Hi everybody. I’m new and I’m hoping I am posting this in the correct forum. Apologies all around if not.

The time I’m most asked to perform magic is when I’m out with a group of friends at a dinner party or at a bar. I usually don’t carry gimmicks with me so cards, coins, and whatever other “organic” objects that can be taken off the table are what I enjoy using for my effects. Here’s the kink. I’m in China, studying Mandarin, and often when I’m out it is with a mix of both Chinese and Westerners. Even though I can speak some of the language now, I don’t always have a word that really fits the action of the routine, and translating for myself, i.e. speaking in the two languages, can often slow down the magic too much. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions for some really visual material that won’t necessitate a lot of patter? Thanks.

A spongeball routine done with rolled up napkins or a cups & balls with coffee cups & rolled up napkins are nice impromptu visual effects.



I hope this helps,
Mike

Thanks Ichazod,

I really like that idea of using napkins instead of spongeballs and I will defiantely give it a shot. Do you think this topic shold be in another forum, or is this the palce for this discussion. I'm not only looking for impromtu magic. The focus of ym search right now is for magic that breaks the language barrier.

I don't think you've got the section wrong!
try looking into some of Gregory Wilson's material. especially the videos that cover impromtu effects. you should also check out Sinful by Wayne Houchin which is a great effect to perform in bars and that speaks for itself!
I wish you all the best

-Matt

If you can find a copy, and if you can afford it, Martin Gardner's "Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic" is a treasure trove of quick effects that can be done with common objects like rubber bands, matchbooks, and paper.

Matt,

Thanks for the advice on the Greg Wilson material. One of the last videos I bought before the amount of time I put into my magic lessened was one of Greg Wilson's card tapes and I loved it. Now that I'm back into practicing, it seems only fitting that I get some more of his material under my belt.
Unfortunately, Sinful is a no go. Without wanting to expose the method, the type of can, be it beer or soda, here in China pretty much makes performing this effect impossible. Very unfortunate considering how great it looks.
Thanks again.

-Jonathan

I encounter this same problem working for a Japanese company. Anytime I perform for our Japanese members that visit us, I just stay away from material that requires them to follow directions. For example, using the routine that comes with invisible deck is difficult to perform when there is a language barrier. But an ACR with a normal deck is not. They just have to pick a card. Color changes with cards don't require much patter either. D'lites work well also.
I'm rambling but Greg Wilson's "Ring Leader" is great material, just used it last night. Just some Ideas!
Have fun

State,
Funny that you mention ACR as it is always the most requested trick I do when out and about with the itnernational crowd. I recently did the Asher Twist and there was a moment of stunned silence, then they exploded and in five different languages demand that I do it again! Good times

Airship,
I'll certainly keep a look out ofr it, but I get the feeling finding a copy in this country is unlikely. Do you know of any online dealers that might still have copies floating around?

Thanks again. You guys are a great help.
-Jonathan

It sounds like you need tricks that speak for themselves or where some miming is all that is necessary.

Jay Sankey has some nice material.
'Clipped' (cards) and 'Stirring Silver' (finger ring & spoon) are two effects that come to mind.
Roth's 'Hanging Coins' is good.
Mayne's "Ghost Bills" should work.
Quite a few elastic band tricks don't more that your saying, "Watch!".
Best,

The Cultural Exchange DVDs with Shoot Ogawa and Apollo Robbins are set up with the language barrier or loud environment theme in mind. All of the routines are performed with no patter and are designed to be visual and speak for themselves. Some are pretty knuckle busting though.

As for being able to perform the routines with objects borrowed off of the table, there are effects with cards and coins that could be borrowed, and some that require certain props like Shoot's purse frame routine, but you could work around this by using something similar, maybe a small bracelet, to act as a portal into another dimension. I've done Apollo's 8-ball production with lemons, limes, and even my cell phone and it gets good reactions.

Hope this helps!

Apollo has an eight ball production? Perfect. I already do John Bannon's eight ball production out of his book 'Smoke and Mirrors' but it can't hurt ot have another method. After all, one can never have enough ways to produce an eightball. That's what mom used to say....errr

The effect I've been brainstorming for a little while now is using beer caps and a napkin stretched between the hands of two spectators to do a little "coins through table"-esque sort of effect. Of course I could use just regualr coins, but I like the idea of producing a full beer bottle from under the napkin at the end accompanying the line, "Some people think I use more than three caps, and they're right, but I'm surprised you didn't see this one." I'll just say it in Chinese, as my friends are translating in their heads, I'll have all the more misdirection and hopefully enough to fly by the Chinese speakers already.
Sound good?

"1 available offers from $240.00".
Is this correct or is it a misprint?

http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Impro......16638901

I like the idea of the beer caps through the napkin and producing a bottle of beer at the end. I can totally see that working. Beer caps are very useful props in the bar setting. I seem to remember David Acer using them for a karate coin effect, piercing through the beer cap with his finger instead. There are different versions of cap in bottle around, with varying levels of preparation, that would probably get a good reaction. Using them for chink a chink would be a nice visual stunner as well, and you can also use other items that are laying around. I remember being seated at the bar and performing chink a chink on my legs with pretzels. What kinds of snacks do you find in your environment? This could go on for hours...

Unfortunately, that is what Martin Gardner's book sells for in used book stores. But if you watch eBay for awhile you can sometimes come up with a bargain. I bid on three copies over six months and ended up with a pristine copy for under $70. Good luck!

Bhart,

Thanks for the encouragement. I really like that karate coin/cap idea. Daniel Garcia has a really nice take on the idea on his Daniel Garcia videos. I believe it’s called “Chi” I think I’ll give that a shot in the next couple weeks and I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m still trying to figure out sequencing for the caps through napkin. Since I want the magic to be as quick and visual as possible, I’m thinking that three caps instead of the usual four coins through table will be the right amount to use. Bar snacks don’t seem to be too popular in China and I’m not sure I would eat a bowl full of pretzels from the place that we usually go out drinking to, anyway. Thanks again for the idea.

Also, does anyone know where or how to get a hold of two older books on magic. I’m trying to find copies of Five Times Five and New Magic of Japan. I believe Kaufman put these out. I had a chance to see a fellow café member perform some of the effects from these books and the material is exactly what I’m looking for. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again.

Airship,
Unfortunately, that Gardner books sounds a little, read a "lot", out of my price range at the moment. Maybe I'll get lucky on ebay, but I enver seem to ahve luck with that site. Thanks for the suggestion though and please keep them coming.

Han Ping Chien coins thru the table

Dice Stacking

Passe Passe Salt/ribbon/hanky (TT method)

Paddle Routine (use a mark and go from there)

Jiggernaut (Genest)

3-Fly (in it's myriad of variations)

CMH (you really do not need to say a word)

Just a few ideas)

Lee Darrow, C.H.

Coins across,stirring silver,bill switch,colour changes.and,as mentioned earlier,the cultural exchange material.i would suggest trapeze trio,and son of re-cap more than anything else from cultural exchange I think.

chr!s