of the action,
others learned from conversations with peers-that
have improved my performances tremendously
and, more importantly, made life easier.

4L
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

No one will ever write book that could

instantaneously transform "Joe Six-Pack" into
Magician of the Year, nor could they. There is no
replacement for contact with the public, an4 with
it, the exhilaration of hitting your target or the
firrstration of just missing the mark. My goal is
nevertheless to offer you everything that has helped
me deal with the many challenges of this profession
and to avoid corrmon pitfalls-in short, to work
enjoyably and effectively.
In this book I often use the term "close-up"
when discussing "table-hopping" and other
situations in which the magician works face-to-
face with spectators. But don't be misled! Although
I sometimes use this shorthand for the sake of
convenience, turlike closo-up, table-hopping is not
a pastime but a profession. (Either that, or you're a
sadomasochist.)
Table-hopping has NOTHING to do with the
kind of close-up that you may perform at little
Maria's birthday party or when hanging out with
your magician buddies (on this subject, the chapter
l0 is my best srunmation, and was paradoxically
the easiest to write).
Thble-hopping makes use of close-up as its
principle means of entertainitrg, but incorporates
many other elements besides. It is a profession
governed by rules (often those of the restatuant

42
 Introduction

industry) that make working conditions much

more complicated than one might initially imagine.
If I insist on this distinction, it is because I have
little glimmers of intelligence only once or twi ce a
year. On the day that I understood this difference,
it came as a divine revelation: my work and my
performance in professional settings made a
quantum leap fonvarq in ways I never could have
imagined.
As you will see, this book is full of "common
sense" advice. I worry that some of it may even
seem self-evident, as obvious as it is to me now. But
it wasn't always that way. Believe me, everythi.rg
I know today reflects years of struggling against
ignorance and confusion! Often you have to go
through hell before you're willing to recognize
your shortcomings and to try to do something about
them. From this standpoint, I hope that by sharing
my experiences, I can save you lots of time and
torment.
Be careful though: don't take my advice as
rules set in stone (pardon the pun), but as general
guidelines. Of course, I suggest that you try many
of the techniques described in this book at least
once, but keep in mind that even I haven't adopted
them all. In fact, some don't work well for me; but
THEY WORK WELL FOR OTHERS. So, I have
included them here.

43
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

Along these lines, any of the many gags I

describe may need to be adapted to your own style
and vocabulary. Don't just "cut and paste," because
what works well for me may not be the best for
your personality.
Finally, don't be shocked by my tone.I write like
I speak about the subject: with passion. Sometimes
I get wound up, off track, and out of control ... As
Frederic Dard, a French novel writer, said: "I make
up words and put spelling on trial."
Five years studying philosophy taught me
seriousness, but ten years on the road taught me
otherwise. Traveling around the world on long
lecture tours, all I had to keep me company on
late nights in lonely hotel rooms, were old French
detective novels. I loved the way their authors
played fast and loose with langrrage and social
conventions-which is partially why I fool around
so much in the following pages.
I hope you won't take any of my goofiness the
wrong way Out if you do, I really don't give a
damn-I just wanted to make a good impression in
the Introduction).
In conclusion, don't forget that whether you are
an amateur or professional, your services will one
day be requested for table-hopping-rven if it is
just for your best friend's wedding! It's logical then,
for me to address this book to a broad audience of

44
 Introduction

magicians. Still, I am primarily miting for those

seeking to make a career out of professional close-
up magic.
There is an old Chinese proverb that says:
experience is a lantern that only illuminates the one
holding it. My hope is to diqprove this stupid saying.

David Stone
Paris, November 2005
 - Chapter 1-

Backto Basics!
"There are two kinds of men: those
who make history, and those who
endure it. "
Camilo Jos6 Cela

For the illusionist, knowing the History of Magic

isn't just a matter of intellectual curiosity. Nor is
it a mere feather in the czp, a way to distinguish
oneself among other magicians by citing such-and-
such a date.
The history of magic is much more than that:
it gives us our bearings, and bears witness to the
progress and evolution of our art. By encouraging
our admiration for thousands of long-dead
predecessors, historical awareness also reminds us
that there is nothing new under the sun. Studying
the history of magic permits us to understand where
we are from, and thus, where we need to go. The
present is a living heribge, and we should always
keep that in mind.
The following pages are a simple reflection, a
quick overview ofthe path we have already traveled,
a glance in the rearview mirror before embarking

47
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

into the zl't Century by opening up together our

close-up kits.

Mogic in Prehistory
The art of magic-producing extraordinary
phenomena that contradict the laws of nature-
dates to the dawn of time (right before Star Wars).
We can easily imagine that some of our prehistoric
ancestoffi, scattered around the world, discovered
that they had the talent of fooling their peers. Thus
did they become the first magicians or sorcerers?
Prehistoric implements (thumb tips, Palm Pilot
fV's without GPS) and cave paintings suggest that,
by 50,000 BC @efore Clothing), cavemen were
performing magic rites as a part of their religious
ceremonies.
People called sorcerers or shamans at this time
(total losers incapable of even a double-lift) knew
certain fundamental principles about life and nature
(such as the beneficial effects of plants or potions
on the body) and were surely skilled at deceiving
their fellow countrymen either orally (for women)
or visually for the men

The First Writings

Many ancient texts allude to magic tricks or
maryelous physical feats. The Bible (bV Kaufinan
& Greenberg) itself tells us of the miracles of

qB
 Back to Basics !

Moses and of his confrontation with the Pharaoh's

magicians: water changes to wine (which Jesus
performed at the Last Supper-without citing his
sources, I might add), a staff turns into a snake (a
classic trick of the fakir), etc.
The first hi stori cal texts that de scribe a m agictrick
come from ancient Eglpt. An image representing
the cups and balls dating from around 25W BC was
discovered on the walls of Beni Hassan's tomb (he
probably ripped somebody off).
Likewise, the Westcar Papynrs provides the
first wriffen account of a magic performance. It
suggests that priests used magic to demonstrate the
Pharaoh's powers to mere mortals and to simulate
supematural powers. For instance, they used
mechanisms involving sand to stop fountains from
flowing on command or to open temple doors as if
by magic.
During the same era in China (between 2500
and 2700 BC), maglcians were already performing
the famous Chinese Linking Rings, metal circles
that can be linked and unlinked at will (that teenage
girls wear in their bellybuffons these days). There
is also a description of the cups and balls in a letter
from the Greek sophist Alciphron (200 AD).

49
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

Mogic ond Witchcrofl

In the Middle Ages, everyone believed in magic,
and linked it to religion or other superstitions.
People attributed magic with the power to heal,
protect, or influence destiny. In some ways, things
have hardly changed!
When you consider how easy it is to fool people
today who continue to believe in parapsycholory,
it's hard not to smile imagining the powerlessness
people must have felt before the inexplicable back
then. Nevertheless, some people of learning already
began drawing a distinction between sleight-of-
hand and magic.
In 1240, the Franciscan monk Robert Bacon
offered simple explanations of conjuring tricks
in order to demonstrate that they were harmless
amusements that had nothing to do with the
Deviiiiiiiiil.
But the Chtrrch saw conjuring with no kind
oyo, and began persecuting conjurors (especially
those who used condoms). Until the 186 Century,
thousands ofmen, but mainly women, were accused
of witchcraft and burned at the stake. (There were
around 100,000 trials and 50,000 executions-a
big blow to I.B.h[/S.A.M membership.)
Thus, during the period of religious expansion
in Europe and the dark days of the Inquisition,
conjurors kept a low profile in order to avoid being
suspected of witchcraft or of involvement with the
Devil (what a crappy epoch).

5o
 Back to Basics!

The First Books

It wasn't until 1584 that the first book about
magic was published by the Englishman Reginald
Scoff. Entitled The Discovery of Witchcraft (and
translated into French by Sebastianus Clergus),
the book gives detailed analyses of magic tricks in
order to refute superstitions srurounding them.
By distinguishing between sleight-of-hand and
sorcery it marked a turning point in the history
of magic. Scott gives away conjuring secrets in
order to persuade the Scottish king Jacques I (who
wouldn't give a royal fuck) that it was unjust to
persecute people who were mere entertainers.
Among the tricks described were effects with
rope, paper, coins, and even a decapitation trick!
Although the book was written in order to protect
the public from charlatans, it had the opposite effect:
most people at the time were too uneducated to read
and too poor to buy books! Those who benefited
the most from Scott's efforts were the rich ... and
charlatans! As a result, the king ordered all copies
of the book burned, and sorcerers along with them.
So there you have it: Reggie Scott, the failure.
The same yeat in France,abook appeared on the
same subject: The First Part of Subtle and Amusing
Inventions by J. Prevost. The author reveals a
number of conjuring secrets and suggests that the
"magic," an ambiguous term easily confused with
witchcra.ft, should be replaced with "scientific

51
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

amusements," a tenn that reflects the practice of

magic as a popular pastime.
The influence of Prevost's book in this age of
scientific awakening led many magicians to call
themselves "professorr" "physicistr" or "scientist. "
Back among the Redcoats, a ntrmber of books
devoted exclusively to the art of magic were
published in the early l7n Centtrry, among them:
The Art of Conjuring (1612) and The Art of
Juggling or Legerdemain (1614) by Samuel Rid.
In 1634, someone going by the name of Hocus
Pocus (great stage name, buddy) published the
treatise The Anatomy of Legerdemain: The Art of
JugglitrB, the first book to describe in precise detail
how to perfonn a number of magic tricks (whose
title wasn't lifted from Samuel Rid, now was it?).

Street Mogic
From the MiddleAges to the 18tr Centtrry, magic
was principally a fonn of street entertainment.
Magicians entertained the public at fairs or
carnivals, in public squares, and at noble residences.
The European magicians of this period were
generally itinerant performers who also specialized
in juggling, sword swallo*irg, and flame spitting.
They often traveled with animal rainers, acrobats,
singers, and dancers.

52
 Back to Basics !

Engravings from the period show magicians

performing tricks like the cups and balls or the cut-
and-restored rope. Later,they would add tricks with
coins (thanks to the videos of David Roth and Mike
Rubinstein) and, beginning in the l4'h Century, card
tricks. It was not uncommon for a magician to work
with an accomplice who would take advantage of
the audience's interest in the magic show just to
pick their pockets!
Once the era of witch-hunts had passed, the
art of magic became an increasingly popular form
of entertainment. In the l8th Century, jugglers
and polite entertainers performed increasingly in
the private homes of wealthy patrons. One of the
typical figures of the period was Isaac Fawkes,
who performed in private homes (like the Bill
Gates estate of the era) and public fairs, amassing a
forhrne with nothing but magic tricks.

Roberl-Houdin Advonces lhe Honds of lime

As the 18ft Centtrry progressed, magicians
were gradually moving their performances from
the street to the stage. The art of magic seemed to
be in vogue throughout Europe. Even the famous
German poet Goethe writes about an illusionist in
one of his texts.
Between the 18tr and 19tr century, hundreds of
professional magici ans emerged, perforrning magic

53
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

as a form of entertainment (before that, it was

just to piss people off). These entertainers rented
or even built magic theatres that filled with eager
spectators. This shift lent itself to the development
of stage gimmicks such as trap doors, leading to the
creation of large illusions.
Of all these new artists, one quickly emerged
as the "Father of Modern Magic," Jean-Eugdne
Robert-Houdin (1805-1871). He stood out for the
elegance of his presentation and the creativity of
his illusions (not to mention his long-ass name).
He incontestably inaugurated a Golden Age, giving
magic its "deed of distinction" and making it an
art in its own right. Robert-Houdin quickly became
a celebrity and, in 1845, opened his "Theater of
Enchanted Evenings" in Paris. The theatre would
remain packed for years on end, and the rnagician
who had been destined for a career in clock-making
(at least his performances started on time), ended
up giving command perfiormances for foreign
dignitaries (like George Bush senior or Margaret
Thatcher). He even played an important role in
France diplomacy by helping paciff Algeria. One
might say that Robert-Houdin "advanced the hands
of time" in magic.

Lorge Productions
Towards the endofthe 19th Centuty,trtzny famous
magicians launched huge magic shows, which were

54
 Back to Basics !

either traveling or attached to permanent theaters

such as the Mystery Egyptian Hall in London.
These large- scale producti ons incorporated stage
illusions (levitations, decapitations, appearances
and disappearances of persons, etc.) or classic
tricks from the magicians' repertoire in Oriental
packaging (the gypsy threa{ bullet-catchi.g, etc.).
These shows competed to come up with
original formulas, as can be seen in the posters
from the period, designed to drum up public
interest. Perforrners of the era showed few scruples
about copying the most successful tricks of other
magicians. (Some things never change.)
So that technicians had time to prepare
between each large illusion, magicians performed
manipulation routines with the accessories that
would laterbecome central to close-up: cards, coins,
ropes, scarves, etc. In time, artists like Thomas
Nelson Downs, who performed coin manipulations
under the stage-name "the King of Koins" gained
celebrity by transforming these interludes into
specialized acts.

The Birth of Voudeville

Towards the middle of the 196 Century in
England, Charles Morton opened the first Music
Hall where patrons paid specifically in order to see
a show. Until then, Music Halls had been simple

55
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

caf6s where people would pay for a drink and

perhaps see a performance.
Morton changed everything by building the
paid-admission Canterbury Music Hall. His
immediate success gave rise to what would later
become knourn as Vaudeville, or the variety show
circuit. Before long, there were countless variety
theatres throughout England and the US-and all
over the world, for that matter. Vaudeville offered
many opporhurities to magicians with simple acts
(without large illusions) for the next 100 years, until
television came along, threatening the extinction of
live entertainment altogether.

From Close-up to Toble-hopping

At the beginning of the 206 centtrry, the
spotlight fell on Harry Houdini, whose stunning
escapes made him a media icon and international
star. At the same time, a new style of magic was
developing : "close-up. "
In England and the US, the evolution of close-
up was partially driven by amateur magicians who
formed clubs to share their expertise, wrote books
and organt,zed lectures (the Magic Circle in London
is created in 1905). Among the early legends was the
Canadian Dai Vernon. (His real name was David,
but an incompetent, syphilitic New York journalist
referred to him as "Dai" during his first US totu;
Dai Stone doesn't sound too good, does it?)

s6
 Back to Basics!

Professional magicians began specialuing in

close-up, which they performed in cabarets and
swank restaurants, circulating among the tables
to show off their magic skills at close range. In
so doing, they created a new specialty: "table-
hopping."

White Gloves ond Top Hols

In the mid-206 Century, conjuring became a
popular hobby. Young boys corrmonly received
magic sets as birthday or Christmas presents and,
in the US, the famous Tarbell Magic Course was on
sale in major department stores!
While a number of specrahzations had emerged
from close-up (cards, coins, ropes, etc.), related
fields (mentalism, pick-pocketitrB, balloon
sculpflue, Chinese shadows, ventriloquism,
polygamy, etc.) gained importance, becoming arts
in their own right.
In 1937, French magicians suggested the
creation of a new umbrella organrzation that would
bring together all the magic clubs in the world. They
first suggested the FBI. (Federation of Brilliant
Illusionists), but that didn't work (not everyone
was so brilliant ). Then they tried the CIA. (Circle
of Illustrious Amateurs), but that didn't work either
(there were still some professionals involved).

57
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

Everyone finally agreed on FISM. (The

International Federation of Magic Societies),
and France organized the first Magic World
Championships in 1947. (That's l0 years later, for
tho s e in remedial math. ) The ten-year de lay occurred,
because WWII made a mess of everything.
At the same time, magicians made their peace
with television, and made frequent appearances
on variety shows and children's programs. In the
1960s, the Englishman Robert Harbin created a
new sensation with the Zrgzag Girl, a vanation of
the sawing-a-woman-in-trvo illusion. (He didn't
like to do things in half-measures.) The dashing
Channing Pollock, became famous for his elegant
dove routine.
This was the heyday for magicians in top hat
and tails, which lasted trntil mega-illusions came
into vogue in the US.
David Copperfield brought back the tradition of
huge traveling magic shows from the 1950s. He set
the tone for a new era of excess in magic by making
the Statue of Libeffy disapp ear (It was the smallest
thing he could find.) Even the CIA (the real one,
this time) hired the Chicago-based magician John
Mulholland, then director of the magazine The
Sphinx, to train its agents in misdirectiotr, so that
they could discretely eliminate enemies. That is the
absolute truth.

S8
 Back to Basics !

Bigger is Better!
In the 1970s, Las Vegas gave magicians free
reign, to let their imaginations run wild. Shows with
big stage illusions reached a level of unparalleled
sophistication. Theatres were created for star
magicians first and then casinos added on as an
afterthought! The German duo Siegfried and Roy
represented the apogee of this phenomenon. Night
after night, thousands of enchanted spectators
witnessed the appearance or disappearance of cars,
elephants, white tigers-and Nordic blondes by the
dozen. Las Vegas became-and still remains-the
CITY OF IvIAGICIANIS, where a casino without a
celebrity magician is a casino destined to fail-and
thank God for that!

Close-up Grows Up
Meanwhile, close-up came into its own. Today
every father knows at least a card trick or two to
entertain his kids, and magicians often perform
close-up on television. Table-hopping has firmly
established itself; it's no longer uncommon to find
a magician entertaining at private receptions or in
exclusive restaurants (like Ray's Pizzena in New
York City).
On American television, magicians performed
close-up on the Ed Sullivan show, and conjuring
became a popular hobby, accessible to everyone:

59
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

it stimulates creativity and the imagination,

hones concentration and affention to detail, and
encourages contact with others. An increasing
number of women are getting involved in magic, to
everyone's benefit.
In France, table-hopping was slower to emerge.
@other someone while they're eating? Impossible
in a country where wine is worth more than human
life.). That began to change in the 1960s, and it
is still difficult for French amateurs to find books
describing more advanced tricks than those found
in the more basic magic books. Gallic magicians
continue to protect their secrets, but times are bound
to change (thanks to greedy bastards like me).

The 21't Century Wl[ Be Splrituol or Nothing

In the 1980s, while Paul Daniels presented his
own television series on the BBC, the Israeli Uri
Geller made headlines in England and then all
over Etrope by bending teaspoons and stopping
watches ... with the power of his mind! He set the
stage for the magic of the 2l'r Century: mentalism.
At a time when world religions no longer have a
stranglehold over people's minds, when people
are neruous and uncertain about the future, and
when thousands of nut jobs in white togas freeze
their asses off waiting for E.T. to show up during
a full moon, questions of spirituality, ESP, and
parapsychology have never been so urgent.

6o
 Back to Basics !

For or against, the debates are open and it's

always fun to watch people like the Amazing Randi
or my pal Gerard Majax unmask false mediums on
live television. Nevertheless, the ancestral fears
about an uncertain future along with the fiurdamental
human need for belief, constitute a substantial basis
for the reemergence of mentalism.

The Informotion Age

Towards the end of the 1990s, the US takes
the lead again, and out of New York came David
Blaine. Having turderstood that audiences were no
longer strprised by simple card tricks, Blaine began
playing with the threshold between mentalism and
close-up.
He capitahzed on a widespread interest in the
mysterious, framing his tricks like paranormal
phenomena. To this, he added spectacular
demonsfrations of physical endurance, to enhance
his mysterious image. Drawing inspiration from
ancestral rites and Christian iconography, he fasted
for 4 days in a glass cage suspended over the
Thames (which didn't much impress the British,
because the food is so bad an) May). He leapt frorn
the top of a tall pole after standing there for 35
hotrrs, and froze himself for several days within a
block of ice ...
Meanwhile, a masked magician began making
appearances on a major television station in the US

6r
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

giving away the secrets behind classic magic tricks.

Aglobal outcry arose, much to the program's benefit,
and anry conjurors went as far as sabotaging the
Masked Magician's car. (It's true). This no-good
S.O.B. sounded the death knell for the notion of
secrecy in magic. From then otr, information would
be accessible to whoever bothered looking for it.
In the U.S., the offbeat duo, Penn and Teller,
created controversy with their iconoclastic affitude
and politically incorrect humor, but went on to
become major celebrities in a few short years.

The Present Do| ...

Today, magic has become a profitable business
open to everyone. If the notion of secrecy isn't
what it used to be, secrets remain hard to come by,
because they are lost in a vast sea of information.
In fact, today thousands of specialty videos,
books, D\D's, and magic tricks are available
from thousands of magic dealers. New Internet
sites on magic seem to spring up every day.There
are conventions, lectures, and magic clubs where
magicians meet.
Even the lay public , tt one time totally ignorant
of magicians' techniques, is today better educated:
many people know a few tricks or have a friend
who is a magician-they know if a magician is
good or bad. Today, the secret doesn't only reside

6z
 Back to Basics !

in knowing how a trick is done, but in the art of

presenting it well.
In England, the mentalist Derren Brown is a star,
with a huge television viewer ship, by presenting
trichs with an often sophisticated staging-for
example, taking the risk of performing Russian
Rouleffe live. (He was depressed at the time, of
course.) The American Criss fuigel has developed
quite a following through his TV shows, doing
things like making giant cockroaches appear in
the handbags of passers-by (a trick that ended his
hopes of performing at the birthday of her highness
Princess Stephanie of Monaco).
Sadly, it seems that there are fewer and fewer
live magic shows, zt least in Europe. Most of
the big shows remain concentrated in the United
States. Paradoxically, the only option that remains
is the very thing that destroyed Music Hall: TV.
In comparison with television in other countries,
French television doesn't seem particularly
interested in magic. Is the problem that French
magicians have an image that is too outdated in
respect to Anglo-Saxon magicians, or is it just
that French viewers aren't interested in magic? At
around the same time, a young Frenchman named
David Stone drove himself practically nuts writing
the book you now hold in your hands. And that
brings us up to the present: February l, 2007 at
l:37 AIvI.
Still awake? Then let's get on with the show!
 Amuse-bouches o.o
Someilring to Nibble on \ilhile You Wait
 - Chapter 2 -

Ihe MagcArtist
"Elegotce? I'm acquiring it with
age. The more wrinHes I have on my
face, the less I want on my collm,"
Francis Blanche

The Notion of the Mogic Arlist

People often talk about the difference between
amateur and professional magicians-and it drives
me nuts. If there's a distinction to be drawn, that
certainly isn't it. Before becomirrg a professional,
you have to be an amateur! Many of my friends
are excellent amateur magicians, and I know some
frankly dreadful professionals.
Some people will tell you that only
"professionals" are "real" magicians, but I think
that being "professional" is more a state-of-mind
than a career standing. For ffio, the professional is
someone who shows up on time (hopefully even a
little early), who takes care in dress and appearance,
and who does his or her job well. Any amateur with
a little sense is capable of that much, right? To be
perfectly frank, I believe that the key difference
is the one between someone who does magic and
someone who ls magic.

6Z
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

I am going to distinguish between the magician

and the magic artist, and try to explain, from my
point of view, the difference between your nice
neighbor who does card tricks and the professional
magician whose perfiormances move spectators.
A magic artist isn't simply a "doer of tricks":
real professionals must present their work in the
best possible light. In table-hopping, there isn't
much time to give a glimpse of your true artistry
to a public who probably isn't expecting anything.
So let's be frank: your mission in these instances
is to be not only artistic, but also (and maybe first
and foremost) commercial! If the artist wants to get
another gig during the course of the evening, he
or she must know how to "sell" their magic to the
maximrun, in a minimum amount of time. That's
reality.
It seems that today too many magicians have
their priorities all mixed up. They want more
than anything to improve their technigu€, when
magic artists must be so much more than technical
virhrosi: they must be able to express themselves
clearly, be elegant, seductive, funrry, know how to
dance, tell jokes, speak several languages-in a
word, be the living incarnation of a modern James
Bond! If you think I'm exaggerating, you should
know that the public thinks of magicians, first and
foremost, as someone charmirrg and all-powerful.
Iconic figures such as Mandrake, Arsdne Lupin

68
 The Magic Anist

(the gentleman bandit), or even Harry Houdini are

perfect examples.
When I say "channing" I'm not referring to
physical attractiveness, which is a plus, but literally
to charm, which is a force. I'm convinced that a
person's charm is a function of classiness and
style. And class, as surprising as it may seem, is
something that can be learned.
In every art fonn, artists must seek out different
outside disciplines to improve themselves. Let's
take the example of a young singerjust starting out:
she has a pretty voice, she sings on key-you can
tell she has potential. On that basis alone, is she
ready to go out on stage before a demanding public
expecting to be entertained?
Not necessarily. She'll also need to learn how
to dance, to express hersell to smile, to stand up
correctly, to dress well, etc. If she really wants to
succeed, she may well take classes in marketing,
leam how to pose for photographs, practice
techniques for giving interviews without saying
anything stupid-and that's just the beginning.
Believe it or not, all this goes for magic as well:
a professional magician isn't just some dude who
happens to know how to do a double lift, pahn a
silver dollar, and make banknotes appear in a flash
of fire. All of that is a small fraction of being a
magician. Real magicians are artists who assume a

6g
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

timeless ancestral role, bearing the mark of mystery

that links them to the universe of fantasy.
In shofi, d magician is a man or a woman who
knows how to make the public dream. I doubt one
could make anybo dy dream with acrobatic stunts.
A flourish (cutting a deck of cards multiple times
with the left hand while rolling a half-dollar over
the right knuckles) is certainly impressive, but not
really magical.
It serues to impress the public, which is not
really your goal. Think about it: if your clients just
wanted to impress their guests, they could hire a
sword swallower or a snake charmer-guys that
would certainly get the job done. What clients want
from you is to make their guest dream.
For that, you can't just demonstrate the tricks
you know how to do; you'll need to become amagic
artist. Il in Europe (and especially in France),
magic has not received the recognition and the deed
of dignity it is certainly due, it's not only because
of the (in my opinion snrltiffing) notion of secrecy,
but because most magicians aren't really artists (the
door is locked? I'll just keep going ...).

Presentotion, Personolity, ond Style

No one will be surprised if I say that presentation
depends on each one ofus<n our tastes, our styles,
and our personalities. But in table-hopping magic
everything-or almost{epends on personality.

7o
 The Magic Artist

A beginnirrg remark: when you find yourself

performing close-up, that means, first and foremost,
that you're not on stage. Perhaps this should go
without saying, but we must remember that when we
watch a perfortner on stage, we are easily captivated
by their eyes and their smile. The music and light
help guide us to pre-selected emotions. The public
watches, enjoys (or doesn't), and remains relatively
passive. (Cabaret is an exception-a specialized
field where the magician has to deal with a public
that often feels right at home.)
In clos€-up, you're also in the spotlight, but just
a few inches from your public. This small detail
changes everything: you're right in the lion's den.
If this sffies you as odd (and if close-up seems
easy to you because you started out with it), go ask
stage performers what they think. They'll tell you
(at least those who have the guts to admit it) that
they would feel incapable of working so close to
the audience!
When you perfiorm table-hopping, people talk to
you, ask you questions, and feel compelled to tell you
what they think of your performance. They're not
aware of taking part in a new genre of perfonnance.
To put it plainly, if you recite your patter like a
well-oiled machire, as if you were several meters
from your audience, or if you "overact" the part
you're playing, spectators will immediately see
that you're not being yourself. They'll be tempted
to take advantage of your awlrward position.
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

I can only advise you to be yourself and display

your personality up front. That being said, "being
yourself' doesn't mean "doing whatever comes to
mind." If you're the kind of person who belches
at the table, you'll need to make something of an
effort.
By "personality," I have in mind the very best
in YOU. I'm sure that people who know me are
cracking up at this point, because I have never
accepted myself, and I'm filled with insectrities.
Still, I try (at least in close-up) to be myself,
because it's important to accentuate the personal
and the distinguishing.
To get yourself noticed, you have to show that
it's YOU (and not somebody else) performing.
Put your talents in the senrice of magic. There are,
without a doubt, a mynad of things that you can
do. No one else can (shucking peas with your toes,
farting quietly and blaming the person seated next
to you)-take advantage of your talents!
Furthennore, it's terribly important in this line
of work to be extraordinarily sociable: people want
to talk to you, Eat to know you, ask you about the
magic world, which may strike them as mysterious
and wonderftil. Talking with people, listenirg to
them, being receptive to them-all that is part of the
job, even if being asked the questions incessantly
can get somewhat annoying-see the chapter 18,
"Dealing With Audience Reactions".

72
 The Magic Artist

If you want people to remember YOU, get them

to say to themselves, "last night I met X, and he did
some incredible magic for me!" instead of "I met an
incredible magician last night!" Analyze yourself.
Or rather, give yourself permission to try out new
identities. Take advantage of the fact that table-
hopping will give you the chance to perform your
routines at least 15 times in one evenin E, varfing
your approach each time if you wish.
Performing atlarge firnctions will enable you to
gauge which demeanor suits you best-and more
important, which ones don't! In my mind, you can
only find a balance by getting your fingers burned.
If you're particularly attached to a presentation or
style that ends up not workiog, don't just give up
on it. Instead, ask yourself why it didn't work, and
seek out the opinion of your friends-your real
friends, those who will tell you the truth (in other
words, not magicians ...).
Don't hesitate to play arourd with different
styles, even those that seem tmlikely to work. You
haven't anything to lose anq who knows, perhaps
you're beffer suited for an unlikely style ! Remember,
you're a magic artist and, for that reason, ?a actor
in magic. In other words, you have the right to try
out EVERYTHING that you please.
Besides, this is what sets you apart from Joe
Blow ... Speaking of which, has anyone ever asked
you if you have a "normal job" or a "My job"

73
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

besides magic? I always say, "If by real job you

mean forcing yourself to wake up every morning
at 5:00 am to go bust yotr hurnp working with a
bunch of jerks in a depressing cubicle all to line
the pockets of some corporate SOB who you'll
probably never meet, then the answer is NO."
furd by the 'way... is Forensic pathologist can be
considered as a norrnal job ?
Anyvay, where was I? When you realizethat you
were wrong to try such-and-such a style that means
you're in the process of learning: reco gnizng your
mistakes is the best way to avoid them down the
line. In the future, you'll know which path will lead
you towards fulfilling your potential as amagician,
and which will give you a huge advantage over
others who have never tried anything other than the
umpteenth variation on the double lift. Be happy
and move oll.
Personally, I tried a number of different styles,
or "images" of myself that I wanted to convey: a
shaved hea4 bleached hair, the playboy, the Eay,the
'With
boy-next door, or the show-off... experience,
I've found that what pleases the most is that which
is seen the least! Clearly, I think that the style that
suits me the best can be summed up in one word:
sobriety.
That being said, even if I remain sober in my
dress and appearance, that doesn't prevent me from
being myself-that is, pretff over-the-top and out-

74
 The Magic Artist

of-control (fancy thaQ. The difference is that I don't

have to express the uniqueness of my personality
through clothes or ostentatious role-playing: my
speech and style of performing are enough to make
me stand out.
Still, it was only by trying out all these different
styles and making all these mistakes that I "found"
myself. So I can't encourage you enough to push
your own limits, especially if you're just starting
out! Don't be afraid: looking ridiculous won't kill
you (if more people knew, there would be fewer
assholes on Earth). Artists are never ridiculous when
they believe in what they're doing<specially
when they are aware that it's only practice aimed at
improving their overall artistry.
Even though I'm not a particularly fumy person
(myjokes are pretty ba{ so I've heard ...), I came to
understand that humor could make my presentation
even more effective for the public. I began to work
in this directiotr, trying to inflect my perfonnance
with more humor and adding little comedic touches
here and there. I'm talking about my presentation
and nothing more-I never let gags get in the way
of my magic effects. Incidentally, I'm skeptical
about magicians who seek out the outlandish,
turning magic into comic relief. Let's be logical
about it: if I wanted to make people laugh, I would
have become a stand-up comic, not a magician (and I
probably would have ended up sleeping on the street).

75
 Close-up The real Secrcts of Magic

If I insist on humor, tt's because laughter is the

audience's release valve. It's not just an "added
bonus": it's the physical mechanism that allows
spectators to let go of stress, fears, and worries.
Laugher is away for them to deal with the aruriety
that magic can produce in them unconsciously. It
lightens the psychological impact of certain tricks
and "airs out" yourperformance. And besides, since
I spend so little time at a table, why not use all my
resources to chann them ... with humor.
 Chapter B -

Working Conditions
"If work is healthy, you can gre
all mine to someone sick. "
Antoine Chuquet

I'm not going to lie: even if you work in a tux

in the fanciest joints, professional magic remains
a thankless job. Don't fool yourself: working
conditions are always difficult.
It's hard to see: the atmosphere is noisy or
there's hardly any light. You don't have room to
move. Stuff on the table blocks spectators' line of
vision. Waiters are constantly intemrpting you in
the middle of routines. Spectators are tire{ htmgry,
or just plain uninterested (and sometimes all three
at once). Announcements or speeches compel you
to stop. Anq as if that weren't bad enough, the icing
on the cake, often you don't even get a decent place
to change: you might end up in the kitchen with
your gear spread out among the hors d'oeuwes, or
in the handicapped restroom. Sometimes, the broom
closest seems like a treat fn short, the magician is
often the last detail on anyone's mind, even if he

77
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

or she is the primary entertainment for the evening

anq to be perfectly honest, the thing that people
will remember the most.
Well, if you're still interested in this line ofwork
after all that, I have some good news foryou: you've
just passed the hardest obstacle. You wrderstand
why table-hopping has nothing to do with the kind
of close-up you might do over cookies with Aunt
Betty.

Professionol Close-up
Professional magicians often find themselves
performing in two primary situations: strolling
magic and table-hopping.
o Thblehopping is the professional situation in
which the magician perfonns for individual tables
of diners gathered for a meal. This can range
from working in a restaurant to business meals,
conventions, family meals and even chic dirurer
parties. The magician is hired to entertain the guests
and mu*st, therefore, "cut into" the tables to perform
his or her close-up routine.
There are often 100 people spread across 15
tables-if there are more, make sure you're not the
only magician working! I think I've already told
you (unless I'm growing prematurely senile) that
the working-conditions are often very difficult and

z8
 Working Conditions

you often don't know in advance what the clientele

will be like. As always, every individual is different
and the individuals are ... numerous. No mere
mortal could know in advance which spectator will
be nice, which one difficult, or which one sloshed
and trnruly. Let's face it: when we're dressed up
and plopped down between the bread basket and the
wine bottle, we all look pretty much the same...
. Strolling magic is a branch of close-up in which
spectators are generally standing up. It can at be a
party in a bar, at a reception held before a business
dinner, a gallery opening, a special event in a hurury
boutique, or a cocklail party at some event.
Everyone is drinking and relaxing, people let
down their guard and strike up conversations. The
afrnosphere is often very noisy. People have a glass
in one hand and hors-d'oeuwes in the other. Those
who know each otheq split off into little groups.
Glance around the room: are people stuck-up, laid-
back, up-tight or offibeat?
Whatever brings these people together and
whatever their state of mind, you will need high-
impacl visual effects that you can do standing up
and srurounded. Don't bank on too much spectator
participation: their hands will often be full. You
can't ask someone to shuffie the cards if they're
holdingadrink--*ven you might have trouble with
a one handed Faro shuffie!

79
 Close-up T'he rcal Secrets of Magic

Even if it's easier to approach groups ofpeople at

a cocktail party than to ingratiate yourself at atable
of people you don't know, don't forget that people
can leave the group and that others canjoin it at any
given moment. In contrast to table-hopping where
it's a good idea to keep moving around the table
to get as many people participating as possible,
at a cocktail parff you should remain relatively
stationr!,to keep the group you're entertaining in-
tact.
You'll also need more tricks than in yotr table-
hopping repertoire, because people that like what
you're doing will follow you around the roonr-
they just can't get enough!

Obstocles
I admit, it's true: I painted a particularly sinister
pictue ofmy line ofwork, but don'tbe frightened-
it's a greatjob. You're totally independent, you can
travel and meet an amazing range of people, and
untold doors will open for you.
All of the difficulties I mentioned are
undeniably, indubitably, unquestionably real. But
with experience (and lots of hard work), you can
quickly leam to overcome them. To get you started,
let's take a closer look at some of the principal
obstacles:

8o
 Working Condifions

. Visibility: The lack of visibility in close-up

is generally the result of very cluttered tables.
Besides the plates, there are often decorations
everywhere{on't be strprised by marlmoth
flower arrangements smack-dab in the middle of
the table, around which spectators will have to
crane to see you clearly. You can always complain,
but nothing's going to change. With that in mind,
you just need a little common sense: if you want
to capttue the public's attention and make sure
they can see all yotr effects, use the table-top as
little as possible. The more your magic is elevate{
the more visible, clear, and effective it will be
(see the section on "Vertical Magic", chapter 9).
To top it all ofi "mood lighting" is not unusual
at these kind of events, be they candle-lit soirdes
or romantic diners-great conditions for invisible
thread ... os long as people notice you at the table in
the darkness! I can't emphasize this point enough:
be ready with the appropriate visual effects (for
example, D'lite@ ...).
o Noise: It's $ary how noisy people can be at a
social event! Cocktail parties are noisier than meals,
because there are more people closer together-and
they show no compunction about shouting across
the room. With the cumulative noise from the
silverware, the waiting staffand the band or the DJ
who thinls he's atarave, you'll end up being unable

8r
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

to hear yourself thinlq much less speak. If you want

people to pay attention to you and your work, you
will have to leam to make yourself heard! (See the
section on "The Voice" in chapter 5).
o Interruptions: It's almost impossible to get
through a close-up gig unintemrpted. If you think
you're going to saunter up to a table, and people are
going to listen to you with bated breath, blocking
out everything going on around them, take your
thunrb tip out of your nose!
Sure, sometimes a setting will lend itself
perfectly to close-up: I'm thinking in particular
of Tony's Pizza on Main Street in Hickstown,
USA, where they serue 14 people a night and the
stereo happens to have been busted since the 2000
bluz.ud. (Luckily, the lighting's always good since
Tony stocked up on florescent bulbs when he was
working atWal-Mart.)
But in most realistic professional settings,
intemrptions will plague you by the dozen.
Needless to say, this won't make things easier for
you-you'll have to fight for spectators'attention.
Often, a waiter will come and set down plates or
bring a bottle of wine at the very moment you're
getting ready to make the signed card appear in
your left ear!
Even worse, someone could just pop in to say
66hi"
to his friends without even noticing you're
performiog, or some bonehead could start singing

8z
 Working Conditions

"For he's a jolly good fellow," or the belly dancer

could start her show early, because the last bus is
at I l:35. Il in addition to all that, you're playing a
dinner buffet where people are constantly getting up
for seconds, I'll just let you use your imagination:
good luck getting people's attention.
In order to call attention to your performance and
your magic, you're going to have to learn how to
manage these intemrptions and even get people to
ignore them (see "Managing Your Performance",
chapter l6).
o Time: If you have all the time you need when
performing in a restaurant, the same isn't true for
private firnctions or special events. In such settings
chunks of time will be unevenly spaced, because
meals are often intemrpted by presentations or
other performances.
If you find yourself all alone with 200 hungry
pafrons to entertain, you'll just have to find a way
to cope with these speeches, publicity films, the
service, strrprises for the married couple, a variety
act, ridiculous games orchestrated by the MC, the
dessert show, and so on. You'll need to learn to save
time so as to accomplish your appointed mission:
entertaining EVERY table (see "The Moment of
Action", chapter 13).
 - Chapter 4 -

Different I!4les of Events

"Any job where you can't foryet
you're working is slavery. "
Henri Jeanson

As a professional magician, you will be called

upon to perform close-up in all kinds of different
settings-private parties, restaurants, shopping
centers, co{porate banquets, expos Sometimes,
they may be unexpected<ruise ships, trains,
buses, planes, yachts, and the like.
Make an effort to adapt yourself for each of
these different contexts, even (especially!) the more
nnrrsnal ones. Adaptation is the key word, even
if the main principles governirrg the profession
apply wherever you work. What varies the most,
depending on the seffing, are the techniques of
approaching spectators.

Restourqnts
Restaurants are the classic situation for table-
hopping, as most magicians know. This is also
the royal road to starting your career if you're a

8s
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

beginner. Indee{ perfbrming in restaurants will

allow you to polish your routines, develop your
style, and-most importantly-to meet potential
clients, who may hire you for private events.
Restaurant work is not an end tn itself, but a
means to make new contacts and generally to
develop chops. The pay's not great, but the tips can
more than make up for that. If you're a beginner
and it's your first time table-hopping, the best way
to get your chops is to fuid a restatrant ASAP.
But how? Personally, I go out to eat with friends
or relatives in the restatrant where I'd like to work
(think of it as an investment). At some point during
the meal, I start doing tricks for my friends, but with
an ulterior motive: getting noticed by other diners
and the restawant staff. It's just a maffer of time
until a large crowd gathers around and, before long,
the manager will come running to find out who's
raising Cain in his restaurant.
I adopt this strategy because, for the staff and
the manager, I will seem first and foremost like a
client (an empowering position) rather than another
loser looking for a job (a powerless position). Once
I've performed for the manager, I might casually
offer my services, but usually that isn't necessary:
the manager usually asks on his own how much
an evening's performance would cost-just out of
curiosity!

86
 Different Types of Events

I give my price for a single evening. Then I explain

that it wouldbe much less expensive, hypothetically
speaking, if I were to become a resident magician,
performing several times weekly or monthly. I let
him know that I always perform at least two hours
per engagement. I confess that I'd be eager for the
opportunity to try out some of my newest material
for an unsuspecting audience.
fuId I always tell him that magic is about
"dreams," that it is a complete evening's
entertainment, that it can enhance the atmosphere
in a restaurant like nothing elsr
all that without
any technical impositions on the staff(unless you're
planning to cut a woman in two, ju-st for the hell of
it).
I try to suggest all that he stands to gain from
having a magician perform in his establishment:
conviviality, client loyalty, and-first and
foremost-inexpensive advertising. Patrons will
invariably tell their friends about the wonderful
magician they saw at Chez So-and-so. Everybody
(especially restauratenrs) knows that word-of-
mouth is the best advertising.
I've used this strategy to pick up all of my
regular restatrant gigs. Since the a9e of 18 (that is,
several months after begiruring magic), I've always
had tweand sometimes even thre*weekly
restaurants. My schedule for Wednesdays and
weeke,nds wzrs ganerally something like S-l0pm for

8Z
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

the first restaurant and llpm-lam for the second.

