Mailbag #87
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A good friend of mine is getting married in june and he asked me if i would like to perform (sort of walk around). Im finding myself being very critical of the type of magic that would actually suit the venue, style, rhythm. And at the same time, the slower pace higher investment type of magic i enjoy performing im not sure would play out that greatly. i have performed before in walk around but im trying to see if there is a way of not performing lets say... the "classic image of a magician".
My first solution right now would actually be, to perform one trick per table (12-14 tables total) and maybe make more out of those tricks. Something more fun, invested, and all around interesting for each table.
Any thoughts? —JFC
I would try to do something that creates some kind of memento for the wedding couple along the way. For example, The Rehearsal Dinner effect as written up in this post.
Or maybe plan on doing an Anniversary Waltz type of effect for the bride and groom and as you go from table to table showing the groups something beforehand, you get people to sign and write messages to the new couple on the other 50 cards in the deck. So when all is said and done the couple would have a deck of cards will all sorts of greetings from their friends/family. And they’d have the merged card souvenir from Anniversary Waltz.
You wouldn’t even have to force the two Anniversary Waltz cards, because they would be the only ones left without writing on them.
I wouldn’t worry too much about how you come off during this. If it looks like you’re entertaining people while trying to do something special for the bride and groom, then you’ll come off fine.
I wanted to share an idea that I’ve performed a few times with pretty solid reactions that was inspired by an off hand comment in [a previous Love Letter newsletter].
In the letter you mentioned the idea of trading pants with someone. I found that super interesting but particularly impractical for me and my audience. But we could trade shoes.
Essentially I am doing Wayne Houchin’s French kiss routine but after the card is folded, it is placed under their foot. To make the magic happen the spectator and I take off our shoes (trying to keep the card under them and not lifting too far off the ground.) and physically stand where the other person was standing.
Been super fun and gets people truly interested in what’s happening. —NW
French Kiss is a great structure, but it has felt increasingly desperate to me as the years have passed. At least when performed for a stranger or someone you don’t know well. I have a couple variations I’ve worked on and at least one that will see print someday, but I like this idea of using your feet.
If switching shoes is even a bit too impractical, you could do something where they write “left foot” on a card, it’s folded and put under their left foot. You write “right foot” on a card and place it under your right foot. Imagine you’re facing each other, so the cards are under the feet in a mirrored position. If you both step to your right (his left) so now the card is under the opposite foot, you would expect the designations no longer to match the foot on top of the card. But when you reach under you’ll have his “left foot” note under your left foot, and he will have your “right foot” note under his right.
Perhaps not an earth shattering miracle, but it could be fun. And at least there’s some “logic” to that presentation. Whereas French Kiss can come off as, “I want to pretend to kiss you.”