You’re a magician! You can do magic at anytime. But is it always good magic? I have found that many people use “impromptu” as an excuse for not practicing. It’s just – I’ll borrow a coin and do something cool (unrehearsed). I believe that “impromptu” performances (or performances that are perceived to be impromptu) can be just as powerful, if not more powerful than a full evening stage show.

Okay, here comes the question/brainstorming session for the group. You’re on a beach wearing only your swimsuit. You are trapped into performing. What will you do to create an absolutely stunning piece of magic? Not just a cute trick, but (I’ll use baby words) a total mind-freeze. You’re surrounded, without sleeves, okay–maybe you can bring a gimmick along, but it better be waterproof and make sense to have it with you on a beach! What do you do? I’ll share what I do once the discussion gets rolling along. I don’t want to make this too easy on anyone. Let’s do some real thinking.

Nice thread.

If I were at a beach with no props, no cards, no coins, nothing - a good effect to perform would be to have a card value named, then the suit. Once the whole card is named, the whole group walk to the other end of the beach where scraped into the sand is their chosen card, the ? of ?.
This is just a variation of 'Hendonists make up all the rules' in Paul Harris' Art of Astonishment volume 3.
This version doesn't need a pen and paper as the performer can scrape numbers etc in the sand.
So that's a no-prop, totally impromptu effect.

JC:

Way to use the environment!

I look forward to hearing what others are thinking. Don't just limit yourselves to the beach scene either. Think about an anywhere/anytime mind-*%$!. I believe that if you make the conditions as stringent as possible, the end result will be an effect that you can do anywhere/under any circumstances.

Just a little thought. If the markings on the sand were big enough, they may not get noticed which would be excellent as say you and the crowd could walk on the markings and you could do this..
"Right lets stop here. Now, I want you all to shout out the card as loud as possible..... Louder....... Louder! LOOK AT THE SAND!"

That's just some weird thinking. I doubt you could find an audience as mad as that, but certainly with the small crowd making lots of noise and the reaction afterwards will get lots of attention.


Keeping to the beach theme, not as impressive could be a Broken and restored shell.

Try some cloud-busting. This will have a deep impact on the viewers. Then try some psychological/mindreading effects or maybe some contact-mindreading.

For sleighty stuff I would crush a rock into sand, or do a 2 in the hand - 1 in the sand with driftwood or...

Cloud busting is good... let's hope it's a sky with some clouds in it. I don't mean to repeat myself since I've already mentioned this very same thing in another section. I was under the gun many a time, including a similar situation... poolside. What do all people bring with them even at the beach, or pools? Keys. You can't get in or out, you can't turn on your car... you need keys to survive in this world. Okay, so I bent them. Let's just say it was a thrilling experience.

J C, I love the B & R shell idea!
Great idea too Greg.

Have you ever had anyone get choked because you bent their only home/transportation key?

It got me thinking of what is usually available:

Rings, necklaces, watches, keys, money, i.d. cards, cell phones, pagers, sunglasses, suntan lotion, snacks, towels, books/magazines, radios/cd/tape players, shoelaces...and the wheels turn...

I usually wear cheap necklaces/bracelets (beaded, leather, etc.). I strung a really strange looking little key on a black leather strand and I wear it around my neck. It kind of blends in with the other two that I wear, but it's different enough that I get asked about it.

The key(s) that I use are for a small case, but they really look like antique handcuff keys.

If you haven't guessed by now, these items are (almost) always with me - ready to do a version of the ring on a rope. The idea, although dressed up a bit, is from Jay Sankey's "Going Home" - I think that's the correct title, but I'm really bad with remembering the names of tricks.

First, what a coincidence! The organizers of the Austrian Magic Convention came up with the idea of holding a beach contest this year. Well, we don't have a beach in Austria but we'll all join together at the pool of the local casino. Gonna be a lot of fun!