That amounted to a handsome sum of money
for a teenager, and it kept me from getting into
troubl€...
I should warn you though: don't fall into the
trap of agreeing to a free demonstration. Not only
is it a waste of time, but that approach can only hurt
you in the long rurl. I remember when I was starting
out, a dozen restaurants were more than happy to
let me give a trial performance and then never
bothered to hire me afterwards. They knew from
the get-go that they wouldn't hire me (the clever
bastards), and took advantage of the sinration to
get a free evening's entertainment. They want you
to believe that you're doing a kind of extended
'Job interview" in natural conditions, so that they
can see how you hold up under pressure. Even if
they tempt you with the promise that this is just a
formality, never accept. It's a fool's errand that can
only depreciate your own market value.
After talking with the manager, just perfonn
quickly at another table if he needs further proof
of your abilities, but never agree to come back
on another occasion for an unpaid trial. If you
want to impress your future employat, you must
demonstrate that you have enough self-respect to
steer clear of obviously exploitative situations.
You're offering him a senrice, but you could just
as well offer it to any otherrestaurant-and they'dbe

88
 Drfferent Types of Events

lucky to have you. Do the math: there are infinitely

more restaurants than there are magicians, and this
restatrrant is lucky to count you among its patrons!
You certainly have to convince the manager that
you have a valuable service to offer, but you also
have to believe it yotrrself.
Without being presumptuous, don't underesti-
mate the quality of what you have to offer and the
impact that it can have on people-including the
manager! hrt your best foot forward: that which
has a value has a price, and that which has a price is
never given away. So none of this trial basis stuff.
I mean, have you ever thought of having a restau-
rant send you a couple pizzas on a triol basis-you
know, just to make sure they're good before really
eating them in the restaurant?
You haven't? Well, of course not. It's a two-
way street. There's no guarantee that they'll hire
you twice, but you can make sure they pay you
once. Nevertheless, there are,as alwoys, exceptions
to this rule. I have agreed to perform without pay
in especially chic (up-scale, high-class) restaurants
with such a stellar reputation that they don't need to
do anything special to attract clients.
These are generally trendy joints with a jet-set
clientele, ranging from movie stars to rock stars or
just rich bastards, plain and simple. Even they have
to eat! This kind of restaurant knows how to cash in
on its image, and they to might be delighted to have

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 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

you zls a magician. But they probably won't pay

you a dime. So here's the deal: these establishments
will let you take advantage of their rich clientele ,f
(and this is a big "if') you're willing to work for
tips (see the chapter 20 on " The Tips").
Don't underestimate all you can get out of gigs
like this-clients will often hire you for private
parties where there is money ... beyond belief (iust
like my friend Brad says!).
Generally speakitrg, listen to your common
sense: to earn money, don't start out with useless
expenditures. Further, don't forget to have your own
dinner included in the contract; this is something
you should get settled from the beginning. If
you're doing close-up, you'll want to avoid healy
meals-but a nice dish before or after a gig is
always welcome. Eat at the corner of the bar if
the restaurant is full or if you don't feel like being
seated. (\Vhat's more, this will allow you to pick
the bartender's brain about the regular patrons.)
Eventually, you might even try to get your drinls
covered by the restaurant-ask them to comp your
drinks if you're workit g only for tips or to give you
a discount on alcohol, ifyou're receiving a fee. That
wdy, if friends come to see you perform or if you're
hanging out with some of your favorite clients, you
can offer them a drink "on the magician."
If it comes up, explain to the Maitre d' or the
restaurant manager how you can best work with his

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 Drffercnt T)rpes of Events

staff without intemrpting them, and tell him how

long you plan to spend at each table. Suggest that
you can make yourself useful by attending to the
tables that might have to wait longer before being
serued. Presenting things in this light, with an
emphasis on your eagemess to pitch in, will make
it hard for the management not to indulge you.
The Maitre d' is an extremely important figure
because he can make your life much easier. If you
get along well with him, there are all kinds of ways
he can help you out-for instance, by introducing
you at certain tables. Or, with a wink of an oyo,
he can send a waiter to refill the glasses at an
important table just before you arrive. That way,
you won't be bothered during the five minutes
you're performing. He can also clue you in to any
preferences the establishment might have for when
you perform: during the aperitil between the order
and the first course, or dtrring dessert. rn any case, if
you're working at the begiruring of the dinner rush,
don't perform at the end of meals: the restaurant
will be packed and the manager will prefer that
people leave as quickly as possible to free up the
tables.
Finally, the manager can explain the way
the tables are set up and indicate the numbers
assigned to them. This will make it easier to avoid
miscommunications with the wait staff:

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-"Go to R-12 quick! There's a dude that leaves huge

tips, but he's getting ready to leave!"
-"Right! Ok ... R-I2 ... R-12 ... Where the #!*$ is
R-I2!?"
It's absolutely necess ary to be nice to the
waiting staff if you want the best possible working
conditions. First, greet them when you arrive, and
say goodbye before you disappear. Then, figrre out
how to stay out of their way. Hanging out in front
of the kitchen doors is a big no-no, because the
waiters will either have to work around you or will
smash you in the face with the door when they come
bursting through, like bats out of hell. Take the time
to show them one of your new tricks-whatever it
takes to get on friendly terms with them.
As soon as I get the chance, I explain that
whatever tips I may be lucky enough to get isn't
money intended for them. At first, that might sound
suspicious to them, especially if they're relatively
new to the line of work. My stratery, though, is
always to distinguish myself as much as possible
from the waiting-staff, while nevertheless showing
that I'm apart of the restaurant.
NEVER commit the mistake of bragging in
front of the staff about the size of your tips, even
if<r especially if-you get along well with them.
I'm extra careful about this kind of thing. It's not
hypocrisy, just common sense: why bring up a

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subject that I know can only cause tension without

accomplishing anything productive?
Train yourself to remember the first names of all
the waiters in a restaurant where you're working.
Often, when a waiter arrives at a table where I'm
perfonning I might say something like: "And
here's so-and-so, who can make your food appear
and disappear!" This allows me to acknowledge the
waiters ... and put them in my pocket at the same
time! It's away to reco gnrze the waiter with a token
of consideration, and people always appreciate it.
After awhile, the waiters themselves will
spontaneously point out tables that are ready to see
me perform or that would like to meet me. If you
can create a sense of solidarity with the staff, you
can even ask them to help you pull off tricks that
would be impossible without using accomplices,
as long as it doesn't interfere with their work. A
waitress calls out "Queen of Clubs!" when you ask
her to name a card at random... and it turns out to
be the spectator's chosen card! Or you slip a signed
card to a waiter who then secretly affixes it under
a plate ... Indeed, ffiy friends, the possibilities are
endless.
But don't make a habit of relying on the staff
as accomplices, though, becausethey'll expect you
to share your tips-and rightly so. Especially if a
spectator gives you a Benjamin when his signed

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card reappears in the chicken liver he ordered

twenty minutes earlier !

You will quickly identiff the regulars of the

restatrant. Take especially good cure of them,
because they will be your biggest champions-both
to the proprietor, and to the new clients they bring
with them. Ask a waiter to point out the regulars
to you, so that you can avoid approaching them
like any old customers. They like being recognized
as regulars in a class apart from the "ordinary"
clientele.
Therefore, don't hesitate to show that you
recognize them, and to address them by name if
possible. Finally, don't be surprised if they ask
you to perform your famous "signed card in the
shoe" routine for their friends, even though they've
already seen it dozens of times. Indulge them, but
also be ready to show them a new trick or two when
you're called over to their table, to show offthe full
range of your immense talent.
Your employer will be hoping that an indirect
benefit of your performances will be to kindle
customer loyalty. Of course, this doesn't much
concem the regulars, who are already loyal. Drifting
from table to table, you become a kind of PR rep
for the restaurant: you can talk with each customer
and develop relationships with them. You become
their comrade, a familiar face, someone they would
like to come back and see. Thus, part of your job is

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to reinforce the positive image of the restaurant, its

food and its staff.
Banish from your vocabulary any word that
could denigrate rather than exalt the restaurant
where you work. Conversely, sprinkle the name of
the restatrant into your paffer as much as possible:
"f 'm using yellow ropes because we're at...? That's
right, the Red Rose! Very good, you're all paying
attention."
It's not uncorrmon for spectators to want to
offer you a drink (personally I'd prefer a tip): the
proprietor will be happy, because they make most
of their money from alcohol. Since I obviously
can't have a drink at each table, I use a procedtrre
that is really beneath ffio, and which you certainly
won't find in any Buddhist self-help book: I order
a Screwdriver (vodka + orange juice), but the
bartender leaves out the vodka. That allows me
to get through the evening without falling over ...
and to sell fiuit juice for the price of a cocktail!
It's not dishonest, it's just good business. @lus,
unless you're working in Saudi Arabia, W refusing
4 or 5 drinks from clients and just see how the boss
reacts!)
In my favorite restaurants, there are sometimes
"reseryation cards" with my ugly mug and my
contact information, indicating when I will perform
at the table. The restatrants seem to like this system,
because they often request it. They write down the

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name of the person who made the reservation, and

leave it at their table. That makes things much
easier for ffie, and even frees me up from giving
out business cards. On the flip side, I wouldn't put
promotional information on the menus if asked,
because then it would be much more difficult to get
tips. People would think I was already working for
the restaurant, which often isn't the case.
Finally, standard fees for performing in a
restaurant are completely different-and much
lower-than for private parties. Clearly, you can't
charge a restaurant that wants you to perform
twice a week the same fee you would charge a
talent agency that will hire you out twice ayear for
co{porate functions.

Privote Porlies
Private parties generally offer the best possible
working conditions, because people arerelaxed and
are getting together for a pleasant occasion. (I really
rock at funerals.) It could be a wedding reception,
an anniversary party, or a religious celebration. As
a general rule, these are fun events, each with its
own unique traits.
Only weddings have the shortcoming of being
too structured (the entrance of the couple, the mini
family film and blurry photographs, the surprise
a cappella rendition of some horrible ballad by
someone's childhood friends, etc.)

g6
 Dtfferent T)tpes of Events

The people who organize these kinds of events

usually don't know much about our line of work
and will be depending on your expert guidance.
Try to reassure them as much as possible, and
contact them to reconfirm one last time, as the date
approaches. It's essential to show them that you
place importance on their event, and that you take it
very seriously: don't forget that the party probably
has special, personal signfficance for the people
who're hiring you-it's their pafr, and they don't
want to mess it up.
Your goodwill and professionalism have their
limits though, and you shouldn't let anyone place
you in a compromising position. Insist that one
magician can entertain around 100 people in an
evening. If there will be more people at the party
and your employer is reluctant to hire additional
magicians (usually for financial reasons), make it
clear that BY YOURSELR you will NOT be able
to perform for everybody! Don't be afraid to say
that you<r anyone for that maffs1-would not be
able to do the job alone.
Not only is it your responsibility to advise and
direct the client, but this will also help you avoid a
huge problem: if you agree to a job that you won't
be able to do, you'll end up looking like someone
who hasn't lived up to his end of the contract. The
best approach is to clariff these issues from the
beginning.

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If you're going to be working in a private home,

ask the hosts to introduce you as a friend. Unless
they object for some reason, don't let them "blow
your cover" by introducing you as a magician. This
will give you a chance to soak in the afinosphere,
get your bearings, set up your material, and begin
performing when the time is ripe. Intimate to your
hosts that it's much classier to have a magician
friend than a hired magician, What's more, this
will assure you a certain amowrt of respect-and
attentiveness-from the guests and from your
clients. Once they've introduced you as a frien{
they will no longer be able to consider you, even
unconsciously, as a butler.
When a DJ has been hired to play music, I always
make a point of going to introduce myself. He'll
usually say that he has a friend who's a magician,
and that he has the best subwoofers on the market,
before asking for my card with a promise to hook me
up big time with gigs in the coming weeks, swear
to God. Whatever the case may be, I always try to
be buddy-buddy with him, musing how strange it
is that I've gone "all these years" without working
with him.
Once we've made nice, if at some point during
the evening I need him to lower the volume of
the background music, he'll do it without much
grumbling. If I can tell he's a jerk and that he
won't give a damn about what I do or don't want,

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I take a different angle: when the host inevitably

asks me at some point in the evening how things
are Boing, I say, "Great! The guests are really nice!
The only thing is that people keep mentioning that
... the music's too lou4 but things are fine for me!"
Usually, that fixes the DJ's clock but good.
In this kind of event, it's not unimaginable for
you to be asked to eat with the guest ataprearranged
table (especially if you're the only entertainment).
Personally, I accept with pleasure, explaining that
I might prove an impolite guest as I may have to
leave the table early to go and work, and that it's
OUT OF QIJESTION to seat me at the kids'table
(in order to keep them entertained). You'll need lots
of experience, to negotiate to these conditions and
to manage your first contact with the tables. If I feel
like the atmosphere is going to be a drag for some
reason or another, I simply explain that I like to eat
before or after work, so I can hit all the tables.
At a wedditrB, make a Bee line for the bride and
groom's tabl€, ffi soon as you get a chance! Don't
put this ofl because they'll probably be on their feet
making the rounds during most of the meal. Above
e[, don't think that you're going to do their table
last as some kind of grand finaFmore likely than
not, you'll just miss them altogether. Furthennore,
do a trick at their table that you're not planning to
do at any others. "Salon" effects work especially
well, because when you perform 'Just" for the

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married couple, everyone else will be watching.

Give 'em all an eye full.
Be careful: paradoxically, parties where there
are relatively few guests (say 30 people) are the
biggest pains-in-the-ass because you have to bring
a lot more gear. People will be spread out over a
smaller number of tables, or may even be seated at
one large table. You're not going to grve them your
five minutes shtick and split!
It must be said, though, that these types of
occasions will give you the best opporhurities to sell
yourself, because the circumstance will generally
cast you in a favorable light. If you are working in
a party with few guests, you'll need to perform at
least twice for each table--if not three times (once
before the appetuers, once after the main dish, and
once dtrring coffee). In cases like this, it's necess ary
to have routines that build to a crescendo.
For evenings with small audiences, I usually
use an attention-grabbing hook and a few quick
effects for my first sequence. For the next, I use
powerful effects that are a bit longer-at this point,
it's not necess ary to fight for people's attentior, and
I can expect them to follow closely. Finally, I top
off the evening with an effect that leaves a strong
mental image-a levitation, ashes on the arrn, torn
and restored bill, card in the lemon, fish in the
glass ... Don't forget that spectators will remember
primarily your personality-and your last trick!

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Corporote Bonquels
Corporate banquets are usually organized by
businesses during seminars or conventions. But
they can also serye to mark the release of a new
product or a film's premiere. These events are
interesting, because they're always different. For
starters, the settings are never the same-you could
just as easily work in a restaurant as a convention
center exhibit hall, in a hotel lobby or on a boat
floating down the Thames. In any event, you will
generally be hired by an entertainment agency to
enliven a cocktail, a dinner, or-less frequently-a
lunch.
Whether or not you're facing cocktail parties or
table-hopping conditions, the beginnings of these
kinds of events are generally more difficult than
private parties. The organizers will be frazzled,
nmning after dallying caterers or dealing with last-
minute details. The guests will be just getting out of
eight hours of seminars, and will be irritated, worn-
out<r both.
Your job? To help everyone relax. After a few
drinks, the atmosphere will be more laid-back.
Ties will come off. Required to attend by their
companies, everyone will generally be staying
in the hotel instead of driving home. As a result,
people can take advantage of the open bar, kick
back and chat without looking at their watch every
other minute. In short, the conditions are ripe for a
wild night.

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All that being said, as far as table-hopping

is concerned, these spectators may well prove
less receptive than those at a private part5r. Don't
forget that, despite appearances, they are still in
a professional envirorunent and all of them have
their "role" to uphold. The festive setting aside,
people just don't behave the same way around their
colleagues as around their friends, especially when
the chain of command still looms close by.
If the working conditions superficially resemble
a restaurant, the logistics of a corporate banquet
have a confusing floor plan: the individual tables
in a restaurant can each be totally different while
those at abanquet are probably quite similar.
At a restaurant people at different tables don't
know each other. At a banquet, qeryone knows
each other in one way or another. They may be
colleagues from the same company, business
associates who often meet at conventions, etc.
At this tlpe of event, the magician has a
limited-precise-amorurt of time to hit all the
tables, while in a restaurant, there's all the time in
the world. In a restaurant, people order and eat at
different times: one table rnight be having its first
drink while another is eating desert. At a corporate
banquet, it's basically like a mess hall when the
caterer is doing his job-the menu is the same
for everybody and 300 people might be served at
exactly the same time.

LO2
 Dtfferent Types of Events

Finally, in a restaurant, a magician is paid by

the hour while at a corporate banquet (or a private
pafry, for that matter), payment is by the evening,
and all the guests must be entertained.
There's another important difference worth
noting between the table hopping that you will do
at a corporate banquet and at a restaurant-it has
to do with the manner of approaching the tables.
It's much easier at a corporate event because the
attendees are generally accustomed to this kind of
entertainment. Moreover, they are invitees; that
means they know you've been hired to entertain
them and that as a result, they're not expected to
leave a tip. I repeat: these people all know each other,
either because they work at the same company or
in the same industry. They will be communicating
readily amongst themselves, and the boldest among
them may stand up to address a friend at another
table, to turleash an oflcolor joke right in the
middle of your pretty little routine, or-worst case
scenarieto kybosh your climax by yelling across
the room that you have the chosen card folded up in
your mouth. Be forewarned.

Shopping Centers
This is, without a doubt, the hardest performing
situation a professional magician can face. People
won't be sitting down like in a restatrrant or a
corporate banquet. They won't even be standing

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around as they would be at a cocktail party or

reception.
In a shopping center, everyone's passing by,
or else you're stuck entertaining Granny, whose
wheelchair has been intentionally parked in the
middle of the commons, in the secret hope that
someone mightjust wheel her away.Not only won't
people go out of their way to meet you, they've
come for something else altogether.
They'll be in a hurry, and they'll be stressed out.
The working conditions are especially difficult:
the atmosphere is noisy, people let you know how
irritated they are, and you're stuck on your feet.
In short, it's an exhaustin g day that will end with
you wanting to strangle the lady that keeps making
wrintelligible announcements about some special
offer.
In spite of it all (and because there's alwrys a
silver lining), rest assured that your techniques for
getting attention and holding it will be dramatically
improved after a "refreshing" day at the mall.
On this kind of occasion, you won't be selling
anything and will rarely encounter potential clients
for yourself. Instead, you'll probably be promoting
some product, brand, or gadget. Alternately, they
mayjust hire you to celebrate the store's anniversary
or to mark the holiday season. If you have a booth
among the aisles, you've got nothing to complain
about: you can set down your gear and people will

LO4
 Dffirent Tlpes of Events

notice you from a distance. But if they drop you

into the middle of a store with nothing more than
what you can caffy in your pockets-have fun,
cowboy.
People might think you're just some kind
of local crary getting jollies by doing tricks for
strangers. That's why I always ask for a badge or a
t-shirt with the store's logo, so people can tell I'm
legit, not a tittering penrert. I also ask for goodie
bags-little sacks of worthless crap, that I can use
to lure hapless shoppers.
It's imperative that you get people interested,
so they're drawn towards you. Don't be shy about
letting people know there's no charge. Besides
the gift bags you use as bait, children are the
UUIII\{AIE WEAPON for ataacting onlookers:
"Oh my! What's that little red ball behind your
eat?" It's hard for people to say no to a magician
who's performing for their kids ...
Personally, I often use the stratagem of stooping
to pick up things that seem to have fallen on the
gound, which I immediately use in a magic effect.
I also often feign picking up a fallen object ... with
which I immediately perfonn a trick, of course.
Sometimes, I'll do a Three Card Monte, telling
passers-by that they can win one of the prizes by
playing, which usually sucks them right into the
show.

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Finally, when working in (French) shopping

malls, I avoid fast food chains like the plague: they
have the annoying propensity to attract swanns
of teenage thugs with their hats turned baclcrvards
and the boxers pulled up to their chest. ("Hey, your
diaper's sticking out!") They don't seem to have
anything beffer to do than bust people's balls. I
nevertheless have an enonnous amount of respect
for those among them who ride scooters: statistics
show that... they ate among the best organ donors.

Trode Foirs
Trade Fairs are among the most difficult
professional situations (with the shining exception
of the Pornographers Expo, where I have not yet
had the honor of working. To any pornographers
reading this ...). You'll be working at the stand
of a client who has hired you to draw a maximum
number ofvisitors. In addition to yotr performance,
they'll generally supply you with freebies to hand
out to guests, which will also help you ltre 'em in.
You'll be standing up all day, either by the stand
or in the hallways, often at the worst possible times:
a victim of bottlenecks in the morning and engulfed
by the fleeing masses at night. (Apropos of which,
always book a taxr in advance to take you back to
your hotel. Otherwise you'll have to contend with
the thousands of other guests trying to hail one in
the street.)

ro6
 Dffirent Dpes of Events

The atmosphere is generally quite chaotic, and

one often has to sneak a bite when no one's looking.
It's all very tiring-you can't even sit down because
the salespeople-wrder the circumstances, your
colleagues-always remain standing. Even if you
can maintain your sanity after hearing the bubbly
jingle from the neighboring stand that plays every
five minutes at the end of their infomercial, even
then, your feet will ache and your back will be
shot.
At trade fairs, everyone is in constant movement
from point A to point B, but, unlike the situation in
shopping centers, people are generally predisposed
to stop for a moment and watch, especially if
you dangle freebies in front of their nose. While
we're on the subject, there are some people that
seem to come primarily for the gizmos, gadgets,
and doohickeys (SWAG). It's not easy to miss
these noble Hturters of Pens: they are usually so
overloaded with sacks and publicity gifts that they
look like post-apocallptic nomads, scavenging
anything salvageable from a collapsed civllizanon.
You'll quickly figure out that you can lure them
with just about anything.
But be careful, if you leave your deck of cards
lying about for even a moment, they'll walk away
with it. Certain laymen, ("muggles" if you will),
seem to have an amazing gift for palming 52
cards ... f warned yott so don't come crying to me
when it happens!

Lo7
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

In contrast to what you might experience

in shopping centers, you'll never be alone at a
In fact, you'll be working as a part of
trade fair.
a corrmercial team trying to sell their products
and infonn potential clients. This has its positive
and negative sides. While at private parties, you'll
never see the people again, at trade fairs, you see
the same people day after day trntil it's over.
Thus, even ifyou're just a performer, you
become immersed in your employer's corporate
culfire. Ogh!)As you're more or less an employee,
your behavior has to conform to the corporate
nortns. You can't indulge all your eccentricities-
precisely the things that would assure your success
at aprivate party-nor can you say what you really
think. Word will get around.
Professionally speaking, your primary mission
is to attract a ma(imum number of visitors to the
stand. As soon as one stops, salespeople encircle
them like rnrlttres and you can start anew. While
you can use "any trick in the book" to attract buyers,
your methods should remain decorous, and in-line
with your employer's corporate image. It may be a
fair, but it's not a sideshow.
You may well end up chatting with visitors
lurking around your stand, handing out flyers and
the like. You may well be asked to do close-up for
important clients that stop by your stand for a drink,
or to do a visual routine to attract people over. Plan

ro8
 Dffirent Types of Events

ahead for this kind of situation: bring a headset

mike or no one will be able to hear you, especially
at expos with two thousand people or more.
If you can, get up on a small platform such
as those that your colleagues might be using to
demonstrate products. Crowds attract crowds,
so you can even ask your co-workers to position
themselves as an audience in front of you. You'll
quickly get a feel for the rhythm of activity. The
30-minute rushes usually come in the middle of the
morning (when everyone still seems to be under the
effects of last night's partyi"g) and in the middle
of the afternoon, after important conferences and,
sometimes, just after lunch.
At this kind of event, it's common for
contemporary clients to ask you for a specially
tailored presentation, adapted to their products. If
they ffik, charge them for the additional service:
don't make the common mistake of including
personalized touches automatically in your
presentation.
Personalized magic should not be considered a
linle something extra or a necessary requirement
for getting a job. It's an honest-to-goodness extra
service that you should take seriously and never
underestimate. Today, special events planners offer
clients rigorous marketing senrices adapted to the
characteristics of their products. The magician
needs to, as well, with planned upgrades for
spec ialized pre s entations .

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Ifyou volunteer to customize your performance,

even if it's only a matter of adapting simple effects,
you're entering into direct competition with these
highly paid professionals and devalue your own
senrices at the same time. Explain to your client
that you would like to do something special to
promote their product, but that a carefully targeted
performance can't be improvised and requires
additional preparation time. Don't hesitate to
go and meet with them to share the marketing
strategy you've created especially for them. It's an
opportunity to justiff the higher rates you're asking
and to establish yourself as a real professional.
As you've probably fig,rred out, one advantage
of trade expos is that you can try out a wide range
of different tricks and even test out routines that
you haven't yet perfected. You'll know them
inside and out after three drys, especially if your
employer wants you to customize your tricks to fit
their products.
If you do end up performing specially designed
routines that you obviously aren't familiar with,
this should not stop you from showing the sales
team you're working with what you really know
how to do. Perform for the sales force dtrring breaks
or when the stand is deserted. At least then they'll
have a more realistic sense of your true talent,
unimpeded by the customrzed routines that-let's
face it-have as a principal motivation promoting a
product, not your brand of powerftrl magic.

110
 Dtferent Types of Events

Note: If your patter has to refer to all kinds of

esoteric information about a product you really
don't know anything about (Preparation H ?),
you can stick little notes with keyvords all over
your props or in your field of vision to jog your
memory.
To conclude, you'll notice that the organizers
often take photos of their stand. Be sure you always
seem to be working when the camera comes out.
If you're sittirg, people will think you're slacking.
It doesn't look good if somewhere down the road
people see you in a picture sipping bubbly and
laughing at some salesman's filthy joke.
Finally-+ven if this seems obvious-NE\fER
EVER commit the crime (punishable by a life
sentence, with the possibility for parole after thirty
years of hard time) of doing a trick at another stand.
Yotrr employers will teat you a new one guoranteed,
and you will have asked for it.

Leclures ond Mogic Convenlions

The most infrequent professional engagement
for a close-up magician, this is doubtless also the
most rewarding. You may think it's, in fact, so rare
that there's no point in even mentioning it here.
Don't be fooled. When I started out in magic,
who could have known that a few years later I'd
be giving lectures around the world? Believe me,
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

despite my enthusiasm, the odds were completely

against ffie, given my abysmal level! Of course,
before embarking on the club circuit, you should
already have something of a reputation in the magic
world+nough to persuade people to take the time
to come and see you.
The deal is simple: magic clubs hire magicians
to give instructional lectures on certain themes
(street magic, h&' magic, etc) for their members.
The object is to talk about your particular area of
expertise and to delve into your concqpt of magic.
Usually, the main backbone of a lecture is the
performance and then technical explanation of a
series of original tricks, usually over the course
of two hours, with a twenty minute break. During
the break, the invited magician can answer more
detailed questions and sell his book, videos, lecture
notes, and tricks.
Giving a lecture is arclatively prestigious affair.
It shows that you are highly regarded by the magic
profession, and that your expertise has earned
you the status of an expert<ven an exemplar.
Paradoxically, despite all the pressure that one
might imagine, this is not a particularly stressful
gig. Sure, you need to have a few lectures trnder
your belt before you can coast through it, but, like
any routine, it's always pretty much the same once
you know it by heart.
 Dtfferent Types of Events

If youexamine it closely, what's the nature of

the venue? You're working comfortably behind
a table in front of an extremely attentive well-
behaved audience-so at least angles aren't a
problem. No one's going to intemrpt you either; it's
infrequent for conference-goers to interfere with
your presentation. There's little fear of rejection,
as everyone's come especially to see you. Yotrr
audience is composed of magic fanatics eager to
meet you and to find out more about your work.
They may have heard about you through other
channels.
Generally speakitrg, it's a great audience that
reacts well if you win them over. That said, good
luck getting a rise out of them if your lecture is in
the morning<verybody knows that magicians
stay out late.
And don't anticipate mass stupefaction
accompanied by hysterical cries of disbelief when
you do a double-lift: not only will your audience
know almost all of your techniques before
hand, they will also be artists (in many cases
professionals) who have attended scores-ven
hundreds-<f other lectures. Although they won't
attribute supernatural powers to you, magicians can
do somethirrg much better: appreciate your style,
your approach, and your concept of magic, the
quality of your tricks or the ingenuity of techniques
you've created.

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 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

Of course, there's a flipside to the coin. Lectures

are seldom well paid, because magic clubs generally
have very small budgets. Everything rides on the
sales that follow. From lecture notes describing the
tricks discussed in your presentation, to D\ID's,
books, and gimmicks necessary for performing
the tricks, only these sales can make the lecture
worthwhile from a financial standpoint.
Some magicians-by no means the least
accomplished-{on't really know how to generate
interest in their merchandise, and their take is
consequently low. As a result, they often give up
on lecttres altogether, considering them a waste of
time and money. Audiences seldom stop to think
that the lecturer may have driven 300 miles just to
see them, that he may be thousands of miles from
his family, that he sleeps every night in a hotel
and has to get up every morning only to set off
for another city (which he may not even be able to
pronounce if he's a foreigner).
It's not hard to understand why some magicians
would rather just take a simple close-up glg with
guaranteed pay rather than risking a lecture where
they don't know if anyone will even buy a D\D or
a book. For a professional artist to come share his
inventions and offer up his experience on a silver
platter, he has to get something in return!
Conclusion: sales are the only way to earn a
decent income and to thereby avoid leaving with

LL4
 Drffercnt T)tpes of Events

the feeling of working for the Love of the Art.

Without a doubt, D\ID's and magic tricks sell the
best. With lecttue notes, you can only guarantee
middling sales, although notes on CD-ROM are
generally more successful.
Books sell well when they're new, but schlepping
them around is such a pain that many lecturers
jnst leave them at home. If you have gimmicks
to sell, demonstrate some in both halves of your
presentation, saving the best for last. That way,
the tricks won't be competing with each other: if
you demonstrate a gimmick in the first half, some
people may decide to buy it at the intermission,
thinking that's all you have to offer. But they might
also buy another one at the end of the second half
of your lecture, especially if it's even better than
the first!
The content of the lecture depends on your
objectives: if you're presenting a lecture only
occasionally with the primary goal of having fim
and publictzrng your creations, then you won't
constnrct your program as would a professional
lecturer who's objective is to sell a maximum
amount of merchandise. In the laffer case, you
have to sffie a balance between sharing your
knowledge and selling your products-these can
be either your creations or someone else's. (Often
other magrcians will agree to supply you with their
tricks at a discount rate in return for the publicity
your lectures will bring.)

115
 Close-up The rcal Secrets of Magic

You have to juggle between tricks that don't

need a gimmick and that people can do right
away, tricks that require a complicated set-up or
presentation difficult to grasp without notes or
a D\ID, and tricks that can't be done without the
gimmicks you've conveniently brought along to
sell-you clever little bastard!
As a general rule, it's always better to emphasize
visual effects because the lecture halls rarely have
risers. As I mentioned before, it's also a good idea
to save the best tricks for the second half of your
program as most people will wait until the end of
the lecture to make their purchases.
People are satisfied when they enjoy themselves
at a lecture and leave with at least one trick that
they're eager to perfonn. It's therefore often a good
idea to save more technical effects for workshop
settings in which you teach complicated tricks to
a smaller group of people who will have paid a
higher fee to participate.
You can nevertheless pedonn harder material,
but don't bother explaining it-at the risk ofputting
people to sleep. On this subject, don't hesitate
to spice up your explanations with little Bags, to
keep people's attention focused. Gags are one of
the biggest hits in lectures, because anyone can do
them regardless of their level. Yotrr listeners will be
happy, both because their havirrg a good time and
because they're getting what they came for: things
they can perform themselves.

r16
 Different Types of Events

My experience has also confirmed that there's

no reason not to perform all the tricks that you do for
a lay public, as long as there's something original
about them. Even very simple effects can delight
some magicians{on't forget you're working for
a magic club and that the skill-level as well as the
taste of those present can be quite varied.
Finally, W to provide the maximum number
of references for your tricks and the names and
etymologies of the techniques you use! This not
only establishes you as a bona fide master of your
tfi, but also allows your listeners to enrich their
knowledge base. It goes without saying that ethical
citation will prevent people from branding you a
crook. Word travels quickly in the magic world,
and any plagiarism will make itself known sooner
or later-generally sooner.
You might also get the opporhmity to present
your lecture at magic conferences or conventions:
occasions when one or more magic clubs bring
together hundreds of magicians for one or more
days of magic shows and close-up performances,
as well as lecflres and workshops.
Everyone (yourself included!) takes advantage
of the opportunity to buy the latest ricks and
D\ID's from vendors. Under such circumstances,
you will probably be hired to both lecture and
perforrr as part of the close-up show. It's important
to know before hand if the close-up show will take

LL7
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

place before or after your lectue. Before is better:

you can perforrn tricks that are part of your lecture,
filling people with an irresistible urge to hear them
explained.
Iq conversely, the show follows your lecture,
that's ... worse. You have to include tricks that
aren't part of your lecture, which can be a pain-in-
the-ass. Usually, you end up using the best trichs
in the lecflre, if only to insure maximum sales!
Remember: at conventions, lectures generally
only last one hour, because there ate so many
other things going on. You'll need to clear out of
the room quickly, because someone will probably
need it after you. Thus, don't forget to schedule at
least 15 minutes at the end of your presentation for
sales, or everyone will be on their way to the next
conference, and you won't have soldjack.
Ifyou get the chance to go on a lecttre tour, here
are a few things you should know:
Before I leave for a speaking tour abroad, I send
myself as an emailattachment all ofthe infonnation
relevant to my trip (contact phone nurnbers,
reservation ntrmbers, flight schedules, dates, etc.).
If I misplace a document, I can print everything out
when I get to a hotel.
When you aregoing on a lecture tour, don't show
off at customs: always say you're on VACATION
and never, NEVER say you're a famous magician
on your way to give conferences and sell your

rr8
 Dffircnt Types of Events

products-it's illegal! It's r:nlikely that you'll have

authori zationto work offi ci ally in the country you' re
traveling to (I'm thinking of the USA, Japan, and
Canada in particular), and they'll send you right
back where you came from-at your own expense.
fuid that's the best-case scenario. The worst-case
scenario is a five-year interdiction from re entering
the territory, if they find merchandise you intend to
sell in yotr luggage (books, tricks, D\ID's ...).
For this reason, never travel with information
regarding your conference dates or prices where
they could be easily fotrnd-and never leave price
tags on things. Stories about these kinds of troubles
are rurforhurately legion: it's happened to magicians
a million times more famous than I, whose names
I'll omit. This would suck, right?
As for ffie, I don't try to sneak through custoffis,
but look the clerks directly in the eye. Plus I always
wear a bright red baseball cap. It looks a little
cheesy, but hopefully differentiates me from all the
dnrg dealers and smugglers who do their best to
blend in.
On tour, you often have to pay for your own
transportation so plan ahead to make sure you have
the best possible rates. In foreign cormtries, renting
L car is often the most convenient and economical
option, depending on gas prices and the time and
distance between your speaking engagements.

119
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

Learn to set up in less than 30 minutes, because

you often arrive with little time to spare, especially
if you have more than one conference on the
same cm,y, or if you have long distances to travel
between engagements. Similarly, learn to pack up
again quickly when the conference is over, as the
organizers will often need to clear the space by
a designated time, or hurry to catch the last train
home. But you don't have any reason to dawdle
either: lectures often happen at night, and you'll
probably want to make it to a restaurant before
they all close. God knows lecturing makes you
hungry ... especially when your pockets are full!
Pack erterything you'll need for the conference
(systematically list every item needed for each trick)
o.9., a boffle of wine, lighter fluid, a card mat ...
Even pack doubles of breakable things. This will
help you avoid running out to stock up before each
engagement or having to beg someone else to pick
something up for you that you don't know where to
find. At the same time, pack the minimum amount
of clothing, leaving as much space as possible for
your merchandise and gear.
In general, a black tee-shirt to wear under your
jacket is enough for a conference: you really don't
have time to iron shins and you'll be too tired to
dress up for clubbing at night.
You'll often earn a lot of cash from lecturing.
Since you won't always have time to make it to the

L2o
 Dffirent Types of Events

bank (especially in a foreign country), I've learned

to hide my money in hotel rooms (especially in
dicey places and when the hotel doesn't have a
safe).
As I don't really like walking around with large
sums of money, I often stash the cash rolled up in
a dirty sock (because, as we say in France, "money
has no odor"). To complete the scene, I leave it on
the floor, wrder a crumpled tee-shirt with not-so-
fresh rmderwear (AFTER the cleaning woman has
been through, of course!).
Sometimes, I unstitch a curtain, and stick my
dough in the seam. If I don't have much time, I put
it in the thermostat or in the Kleenex box. I doubt
that these are the places someone trying to btrgle a
totrrist's room would start.
Also, I always leave the television on and
hang the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door, to
discoruage anyone from giving me a surprise ... If f
have to stay in a hotel for several days, I sometimes
leave a small sum of money io my suitcase to ltrre
someone determined to rob me offthe scent: the cat
burglar will think he's found the loot, especially if
he's pressed for time. Finally, in sketchier couttries
where I lecture, I use a trick from the American
mentalist Lee Earle: I always keep a fat wad of low
bills with a rubber band around it in my pocket.
If some nut decides to rob ffio, I can just toss the
money in one direction and high-tail it in the other.
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

If you're going abroad, the best thing is to

send all your merchandise ahead in a packa3e to
strategic stops on your trip. That way, you won't
have to lug everything you'll need from the first leg
of yotr trip onward, and you'll avoid lots of hassles
at customs.
Like Albert Goshmut, I put two suitcases in
one. Once I arrivo, I take out the suitcase with my
personal effects and filI the other with the things I
sent ahead. Goshman had a reputation for always
selling out the second suitcase firing his last lecflue
stop. I haven't reached that level yet.
Finally, if you're like Do, and have faced a37-
stop tour with no chance of returning home, you'll
know that, in a hotel, one sleeps best in the bed
furthest from the television and/or from the phone:
these beds are used much less. And to make strre I
have a room on the gfound floor (my bags are healy
and, when there's no elevator it's a drag), I arrive
at the front desk limping and tell the receptionist
that I've just had a knee operation. If there's a free
room, it's mine!
Some Hors-d'oeuvres
To \ffhet Your Appefite ...
 - Chapter 5 -

Ihe Nitty-Gritty
"You ccm't reprcach someone who is
lr*rSry fu doing everything pos s ible
to eat, including a close-up magician
workingfor peuruts. The prcblem is
when the guy's been stttingfor 15
yeus! Maybe it's time tofind another
line ofwork ..."
Jean Merlin
Letter ftom Holland to Close-Up
Magicians Who Hope to Remain So

Etlquette
They say the Devil (or God?) is in the details;
this is especially true in questions of etiquette and
human relationships.
In close-up, you have to involve yourself with
groups of people you don't know. The cnD( of
your artistry consists of seducing your spectators
into participating without ever making them
uncomfortable.
As you'll see, the advice that follows is all about
the small details-minutiae, if you will. If I include
a suggestion here, it's because I believe it can have

L25
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

an enortnous impact on the way you're perceived

and on the memory your magic will leave with
spectators. These things may seem unimportant,
but ...
At a cocktail party, for example, never ask
someone who is smoking to shuffie the cards-
you'll be imposing. They'll have to look for an
ashtray, which will sink your whole effect. If you
ask a spectator to participate, take his or her glass
and politely ask someone else to hold it during your
trick.
At a table, don't ask people their name if they're
chewing on a piece of meat; they might choke to
death trying to respond!
After a meal, avoid borrowing napkins: they're
often dirty and you risk embarrassing people for
no good reason. To avoid being a nuisance, bring
your own silk or use the towel covering the bottle
of champagne (if it's not too damp).
Before asking someone to do something like
shuffie a deck of cards or examine an object,
discretely make sure they are physically capable of
complying. I'll never forget the deafening srlence
when I repeatedly insisted that a very nice man
shuffie the cards ... before noticing that he was
missing an arm. ("Well, you can speak, right? Say
"stop" when you want ... No? Not a word? Well,
jeez, can't buy any luck, eh? Well, run, just pull out
a card with your teeth!").

tz6
 The Nitty-Gritty

Also avoid asking an elderly person to read

something or to count the cards: even with good
glasses (and when they don't take three hotrrs to
find them), these aren't always the most reliable, or
the quickest types of spectators.
In general, I
avoid using terms like "your
husband," '!our wifer" and "your daughter" to
designate spectators. f 've put my foot in my mouth
often enough with guys and their mistresses or
older women with young lovers. Now, I always
lean on the side of prudence. What's more, people
can always respond: "Ah, so you're not really a
magician then! A real magician would have known
this is not my son."
Don't put anything on the table upon your
arrival as this could be seen as a territorial violation
and, therefore, a sign of impoliteness. Avoid
putting down your close-up pad or any other
magic accessory right off the bat. Until you have
established a relationship with your spectators, be
sure everything you do is beyond reproach.
This may be so obvious, it sounds stupid to say,
but never touch the silverware, plates or glasses of
your spectators, to move them out of the way. Until
you've developed some kind of rapport, the same
goes for the bread and other food. If these things are
really in your way, ask one ofthe spectators to move
them. Likewise for cellphones or pocketbooks. The
only thing I allow myself to touch fairly freely

L27
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

is a lighter-after asking its owner, of cotuse. If

you need a glass for a routine, for example, ask
someone to give you one, preferably one that hasn't
been used. Pointing to an empty glass, I often quip,
"wow, you really don't get much use of the water
glass! May I borrow it?" This kind of line always
gets a laugh and sets me up for my coins in the
glass routine ... When the spectator gives you the
glass himself, it's almost like he's authorized you
to use it in a trick.
Finally, as a general rule, if you've used
something that a spectator might need later i.e.
(napkin, glass, knife, etc.), ask the waiter to bring
a replacement ... without letting it be known that
you're creating the extra work ("Hey Sherry! I
think someone at C- l3 dropped a knife and needs a
new one ...")
Never point to spectators or even at far-away
tables (e.9., to indicate them to a waiter or to another
magician) because it's very impolite. Professionals
in the restaurant industry hide the finger that points
from view with the palm of the other hand.
If a speech begins while you're performi.g,
discretely cut your act short. Iq unfortunately,
you are right in the middle of a routine, simply
excuse yourself and promise to return when the
presentations are over. Tactfully detach the ball
of wax you so slyly affixed, and slink away. If the

rz8
 The Nitty-Gritty

spectators were to applaud-as they no doubt would

after your routine, the speech would be ruined.
Especially if it's the president of the company who
hired you, this probably wouldn't be in your best
interest.
Don't refuse a tip that someone offers, even
if you've already been paid for the evening: it's
impolite and some spectators could even take it
the wrong wzy, assuming that you were expecting
much more when you just wanted to give them the
gift of magic. That being said, if someone gives me
a coin to try to get my goat or to encourage me to
leave (you know right away), I say, "Oh, save it for
the waiting-staff, I insist. They'll appreciate it!"
As a general rule, approach table-hopping
with forethought. Stay calm (take my friend
David Williamson's example ...); avoid big,
abrupt movements; don't back up suddenly; and
never, never rush around. Otherwise, you'll end
up with a funny anecdote about smashing into a
waiter striding through the restaurant with a huge
plaffer of scalding soup. Believe me, it can happen
anyvhere-and always when you least expect it. I
warned you. Perhaps I should have printed that last
piece of advice in bold.

L29
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

Mr. Cleon
"Young mon, I think it terribly pretentious of you
to call my hands dirty! I've been a magicianfor
20 years ! "
"That makes 20 years of accumulating crap!"
I was 2l when I said that to a magician at a
magic convention in France. I could still do that
today, but it wouldn't be as fuirny, and it would be
too unrefined. I was young and irreverent, but one
thing is true: this guy had dirty fingernails. It was
anything but classy. (He'll get huff if he reads this,
but I couldn't care less!)
Wash your hands. Clean your nails. I'm not
saying you have to get a manicure (although it
really doesn't hurt), but do the bare minimum. I'll
allow myself to insist on this point, because I've
worked with magicians whose hands would make
my mechanic blush! Believe me, it's no fun when
you're trying to eat and someone comes waving a
couple of grease-monkey mitts over your plate.
Besides the women who are going to judge you
right off based on your shoes (I said "shoes" not
"shoe-size"), most people spent 314 of yotrr act
staring right at your hands-think about it.
In addition, I never fail to brush my teeth
before "going or," especially if I've been eating.
A magician with a piece of lettuce wedged in his
teeth will have a hard time inspiring dreams. I seize

130
 The Nitty-Gritty

the opporhrnity to freshen up and give myself the

"once-over". This is indispensable: you could easily
have a "streamer" (toilet paper stuck to your shoe)
and no one would say a thing all night. Or maybe
your collar is crooked.
Finally, d quick breath mint before taking on the
first table isn't an indulgence, especially if you've
been eating, drinking, or smoking (preferably all
three) and your toxic demon breath would make a
fire-eater jealous.

Heolthy tlfestyle
When you start out in the industry, stage-
fright often keeps you from wanting to eat before
performing. Be sure to arrange a meal in advance
for the end of the evening. Even if you can't force
down a glass of water before a big dinner pafr,
you'll be starvingwhen it's over, especially ifyou've
killed them, (in an entertaining sense of course!).
Believe me; nothing stimulates the appetite like the
satisfaction of a job well done.
Ask the waiting staff if they can keep a plate of
food warm for you. This is easier in a restaurant
than at a catered event, where the caterers generally
clean up as they go. Perhaps they can set aside a
platter for you, but some wise guy will probably
snag your cheese. The best bet is to make yourself
a couple sandwiches with what's on hand, to
guarantee a little snack, just-in-case.

131
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

When you've really got your chops, you'll

probably come to prefer eating before a grg. That's
what I do: I eat first, and then change clothes. This
obviously entails arriving early and arranging
things with the staff so you can eat with them or
with the other performers. I generally agree on this
kind of thing when signirrg a contract.
If I ever have to eat in my close-up attire, either
due to a lack of time or because I have to show
up already dressed, I tuck my tie into my shirt
(between the third and forth buttons from the top,
in case you're ctrrious), and cover myself with a
napkin.
I prefer to look like a French dandy-fop backstage
with my colleagues than to face the public with
grease stains on my shirt. In these circumstances,
I avoid plates with sauces, garlic and spices (hello
halitosis).
Finally, even if you're a cool cucumber, don't
gorge yourself: we're all made about the same
(except Rocco Siffiedi) and, on a full belly, you'll
be lethargic: Working with a bursting belly is no
fun either.
During the performance, drink lots of water,
even if you don't feel particularly thirsty. You
can get dehydrated quickly performing close-up:
you're very focuse4 there's lots of noise, it's often
very hot, you don't get many breaks, and you tire
rapidly.

L32
 The Nitty-Gritty

Some might like to have a wee nip before

working, but I don't advise drinking alcohol while
you're actually performing. The physical exertion
amplifies the effects of spirited beveragos, and the
last thing you want is to smell like a distillery.

