A well-known Canadian magician told me that a professional working performer told him that. I guess I'm not that famous, for I tend to carry at least two suitcase tables, darn heavy tables , to a birthday show. I find that kids enjoy colourful props and I've come to a conclusion that I've got to use all those props I bought at our annual magic club auction, at least once.
I really don't think that it's the size of your case that makes you more famous or a better magician. I suppose many beginners and a few older collectors tend to put more faith in the device rather than the deceptionist. Harry Blackstone Jr. once said: "Remember that you- not your props- create the magic."
It's the character and personality that you have created that emblazons a lasting impression on the audience.
What do you think?
Darryl the Wizard with the big bags

Whatever it takes for your act is what you should carry. If you are carrying a couple of extra effects that you may want if it is obvious that you audience is not responding, then you carry those also.

Obviously, how much you carry depends on what you do. As a mentalist I carry my complete act with backups in a briefcase. I can if I want carry everything on me. A children's magician can hardly do that. Hope this gives you some insight.

I guess if famous equates to good then I can see the point. One who is better than average should be able to do more with less, in theory.

Maybe he meant that the more famous you are, you have less to carry because you have people working for you who carry the big stuff!

Duke

Lee has it right, I think: "Whatever it takes for your act is what you should carry."

I carry everything I need for a birthday party in one small suitcase; for adult shows, it's one attache case.

But, as Darryl said, kids like flashy props and "magic-looking" gizmos, so why not use them if you can carry it off.

Or, if you can carry them!

Despite the ad for the movie Godzilla, size doesn't matter.

cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

I hope that I am not spilling the beans, but one bit of advice that Jeff McBride gives to attendees of his Master Class is: "those who do more with less wins." He explains that he arrived at this adage when his van of equipment was stolen the day of a show. He spent the day trying to piece together his show...

His logic in his video on the Commando Act is based on this view...

Perhaps he was brainwashed with the Harlan videos lol. It's a ridiculous statement. Certainly kids love to see big, colourful, three dimensional props. As long as you do a good act and like useing the props you do that is fine.

An act in a briefcase is a nice convenience however.Less to carry and probably quicker to pack away. It is more for the performers benefit than the kids.

Paul.

Copperfield is consistently in the top ten highest paid entertainers in the world--the only magician to be in that group. He has several semi tractor trailers full of stuff.

The premise is flawed. Once again, this is an example of a blanket statement that sometimes applies, but it depends on venue, type of show, style of performer, etc. It is silly to "put yourself in a box" with these kinds of statements. Do what works for you, but always be thinking of how you can make it even better. Sometimes that means less, sometimes it means more.

Hi,
Yes I also think the premise is flawed. after all this would also mean that the performer that uses the smaller case is underperforming as by using a bigger case /props he to would be better. (if it makes not so good performers better it should do the same for good performers)
phillip

Mac King often states, that his entire show can fit under the seat of an airplane.

Dunninger (I think, I could be wrong) said something along the lines of:
"The fewer props you have, the more money you can charge"
This was advice for a mind reading act, where, if you could really read minds, you wouldn't need a day-glo marking board with gold dragons across the top and a logo from a magic shop on it...
but rules and guide lines are good - without them, we wouldn't know what NOT to do to be different and/or original.