Second, another coincidence! A week ago I spent a few days in Croatia and started thinking of what I could do in summer when I'll be there for a whole month and people will ask me to do some magic. I then selected two victims and performed a copper/silver transposition with a red and a white stone as well as a four coins across with four stones (or was it more than four...?).

If you are on a sandy beach I'd suggest you bring your TT and perform sand across which is a lovely thing to do for children.

Finally you should always be able to produce a bottle of coke from your towel.

Maybe we should practice the Copperfield thing with the towel and his two feet becoming invisible behind it (no idea how this works, though)

Good night,

Chris

Well, I've had one guy hand me his car key and even though I explained what could happen he still wanted to see it.... well, he couldn't drive home that night. And after one party I had one person tell me that they had given me their home key and now it wouldn't work in the lock. I've never had anyone get mad because I always tell them what I'm going to attempt and they are the ones that supply the keys.
By the way, now your thinking on the right path by making a list of what people usually carry with them... even to the beach. Start collecting effects that can be done with these objects and you'll never have to worry about not carrying a TT, NW, or any other equipment... although you should try to have stuff on you all the time. By the way, check out Gregory Wilson's On The Spot video which covers a bit of this premise --- doing magic with whatever is around you.
Anyway, I was just kidding about the keybending because at the beach I would just walk on the water to impress them.


Greg

I might go for Paul Harris' 'Fizz master' if the conditions were right

Otherwise, there are a few from 'On the Spot' I would try - maybe 'glossy finish' with sunscreen appearing inside someone's hand instead of lipstick? I'm not quite sure how I'd load it, though... I'll think about it!

NickW, keep Fizzmaster as much of a secret as possible... it's genius. I've done it at several barbecues and parties.

Greg - I've edited the above post in case it was giving a bit much away!

Thanks.

OK

totally impromptu,

I'd do a couple of coin vanish and production sleights, followed by $1-$5 dollar flip (vee-roll-out) then the floating soda can (sunscreen on palm) then Jumping Rubber band if I find one, then plastic fork-thru-the-finger and vanishing paper ball (over specs head) Oh and lollypop stick traffic lights if I can find a marker or pen

Fair-n-euff?
RangeCowboy

As I mentioned in another thread I’m prepared to do a few minutes with rubber bands (more than just rubber cuffs). I always wear a few on my wrist like a bracelet. For me slipping on a couple bands before I leave the house is like slipping on my shoes.

I also like the idea of combining sand and the TT. I didn’t think of that.

Just a vague idea here, but I think it would be totally awesome to vanish something commonplace, like sunscreen or a coke or whatever, and then to have everyone dig down in the sand and find it there. Also, I wonder if you could conceal something in your swimtrunks, like some supply you would need at the beach, and then say you forgot it and produce it seemingly from empty air . . . and of course, walking on the water would be nice, but, you know, fat chance . . .

Awesome thread! Maybe I'll go to the beach more, since I'm in Hawaii and all...


How about rocks-over-the-head? You could also use shells, twigs, anything... sand will hide the sound, and the spectators will think it's ridiculous.

:sun:

Can't add much that hasn't already been said, except that it has reminded me of a story that Salvano tells of being at a beach only wearing trunks and asked to do something. It turns out he always carries a TT secretly in his trunks!

Magic on a beach. You've all heard the expression , you can't squeeze blood out of a stone. You take a beach pebble or small stone and rub it onto the inside of your arm. If I rub hard enough, friction will be produced and if I keep rubbing, it'll.......squeeze water from the stone.
Secret: have a small, water saturated tissue behind your right ear, and as you do the rubbing with your bent right arm, you are in the perfect position to steal the ball of wet tissue.
Darryl the Wizard

I think I would do a psychological card force a la Derren Brown or Docc Hilford. (Check out Brown's "Devil's Picturebook" and "Pure Effect" and Hilford's "Real Mind Reading".) The reactions you get from these kinds of tricks are unbelievable.

Take care,
kou