The Voice
Learn to express yourself clearly and distinctly.
In our line of work, diction is not importsnl-i1'g
essential. The sine qua non. It can be divided into
two components: articulation and pronunciation.
Articulating means not only making yourself
understood clearly, but also giving yourself all
the tools you need to be a stronger, more effective
speaker.
Good pronunciation entails making sure
everythirg you say is intelligible to everyone
listening (whether they care or not) so that the words
you use have a maximum impact. It's something I
learned while filming The Real Secrets of Magic
D\D's. My artistic coach, Romain Thunin, a
professional actor and magician, made me repeat
a bunch of silly words again and again ("Come on
David, repeat after me: MA-RI-ROU-NA").
He knew, as an actor, that my pronunciation was
off and that my accentuation of certain vowels or
diphthongs was undercuffing the emphasis I wanted
to give specific words in my patter. He taught

133
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

me that by emphasizing the consonants, I could

increase not only the weight of my words, but also
my sense of conviction in them. I only reahze today
how lucky I was to have him as a coach-a task
master like that!
I can't tell you how many excellent magicians
I've met that sabotage their own performance by
talking too fast or by mumbling. Even when they're
well received, it's only a small fraction of the
success they could have if they spoke clearer. First,
they loose the spectators' affention. Second, their
carefully crafted patter looses the impact it should
rightly have because the audience can't understand
half of it. What a shame!
Other performers have a weak voice. They
haven't learned to "project". Before I learned to
"project my voice", I finished each night completely
hoarse. Just ask a singer/musician you know to
teach you how to project your voice and to breathe
through your stomach like a singer. (Do they have a
hole in their bellybuffon?) Then practice, practice,
practicts-you won't regret it.
Now, get out your pencils and open your
notebooks. There are three types of
breathing:
clavicular, thoracic, and diaphragmatic. The one that
relies on the abdominal muscles (diaphragmatic) is
the best suited for oral expression, be it spoken or
sung, and it is the one you should work on if you
want to improve your speaking.

L34
 The Nitty-Gritty

Breathing from the belly is innate ; it is how babies

will help you relax before a perfonnance,
breathe. It
by reducing stage-fright and optimizing your
dynamic effects (see "Stage Fright", chapter 6).
Don't forget that in the majority of places where
you will perform they are very noisy. You will often
need to raise your voice, even shout at times, to
make yourself heard.
When I took courses to reduce the lisp that has
plagued me since I was a kid, I learned the "pencil
exercise." It's a technique that helps irnprove one's
articulation. I later learned that it's an exercise all
actors use to improve their diction: put a pen or
pencil between your teeth (kind of like a horse's
biQ and practice reading texts out loud until you're
able to actually understand what you're trying to
say.
You don't have to do it until your lips are chafed,
but 0ry it from time to time-reading one page of
a book out loud, let's say. You might look crazy if
you do it on the bus.
Try it with this text now. (I'll wait).

Potler
It's necess ary to have good patter for each of
your routines, if only to avoid inane babble. Try
filming or recording yourself; you'll see ... It has a
sobering effect. It will also help you avoid, as the

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French magician Dominique Duvivier says, doing

magic -fo, the blind, in which the saying-what-you-
are-in-the-process-of-doing paffer serves, strictly
speakiflB, no pu{pose. Be careful. Remember,
you're not in a cabaret or on a stage: The rules of
staging and presentation that hold in the theatre do
not apply in close-up (exclamation point)!
Be wary of memorizing your patter. For a long
while I made the mistake of reciting my routines
at each table. As a result, people tuned out. They
didn't feel involved in what I was doing and were
turned off by my "Quiet on the set!" attitude. In
close-up, you're talking with people, not reciting a
script for passive spectators !

The difference between close-up and the stage

is that the public becomes actively involved in the
former. Spectators ate a part of your performance
and their participation is integral to its success.
Of course, you've got to BELIEVE what you're
saying.
In other words, take what politicians do and
reverse it completely. (For now, we can only dream
of a world in which politicians would be as honest
as magicians ...)
To know something is to be able to move beyond
it. You have to know your patter so well that you
can play around with it and adjust it on the spot.
Think about singers that can drop little messages
right into the middle of songs without breaking the

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 The Nitty-Gritty

rhythm. I avoid long, drawn out patter, because

spectators frankly don't pay attentiotr, and it doesn't
work well in professional situations: I go straight
through to the end, listening closely to whatever
people may inte{ect. Something someone might say
will influence my choice of one trick over another.
Say I'm getting ready to do a card trick and someone
pipes up: "if you were a real magician, you could
make money appear!" I might switch gears and do
a bill change with a thumb tip, thinking to myself,
"you're not so clever now, dill weed!" (For the
muggles reading this who don't know what a thumb
tip is, may I remind you that you're not supposed to
be reading this book. Put it down slowly, and don't
make any sudden movements ...).
Reacting to what the public says gives the
impression that you're improvising and that you're
a master of your art. In the eyes of the public, you
come off as a consummate professional, not easily
rattled by unforeseen circumstances.
Be aware that lots of people-men and women
alike-are going to test you from the second you
arrive at their table. ft's rarely out of malevolence;
human nature dictates that they want to provoke
you, to see how you'll react and find out who you
are.It's natural (see the section "f 'm the boss!" in
chapter I l). Think about students meeting a new
teacher for the first time: at first both sides size each
other up, then there's an inevitable period of testing

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 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

the limits: how far can we go? How far will he go?
It's the same dynamic between a magician and the
public.
Displaying the ability to improvise and respond
to challenges will help you establish and maintain
a dynamic in which you're clearly the one in
control.
One last detail: even if you're not facing a table
of Nobel laureates, try to speak with appropriate
grammar. I ainT kidding.

You Speeko lngleesh?l

Sometimes the truth hurts: if you don't speak
fluent English, you're missing out on 314 of your
professional potential. You may be fluent in other
languag€s, but English remains THE language
of international business and, therefore, most of
the events that you might be hired for as a close-
up magician. For most of us in the non English-
speaking world, the language of Shakespeare is a
necessity anyway, if we want to keep up with new
magic videos and publications (85% of which are
in English).
You don't want to limit your career to the
community center in your hometown (iust behind
the gas station, the old gymnasium where their

r I remind the reader that this wonderful book was first published in
French. As my editor in the UK was hoping for a BIG boolq we just
decided to leave this part in!

tg8
 The Nitty-Gritty

minister conducts the choir every Friday night).

You'll surely end up working for foreigners-
probably sooner than you think. Unless your
wildest dreams are of performing close-up at the
local retirement home, circumstances will demand
that you master English.
In France, we are still in the Dark Ages when it
comes to teaching foreign languages. I'm not the
only one to say it (and to have suffered through and
from iQ-it's a well-known fact.
As a result, foreigners see the French as
chauvinistic snobs. We're no more stupid or lary
(hmmm ...) than anybody else; the problem lies
with the methods of language instruction. France
is pedagogically forty years behind other European
countries like Germzny, Holland or Sweden-
countries where even the winos will, in perfect
English, point you to the train station (or the red
light district, for those in the know ...).
Personally, I'm not gifted with foreign languages,
and have had to make a sustained effort. I'm not like
the directorlmagician Jean-Luc Bertrand who picks
up languages the way the rest of us catch colds. I
force myself to read magic books in English, and
try to understand everything; I watch films with the
English subtitles on; I listen to the BBC or watch the
news on NBC; I read trashy books in English like
Jacky Collins (the characters express themselves in
everyday language, not literary prose).

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 Close-up - The rcal Secrcts of Magic

Finally, I had to take private lessons for seven

months. It cost me a small fortune, but it has paid
dividends: I don't sound like an ille gal alien when I
perform routines in English!
If you can't afford private lessons, you can try
to swap English lessons for magic lessons! That's
what I would have done, if I'd had more time.
I always make an effort to learn a few words
in the language of any country where I'm going to
perform. It's just a detail (another!) but it delights
the public. A foreign entertainer who makes an
effort to speak a language that sounds straight out of
the Berlitz phrasebook-it's very charming. I now
have a version of my act in Spanish and another in
Japanese that I don't understand at all but learned
phonetically. Believe me, when I deliver my patter
in the spectators' mother tongue at the end of my
act-that is, when they're expecting it the least-it
blows their minds!
 - Chapter 6 -

Stage Fright
The great IVh Century French
actress Sarah Bernhardt talking to
an aspiring actress:
-"Do you have stage fright? "
-"No, ml'am," answered the
surprised young woman.
-"DonT worry, it will come with
talent!"

Everyone knows this little story. But I have the

impression that people remind themselves of it as
a pretext for not doing anything about their stage
ftight ("If I have stage fright, I must have talent!").
What's more, even the lowliest, stale, boffom-
feeding limp fish of a performer gets stage fright!
It's normal to have stage fright before a close-up
dirurer party (especially if it's your first), to have
bufferflies in your stomach and a lump in your
throat before going on.
We generally suffer worse before gigs that seem
crucial for our careers (professional meetings, TV
appearances, demonstration in front of well-known
magicians, etc.), but parulyzing stage fright can

L4r
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

also creep up out of nowhere and prevent us from

doing our nonnal best.
So what do you do when you see the epidernic
of the craptacular double lifts coming on and all
you want to do is take a time out? Take comfort.
With work, you can learn to minimrze the effects of
stage fright.
It's not a disease. Indeed, what could be more
normal, more human, than feelings of intense,
but ephemeral fear before facing an important
challenge? The key is to channel stage fright so that
it helps us to give our best possible perfonnance.
Stage fright never disappears-that's a reality
you'll have to accept.
If you want someone to tell you othenvise, there are
plenty of worthless self-help books out there ...
To be a professional, you have to learn not only
to do your job regardless of the irrational fear that
may be eating away at you, but also to hamess the
stimulating potential of that fear. In the end, stage
fright is there to help you!
On a side note, I dedicate this chapter to my
fianc6e who, when I thought I couldn't write any
more, gave me the force to persevere. (You'll
notice, I'm not including her name. If she dumps
ffie, I won't have to issue a second edition.)

L42
 Stage Fright

Stoge Frlght? Whot's Thot?

Generally, when we feel something we don't
rmderstand, we react out of nervousness or fear.
When we understand where those feelings are
coming from, we become capable of fighting
against them and responding more effectively.
Understanding stage fright is an important step in
gaining mastery over it.
Stage fright is a mwrdane occrurence for all
performers, also called performance araiety.
"Will I be good enough?" This is the kind of self-
interrogation endemic to any occasion of public
self-display. From one perspective, it's an invalid
fear, because there's no real danger involved!
Stage fright is therefore an aru(iety of anticipa-
tion that disappears shortly after the perfonnance
begins. Unforhurately, for some artists, stage fright
doesn't let up, undermining their ability to perform
effectively. It's like a partrcularly devastating form
of Parkinson's. And even if the negative impact on
the performance isn't immediately visible to the
public, it's torture for the person who has to live
through it.
This degree of stage fright is abnormal, and
needs to be addressed. If this sounds like you, be
forewarned that many performers resort to even
more harmful crutches as a way of calming their
nerves-alcohol, cocaine, and other drugs. I've

L43
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

even heard that some artists who don't suffer from

stage fright may abuse these substances as well!
By the way, women are more affected than
men by stage fright. Singers and other artists have
generally found three techniques for dealing with
stage fright most effective: relaxation, alcohol and
nicotine.
POP QUIZ! TWo ofthese techniques are strongly
discouraged, can you guess which ones? Others
have turned to psychiatrists for medication.
Stage fright is a matter of self-confidence or,
rather, a lack thereof. People who are afraid to
get up on stage or to perform in public often lack
confidence in themselves, which explains the
flatness of their careers: they avoid taking any
risks under the pretext that they aren't ready. Some
believe that they'll never survive a harrowing
performance, or that they'll never recover if they
fall flaffer than Tahitian pigeon shit.
You have to understand that stage fright is a
source of enerry for our body. It pumps us full
of the juice we need to face an unaccustomed or
uncomfortable situation, and to dive headlong into
the breach.
It's the same adrenaline that gives a mother the
strength to lift up a car to save her trapped infant.
To summanze, stage fright is what remains in us of
the stone- age instinct to haul a.s.s to avoid getting

L44
 Stage Fright

torn to bits by a Tyrannosaurus. The adrenaline rush

is, for better or worse, taken as fear or neruousness
because it's just not part of people's everyday
experience.
Start by reminding yourself that this sensation
is there to help make you stronger. It can enable
you to perform at your peak when you're in front
of a crowd. Stage fright is not a sign that your body
is suddenly out of your control, but rather that it
is ready and willing to give you everything for a
stellar performance.
Rather than wishing you wouldn't get this fear
in the first place, you should turn stage fright into
your friend. ft's like a chocolate bar or a Redbullo
can. The big rule to remember is to ovoid avoidance.
If you don't want stage fright to take over your life,
you're going to have to learn to deal with it-to use
it. Slowly but strely.

Whot Does It Do?

The physical symptoms are essentially an
elevated heart-rate, a dry mouth, nen/ous shakirg,
and clammypalms. You might also experience other
joys such as weak knees, stomach cramps, cold-
sweats, shortness of breath (even hlperventilation),
stufferitrB, blurry vision ... maybe even hives on
your face. In short, it's enough to give pause to
even the best manipulator!

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 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

From a psychological standpoint, the magician

is worked up, nervous, or even frozen (which looks
stupid when you're in the middle of the pass). It
can also bring on symptoms such as irritability,
difficulty concentratirg, and memory loss.
When it's a frequent occrurence, you may begin
to suffer from nagging fatigua, z lack ofmotivation,
or a lack of muscle coordination. Often excessive
stage fright is connected with depression, phobias,
and anxiety disorders. It's an unpleasant mess.
Personally, I'm always freaked out. Whether
it's table hopping at a retirement home or facing a
roomful of magicians, I'm all nerves.
Incidentally, I feel more hypersensitive at a
private dinner with a few unknown magicians
(sometimes to the point of getting jittery) than
during a lecture in front of 450 Japanese magicians
with two giant projection screens and an interpreter
for the hearing-impaired ... because in such a
situatior, the status of "lecturer" brings with it an
aura of protection.
But in a private situation, you've got no one to
depend on but yourself and, if you're well known,
everyone's waiting for you to slip up. As I had to
deal with this kind of stressful situation early on
in my career (I was 23 when my first video came
out), I had to learn to deal right away with stage
fright-and I was very susceptible to it.

L46
 Stage Fright

Thol's AII Greol, But So Whot?

For a long time, I just "made do" with it. I
told myself that it was a professional hazard that I
couldn't do anything about. That was that. Often I
found myself wondering just before a gig who on
earth I was trying to fool.
Why didn't I just finish my degree in Philosophy?
For the rest of my life I could have the comfort of
saying to high schoolers 'Now class, please take
out your books."
As it stood, I managed to get a grip on myself after
a few minutes. But I realize today that if something
had gone wrong right at the beginnirg, everything
would have gone right down the tubes. Luckily, I
was technically well prepared ...
It wasn't until a few years later, after reading
an article by Michael Ammar on the subject
printed in a French magic magazine (Le Magicien)
titled Leffer to Angela, that I realized stage
fright could be overcome through training. He
explained a relatively simple technique of mental
visualization (sometimes called "sophrology" by
athletes). I immediately adopted it and it helped me
tremendously.
Later, the mentalist Pascal de Clennont got me
interested in Neruo-Linguistic Programmirg, while
practically stealing my girl out from under me in
the process (watch out for him!). I'll explain one
technique in particular, called anchofing, firthe,r on.

L47
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

Athletes I know suggested relaxation through

breathirg, a technique they often use to control
stress before a competition.
Today, even if I still get stage fright, I have
succeeded in reducing its irritating effects
(especially the shaking and those friggin sweaty
palms) thanks to these behavioral and cognitive
techniques that I'm about to explain-you can't
say I never did anything for you!

Six Techniques for Reducing Stoge Frlght

1- Be pertectly prepared and practice like a nut!
Stage fright is generally there to get us pumped
up, reminding us that the body is ready for the test
that you're preparing to face. It's warming up in a
way.
But sometimes those knots in the stomach are
also there to remind us that we arenl ready-
that we haven't rehearsed enough and that, deep
down, we know it. Then our bodies let us know by
making us nen/ous. But when you're really ready,
all charged up and with your fingers still smoking
from all the weeks of endless practice, stage fright
isn't neruousness-it's preparation.
First and foremost-this is so obvious that it's
stupid to say-be REALLY ready! When I started
out, I practiced like this: I had a chalkboard on

148
 Stage Fright

which I put a hundred hatch marks.Each time I

finished a successful run-through of my routine, I
erased one. If I screwed up, I started again without
erasing anything. It was severe, but it paid off.
Being perfectly prepared is the first step for
ensuring a peak performance. Endless repetition-
especially in realistic conditions (the same outfit,
the same shoes, the same music)-helps attune you
to all the possible risks and prepare you to meet
them with confidence without coming off like a
doofus.
Think of it this way: every little foible is an
additional source of arxiety, gnawing away at
you subconsciously. Everything you don't know
PERFECTLY could be washed away in an instant
by adeluge of stage fright. Be safe rather than sorry.
Think of Murphy's Law and remind yourself that,
once you "go live" whatever might go wrong will
go wrong. Take no chances.

2- Mental visualization
This is a powerfrrl training technique, used by
athletes for many years. There are two principle
modes of application:
Through self-motivation: The Coud method and
positive thinking have been proven effective{on't
underestimate their potential. To begin with, don't
anticipate catastrophic scenarios. If you're really

L49
 Close-up - The real Secrets of Magic

prepared, everything will run smoothly, I promise.

The essential thing is to be positive and to believe
in yourself. Start by imagining yourself giving the
perfect perfiormance, without a snag just killing
your anticipated audience. Visualize seeing your
whole routine from the standpoint of an audience
member watching from a distance. Like an actor,
become the star of a hit film. This exercise will
certainly build yotrr confidence.
Through subjective visualization: As Michael
Arnmar suggests, I "see" myself arriving before
the spectatorc, doing my routine in the cleanest
possible manner, and walking coolly away. I am
not a spectator: I "see" my public, I see my hands
doing each technique one-by-one, and I see all of
my performance as I do when performing live.
And I start over again and again, day after day.
When it's time to charge into battle, it's as if I've
already done it a hturdred times since waking up.
It all seems familiar, no more threatening, and no
different. Familiarity changes everything ...

3- Neuro-Linguistic Programming
This is a psychological theory widely known
for its effectiveness. At it's most basic level, it
allows you to condition yourself to the feeling of
wellbeirg, a bit like Pavlov made his dog salivate
by ringing a bell-after teaching it to associate the
sound with the grub, of course.

150
 Stage Fright

The techniguo, one of many, is called anchoring.

It consists in associating a gesture, a trick, an
object, a gannent, or anything else with a positive
sentiment, an agreeable memory of feeling calm and
content. Then you just have to make that gesture,
do that trick, or wear that garment when you find
yourself in a situation of stage fright.
First you have to identiff situations in which
you really feel good and remember to engage in
the anchorirrg activity each time they occur. For
example, if you rub your thumb and your index
finger together each time you put your children to
bed; the simple fact of repeating that gesture will
srunmon up the tranquility of the kids' room at
night.
Be careful not to make this gesture (during the
phase of programming at least) when you're not
feeling especially well. And never, NEVER, scratch
yourprivate parts at the same time .. . or you might
end up doing that to calm yourself down in public!
In addition to apersonal anchoring gesture, I have
a few tricks that put me at ease. I always begin my
performances with them; they too are part of my
prograrnming. They're 100% failsafe, completely
foolproof, and give me a kind of grrarantee. I know
them by heart. The moves are so automatic that
I could do them druk, oD my skateboard, in a
blizzard, on the Alps.

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 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

As if that weren't enough, I always lead offwith

the kind of table I feel most comfortable with (see
the section "Different kinds of tables" in the chapter
I I ). For ffio, it's a big table of 8- l0 people. I scope
them out and decide which will be the absolute
easiest to cut into.
Finally, when I have to do anew, highly technical
routine, I test-drive it in public, piece by piece.
For example, I try out a liftle part of the routine
on different occasions-the beginning, the end, or
maybe just the difficult techniques-getting used
to performing them all live. If I have to use a new
gimmick that I'm not used tea gaffed coin, for
exampl+I just show little "hints" of effects, bit by
bit, always to different spectators. I grow used to the
gimmick or the techniguo, bit by bit, "vaccinating"
myself against the stage fright it might bring out in
me.

4- Relaxation
All performers, at the bare minimum, have to
master some basic relaxation techniques. There are
no "good" and "bad" relaxation techniques; you
just have to find the ones that work for you without
making you look like an asthmatic yogi trying to
levitate. As with visualization, there are two basic
approaches that you can employ:
Breath-work this is incredibly easy. A little
training is enough to slow your breathing and

L52
 Stage Fright

thereby mechanically diminish the effects of stage

fright. When you're neruous, you tend not to
breathe very deeply and not to empty your lungs
after each breath. As a result, your lungs remain
full of disgusting at lacking in Oxygen (Science
class stops soon, I promise).
Technically, there's no magic here-you just
use abdominal breathing. Close your eyes, put a
hand on your stomach, breathe deeply through your
nose, and exhale slowly, controlling the release of
air by progressively releasing abdominal tension.
I'll wait until you've picked the book up agarn
... Repeat this anti-stress procedtrre several times
before going on.
Just before approaching a table full of
cannibalistic sociopaths ready to eat you raw, take a
few deep breaths. Just don't forget to exhale first ...
Hey, why didn't I just write that soft-core erotic
thriller?
Plrysical relaxation: Here you're going to stiffen
a part of your body and then gradually release the
tension. For example, lie down in a place where
you're sure no one's going to bother you and begin
with the face muscles.
Go all the way down to the tips of yotr toes,
contracting then relaxing each part of the body.
The more you contract the muscles, the bigger the
release of tension will be. Start out slowly, though.
You don't want to pull a muscle. You can also close

153
 Close-up - TTE real koets of lv{agic

your fists tightly and then release fte,m, finally

opening your hands all the way lrlr. Repeat this
exercise two or three times and it should relax your
muscles and release your te,nsion.
To conclude, don't forget thatyourMy is under
pressure from the release of adrenaline caused by
this stressful sitntion. You'll need to work offthis
exsess adrenaline so that your body retums to its
normal state.
Jump in place, box into qpace, shake your anns
like you were warming up with Rocky (cheered on
by a wild-eyed, menopausalAdrian). This is a very
effective technique that my friend Obie O'Brie,n
taught Do, and which he learned from Vito Lupo,
who, in turn, learned it from Ted Bundy ... arrd so
forth.

$ Harlequin Mask
If I sometimes give the impression of a certain
self-assunance when I'm performing, it's primarily
because I have aperfectmastery ofmyroutines and
hide behind an extravagant, ove,r-the-top persona.
This is what I want to make clear: it's much easier
to go on stage with your face hidden behind a mask
than to show up before the public deuy-eyed and
wincing.
In everyday life, I'm not at alT like that I don't
like to be notice4 I'm rather mild-mannered eve,ll

154
 Stage Fright

annoyingly straight-laced- I'm appafled by some of

the srary smtrmy alter+go does ... and gets paid
for (except when, before bed, I mime a tennis star
buck naked, to make my fianc6 laugh).
It's undeniable (at least for me) that the fact of
playrng a role ftat is not really me (but which is
nerrertheless closely related) makes it see,m like I'm
not myself when I'm performing in public, This
allou's me to chill ouq to take things with a grain of
salt.
ft seerur less serious if it doesn't work out
because it's not me on stagebut rather my magician
persona If you find a psrsona for younlel{, even if
it's just amattsr ofputting on a c€rtain ouffit (avoid
Pikachu if you con), it will grve you much more
confidence. You will unconsciously take a step
back from younyelf to plry the rcle of a magician.

G Phototherapeutlc & Homeopathlc lLutments

These are sometimes r€sommended to diminish
anxiety and to reduce the effects of stage fright.
The,n there's always the option of medicatior
eqpecially beta blockers-that work by preventing
the slmapses from releasing adrenaline.
Personally, I've nsver tried that kind of thing,
and wouldn't r@ommend them. However, for those
with truly pathologrcal qmptoms, this might be
the only option. Of sourse, check with your doctor

155
 Closeatp TTE rcal Secrcts of Llagic

first, blah, bldL blah ... If you do use medication,

do so in conjunction with the techniqrcs I'ye
outlined above, so that you can stop tneaheirt as
soon as possiblo-and avoid Erning into a zombie
that doesn'tralizs your palmed coin dropped two
minutes 4go!

Beilore The Pofy

Find out about the place you're going to be
performing as soon as you can. When it's not
po*sible to visit in advance, I arrive as early as I can
to a grg. A room that I know well is less anxiety-
provoking md morie comfortable once I'm acfinlly
performing.
always try to touch the tables where I'll be
I
doing close-up, caress the tablecloths, get up on
stage ahead of time. I just stroll through the room
whe,re, in a couple hours, hundreds of eyes will be
fransfined by my hands. That allows me to visuatize
the space andmypcrformances during the exercises
of mental visualization that always precede my
shows.
The,n, don't wait for your cue pacing in a
circle, which will only increase your anxiety. l,et
the othe,rs bite their nails trying to figure out why
they're losing i( you know that st4ge fright is there
to help, grving you the edge you need for your
performance. Rather than driving you$elf crazy

rs6
 Stoge Fright

waiting to go on, relax and visualizrc your most

snsc€ssful preceaing @s. No need to
p,ractice yogr patter by rereading that tatt€rcd note-
carFyou already know it! Just relax, empty out
your hea4 and stay calm" Listelr to music, sing a
soqg (that's what I do), go for a walk, get some air
and try some relaxation b,reath-work while you're
at it.

In llre Arefto ...

Enjoy uftat you're doing! Have fun! When
you're performing, don't ask you$elf if things are
going well or not. Concentrate excltrsively on what
youhave to do. Ifpeople ar€ captivatedbythe show,
they won't be nearty as critical of the way that you
prese,nt younrclf, even if you scrsw up something.
And if you do mess r1p, no big deal. Make it into a
joke!
When you mnnsge to play down aproblem, even
turning it to your advantage, peqple will often think
that you did it on pupose, that it was a natural part
of your show because you didn't call any atteirtion
to it. Of course, if your perfectly set-up deck falls
on the floor, scattering everywhere, you might have
a hard time recovering ... But that won't happen if
you're well enough prepared! Impossible. Because
hard worlq if it doesn't gtve rise to beliet, does
instill faith. You'll soHhore's a God for hard
worketrs ...

r57
 Closeatp ITE ,eal Sel-rets of lrfogic

Laughter and humor are pow€rful we4ons. If

you can find a few good gags to begin your show,
that can not only break the ice, but also loosen you
up too. Humor can contribute ENORMOUSLY to
redtrcing teirsion and anxiety you might feel. So
stop practicing your lTpinky finger side slip to
watch videos by yorn favorite standup comic, or
the lookout for g4gs that, once adaptadbcotild work
well at the beginning of your ast.
Experience has taught me that people wifl retain
a much more vivid me,mory ofsomeone who amused
them, thrn of an excelle,lrt magician who didn't
share any emotion with the,[I. Reme,mber: potential
clients will clamor to call you back because they've
had an excellent time in your company!
Finally, ifyou have to perform on stage or at abig
reception, don't forget that all the other performers
are in the sarne lot as you. If anything flops, they'll
all be there to help you deal with it. Knowing thal
should also grve you confidence in yourself.

lIIe ls Good!
To conchrde this stage-fright discussioq chill
out. The technique of imagining an audie,nce naked
(or, for students, the teacher taHng a drmp) is
an old one, but it works! It allows you to put the
seriousness of the situation into perspective.

rs8
 Stage Fright

An example is when you start to freak out at

the table of a huge celebrity (actor, singer ...) it's
becanse you un@rurciously dramotize the situation.
You say to yourse[, 'this guy has the posrer to help
me out ...n or "if she likes it, this will be my big
break ..." To get over the dram4 r€mind yourself
that it's not true. A star is, first and fore,mosl an
artist trying to SrS like anybody else. 99.9yo of the
time, they can't do a dam thing for you, because
they're just trying to do it the,mselves.
That's tnre for the rich, the famous, the not-so-
famous, the has-be€ns, ffid the washed-up dancing
srith a celebrity los€,r. Remind yourself that you
have nothing to lose (becarrse you don't really have
anylhing to gain either!). Just relax and do your
thing-make a killing.
Tell yourself that a show ts jttst a shon
not your whole career and certainly not your whole
-it's
life. Getting some distance can help you deal with
your proble,ms.
Gene,rally qpeaking, you leam more from
miytakes than from successes (though if you screur
ever5rthing up you W, you may want to start posing
some difficult questiorut . . .). In any eve,nI reme,mber
that "failure isn't having failed; it's being incapable
of trying again." Ame,n to that.
 TheAccessories of
anffia8tcian
"The gobage c(m Is the best
orgotidional tool"
Fr6ddric Dard

The look
Some magciarrs play a veritable role when
they perform close-rry: it can be a clown-like
figure, someone inspired by the Middle Ages,
or simply a fr-out persona (wil{ mismatched
clothes, outrageous make-up). Their clothes are
part and parcel of their character and reinforce their
performance. If you're like me and don't have a
particular character you play in close-rp, elegance
is probably the way to go.
Before you show up for a BrB, find out about
the dress-code so you can adapt accordingly. No
need to wear a firx if you're working a ptfrzana. I
re,me,mber when I was 19, I tried to do close-up in
a tux with a bowtie during intermission at a rock
concert. L€t's just say I was uncomfortable ...

16r
 Close-up fTre rcal &;cw7rs of Magic

Be careful of over&essing-you don't want to

stand out too much, especially if it will create a
distance between you and the public. As a nrle of
thumb, it's best to dress not much moro formally
than your spectators.
Let us not forget that the public at large is much
more impressed with a magtcian whe,n they can
identiff wift him; all things being equal, they'll be
morie takenbythe same tricks doneby some random
gny who looks no different from anyone else than
by someone who stmds out to begin w'ith...
'1 swear. The dude had no sleeves. He was just
like this, right next to us, jtrst ... yoll know ... thetre.
And he made a coin as big as a table appear out of
nowhere! I'm telling you, he's a freak of nature!"
Muggles ALWAYS exa5go.ato the impact of a
trick to try to communicate their ourn zubjective
experie,nce to someone who didn't witness the
trick. I'll never forget the time that, a few days after
making a coin appearunder somsone's watch, a guy
sai4 "Are you the magrcian who
carne up to me and
can make coins appear inside the face of a watch?"
'uh, sorry, he's not here today."
I doubt it's necessary to stness the importance
of having a cleano pressed zuit and tie. As soon as
I arrive at a hotel, I ask for an iron to restore my
clothes to a pristine state. You can also buy a good
travel steamer for well under forty bucks. They're
tiny, but they can work miracles.

r:6z
 Trre Ace.ssorias of u Artist-L{agicio,

If my shirt is really too wrinkled and I don't

have an iron hmdy, I hold it for a few seconds ov€r
a pot of simmering water (most hotels grve you
som€,fting to boil water in). The steam should get
the crrsases out. Altffnately, you can trang it in the
bafu,oom md nm a hot shower for a few minutes
(usnlly after ftirty minutes of negotiations with
the faucet trying to get the te,mperafire just right).
Then I go to the balhoom and hold the shirt under
the hand&yer (or hair dryer) for a few minutes,
focusing on the wrinkled pffi.
Finally, if I notice ftat I forgot my collar stays
(fte pieces of plastic that keep your collars stiff),
I make some like MacGyver, by cutting up some
playing cards or breaking a coffee stirr€r down to
the prcpsr le,ng6.
ldake sure you have a nice pair of shoes, waxed
and polished- There's nothing more pathetic than
beat up 'Tootwear." Eve,n if you're on tour, most
hotels can lend you shoe polish and a rag, or may
eyen have a machine. If you're already at a Srgand
you lhzn that your shoes are in pitiful shrye, you
can actually wax the,m with a little butrer, margarine
or wen lip balm (uftich is also effective for getting
your fly rmstuck).
Personally, whe,n I have a job and I can't quite
figrrre out what to wear, I prepare two different get-
rlps, one more formal than the othetr That way, I
can adjust, howwer the wening unfolds. And if I

163
 Close-ttp The rul &crc* of Iulogic

ever qpill something on myself, it's always a relief

to have a change of clothes close at han4 which
saves me from borrowing a waiter's shirl (Most
restaurants and hotels have €xtra changes ofclothes
on hand for the staff, if you're really in a bind-)
Watch out! If you have to clean your suit at the
last minute (flecks of mud on the pant bgr, little
halos of sweat under the armpits), only use water
and NEVER toilet papsr or papsr towels-at first
it looks clean, but then you find that you have little
whirc qpecks all over (or pink if you used colored
toilet paer), ffid they're impossible to get ofi,
almost as if they w€,re woven into the fabric itself.
Instea{ use a cloth napkin to help dry it out.
If you need to get all that annoying pussy hair
off your jacket in a pinch, roll some scotch tape
around your han{ sticky side facing ouq and
pass it sEveral times over the garment. The ta1le
should tum around your han4 taking all the hair
and lint with it. And y6, I did say 'lussy hair." I
am the proud owner of a seve,n-monthold kitten
who responds to the zuitably melodious name
"Mounett€." You should be ashamed of yourself
for I' inking that I could have meant ... That's just
wrong. Magrcians-<an't take the,m anymhere.
Television hosts have a secret method to keep
their shirts clinging snugly to their bodies: they
tuck them into their unde,lsrqar. That preve,lrts your
shirt from billowing up infelicitously and qpilling

t6+
 TTu Acessorias of m Artist-I*Iagicio,

your waist. It's certainly not a pretty sight to

orl€,r
see ufre,n you're getting dressed, but the shirt will
stay taut throughout your performance! Others,
like my buddy L@Asher, sew two bands of sticky
cloth about three inches long inside of their pants
at waist-level; this also works to keep the shirt in
place.
Finally, I keep a tie and a bowtie with me at all
times--you nwer know. If you do have to wear a
bowtie, opt for a shirt with buttons hidden under
an outer fold of fabric. Try to find a classy one or
you'll just look like another waiter. For firther
study, re,nt the latest Bond films and try to figure
out what s€ts Bond apilt from the waiters. He's
dressed like the,m, in a black suit with a bowtie.
Howwer, tro one would ever thi* to ask him to
refill a b,readbasket
If you wear a tie, wear it well, ffid learn how
to make a handsome knot. Excrrse me for placing
so much e,mphasis on these sartorial points buL
for Eo, a badly dressed magician is like a poorly
executed double lift: it ruins ever5ilhing. You might
think "ob it's just details," but it's the details that
set a masterpiece apart from a medi(rcre hack job.
So, back to the knofi don't ignore this zuggestion.
A tie shouldn't be something that just hangs there
pathetically like the slobbery tongue of a hungry
golden retriever, but instead the finishing flourish
on the suit-that-makes-the-mar.

r6s
 Close-up lTvr"al Ws of ltlAic

flon't forget that people wifl be looking at you

all night-and not j ust the people you're pcrforming
for, but everybudy arormd yort. You're a magiciaoo
damn it, and you should be the ce,nter of crrrioslty!
Curious people don't just loob they exmine!
Betwee,n the people who wqnder who you re,
those who think they saw you on TV, those who
are jealous of yorq and those who want to get in
your Pets, the,re are a million reasons why you'll
be under the microscope! The tie tnot is the chcrry
on the cake-te proof that you can take care of
you$elf an4 he,lrce, yow public.
In the first place, you will recall that the longest
part of the tie should come down to the top of your
beltbuckle whe,n you're standing rp straight flon't
make the mistake of beirding over whe,n tyrng the
knoL but stand up straight and adjust the length
properly. Don't tie the knot too fight. This isn't a
hanging. It's annoying whe,lr the tie crrts your breath
short and overlytight knot will lead to unsightly
cneases in the tie.
A simple knot is good e,lrough to make wider
ties look impeccable. For naroufer ties or those
made from thinner materials (silk, for exarylQ,
you'll probably want a Double lVindsor. The well-
dressed man's knot of choice, it will be immediately
noticed by cognoscenti. Just check the web for a
descriptiorl...

l:66
 lTvAcessoriq of uArtist WXiot
I wouldn't zuggest atie clip forparticularly fancy
occasions, but can be very practical for a close-up
rnf,rwho has atendeirryto lean overpeople's tables
to perform. Personally, I don't use this accessory
but rather bufion the middle button of my jacket
(nwer thc botom one!) for routines in which I have
to b€Nd oyer. This pmurrents my tie from dangling
over the bble as if it wanted to taste the food.
To transport your clothes, invest in a good
quality garment bag. It will preveirt your clothes
ftom getting wrinkle4 and will last for many yeam.
Eve,n if it gets dem4ged on m atplane, most airlines
will reimburse you the cost of repairing it-just get
a ticket when you claim your luggage and go to the
suggested re,pair shop. You'll get it back as good as
lrew.
One last bit of advice: if you're traveling with
rather delicate pmts, roll the,m trp, starting from the
waist dow:r the legs, and pack them like that
If you're working in hot regions or if you're
just a nafirally smreaty brute, ute either ufiite or
black shitts, but avoid colored shirts by all mearls,
espocially if you'rc working without a jacket. Rings
of sn'eat under the anns are unappetizing! You can
also wear an undershirl which will absorb mrrch of
the sur@t.
In terms of style and taste, everyone has a
different take. I can't tell you what's best, only
suggest that a unobtrusive and tast€fuI is the saflxt

L67
 Closeatp TTre r"nl Secrct of lrlogic

oourse. Applying this principle, I avoid ties with

cute little rabbits popping out of hats or "magic
wand" pins. It's not that I don't like those things,
but I'ye noticed that they can be a real handicap
whe,n it comes to members of the qpposite sex.
Of course, some people could crincizs me for
not doing more to set myself apart from the gues6
in terms of dress. It's frIre, that at a cocktail party,
nothing in particular aboutme cries out *magician."
This might be pretentious, but I don't feel the need
to walk around with a red nose on setting off air
bursts (and risking to burn somebody or burn the
joint down) just to make sure that people notice
me,
Believe De, I n€ver go unnoticed- But I get
noticedbecause ofthe reactions I get frompeopF
laughter, cheers, ed applause.
Ifyou're anything like f am, withoutpafticularly
good tast€ and utterly lost when you find younrclfall
alone in a clothing store, don't be shy about getting
advice from a stylist or a photo-stylist. The lattsr
doesn't make clothes but rather dresses models
for advertisements. This is the kind of person that
knows exactly hou, to adapt clothing to context
The stylist-also called an "t- age consultanf '
wifl suggest what you should wear and:dnore -
importantly-what not to wear. In the fashion
indtrstry, codes of color and clothing are as serious
as a heart attack. In that sense, the rules of fashion

r68
 TrvAcessories of aArtist Magbiot

arejust like the rules ofmagic. A stylist wiU be able

to zuggest what best suits you depending on your
body tylre, your height, and your objectives.
My stytisL Aurelie Saq gene,rally spends a few
honrs wift the percon seeking her advice, to get a
sense of his or her taste, mearu, ed goals. Then
they go shopping togethe4 which dlows the client
to see the stores that she picked out and to learn the
basic nrles of dress (at least the European ones).
The situation is trickier for the,med eve,nts, such
as whe,n your client wmts ever5fuody to show up in
pink. Because we'rr often hird at the last minute,
we often don't have time td find the perfect EGt-Ep,
and we usually don't want to invest in something
that we're only going to wear onc{e. The ideal is to
re,nt a zuit at the client's expense--{his is something
you have to bring up the first time you meet with
the clienl ho$rever.
To conclude, let me tell you a little story: one
day I was trying on clothes dtring the filming of
my video. I asked Jean-Luc Berhand if he thought
the pants I had on were too short He gave me a
piece of advice that has been very useful since in
many different parts ofmy life: 'Tlavid, if you have
a doubt, that means there's really no doubt." I took
the pants right off.

t6g
 Close-up Trre rcal SeE ets of lvfagic

f,lofedols
If your clothes inform spectators about your
personallty, your material and all you accessories
firther indicate what you're all about If you put a
shabry pack ofcards doum on the table, you'll look
like a shabby magrciarit's as simple as that.
Even if the public isn't ftrlly conscious of it,
they pick up on these kinds of zubtle clues, beliwe
me! If you're using cards that even Goodn'ill
wouldn't accept as a dondion, mangy old sponge
balls, geimy ropes or any other acsessory trat
inspires prty (or disgrrst), howwer good you are
as a magician, the image you project won't be any
higher than your gear itself. By the sarne tokeq
don't think that ordering all your props from the
latest Christian Dior catalog is going to make you
a better maElcian!
Your accessories need to shout nesr and cl@n.
Re,member, you're atatable. Avoid cnrmpled silks;
to keep a silk clean fold it in fours in your inner or
outerjacket pocket. To keep your silks from getring
beat up, pile the,m one by one nice and flat on top
of each other, then roll the,m around a cardboard
tube, holding the,m in place with paperclips. If your
silk is really wrinkled but you have time to spare
before a gal4nrn it under the faucet and stick it on
a mirror. When it's dry, it'U come right off... good
as new!

L7o,
 The Accessories of or Artist Ivlogicim

Also, don't crarn too much stuff in your

pockets'-it's tacky. Some of my colleagues step
onto the floor with their jacket so misshapen,
it looks like they've be€n shoplifting at the
neighborhood hardrrare store. It's like Batuan
coming out of Home Dq)ot ... They're certainly
ready for ever5rthing, but have toty hard not to go
'tfnlfl and
*clank'whe,n they arrive at atable.
I prefer to limit myself to carrying only tricks I'm
sure to perform in order to avoid overloading. If I
really need something else, I just pop back into the
dressing roorwhich grves me a chance to rest
and have a glass of wat€,r.
In mypockets, I always put everything inthe sarne
place-{hat way I don't have to dig desperately in
my suit like victim of Se,negalese Itching Disease
between each routine. @on't prete,nd you don't
know what I,m talking about!)
Here agai\the,re's no substitute for preparation.
It takes a little bit of organization in the beginning,
but saves lots and lots oftime in the long run, to say
nothing ofthe peace ofmind. It's always reassuring
to know exactly where something is, so that you're
not at the mercy of your own crap.
If you don't have e,nough space to store yotn
tricks in your pockets or i{, you're like I am and
have a neurotic aversion to messing up yottr suit,
by a little pouch (kind of like a fanny pack) that
attaches to your belt. You can wear it on your hip,

w
 Closeary llv rcal &cte:* of Magic

hidden under your coaL or eve,lr behind you if you

have to steal charges on the sides. Whe,n you stmd
rfp straight" I assure you that this practical lifile
accessory is completely invisible.

Ihe Oose-up Kll

I admit that I show up to gtgs with a suitcase,
but it's mostly just for show. Really, all my tricks
fit in my pockets-the exte,rnal jacket pocke6 not
include4 because I refuse to put anything in the,m
for fear of messing them lrp. I never even unstitch
the,m, which frees me ofthe basic human te,mptation
to put something in the,m
I somehow manaBe to keep everything in the
inner pockets of my jacket and my rear pants
pockets. I avoid putting anything in the front pants
pockets because my slacks are tailored (precision
engineered to acce,lrtuate the family jewels) and
would reveal eve,n litrle imperfections.
My suitcase is mainly to reasstre my e,mployer:
Tou s@, I'm shouring up with all this material!"
In fact, it contains little more than m€,n's toiletries.
It's a humble, unassrming bag that no one would
want to steal. To tell the tnrflq I've been ripped off
before ... Trust De, steer clear of the classy leather
doctor's satchels that run $1.200 and make you
dribble urine they're so pretty ... I've tried them.
Of course, they're classy, but you can't walk around

172
 TrE Acessories of u Artist lUfogtcio,

with me all nighg andyour employer s'ill probably

nev€,r see it.
The sides of my suircase are covered with wide
strips of several layers of gaffer's (duct) tape. I
always end up needing that shtrat the last minute
to fix something or othe,r. Believe me, it's always
useful to have some around! For example, I've
wen used it to patch up a hole in my pants after I
crashed into a pile of props some knucklehead had
left in the wings backstage. FiNt, I used a little tape
to fix my pants from the inside. Then I used the rest
to bind md EaE the jerk who left his stuff in my
way. You can ev€ilr rtse it to fix a charger or a bow
tie that's dangling miserably ...
I never leave money, credit cards, or anything of
value in my suitcase. I keep my keys in the inside
of my coat. That w?y, even if someone makes off
with my zuitcase, I'll still be able to drive home
and get in the front door. It also helps me remember
to grab my coaq because I don't want to end up
in the parking lot (yet again) without my keys.
I'm so forgeffirl, that I'm always looking for little
mnemonic techniques.
Someone showed me something fimny that I've
I have somelhing
been using ever since. Whe,never
to remember but can't write it dounr, I turn my
watch fare down. Sooner or late4 when I look at
my watch, it all comes rushing back "Oh that's

173
 Closetp - Thc r"nl &crets of Mogic

right! I need to ent€,r that into my comput€r!" or

"Shit! I forgot to call sGand-so!"
Because I'm talring you into my confide,lrce,
wait thetre. I'm going to go get my bag and tell you
ever5rlhing I have inside.
Ah, here it is ... So, it contains:
- Deodorant
- 2 rubbers (fancy that!)
- Shoe polish and arag
- Hairspray and a hairbrush
- A toothbrush, toothpaste, and breath mints
- A tie and a bourtie (in a protective plastic bag)
- A flesh colored make-up pencil (useful for
covering fitmr burn or those damned zits that are
always popping up at the worst times).
- A pair of black socks (I'll never forget the time
that I had to wrap my ankles in black gaffer's
tapo-as Mike Caveney suggests. I've lost the hair
on my ankles for goo4 but at least I didn't look like
a hobo!)
- Amini sewingkit (youcanbuyreallyinexpe,nsive
ones atany deparhent store or eve,lr drugstore, ffid
they're a Elpdsend when one of yoru buttons pops
oFas ifby chancr20 minutes before you're set
to start)
- A little battery powered ftNrrr (it doesn't work
anymorrl need new batteries).

