Well last night I joined a local magical society and it was amazing. They had Richard Pinner and Peter Pinner - two of the best childrens entertainer/magicians in the business - doing a lecture on childrens magic etc. so it couldnt have a been a better start for me!!

Anyway, the society like you to do an 8-10 minute audition when you join, to prove you are serious about magic and not just there to learn how the tricks are done etc.

They will take into account that Im a clown, rather than a serious magician etc, but its still a serious audition.

I was thinking maybe 3 from the following list: the Vanishing Bandanna, 8ft appearing straw, mirror production box (home made) producing colour changing scarf, flower boxes, joker tube (stratoshpere), magic colouring book, professors nightmare.
(though I havent got any patter to go with profs nightmare).

Anyone got any tips or hints about which tricks I should do?

Im so nervous - Ive only performed once for strangers, and now Ive got to do it in front of a room full of magicians who will know all the gaffs & tricks!

Depending on the nature of the group, you may want to consider adding some sleight of hand. I'm a member of a few groups and some are terribly lenient (magic enthusiasts more than magicians) and don't mind someone doing entirely self-working magic. Others I am a member of are not fond of acts that consist of 100% self working tricks.

Yes, I understand! That makes a lot of sense.

Unfortunately, I'm not great at sleight of hand, which is why I thought I might use some of my home-made tricks (such as the mirror box & magic colouring picture). They are nice quality and I think they show a level of dedication, rather than just buying a load of self-working tricks which anyone can do.

do the ones that you are most comfortable with...
if you dont have patter for certain effects try to do a silent act to music...
start with a good opening effect to get their attention, and end with your best effect so theyll remember you...
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stuffy...
remember good magic is not about gaffs tricks and secrets its about presentation...
take a deep breath before you begin...
have fun...

GOOD LUCK!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!

as far as the professors nightmare all i ever do is explain what i am doing and the crowd is still amazed no speacial patter that i know of

do the ones that you are most comfortable with...
if you dont have patter for certain effects try to do a silent act to music...
start with a good opening effect to get their attention, and end with your best effect so theyll remember you...
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stuffy...
remember good magic is not about gaffs tricks and secrets its about presentation...
take a deep breath before you begin...
have fun...

GOOD LUCK!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!


LOVE the music idea! I've been trying to think of patter for my tricks and didn't want it to sound lame. I love music so this would work great for me, too!

By the way, Stuffy, good luck! Hope all goes well in you presentation! Bump a nose!

I like the idea of music too. When Dinky and I did a magic show together, we used "Its a Kind of Magic" as our intro music, and did the multiplying wands in time to the music. It went down really well, and was a nice way to start the show withuot just walking out and saying "Hi"

Think about how many "Vegas-style" acts on tv where magicians don't say a word, just perform to music. For comedy magic the patter can help add to the comedy, but for straight-up magic, it's the illusion itself that you want folks to focus on.

(This from an as-of-yet non-performing clown and comedy magician, so what do I know? Actually, I'm usually pretty good with theory, just slow in putting it into practice. :) )

Sure love the music idea...

Just remember to be yourself... And do the best that you can do.... And it will be awsome!!

Remember music soooths.. The soul.. So any bumps in the road will not be felt!!

When's the audition? Let us know how it goes.

Sounds good, for professor's nightmare, I usually say I am going to tie all the ends together when, they change sizes, then I try again, and they change back. Finally I decide not to do that trick at all....lol...I say congrats on making your own props. I have been a magician for 2 years and I still make my own everything. Just yesterday I made an invisible deck.
It sounds like a good line up. Also, get a classic, such as a basic cups and balls routine, a card trick, or a few simple coin vanishes, which will show that youu know a bit of the classic stuff.
Good Luck!
Scooter

yeah, i once made an invisible deck too, the problem is... come showtime, i couldnt find it?... *BA DUM TISSS!!!* ;)

I do coin vanishes all the time. I do dollar vanishes as well. Unfortunately, I have to work hard for dollar appearances, and they never stay long, always going towards bills, clown stuff, food, etc.

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I think the audition went okay - I got quite a few laughs with my jokers tube routine (I said that the red ball used to be a clown's nose until he grew up too big, but it explains why he is such a naughty ball and keeps ending up in the wrong place during the routine).

I dont find out till the next meeting if I passed, but everyone said Id done really well.

As the only female magician in the club, I kept being asked up on stage as the victim, um, I mean assistant of the other magicians' shows, so I got to see a lot of really amazing card tricks right up close - some of the guys in the club are so talented its scary.

So glad it went well. Did you dress as a clown?

ok i know i am real late for the audition glad it went well for you but just the other day some patter for the professors nightmare came to me it isn't funny but still here goes
when we are born we come in all different shapes and sizes(show the 3 differnt sized ropes and as your folding the ropes say this at the same time) then as we grow up around jr high we see some actor/actress or even some kid at school who we think is cooler then us so we find out what clothes they wear and try to look and act like them in fact we become them(show all ropes same length) lets take billy here pull out the right rope he started a new fad that was followed by timmy (do the move)and finally john joined in. thankfully we grow up and realize that we want to be ourselves (show all three ropes as they started out)

Stuffy did you do the red routine with the prof nitemare.???

Chopper, no I didnt do profs nightmare in the end, because I still wasnt really good enough at it - I didnt have much time to practice and so it was still a bit .... fumbly! I stuck to the stuff I was familiar with, and it seemed to go okay.

Lolly, no I didnt dress in clown - I wore my husbands tailcoat and white shirt and pink tie, all very oversized so a bit clowny.

ok chopper what is the red routine with the professors nightmare

Scoop... Lol....lol....i will have you ask stuffy.....it is an idea i gave her, for the professors nightmare..., so it is hers....i would not want to share it unless she says its ok....maybe she will share it in a p.m.
You know me....im a scoundrel,, but i have honor for my word..

and i would always trust you chopper with my deepest secrets not tat i have any to hold back so i under stand if your keeping others secrets as well

Well last night I joined a local magical society and it was amazing. They had Richard Pinner and Peter Pinner - two of the best childrens entertainer/magicians in the business - doing a lecture on childrens magic etc. so it couldnt have a been a better start for me!!

Anyway, the society like you to do an 8-10 minute audition when you join, to prove you are serious about magic and not just there to learn how the tricks are done etc.

They will take into account that Im a clown, rather than a serious magician etc, but its still a serious audition.

I was thinking maybe 3 from the following list: the Vanishing Bandanna, 8ft appearing straw, mirror production box (home made) producing colour changing scarf, flower boxes, joker tube (stratoshpere), magic colouring book, professors nightmare.
(though I havent got any patter to go with profs nightmare).

Anyone got any tips or hints about which tricks I should do?

Im so nervous - Ive only performed once for strangers, and now Ive got to do it in front of a room full of magicians who will know all the gaffs & tricks!

This is the one I meant,is it over already? Professors nightmare patter. Mommy Robin went looking for worms to feed her baby's she wanted to give them all the same but the worms were different lengths so she put them together like this ..........