I do a few topological effects with paper such as Afghan Bands, Card Necklace, Paper Rings To Square, etc. I have the option of just walking up to the table and get right into the effects (all of the necessary pre-cuts/taping/etc. done in advance), or, I can set them up as I chat at the table and let the spectators wonder what I am doing. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. The different approaches also apply to other effects as well.

I am curious about your opinion/experience.

Thanks in advance,
John

You must always approach the table ready to go if you want to look professional.

Ben

I've never heard of those effects being used for table hopping before. Not particularly high impact, dare I say?

Always prep before.Be ready to perform.
Todd

I don't know, if I was sitting at a table and you came over with a craft set cutting and pasting I'd probably throw a salt shaker at you. ( Well I really wouldn't do that but I'd politely say "I'm real sorry but I'm not really interested"

Just my opinion.
( I just noticed Bowers has exactly 1,000 more posts than me, not that anybody cares but I thought I'd mention it) (what a coinkydink)

I fail to see any advantages to prep at the table. But that is me I could be short sighted. You only have a limited amount of time with them in the first place. Not sure pre school crafts is the best use of it.

Again I could be way off base I am not sure.

Slowkneenuh,

I do see the advantage of talking to the patrons before the performance but what are the advantages to setting up at the table?

I'm afraid they might get the same feeling I do when someone is checking their email as we speak.

I have enjoyed watching someone make an origami sculpture. Do you perceive the activity to have innate interest?

-Mary Mowder

Some clarifications....

I only mentioned a few effects that I perform at (some) tables and the ones I mentioned may or may not be preset.

These effects, when used, go over quite well. To approach a table with a blank sheet of 8 1/2 X 11 paper and tell the folks that you can cut a hole in it that anyone of them can walk thru intrigues them. To take a playing card and tell them with a hole in it they can pass a full, upright bottle of condiments or pass their plate thru it intrigues them. To use a color index card and tell them you can cut a hole in it and anyone can wear it as a necklace intrigues them. The Afghan Bands serve me well with audience participation. I perform a cut and get a certain result and two others perform the same cut and each get different results. To show two circular paper bands linked together and with two cuts from scissors make them into a perfect square interests them. Both of those effects are also table pleasers. So they may be arts and crafty, but I have had great success with them over the years.

The establishment may be part of the reason why I occasionally use these effects as its a 300 seat family restaurant, normally packed during my time performing, with groups across the entire age spectrum.

My original question was to solicit opinions about walking over with the blank, intact piece of paper or cards and do taping, cuts, folds,etc. while talking with them and stimulating their curiousity or precut, tape, fold before approaching them. Similar to a packet trick. I like to use a full deck to start and then select the packet I want to use as it appears (to me) more natural than just starting out with the packet of cards.

In any event, I appreciate any and all of your comments.

Thanks,
John

Hi John,

You have to keep in mind that from the moment you approach a table (actually even before that) you are doing your show. I can see an advantage to including the prep as part of the show, but it must be as entertaining as everything else in your show. In a stage play, for example, a physical transition from one scene to the next can be very interesting to the audience, but just having techies moving furniture around puts a stop to everything and is very boring. I love using this technique in the plays I direct, but when I do use it the tech crew is just as blocked and choreographed as the actors. In close-up magic there are lots of examples of doing something not magical, but interesting with the props. Tommy Wonder's needle threading and Michael Close's origami bunny are good examples of this. Burt Allerton, who was the magician at the Pump Room in Chicago many years ago, did a lot of this stuff including a very interesting way of printing a spectator's name on a card by coloring a band on the card and having their name appear in the negative space. Eugene Burger used this for a long time and may still be using it today. It takes a little bit of time and allows you to have a brief conversation while you do it, but above all it is done for a specific purpose in the show. Another thing I have noticed about this kind of stuff in shows, is that when the magician takes a bit of time to make an interesting object, he usually gifts it to the spectator.

Thanks,
Richard

I prep only for formal shows these days.

I rarley prep anything for walk around - All I need are a deck of cards - coins for matrix, ring on a stick props - Die Namic Diamonds - a set of three dice - a set of sponge balls - and my chop dice cup and my set of cups and balls.

And I am set for an evening.

This was good because my wife took off for the afternoon once and in the back of the car was my close up case. So I went to walmart and walgreens and got a deck of cards and a few things and I was set for the night and able to do a gig that came in at the last minute.

In my opinion the magic is in the magician - props are important but without the magician they are just props.

I hope this helps

Slowkneenuh,

It seems like you would have to cut the "Walking thorough a piece of paper" in front of them or it would loose the impact.
So it is probably more about what you say as you do it.

More power to you. I've gotten mostly through that at home and accidentally cut to far on the edge (or it simply tore through) and ended up with a two ended failure.

-Mary Mowder

Starcle may be one of the few paper effects to benefit from a tableside set-up.

You say that both choices have advantages and disadvantages. Then determine which choice gives the greatest impact to your audience and is the most entertaining. The sooner you can get your audience positively engaged in your performance, the better. Perhaps the word "Preparation" is not the appropriate term. Most of us think of preparation as "set up", and I'm sure that is not the case in your performance (at least I hope not). Just remember that the instant you walk up to the table, your performance has started.