174
 TTE Accessories of u Artist lulagiciot

I
Conce,rning r:a,zon: whe,n cut myself with a
normal tulrr because f'm shaving in a hurry, and
blood's flowing werywhe,rc and I'm looking like
Pinhead from Hellraiser,I use a well-kno\iln trick:
I take little pieces of toilet papa and place the,m on
the nicks, I used to use rolling paper, which works
much better, but I've shake,n the habit ... so toilet
paper it is. After 15 minutes, the bleeding stops.
Just don't forget to take offthe toilet pqlrer ...

In the upper comparhent, I find:

Transpare,nt scotch tape
- A Sharpierx and 2 pens
- Business cards
- A new dock of cards
- Apack of Blue-Tako
- Stickers that say'T)avid stono-magician" (see
the section on *business cards" in chapter 2l).
- Apuule (to keep the tables I can't do right away
busy)
- A pack of balloons (in case there are kids, or if
$)meme mistakes me for a babysitt€r)
- A plastic bag with seve,ral copies of the "tont
paper tran^sformed into ahaf'md "newspaper and
watet'' (in case there's a big table at the party-that
way everyone sees me).
An old thumb tifjust for friends. At a big
party, there's always som@ne who's forgotten his.

L75
 Clase4tp - llv rcnl kse* of lt{ogic

On the zubjec! if you're tealty in a pickle and you

need to make a thumb tip on the spoq you can do
what Billy McComb taught rne. Here's the recryc:
you'll need a pharmacy and a tobacco shop. Go
into one and then fte other, in either onder, and get a
metal cigar tube and a roll offlesh-colored adhesive
bandage. Break the tip of the fi$e off by bending
it back and forth and cover it with the bandage. All
hail the magnificeirt thumb tip!
Just tink, there was a time ufoen you coulth't
buy nice prwision-made plastic thtrmb tips. They
used to come in either cardboard or metal and left
much to be desired as imitations of real thumbs.
Which just goes to show you that the secret of the
thumb tip does not depend on achieving the perfect
prosthetic illusion of a real thumb, but in the clever
handling of the gimmick ...
...And that's it. I put my tricks away at the last
minute, because I do them so oft€,1t.
 - Chapter 8 -

Logistics
The Wtng rnon said to the old man:
"Whotb the suret to yur
success? "
" Making g@d decisions ! "
"So lra+, do you nokc g@d
decisiorrs? "
"Ah ... That only comes with
qterietrce!"
- "b lrou, do yott get *perierrce? "
"By making bad duisions!"

Irovel ond Tronspoilollon

Just one rule: be on time! No reiason to add any
additional stress .. . sqge fright alone should be
plenty! Try to be as laid back as possible-{on't
hurry, leave yourself plen$ of time. I know that
sometimes you feel like a close-up ggat night ends
up consuming your e,ntire My,but that's just how it
is. Showing up strpsse4 tired from rushing, soaked
in $veat minutes before you're set to go on, with no
time left to eat or drink-that all means less elrergy
and more fustration. A guaranteed fias@.

tn
 Claseeq TTE reol &Lrets of lv{agic

Ifsomeone has to come pickme qp at the airport

I
or the train station, employ a little syst€m to
protect myself from sitting out in the cold air on my
suitcase, wondering if somebody forgot about me.
A friend explained to me that by telling somsone a
vqy precise time to the psrson who's snpposed to
come pick you up (like 5:43 instead of 5:30 or 6:(X)),
you increase the chances that they'll be on 6me ...
There must be something psychological about it-
ifyou tefl the,m a round number C'I'll be at the train
station at 7:00!'), people don't worry about being
there gtve or take five minutes. If instead you say
6:49, you get the,m involved in the chronological
detail, and this precision will make people be much
more punctual. Try it for yourself-it works!
Finally, if I have to take a taxi in a city that I
don't know, I always ask several differe,nt drivers
what the fare will be to avoid getting "take,n for
a ride." If I forget to ask in advance because I'm
in too much of a hurry, after a few minutes, I say
something to the driver like, "I hope it's not too
much farther because I don't have much cash ..."
That discourages him from driving me around
in circles in order to inflate the fare. In Fre,nch
provincial cities like Toulouse or Bordeaux, taxi
drivers can't wait to bilk a Parisian-and ftey can
see us coming from amile away.
I'm the neurotic tlpe who likes to arrive early
to scope out a locale, and get used to thefeel of the

,178
 Logrrtics

place. It relaxes me to have elrough time to walk

around the stage or the ballroom before the guests
arrive. I know I already told you this (go check-I
can wait), but my editor said this chapter nreded
I
more filler-that's done. Once know exactly
where I'm going to be working, I step out to have
a drink around the corner. Not infrequent$ I may
eve,n t€st out a neqr trick or two-think of it a{l
foreplay. In any eve,nt, I show up as calm as can be
when it's time to start work
If you've got to catch a plane, try to keep
werJilhing with you in the cabrn, although this may
be impossible with all the rece,nt restrictiolls. I just
hat€ worrying about whether or not my suitcase is
going to the sarne place as I ?rrr the day before an
important show. In my carry{n luggage, I always
keep my suit, my close-up kit, andmy shoes Q don't
want to run the risk of performing in a suit and flip
flops). I take out anything that might be banned, so
as not to lose time going through security: knives,
lighters, lighter fluid (which I always pack with my
toiletries-+trictly speaking, it's banned on flights,
so I always only buy the kind sold in metal cans).
If I have to pack seve,ral suits and shirts, I
always prt the,m in plastic bags before packing
the,m in checked luggage, just in case my shampoo
or mouthwash (which I also pack in plastic bags)
leaks due to the ahoqpheric pressure. Finally, I save
space by stuffing my shoes full of socks'-a trick
that also keeps your shoes from getting cnrshed-
 Close-up Tt e rcol kcrcts of lr{agic

Quick Tip: tie one of your old magic ropes to

the handle of your stritcase to make it easier to
id€nti$. You'll save time and prwent some jeft
from mistaking your bag for his.
My luggage is black to avoid athacting fte
attention of any crools working<r working
for--{he airport (especially in countries where
your zuitcases magrcally arrive weighing less when
you left). When I'm traveling to work in a foreign
countr5r, I always take a picture of my zuircase with
my digital camera.
It's going into the hol4 and I'm going to be
s€parated from it for a whilo-I get so sentimental!
(ftst kidding.) You can never be too careful. This
precaution got me out of a serious fix ufren I lost
my baggage claim ticket (the one they usnlly stick
on your passport) on a flight bound for T\rrkey.
Even if the grl working the baggage claim
counter was exceptionally cute, she had one major
fault-she didn't qpeak either French or English (I
wonder if she qpoke Turkish ...). I shoured her the
picture of my zuitcase and she found it right away.
As tempting as it sometimes is, I always avoid
doing tricks for customs agents and the airport
security guards, eqp@ially in the States-for the,m,
seority is no joke. Experience has taught me that
even if you do amuse them, it's just a waste of time
and you look like a cloum. If someone asks, I say
I'm a magrcian=neriod- If someone asks to see

r8o
 Logtstics

a trich I'm fult of excuses. I say I'm in a hurry

(unless it's a well-built blond) o'r I do the 2l card
trick-{hey won't ask for anofli€,r ...
I use magic only to get myself out of dicey
situations or simply to prove that it's really my
profession (notably when the customs agents
zuspects trat my lycopodium "dragon's breath"
powder is heroin).
If you have to transport flash paper, be carefiil.
The screening material that airport s€crdty rses
to wipe down your checked luggage before X-
rayrng it sometimes reacts to flash pE er. Some
kinds of flash paper will eye,n get a rise out of the
bomb sniffing dogs. I've never had this problem,
but knon ing that it could arise may help me avoid
bawling like a little grl if sixteen American cops
zuddeirly wrestle me to the ground- Just be careful
handling your flash pqer--don't let it come into
contact with your suitcase or anything else for that
matter before leaving. The best idea would simply
be to buy it once you've arrived (which may not be
an option ifyou're performing at The Ocean's Club
in Paradise Island ...).
I often end up booked for grgs abroad (how
stuck qp can you be!?) an4 e,n route, meet other
artis'ts that s.ill be performing at the sarne ftrnction.
This might sound strange, but ifthey're not people I
know, I do everythingl canto avoidpassing tbrough
customs with the,m (I told you I was stuck up!).

18r
 Closeery The rcal ktrcts of lu{agic

Somefting happened to a friend of mine traveling

in Switzerland with a pair of artists he didn't know
that I NEVER would have thought to worry about
othe,ls'ise. (In fact, it happened to ME, but I was
told that it might zully my first-class image, !n I'm
attributing it to somsone else.)
These "new found friends" neglected to t€ll
our hero that they got an incredible souve,lrir from
Switz€rland: Flfty grams ofpot. As they were going
through all ofour sntffwith o fug,one ofthe border
patrol agents asked if we were all together. One of
my "nesr found friends'sai4'But of course!"And
that was that
Picture it strip serch; three more hours down
the tubes; the refirrn ticket I had to buy; the evening
gg I had to cancel (without calling a replacement
because they wouldn't let me us€ the phone); the
shess of a lifetime; the clie,nt's faca whe,n she
showed up to escort the e,ntertainers who had made
such a good impression earlier that afte,tnoon; one
of their mothers who p,ractically tore her son a nesr
one.
Personally, I don't have the time to qpare for this
kind of drama nor do I want to put my reputation
on the line for people I don't know from Adam,
who frra,y not be the most responsible folks in the
worl{ and whom I will probably never soe again.
Imagrne if that had hap,pened in Ttrrkey-it might
not have be€n zuch a funny story!

r8z
 Logrrtics

So, if you don't want to look like a snob among

yourbohe,mian pals, here's atrick: go straight to the
bathroom (or to Duty Free) whe,n these unknowns
(to whom the corlmon love ofArt see,med 6 link
you in undytng bonds of brotherhood while you
were performing) go through sustoms.
Other times, your new friends might ask if you
can all check your bags together OV rclting the
airline you're traveling together, you can avoid
extra fees for ove,lureight luggage). Personally, I
refuse, because I don't know what they might have
in their nritcases and I couldn't care less that Bibi
tlre Homutrcttlus is traveling wift two flight cascxr
and wants to take advantage of the fact that I only
have a garme,lrt bag.
He should have taken it up with his e,mployer.
Bibi c6n do as I do: deal with it himself. Once we
know each other, it might be a totally dtffersrt
story but for now the answe,r's "Nietr" as Nikita
Kroutchw said- (IfI re,me,mbercorrecfly, hewas the
firstto make a shoe appear ina closerrp situationast
away of grabbing people's atte,ntion.)

Recon
Look before you leap. If there is one, look at
the websirc of the space in which you're going to
be performing, to veriry the street address and get
a ge,ne,ral sense of the layout. Also visit the website
of yotr employer to find out about their business

183
 Clase-up IIE rcal kqe* of Mogic

Crroducts, s€,rri@s, e:s.), so you Gan allude to it

whe,n you perform. This will gtve you something
to talk about and show your employers you're
interested in what they do. At the sarne time, this
will allow you to avoid the mistake of me,ntioning
that you've worked for a coryeting firm or are
planning to.
Try to find out if they've set aside a dressing
room for you. If they have,n'L you'll have to get
dressed at home or in the car (without getting
arrested for flashing). Arriving already dressed
is always kind of a pain: the seatbelt invariably
nrmples your shirt in transit; you might get hot and
show up aU sweaty, and your crisp suit will be a
formless mess after a long trip.
I forgot to me,lrtion all the little hassles you
might e,ncounter at this point, like a qplotch of
sauoe (prefe,rably red) that falls right on your shirt
during dinne,r. In this qase, if I don't have time to
get my shirt cleaned, I use toothpaste tbat I let dry
a little bit on my finge,r. It's not the best, but at least
it camotrflages the catastrophe. Moral: a dressing
room isn't a special privileEa, and much less a
star's indulge,llce. It's simply indispensable if you
want to make your life easietr
As a part of your confracl try to include a
meal that fits your schedule and zuits your tastes.
Confirm the time whe,n you're set to go on. Many
eve,nt planners will grve you a time hourc before

r8+
 I,rlgfuttics

they actually expect you to start performing ...

just to make sure that you're on time! Personally,
I explain to them that I don't travel by horse and
buggy and that I only need ten minutes by the clock
to get read5r. It's out of the question that I arrive at
5:30 PM for a show that isn't really going to start at
9:30 PM.
I'm not a big fan of catered meals, trrd would
nsually rather just eat a little something on my
own and then show up fofiy-five minutes before
I'm set to begin- If I'm far from home and they've
planned to serve me foo{ I often just show up at
mealtime to reas$ue my client, and then I go and
eat somewhere else with a good book until they're
actually ready for me to perform. I know it sounds
a little misanthropic, but that's just how I am.
If you've got a hotel, confirm the address and
your reservation by telephone. Ask them to put an
iron in your (x)m. If it's a rustic, country hotel,
make sure they know you'll be coming in late, All
these precautiorxt can help you avoid finding out at
the end of the eve,ning that the hotel is thirty miles
from the reception. C'A taxi? At this hour! You've
got to be kidding!') Or that you're supposed to
share a (x)m with your buddy the musician ('T/hat?
The safanic chain-smoking guitar player? Why not
the cute blonde singer?") All of that moy sound
anecdotal, droll, or h)"eftolic. But its sttrff I've
been through.
 Soup Course
Something That Sticks to the Ribs
 VefticalMagic
"Tlre fuy when close-up
magicions get qp, the ptblic
could not help but give them a
standing ovation"
Hervd Ir Marchand
Magie sarut amfrces

lVhile the amateur magcian performs differelil

tricks for the same audie,nce, the professional
performs the sarne tricks for differelil audie,nces.
This distinction is that, whe,n you make your living
doing magic, you have the opporhmity to refine
your routines through countless repetitions. But it
also meailr that, after a while, the professional has
developed arqrtoire.It's ftom this repertoire that
he or she will choose tricks toperform for any gven
occasion, depending on the particular parameters
of the job. With the passage of time, professional
magicians settle on only the tricks that work well
and guarantee infallible success. Unfortunatety,
these are,n't necessary the tricks that ar€ the most
enjoyable for magcians, but for the lay public-
this is, after allrthe hand that feeds us.

r89
 Close-up TlE rul &cre* of L{ogic

Itlhy Verllcql ltoglc?

Don't forget that the NITMBER ONE rule,
revealed by God to Moss, is that you have to be
seen, and you h,ove to be head. Raise your voice,
so the whole table can hear you Alittle Eick I ofte,n
use is to speak to the penlon seated farthest from
me. If she can hear me and affrwe,rs my questions, I
know that the others can hear me too.
If the place you are working is simply too lou4
perform silent tricks, like D'Lit€@, a rope routine,
card manipulatiom, or a tom and restored paper. In
any eve,nI ifpeople can barely hear each other talb
whatever I do, I'm not going to be able to achieve
my usual impact.
So that people can see D€, I only perform tricks
I can do standing qp, and which don't require me
to set anyfhing doum on the table. To keep the
spectators'atte,lrtion and to make sure that they cm
see ever5flhing, theoretically, you should avoid the
tabletop altogether. In other words, you'll always
need to work at chest level (yours that is, not the
buxom beauty seated to your left ...), kind of
like if you were holding a baby that had just shat
itself. You see what I mean? No? Tloo bad Now I
don't mean work over the table; take a st€p or two
back--that will help you avoid nasty mistakes like
a boome,rang card that falls into a patron's food.
All ofmy professional magrc is 'terticaliz.&" I've
made a big effort to elevato-lite,rally-the level

190
 Yq{rcal fugtc

of all my effects, so that I can do them without the

need for a table. This meailt that I had to utterly
rewort routines trat I had be€n p€rfectly happy
with, More importanl howeveq it means that many
others we,nt straight into the gartage. 1SnW.>
I said that theorctically you need to abandon the
tabletop. rn practice, you can still employ iI but
only at little tables (see "Differe,nt Kinds ofTables"
in cloryter I l), where there's adequate visibility,
and you're c€rtain that the spectators are atte,lrtive
to your perfonmance.
One thing you should keep in minq so that
everybordy will be able to see you: Everyone might
just need to sit up straight. People have a te,lrdency
to hunch over, though the inverse would gwe
the,m a betsr view of what's going on. If you're
feeling friendly with the people at the table, you
might zuggest this to them.-no need to rap their
knucHes.
Another bit ofadvice, in passing: at atable where
it's really impossible to situate yourself b€carrse
the chairs are scnrnched in too close together (and
the people can't be bothered to make room), place
youmelf bchind a child or a young man. Out of
all the qpectators, they're the ones who will most
readily turn around to watch your while women or
older people sometimes won't (if there are people
who don't rypear interested in what you're doing,
it sends a bad message to other tables.)

191
 Clase-up fTre r?nl Secrcts of lulogic

All this points to the fast that table-hopping is

incomparable to doing close-up for a few friends
at a bar. I'm snre you understand by now ftat" in
order to choose appropriate tricks, you will need
to undertake a gargantuan PLIRGE. Most of the
tricks for magiciots, even the most painstatingty
crafted ones, are by and large just improve,me,nts
on a simpler version designed to fool magcians
who already know the original. They're simply
uninteresting for the lalman. Skip ahead to the
wonderftrl chapterlO, page 201, I'[ wait for you
here. It won't take long, trust me! Come on ...
have a look and get back here!
Suffice it to say that, under these conditions, I
would strongly discourage you from performing
even your most killer version of 'Oil and'Wat€f,."

Professlonql llloglc Tdcks

At a private party or r@eptioq the magician
nzually has a lot of Ables to do (say 12 to l5), and
not much time. Maybe an hour and a half. In cases
like thaL you can only dwote a few minutes to each
table, if you want to be $rre to hit each one at least
once.
Your objective is to, in about seven minutes on
average, get people psyched up, make them have a
good time, and grve them the desire to see you-
and especially your magic-again.

rg2
 Yqfical Lfagic

At a private party, you might plan on doing a

wider rurge oftricks than you would in a restaurant
or at a reception. In ftis qase, you can have a
bit more fun, choosing high-impact effects that
may require a bit of preparation (Signed Card in
a lrmon, Borrowed Bill in a Cigarette, Goldfish
From a Bill, Vanish of the Eiffel Tower, etc.).
In any case, ADAPT YOUR TRICI$ to the
public and to the situatioel'm scandalizd (and
you have to go pretty darn far to shock this salty old
dog), when I see people performing the Nail in The
Nose trick" atatable ofpeople eating! Bonappetite,
indeed- I would neve,r ever do a trick like balloon
swallouring or even the card-in-the-mouth atatable
in a four-star restarrrant And the same thing goes
for my shoe prodtrction routinHven if I'm going
to produce a tasteful pair of Prada's, I seriously
doubt that Madam Ambassador will qppreciata
their da--ling spit shine. She'll see something
else-some doofirs waving his clodhoppers at the
table, making gagging sounds as he sutallows a
balloon like a sideshow freak, and talong a saliva-
drenched playrng card from his mouth and putting
it doum on the table for her two-year-old daughacr
to playwith!
Now all that is out of the v?y, here are some
other guidelines.

193
 Closeatp 178 rcal *tre* of Magic

Your tricks should be:

Qutck: A good table-hopping routine should be
no more fhan two minutes long. Any longer, and
you nrn the risk of loosing the public's atteirtion,
especially with all the other sensory stimuli around
them. On the radio for example, no me gets to talk
for more than three mirut€s without some kind of
juxtapositim, to keep people int€rcsted-
Varied: A variety of effects will get differeNrt
kinds ofprops involved and keep people's curioslty
piqued" Use completely different kinds of tricks,
to modulate the rhythm and texture of your
performance, demonstrating to spectators your
wide range as an artist.
Slmple : Your tricls should be easy to understand
for spectators that are often onty half paylng
atteirtion. An effect that reguires them to memorize
something or count the cards may bore them or even
piss them off (there, that's said). Simple doesn't
mean easy: Paradoxically, it's always hard to make
something simple. As in lite,ratrne, simplicrty is
often the ftrit of treme,ndous labor. The magtcian
must strive for purity (in effects, ]erHertainly
not-in life).
Visual: Your performance has to be based on
visual material. If you can't be hear4 I repeal
you've got to be seen-you AI.ID your magic. For
this reason, at the risk of sounding like a broke,n
record, I implore you to shun the tabletop as a

tg4
 Yqtical l,Iagic

st4ging ground for cards, 6sins, sponge balls or

whatever ... Have sorne parlor tricls ready for
the kinds of big banEret tables you'll often find at
weddings,-Torn and Restored Newsp4er, Wafer in
The Newspapcr- In these cases, you're practically
on stage ... at a table.
Stand-up madc: Doing tricks on the table
surface obliges you to bend over (how c,rass!) and
prwe,nts spectators seated far away from seeing
what you're doing. Moreover, ribbon qpreading
the cards on a table top in a restaurant often takes
a miracle, give,n the cacophony of plates, glasses,
silverware, Gb. At coctnail parties, you won't have
a choice in the matter.
Smell end es$y to transport Honestly, I think
carrying a case (or eve,n a card ma$ around for
table-hopping is a bad idea People always want to
see what's inside, ed it's hard to find a place to put
it anlmay. If you really need a case, a solution is
to get a little one that clamps on to the edge of the
table, kind of like a champagne bucket Other:s use
a liule stritcase weighted with lead in the bouom
that the maglcian can put on the edge of the table.
I've eve,n seen those who stroll around with a lifile
collapsible table-to rne, it looks, unfortunately,
like a geriatric walker, and can get in the way of the
waiting staff. So, unless you have averyrveryryery
nnnsual 4I would recomme,lrd trying to keep
ever5ilhing on your person and in your pockets.

195
 Clase-up - TTE real furets of Mogic

Commerchl: A commercial effect is simple,

direcL and powerfirl. To make your spectators wmt
to see yott, and see you again; choose effects that
mess with the collective rnconsciousness. Eve,n if
these effece seem l*rne to you because ftey'rp so
easy to do, I believe that a magician should preseirt
the kind of magic that he would be most likely to
do if he actually had rcal @ powe,rs.
Acting as a proxy, he should dso produce the
miracles that spectators the,mselves wish they
could do. In other words, perform miracles that
strike people's imaginations, resonate with familir
themes, od speak to people directly ...
That's why I opt for effects invotving fire and
money-tings that exert a kind of universal
fascination over people, that onrde a pourer we all
dneam of hanressing. People will relarc b you more
easily, if you urc accessories ftat they have round
the,m all the time, but that they nwer would have
ima$ned someone performing magrc with.
This is why a surprisingly-elegant shtrfre or a
dazzlluclg card flourish often fills the,m with awe:
They've all handled cards before and have some
notion of how to shuffie the,m, but have never
dreamed of your ca$al virfirosity.
Some tricls that are easy to do (the production of
a banknote in a flame, for example) will cerhinly
impress the public more rhan difficult card tricks
that have taken you centuries to perfect. The,re's

tg6
 Yqfical Llagic

often little relationship between the technical

complexity of a trick and its impast on the public.
The sarne is tnre in m4gic.
What it means is that an excellent table hopper
could come offas a medioqre magician, in the eyes
of his or her colleagrres, at a mrigtrc convention-
among people who've forgotten what magic looks
like to the la5man.
Easy to rcsst: It's unthinkable to be constantly
rsturning to your dressing room, to reset your
tricks. Time is qg:ainst you, and you mly have the
length of the meal to hit all the tables. Effects that
reset quickly (or automatically) saye you a huge
amount of time cumulatively, especially wheir
you're performing for 2W people.
Iloable completely surmunded and wfth your
sleeves rolled up: In a restauranl you can control
yonr angles. It's impossible at a cocktail receptio&
where you'll ahnays have people around you. It's
bett€r to wort with tricks you can do under any
conditions.
If you can roll qp your sleeves, do it. It's very
disconcerting to spectators, because the idea that
*it must be in his slesves" exetrts zuch a powerftrl
hold over their imaginations'-and provides them
with areassuring explanation ofwhat you're doing.
The French magician, Frangois Even, taught me a
way to keep yourjacket sleeves from fa[ing down:
he slides rubber bands on both arms, so that when
he pulls up his sleeves, they stay put.

L97
 Cbse-up TTE real fuoets of lu{ogic

Roullnes ond Acts

Personally, I work wifr two se,parate routines,
each one composed of differ€Nrt tricks, totally
independent from each othetr Each noutine lasb
less than two minutes. To be fr:ank, we,!r fte,n, I
still try to hurry, because peo,ple's attention is so
fleeting.
As I often perform in nearly unwortable
situations, f 've adopted the habit of going straight
through to the end ofmy effects. My wtis air-tighq
and I do it pretty much the sarne way at each table.
I knou'the patter that goes with each of my effects
like the back of my hand and in thr€o different
langu4ges to boot. I feel confide,lrt.
In genef,al, I decide the day of the grg which
effects f 'm going toprese,nt in the evening. I usually
ffiorm the narne routine at every table. This grves
an added advantage in calculating the amount of
time you'll need to make the rounds. Moreover, it
allows me to conce,ntrate on refining trose tricks,
finding new gags and one-liners. (It's almost like
getting paid to rehearse.) I only change things up,
if I notice that people have be€n watching me from
other tables. Ideally, I ute my body as a sqree,n to
'tide" my routines ftom other tables: They can't
see what I'm doing, but can hear the reactions I'm
getting.
This allows me to "economize" on m4gic,
because I don't have to break into my emergency

198
 Yerfical lvlagic

reseryes. Only if the tables are too close togethe6

and people have be€n wafiching me at other tables,
will I begn to alte,rnate with the second routine, to
hetp maintain the
*surprise effecf' for sve,ryone.

Another option, if the tables are very close to

each other, is to perform for two tables at once,
gefiing the,m to play offeach other with interactive
tricks, like a Three Card Monte.
Sometimes, when I catch'toyeurs" in the act"
I reassure the,m with a big smile, that I'll be wift
them as soon as possible.
I try, as much as possible, to plan my routines,
so theybuild to a cresce,ndo. My ef[ects don't have
much in common with each other, but I do place a
progressive e,mphasis on them, saving the strongest
one for last.
I put this together according to this te,mplate: a
flashy attention-grabber:N an op€neL following by
a short but powerftrl trick. (This assures everyone,
that I'm worth watching.) I follow this with a longer,
equally powerfirl tricb to keep their attention. At
this poinq if things are going well at the table, I'll
do an effect that will show them another dimension
of my magic, perhaps something I'm working on
at present. If noq I head right for the finale+hort
and explosive (basically, just like sex).
I should quafry this: even if my routines build
to a climax, I often change the order of the effects,

r99
 Cbse-tqr Tk rul W oflt{ogb

depeiding on the kinds of reactions I'm getting. I

prefer seizing m opportunity trat preseirts itse$
rather than bmgng out my ast like a robot-
pulling out orange spmge balls ftom a lady's
orange sweater or taking what a ge,ntle,man says as
the inspiration for a trick ...
This cn€at€s situatio$r in which peoplc will
want to talk to each other about ufrat they'rc
experie,ncing. The,n, people's reactions become
as much apart of fte @ as the effects I
produce. Anything else and it's notreally close-rry!
If you have ever worked tables, you know how ftn
c€rtain situations cm M how iryoftant
it is to turn the excite,me,lrt to yoru advantage!
- Chapter lo -

20t
 - Chapter tl -

IheTable
"The advotage offone is that the
women who soy tto to me now ane
tntch pettier thm beforc"
WoodyAlle,lr

Most women claim they don't like to be hit

on. So why do they qpend so much time making
the,mselves look attractive (and tnng up the
restroom in the process)? If they want to look
seductive, it's becatrse somewhere deep down, they
want tobe seduced- They dream about it{utwant
their hearts to be won in an original (romantic?)
maill€tr Awoman must be approached with style if
she is to tender her affections.
With a little imaginatioD, you can draw an
analogy between a table of diners and I wormn-
the approach is fimdameNilalty the sarne, though
the final objectives may be differcnt. A group of
spectators you don't know and whom you need to
seduce, is somewhat like a beautiful stranger that
you're longing to talk to at a patFy. But before you
can seduce her, you need to learn to understand
her ... eE)ecially if you want to shag her!

2o3
 Close-up TtE r?nl fuctets of IYIogic

A Toble Is Uke q Bubblel

The show unfolds around a table, ed fte people
seat€d there become the spectators.-voluntary or
not-to the performance you're about to gve.
In his little book Close Up Exlress, the Freirch
qagcian Ih Barouf zuggested the theory that each
p€rson lives s'ithin what he calleq a bubble.Whtt
is inside fte bubble can be considered as private
qpace. A bubble is fugile and can easily pop, but
can be penetrated if one approaches it carefully.
The bubble is like private property trat you
can't just intnde upon uninvited- For example,
while we'll gladly let a stranger get very close,
to give ut a tighq we would find it intole,rable for
someone to sidle up and read the papsr over our
shoulder. In the former instance, we've authorized
access to our bubble; in the latter, the intntsion is an
unauthorized e,noroachment on our territory.
Sweral people seated around a table form a
bigger bubble, a larger private e,nvironme,nt. The
ilber bubble is more than iust the sum of its parts-
it has its own rules and mechanisnns. To gain access
to that qpace, you will have to find the weakest
point in that bubble and penetrate it with both tas|
and prude,nce. I call this point the breach.

20,4
 Trrc TaHc

The Brcoch
We can define the breach of the table as the
specific spot where you will perform most of your
art. This is fte place where the table is the most
accessible md where fte visibility conditioffr :re
the best forthe spectators. I always try to locate this
place as soon as possible, long before approaching
the table, so as to avoid hovering around without
knowing quite where to work.
With expsri€,noe, you will learn to automatically
sihnte yourself in the right spot. Obsert'e the
waite,rs, to locate this breach: Most likely that's
the place they'll choose for putting doum a new
bread basket or removing an empty dish or bottle.
They're the real pros.-all they do is work tables!
If you're just starting out, watch the,m closely, and
tafu a page out of their book. Here's what you're
looking fon
Ihe spot for your opcning efiect: Depending
on how your routine begins, yow opening trick
might unfold somen'h€,re other than the breach. For
example, I sometimes start off between two men,
pretending to pick rry a wallet offthe floor. Even if
they're not the most ftagile point at the table, they
both ask if it's the other's wallet, which ultimately
shifts the affention to me. The,n I move to the breach,
so that everyone can ... bask in the magic.

205
 Closeary TTE rul &crets of l{ogic

The spot where youtrre golng to work: This is

the breach, the place best suited for both accessibility
andvisibillty. Once f'm there, I stay! Eve,n ifl move
aroun{ to get other people involved, especially the
ladies. Because iftheyhave fun, werybodyhas fun.
I always come back to the b,reach for the climax, to
make srue ev€ryone's atte,ntion is focused- You will
be able to pe,netrate the bubble more or less easily
depending on sev€ral factors:
- The kinds of people (young, ol4 cool, Wtight...)
-Whether or not people are expecting you
- The type of eve,rrt (professional banquel friendly
dinner, wedding...)
- The choice of the right moment to begin
- The strength of your Opening trick
- The lead€r

Once you're inside the bubble, you can almost

coast the rest of the uray from th€,re. People have
accepted you and tacitly agsed to watch your
asf- Now you need to hang out at the table for a
few mirutes and set your agenda. You're now in
charge, because no one else knows what's about to
happ€n. Often they're seeing close-up for the first
time: " ... right in front of you facer like that-it's
insane!"

zo6
 TTE Tablc

l'm lhe Bossl

You must knou, that most of the time, a table
has a luder. This has to do E'ith the nafirrat
phe,nome,non of social dominance, which isn't
limited to the humm f,ace alone, but also extends
thoughout much of the animal kingdom. The
leader is neither good nor bad (ftougfo he can be
a j€*). He plays the dominant role in the pecking
order in the mi6asF€colsgy of the able whe,re he's
enjoytng a pleasant wening out.
It's easy to spot the leader. Yoru mission, should
you choose to accept iI is to win him over from
the second you arrive on the sce,ne with a flashy,
opening effect. The leader is the person that usually
qpeatxs louder or more enrbermtly fhan eve,tyone
else. At a restauranl he usually tells boisterous
jokes, chooses the wines for everybody, orpays the
check.
Try to spot the,m from a distance, ed win the,m
ov€,r first. That doesn't mean you have to get him
to participate; you just have to make it clear that
you've acknowledged his pres€,noe and respect his
position of authority. If this person is OK with you
performing at his (or her) table, everyone else will
accept you.
In gtoups composed exclusively of men or
wome,rL the leader is easy to pick out. In mixed
grorfps, in couples, or in families, leaders might

2o7
 Close-up TlE rcal &crcts of Mogic

not stand out because of their ostelrtation or

expressive,ness. As a ge,lreral nrle, trust your
instincts. Ifyou're in any doubt, and there is a child
at the table, start performing for the child- Eve,n
someone who goes by the nflne Srper l,eader will
almost always defer to a kid (othem'ise you've got
a dreaded Leademator on your hands).

Dlfrerent Klnds of Tobles

As a gene,ral rule, I classi$, tables according to the
following sche,ma:
Ltttle tables: round or squre, from 24 people
- Big tables: round, from 8-12 people
- Royel pain-ln-tho-rss tebles: rectangular, l0
or more people. The worst of all are L or U
shaped banquet tables. Everyone qan see whd
you're doing at a neighboring table. You have
to constantly vary what you're doing, md plan
salon tricks, to get ever5fuody's atteirtioL What's
wome, you have to force your way between
people that seem worrie4 someone's going to
steal their plate and whose chairs ssem to be
nailed to the floor.
Yoru approach to the tables will depend on
the overall layout of the space. Ask yourself the
following questions:
- Are the tables spaccd out or close together? If
the tables are very close together, the waiters will

zo8
 Trre Table

have a hard time moving aroun4 and you'll have

to avoid excessive moveme,lrts. You'll also have
to alte,rnate your routines at each table.
- What tdn& of tables ere you dealing with?
Big, small o.. This will also affect the choice of
tricks.
- YYhet's the generel mood? This also affects
your choice of material.
My personal taste is to always use the sarne
opening tricks, but not always the same methods
of approach (see the chapter 14, "Approaching a
I
Table"{o worries). Then adapt my routines
according to the layout of the tables. Only
experience wi[ teach you what kinds of tables are
the best for you. Once you know, you'll probably
want to start out with the kind of table you like the
best, Capishe?
 - Chapter t2-

nfialcing Contact
"When qttqtoiners say tlwt ,to
one sver gives them a chorce, they
should fuep in mitd how ,nury
times chqrce cctme aA fia wayfor
nothing."

Pensces"mX

fhrring your ffiormance, you're going to have

to deal with service personnel (who, like you,
have be€n hired for the occasion) as well as diners
(who are the guests). I often think about how much
success in these settings is a firnction of the interest
you take in everyone around yoll ...

Urtlh Your Cllent

Ifyou've been hired for aprivate party, someone
will introdtrce you to the ourner of the location or
to the guests of honor, which will make contact
easy C'Whassp, Crranny! These your digs?') In a
restaurant q at a reception, nobody knows you, In
such circumstances, you have to immediately ask
 Closeatp Tt e reol &crcts of lvlagic

the people in charge to introduce your e,mployer or

their representative. This pcrson may not be there
yet. So as not to waste my time, go and soe the
hostesses, to see if she can help you find a place
to stash your sfutr-{uit, accessuies, etc. (On the
subjecl at big rece,ptions, I encourage you not to
leave your coat in the cloalroorif you have to
leave at the sarne time as ey€ryone else, that'll be
another 45 minutes you'll loose waiting in line to
reclaim it! If they grve you a place to change, leave
everything there.) Now you just need someone to
find you a dressing roorit's rare that someone
willhave actually thought to rreserve you one in
advancc .. . even if you insist with the ferocity of a
pit-bull.
Once you've stowed your gear (at least
temporarily), Bo in search ofyour contacl to asurre
him or her, that you've arrived safe and sound- Your
contact will introduce you to everybody; you'U be
working with, and will probably be the one to pay
you at the end of the evening (except for age,ncies
that pay you at the end ofthe month, gene,rally after
the ornrlation).
This is also usually the penlon who can tell you
which tables arie the most important--{hose that
you absolutely can't miss. (Conversely, this lets
you pick out the less important tables where you
can waf,In up before taking on the Big I(ahuna)
If no one volunteers this informatioq you should

2L2
 Iu{oking Contact

ask--{his kind of stuffis your bread and butter. You

need to know whatb whotand whob wln insofr as
both the guest md the staffare concerned-
This is the time to sort out the proble,m of the
dressing room, taking into accormt the possibilities
available: "A little office would be fine! I just need
to be able to get to my material without being
under foot Youknow, f've got some dmgerous md
exp€,rsive snrfftbat I don't want to leave out where
children might get into it ...'
This is also the time to ask your contact if
you can hand out business cards. Don't ever do it
without asking first (except at private parties where
you are networking). Others.ise, people could get
the wrong impression. If they say ro, ask them for
some cads from the age,rrcy you're working for.
(This they can't refise.) Then on the back of the
cards, place a litfle stickerwith yournarne followed
by the magrc word: "magician" (see the swtion
titled *Business Cards" in chapter 2l). Then you
can haod the,m out to people who ask for the,m.
If somebody calls the agency, they'll me,ntion
your nam,e. That doesn't necessarily mean you'll be
hired again,but at least your age,lrt wilt understmtl
that you're Orumming lp new business for them.
Any decent percon couldn't help but return the
favor.
One last angle: whe,lr you go to greet e,mployers,
always take a little trick with you. They might turn

2L3
 Close-up The rcal ScLrets of Mryic

right around and ask you to show it to lxrne friends

C'Ah! Finally the magician! Let's ttee a trick!). Be
equally prepared whe,n you go to stry goodbye: rch,
you've got to do a trick for Fred! He just showed
Ip, and everyone's beeir talking about you!".
Under these circumstances, you've got to whip it
out. Nothing is worse in the eyes of a layman tha"
a magician who s€{srls to have packed his magic
poners in his stritcase! On this matilsr, definitely
check out the magc of Michael Weber and Greg
\Milson. These guys af,e goldmines whe,n it comes
to impromptu m4gic<omething iMly
useful.

Wlth The Stcrfi

It's very important to get on good t€rms with the
restaurant staff right away-you srill most likely
be in their way for most of the evening! If you
regularlywork in the sarne restauranl it's especially
important to make friends (and :rccomplices for
absolutely impossible effects). Ifyou're working at
a reception or a banquel you're probably meeting
people for the first time. Don't be stingy in the smile
deparfuent. Showrespect for everyone's worlg md
find some time to show the,m a gurck trickleople
love a good time in the kirchen, for example.
When performing, I always ry to cast a positive
Ught on all the work the waiting-staff are doing
(even ifthey're always showing up at the wrong time

214
 Iulaking C.ontact

and cramping my style). If they start sert'ing in the

middle of a routine, I say something like, "fadies
and gentle,me,n, the salad magrcally appears!" For
Ee, this shows trat I'm not penmea by this kind
of nrperficial int€rruption and that, indee4 I know
how to use it to my advantage.
In the restaurants ufuene I work regularly, I know
all the waiters by name. Whe,n one of them arrives
at a table where f'm working, I say "And no\r
he,rc's ss-61d-so, the real magician ofthe wening!"
Everyone's happy and the waiter feels important.
This kind of attention will make the,m treat you
like a prt of the stafi, and tr feel this is vital in
restaurant wmk-you won't just be some Joe Blow
ufro shows up out ofthe blue, -aln.g a big ructus
and getting in ever5fuody's way. Instea{ you'll by
the friendly magician and colleague.
The waiters Gan ev€,!r announce your arrival at a
table, which will allou, you more room to maneuver
with the guests. Anyrvay, grve the,m their due and
they'll generally be happy to help, or at least make
way for you. If you can, hold the door for them
or give them a hand ('Requircs a helping lrond'
twelve letters? tlmmm ... rnasturbzrtion!). Just ule
your head!
At a banque( try to meet the manager in order
to explain what you're up to. He or she is in charge
of the entire staff. I always 0ry to be reassrring by
sayrng something like, "the staff doesn't need to

2L5
 Clase-up TTre real *aets of ltagic

worry about me{hey shouldjust pretend trat I'm

not hsre. What you're doing is fte frst priority, and
I knou'hour to get out of the way."
You should also see the caterrc,r. If you've had
a chmce to sample the foo4 co,ryliment the,m
on the cooking and the se,nrice. Catertrs often
work in close contact with eve,nt planners. Don't
overlook the,m. They have a lot of inform:ation at
their fing€rtips: the nrrmber of tables, the number of
counles (the more there ane, &e more waiters there
will be buzzing aroun( but the more time you will
have to perform). In shorl the catersr can tell you
exactly how much time you have to do your job.

Wlth lhe Other Enlerlolners

Besides other magicians, it's common, especially
at big banquets, to find yourself working alongside
other performcrc-musicians, caricaturists,
stripe€rs, jugglers, etc. As a gene,ral rule (especially
at a cocktail party) you don't need to coordinate
things with thry knows uftat they're
doing. But ifyou're all circulating among the tables,
you'll probably want to set up things in advance
wift the other ffiormers, either to divide up the
tables ifthere are too many, or to make srre that the
musicians don't kick offa Russian ballet at a table
where you'rc pe,rfoming ...

zt6
 I'fahrg bntact

Ifyou' re table hopping with other magician s, you

mustdivide up the tables equitably before the guests
arriv*yoadon't want to end up working side by
side. If you're playing a cocltail party, try to make
sure that you're each performing in differelrt places,
if not ditre,re,nt rtxrnul. First ofi, you don't want the
reactions from your audience to interfere with your
colleqgue and vice vryle can make a lot
of noise whe,n they're surprised (or sloshed). More
important, if you spread ouq the applause ringing
out around the rq)m \uill prove irrefutably to your
e,mployer that hiring magicians was money well
qpent (and that's of utuost importance). Still, don't
fall into the trap of competingfor applause rtorder
to impress your fellow magicians, Techniques like
"We'rc trying to find the table that can cheer the
loudesl" work best when you're alone. You might
impress gree,nhorns with this kind of stunt, but the
journqmen who've got nothing to prove couldn't
care less. I[, howwer, a table totally looses it
because you blew their minds, it's not your fault-
enjoy it!
Finally, if you're at an event where there are
more magicians than necessaqr (say, fourmagicians
for nine tables) make sure that you're not doing the
sarne tricks, because you'll each have to perform
at more tban one table. You don't want the guest to
see three versions of the card-in-the-wallet in the
same evening.

2r7
 Clasetp fhe r"nl &qets of l{ogb

Ullth Specioton
If people know that the,re's a magician
performing, yow first contact with the,m will bc
much @sie,r. Alas, nothing is perfect in ftis fallen
world, and qectation somes at the exp€nse of
wrprise. If you're playing a restaurant for tips,
people can easily anticipate that you're coming md
agrere amongSt the,mselves to turn you away. It's up
to you to choose what will work best depending on
the circumstance:
A short perfomtnee on stage: Everyone will
know who you are aod what you're there to do. I'm
usually in a better mood because I'm making more
money. In a pinch, you can arrange to do a short,
visual routine in the midst ofthe ce,nter tables: torn-
and-restored newspaller, water-in-the-nenrsp aper,
appearance of a bottle of champagne ftom a balloon
that you can do with a gimmick (the Splash Bott@
available for jrrst 28 e on my website ... Oh that
last one's a little flagrantly self-promotional. But
you know m*I'm rarely subtle.
To expiate myself, I'll gre you one bit of
precious advice: never produce a bottle from a
balloon by using a knife to burst the balloon. LIse a
pair of scissors or a needle instead Trust me. This
time, I know ufuat f'm talking about. If you don't
believe DG, I'll send you the address of an excellent
hand surgeon-you'Ye been warned!

z18
 IYlaking &ttrct

Asfuotl throug[ the tebles: Whe,n the restaurant

is realty crowded md if I need to be noticed right
away, I stroll uound the main room with my fire
wallet Idsoule aRocky Raccoon ...youknow, that
little fur animal David Williamson made popular.
You cill find the,m in just about any magtc shop.
Iadies and kids just love it "Aaahhhh! What on
Eare is ftat horrible creature?|" Oth€rwis€, I just
Ught up my flaming wallet for no particular rea{lon
and stroll among the tables. Sometimes, I'U hear
a worran say to her husband: "[,ook! That guys
got flames coming out of his wallet!" And he'll
respond, "Sure he does, dear, snne he does ..."
If
A flemboyant costume: you're wedring
something completely out of fte ordinary (an odd
shirt or tie, neon shoes, a day-glo shirt, wacky
make-rry) people will naturally wonder who you
are.
Handtng out megic obiec6: To tell the tnffh,
this isn't my favorite approach, but I'll describe
it nevertheless. To make an affe,rilion-g€ilting
e,ntrance, colleagues have nrggested placing
*nutgical accessories" at ditrerent tables while
greeting fte guests, ed then to pcrform tricks
with trose accessories. Personally, it seems too
much like the Eastern European deaf-mute con job
an{ especially if you're a besinne,r, you'll end up
spentling most ofyourtime fying to getyourprops
back from jokesters, who'll hide them under the

2t9
 Closerp TTre real &crets of Lfogic

table C'magiiiic ), rather th m acfi nlly pcrforming.

!'

Sometimes, they will put prrzzles or brain-teasers at

a table that's beckoning to see me perform, just to
keep them waiting, while they finish urith fte table
they are already working.
Ltttle hendbllls: hrt these on all the tables, to
axlnoun@ in advance that you'll be performing. If
you arrarge things in advance with your cmployer,
the staff can put out the cards for you, whe,n they
set the tables.
An announcement: You can ure short a
announceme,nt at the microphone after a speech,
when everyone's is quiet and focused on the stage.
In general, I would discourage you from begrnning
yonr routine at a table by asking for sile,nce; you
might corne off as telling people to "shut up md
listen." Ifyou do end up making an announceme,nf
start offwith a quick visual effect (flash paper, air
burst . . .) and their start your speech. All things being
equal, I prefer to use the eleme,nt of surprise to my
advantage when table hop,ping, ffid I nwer have
much trouble winning people ove,r. Announcing
yorrself at the begrnning of a banquet requires a
surprising amount of artistry. You have to have
something more to say than a simple, "Hi. I'm, uq
your maEtcian. Thaoks!" Come prepared s'ith a few
gags or one-line,rs. I shy away ftom this techniguo,
unless I really do have something relevmt to say to
thb audie,nce ('Excuse me, ma'am? Your dress is
tucked into your pantyhose.')

22tJ^
 Itlaking C.ontact

Interectlve setups: If I'm working with other

magicians, we sometimes plan to stop dead in our
tracts, out of the blue, and stare up at the sarne
aftitary point on the ceiling. It won't take long for
more md more people to follow our leaHooking
np in the air then back down at us. Once we've
hooked a handful of slack-jawed gawkers, we're
ready to begin pcrforming.
Phony checkpotnt: At huge parties 0'm talking
1.500 people at a cocktail party-it hap,pens),
there will, of necessity, be multiple magrcians
working (unless the organize, doesn't know how
to add). You can station a couple of magtcians at
the e,ntrance who, under the pretext of veri$nng
people's invitatiom, can perform a quick effect
(production of candy or of other treats doled out
by the host). This erunrres that you get noticed by a
maximum number of people (at least by those who
don'r sneak in the backdoor).
Avisuel presentation: At a cocttail party, I saw
the Parisian m4grcian Bruno Vitti make a brilliant
entrance by pretending that there was invisible
thread stretched across the rq)m that he had to
climb over, to walk through. It's a gr:eat gag for
whe,n peqple are trickling into a room, (and if you
have some skill as a mime artist<thenrise you'll
just look like a nut job).
I also saw him present the "paper bag" routine
(a classic that the French magician Ga€tan Bloom

22L
 Claserp TTB r?al &sea of Mogic

b,rought back into vogue): A magicim stationed at

the other side of the rtrcm tossod invisible object
into the papsr bag that Bruno was holding. You
could hear the objecB hitting the sack Beliwe rDG,
whe,n it's well done, it's amazingly effective for
getting people's atte,ntion (to llroerce the sound,
just snap your fingers holding the side of the bag.)
I've also improvised a D'liteo tennis match wift
a fellow magicim, gving the imp,ression ofjuggl in g
a little ball of light and sending it from one side of
the Kx)m to another. We work together to make the
little light appear in the oddest places--arefe,rably
on spectators' ctothing (from under the skirt of
your e,mployer's tee,nage daughter, for examlrle-
advice ftom my friend Doug McKenzie ..,). It gets
us noticed right away, and creates an atuosphere
that's fim for the guests. Eqrecially the bit with the
tee,lrage hottie ...
 Fish Course
Timeto G,etseriou,sl
 Ihe Moment ofAction
"TrE fu is packcd, ord thc &hks oe
flowng freely. Like Botticellib Yenus,
a sto mTiveJ on a ba od a phaloa
of Mygundr tarr to lpld fuk lrer
Med fox Out<f+ontrol tables
shakc up bottles of lamnt-Pqriq
od slpwqs of chorpagrc rains
bwn on tlu cToutd. Ercited by tlu wiW
dn aVrrere ord nntsic, two bontiful
blords dorce completely ,raken
abwe the qovrd ... fum@rp lights a
cigt .,. Aaryagnc w0 is ofrcially
fucloed... Tlv|flag of LaVoile Rouge
fuJ owr a sea thd frowrrs out the
day k its w*powuing bluc. T'hotb
it-'someoncb waving ne over! Itb ttty
twn to bombod tlre tables..."
David Stone
Lettq to Paul Tonaselli

Here it is at [6s1-{ime to spring into action.

You're going on stage through the little door...
becatrse usually no one's expecting you! In these
conditions, the first tables you hit are the most
important They're your opportunity to get warmed
up, and s.ill set the mood for the rest ofthe evening.

225
 Close-up TTrc renl koet of lYlagic

If the firsttable turns you away, the tables around

th€m may well follou, suig thinking you're looking
for a handout or that you're just not worth the time of
day.If you're not carefuf your Itdagic Evening may
e,nd up much shorter than expected! We're going to
examine a number of different ways to approach a
table, in order to gain all possible advantages.
Here's one simple rule: fte best time to cut in
is whe,n you're not interrupting anything, od you
don't risk being an annoyanc€. The ideal moment
is different depending on the situation: at a walk-
around cocktailparty-type gtg (or ifyou're working
at a b*), you can approach people at almost any
time. I nwertheless avoid guests who are enjoytng
Buffalo wings or a nice plate of mussels (my
sponge balls are unionized) and the drunk guys in
the corner who are holding each other up. In table
hoping, the best mome,lrt to cut in is a bit harder to
discern as it depends on:
- The length and style of meal (table service,
buffet...)
- Other things going on during the meal that could
interfere with your work (speeches, stage shows,
a film about the company's product that will kiU
the mood like a bad fart ...).
- The organizers of the eve,nt-who will wmt you
to go on when they want you to go on.

zz6
 TTre Monnt ofAction

Monoglng the Tlmlng of lhe trenlng

To figrne outwhe,n you're going to perform, you
need to begn by dividing your time at each table
into units, follouring some basic rules of arithmetic
and sorrmon slensle. Ask yourcelf the following
questiour:
- Hoty n ery magiciorts ane therc?
- How nony tables one there?
- When is the dinner over? (Or, in other words,
whe,n does the afterdinner dancing, show, or
concert begln?)
- Is therc somethtng else plonned during the meal
(a speech, other entertainment ...)? If the,re is, that
may mean that you won't be able to perform during
the second part of the meal. Keep that in mind-
- What tlpe of meal is it? Table service is perfect.
A dinner buffet blows because people have to get
rfp to fetch their own food. You'll face loads of
intemrptions and will lose a lot of time because
people won't all be seated at once. So in a buffet
setting, you ofteir just have to wait for the second
part of the meal when people are more settled in.
- Whot ,s the timetable for service? How ,narry
courses ane therc? Is the second course hot? (Apain
in the ass ... bette,r to wait ...) Is the second course
cold? (Go for it if you're worried you won't have
eirough time ...) In France, we have an incredible
tradition called le truu normand: In a multi-course

227
 Closearp Tlre rul S"L'reB of lilagic

meal, after people have eateir a lot, ftey often have

a very strong drink (usually Calvados), which
enables the,m ... to keep eating, of c{ourse! It's a
quaint custom, but for a m4gician, it's the snreet
qpot of the meal!
You don't need a calculator. Just divide the
total amount of time by the number of tables you
have to wort. This gives you the rough amount
of time you can spend at each table. Once this
calculation is made, you'll know if you're going
to have a pleasanl slow-paced evening or a ftantic
rollercoaster ride from hell. Luckily, as things
unfol{ the meal usually ends up tal"ing longer than
the organizers had ptanned-

Generol Rules for Peilormlng qlTobles

While people are eating, I avoid performing like
the plague. I only break this rule whe,n I'm under
real duress (a coked up event planner riding my 6s,
2L5 guests with only fifty-five minutes to go before
the World Cup Final of Footbofl, and a rcndqvotu
in the bathroom with a gorgeors nlmphomaniac
waitress in exactly fiftem minutes).
In fact, whe,n the main counle is served, I ofterr
take a breather and reset any tricks ifnecessary. Still,
it's not rare for spectators to call me over to perform
while they're eating: 'I\[mm ... Go right <chomp>
ahead <slurp) we're <smack> ready! ..."

zz8
 lTE Motuent ofAction

In a cas€ like thaL I say something like,

'T.ook... f bve magrc, but I hate it when my food
gets cold ... f'll just let you finish eating and come
right back whe,n you're done!" I ute the s?ms
line whe,n the food zuddenty arrives without my
noticing (ge,ne,rally because I was so engrossed by
the woman to my left with legs as long as Daryl's
filmography).
In fteory you can wort during beforedinner
drinks, especially in a restarant where people are
waiting for their orders. Ev€n if they know each
other well, they won't be totally relaxed at this
poinq and may get bored amongst themselves.
They're still a little col{ but definitely aware of
what's going on around them. The ideal time
to perform is either between coumes (hence the
importance of knowing how many counles there
tre), or between the last dish and coffee (keeping in
mind that people could have been pretty indulge,lrt
in the alcohol deparment by this point).
In practice, I have a hard time really getting
through to people before the e,nd of the first course
(appetizers): either they're still too wary or they
haven't had enough to drink-I'm not sure. But
after the meal gets going, the ambiance wailns,
conversatiorur pick up, and the excitement mounts.
I prefer, then, to wait to perform until people have
already eate,n something and have had a little to
drink for, as we siry in France, "arr empty stomach

229
 Close-tqr ITp ,eal kE eB of ltlogic

has no ea$." That sai{ I try to avoid performing

whe,n people are three sheets to the wind and strt
belting out'Tor He's a Jolly Good Feeeeellow!"
After 4petizers, I find, is the most propitious
time to strike md for two reasorr: first, people
seem to be more ditrcult to approach at the e,nd of a
meal rather than right in the middle. After spending
the evening together, they may be lost de€p in
conversation.
Furfter, weryone knows each other better lator
on in the meal, it's easier for the selfapWinted
leader of the goup to muscle me out of positiorts
because by that poinq ev€ryone will have already
tacitly accepted his role as the leader. If you show
up while people are still getting to know each
other and the social hie,rarchy has yet to be firmly
established, the bubble hasn't yet solidified-it's
much more lrcrols.
The,n, I try to set myself up as a temporary
leader. In other words, I find it easier to exert my
influe,nce at a table when all the cards have yet to be
dealt and no one knows yet just what social role he
or she will agree, more or less consciously, to play
for the everning.
The second reason is that I don't want to get
into the habit of approaching a table at the end of
'When
a meal. a restatrrant is ctowded, the ilranager
will prefer to have people leave as soon as they have
finished eating, so that he can seat nenr people.

230
 fue Mommt olAaion

In restaurant worlg I avoid approaching a table

during des€rt or coffee, ed I follow the sane
patte,rn in all my work. Spectators are unaware of
these considerations howwer, which can gtve rise
to ftsffiions. Iq for example, a table asks me
&dng the first cours€ to come back md perform
ufre,n they've finished eating, I'm betweeir a rock
and a hard place: my eryloyer doesn't want me to
hold up any tables, !x) they can keep the,m emptying
out as gtricHy as possible. At the sarne time, I don't
want to risk disappointing a sustom€,r.
In zuch an instance, I ge,ne,rally tell a waiter that
I'm going to do a quickie atthe table, and ask him
or her to pull the old 'T)avi{ you have a call ..."
nse as soon as I'm done. I forego getting a fip, but
everyone (else) is happy.
Spectators ofte,n don't reailizn that there is logic to
the order in which we work the tables, based on our
own intdtiour about the best way to maximize the
impact of our magic, explicit instnrctions ftom our
e,mployer, or eve,n a n@essrty.
When the tables have bem divided up betweeir
many magrcians, you may well find yourself
performing at tables next to those reserved for
one of your colleagues. The patrons at these tables
risk feeling snubbed, if they don't understand why
you're not coming to perform for th€,m.
I don't risk any misunderstandings, od migbt
grve a wink or a no4 or simFly say, "I'm taking

23r
 Closeatp - TTre r"zl *nets of L{agic

cfie of these tables, but the other magician should

be over to see you soon!" That way they rcalizn
that they're not being ignored md Gao (hopefully)
cool their heels a little longer. As no me likes to
be snubbe4 whe,n I have to pass by a table &ring
the eve,ning before I can stop to perfom, I try to
acknowledge the,m: "Enjoy your meal! I'U be wift
you soon!"
At private banquets, though, it's not hard for
people to realize that you've performed for nearly
all the tables but theirs. They mty be asking
the,mselves why they should be last Eve,n if it's
just because one of their friends had to leave early
and missed your performance, they filr,y hold it
against you just a little. Maybe they'll wen tell
you sarcasticdly: "At [ast! Are you sure it's not
too early for our table?" I'll respond by sayrng,'1
always save the best for last!" eve,n though I may
be thinking, '"!Yhat do you want me to do about it,
douchebag? Someone's got to be last, so why not
you? ..."
Finally, I don't approach a table of people
that are obviously getting ready to go-it's a
losing proposition. I'll have to work extra hard to
persuade the,m to watch because they'll have the
yery legitimate impression of sacrificing their time.
Since time is money, my chances of getting a tip
from the,m will be practically nil. People don't like
to get their wallets out a second timo<specially if
the bill wiur steep.

232
 TlE Momat ofAction

leom to Sove Tlme

Clients are often too stubborn to hire more
than one magrcian for their events and only leam
too late the error of their ways. If, despite your
protestatiom, a client hires you and you alone, for
250 people, even though you said you could only
man4ge 100, you still have to figure out some way
to make it work.
For DG, if it's a regular clie,rrt who's having a
budgetary problem (usually the cnrx of the matter),
I still try to pcrform at the maximum number of
tables--mayte I'll just do two +rick tricks to make
sure that each table gets to see me at least onoe
&ring the cou$e of the eve,lring.
Then I'll come back and qp€nd additional time at
the tables that soem especially friendly or receptive,
and where the wome,n are most generouslly endowed.
Eve,n whe,n you'ye got a strategy, this kind of affair
endsWbeingamarathon.
I save time by rying to slmchronize my
performances with the table se,lrrice: I perform first
for the tables that win be sert ed last. Then, when
I've finished these tables, it's not uncornmon for the
people u/ho have bc€n served first to be finishing up
their o,pening cours{sFa fine time to pay them a
little visit.
I askthe organizertopoint out the most important
tables, ild I put the,m off until later. I start with
the "normal" tables (the indigenl rag-cla{ urine-

233
 Clase-tqt - Tlrc r?21 Sesre$ of lttagic

reeking masses) and I just do one trick psr table Q

knou'ftat's a little harsh but I'm a magician not a
revolutionary.)
What's mor€, if I can ge,t two of these tables to
participate in a singls visual tricb then I can kill
two birds with one Stone (Wh). Once f'ye made
some headway, I resume my normal tempo and
lavish my attentions on the VIP tables.
If there are absolutely too many tables and I
have to do as many as possible, I just look for a
table whe,re everyone's already seated and dive in!
As soon as the food starts coming ouq I look to
soe where the waiters are coming from md then
move to the opposite side of the room, which can
let me squeeze in a few morre tables before they're
served-
I also try to spot the floor manager-{he person
who, with the frenetic twitches of an orchestra
conductor, tells the waiters where to go-andmove
away from where they seem to be focusing their
atteirtion.
If I I'm in an utterly hopeless situation, I
see that
throw all my befier judgn€nt out the window, and
just start performing while people are eating.
As a result, some glgs end up looking more like
a Homeric battle scene than an artistic performanc{e.
Given the number of tables, the time close-up
artists have is so short that spectators can barely

234
 TrE Monent of Action

apprrcciate what you'ne doinB. It's almost as if the

organizers said to the,mselves, 'I've got ever5flhing
lined Ip, blrt I've got this extra mon€y I don't know
uftat to do with ... rnight as well get a little close-
r4p m4gic."

It's as if somsone took me to a four-star

restaurant and gave me ten minutes to eat a five-
coume meal. You come away from evenings like
that feeling that you may have wasted your talenl
or at least didn't grve the kind of performance you
know you're cryable of. It's frustrating.
Whe,n the cardinal rule of adqting at all costs
forces you to go against the basic formula for
success regarding the trming of performance, the
result can only be less than satisfactory. hrst remind
younrclf trat it's not your failt and just try to make
the best of a bad situation.

Esiob[sh You]sel, os on Aufhortfy

With a bit of experie,nce, you'll be able to trust
your professional judgment in strate gtzing the best
approach to the tables. By this time, you should
avoid being unduly influenced by what event
organizers THINK you should do, but which may
be in fact a recipe for disaster.
For the,m, it's jtrst a show that you string together
with the beginning of the meal, like popping on
a video. Even people with experience planning

235
 Close-up Tt e real SeireE of lu{agic

evenrts arie often unaurareofthe differe,lrce betweeir

e,ntertainment at individual tables, which relies on
people's willing participation, and e,lrtertainment
m a stage ftat goes on whether or not an5fuody's
watching. Of cou$e, you can take the lafrsr
approach to close-up-$ut it's a train-wtreck.
For example, say the guests have just be€n
admitted to the banqtret hall or have just been
served the firlst courso of a meal. I KNOW, after
assessing the number of tables and the time scale,
ftat I will have ample time to visit ev€ry table.
I also know from expsrience that it's NOT a good
mome,nt to start performing. People don't know
each other yet and have often be€n seated more or
less at random. The ice is not b,roke,n. If I were to
perform now, I know I would get a much chillier
reception than if I gave the spectators a chance to
have a drink and chat a little bit.
Then if the organizer comexr up to me and sys,
'TIey you, magic boy! You're on!" I flash him a
smile that couldn't help but invite questiorur about
my brand oftoothpaste and ask'"!Vhy? Is something
else supposed to hap,pen that nobody informed me
about? If not, I've got time."
I explain gently (but firmly) that I want to do
what he's asking, but that my experience is that it's
not the best time to start. As I don't want to RUIN
the wening through a strategic blunder, I know it
would be better to wait a little bit longer.

236
 TTE Moment ofAction

If the organizer understands (as is usually thc

case), gleat. In his mrvelous Book of Magic, the
Fre,nch magician Jean Merlin explains why it's
important to know how to say't{O" (with the sarne
contrition as a Parisian taxi driver explaining that
he doesn't speak English). Experie,nce has taught
me this is true.
My clie,nts take me more seriously and treat me
withmore respect after an intelligent, p,rofessionally
justifieq refusal. If the organizer insists, I say,
"Okey4o1*, you're the boss!' So I say YES
(in fact, I'm the kind of person ufro dways says
Y.ES), but I still do whatever I want. There are two
possible sce,lrarios:
Firstly, I could stroll among the tables with my
fire wallet aflame or presenting Rocky Roccoon
like the catch of the day to the wome,lr I e,lrcounter:
"Excuse E€, ma'am. Do you like your animals roe
orwell done?".I don'treally ryproach an individual
table directly. I just try to arouse a gene,ral se,nse of
cnriosity for whe,n I visit the tables latsr on.
The second possibility? I spliq go to a strip club
or maybe home to watch a movie. That's not tnrr
I do spliq but I just hang around outside for a little
while and the,n come back whe,n I feel it's the right
time to perform- This is the approach I take if the
organizer is really trying to teach me how to do my
job. You have to be careful, though. I ge,ne,rally find
that people like that forget about you as soon as

237
 Close-tqt n c real kLre* of Magic

you're out of sight and go and deal with (or create)

other proble,ms. Forty dollas and thirty minutes
later, I saunter in \ilith the innocent look of a used
car salesman and get down to work
This is why it's important to know how to say
YES and the,lr do whatever you see fit! Don't forget
that you're the professional-the expert-in this
sitnation. Ev€,!r an experienced eve,nt orgfrizr,r
doesn't really understarul your trade. If you had
a plumber coming to fix a leak, would you stilt
out by telling him to unscrsnr one ptpe rafter thm
another? Not a chance? Well it's the sarne thing.
Of course, I adopt this strategy with we,nt
planners but NEVER in a restaurant where I'm
going to worlg evenjust occasionally. The manager
of a restaurant is a seryice professional too an4
more important, you'rr m his hrrf. (MV uncle
Be,rnard always eys, '"lVelcome! Make you$elf at
home ... but don't forget it's my home.')
The differe,nce here is that you should tacitly
ac*,qtthe rules of a restaurant if you want to work
the,re. Some restaurants have vlery clear ideas about
whe,n they want you to perform: during the aperitif,
betwee,n the order and the ffiznr, furing the
desse,rt...
The trickiest situation is whe,n it's a catsrer ftat
hires you for a banquet in a re,nted hall, but wants
you to stick to the nrles that work best in his or her
restaurant. Behave diplomatically, ifthey insist that
you go on at a time you think inopportune.
 Approaching a Table
"You'll narq get a second chorce
to makc o goodfirst impression"
John Molloy

ft is often said that we draw definitive

conclusions about people within a few seconds
of meeting ft€m. The $me is tnre when you
approach a groqp of people at a cocktail party or
in a restaurant. fts human nature: people want to
figure you out as quickly as possible, to make sure
you're OIt Thus you'll only have a few seconds to
se&rce your qpectators, gre them a chance tojudge
you (favorably, one hopes) and p€rsuade them to
grve you their attention.
First, they're going to sizs you up visually,
basd on your body language and attire. Next,
they're going to li$t€Nr to what you sound like. You
can't say much before they've already reached
their decision-are you hot or not? Believe me, it
alt unfolds in less rhan twenty seconds.

239
 Clase-up TTE rul koeu of ihsic

Ihe Speclrolor's lerllory

Of course, if people already know who you
are, the situation is much easier: your status ast
the magrcian will already be confirmed and there
will be a ge,neral bvn, zurrounding you. Gene,rally
people will gesture to yotl to show that they'd like
you to come over (or that you're better off saving
your breath).
If people have seen you make a big qplash with
others, they know you're a great entertainer. Half
your work is done. Just sarmter up wift a smile on
your face.
In most cases, though, peo,ple won't know who
you are. Ihey're not expecting you an4 one thing's
for sure: if you appear out of nowhere like a Greek
gd, bnshing aside glasses to make s'ay for your
magnifice,nt card maq there's a good chance people
are going to tell you to beat it.
Putting down anything on the table andbeginning
a routine without eve,n introducing yourself or
asking p€rmission is a bad way to begin. You'll be
met with confuse4 uncomforable, or even hostile
looks. It's a boorish e,ntance and a dubious start.
You have to approach the tables int€lligently
and politely. Remember, if the first table refises
yorl you've already dug yourself into a deep hole.
These precautions are especially necessary at the
beginning of the evening. Afte,r:wards, people will

?4o
 Apporching a Table

be expecting you and you won't have to go around

walking on eggshells.
The first tables are the touchiest, but also the
most important for the way the rest of your wening
will unfold. fbn't trcrsw them lryr. In every sase,
trust your instinct: therc are always tables that don't
want to be boftered and it's obvious. Don't waste
your time struggling to win the,m ovetr Ifyou really
feol like taking on a challenge, Bo back at the end
of the eve,ning.
In walk-around settings, you'll find it much
easier to break into a group of people. If you are
polite, have clean undersrear on, and are self-
assrrc{ then you shouldn't face any difficulties.
People ar€ mingling freely, and goups break qp and
form meur as conversations unfold" If you sidle up
to sweral people, even though none of the,m knows
who you il€, they all assume that you're probably
friends with one of the others.
Give,n the informal quality of a cocltail party,
people don't feel quite as relaxed as they do around
a private table, where eve,ryone has a cleady
demarcated temitory and role. Atable for spoctators is
like clearly delimited conque,red territory especially
in a restaurant where they're payrng for the right to
be there. It's the principle of the brcadbaskct one
would never think of asking a neighboring table,
even if people had finished eating, to pass the bread
ovetr When it comes to their breadbasket, people

24L
 Clase-up TTE r"al Secret of IYIagic

have a sensc of ournership, however fleeting, which

embodies their proprietary relatimship to thc table
as a ufuole.
T'io make $ur€ I don't botch the first tables in
a restauranl I begin with thc ones that look tre
friendliest and where I'm pretty confideirt of feeliag
welcome. I carefully scrutinize peo,ple's behavior
before picking my first table. If I can make passing
eye contact with a few people, it's wen bettsr
(especially with intimidating celeb,rities like Stcvie
Wonder).
When I started ouq I found smaller tables less
intimidating. I found tables with a corryle or maybe
four people inspired the most confideirce in me.
Paradoxically, those sarne kinds of tables look
unappaling to me today, because I'm more afraid
of intcmryting a private (intimate?) conversatiql
At big tables, by contrast, people are usually
celebrating a festive occasioq and they seem much
mor€ alrproachable.
In passirg, whe,n I perform for a couple sitting
alone, I avoid making the woman participate first.
Magic-and eqpecially close-up-is always a form
of se&rction (however subliminal). To make sure
that there's no mizunderstanding about my real
intentions, I ask the ge,lrtle,man to participate first.
Hopefully he'll get the point that I'm just there to
do a few tricks, not to hit on his sn eetheart

242
 Apprwhhg aTable

To really drive home the poinq whe,n I ask the

woman's nanre, I ahvays say, "Amette? Just like
my fianc6e!" This reassures the guy that you're not
trying to steal his grrl and hopefulty he'll let you
do your job in peace. By the end of the nighq it's
tough to keep all the names straighq but that's part
of the fim-

Ihe fhst Impresdon

B,ody langrrage has more of an impact on the
way that people will perceive you than anything
else. Stmding rry straignq smiling and projecting
an air of confideirce af,e the basic rules in any form
of seduction, and must be 4plied he,re.
I used to be very awkrnard- As a twnager,I was
very shy, frail for my ?Ea, and full of hang-ups. A
few yeanl aftsr starting to work as a professional
magiciaq I figured out something surprising: when
I put on my 'David Stone" costume, I felt more
confide,nt in myself.
I could approach people I didn't knorn'withorrt
fear, although in *civilian [ife," the smallest
inte,raction with someone could make me blush.
What wut it that could change in Eo, to give me so
much confidence, when I barely would have dared
to ask the time of a stranger in the street?
I had created a qpecific magcian's persona for
myself and being in that role gave me a kind of

43
 Close-up Ttre rcal W of Magic

security. But the question re,mains.-why does it

work? Why did people accept me at thsir tables
I
eve,n though was still just trat same gangty
awkrn'ard kid deep down?
The answer is thaq though the experieirce of
doing table after table, I unconsciousty assimilated
the basic behavioral codes for creating the illusion
of self-assurance. Self-assurance is, above 8[, a
state of min4 but it's also a de,meanor and a way of
carrying yourself.
A caveaf self-assuranse is not self-importance.
Don't forget that you're there to entertain people, to
show the,m a good time. Succeeding at trat entails
a certain serrse of humility. Try the,n, to establish
an atuosphere of playfulness immediately anF
above all{on't take yourself too seriously. You
have,n't done anything yet to prove yourself in the
spectators' eyes.
Whatl learne( in spite ofmyse[, canbe summed
up in a few words applicable to anyone. Whe,n you
alrproach a table, move decisively and without
hesitation. Be as natural as my ex-girlfriernd's hair
color and smile openly but not exagge,ratedly, and
do yotr opening immediately.
People can see hesitancy, and they can feel it.
Showing uncertainty is L sure sign of weakness.
Ifyou hover by a table with your back stooped
anxiously waiting for them to fidsh their
conversatior, you risk looking more like a sad

244
 Approehing a Table

sack fr,esh off the bus from Despe,rationville who

is lmking for a handoul than a self{onfid€Nf artist
poised to entertain.
Think of the waiters who come to take an order
or sewe the foG-they're not the least bit nervous
about crffiing off people's conversations. Of
courto, I usually try to show up during a lull in the
conversation, but that's not dways possible.
To make sure I capture a table's atte,ntion as
quickly as possible, sometimes I make my e,ntrance
between two people who ane talking. I use this
approach prefe,rably with a man and a woman,
because I find they're easier to intemrpt than two
men talking shop (unless they ar€ having a fight!).
As $rcn as you arrive at a table, plant your two
feet firmty on the ground and don't shift around
as if your legs were as restless as frogs in mating
sesson-ss beginners commonly do.
People are going to be si-ing you up, looking
you oyer from head to toe, ild the first thinB you
say is going to grve them a good idea of who you
are.
As trivial as it may soun4 the tone you use in
greeting is of primordial importance-it should
reinforce the impression of confidence that you've
hopefully already conveyed- If you say "Good
eve,ning!" with a rising intonation (as one would
pose a question), your e,ntire e,ntrance will be much
less forceful than if you pronounce "evening" with
a rising thanfalling intonation.
 Clase-up Trre rul &LTaB of lvlogic

If it sounds like you're asking a question, the,n

you're asking for something. Whe,n you're asking
for something, you're in a position of weakness.
Think about it I ftink you'll agree that it's much
bett€r to say *good tevq.Lning," gving the words
an air of affirmation. The tone rises on the first
syllable of "evening", and the,n falls on the second-
This highlights yorr conviction and gives
weightiness to your e,lrtrance. (Don't change your
voice, though; you don't want to e,nd up sormding
like a constipated Darth Vador.)
Ofcourse, whatyou'll say next is also important
and will reinforce people's qrinion about y(xr. In
planning your banter, avoid questions like *Do you
like magrc?" or *Do you want to see a trick?" If
som@ne says'tlor" you're dead in fte grate,[.
As this point, I try to establish eye contact with
everyone present at the table and dtop another
*good teveJning"
on anyone that seerns to go on
talking.
Eye contact is indispensable becaurc it allows
you to mdce individual spectaton feel personally
involved and hence less likely to ignore you.
To look someone in the eyes is to reaffirm their
existenco-why do you think they put a hood over
peo,ple's heads before sending the,m in front of a
firing squad? Q know that's an unpleasant image,
but its 7:53 AI\d in Paris right now).

z+6
 Apprwhing a Table

So as sq)n as I arrive md the,n throughout my

performance, I look ever5fuodyat leastonce directly
in the €V6, smiling like a domesticated shark (OIq
it's a stretch).
Tho wonderfirl Spanish magician Juan Tamariz
compar€s eye contact to a ftread that connects you
to the spectators: do whatever you can to avoid
breaking the th€a{ he argues, or you risk loosing
their atteirtion- It's all the more important whe,n
you're 4proaching a table of people you don't
knou'because it's not their ottentiotr you risk losing,
but rather their inffiis much worse!

Thc Approoch: IWo Schools of lhoughl

At this poinq barely twenty seconds after arriving
at a table, I either introduce myself or launch right
into my opening tricb depending on the method of
approach f've chose,n to adopt. When it comes to
how best to rypiroach a table, there are, in facq, two
distinct schools (and classes are full---mrry).
lhe first school prefers to urc the effect of
surprise, hitting a table out ofthe blue and rurprising
people with a flashy opening effect-and then you
take it from ft€,re. The effectiveness of this method
rises or falls on the shength of yorn opening trick
(see the following chapter). Keep in mind that
whe,n you're broaching a group of strangers, you
risk shattering a mood or intemrpting an important
conversatioll.

47
 Cbse-up - ne r"al SweB of Llagic

The second school says that you have to

armtxmce yourself; gving m introduction (rdsum6,
social security number, serual orie,ntation ...) and
explain that you are a magician (born to e,ntertain).
This polite, formal approach employs the basic
rules of etiquette ftat you would us€ in any social
setting.
Thurcticalty this is the propsr ryproach to
take since, rmlike the waite,rs, wG don't have my
recognized right to enter into the private space of
the table. By inhoducing yourse[, howwer, you
court rsjection: people might have misconce,ptions
about magc (like it's just for kids) or think that
you're looking for a handout (which isn't far from
the case if you're working for tips).
Sometimes it can be bett€r just to zuck the,m
right into a performance without g-ving the,m the
chance to think about it too much. Personally,
I've never realty been able to choose betwee,n two
things I like. If someone asks E€, "do you want
chocolate cake or apple pie for dessert?" I'm likely
to say'toth!"
And both of these schools of thought appeal to
me for different reasorur. Each has its advantages
and disadvantages an4 yef again, the key word is
adaptatioz. It's the circumstances that will dictate
which approach to employ, independently of your
individual prefere,lrces.

zl8
 Appodrhry oTable

There are $rme situations wher€ showing up

with a fmring wallet would make me look like a
huge cornball. In other situations, it's jnst the thing
to captrc the public's affe,ntion As I ge,ne,ral rule,
I'd sny I like to srFprise big tables with a flash effect
(each person will think that someone else at the
table knows me and no one will take the initiative
to reject me).
Ihe sarne goes for L table of young people,
fellow artists, or pleasure-seeking revelers. But
whe,n it comes to tables wift couples, older people,
or people that sesm to be meeting to disctrss
something important, I prefer a more consert ative,
traditional ryproach"
With time, I've tried to blend these two
approaches together, and the techniqu€xr I use today
combine the best ofboft worlds. Thus, Ey opening
tricks ofte,n meet the standards of politeness
and etiquette (see the chapter 15, 'The Opening
Trick), ild the way I introduce mys€lfis always...
rurprising!

A Filend of Yours Is o Fdend of Mlnel

The advantage of private parties is trat most of
the guests personally know your e,mployer. I take
advantage of this situation, passing myself off as
a friend:<f the family, the gfoom, or the host for
example!

249
 Closeatp Therctl W of Lfogic

That guarantees me morr rcspect from other

guests.I avoid introducing myself as a nogbior,
but rather as a friend, first and fore,most, who
happ€ns to do some ma,glc. As a frie,nd to the hoet, I
logically become a potelrtial friend to the guests.
I might start out at atable sayrng that I lost a bet
Erith the hosL and that I have to do a magic trick fc
them. I add that they're lucky, because if thc host
losL they would have be€n treatod to a stripteasc!
Then I ask the,m to indulge me because, s'v€,!l if I
practice all day long, I'm nsy€,r sure ifmytricks arc
going to work or noL
After an introduction like that, pcople don't
honestly think that I'm going to be able to perform
anything rese,mbling magc as they know iq so I've
got the,m off guard" The,n I plough straight into a
shortkick-ass trickwith a feu'flourishes and akiller
climar. They're so surprised that they're generalty
qrcechless. By the time they rabze I pulled the
wool over their €v6, it's too larc: 'tlot bad for a
beginner!"
This approach allows me to double the impact of
my first trick it's normal for a maglcian to produce a
magic effect; ey€,n ifthe trick is good, people arr,n't
surprised that he could do it When a TV re,pairman
comes to your house and gets the image back after
pushing a few buttons, ev€n though you'ye beql
fiddling with the damn thing all afternoon, you're
not srprised. That's his job (that's u/fry peqle like to
see magicims ft$ fteirtrids--for a chmge ofpace).

250
 Apptwmng aTable

But ufrc,n your ar'@ge Joe Six-Pack ambles

up out of the blue and blows your rabbit ass away
wift a min&boggling killer eff4 it's a little mor€
cxtraordinary. The sane trick presented under these
cmditions can have a much stronger effect because
no one Eses it coming.
Whcn I'm working in a restauranl I ofte,n
intro&rce myself at a table as a *friend of the
ownerr" ufro asked me to come over and show the,m
a fsw thi"gs trey might like. Patrons in a restaurant
always apprreciate feeling like they've bem singled
out for some special serrrice. By announcing myself
as a frie,nd of the owneq I dramatically increase
my chanccs of bcing well-received by fte clienrts.
Maybc they don't want to run the risk of having
the owncr ofthe establishment qpit in their food for
having insulted one ofhis friends.-nho knows? In
any event, it works.

Someone Tuns You Awoy

I don't like iI not one bit. But if som@ne &ops
the dreaded *no, no thank you,'what are you going
to do?
If you been hired for a gl1g, it doesn't really
matter-it's irriating maybe, but it just mearu one
less table to do. If you'rr at a restauranl however,
working for tips, the,n it's a real pain in the you-
knonr-what. Hone$Iy, ttere's nd trat mtrch you cm
do, becattse you cm't fuce people to watch your acf,-

25r
 Clase-up Trw rcal Secr6 of llhgic

flon't forget trat you're on fte spectators'trrf:

they're the mes witr the fest mdq the table.
Don't insffi. You might be able to come back latsr
in the wening. After following your triumphmt
@ at other tables from afar, ftey may,
after much gpashing of teeth md blistering self-
@ ask you to come back In gene,ral,
I get the best tips from tables thdtumme avay at
first but then invite me back latsr in the we,ning.
If someone tells you to shove off, the most
importantthing is to Fve the iryression ofnotbeing
both€red by it--keep smiling and ast as if you'rt
relieved to have one less table to do. Make $re the
other tables do NOT notice Sat someore fillned
you down; ftis could set offa chain reaction, with
other tables following the first table's exrnple.
In cases like this, keep smiling, grve a littlewave
(wen if you'd really rather flip the,m the bird), and
wish the wet blankets a'?ood eve,ning." At this
point, I generally walk to another part of the (xlrn.
This allows me zubtly to leave a bad experi€,nce
behind Ee, with class an4 I avoid getting fimny
looks from people who may have seen what
happened at the first table (which could put me in a
foul mood).
Then I dive right in at another table without
missing abeat. Ofteir the people who initiallyrefirse
me keep watching out of the corner of their eyes,
and I want to them to see another table greeting me

252
 ApptwltuEaTable

wift "anms olrcn" so to spcak If I wait too long, I

might start to consider (*how can I slash their tires
wifrotil ayone noticing?'), ufrich could interfere
with tho rcst ofmy perfommce.
As with werything in life, if you are positive
and self+onfident, the risk of failure or rejection is
much smaller. Your state of mind shines through in
weryftingyou do. Ifyou're thinking, "I'll neverbe
able to do it " you're creating the ffiect conditiout
for faiture.'Whe,n people send you away,deep down
you may have been asking for it,
I oftcn thmt that the rgasm for most rejections
lies wift fte magrcian rdher than the qpectators'-
who rcn't really spectators in the first plaps. They' re
just people ufro went out to @t, not expecting
anyone to impose a performance on the,m.
I'U gtve you an example (enjoy it, it may be the
last): imagine ftat a stranger comes up to you on the
stest and tries to get you to taste some chocolate
ice+ream, pnomising it will be the best you've
ever had Even if the ice cream truly is the best on
Eartb you frtuy be on a diet or siryly not hungry
at the mome,nt. lvlaybe you don't like ice cream,
you'tt lactose intole,rang or zuffering from a bad
case of Monteama's Rwenge. Mayte you're just
in a hurry. Ther€ are lots of good r@sons why you
might politely say 'ho," and then shove the damn
ice crrgarn in the guy's face if he insists, the jerk.

253
 Claseatp - Thc ral *sea of Liagb

In table-hoppirg, it's the lnme deal. This is rvhy

after a spectator says 1nd'I always rEflwt m rvhA
I might have done wron& in t€rms ofmy demeanor,
my approach, or in my frame of mind- Once I'm
back home relaxing with a nice bowl of chocolate
ice cr€am, I try to figrrre out what I couldhave done
better.
The Freirch magician CraEtan Bloom has a
presentation ufren a table doesn't wmt to see any
magc. He says something like: TelL let me just
show you my best trick The Vanishing ltdegiciu"
Close your eyes ...and poof, I'm gone! Bye ..."
and then he leaves the table. He then tries to get the
biggest reaction possible at the next table, using a
visual trick that the first table can sEe.
Ideally, the people who refirsed him will rtaifizr.
what they are missing out on, and call him back
That's c€rtainly preferable to shrinking away with
the fare of an abused Fox Terrier cringng ftom its
sadistic mastsr's blonrs (this €xamplc was sponsorcd
by the Society to Prweirt Cruelty to Animals).
Eve,n if I don't recomme,lrd insisting smetimes
it is interesting to show a litle t€nacity and take
another spproach-terc's more than one way to
skin a cat (not an SPCA approved expression):
When a table simply sys, "i{o, thank you!", it may
b€ due to a minrnderstanding. You can respond
directly with a broad smile, "No?.. 'Why not?" Often
they'll respond, 'Te don't have any money!" Then

254
 ,apprwhhry oTable

ask,'Why? D'o yqrwmt some?" andthenproduce

coins orbills wift flashlrqlrer ...
Another example: Someone at the table tums
you dos'n wi6out asking anybody else. He simpty
doesn't care ftat other people might like to see
some magrc. Eve,n if this is the Lcodersottttrs Rer,,
you need to know how to deal with the sifintion.
Sometimes a quick glance at the other people
at the table can yleld important insights: someone
else might seem genuinely int€rested in seeing you
perform (hence the imporance of establishing eye
contact).
In nrch instmces, I just say: "Oh, I see you are
malring decisions for everybody else ... Maybe
it's because you are paylng for everyone else ..."
Gene,rally speaking, his companiour are thrilled by
the proposal!
Still, eve,n if I then get the go-ahead to perform,
it's not unsommon for the penrcn who initially
refirsed me to harbor a grudge. This makes serurc
whe,n you consider that you've mounted a serious
challenge to his leadership at his table. To return to
our prwious analogy, it's as if he said "no" to the
chocolate ice sream, but all his friends said'?es."
The,n, whe,rr they're enjoyrng ig he'd rather stick to
his guns rhan gtve into the craving to try the damn
ice cream and come offlooking like a hypocrite.
These days, with all my experie,nce, it's much
less common for a table to refirse me. When I think

255
 Closeaq T'lE r"al &crets of Magic

about it, I'd far as to say it has become a

ey€,!r go so
rarity. Having an ryproach md a de,meanubeyond
reproach (that's my goal at least), don't give I
spectators any obvious reason to reject E€, and
whe,n people do decline, it's gene,rally in a polite
mannef,'.
Often people are dmost 4ologetic for saytng
no: 'I'm sorry ... Graony Frmces justpassed oIt ...
We have,n't heard from her lauryer ye|- so we'te a
little preoccupied."
 - Chapter 15 -

IIre OpeningTrick
To the t{oit e D of a rcstourot
who lros ukcd what he wouW fikc
the mtsiciots to play:
"If they rcaW woil to makc me
hqyy, tell then to play dominos!"
Jean Yanne

The opening trick serves to justiry the

mome,ntary intemrytion you're producing at atable
and to prove trat you ilo, without a doubg the best
magician your improvised ptrblic has ever been
lucky enough to see! (What's more, you're like a
hero because nobody had much of anything to say,
and they were getting tired ofjust blinking at each
other!)
If your opeidag trick is also your mode of
approach to a table or a goup at a cocktail party,
it has to be particularly effective and fast, and it
should involve zrccessories commonly found at the
table or in people's possession (an ounce of reefer,
a bowling ph, etc).

257
 Claseaq ITre rcal *L'rea of fdagic

I[, howwer, you've already intnoduced yoursclf,,

your opening tick qan be longer and involve mol€
unsommon accessories. In either case, it should be
vcry visual, enabling everyone to see, &d malong
snre to capttrre their atte,ntion. In other words, you
should almost nev€r do an o,pening trick that relies
on the abldop!
I should point out that onse weryone knows that
I'm the magrcian at an eve,nI md that I'm going to
be performing at the tables, I don't really urc my
opening trick my more, but just dive right into my
ast.
Here's a hint before approaching a groqp of
people, try to figure out what language they're
speaking ... arrd urc it in your opening tick! It's a
small detail, but it can really reinforce the str€ngth
ofyour approach. Ifyou don't speak their langu4ge,
you can start offwift purely visual effects. To find
out their language, I listen to their conversation or
ask one ofthe waiters. This canbe important inthose
not un@nrmon (but nwertheless bizane) cases in
which people politely listen to you blathering on
for five minutes before managing to say a ... Do ...

The Good Somorllon

This is my favorite technique for approaching
a table. I pretend to pick something up off the

258
 TrE OpafingTri*

floor and ask whm it belongs to. The idea is to

rypnoach a table to GIrre sometring, not to ask for
something.
I developed this method (especially using the
fire wallet) while worting at Ia Yoile Roug*l
couldn't get anyone's atte,ntion without using
gimmicks like that. Ever5ilhing was against me: a
bar on the beach; mnsic as loud as in a nightclub;
spectators (if you can call the,m thaD totally wasted
and showering each other with champagne; drop
dead golgoous girls dancing entirely naked on the
tables ... Ideal conditions, right?
After all of the lecfircs I'ye grveir, this method
has be€n widely adopt#I'm very honored to say
that it's almost become a classic. ft makes your
e,ntrance easy and attracts attention right to you.
On the one hanq weryone's curious to find out
who ourrrs whatever it is I seem to have picked
q). On the other han4 this strategy reqpects all
the principles of good etiquefre: a well-mannered
person would naturally inform a stranger who
dropped something (TIey, Miss! That your tampon
on the floor?' ...). Finally, it surprises spectators,
because they genemally don't anticipate the effect
that follows (othe,ru'ise, maybe they've read this
book-watch out!).
At a cocktail party, I might drop a dollar coin
ufrile passing by a group (the old dollars arre big
e,nough to make a noticeable sounds when they

259
 Closeary TTre rul fucruts of L{agic

hit the floor). People stop talking and look at the

floor. Naturalty, I'm quicker (and smatrsr, more
handsome, stronger ... and certainly more vain).
Aftsr picking qp the min and asking whom it
belongs b, I examine it and disconer it's a dollr
(what a ftaud to boot). I offer it to a young woman
sqring she can keep it, and then make it disappear,
only to reappear in thejacket ofanother sp@tator . . .
and so for&.
At tables, as you can imagine, I like to use the
firc wallet. I hide it in my hands md walk behind
the tables. When I find one that looks like a good
I stop bchind a man, and point down
place to start,
as if
there was something on the floor. I pretend
to pick rrp the wallet from the floor, sayrng, "Be
careful not to lose it!" The genfle,man's hands
urually instinctively go to his pockets (the richer
he is, the more frantic the gesture witl bFuseful
knowledge to have). Then he may ask his dinner
companions-{oing all my work for me! It's
natural for him and practical for me ...
At this mome,lrf I say, "Well if it's not yours,
let's look inside and see whose it is." I back up to
look in the wallet ... which suddenty bursts into
flames.
The people closest to me usually leap back, and
their companions laugh at their startled reaction.
Sometime a spectator lite,rally jumps lry or a lady
has a spasm like a harpooned whale, h which case

z6o
 TrE OpnhgTrick

I say, "Sorry for waking you!" Then I continue,

"So that's ufry they say money cao burn a hole in
yourpocket."Afew laughs, ildwe're off. Careful:
f)on't op€,n the wallet in front of people's faces.
First for safety reasons an4 second, becarrse the
smell ofgas is unpleasant<specially while you're
eating.
At other times, I pretend to pick up a bright
colored lightsr from the floor and I ask 'Excuse
Do, is this yorus?" Whateve,r the response, I say: "I
don't know if it's you$, but it works quite well!" I
light ig caressing the flame, and it produces a flash
as gant as my ego. The light€r appears to have
transformed into a rose :N red as a tuberculosed
Oristiti ass which I offer to a young laty or affix
in my lapel if there are only dogs at the table (iust
kidding! Come on it's just a book ...).
I keep the rose if there is more than one woman
at the table, and I don't want to make one feel
qpecial at the e4p€,!rse of anothetr I grve the rose to
a worran if she is the only one, or if I have other
flowers to gtve out during my routine. I've ev€,!l
placed the rose in a half-full carafe of water, using
it as an improvised vase!
Explanation of this striking effecfi I use a pull
to make the lighter disappear, and in my right han4
| finger pah a rose with flash paper in its bud. (If
your pull breaks before a grg,you can jerry-rig one
out of one or two black modeling balloons. You

z6t
 Closetq thc r"d *crvts of Llagic

can also use these handy accessori€xt to rcplrce a

trouser belt or ev€,n b,races.)
You can pret€nd to pick up anything you want
ftom the floor and start a magc trick with it a
coin, a spoon (to do the qpoon be,nding routine),
banknotes, a color-changing knife. In shorq try
anything that holds the promise of creating a
magical siuration and that wouldn't be too unlikely
to find on a restaurant floor (TIey, ufro's magic
waud?').

Ihe Gmof GMng

A magtcian friend of mine, Fabie,n Rouilleris,
developed the following approach: he comes up to
a table and asks if the people have received their
tickets for the rafle: 'They're gving the,m out
at the door for fre*you didn't get one?" This
captures people's atte,lrtion and makes the,m wonder
why they've been so unjustly denied the right to
participate in the raffie.
He then takes out two pieces ofneatly folded flash
paper from his pocket and sks, '"lVhich one ofyou
generally has the most luck?' (Participation and
inte,raction). He lighs the selected paper, prodtrcing
whatflrer he's going to use in the routine from the
flash (a deck of cards, a @i& a marker ...).
If wer people say that they're not interested in
any stupid raffie anyway, he replies, "Oh, too bad.

z6z
 TrE ApafingTri*

The tickets ar€ free and there's a bottle of Dom

Perignon to win!" Then he turns and starts to walk
away. Beliwe DG, most people call him back!
Sometimes he changes the scenario, showing up
instead with a p€,!r (or whatsver object he's going
to use in his routine). He asks if everyone got the
ftee p€n that they're gving out at the front door.
As people don't generally refirse a gr& people say
no. He explains that he'll s€e if they have any le&
because it would be a shame to miss out on a magic
p€Nl ... ard the stage is set!

Ihot'll Show'eml
I also like to surprisc my spectators by catching
the,m offgrrard- Often I use the classic broken glass
routine: a champagne Blass in hanq I walk try to
a group of spectators and propose a toast, 'Tlello!
Here's to your health!" Whe,n my glass touches the
spectator's, the base of my glass seenu to break off
and fall into my other hand- I feign annoyance and
Fstend to fix the broken glass (palming the ertra
base).
*It's bett€r to put it back together, it brings
good luck."
Sometimes I ask for a light€r from someone
who's smoking a cigarette (because if it's a joinf
f'm at the wrong prty). Taking the light€r, I get out
a piece of flash paper from myjacket pocket. I light
the paper and make a cigarette (or something else)

263
 Claseary TTE rul kset of lrfogic

appear, and then use it in a routine (cigreffie in the

jackeq cigarette mmipulations ... if thc lighter has
an inscription on one side, I might ev€,n iryrovise
a paddle-move routine).
As you've probably guesse{ I like to use the
impact produced by flash paper. Sometimes I'll go
up to a table with a piece offlash paper in each hmd
(not big shee6, buddies! Just lifile scraps). I say,
'May I?" and point to a lighted cmdle. Because tre
people don't really understand what f'm getting aI
they don't know quite how to respond- I explain,
"I just want to borrow it for a secon{" and light
one of the pieces of flash papor over the flame. The
qpectators wonder ufrat's really going on, and I
feign astonishme,nt myself. I slowly move my other
hand towards the candle, while stealing with the
other hand (the third one) whatever it is f'm going
to make appear in the flash: a rose, a deck of cards,
a dildo ...
I like to play around- In the preceding list,
there's one object that doesn't belong-+ee if you
Gan figure out which one. Joking aside, I did rcally
make that object appear live on Fre,nch TV. You
should have seen the announc€tr's face! Check
YouT[be for that ...
The German magician Thomas Hierling, in his
excelle,nt book New Wave Close-Up, suggests an
interesting opening trick. You arrive at a table with
a covered platter and say something like, 'T/ho
needed the eggplant bib?"

z6q
 TTE Apangltick

Everyone's Gars prick qlr. People look at you

quizzicalty, but trey are lisEning. 't{obod5r asked
for a bib? Ihat's good, becanse I don't have one!"
Then you op€n the platter to rweal two sponge balls
or a deck ofcards (Ineferably on abed ofkale). The
ab$rdity of the situation will always make people
laugb, and then you can move right into your act
Keep in mind thd you'll need to find a place to set
the covered platter while you perform. hrtting it on
the table is out of the question-
In the sane frame of min4 somqone told me
about a magician ufro shoured qp at a table as if
he was going to take an order when zuddeirly his
notepad tumed into a deck of cards. And that was
just the beginning!

I ndlect Atierfio n- gelletr

Afinal t€chnique tryto get atable's atte,lrtion
is to
indirectly-from a distanco-u'ithout actually
penetrating inside of the social bubble. You may of
course want to try the approach of strolling sta*
naked arnong the tables, but I think magcians teld
to overrate it.
It's better to adopt a unique style of dress, a
fimny hat or tie, stc. Walking among the tables
with the Rocky Raccoon crr\ whe,n it's done well,
provoke lively reactims that you can hrn to your
advantage.

265
 Claneetp The r?al *cre* of ltlogic

You can dso try walking around witr what

seerns to be a coin shrck to your forehead- Some
schmo will inwitable say,'TIey what's ftat on your
forehead?" You reply, 'Oh, thanks for re,minding
me! I put that th€re so I wouldn't forget that I'm
$ryposed to do magic tonight.' Take off the coin
and offer it to the spectaton the coin is actually an
e,nonnous nail (One-Hand Su'itch) and contact is
established ...
In a cocktail setting, I sometimes prst€nd to be
looking for something on the floor ner a grotry of
people. As soon as someone asks what I'm looking
for, I say I lost one ofmy contact le,nses. rn ge,ne,ral,
people are more @ger to help ufren you'ye lost a
personal objecl especially something you need fon
health reasorur. Acting e,mbarrasse4 I ask a worran
if she wouldn't mind checking if my contact lens
isn't stuck in the oorner of my eye. Before she can
approach, I say, "Ob the,re it is, I can feel it!" and
gle the impression of taHng a huge piece of glass
out of my ey*in actuality the lens from an old
pair of glasses I had palmed in advmce. rn case
you were wondering, I don't need glasses any more
because I got laser eye surgery. It's the best!
At a restaurant, f sometimes try to anticipate my
arrival by approaching a table on some other pretext.
For example, I borrow some accessory (a pe,n, L
lighter ...) from a table other than the one where
I'm actually performing. When I'm done, returning

266
 TTre Apenhg Tfick

the object back to its rightful owner grves me the

perfect opportunity to perform ... especially if I
rettrrn the object by -akittg a surprising change!
This is also away to signal in advance to other
tables that you've noticed the,m, and that you're
planning to some their way. People can find it
ftstrating if they feel like all the other tables are
getting a chance to see a magician but theirs CDo
we stink or what? And where's the waiter? I've
be€n waiting for my Pqriq for an hour!').
This is why I'm always casting little glances,
smilin& and winking at people-just so they know
I see the,m.
One of the best indirect approaches is being
called over to a table by kids. Their reactions are
natural and spontaneous-it's easy to capture their
atte,ntion with anything a little out of the ordinary,
say, a firnny getup or colorfirl accessories (balloons,
sponge balls, ropes, €b.). Children are the ultimate
weiryon for getting people to agree to have you
perform at their tables.
It would take a real Ming the Merciless to turn
somebody away who wanted to amrse their kid.
The pretext is a natural one, and the pare,nts will be
astounded in their own right by the tricks you go on
to do. You can also look back at the chapter 12 on
'Making Contact'' for ideas for indirect attention-
gette,rs.
 L€TrouNormand
AGlassofffibffithe@
 Managrng Your Performanse
"Ctod is likc a Jetvish waiter; he
lras too mory tables."
Mel Brooks

The few€r int€rruptions there af,e, the mote

you will have people's undivided attentioll.
Unfortunat€ly, it's almost impossible to avoid
intemrytions altogether, eve,lr if it's just from the
waiters doing their job. It is, howwer, possible to
gve the imp'ression ftat these pote,ntial internrytions
don't int€rferc srith your performanco-and that's
of paramount importance (understood?).
The goal is to make sure that these int€Nrrytions
go unreeognized as such, either by incorporating
the,m into your act or by keeping the public's
attention foflsed on you alone. With experi€,nce,
you'll learn to anticipate the,m and to manage your
timing so well, that the spectators will have no idea
that, for example, some yahoo nedy snapped your
inyisible thread by putting down au ashtray wen
thorghno one atthe tablewas smoking{rd he do
that on ptrpose?

2V
 Closeary ITE rcal Seoets of lv{agic

Antfclpotf ng I nt'em, ptlons

In the first place, to take stock of all the potential
intemrptiorur and thereby avoid being dismrH in
the middle of a routine, try to anticipats whe,n fte
waiters arre going to serve. At catered events where
everyme is sertred at more or less the sarne time,
cut your actshort when you see the waiters alriving
at the neighboring table; the barbarians are at the
gates!
NexI you need to try to control internrptions as
much iN possible. For example, whe,n a waitness
brings the wine and asks who wants to taste iI you
can say, 'tlot me! If I wetre to do that at every table,
I'd never get through the evening standing up!"You
thereby regain control of the situation by making
people laugh. As a general principle, if you get the
person causing an internrption to participate in your
routine, or you otherwise integrate the intemrption
into what you're doing, you won't be thrown far
oFcourse.
If a telephone starts ringng, for example, I'd
say something like:
*If itb my wife, tell her I'A be a
little late!"
If a waiter shows up with hot f""4 step a littte
to the side, but at the same time grve a spectator
something to examine, in order to keep the atteirtion
focused on yourtrickuntil you reach a climax. Then
move on to another table, all without gling the
impression of zulking away with your tail betrveen
your legs.

272
 frlotaging Your P *fonnorce

As I said before, o, empty stomach lras no aars.

Once the food arrives, people will be much less
interested in magic. Nsve,r forget that in the grand
sche,me sf things, e rack of lamb or a sirloin steak
precode a m4grcian in order of importance. LJnless
you can start let itating or'er the table or make tbree
long-legged, sequin-clad lap dancers appear on the
tabletop, don't count on keeping people interested.
Howwer, whe,n the waiter comes to remove the
plates, you can continue performing---circle around
the table in the sarne direction just in front of him.
Othem'ise, he'll get in front of you and it'll look
like you're in the way of the staff.
There are always unforeseeable intcmrptions.
Someone can join your grorfp of spectators without
noticing that you're performing and just start
chatting au/ay. 'Tlhat's rlp guys? Sorry I'm late.
Hey, BiU, got twenty bucks I can borroW? The
taxi's waiting outside ..."
This kind of oll-ffi intemrption is
harder to smreep under the rug. In general, I usrally
say hello right away and intro&rce myself (unless it
is the CEO ofTime-Warner greeting some important
board me,mbers). The,n I try to get the newcomer to
participate in the routine: "You're timing's great!
I was just telling your friends I'm going to show
the,m something really special-why don't I do it
with you?" That's always bett€r than, 'Tlere's $20,
nour beat it!"

273
 Close-up The rul kLTeB of IilaSrc

Remember lfie Tobles Where You'Ye

AFeody Perfiormed
You'll Wickly raliznthat one ofthe challeirges
of table-hopping is just re,me,mbering which tables
you've already performed at! Exccpt at hrrge
banque6 (over 300 peoplQ, the tables are rarcly
arranged in orderly columns and nows, for acsthctic
rqasour. They are instead gene,ralty uranged
according to other crit€ria=-{he sh4e of the rcom,
the interior decoration, optimal nse of space, sigbt
lines to the stage, etc. There may be nothing about
the layout that gves you an obviolut path ihat you
can follow mechanicalty, like a train on a track,
you're more like a Roomba (don't know uftat I
mean? Just check an urban dictionary ...). For all
intensive ptuposs, the tables are scattered, md
you've got no choice but to re,me,mber which table.s
you've already hit.
Eve,n whe,n the tables are set up in rows, ?
magician rarely works the,m in order from the first
to the last It's more corrmon to go to the tables trat
seem most disposd at a particular mome,nt--{he
on€s that meet our parameters regilding the ideal
mome,nt to perform: the order of courses, the tJrpe
of clie,ntele, people's reactions, the blonde looking
beseechingly at you with come-hither eyes ...
What's more, it's prefe,rable to move throughout
differeirt parts of the room, Swing a serule of
ubiquity, and building exciteme,nt with applause
coming from every direction.

274
 Iilorag@Yow P*fomorce

Your s,pectators won't know that you've already

performed the same ast twelve times in eighty
mirutes for 120 people and that your first priority
is to finish all the tables, ed not to me,morize
wer!fuody's face! Unless thene's a magnificeirt
brunett€ vixen weuing a flewauf dress that would
make a clergyman blush, you'll probably have a
had time re,me,mbering ifyou'ye actually done this
or that table. What's more, if there are 30 tables and
you've split the,m in half with another magrcian,
you could end ry in a dile,mma
All that being sai{ if you show up at a table
where you'ye already performea and launch into
your act as if fu the first time, people wil be a bit
hurt-4ey'll think trat you've already forgottelr
tr€,m. Don't larrgfit happeird to me often ufren
I was just starting ouq and it still hrypelu to me! As
$rcn as I rcalizo the eror of my ways, I say, 'T.Io
just kidding ... I just wanted to come back and see
how things were going. You've really be€n the best
table of the night!"
So, what's the sesret to avoiding showing up at
a able three times with the same stupid smile? If
I have time, I'll draw up a little map of the tables,
whe,n I show up for a gl4g.It's just a hasty sketch on
a lirle piece of paper trat I slip into the cellophane
urapper of my cardbox, worth much less tran a
Picasso doodle. Th€,n I check offthe tables as I Eo,
kind of like playrng Bingo. ft only takes a second

275
 Closetpt - ITre rcnl Senets of lttagic

betweeirtables, ed it shows mevimallyhowmuch

prcgress I've mad€ towards finishing the room. I
rcalizs that this kind of clerical work is f- ftom
the romantic ideal you might have of a performing
artist. But you cannot leave anything to chance
or... to your memory (as IIfiry Loralme would
say).
Some magicians leave a balloon sculptrne at
a table to show that they've aheady be€n there
fleaving a little poodle is more classy than peeing
on the table leg lifu a poodle). Personally, aftsr
doing the torn-and-restored car{ I leave it laying
in plain view right in the center of the table. Other
times, I slide the card in with the sign or placard
often used to identiff the indivi&Bl tables at eve,lrts
like these, so that people know where to sit. Some
magicians leave a little post-it note with a pserrdo
prediction they used in their routine, or the kind
of sticker used for signing a card- Let's just say,
there are many syst€ms out the,re for leaving behind
virual evide,nce of which tables you've already hit.
No syste,m is infallible (wen in fair5rtales, the
trail of bread cnrmbs is particularly error-1rone).
Sometimes, o well-intentioned qpectator will bring
me back a card that I left behind as a marte,r. If the
do-gooder is a rnen, I gene,rally say, "Thmks, but
I prefer greenbacks!" If it's a woman, '"That's so
kind ... just don't forget to put your phone number
on it!" Depending on your tastes, you can invert the
seirtencgs ...
 Managlng the Spectatorsl
"Whensvq I
meet someone who
something like, "f nevq red
sarys

folasy litqahoe md I never see

honor films<tone of it is ,u1,"
I jttst fel synpathy fo, them. T'he
weight of thefantastic is too rmtch
fo, then. The muscles of their
inaginotion 01e druphied"
Stephen King
Dotse macabrc (via the French)

To t€ll the truth, it's hard to predict the way

spectators will respond based on prcconceived
categories or stereotlpes. When I was starting
ouL more experie,nced maglcians told me that the
toughest crowds were people in sales, computing,
or medicine. I was always eqpecially worried when
I had to perform corporate firnctiorur for clients
from these fields. I was convinced they would be
difficult audiences.
Expsriense taught Eo, however, that these
audiences are,n't better or worse than anybody
elsraot more difficult, and not more de,manding.

277
 Close-try TTE rul kcrca of Llagic

The tnffh of the matt€r isn't surprising: on any

grven evening, regardless of the socio-economic
background of your spectators, you're going to
always have some people who are friendly and
receptive, ffid others who are aqything but Of
course, it's less likely that you're going to get lively
reactions in a retire,me,lrt home than at the 96 annual
reunion of ex-inmates of Rikers Island! But in my
case, your object boils dorrn to the sarne thing:
seduce the public asse,mbled at the table.
Complime,nt th€,m. Entertain the,m. Enjoy
yourself, or at least grve that impressior
especially at the 196 table of the evening. Ihke it as
your mission to becomo, h less than five minutes,
the new friend everyone was delighted to meet,
and thanks to whom they spent an unforgettable
evening! Don't be just a magician; become a
'fuonderfirl surprise," the'tigh point of the nighq"
ev€n as corny as it sounds r"ioy personified-"

Dlfrerent Klnds of Spectqtors

It goes without sayrng that it will always be easier
to create a wann, amiable mood with spectators at
a private party than with the suits from some big
corporation. This is a function of the environme,lrt,
the composition of groups, the ties that link people
together, and the very pupose of the ev€,nt. At a
wedding, poople will breakthe ice quickly atatable,
even if they don't know each othetr For this reason,

278
 Mouging tlrc SpectAors

at any gE I try to get people to participate as much

as possible, offering the,m another occasion to get
to know each other and to give the,m something to
talk abouu 'Tlow'd he do trat!?'
flon't imagine that it'll be easier to entertain
ryareiilly "siryle folH'(at a cormty fak,let's say)
thm a rmmfirl of illustrious figrres (a conve,ntion
of cardiologists in Stoclfiolm). People in the habit
of attending big conventiorur af,e often accustomed
to performers, ed will grve you the time to run
through your spiel, if only to be polit€.
Educatedpeople fie ofte,nthe most captivatedby
magic, because they take in all the parameters that
make an effect totally impossible (the cards were
shufred beforehan{ the magician nsver touched
the,m, etc.). Less educated people may jump to
hastier conclusions: 'Torget it Jim! Everything's
in his slesrres." This could also be a matter of
differelrt ways of pcrceiving magic in ge,ne,ral:
the less educated peqple I'm referring to might
s€e magic as an insult to their inrclligence, or as
a challe,nge. In other words, they don't want to be
*tricke(" your goal. Feeling
eve,n though that's not
threateneq they might analyznyour tricks, looking
for an explanation that allows the,m to 'tome out
ah@d."
More educated people may be less likely to take
magc as a threat to their intelligence, rrcoguizrrg
in advance as a magrcian, your job is to

279
 Close-up TTre real Ws of lilagic

cneate an illusion, but only for the sake of their

amuse,me,nt. They take magc as it's snpposed to
be taken: as a form of entertainmenl not as a sign
of superiority or a challe,nge to their intellect ...
It's still hard to generarl,vn, howweq because
eve,n at a table comprised of people from similar
backgrounds, yor performance may elicit v€ry
different reactions.
One thing I would like to point: Weal6y people
are not the most difficult, the most disdainful, orthe
most disagreeable. There's no reaslon to fear their
parties more than any others. Quite the contrary-
they are often very atteirtive, especially if they're
paytng a pretty p€nny for you to perform.
However, if
your de,meanor bespeaks poor
marmers (or bad breeding, as they say), don't
be surprised by an lcy reception The only kinds
of events where f've met with flatout rude,ness
(bordering ev€,n on all-out conte,mpt) ftom
spectators have been at celeb,rity bashes: litle
starlets, tre,ndsetters and jetsetters, just don't have
the sarne sense of etiquette as I do. But that's
normal--they're from another plmet. It's difficult
to deal with that kind ofperson; better to wait until
they come back doum to earth (often without a
parachute).
That sai{ rcal stars are sometimes much more
approachable than you would 'ink, especially
whe,n you avoid starting your act by asking for an

z8o
 L{@ragfrrg the Spectators

autograph (do a routine with a signed card; they

won't wen notice!) I re,me,mber a day when, just
as I was walking into la Yoile Rouge, Bono, the
lead singer of U\ jumped up. Waving his af,rns,
he shouted to me acrossr the rooq 'TIey David!
Reme,mber us? Come over here!" I won't bother
to tell you how ea$y it was to approach the other
tables after that! ...

Don'l Glve lhem the Rod to Beqt You!

An ounce of prcventionb worth a pound of cure.
I avoid leaving:rccessories lyrng on the table. I also
avoid gring men things to examine-they have a
nasty habit of trying to play tricks that can throw a
monkey wre,nch into a routine ('So where ure the
cards nosr, Harry Potter?").
For example, if f've tumed a 20 dollar bill into
a 100 dollar bill and a spectator asks to see it, I
NE\reR grve it to him. Instea4 malce it look like
I'm going to hand it over with a false transfer.
Otherwise, you could be sure he'd put it in his
pocket and say, '"[hanls!" The others would laugh,
aud he'd think himself the star of the evening.
It's tnro-for the moment he'd have the upper
hanq doing his little act, and putting you in an
awkrn'ard position. As a resulg this would make the
bastard all the happier.
If he were to give it right back, that'd be great.
But if he didn't want to grve it back, you'd look

z8r
 Closeary TTte real Secrefr of l,Iagic

like a real dork, dangling there rntil he decided

to let you off the hook. This could be a loag timc
depending on his sadistic te,nde,ncies and hou'much
the othe,rs egg him or1.
Some people just don't know whe,n to stop an{
generally speaking, men are too ofte,n assholes to
risk gving the,m anylhing to examine. (Any of you
have an older brother?) Of course, this, too, is a
genemaltzatton You'll learn wift experie,nce to trust
your instincts an4 in certain situations, you'll find
thsre isn't too much risk in doing routines that lE-
quire you to place objects on the table. But, I rlain-
tain that the fairer sex is, on the whole, much less
likely to zubject you to dirly tricls without provo-
cation. (It can happeo, but the risk is less-+plash
some wine in her face and move on.) At worst, a
wortan could stuffmy coin into her bra.-hmr
but that actually has its ourn advantages!
If a spectator does end up squirreling away one
of my accessories and refirses to give it back, I'll
say, 'Tine, then I won't grve back your wallet!"
In gene,ral, that's enough to e,nsure ftat the person
gives back what they've taken. If a spectator really
seems to have no inte,ntion ofgiving back a bill trat
they've take,n, the,n I use the *guilt method". I say in
a serious voice,'Tine, you can finish the act. See,ms
like you're off to a good start." Then I split and
go work somewhere else. At some poinq I'll steal
a glance back at the table. The gurlty pafiy ends

z8z
 f,Imrqng tlu Spctatorc

np looking like a jerk and the other guests rcalizs

trat they've actually stolen something that doesn't
belong to the,m and that the magician doesn't
ssem ready to waste his time trying to get it back.
At first the smart aleck might keep clouming,
thinking that I'm going to come crawling back. But
trop€, I'm done with him. At a banque( I'll leave
him to stew in his juices for practically the whole
evening ... Since he's often surrounded by so-
workers, they'll begin poking fim at him, accusing
him of being a thief. After a while, the table might
try to call me over to have a drink, but I'll preteld
that I can't her them.
then the culpnt will probably either seird over
his wife to give back the thing he has taken (because
he doesn't have the balls to do it himself) or he'll
oome overto see me with a hangdog expression. Of
coume, I don't e,mploythis t€chnique with sornsone
who's drunh (he'll just keep the damn thing and
forget about it), or with a table of worked-up kids
where I'll probablyjust have to grovel (that'll teach
you a lesson). I also don't ure this technique in a
restaurant where anonymity can allow people to
overcome any feelings of guilt or lack of morals.

ll's Not o Compellllonl

The last thing you want to do is get into a
competition wift the spectators. This is why I
always steer clear of tricts like, 'T/here's the ball

283
 Clase-up - TTE real ksras of lY{agic

noW? Here? Nope! Better lucknext time, Crome,r!".

Itdqgic (especially in professional sifirations) should
be approached as a show, not a game at the end of
which there's a winner (the great magician) and a
loser (the pathetic spectator who hasn't understood
a thing. No more parenthetical re,marks.-it's really
getting annoying.).
As faras I'm concernd anyroutinethatputs the
qpectator in competition with the magician should
be avoided in table-hryping conditions. Likewise,
be wary of "do as I do" t,"e routines, where the
magrcian and the spectator have the sane things in
hanq but the former zucceeds in doing something
ouflandish, wonderftrl, ed qpectacular, while the
lattgr can't do anything, ends qp looking like a
camel's dingleberry.
For laymen, maglc is intrinsically theatening.
They can't understand it and have, at some level,
the impression of being treated like children. This
is certainly why some spectators have childish
reactions like hiding our accessories. The laynon
loses his bearings and neds to be russtd.
Ifthe magician adopts a '!ou haven't understood
any&ing! I'm the master of the universe!" attitude,
qpectators will certainly feel a kind of inferiority
compleX, which they will try to compeirsate for
wift rejection, indifference, or hostility. They'll
qp€Nd their time trying to figrre out everything,
examining the cards, looking behind your bacb

284
 ttloug@ tlrc Spectdorx

arilnng constantly to see your hands-in a wor{

doing everything they qm to try to dissnedit you,
proving that you'te not what you claim to be and
that
*magic is so lame."

As a general rule, don't use the spectator as a

foil to make you$elf look good- Of coume you
have to make younrclf and your magic look good,
but if you do so at someone else's expense, people
wifl feel it. There ilo, firndamentally, just two ways
to get people to hold you in high estee,m: showing
that you're good or shon'ing that others are bad
The first solution is, by far, the most honest, the
most gratieing, and-nost important-{he most
respectable. As for the second option? I,errrte it for
the politicians.

Reossure Your Spectotors

Your de,meanor should reassnre spectators.
They zue the ones you should try to make look
good- You need to show the,m defere,nce, &d allow
your actions and your words to prove that you don't
consider the,m sfipidbecause they don't understand
your tricks. Showing spectators that you consider
the,m to be intelligent will make werything easier
for you.
I said it before, ed I'll say it again the more
intellige,nt and/or educated people ilG, the more
they will find magrc surprising. lihey will fully

285
 Clase-up Tlre real Sesre* of lvlogic

comprehe,rd the impossibility of what you :re

doing an{ so, appreciate it all the more. Only
imbeciles are not surprised by magic--{hey're used
to understanding nothing!
Eve,n if you follow my advice, ild sve,n if you
are always as polite andrespectfrrl as possible (IVly
dear, dear W, would you please be so kin4 if I
may humbly ask, to do me the distinguished honor
of ... taking your friggin' hand out of my bloody
pocket!'), you'll ineviably come across spectators
who automatically want to e,lrter into competition
with you. In their minds, mogrc mearur 'I've GOT
to figure out the trick because NO ONE pulls one
over on me, damn it!"
People like this are insufferable. Not mean
per se, they're still big e,nough pains-in-the-ass to
screw up your e,ntire act- I find the best you can
do is ignore them. Sometimes you have to cut your
act shori I don't have anything to provHhat's
their trip. Plus, I don't want to wear myself out for
nothing. The deportuelrt of the magtc artist should
be enough to make spectators trnderstand that magic
is neither a game nor a challenge. It is an art.
Always show that you're interested in your
audie,nce. You want the,m to be interested in yorl so
you have to start out by proving that you're interested
in thec-it's as simple as that. Re,me,mber that we
don't pay ate,lrtion to people who don't display
aoy interest in rN as individuals. Ask the names

286
 filouging tlu Spetotors

of people ufrom you invite to participate in your

routines. Try to re,me,mber those names as long as
you'rc at the tablo-aeople are very sensitive about
this. Ask where they come froq if the confere,nce
is going well for them, and ifthey're having a good
time at the banguet (and if their food is any better
than the platter of steaming manure the catsrer
set aside just for you). Compliment a worran on a
lovely dress or original piece ofjewelry (wen ifyou
find it atrocious). If som@ne at the table is wearing
a cast, ask what happened an4 if you cao, tell a
humorous anecdote about your ourn misadventures.
If there are name-cards on the table, use them to
address everyone by niame.
Try to get spectators to feel invested in what
you're doing by getting them to talk about
the,mselves: have they seen magrc before on
television? Ilave they ever seen a magpcian live?
Do they play cards? Have they ever cheated? Have
they evef, be€n cheated? If you're using foreign
coins or cards, sk the spectators if they've ever
traveled to the places where your accessories ars
from. In shorl try to get them talking about their
everyday life, thereby demonstrating that you, as a
magrcian, are a worldly penxln able to find maglc
in eveqrlhing!
Don't get hung up on the buxom redhead flashing
you a Colgatero smile, oryou'll risk losing everyone
else's atte,ntion. Keep making eye contact with all of

287
 Closetp fTE r"d Senets of lt{ogic

the spectators so each psrson feels involved- Move

around the table to give as many people as possible
the chance to participate, but always come back to
the brcach for your climaxes and to surreptitiously
ogle the tenderthighs ofthe ravishing sire,n who has
be€n shooting you lascivious looks all eyening ...
 - Chapter t8-

Dealingwith
Audience Reactiorrs

"\4lren I ovqltet some jackasset

at a restanroil, I sufea but @n-
sole myself with the thought that
thcy could have been sitting with
me.t'
Fr6d6ric Dard
I*s pansCes de Sor-Antonio

Eve,n if professional magrcians always perform

the same tricks, their act is rarely the same-+ach
table reacts ditrerently, and the artist's demeanor
varies according to the situation and the spec;tators.
Close-up is based on a face-to-face exchanges
with the public; you have to anticipate that each
performance will elicit different situatiorur and
different reactions.+ome predictable, others not.

Foreseeqble Reodlons
Besides laughter, gasps, exclamations of
astonishment, slack jaws and gaping €vos, there

289
 Close-up Trre rcal *cteg of lvfagic

ffe, arnong foreseeable reactions, tre questions

that spectators invariably ask It's not everyday you
meet a magician. Because most of yotrr qpectators
may have never seen a magician in the flesb they
will probably ask a lot of Erestiorur about our
profession.
Unfortunately for us, these are gene,rally pretty
boring questions that we have be€n asked a thousand
times already. What's worce, they can b,reak rry the
flow of your performance. While the response may
be interesting to the penxln asking the question, it's
ge,nerally NOT entertaining for anyone els€. Here
are some classic examples:
- 'TIh€n and how did you start magic?"
- 'T)o you have a gtft or is it all hard work?'
- "Do you have to have big hands?"
- "How many hours a day do you practice?"
It's not possible to stop these kinds of questions
from popping into pmple's minds and then, almost
just as quickly, out of their mouths. ft's better to
have sritty "st@k srswers" ready. Ideally, these
responses should make people laugh and stop them
from asking more questions so you can get back to
your performance.
In order not to waste time, stock up on the pat
respomes. H€re's some old chestnuts:
- "Have you been doing that for a long time?"
- "f jttet ststdyqtqfuy, hn I've fuq, trainhg M!"

29(J^
 Dedhg witl, Audierce Rretions

-*Cmyoudoftat aguidl"
- "Well, a mogic trick is like a joke-it only works
once! "
- "Ca.n you guess my name?"
"Ilr{a'am, I'm a nogicigrr, I on not Jesus!"

- "Can you make me younger?" or "Can you make

the check disappear?"
- "Well, I do magic, not miracles!"

- "Can you make money a14rcar?"

"fufiy, I con only makc it disappear. Give me
some, mrd I'll show you! "

-'IIos, do you do that?"

"Do you btow how to kcep a sectet?.. Yes? Me
tool"
-'Can I shuffie the cards?"
"OK htt thenyon ha,e tofind it!" or "OK, but it
costs more!"

-'.Can you make my wife disappear?"

- "Thotb fimny, she just asked me the s@rre thing
about you<rd you btow thot ladias always
conefnst!"
orjust like my English friend Paul Martin says:
"I just did, hafon hour ogo, itwas gteatfwr!"
These comebacks have the double advantage of
being fimny (more or less) and of getting you out
of a touchy situation without rufling any feathers.

29r
 Closeatp TlE real Seoe* of lulogic

You qan find many mone in the works listed in

the bibliography. Agarn, adapt your pattcr to yotrr
pglBona.

Quick comebacks will prove to your spectators

that they're dealing with a real professional who's
used to dealing with all kinds of situations. This
will build your esteem, and the iryact of your
magc. Try to tbink up your own one-liners, yow
own comebackr-and always make it s€sm like
you're sayrng the,m for the first time!
You'll find that spectators wiU commonly
me,ntion another magician they saw '1nho stuck
a card on the ceiling! Do you know how to do
that?" they may ask Don't play that garne. If you
accepq you're playlng with fire. If you try to prove
too much, you elrd up proving nothing at all. It's
perfectly natural that spectators would want to
talk about a magician they had already seen who
left the,m with a powerfirl impression (eve,n if it
wuls a hach people generally re,me,mber the good
points). Say somebody 6k, "15r you as good as
So-and-So? We saw him on TV." Try to make them
understand that it's hard to oompare magicians
(eve,lr if there are some real e,mbM out
there) because magic is not a sport,but an art. Did
anyone wa,ste time trying to figure out if Picasso
was'bett€t'' than Van Gog[?

292
 Dealing with Atdience Ructiotts

Unfioreseeoble Reocllons
Unforeseeable behavior is more complicated to
deal with, precisely because you never know what
to expect. Afte,r a few yeanl of practice, you'll be
forced to admit that anything could happen in a
close-rry setting. You'll come across all kinds of
people: funny ones like the woman who puts her
hand on your ass; stupid ones like the jerk who
tosses your Jerry's Nuggets in the champagne
bucket just for laughs; and completely mean ones
like the guy that drinks the contents ofyour glass .. .
including the goldfish (this realty happ€ned to a
friend of mine. I'll keep is name secret in reqpect
but betrreen rur, I know his nflms is Etienne Pradier,
32 Roper Close. Roper Roa4 Cante,rtury Kent
CT2TEP. England- Tel-Fax:+M (0) 1227 785 012.
Email : an [email protected]).
Don't forget that entering into people's private
space san sometimes get you caught qp in some
pretty far-out situations. Some patrons think that if
they're payrng the biU or if they've been inr,ite4
they are entifled to do anything they want. And
once this kind of person gets drunh baby, all bets
are off. Re,member, you must NE\ER GET INTO
A CONFLICT with a qpectator-you'll always
come out on the losing end- Eve,n if you're in the
righq your employer \rill only re,me,mber one thing:
you're the maglcian he had aproble,m with-nd of
story. My advice? Keep a low profile and maintain
your composllre.

293
 Close-up TrE rul Sicrcts of ltlagic

loufuodhs
Curiously, it often works out that the
who might get you a little riled while you're
performing, turn out to be the frieirdliest people
whe,n all's said and done. The tables that politely
call you over and greet you with op€,!r anns are
not always the best intentioned- Sometimes they'll
completely igRore you once you actually start
performing-I've neve,r be€n able to figrrre out
why.

Ihe Pesl
In stno[ing conditions, you have to wort totally
snrrounded- Sometimes, at a restauranl you can
perform angle-seirsitive tricks. Because you have
your back turned to other tables, they don't pay
much atte,ntion to u/hat you're doing.
Eve,n if your tricks are well adapted to these
kinds of conditions, sometimes a spectator can
amble up to a group in the middle of your ast and
position him or herself in a most ,nfavorable way.
Often this is because all the other good views were
take,n, and the neurcomer didn't have many options
in choosing where to stand- I'll ofteir ask people to
step aside and make (x)rn: "Excuse me, Sir, stand
right hero-you' ll have a better view ofwhat's about
to happen." I sometimes get someone to move by
choosing them as a volunteer: 'T/hat's your nflinG,
sir? I need your help! Come he,re and examine this
object!" Or, 'tetre, take a card. Stand here to show
what it is so that everyone can see..."

294
 Denling with Audience Reactiotts

To understand a mqgcian's secrets, o[ you

really need to do is find the right angle ... and the
public knows it! If a qpectator voluntarily stands to
my side in the hope of understanding how a trick is
done, I might addrcss them in a mysteriors tone: "If
I were you, I woulfo't stand so close to me ... One
never knows what could hape€n with a maglcian!"
If it's a ki{ a quick slap in the fase should zuffico-
joking joking! I'd never hit a kid ... in public!

tlre Boll-busler
This variety of spectator is not meao, just a bit
coarse. It's the tJrpe of gtry whose friends have to
t€ll him to lay offwha,he get^s too worked trp. Not
an ogre, but someone who needs to feel like he's
the center of attention. If he s@rns to disrespect
you by touching your accessories or searching
your pockets while you're performing, keep your
mouth shut. Pretend that you didn't notice and
move around to find another place to perform at the
table Then, keep control of the situation. Try for
example, to make this person look good=-{his will
often appease them.
Yotrr sense of humor is often the best (and only)
weapon for getting out of situations like this: if a
qpectator is interfering with your performance by
talking too loudly, grve him a big Fre,lrch kiss at the
moment he least expects it-that'll trzually scare
him straight, so to speak ... If that's not your style,

295
 Closetp TrE rcnl Seovts of lrlagic

try this lineJean-Luc B€rtrand taught me: *Oh

yeah, someone told me there was a comic worting
tonight-alad to meet you!" Or,'I don't know what
makes you so talkative, but it sure worls well!"
There's another kind of ball-bustsr lurking out
the,re: the ones who have a m4gician buddy who's
obviottslybr.f;tor than you-you know, the guy who
bought a "d5rnamic coin" atastand in the mall wift
a sign that read *tsECOME A TvIAGICIAN IN 5
MINUIES!" and who immdiately understood
that magic is nothing but gimmicts. Or else it's
the guy who bought the David Stone DVD a day
whe,n he was feeling kind of de,pressed and who,
unfortunately, didn't fall asleep aftsr the 56 effect.
He knows 'lalming" and has rushed to show
everyone he knows where you qan hide half dollars.
With spectators like ftis, the best bet is to adapt
your act without showing that you're in any way
penmeA (otherwise your goose is cooked).

Ihe HecHer
The Big H. He's the one who's decidd to make
you pay for his shitty day at the office and who
ssern hell bent on having a serrring of pan-fried
Amu Magiciotttts for dinn€,r. Or mayh he just
doesn't like your style, your personality, or doesn't
appreciats the way the girls all see,m smitteir with
you (othemise quite promising).

296
 Dealing with Audierce Reactiotu

Maybe he's feeling jealous because you're

getting all the atteirtion. rn other words, he could
have lots of good reasons to want to put gum in
your geaf,s, sugar in yoru gffi, or a monkey unench
in your worts.
In general you can feel it coming on, like one of
the deeplyingpres$re zits: you can feel it growing,
but there's no visible evidence. Then zuddenly it's
the,re. You can see the meanness in his eyes just as
clearly as the shryidity. He seems to have about the
sarne capacity for slmpathy as Hannibal Lecte,r.
Happily, there are,n't too nany of these World
Champions out there, but there ire e,nough ...
With a disagreeable qrectator, I re,main firm,
trying to retain an air of levity. If that doesn't work,
no worries.-I beat it. Who cares?
In any eve,nI you can't do much if a spectator
decides to deliberately ruin your eve,lring. Only
your experie,lrce and yorrr aptitude for the bon mot
can allow you to hold your ground or escape the
table with your diftty intact. If I really come face-
to-face with a nasty one, I immediately cut bait.
The,n I bring out the big guns for the six surrounding
tables. Often the heckler's friends will re,proach
him for depriving the,m of your performance. On
this subjecf my father always sirys: "Evry lear
thqe ane mone assholes in the world. But this year,
I think nut yearb assholes one alrcady hete."
 Main Course
To Make SureYou are Frill
 - Chapter t9 -

Applause

Besides the fast trat applause puts me at

ease, encouraging me that f'm on the right track
and inspiring me to continue, it guarantees your
e,mployer that you're doing a good job.
When e,mployers hear applause ringng out
around the room, they know that you're fulfilling
their basic require,me,lrt entertaining the guesB.
You're offering direct, audible, proof that you're
providing the service de,manded of you

Gelllng Applouse? No Probleml

So, what are my personal methods for getting
applause from the audience? Well . . . f just ask for it!
I communicate that I want to be applauded from the
mome,nt I get to a table. If your audie,lrce applauds
you at the beginning, they'll keep applauding for
the rest of your showlrovided they actually like

301
 Close-up Tlre rcal Secrets of lv{ogic

it! It's important to zuggest from the beginning that

you'd aprpreciate some ryplause.
Thankfully, people often applaud spontaneously:
the stnrcture of the performance and your
charismatic personality lend themselves perfectly
to the natural outpouring of qmpathy. When a
show pleases them, people feol an almost physical,
visceral need to applaud: they want to share their
pleasure with everyone else, and communicate it to
other tables.
It's worth noting that in strolling sihratiotur
there's ofte,n less applause, which is normal
considering that people usually have their hands
full with glasses, plates, cell phones, &d purses.
Try to make them react in some other way: as for
E€, I raise the volume of my voice as I reach the
climax of a trich to induce people to react loudly. I
might even scope out people in advance who have
nothing in their hands to make sure I get some
applause.

No Applouse?
If the public is not applauding spontaneously,
try to figure out why: Is it that an effect left them
completely speechless? It happeirs, of course, that
an effect is so overwhelming that people simply
foryet to applaud.

302
 Applatse

That sometimes happens to me ufren I don't

introduce myself as a 'hagician", but rather as a
"family frien4" and then bust 'e,m, in the chops
with a killer effect. (They can't applaud and pick
up their teeth at the sarne time.) In this case, you
may have knocked the,m on their asses, but you'll
need to help the,m up again.
Is it a maffer of shlmess? Re,member trat people
don't come face-to-facnwith a magcian eyery by,
and some others rarely go out to eat. Your spectators
might not know how to react in a situation that's
completely new to th€m.
Afewyears oBo, I was performing forthe winners
of a garne-show called *The Millionaire." At these
eve,nts, I sometimes found that people didn't react
at all, much less applaud ... They simply didn't
know what to do!
Some of these spectators had never seen close
up magrc in their entire lives.<ne wouran even
cried when I finished a'tard-in-mouth" routine
('It's OIq ma'am. I do have other cards!').
She confessed to me that she nwe,r thorrght she'd
see a real magician so closle ... In, this sihration, the
scope of e,motion left little room for applause.
Is the space or the situation ill-suited for
applause? In a restauran! you'll certainlyhave more
trouble getting applause from a coqple doped up on
Viaga than from a table celebrating someone's 21r
birthday.

303
 Closeatp T'hc r"tl &crcts of Ltagic

Some spaces simply don't lend the,mselves to

boisterous applause: a fancy restaurant, a snooty
cocltail party, a ggat the White House .. . or maybe
the group ofpeople that you're trying desperately to
get a rise out of at a Viacom reception are standing
right next to the CEO? They certainly don't want
to be seen going nuts over a trick ('OH h[Y GOD!
That's insaaane! You are soooo awesome!').
In shorl consider the situation.
As a ge,neral rule, ifthe spectators don't applaud
after my first effect (the one following my ope,ning
tric$, I grve the,m a little stimulation. According
to the situation, I have two options: either I try to
induce the,m to applaud indirectly or, if that's not
enough, I take more direct measures. Allow me to
explain....

lndlecl RequesB
The easiestway is to solicit applause for someone
else at the table. I might e,ncourage spectators to
clap for someone who has assisted me in a routine
or le,nt me an objecl for example.
I also rlse body language to gene,rate applause.
The Swiss magician Roberto Giobbi gives a very
nice suggestion: Clap your hands once and slightly
berd your body as if you were taking a bow, sayrng
something like "thank you very much." Give this
technique a try-it always works for me.

30,4
 Applause

You can e,noourage applatrse by marking

silent paures between each of your effece. Stop
momentarily, look at your spectators with a smile,
and thank them with small nods, keeping your
hands in the air as if to say "so there you have it!"
Don't make any ofthose long and uncomfortable
Keanu Reeves in Matrix Ope paues though. If by
this point, people still seem reticont to applau{ I
know it's time to take the bull by the horns....

Dhect Requests
I have some little lines I say, always with a
light-heart€d smile. They make people laugh an4
depending on the atuoqphere, qan spark applause.
The fact of explicrtly asking for applause is
fimny in itself an4 when the request takes the form
of a clever little joke, it's all the more effective:
-'Voah, what a crosrd!"
- 'I can see you are too stunned to applause!"
-'I normally consider this to be m applaus€ 1rcint ..."
- "In general, this is when people burst into
applause!"
- 'T)id you like it? Another way of showing it is by
clalrping!"
- "Oh I forgot to tell you, all your applause will be
recorded!"
- "fhank you . . . Thark you for your heart-warming
enthusiasm!"

305
 Close-up Tlre rcal kcrets of Magic

- "If you were thinking of clrypirg, nosr is really

a good moment!"
- "At this point, people either start throwing chairs
... or clapping!"
- 'T)o you want another one? I usualty start again
after the applause ..."
- *My heart is deeply touched by your wann and
spontaneoul ryplause . . ."
- "Oh I forgot to tell you that there's an award
tonight for the table that applatrds the most!"

Ifonly one ortwo people ap,plaruil, you can rhank

them by saying:
- "Thank yoq thank you! But not too loud or you'll
wake the others!"
- "And thanks to my fan club ..."
- "fhanks, Mom!"
 - Chapter 20 -

Tips
"You harc to takc monsy where
youfmd it: poor people. A&nittd-
ly, they don't hwe rmtch, but therc
(ye so mnny of them!"
Alphonse Allais, Le sourire

A tf,ord of }Uomlng
What follows is my own, personal approach
of the problem. It works for me; it fits both my
prese,ntational sffle and my personality.
I'm only gring you a few pointers to help you
come W E'ift your ourn ideas, I am NOT inviting
you to reproduce them ...
You may feel some approaches are too direct,
bold or cheeky. In this case do not try them, ild
be aware that people from ditrerent countries tend
to react very ditrerently, and what may seem very
bold in a country or a certain place is perfectly OK
in another. Once again adoptation is the keyword-
You must also know that tips are much more
conrmon in the USAthan they are in Euope, which
can explainwhyyoumayfind some ofthe following
approaches too direct.

307
 Close-up Trre rcal fuae* of Magic

Giviog some "signs" to get tips is a technigue,

and a technique is like a shirt: there is little chance
my shirts fit you petrfectly ...

Thls Belng Sold ...

A magician I was talking with a few years ago
sai{ 'T don't know how you work for tips. I'd be
too ashamed."
Where's the shame?
I asked him if a spectator ever offered him a
drink at the end of the evening. He said, 'Yes, but
that's not the same 1foing!"
So I said to him, "Well, it's ,ul if every table
bought me a drink-$ut I just don't drink them."

Getllng RIch by Enlerlqlnlng Your Peers

The tip is first and fore,most a state of mind-
Many professionals have their oun techniques for
getting tips, adapted to their persona€ and to the
place they're working. Different mqgrcians have
different understandings of what a tip is.
Some actually refise outrighl equating a tip
with getting a handout: they're already paid by the
restaurant and consider that e,nough. Plus they feel
that accepting money is a disgrace or that there's
something dirty about it.

308
 Itps

Others acc€,pt tips without reseryatiotrs. Most

magcians don't make it fteir top priority. Certain
magcians, however, myself include4 work in
establishments where tips are the ONLY FORIvI of
re,mune,ration posstible.
Ihese fie generally chic restaurants or te,lrdy
bars that agrer. to let an artist perform for their
exclusive clie,ntele<n the condition they only
work for gntuities. In zuch sihntions, these
establishments are obviously talong advantage of
their notoriet5/.
That being sai{ it's ofte,n worth acce,pting
rather unfavorable conditions to Eet into these
classy joints, becarlse, with a little experience,
you'll eaflr much morre money<xclusively tipr,
mind you-{han you could eve,r get from a payng
g:1g.And eve,n ifyou're not exchrsively working for
tips, there's no harm in knowing how to get them in
an efficient mannef,'.
AII the techniques I'll describe in this section
really work. They don't rely on far-fetched theories
of human psychology or involve all kinds of weird
hlpotheticals. They are the ftrit of many years of
experie,nce in the field (often mined).
Eve,n if some of them seem extreme, don't forget
that they were qreated expressly for getting tips in
situations where the artist has only two choices:
GET TIPPED or work for HREE.

309
 Close-up TTE real kcre* of lv{ogic

Tirke note: during catered banquets or private

parties I try not to ask for tips. Sometimes I get
the,m, almost despite myselfi becaule my patter md
my routines are designed to solicit tipping without
overtly asking for it.
Whe,n I do it intentionally, it's only to show
off to fellow magicians who doubt my ability to
wheedle a bill out of a difficult table. Ever5flhing
that follows primarily concens situations in which
you're authorized to take tips.

Ihe Joy of Getllng!

When I'm doing magic at atable in a restaurant
where I'm not being paid anything to perform, I've
got to be realistic about the situation: f've given a
performance with all the professionalism and heart
I can must€,r.
People re,alwe that I go balls-out at their table. I
love magic and they can feel it. I share my passion
with the,m and they sp€nq I hope, a me,morable
moment in my company. I put on a full-fledged
show, no bones about it: of course, there's no stage,
and no spot lights to follow my every move.
But that doesn't stop me from gving them an
intimate, one-man show right at their table. And
people pcyfor that kirrd of thing.
That said, if I show up at a table thinking 'tp,
fip, tip, tip, tip ..." I miss the mark every time.

310
 fiPs

(The Fre,lrch philosopher Diderot got it right when

he said, "as soon as the artist thinks of money, the
sense of beauty depar6 him.')
You have to focus on your first priority, which
rsentqtainW the ptblic-who can tell if you're
more interested in them than in their money. Try
not to have dollar signs glistening in you eyes.
Because I know mypatterby hearg the allusions
that I make to money are a natural part of my act.
It's just something I forget about because it imbues
every aspect of my performance. It's kind of like
the way to eve,ntually forget the technique and
concentrate on presentation: you aren't conscious
of it, but you ule it nevertheless.
I always try to erurure that conditiorul are a{l
favorable as possible when I'm working for tips in
a restaurant: I make my appearance after the liquor
but before the check!
Rule number ONE is that everybody needs to
see you, especially those who pay: if you want
people to shell out, you have to make sure that they
all catch an eycful. You can never tell in advance
who's the most likelytipper-and sometimes you'll
be surprised!
At a restaurant, Ialmost always concentrate
my energies first on fanrily tables (not the Mafia).
They react the best and often help me grve a more
spectacular air to my presentation: they're often

311
 Closearp The r"nl &crc* of Magic

out to celebrate a festive o@asion and ar€ perhaps

consequently in a ge,nerous mood-
As I already mentiond it's easier to aprproacha
table if there are children who, between rounds of
PSFM (a little de\rice I've always wanted to include
in a Slydini's Balls-over-the-Head routine), want to
see the magician, in order to get a balloon animal in
a color you certainly won't have thought to bring.
Next come the tables with +6 people. I get
to the little tables later, avoidi.g the tables with
starr5/-eyed lovers unless they call me over. The
lovebirds are often the most impatient to conclude
the evening in a way that doesn't involve maglc
tricks.
I gene,rally also avoid big, long tables that don't
seem to be family gatherings; everyone assumes
that someone else is going to leave a tip-aot the,m.
I ignore them for awhile anq generally, one ofthem
will come and ask me to perform. I explain that I'd
be more than willing, but that I also wouldn't mind
a 'tappy ending" for myself-understood? (I told
you that my approach is sometimes too direct for
some. Remember, European tables sometimes need
"prompting.").
It's generally the man who tips an4 at family
tables, the most mature ('oldesf is zuch an ugly
wo@ person or one of his solls. That individual
commonly sits at the head of the table (especially
at round tables ...), even at an informal meal.

3L2
 TW

If you know how to please the ladies, they'll

often tell their husbands to grve you some of their
wad (that's a perverse se,nte,nce). They're more
thoughtful about this kind of thing. So, special
atteirtion for all the ladies and romantic musings for
the young wome,lr ("If you were words on a pa$e,
baby, you'd be some fine prinf' and so forth ...).
Sometimes, two people decide to tip you at
almost the sarne time. You have to act fast take the
bill that's nearest to you and turn immediately to
the second penlon without gving the first one time
to react: "Oh, great! I need a bill like that for my
next trick!" and launch right into a quick routine
withthebill.
If you hesitate, the person might have time to
naly'zn the situation and say to the other, "Don't
worry about it-I already gave him somethingr" or
"I got it!"
If you took a fivedollar bill when the other
person was holding out a 50, you're going to feel
like a real tool. Just for you, dear reader, I've done
some experiments on the subject: it hurts ... and
you want to shangle the first guy. What does he
care anyway if his friend wants to give me a tip!?
Finally, ifyoudm't get atip, don'tworryaboutit.
Flash your pearly whites, ev€n if you gave your
all at the table, like your life depended on it. Keep
in mind that you haven't wasted your time because,

313
 Closeatp 77re rcal Secrcts of lrlagic

if nothing else, you've brought good magic into

people's lives.
Just make sure that other tables don't notice and
get the impressim that you're doing community
service. Profusely thank the cheapskarc for whom
you did your last trich just as emphatically as if he
had grven you a huge tip. The other tables should
think he gave you something!
It's worth me,lrtioning in passing that sometimes
it's more strategic to know how to rcfuse a tip: if
a regular client tips big every time you perform,
sometimes you can make him a "giff' of a
performancrcspecially if he's already hired you
for a private show! It's not much, but it reinforces
personal ties.

!t Rolns Where !l's Wet

In order to increase my chances of getting a dp,
I do routines that requirea borrowed bill towards
the end of my routine.
It's the time-tested approach, ild there are any
number of effects that require a borrowed bill: Salt
in the Bill, the Bill Switch, Bill in the [,emon, the
Tom and Restored Bill, the Floating Bill ... or the
Dead Fish in the Bill that floats strangely on its
side after you make it appear in a glass of sparkling
'watetr ....

3r4
 Ttps

Of conrse, Lt the mome,nt of returning the

borrowed biil, I always pretend to put it in my
pocket ... just for fim! A bit of advice: whe,n
you do routines with money (paper into money,
transformations, apparitiorur ...) NE\reR use fake
bills or you'll look like a schmuck.
If you were a real magician, you would make
real money appear. Fake bills - fake mqgcian!
Think for example of those fitns where the
blood spurting from a wound is obviously fake-
you have a hard time "suqle,nding disbeliaf," as
they say. Eve,n ifyou know perfectly well that it's a
film, it needs to look REAL to suck people in.
Your spectators know you're not Harry Potter
(or else they're psychotic) but they still need to
get SUCKED IN to your performance and sredible
ac@ssories will help. What's more, if you can
mmage it, do this kind of effect with large bills
because "people only lend to the rich," tts evef,yone
knows ... And if you were a real magiciao, why
would you waste your time making five dollar bill
appear anyway?
Whe,n you start waving the big bucks aroun4
your qpectators will be more likely to give you a
big tip. Especially if they can afford iI they won't
want to insult you with a dinky little wrssy tip.
If you do a trick with small bills, they'll be more
inclined to think that a little pocket change will be
enough to make you happy.

315
 Closeatp TTre rcnl Seoets of lrlagic

The money you use is put ofyour acce$ories, and

like your clothing, it's a paft of the way spectators
wi[ form an opinion ofyou. Neve,r forget this.
All this being sai4 except at real jet-set parties,
you don't need to carry around 200€ or 500 € bills.
Few people have ever held a bill like this in their
hands an4 eve,n if they're real, people wouldn't
really know otherwise. Ifyou lose a thumb tip with
one inside, it hurts.4elieve Eo, I know ...

Ploylng Wlth Olher People's llloney

Just as with applauso, I ask for tiprindirectly at
first, by -aking it clear throughout my routine that
I'm not a[ergic to cash, and then explicltly towards
the end if I realize that people haven't understood
that it would be nice to tip.
I use a number of nrbliminal techniques for
reinforcing the notion of tipping-my patter is full
of phrases that invite tipping, or that have some
relationship with gring, need or money.
To borrow a biU, I often say, "So tell D€,
honestly, who is the richest person at the table?"
People laugh and everyone points to someone
else. Then I say, "Ob so it's you Sir! So you're the
one I should be eqpecially nice to tonight if I want
to get a tip! No, really, I only asked because for this
next trick I'll be needing to borrow a banknote!"

316
 TW

Once I have the biU, I generally say something

like, 'Tatch closely, because I'm going to do
something with a bill ftat couldn't be a trick bill
because it doesn't belong to m+-at least not yet!"
When a qpectator is hesitant to lend me a bill, I
say,
*it's OIL don't worry. I'll grve it bach unless
you decide to give it to me at the end of the trick!"
Or: 'T)on't worry, I gene,rally grve it back at the
e,nd ... except whe,n people beg me to keep it as a
tip!"
As soon as f'r,e got a bill, I ask the name of
the person who lent it to me: 'T/hat's your name?
Michael? Well, Michael, have a good night!" Then
I put the bill in my pocket and pretend to leave. I
come back while the people are still laughing and
sily, "sorry-just kidding, Michael. I would never
kee,p the money without your p€rmission. I'd rather
eam it!"
To make a bill disappear in a routine, I often
make a simple change with a piece of flash paper
(change a la Tamariz, looking for a lighter in the
pockeQ: it's not difficult and it's impressive for the
spectators. As soon as the paper has gone ofl I say,
"Well, as far as the tip is concerned, I think we've
gotte,rr that out of the sray ... So what else can I do
you fofl"
When someone lends me a big bill, I look at it
as to check if it's real, holding it up to the tighq
if

3L7
 Close-up Trre real fuctets of Magic

all the othq tables can see.I move in such

so thot
away that, from a distance, it looks as if I've be€Nl
gven the bill. I say,'"[hank you for your confide,nce
... No\f,r all I have to do is disappear!"
When someone gives me a tip at the beginning
of my act" I put the bill on the table under my deck
of cards and s:ly, "I'U leave that here for now-
I've still got to eam it. And you ner,er knour, if
you like what you sGG, you might want to give me
another!"
My friend Frangois Chapman (who is, I just
mention in passi.g, one of the best table-hoppers
I've ever met) uses some brilliant lines: if someone
offers to lend him a big bill for a trick, he says, 'tlo,
no ... le,nd me a small bill for the trick. Save the big
ones for the tip!" Inversely, if someone offers him
a small bill, he sys, "Sorry, it works better with
a20 ... You know why? A little while ago at the
table over there, they left me a20 at the end of the
trick-which proves that it works better!"
Often I do a bill switch routine because that
kind of effect feeds into the ideas the ge,ne,ral public
has about maglcians--that they know how to make
money appear from thin air. I borrow a 20, hrn
it into a 10, and then back into a 20. Invariably,
people say, 'You should have left it a 100!" And
invariably I shoot bacb "Oh ro, I couldn't! l(X)'s a
lot for a fip, but 20's OK."

318
 Tlps

I also use an effect in which parking tickets

transform into four banknotes (a version of Paper
into Bills). When I show people the tickets, they
often say, "Oh, our car is full of them!"
I turn them immediately into banknotes and say,
*if it'smoney you're talking about, don't hesitate
to give it to me!" What's more, I often use three
identical bills in this routine-three 2k,let's say-
and a single smaller bill-a lG-in case som'one
wants to exchange it for another 20 atthe end of the
routine. Don't laugFit happ€ns!
At the end of an effect with a bill, you can
say: 'T)o you want to see the grand finale? Total
disrypearance! Thank you very much!" hrt the bill
right into your pocket (and your thumb tip along
with it). People laugh, but they get the point that
you'd like to keep it while it's still hot, that sweel
sweet bill.
When it's time to grve back a bill, you can
pretend not to remember the penlon to whom it
belongs, oreating a moment of awkrnardness in
which the o\ilner might think better of taking it
back. Following this sarne logtc, you can say, 'Sir,
YOU'RE the one ufro GArre me this bill, right?
Well, ... tharrks a lot!" The,n preteird to put it in
your pockel but take it right back ouq adding, 'No,
I'm just kidding. I would never take anything that
hadn't been freely given."

319
 Close-up Tlre rcal Seov* of Magic

When you're going to give back a bill that is fte

worse for wear-wrinkleq moisq signe( or with
the corner ripped ofi, you can offer to exchange it
for a new bill from your own wallet You are only
proposing to exchange one bilt for the other, but in
people's minds, the second bill is rightfrrlly yo,rs.
The temptation to grve it to you will be all the
greater.
Finally, I devalue the mon€y that people lend
me. For example, I say, "Can you lend me a bill-a
little one, like a 100 or a 500?"
Or in a bill-surirch routine, just before
hansforming a 20 into a 10, I'llsay, "Otrq if I
wanted to offer you a present, I wouldn't get very far
wift a20,nosrwould l?" And everyone agrees. *So
watch what I'm going to do with this little bill ..."
Without consciously realizing iI
people have just
admitted that a 20 isn l' very much morrsy ... and
it's easier to imagine Swing it to DG, once they've
admitted to themselves that it's not a fortune!

It AII Bolls Down to Money ...

It, by accident, a qpectator announces that
he's figrrred out how one of my tricks works, I
immediately get out a bill and offer it to him,
saytng
*Bravo! You earned it. Just don't grve away
the secret for less than 100 bucks."
I thereby infroduce the idea of tipping and the
Swing of money, while also saving face by shifting

320
 Tlps

everyone's atteirtion from the sec,ret behind the

trick to the humorous exchange between myself
and the qrectator.
Sometimes whe,n I take my deck of cards from
my pockel I'll let a wadded up bill pop out along
with it, as if by accidelrt. I put the bill back in
my pocket right away without me,ntioning it, but
making sure that ev€ryone's see,n it.
Because it's an unusual way to store money, the
wadded bill suggests that someone at another table
might have gven it to me just a few minutes ago:
it's a subliminal suggestion of the gesture that my
new specbtors might also want to perform in a few
short minutes. "OK folks, just forget you ever saw
that!"
Other times, I show up at a table that has called
me over conspicuously folding a bill up into my
pocket: Iwas so eager to rcspond to their summoruL
I didn't even harc time to pttt all my lucrc away!
How e,mbarrassing!
I've often presented an Invisible Deck routine as
a bet. I take out a $l0O and put it in the outer pocket
ofmyjacket. I give the Invisible deck to a qpectator
and say to her, "Ma'am, I'[ bet you $100 that I
can guess the card that you're about to rhink of. In
facLf'm so sure ofmyselfthat I've actually put that
card upside down in the deck! We can check it in a
minute..."

32t
 Close-up TTre ,eal Secreti of lv{agic

I like this prese,ntation because it spices up the

show and captures spectators' atte,ntion (as the
French ssreenwrit€r Michel Audiard sai4 "as soon
tur you talk money, everybody [istens!"). The trick
reeks of money, and it is a real challe,nge ... but
in the qpectators' favor-they can't hold it against
you! Don't screw up or you can kiss your money
and your credibility goodbye.
That happened to me once whe,n a specttrtor said
"Eight of Hearts" but I heard *Ace of Hearts".
Believe o€, I was seeing red afte,rurards!
If people cheer like cllaay for your effece, try
something like, '"fhank you for your applause! You
may also throw money!" Whe,n someone asks Do,
"Can you do that agatn?" I always say, 'T certainly
can, but it's more expemive!"
Whe,n I borrow a ring, I might say, "L€Ntd me an
object that's dear to yorg if you please ... hause
I just found a new eme,[ge,ncy exit!" Or, 'Tlhat a
pretty ring! Thanks for the great tip!" and pretend
to put it in my pocket.
Sometimes spectators don't gtve me anything
the first time around but notice that another table
tipped me. They might ask me directly, "Excuse
ro, should we have grven you something?" In that
case, I say, "Well, nothing obliges you, but if you
don't grve me anything I may have to go back to
my old job dealing dnrgs in front of an ele,me,ntary
school." ...

322
 Ttps

Tlpplng Accessodeg
Sometimes I rse the technique ofthe "bill box."
It is a box made out of transparent plastic that looks
like a little chest. You can get one in any magic
shqp. It has a secret opening so you can borrow a
bill, put it in the box and glve it to the qpectators.
They won't be able to op€rl it again unless they
know the method.
ft is a good gime for restaurant conditiom,
becarse ev€ryone Gan play along. I leave the box
on the table with the bill inside and go perform
for another table. Then I come back to the first
table in orider to get the bill ... in exchange for the
explanation (when I don't just try to sell the,m the
box outright).
Another ingenious technique is the Autograph
Book. It is a very clever indirect technique, which
involves circulating an autograph book around the
table, aski.g for signattrres, short notes or comme,lrts
about your magic.
After your performance, you just leave the book
behind and perform for another table. The nicer the
book is, the happier people will be to sip it. The
quality of pe,n, howeve,r, will depend on the kind
of place where you're working-and the t)"e of
spectators you're going to e,lrtrust it to.
Personally, being too dumb notto leave itbehinq
for a long time I used a cheap p€n with my name

323
 Close-up Trre rcal kcrcts of lu{agic

and phone numh printed on it You can leave the

book behind whe,lr you go to perform at another
table. They can write whatever they want ... or slip
you some money between the pages.
You can start the book by asking friends to sign
it or to unite short notes about your maFc. ([hey
should be gene,rally complime,ntary, eve,n if you
zuck.)
The Fre,nch magician Ga€tan Bloom zuggests
attaching foreign bank notes to the p4ges in ordcr to
put the idea of tips in peo,ple's noggins. They could
easily imagine thatyou've stapled them in the book
as a souve,nir an4 what's more, people s'itl be less
likely to abscond with foreign crurency. For good
measure, drop in some business cards, pictures, &d
eve,n newspaper clippings.
Finally, just before getting to a table, put a large
denomination bill in the book.
Using these ingredietrB, here's a nice little recipe
that you can whip up in just a few minutes. Choose
a nice, dewy-eyed spectator. Show up next to him
and grve him theAutograph Book to sign. Open the
magnrificent object up to the page that you'd like
the spectator to sigrHello ... \f,r'hat's this!?
With an air of astonishment, pretend to notice
a bill between the pages. Remove it, whiqpering
to yoursel{, "Oh, this is probably from one of
the other tables ..." Without insisting, make sure
everyone catches a gliryse of the ilrcney and stick it
in yorrpocket

34
 Ttps

Flash a grateful smile to the imaginary table.

l,eave the spectator hangmg for a few seconds,
while you'te thusly lost in reverie. Th€n, hand over
the book with an impressive retractable pen. With a
little time to think it all ov€f,, they should be primed
to lay it on you, Daddy-O.
The Fre,nch magician Yvann has dweloped another
eqnally clever method with his friend (and amadng
table hopper) Romaric that doesn't involve saytng
a single word about money.
Here it is: he arrives at the table with a pretty
wooden box that he also uses to store his gear. He
then explains to the public that he needs it to perform
his last and best trick-the one that allowed him to
become a professional magrcian.
He pu6 the box doum in front of the person who
he thinks will be most likely to grve him a tip and
says, "It's tlhanks to yorl sir, that we'll be able to
do the last trick!" The,n he goes ahead and performs
his normal &t, gradrlaily taking the accessories he
needs out of the box{ut without putting the,m
back afterwards. (You'll see why.)
The box never moves from in front of the p€nrcn
he designated at the very beginning (the percon he's
trying to hustle). He does his finale, takes a bow,
and moves on--$ut leaves the box at the table, as
if he forgot it. The qpectators immediately call him
back '"[\Ihat about the last trick? Wift the box!"

325
 Close-up lTre rul Sel-rca of lr{ogic

Then Yvann sys, "Oh, I see you have a gd

memory! Do you really want to see the last trick? As
I told you, it's the trick ftat allowed me to become
a professional magician, and which you're going to
help me realiz.e today ... Now op€n the box!"
The spectator op€ns the box and finds inside ...
a liule sign that reads FOR TIIEARIST.
Generally, the qpectator laugbs and passes the
box to his tablemates so they can read the mes$age,
while Yvann leaves the table yet again. They call
him back to get his box, with a handsome tip inside!
It's a nice idea, right?
To conclude, if you're going to use any kind of
box in your routine (ring box, card box ...) and you
can leave it to be examine4 leave it. Continue your
act (when you're confident that they are not the
t)"es to rip you otr) and someone just might slip a
bill inside as a little surprise.
So, be nice and see how the story unfolds!

You'll Need on Accompficel

If you get along well with the waiters, they
can tell the patrons that you're working for tips.
This improves the situation by making everything
clearer.
If someone calls you to their table, everyone will
know what they're in for. But for this to work, the

326
 Ttps

wait€rs have to understand that the money you're

getting isn't the money destind for the,m. You're
an added attraction that the table can choose to
pay for, a litfle bit like the cherry on a cake. After
a while, the spectators will rerrigntza you as a
performer with nothing to do with the waiters. This
is how it should be whe,n ever5rthing's cool with the
staff.
In restaurants where I perforq I get along well
with most of the staff. Sometimes I ask one of them
to bring me a bill (obviously one I've gven them
beforehand) right in the middle of a performance at
a table.
The waiter shows up and sys, "Excuse rrro,
someone gaye me this for you ..." I pretend to nod
to an imaginary table in the distance and try not to
let it intemryt my performance.
If, at this poinq the spectators haven't understood
that they cao (and should) be tippi.g, they all need
golden retrievers and white canes! I also do the
sarne thing with regulars at arestauranl those who
end up becoming friends with me. I'U do a qpecial
trick for them at the e,lrd ofwhich they ostentatiously
tha"k me with a big bill-again one that I've grven
the,m beforehand-
If a waiter or waitress intoduces you to a group
of spectators or recomme,nds a paxticular table at
which you get an e,nonnorrc tip, don't hesiate to

327
 Close-up The rcal &qe* of lvlagic

gve him or her about l0% of the take (and to se,nd

me the rest via PayPal as away of saying thanks for
all these bad-ass techniques!).
Just don't let any other employees notice, because
this little kickback may or may not make its way
back to the collective kitty. But that's not your
problem, now is it?

Tlme Is Money
Sometimes, people don' t ralizethat they should
grve you something. They might not want to offe,nd
you, or they might think you're being paid by the
restaurant-included s'ith the price of the food.
In cases like this, I don't hesitate to rrse the
more radical technique of my C\rban friend Charlie
Brown, asking with a big smile, "Did you like i{?"
They nod their heads yes. "The,n the ball's in your
corut!" ft's hard to make matters more clear ...
And whe,n I've said everything I have to say,
whe,n I've used all my littleploys andnobody offers
me anything? I throw myself completely naked on
the tabletop and whine like a mortally wounded
poodle.
There's still another less Saphic option: I hang
around the table for a minute at the end of my act.
There's a kind of awkrrard sile,nce, of course, but I
just keep waiting (at firsg it's really uncomforable,
but you get used to it).

328
 Ttps

You've got to appreciate how much silenco

scares peopl+-when nothing's happening, people
are gene,rally very uncomfortable. It's up to them
to break the silence, ffid it's at that point that they
begin to wonder if they shouldn't be coughing up a
little something for the magician (especially if you
busted out the wounded poodle bit).
So don't just steal a\ray like a thief in the night
when you're done performing. Even if you don't
know what to say, strike up a conversation about
anything: "So you actually drove here in a car?"
(Try to be a bit more creative ...)
If, at that point, nothing has found its way into
my pockel I simply say, *Thanks a lot! See you
later!" and leave with a smile. I nsver insist-you
reach a point where you can no longer fight against
inertiq myopia, and all-around thickness.
If people haven't understood by this poinq thcy
jttst don't want to tmderstand, and there's nothing
you can do about it. You still need to save face (as
Shigeo Futagawa and Ken Kurita would have sai4
had they thought about it), even if it's only so none
of the other patrons catch you out of sorts.
So smile<veryone's watching!

How'bout q Shopplng Spree?

Another way to circumve,nt directly soliciting a
tip while making sure you get something for your

329
 Closeatp fTre rcal Secrcts of lvfagic

efforq is selling smething. You don't just offer a

magrc performance but also a little magical souve,nir
or an opportunity for people to learn a trick of their
own.
It's a technique f've never used myself, but I
don't see any r@son why you couldn't give it a
try. I know plenty of professionals who turn a nice
profit by selling D\ID's or tricks at the e,nd of the
evening. They gene,rally b'ring it up when people
ask how they leamed m4gic themselves, suggesting
that it isn't too hard to learn a few tricks to impress
friends.
You can bring along a few gene,ral public tricks
to sell-the kind of stuff you might find in a toy
store or at a stand in an airport: D5rnamic Coins,
color changing coins, and all that crap that you can
turn a quick buck wittr---even D\{D's for beginners,
magic kits for kids, brain teasers, autographed
picttrres, amulets, horoscopc, a mini-guide with
simple tricks and your phone number, souvelrir
videos, pictures of your sister nake4 etc.
The technique ofmodeling balloons is also very
effective. You can keep a huge number of balloons
stowed in a little fanny pack attached to your belt-
easily hidden under your jacket.
You make a show of sculpting a balloon animal
for a little ki4 with the ge,lrtle smile of a self-
sacrificing saint. Of course, dash right over when
the little darling star[s sc]reaming becatrse her

330
 Tlps

poodle turned into something resembling a DNA

model with can@rour mitochondririt happens
more ofte,n than not.
This kind of after-sale-serice is a way to cast
yourself as the nice guy (but everyone already
knows you are!) an4 above all, to come back to the
table of cheapskates who didn't glve you anything
after 12 excnrciating minutes and 7 painstakingly
sculpted balloons for the kids.
If the balloon just blew up in the kid's hands,
you'll know right away and the whole restaurant
will thank you for speedily rettrrning the smile to
a small child's faco-and stopping the l3O-decible
shrieks that sound like chalk on a blackboard at
Mach-speed-
Al Capone always said,'You get more things by
being polite and armed than just by being polite".
Believe Do, I'm Srving you the anrut you'll need
on a silver platter-it's up to you to be polite! With
all the techniques I've just given you, supplemented
by some experience, when you work in a restauranl
instead of saying, 'Vell, I'm going to hit a table,"
you'll be saylng, "I'm going to withdraw some
money-be right back!"
 For Dessert
Someilhing Sweet b Rormd Offthe Meal
 - Chaptet 2t-

The E:rit
"f 'm not afraid to die. I just
dont want to be therc when it
ltoppens. "
WoodyAlle,lr
Hollyruood Ending

It's the moment whe,lr your spectators sit back

down and people come back down to earth. It's
only now that I joke about the act or reqpond more
seriotrsly to questions people might have about
the magrc world, or about my views on the moral
philosophy of Sore,n Kierkegaard.
You need to know how to step back from the show
mome,ntarily, and engage with people in a more
natural fashioetime permitting (your parents
want you home by 1l:00 or what?). This is why it's
a good idea to be a well-rounded conversationalist
in matters other than magic (rea4 read, and read
some more).
This worldliness will set you apfrt from other
performers who only know how to talk about
the,mselves (making gramnatical mistalres in

335
 Close-up The rcal &crcts of lrlagic

every other sente,nce) and proves that you're not an

illiterate carnie but a cultivated magrc artist.
This will also allow you to find common
inte,rests you share with qpectators-ausic, theater,
Pokdmon trading cards, etc. People will find it easier
to id€ntiry with you and will be more likely to seek
your services in the future: in addition to proving
youmelf as a magtcian, you're also someone they
would be proud to introduc*and recommenFto
their friends.
The exit is therefore the only time when I am
actually seriotrs. My entire attitude may seem to
change: if I exuded self-assurance whe,n arriving
and the table and overflowed with enthusiasm
during my performance, before leaving, I try to
be humble and low-key. It's a technique e,mployed
by shoumen and rock stars alike: they grve the
ovetr-the-top performance, grving the peo,ple all the
flamboyance, posfirring, ild megalomania people
pay good money to see. The,n, at the end of the
show, they respectfully thank the audience.
Often these displays of humility have be€Nl
carefully orchestrated in advance to leave fans with
the impression that it's the person behind the mask
of the wild perforrrer is finally revealing his or her
tnre self at the e,nd of the show. If you loved the
huge, larger than life spectacle, then you'll like it
all the more whe,n you realizn that the one behind
it all was the shy, unassuming soul taking a modest
bow at the end.

gg6
 T'rrc Exit

This aspect of your pres€ntation is really worth

thinking about. As for Do, I always try to be affentive
to people who show signs of wanting to talk
(keeping in mind that I probably don't have much
time to get involved in a prohacted conversation).
This is the time to promote yotrself!

let lie
Re-lnlroduce Myself!
Even though I mention my name repeatedly
throughout my acq at the en4 I introduce myself
again in case it didn't have time to soak in during
the excitement of the show. Give it a try: toss out
your name three or fotrr times furing your aot.
*Hello, ma'am. What's your name? Jeanette? I'm
Davi4 pleased to meet you." Then ask people what
your name is---no one will re,me,mber (except the
old lady whose grandson has the same name). I find
it a shame but so ofte,n I meet people who say:
- 'oWe saw an incredible magician last week, tnrly
incredible!"
- "Oh yeah? What lvas his name?"
- "I have no ideq but he was outstanding." ...
You need to re,me,mber thaL in general, people
(and I'm talking about everyloody, qrcctators,
magrcians, me included) don't really listen to what
their interlocutors are sayrng. Ev€,n whe,n they're
engaged in conversation (an4 by definition,
supposed to be paylng attention), the other party's
words go in one ear and right out the other.

337
 Closeatp 77u ,?al knets of lvlogic

Surprising shrdies have shown that we don't

really process all the words that somsone sy$, but
instead pay special attention to the first prt of a
message or stateme,lrt and infer the ge,neral point.
This is why I always introduce myself again at the
end of my ast.
If the spectators liked it" they'll be much more
atteirtive to what I have to say. I take advantage
of their atte,ntiveness to make sure they register
my llarne. I usually say: 'My name is Stone,
David Stone ... Just like Sharon Stone minus the
sexiness!"
Igrve them a silver platt€r of memorable
images,-a good mnemonic strategy for helping
them recall my narne, without making any consciorut
effort. Depe,nding on the situatioD, I adjust my text:
'The Rolling Stones, Stone Mountain, etc." Who
caf,es if they joke about my narne or my manne,r
of introduction? The important fhing is that they
re,member me. At this momenl I want them to
know who I am and that no\il is the time to ask for
my contact information.
As I sai4 I try to use my narne throughout my
act. It's a bit forced, I know, but it works. I use
personal lines, said with a smile, that grve people
no choice but to re,member: *I need someone who's
very attentive for the next trick ... Sir, are you
attentive? When you're driving, for example, do
you pay close attention? Yes? So then you're an

gg8
 T'rre F.rit

attentive penrcn. Good- I've grven my name three

times since I've bee,n at your Able-what is it?"
And as you can BU6s, few people actually
re,me,mber... and gveryone else reatlizns that
they don't re,me,mber either. But believe Eo, now
everyone will re,member my name<ut of fear that
I might suddenly put the,m on the spot about it!
Sometimes ufren someone asks me for one
last tricb I'll say, "OIq but only if you can tell
me my name." Usnrally, if they put their heads
together they mamSo to shout out in a chorus:
'RUMPLESTIUISKIN!" ... I mean 'David
Stone."

Buslness Cqrds
Giving out lots of business cards is part of ou
job. But instead of giving out my business card
unpromptd I try to orchestrate eve,nts so the
spectators ask for it -just classier that way. So
whe,rr a spectator reacts well to one of my tricks, I
say, "You rcally likcd it? Remind me to give you a
catd beforc I learc the table ...."
There af,e nevertheless some basic rules you
always have to follow, the first of which is always
trying to get the business card of the percon who
asks for your contact info. Use the prretext that
you'll need it to re,me,mber the date of the event he
wants to hire you for because you don't have your

339
 Close-tqr TTrc rcal &m of IYIogtc

planner, or that you'll let him know the next time

you'll be ffiorming. This way you'll be sure not
to lose @ntact ... and to re,me,mber this promising
potential clie,nt. It's not uncorrmon for people to
lose your business card or to slmply forget that
hiring you would be a good idea
- "Do you have a business card? I'llsend you
something about my performances E ith all the
information you could need ..."
or...
- "I'll call you so we can confirm that I'm free on
the day of your partyr."
When a spectator gtves me a business carq I
ofte,n use it in a quick effect based on an idea of
Crary Kurtz's: making the spectator's card appear
inside ofmy wallet. I take his card saylng I'm going
to gvs him one of mine. Reaching into my pockel
I simply slide the card into the gtride of my Ikps
wallet (flnming like a huge confl4gration! Get younr
today on dovid-stone.fr o.. Sorry, it's not an ad. I
know you've already got one!). Then, prete,nding to
look for my carq I open the wallet and take out ...
the spectator's!
Make sure to always have business cards on you,
and don't hesiate to give out as many as possible.
It may seem silly to say, but how many times have
I kicked myself for leaving the,m in the dressing
room! It's Murphy's [,aw-it's always when you

34o,
 Tlrc Exit

don't have one on you that some guy is going to

make a big deal about needing one right away!
It's like when you've be€n waiting for a call for
five hours and the phone rings just as your lowering
your baby-soft butt cheets onto the toilet seat. In
the en4 it's unprofessional to walk around without
business cards handy, and you don't want to waste
time going to get one and then looking for the
percon who asked for it.
I insist, always keep some handy: behind the
urrapper on your deck of cards, in your fue wallet
... They shouldbe ready to move an4 ideally, sefup
for a special routine. If the situation lends itself (a
little extra time to spare, a potential clie,lrt in front
of you ...), take the time to do a quick efu with
your business carFit will have much more value
afterwards as a souv€,ldr. It's very easy to find goo4
sEong efu to perform with business cards; you
can make them appear, print magrcally, ure them
for predictions.-in shorl put the,m right in the
middle of an effect
If I don't have a trick pr€pared sometimes I'll
just say, "OK I'll grve you my car4 but qan I show
you sometring interesting with it?" I take out my
deck of cards and ask for a pen. I steal a glance at
the top card and act like f'm thinlring something
ovef, before urriting a prediction on the card- In fact,
I write the name of the card I'm going to force and
then grve the prediction to someone, preferably

34L
 Close-up TTre r"al &crcts of lulagic

the pretty girl-not really: it's ofte,n better to pay

special atte,ntion to a wonrarr who frrr,y not be used
to it. Then I force the card to my target (the percon
who asked for my contact info) and ham it up to the
max: "... and all the cards are TOTALLYdiffere,nt!"
Then I have the,m turn ov€r the prediction. TiL{-
Dt/\!
I know what you're thinking, ed it's tnre: it's a
simple, rinkydink affair. But, in the en4 my card
has still taken on more valuoleople are going to
look at it more closely, eve,n scnrtinize it
If you are working with an agency, you can
always ask them if you can grve the clients your
own car{ but the arutwer will most probably be a
resounding NO. In this ciase, ask for some of the
age,ncy's cards and add a sticker with your name
followed by "IvIAGICIAN' so that you can hand
the,m out. Give these out instead an4 who knows,
someone might actually call the agency asking
the,m to se,nd /ou-no one else will do!
h$lic relations, magic, and more, if there's
che,mistry: 'Tlello ... Could I speak with Tony the
magician? This is Sylvia calling. What? He doesn't
really work for you? Well ... it's just that ... I left
my cell phone in his room after the Gene,ral Motors
part5/."
I've got something eve,n bette,r In my close-up
kit, I have a letter-surp sheet with 24 stickers (the
kind that are trsed on envelopes). You can get it at
any office supply store.

342
 The Fxit

I print this, and nothing else, in big letters:

7a
Before the performance, I stick these on the back
of a dozen business cards and I'm good to go. As
for the 7 of Hearts, a little force (preferably mental)
and fuggedaboutit<r rather don't! This w?y, the
spectator who asked for a card comes away with
the impression of having been treated to something
exfra special, thanls to asking for my phone
numbetr
I generally use more than one prediction in case
people have occasion to talk about the effect later
in the evening. It's doubly effective, becarse the
agency looks good (your employer could hardly
expect this extra professional corutesy), and the
spectator feels lucky to have received the extra
attention. Everyone wins.
One last detail: I would encourage you not to
print 287 specialties on your business cards-you
don't want to look like ajack of all trades, master of
nonHr, worsa, L dilettante. The French have an

343
 Closetp TrE rul Secrets of lr{agic

expression,
*good at werything, good at nothing."
That sums it up. Nevertheless, I've see,n cards
where you can read in tiny letters:

Zebnlon O'Toole: lf,ogiciot, Illtuionist, Prc^sfidigitatori

Yet*ilquist, balloonq, Ptc@kct, Mentalist, Chil&en
mogic, Grod lllusions, furcerc4 leger&moin, Wimd,
Christnas poties, Birtldays, Bs lvfiwah, C.orpordc
shows, Baclrclor Poties, Chilnnq-wuping etc.

It's much better to have a specific business cild

for specific areas ofexpertise. This isn'tmypersonal
axe to grinfit's a basic principle of marketing.

Mercl Bequcoupl
I always thank my spectators during the time I
qp€Nd srith them. I find this indispensable for thee
rreasons:
Ihank you for your epplause: When they let it
rip at the end of an effecI I mark a pause to make it
clear that I'm touched by their display of warmth,
and I'Donka Shane" very much. It's not much, but
it sets the stage for them to applaud even more for
the following effect.
Thankyou foryour attentlon: At the end ofmy
act,I always thank people for the atte,lrtion they've
grven rne. I don't go so far as to get choked up, but
I do make it clear '1hat I really regret leaving so

344
 TTrc Exit

s@n." Theyagreedto grve up some oftheirtime and

accepted me at their table. Did they like what they
sauf, If so, all the bette,r. But I could have ended rry
being a real nuisance (I internryted conversations
from the mome,nt I showed up). They have, at the
very leasl made an effort to listen and at least
feigned interest in an absolute stranger, while out
to eat s'ith friends and family. So: 'Thanks for your
atte,ntion ... I will recomme,lrd you to my fellow
magicians, becalse you really af,e a professional
audie,nce."
Thenk you yery much! If someone gves me
a bill, I don't suff it greedily into my pocket-it's
not like I stole itl Instea4 I take the time to show
that I sincerely appreciate the gesture, ofteir in an
ostentatiors way-€specially if it's a big bi[. (You
don't need to gemrflect younrlf all the same.) One
exception: srrank parties at which this kind of
behavior might be frowned upon. rn these cases, I
grve a warrn little thanks: "Thank you! Perhaps one
day I too can marry Claudia Schiffer!"
It's not nare for me to do a quick effect with
the bill, like making it disappear with false tansfer.
Believe Eo, that works wonders for igniting one
last round of applause because no one's expecting
it. It also allows me to call the tip to the attention
of other tables.

345
 Close-up TTre rul Secrcts of Magic

Encore!
If you've really made a big splash at a table
it's not unlikely that people will ask for another
trick. It's their way of asking you to 'tome back
out and take another bow." I always have two or
three absolutely killer effects on me, just in case
I need to calm the,m doum (and especially for that
guy there who said that he was a magician too,
but who zuddenly seerrs much less proud of his
achievements ...).
Crenerally, I try not to encourage this kind of
e,ncore performance, because f 've usually got
plenty of other tables waiting. I can always come
back to an especially nice table (the one where the
guy leaves huuuuuuuuge tips) later in the evening,
whe,n I'm done with the rormds. Sometimes, thougb,
people are so cool that you genuinely do want to
hang out with them a bit longer-<specially if other
tables have been teating you like a dog!
Whatever you do, make yourself desired. You
can always tell tnre professionals because they
never do too much (partially because they're sick of
it-it's their job). Good magic is like caviar: if you
ingurgitate too much, it becomes disgrrsting. (IIey,
that's notbad! Here we go: @ David Stone, etc. Got
it?) You need to keep your spectators hungry for
more. A good song, like a good film, is one that you
want to play over again from the beginning uut soon
as it's over (which usually drives whomever you
live with cr.ary).

gt6
 Trre EEit

Avoid interminable sequences of tricks in

which each one nullifies the one that came before
it Too many effects kifl the effect. Don't forget
that spectators will especially remember you ... for
your last trick!

Know Howto Moke on Edf

At the end of the evening, it's not uncommon
for me to do a big visual trick that people all over
the room can see. That allows me to make sure of
two things: First, that no one comes and asks me
to perform at their table agaim, because I've made
it clear that the show's over. (I'm sorry ladies,
that's just the way it's got to be.) Second, to let my
employer know that I'm about to hit the road ... so
he'd better have my money boxed up.
To make sure I can capture the whole room's
attentior, I generally invite the participation of the
guest of honor, the s)rmblic figureheaq or simply
the person who seemed the most popular. f go over
to their table and start a final routine, raising my
voice especially lou( and asking for participation
from surrounding tables. To get evenmore attention,
I'll offer to teach them a magrc trick-which isn't
true, but they'll never remembetr (I told you before,
their minds are sieves.) Then I ask my new partner
to stand next to me. I ask everyone to applaud the
volunteer, and move right into a visual effect.

347
 Close-up TTre rul kcrets of lvfogic

Ifthere is ambient music, I signal the DJ (whom

I paid off before hanq just for good measure) to
lower the volume, ufoen I start my last trick. And
voild, signe4 seale{ delivered- I say my goodbyes
with broad gestures, like I'm leaving by boat for
Bue,nos Aires and never coming back I loudly
thank the people who hired me or the stars of the
evening. I may eve,n have a tear in the corner of my
eye. I empty a glass and I'm history.
Whe,n it's time to pack ever5ilhing up and head
home, be sure you have,n't left anything behind
in the dressing room. \Yhen you've worked like
a dog for two hours, you can get a little absent-
minded" So take a few minutes to relax and let the
a&enaline wear ofi, then take inventory of all your
sfutr(umbo coin on the table ... waitresses'phone
numbers ...).
Finally, if you're working in a restauranl don't
make offlike athief in the but say goodbye to
"ighq
the rest of the staff ... It doesn't cost you anylhing,
and it may have positive re,percussions dou,n the
road
 Conclusion

"The only source of knou,ledge is

*perience, everyth@ else is jtrst
infortnotion.
AlbertEinstein

When you love, you don't counq as w€,lyone

knows. This is often the problem with amateur
magcians, the ones ufro have lots of diffe,rent
tricks: their love for magrc preve,lrts them from
focusing on perfecting just a few tricks. Amateurs
cannot go far enough in honing the presentation of
their tricks, because the inteirsrty of their passion
leads the,m to constantly crave new tricks, before
they've fully digested the ones they already knou'.
If this is natural and eve,lr noble behavior (and
an indispensable part of any beginner's learning
curve), it's not necessarily the best way to make
real 1lrogless zur a magicim. For that, you need to
dive into deep waters: seek out an audi€illce, a real
one, one that may not be expecting you (and which
therefore might be more difficult than your buddies
at school).

349
 Close-up The rcal kcrcts of Magic

The impassioned amateur knows thousands

of techniques but doesn't really know how to do
a single trick. I mean it! They believe they can,
because they have the technique dowrr pat. But they
forget about an essential elerrent: themselves.
When you're performing in public, it's your self
that you're offering, first and foremosl not your
tricks. It's your self that you need to emphasize.
And that, even hundreds of hours of practice in
front of a mirror can't teach. Only the public can
teach you (often by breaking you douirn), ffid it's
through contact with the public that you technically
perfect your tricks.
After hundreds of real performances, the effects
will actually start to become magrcal. Remember
this: people need to like you BEFORE they like
your magic. It's YOU that's important, not what
you're doing. The illustriousr Albert Goshman
always sai( "YOU are the m4gic."
I sincerely believe that a good professional
magician is the one who knows how to remain
an amatglrr at heart (not in the serure of someone
who's just starting out, but in tre sense of someone
who loves what they're doing). To have a desire to
leam nesr tricks, to be interested in the creations of
other magicians and keep your eye peeled for new
developments in the world of magic, you have to
love what you're doing.

350
 hnclusion

The professional, by conEast, is often forced to

look at things with the cool elye of objectivity: the
tricks he likes the best might not be the ones that
have the most impact on his audien@s. Since his
goal is to impress the spectators as much as possible
in a minimum amount oftime, the choice is easy to
make. Contrary to the amateur, the professional will
need to work tirelessly refining just a few routines.
To summarize, a good magcian is the profes-
sional who re,mains an amateur deep doum or the
amateur who can be objective e,nough to concen-
fiate on a few routines and develop the,m with the
assiduity of a professional-that is, through contact
with the public.
There are tons of other things I would have liked
to tell you in this book I'm snre people witl cr:ittctze
me about not going into enough detail about certain
zubjects: I could have written cormtless pages about
dealing with e,mployers, professional meetings, the
importance of having a logo and letterhea{ the
att of selling yourself, how to firrilize contracts,
how to cover you ass by getting a contract before
a grg... But this all would have bem tangerfiial to
the real zubject of this book the performance in
and of itself. And can you imagine how big such a
book would have been!? I do have other things to
do, you know!

351
 Clase-tqt - T'rE tul kcrcts of frlagic

I didn't talk about rates, because by the time

you read these lines, the prese,nt going rate (today's
Nove,mber 30, 2007 at 03:52AIV[), might be bally
outdafed- You don't think I've worked myself
silly writing this book so it would be irrelevant
in five years, do you? In any qase, one rhing will
never change: the more you're pal{ the more
distinguished you'll be in your e,mployer's eyes.
It's the sarne with wery commodity: if you buy
yourself a Roler; you're more careful with it than a
$5 calculator watch. It,s the sarne thing for a clie,lrt
purchasing a seryice. ft's up to you to prove that the
sernice you're offering is unique. How much you
make wiU depe,ud on yoru clienl the place where
you're performing, the number of times psr week
or month you'll be working in a restauranl etc.
Agatq the keyword is ADffi.
People ofteir asks me what the best 4ge is for
starting out in table hopping magc. Personally, I
was 18, and had just started learning magrc a few
months prior. I(nowing myself, one thing is sure: if
I had started out atl4,I would have found a way to
perform at the hotdog stand at the county fairby 14
and ll2 if I had to!
A friend of mine from school, Pascal Bardort
gave me my first magc lesson. I btrmped into him
a few weeks later and he asked if I had gtven any
performances yet "Are you ctazy?" I asked- His
response surprised me: '"lVhat are you waiting

352
 brcfusion

for? If you wait too long after starting ouq you'll

NEVER perform.- That freaked me out so much
that I took ever5flhing he said lit€rally.Amonth and
a half later I was working the endof-the-year party
at the high school in a neighboring town. (I didn't
want to run the risk of looking like a douche bag
in front of my ourn c if my whole
act was just 5 minutes long), From there, I never
looked back. In retrospecl and after tallang with
other magicians, I can sse that Pascal was totally
right sither you dive in quickly or you never will!
When you're a beginner, the blissfulness of
ignorance makes you fire€,r. Ofcourse you're freaked
ouq but the sqmer you gerused to stage frighq the
sq)ner you learn to cope wift it. Moreover, you're
not really awaris of how qappy you very well may
be because you've got so much other stuffto think
about to make sure your tricks all work Finally,
you don't know much about magic, ild you have,lr't
come face to face with killer maglcians who are so
goo4 that they discourage you from continuing.
I don't th ink that youth is intrinsically an obstacle
for table hopping. If the chance arises, patrons will
certainly be less likely to tell you offifyou're just a
ki{ even ifit's because theythinkwhatyou're doing
is "cute." It's tnre, some malwolent spectators will
try to take advant4ge ofthe \dnerability of a young
magician. (I'd like to think there's a E)ecial lwel of
hell reserved for the,m.) But what doesn't kill you,

353
 Close-up T'he tul fucrc* of Magic

makes you stronger: I remember crying in secret

once or twice whe,n spectators were particularly
hat€fuI.
If you're starting out with the firm intention
of becoming a professional magician one My, I'd
encourAge you to start gigging zui soon as possible.
Be realistic: until you start performing in front
of a REAL AI.IDIENCE, you're not a REAL
IvIAGICIAN. You'll be someone who enjoys
practicing magic, who knows thousands of tricks,
has seeilr all the videos, read all the books, ild spent
long nights posting on maglc websites. But you
won't be a magician.
My advice: don't stress out! It's much easier
than you think! And there's nothing here you need
to stitch in needle point and hang on the wall.
Most of the adrrice f've grven in this book, you've
probably already soaked up without even knowing
it. These nuggets are so obvions (especially when
someone tells you), that once you get in a real
situation, they'll pop automatically into your mind-
And after all, you're not going to be performing
open-heart surgery, so, relan! After adaptattoD,
the keywords of the profession are: relaxatior,
elegance, naturalness, sobri et!, and happiness.
To conchrde, I would like to thank the people
who have contributed to the quality of this boob
MISTER Graham Jones first among them. It's thanks
to his meticulous work that you can read this book

3il
 Corcfusion

in the lmguage of Shakespeare. This New Yorker

not only qpeaks bett€r French than any ofus (really,
it's tnre!), but also has a perfect understanding of
the magic world in gene,ral (complicated) and in
France (very complicated ! ).
In short, he was without a doubt the only person
capable of accurately conveyrng my offbeat style,
my intentional spclling mistakes, and all the little
gags I sprinkled throughout the book that grve
the competition a sub-testicular tingle. I had to
practically b€nd over backrn ards to ger him to
accept this mission because Crraham was as busy as
a Congressrnian. But I can be more persistent than a
senrally hansmitted disease, and finally prevailed
on him after exte,nded negotiations.
f'm glad I did: the rezult is absolutely
INCREDIBLE! The adaptation boggles the mind
and staggers the imagination. Some passages irre
so good they practically made me weep! I think it's
funny because he's going to be translating this final
chapter too, and it'll be weird for him to read about
himself, Our point in common is literature (though
that goes over like a hair in the soup, it's hre).
A big thanls to Jean-Jacques Sanvert, a close-
up maglcian (in the noble sense ofthe term), whose
ability to adapt h i m self is absolutely re,markable. Jij i
(as he's known to friends) is as comfortable giving
a lecture in front of 450 magrcians as performing
a table of wild soccer fans celebrating England's
victory in the World Cup (it could happen).

355
 Closeatp TTE r"nl kmets of lulogic

He's a topnotch athlete, snvry about martial arts

(don't mess with him!) who +dckty movedloeyond
pure technique to concentrate on prese,ntation. Jiji is
a beast, a killer. Let me r€mind you (discrst€ly) thaq
after Jiji's performance at the World Charyionships
of close-ul, magic, flri Ve,mon himselfwas fte first
to get to his feet (needless to say, Jrji won).
But not many magFcians would knou, him in
table-hoppirg, nor do they need to: he knows how
to ditrerentiats betrneeir the magc the lay public
WAI.ITS to see and magrc for magicians. His
tale,nts as a table-ho14ler are frightening. The last
time I worked with him, he proved that" at 50 yeanr
of age, he's still the master (OIq I had shitty tables,
but still ...). Our point in common is chicks (that
too is a hairy subject, though I prefer mine tohlly
shaved).
Thanks also to Jean-Luc BerEanq who took
the time to mite the Foreword- When you know
that it takes Jean-Luc 45 minutes to write a simple
postcar4 you realtze that it was no srnall task for
him .., especially, grven that I was asking him to
urite the first-and consequently, most reaHines
of the book. Besides being an EXCEPTIONAL
table-hqlper, he is a seutitive artist and a peerless
autodidact, [B (that's what I like to call him) is a
wortrhorse: he never stops! He always has a dozsn
projects in minq two shows in the works'-and
when he's not directing one, then he's got four

356
 hrclusbn

differelrt film projects cooking. So he doesn't have

the time to be bothered!
In less than two yeam, JLB has become like
a brother to rne. Artistically, I have the sfrange
impression of having finally met the person I'd
be€n seeking for yeaf,s. (No, don't worry, honey-
he's not my tlpe.) We understand each other in
half a second, ofte,n have similar opinions about
the work of magicians, and sometimes eve,n have
weird moments of ESp: I'll think of something (a
shot, a technique, o dc$ and he'll say the $une
thing at the same time ... 'whe,n he doesn't do it by
telephone!
I admit that it sometimes freaks me out. If I
were less skeptical about parapsychology, I would
be asking myself some serious questioilr! I think
that we're just in a state of artistic slmbiosis G
have,n't been drinking, I smrear), the point where
two artists succeed in combining forces to craft a
singls work-in this case the two D\ID's The Real
Secrets of lvlagic that are adapted from this book.
otr point in common is cine,ma. 0 couldn't think
of any wiseuack to make, so I'U jtrst leave well
enough alone.)
I would like also to thank my friend Steve Beam
who, without ev€n having read the end of this book
told me .YES!,' when I asked him if he would
agrea about urriting the "last word". I met Steve
years ago at the FFFF (Fechter's Finger Flicking

357
 Close-up 77re rcal kcrets of Llogtc

Frolic) convention. Every year, he has the difficult

goal to finish the Saturday night show. And each
yafr, for half an hour, two hundreds top magicians
are laughing out loud for 29 minutes.
Steve is a ge,nerorrc person: he gves us one
minute to catch ourbr@ths ... His show is so fimny
that I know that some French magcians work on
their English during the rest of the year, just to be
able to understand Steve's jokes and innue,ndoes
during this Saturday show!
Steve has been inventing, performing, and
teaching card magic for over thirty yeaf,s. In addition
to authoring more than 25 boolxs, he edited and
published The Trapdoor, an uoderground journal of
magc that spanned fifteen years! I am really proud
to know him, and I thank him for his great advice.
Finalty, thanl$ to you! To those of you who
bought this book and whom I will no doubt one day
get the chance to meet. To all the magcians who
expressed their confide,lrce in me by purchasing my
lecttre notes, tricks, and D\lD! To all those who
have writtelr to me throughout the years with words
of encourage,ment, congrahrlations anfindeef
me,lrace!
To all the maffelous people that f've met &ring
my lecture tours, those who came out to see Eo,
those whose names I may have forgotten but with
whom I often qpent me,morable moments. To all
the people who have invited me into their homes

358
 C-oncfusion

around the worl{ fed De, pampered ro, and

sometimes even mothered me! I'm not an ass-
kisser-I reallymqm what I'm sayrng. What do we
share in common? Magic, of course! And now we
both have this book on our bookshelves to boot.
Well Buys, that about does it. I won't pretend
I'm not tired out and fed up with staring at a
computer screen. Now it's all up to yor-my work
here is done. I'll leave you with Steve Beam and
say, stmply: catch you at a glg!

David

P.S. Did you catch how I made my exit? Thanking the

public, atan in my eye ... I don't want to be an l-told-
you-so, but it works! Au revoir!
 IheLastWord
orthe icing on the cake

by Steve Beam

The father of modern magrc Robert-Houdin

(Bob, as we who knew him called him) said in the
classic text, The Unmasking of Harry Houdini,
that "a magician is an actor playrng the part of a
magrcian." Were he alive today, he might have
had a different perspective. In many of today's
performing ve,nues, a magrcian is a masochist
playng the part of a magrcian.
Gone are the days when the tJpes of magic
were described by the venue such as club, parlor,
and stage. Now, we charactenze the different
branches of the art by what else the magrcian is
doing while he is performing. Iftracking a crimped
card - amongst the doz.q, others the qpectator just
unknowingly placed in your deck with his shuffie
isn't enough to keep you busy, now you must
also be standing Ep, strolling, walking aroun4 or
table-hoppi.g. Yes, if one has any doubt about
the direction magic has taken in the last 150 y@8,
one only has to invoke the picture of a polished
magician competing with a bowl of spaghetti for

361
 Clase-tqt The rcal fuqets of ltfogic

table space as he hops from table to table in a local

restaurant. rn Bob's dayr, only the rabbits hop,ped-
Magtcians performed-
We have only ourselves to blame for this
devolution. As the number of st4ges where
performance art was welcome decreas€d during the
last century, magicians decided to make theirmagrc
portable.
We decided that we could inflict magic any
place where there w:ut at least one human life form
preseirt who could unite the check or worse, toss a
tip our way.
We no longer held out for salons, clubs, or
theatsrs where we w€re in control. We were nour
happy to display our portable wares at unrelarcd
trade shows, restau lts, ild outdoor picnics (not
to mention the untapped market for walk-around
magic at firnerals.)
Collectively, we have decided that if John won't
come to the megic, w€ will b,ring magrc to the lohn.
Thus, close-up magc was bonr.
Technology has conspired against magrcians as
well. Gone are the good old days when procreation
was the only popular home entertainment (eve,n
though at best, it was only populil with 50% of the
population). Live performance art has be€n all but
replaced by the passive media of televisioq cable,
videos, ild nour video streaming.

362
 TTrc last Yord

Until magcians design a way to have a card

selected and a deck shufled over a b,roadband
connection, most of today's magc s.ill continue
to rely on proximity to and inte,raction with the
audie,n@.
And it is this v€ry proximity and int€raction that
offers the challe,nge to modein magcians. With
close-up magic as stafed, rather than bringing the
masses in to see the magc, wG bring the magic to
the ulasses.
The good news is that there are hundreds more
ve,nues in which a working magcian may perform
today vemrrs the limited number that wer€ available
in our pre-hopping days. The bad news is trat with
differ€Nrt ve,lrues come differe,lrt issues with which
one must cope.
Gone is the control magicians had over their
performing conditiorur the previous ve,nues offered.
Most hoqpitality suites, restaurants, ffid e,mployee
picnics don't come with a tech crery.
Adding to this confirsion, often you'll have
little or no knowledge before arriving of the basic
information needed for your perfomance.
That is, you don't know whe,n on the program
you will perform, where you'll be in relation
to the audie,nce, ffid with what or whom in that
environme,nt you'll compete for the audie,nce's
limited atteirtion qpan.

363
 Closeatp The rcal Secrets of lulagic

Worse, the sarne percon who negotiated your fee

like a collector for the mafia turns out to have little
knowledge of and no control over the performing
conditiorul at the actual evellt. (Aftsr Lfl,he wasn't
eve,n smart e,nough to have that task assigned to
someone else.)
It's not enough that we ,ue competing for
atte,ntion with the food, conversation, and cleavage,
modern magcians now have to cope on the fly with
the absence of a place to set up, reset, ffid eve,n to
perform.
Whe,n the location is not a proble,m, often times
the environment is. Now that we are porting our
magrc to our audiences and ffiltrating a gathering
designed for other purposes (networking, drinking,
dating, or dining) the conditions we find contribute
to lowering magic from an art form to a distraction.
And when the location and environme,lrt are not
proble,matic, reme,mber you have the added gauntlet
of hauling your toys to and from the location in
order to get paid for playtng with them.
We have moved the performance of magic to
a point where we are now doling out our art on
demand. 'Whe,n was the last time a sculptor was
asked to squeeze his chiseling in betrveen the
appefiza and the entr6e and to be finished with his
creation before the CFO speaks? (I'm referring to
the sculptors who work in non-froz.enmedia.)

364
 17re l^art Wod

Cao you picture a singer being asked to stop

mid-song as soon as she has gathered a crowd at
the booth? Instead of being burned at the stake,
mode,m conjurors are now performing betrreeir the
st€aks. How does one cope with this "progress?"
Enter my good friend and
David STONE
professional magician, David
Stone. Note that he is not zuch
a good friend that he would The realClor-llp
ecclull of m.oic
tnrst me with a galley of this tkratyteCoofip
book without pasting a gant dlfrECu*r
b [rcb.tlg PrffiEt,

"Steve Beam" wate,mark lm72 ---'--

H.--

point t)"e on wery page of my E-

draft, ostensibly to prwent me

from photocopying it.
As the hundreds of my magician friends who
now own a copy of that qpecial collectors' edition
will attesl David has reconnoitered the battlefield
and collected all the intelligence needed on the
e,nemy to prepare for future engageme,nts.
You see, in addition to changing with the times,
magicians must also change with the conditiorul
that come with the new times. In this book, David
has, in his own inimitable and entertaining vty,
provided you trrith the magic behind the magic.
Here he shows you how to develop a mindset
that allows you to maximize your performance
by helping you to prevenL or at least cope witht
the proble,ms you uri[ inevitably stumble upon

365
 Close-up fhc real Ws of Magic

wheir performing prof€ssionally. You will learn to

anticipate the tlpes ofp,roblems you will e,ncountcr
and have pre-planned strategies to minimi-s the,m.
These are lite,rally the tricks of the tricks trade as it
exists today.
I have speirt the last fony years rnaking and
learning ftom my own mistakes in magic. For those
now deciding to e,lrter the fiel4 it would be far more
cost-efficient and far less e,masculating for today's
magicians to strap on a pair and learn ftom David's
mistakes andprofit from his experi€,nce. Why insist
on looking like a dumbass yourself whe,n David
has already be€n the,re, done that" and writt€n the
book about how to prevent it in the future?
Steve Berm
March 2006
 ALittIe Coffee?
Before You Hit the Road ...
 - Chapter 22-

Advice for Starting Out

"Be coeful: fyou listen too nruch
to othqpeopleb odnce, !@ might
errd up likc them!"
Jean Merlin

Hey Buys, ft^nks for calling me back! Didn't I

say Stwe Beam was gr:ea{? I could have just ended
the book like that, But to t€ll you the tnffh, I just
can't quit on you! It's cftuzy6 but I already feel like
we've gro$,n really close. It has just been a few
days since you started flipping through me with
your agile little fingers, taking me everywhere with
you (you should tidy rlp your videos-it's kind of
a mess) and shared the most intimate parts of your
life with me. (I didn't particularly appreciate it the
time you read me on the john,but I understood-)
Before cutting you loose for good, I will grve
a little advice to those of you who are just starting
out. Magrc is a complicated microcosm where a
neophyte could easily get lost. This little universe
has its own codes of conducl points of reference,
jargoq and celebrities-most of the,m utterly
unknown to outsiders but worshipped (or despise{

369
 Close-up Ttu rcal Senets of lvfagic

which boils down to the sarne thing) by magrcians!

Here are some little nuggets of advice to help you
find your way in the magrc world-

Secrets, Book!, ond DVD's

kanring magic from D\D is a new privilege
for beginning magicians. However, the advent of
this nesr media hasn't signaled the disappearance
of magic books as many predicted- Experience
has shown that videos and books are two different
methods of learning, each with its advmtages and
disadvantages.
The endless debate about whether it's better to
learn ftom bool6 or videos is a red herring. Rather
than opposing books and videos, combine them to
accelerate your leanring processes. Besides the fact
that you can read a book anywhere, it stimulates
creativity much mor€ than video: it forces your
imagination to create the trick that you're in the
process of reading about. By conhasl video hands
you the effect on a silver platter, exactly as it's
creator intended it what you gain in fid€lity, you
loose in creativity.

Whot Is q Moglc DVD?

You can generally separate magic videos into
two categories: Dr[D's for beginners and qpecialty
D\{f)'s. The basic formula always remains the

37o
 Advicelor Stoting Afi

sarne: the magcian performs a magc trick and the,n

explains it, describing the techiques involved-
Close-rry footage provides a better understanding
of intricate daails. Video also gives you a serute of
the rhythm, trming, ed body langu4ge involved in
a trick--things that eve,n the best book would be
hard pressed to convey in such detail. D\ID's offer
the final advantage of "reading the,mselves."
By contrast, a book requires you to hold the
of cours€ ... turn the
p4ges, hold yorrr cards, and,
page right in the middle of the description of a
technique involving both hands! (It's like looking
at a porn site on the weFyou could ule more
hands.) Unless you'te a natural contortionist, video
re,mains the most practical alte,rnative.

DVD: School of lhe 2P Cenlurf?

Since most maglc books are in Enghsh,
speakers of other langrrages are at a disadvantage
whe,n it comes to studying the descriptiorur of
ofte,n complicated techniques. Eve,n when you
read a magic book in your native language, it can
still be difficult to understand the explanations of
techniques. Eve,n whe,n the descriptions are clear,
they may only be illustated by a few images or
drawings.
Thus, the technique a beginner acquires from
a book may vary somewhat from the technique an
author intended to transmit. However, this doesn't

37r
 Close-up TTre rcal &L'rets of lvfasic

necessarily mean that the resulting technique is bad

or poorly executed.
On the contrary, it may just be a personal
adaptation of a standard technique, ffid zuch
adaptanorur can stimulate the imagination,
Ieading magrcians to create new ideas. Often poor
explanations, a lack of illustration or slmply a
reader's misunderstanding leads to the creation of
new techniques.
With the precision ofvideo, this kind of interesting"
interpretation can't happen: the de,monstration is
too precise and establishes zuch a clear standard
of excellence, that there's little room left for the
free play of the imagination. Where bools de,mand
critical thinking and develop the imagination,
videos often invite imitation ... And imitation e,lrds
up producing clones ("Hello! My name's Clone,
David Clone!"). Clones and look-alikes never have
much to offer.
Don't forget that the maglcian in a video prese,nts
HIS tricks in HIS style. In no case should you
imitate his patter, style, or the final points that make
up his individual persona. You should use these
videos as a source of inspiration. Like tools, they
should ultimately serve to help you sreate your
own routines.
This is why most of the tricks explained on
instnrctional D\lf)'s aren't really tricks per se (at
least that's the case in my case. Crap, I used "case"

372
 Advicefor Stuting Out

twice in one se,nte,nc*too lary to go back and

fix it though). They're rather created to illustrate
particular techniques to facilitate the learning
process. This is why it's better not to perform the
pre-packaged routines on a DVD but rather to use
the techniques they involve to inve,nt your own
original routines. Tlake the beginning of one trick
and combine it with the end of another-in a word,
create!
As with books, the vast majority of DVD's are
in English and are produced in the LIS. Unlike
books, though, video breaks doum language
barriers easily: eve,n if you can't understand what
the magcian is saying, you immediately grasp what
he's Alking about. Nevertheless, Englishre,mains an
indispensable tool for advancing in magic. Soone,r
or later, the beginner will turn to notes, books, or
tricks that can only be found in the langrrage of
Shakespearc. Might as well start sooner rather than
later!
 Magicshops:
Ihe Cavern ofAliBaba

AWhorShop?
There anc magrc shops all over the world. As
the name irnplies, they qpecialize in products for
amateru and professional magicians.
Some shops devote qpecial atteirtion to the sister
arts ( uggling, balloon sculpture, ventriloquism,
escapology, pyrotechnics, etc ...) and offer all
the relevant accessories (handcuffs, chains,
hoods, whips.-m4gic is a gateway to BDSM, you
know ...). Magrc re,mains, however, their primary
fogus.
If you are a beginner, you should know that it's
incredibly bad form to try to pass yourself offas an
advanced magician in the hopes of gleaning a few
secrets from the clerk! (Ihe sarne thing goes for
magic cltrbs.)
The world of magic is protected by a jargon so
specializeq that insiders will know as soon as you
op€,!t your mouth whether your a magrcian or a
layman. (Areal magrcian doesn't say anything-he

375
 Close-up The rcal &crc* of lvlagic

comes in scowling after doing 17 Christuas parties

in arow, and looks at everyone as apotential disease
vector.)
Rather than trying to pull a fast one, it's better
to be up front: tell the clerk you are a beginner
hoping to discover the world of magic, Then, liste,n
atte,ntively to what they have to say. Just like you,
they started out as beginners!

Whqt Do They Sell?

You canfind everything youneed forperforming
close-up and salon magrc Glayrng cards, rop€s,
sponge balls, silks, Viagra ... or this book, for
example).
You can also purchase instnrctional D\ID's,
books and magic tricls (from basic card tricks to
grand stage illusions). As you can BU6s, prices vary
(according to novelty, difficulty, innovativenss),
rangng from a few dollars to a small fortune.
In magic, it's the secret-the underlying ider
that jusffies the price and rarely the accessories
used inperforming the trick That sai4 these special
articles are often hand-crafted in small quantities,
which also justifies their sometimes exorbitant
prices.
Just as simply buying a violin and a music stand
wouldn't make you a violinisl buying magic tricks
isn't enough to make you a magician. At the very

376
 IYfagic Slrops

bcginning, it's normal to spend a lot of money on

magic tricks: you'll learn how to fool your friends
and family with little mysteries that you couldn't
have imagined existed just a short time ago.
With the passage of time, though, if your
ap,proach doesn't evolve, you will be just an
exhibiter of little tricks, not a real magrcian. The
only diffemence there w€re be befiile€n you and
your spcchtors is ftat you we,lrt to the magic dealer
before they did!
While many of the tricks sold by magic dealers
are of the highest quality andwill no doubt impress
and astound your audience, you will quickly learn
that it is more enjoyable to perform magic without
exp€, lsive prqps. Just a simple deck of cards or a
few borrowed coins is eirough to work miracles,
once you have learned the art of manipulation.
Only then will you tnrly have the impression
of making mag'rc. Only then can you tnrly call
yowself a magician. The art of magic is about
creating out-and-out illusions, ild learning to
combine tricks that involving skill and tricks that
rely on props is an important part of that. From the
public's perspective, ever5flhing should depend on
your skill, yoru knowledge of secrets, ild the air of
mystery that surrounds you.
As you've probably guesse{ magic shops are
generally pleasant places and the clerk-magicians
enjoy de,monstrating recent arrivals. Of cou$e, it's

377
 Close-up TTre rcal krrc* of ltfagic

preferable not to ask the,m to unpack half the shop

if you're just intending to buy a deck of cards!
The mood is often laid-back and relaxd which
makes it a p€rfect place to meet other magicians,-
often quite famous ones. They flock there not only
to make their purchases (accessories, cards, etc.),
but also because m4gic shops are a perfect setting
for informal meetings betwee,n magicians. You can
get first-hand information about magic shours in
your arqa, and make friends with people you'll later
see at magic clubs.
Try not to sp€nd three hours there, thougb,
runmagtng through ever5rthing, playing with all
the accessories and flrpping through all the books:
someone might decide you're a pest and smack you
upside the head with a magic wand.
f)on't be the guy who qp€nds all Sahrrday
afternoon in a shop only to buy one double-
face car4 and who makes the shop his personal
playroom. It won't help your caf,eer (if you want
to make friends in the magic worlQ. Don't forget
that magic dealers know almost ETVERYBODY
(especially Stephane Jardonnet at Murphy's magic
sqrplies. I didn't want to out him, but he knows
everybody-watch out for him!).
 Magcclubs:
MagcAmong Friends

Whqt's o ttoglc CIub Fot-?

The best place to meet other magicians is
certainly to go to a magic shop or a magic club.
There are many clubs rormd the world. More
or less forma! they bring together e,nthusiasts of
all ages, amateur and professional, beginners or
recognized mast€,rs.
A club is the ideal place to meet people, hone
your skills, exchange tricks and technigws, share
useful information, seek advice, ed get to know
professional magcians. The atuosphere is usually
laid-back becaure people are there first and fore,most
to talk about magic and to have firn showing each
other their newest discoveries or chatting about the
latest magc celebrity.

How Does It Wod(?

Each club has a differe,nt way of doing business.
Usually, people witl present some effects and
explain the,m in detail. There could be discussions

379
 Close-up - TTte rcal Se'rcts of Magic

on ge,neral the,mes (magic on TV, stage magic,

suringers' clubs ...) in which everyone has the
chance to gtve his or her opinion. The,re are often
lectues by famous magcians who explain routines
and techniques. (These lectures last for about two
hours.)
Finally, c€rtain clubs organize conve,lrtiout or
mini-conve,ntio$r that gather together all of the
me,mbers along with special invited guests, for a
sale or dealer show, lectures (which are useful for
catching up on sleep) and a performance during
which me,mbers of the club share the spotlight with
real professionals.

How Do You Become o Member?

The conditioilt for me,mbership are different
from club to club. In Eruope, ofte,lr ne\ilcomers
have to take an examination before atte,lrding chrb
meetings. Othe,rs wil allow you to atte,lrd on a trial
basis before taking the examination. In any sase,
don't worry about it: the sr(amination ge,lrerally
consists in answering some basic questions about
prcsfidigimi ... or whatever you call it, and
prese,nting several effecB. It's not about judgng
your skill level but ofconfirming your commiment,
separating people who are serious about magtc
from curious "tourists."

380
 Magic Clubs

Usually, at other clubs, just liking magrc is

enough to get you in the door. All you have to do
is show up to meet other magicians. StiU, don't
imagine that you're going to be able to engage in a
little espionage and come away with all the secrets
of magic after just one night!
Magtcians are very secretiv€, and any sufficiently
skilled amateurwill pickyou out as abeginner from
a mile away. Don't be a lrcseur, just actnatural and
be yourself: someone who's trying to leam the art
of magic.
Thanks to the goldmine of information available
on the Internel you should be able to find a magic
club in your area without too much difficulty. Feel
free to contact the club officers to get information
about the times and locations of meefug, and the
conditions for admission. Normally, they'll always
be happy to have you-a fellow magician-join
their ranls!
 Secondhelpings?
Youte got quitethe appetite!
 Somenseful addresses
Mogazines
MaglcScen
Europe's no I Magic Magazine
magicsge,n.co.uk

GenttMagadne
The Conjuror's Magazine
geniimagazine.crom

Maglc Magezlne
The Maga-ine for Magtcia"s
magicmagaane.com

SM: Street Magc Mega-ing

The Ultimate Magic Magazine
streefu agicrnagaztne.com

Channel One
The Different Magazine!
rfaproductions. com/ChannelOne. hm
The LlnHng Ring
The official journal of the International
Brotherhood of Magician s
wwrv.magician.org

g8s
 Close-up The rcnl &oets of tlagic

M-II-M: MagC Unity, Might!

Society ofAmerican Magtcims Magazine
www.magrcsarn.oom

Abrecedebre
The world's only magtcal weekly magaitne
www.goodliffe.co.uk

The Maglc Clrculer

The monthly me,mbers publication of the Magc
Circle
www. the,magiccircle. co uk.

Secrets
The Best magazine for young magicians
www. theyoungmagiciansclub. co.uk

Magicclubs
IBM - Intematlonal Brotherhood of Maglclrns
The I.B.M. is the world's largest organization for
magicians with ov€r 300 local groups in more than 73
cormtries! www.magician.org
SAM - The Soctety ofAmerican Maglclrns
The S.A.M is the oldest mdcal society in the wuld
with over 250 "Assemblies" throughout the world !
wu,ur.magicsarll.com

FISM*
The International Federation ofMagic Societies. They
oryafize the World Championships of magic wery 3
years! www.fism.org

386
 bnnweful ailesses

Intenrct
MeglcZoom
The Fre,nch Daily Magrc Magazine
mqgcz)orLqom
MaglcWeek
Magic infteUK
magicweekco.

Ihe MaSc Cefo

Magrcians Helping magrcians
the,magiccafe.com

IheAltMaSc Gutde
a[magicguide,com

Inslde Magic
Magrc News Updated Daily
inside,magic.som

MagIcTIMES
Magic Leading Source for news
magictimes.som

g$z
 Close-up The real Secrcts of Magic

Wantta see some tnorgic?

FRANCE
Le Double fond
THE magrc place in Paris withAtexandra and Dominique
Duvivier! But also with Philippe de Perthuis, Jean-Pierre
Crispon and many other lecttrrers and performers...
I place du March6 St Catherine 75004 Paris - France
+ 33 I 42 71 40 20 www.doublefond.com

ENGLAI\D
Simon Drake's House of Magic
London's most magical & enchanting venue
Tel ' +4./,20 7735 3434
www.hous eofinagic co uk
. .

The Magic Circle

One of the most prestigious maglc society in the world.
They have an international membership of around 1500,
all dedicated to promoting and advancing the art of Magic
Centre for The Magrc Arts
12 Stephenson Way - Euston
London Ir[\Ml 2[lf)- England
www.themagiccircle. co.uk

UNMED STAIES
The Magic Castle
The Magtc Castle is the world's most famous club
for magicians and magic enthusiasts and home to The
Academy of Magical Arts.
The Magrc Castle / Academy of Magical Arts
7001 FranklinAvenue - Hollyvood
cA 90028-8600 USA
www.magiccastle.com

388
 David STONE
LIV
Sneak into one of the world's most exclusive closeup
conventions, Fechter's Finger Flicking Frolic, and
watch David Stone presents the lecture that won him
the Most Valuable Person award in 2003!
karn all the sleights, subtleties and finesses that have made
each one of these routines a mainstay in David's close-up act!

Over 80 minutes of magiG, without cuts

as if you were therel
. Coins, eards, Cigarette, Bottle, Self working trick ...
. Tips and theory about restaurant magrc
. and ... fl lot of surprises!
"Seeing David Stone lecture was refreshing and entertaining. I
love this magician, his magic and his entqtaining style. No wonder
he was voted the MW at FFFF" Don Ganett

Bonus
. 3 more routines
. A brand new complete
false cut
. Photos gallery
. DVD trailers
. About FIUIF
. CrediB
Beginners and Experts.
 Iheyhelpedto make
this bookpossible!

David Stone
The website of the author. D\ID, Bio, ficks, ..,
www.david-stone.fr
www. IhateDavidStone. com

Jean-Luc Bertrand
The website of the French magician and director
of the D\ID's adapted from this book
www. close-up-maglc. com

Steve Beam
Discover Steve's magic world and The Trapdoor,
an underground journal of magic spanned fifteen
yearsi and 1500 pages !
www.stevebeam.com

Jean-Jacques Sanvert
The website of Jean-Jacques, one of the best
close-up perfonners in the world!
www.magicsanvert.com

Lee Asher
Home to the Most Original Sleight of Hand like
the Asher Twist. ..
www.leeasher.com

391
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

Keith ((Kip) Pascal

My friend and US editor
www.magrcmentor.com

Paul Martin
An Amazing British performer with a great sense
of humor!
www. paulmartinmagic . com

Tim Ellis & SueAnne Webster

TWo greatperformers from Australia!
www. magi cunlimite d. c om

Etienne Pradier
One of the best magicians in the IIK. . . and "V[hat
the hell ... heb French !"
www. premiennagic. co. trk

Joshua Jay
One of magic's most eclectic and urccomplished rising
stars wwwjoshuajay.com

Zrkary Belamy
The Photographer for magicians
www.zakarybelamy.com

Jumpingfrogs Entertainment
David Stone's favorite and exclusive agent in the
UK and a leading agency for magicians and unusual
entertainment from all over the world.
wwwjtrmpingfrogs.com
 Bibliogroplry

. Road warrior Prufessional travelling entertainer's

surtival guide, Randy Pryor
. The Complete Guide to Restaurant and Walk-Around
Magic, Kirk Charles

o Magic by misdirection (Trilog). Dariel Fitzkee (Lee

Jacobs Productions)

. Making o Living Performing at Restaurants &

Hotels, Carl Andrews

. British close-up magic Symposium - Thefirst decade,

Keith Fields
. The Restaurant Workcrb Handbook, Jim Pace &,
Jerry McGregor

. British close-up magic Symposium - Thefirst decade,

Marc Paul

. Maximum Entertainment, Ken Weber (Ken Weber

Productions)

. Manual of Restaurant Magic, Kirk Charles

(Conjurers' Press)

. Walk Talk: Essays on Magic in the Real Work, Kirk

Charles

393
 Close-up The real Secrets of Magic

. Working in Restaurants for Fun & Profit, Dan

Fleshman

. Strong Magic, Daffiin Orttz, (Ifuufrtan &

Greenberg)

. Shattering lllusions, Jarny Ian Swiss (Hermetic

Press)

. The Magic Menu: The First Five years, Jim Sisti

. Applause and How to Get ft, Henning Nelms

. Close-up Succe^r.r, Phil Jay & Chris Dugdale.

. The principles of Magic, Richard Osterlind
o Prufessional Restaurant Magic, Jim Sisti

. The Strulling Magician, Mark Leveridge

o Controlled Table Hopping, Rex Taylor

. How to Handle Heckler, Keith Fields

o Leading with your head, Gary Kurtz

o Business of magic, Michael Baileys

. Real World Magic, Jerry McGregor

o Good enoughfo, TV larJe Leirpoll

. Pockct Power Jarle Leirpoll

 You liked the Book ?
You will LOVE the DVD !

DAVIDSTONE
TTIE REAL SECRETS OF MAGIC
Make a living with close-up magic!

BS professional routines
created and performed by David Stone
FISM AwardWinner
Critically acclaimed by the magic community and
directed by leading artist Jean-Luc Bertrand, this z D\ID
collection will teach you how to:
. Get applause . Guarantee your tips . Manuge
your spectators . Operate in tough conditions .
. Capture and entertain the audience o
"The besf magic DVD 2006"
Genii Magazine
"Unlike anything l've seen
to date"
MagicSeen
"The look and feel of a
major studio film"
M.U.M Magazine

Bonus:
Making of - FISM Act story
Photo gallery - Teasers

Available at:
lhatedavidstone.com
magicsGen magafine
Europe's Number One Magic Read!

E
--

For all the news, gossip and

interviews with stars,
don't miss out visit:
www.magiGSGGll.Go.uI
for full details of subscribing, or to
download our futuristic PDF version.
 Fihln,ographA

o On the spot, Greg Wilson

o No jaclcet required, Carl Andrews

. The Strolling Magican, CarlAndrews

. On the loose Yol.I-2-3-4, Bill Malone

. Here I Go Again! Vol.I-2-3, Bill Malone

. Ta-daaaa, Greg Wilson (Magic Boutique)

. The Restaurant Act, R. Paul Wilson (Meir Yedid

Magrc)

. Live at FFFE David Stone (MagicZoom

EntertainnenQ

. Making o living performing Close-up magtc, CarL

Andrews

. The Art of Hopping Tables, Mark Leveridge (L&L

Publishing)

. Impact, Magie professionnelle, Romaric Hoftnan

(Comme par Magre)

. Live At the Jailhouse, D. Fleshmann, G. Thomas, D.

Tong, K. Charles, P. Green, J. Miller

. The real secrets of magtc Vol.l & Yol.2, David Stone

(Close-up Magic-Magrc Zoom Entertainm snf)

397
 BECOME A FIRST-RATE CLOSE-UP PERFORMER
WITH THIS INDISPENSABLE GUIDE
A GOLDMINE OF HINTS FOR THE PROS

The reol secrels of professionol mogicions ore NOT

their routines! lf you wont to be o pro, you don't
need onother book of tricks, you need o guide
through the world of professionol close-up mogic!
Do you wont to moke more money os o close-up
mogicion with higher poy ond bigger tips? Within
these poges you will discover how to:

o Perform your opening trick with moximum impoct

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. Get spectotors to osk for your business cord
o lnstontly spot the most lucrotive tobles ...

HUNDREDS OF TIPS, HINTS AND TRICKS OF THE TRADE

How to opprooch o toble - Set the stoge for o greot
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best effect - 6 steps to moking o clossy exit - Strong
Iines designed to elicit opplouse - The best time to
promote your mogic - Whot to do obout o request
for on encore - How to get tips ...

Leorn the Reol Secrets of Mogic with o book full of

concrete odvice, funny onecdotes ond pointers!
.AN EMERTAINING WAY TO PROVIDE YOU
WTTH THE MAGIC BEHIND THE MAGIC'
Steve Beom

.THE
REAL SECRETS OF AAAGIC ARE ALL HERE'
Jeon-Jocques Sonvert

@
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