A Visit to Murray’s Cool Magic Store in Victoria BC.

•August 1, 2011 • 2 Comments

On a recent visit to Victoria, B.C. in Canada I visited a really great Magic store and enjoyed a visit with its owner. The owner is Murray Hatfield who is considered by many to be Canada’s top magician. It was a delightful reminder of how much fun a visit to a brick and mortar magic shop can be.

Murray is famous around the World for his annual touring magic show that travels across Canada, following both figuratively and literally in the footsteps of the Reveen touring shows. Like Peter’s show it has now become part of the fabric of growing up Canadian for entire generations of Canadians. I have been aware of his work for years and have many friends in common with him.

Situated at 688 Broughton Street, ‘Murray’s Trick & Joke Shop’ is located in the heart of beautiful Victoria, it is easy to find and like many other magic shops has quite a history to it. It started life over 30 years ago as ‘Crazy Frank’s,’ Frank was a guy who loved jokes and it was the place in town every kid got his first Whoopee Cushion.

When Frank retired the shop became the ‘Victoria Trick & Joke Shop,’ but after a few years it’s owners wanted to sell it but eventually just shut it down and put the stock up for auction. However you can’t stop a good magic shop that easily.

At this time Victoria magician Tony Eng, and his wife Ann decided to give it a try and went to the previous owners and offered them a very good price for the business, although they could have bought it much more cheaply in auction. The trade-off that they requested was that the previous owner work with them for a few months to teach them the retail side of the shop.  This turned out to be a valuable idea and they learned a great deal in a very limited amount of time. Often people don’t fully include experience into their budget consideration, Tony did so with great success.

The shop now became ‘Tony’s Trick & Joke Store’ and quickly became an iconic business. Coupled with an increase in the emphasis on magic in the store and with Tony performing literally hundreds of shows a year, both Tony and the shop became household names and a must-see stop for tourists and locals for the next 20 years.

Hatfield had known Tony Eng for over thirty years and visited with him in Victoria many times during their touring and about 6 years ago was somewhat surprised when Tony and Ann told of their plans to retire. They also asked if Murray and his wife Teresa would like to purchase and run the store. They had an immediate response to the question though; “NO!” They had no interest in running a magic shop whatsoever! Ah, never say never.

The next day they started to slowly re-examine the situation and realized that the idea had some very real merit and shouldn’t be so quickly put aside. The move to Victoria from Calgary was a large plus point when they took the climate into consideration. They took a deep breath, said yes, and the results have been a huge success.

I travel the world and always enjoy visiting the magic stores along the way and have developed a simple three-part way of grading them.

1     Are they friendly and inviting?

2     Can I get the  ‘replacement’ items I need on a regular basis?

3     Can they sell me something new and exciting that I didn’t        know about before visiting the shop?

I can wholeheartedly answer “Yes,” to all three of these questions about ‘Murray’s Trick & Joke Shop’ and even better than that I got to spend some time actually becoming an actual (not just a Facebook friend) friend of Murray Hatfield. As with any magic shop, it is the magician behind the store who makes it special. Murray was so friendly and such a joy to chat with that I can’t wait to visit with him again. I strongly suggest that you do the same thing if life is nice enough to leave you with some spare time in Victoria. Murray also keeps a strong Internet presence on the web at www.MagicTrick.com

 

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags:

A few thoughts on my old friend Ron Wilson…….

•April 11, 2011 • Leave a Comment

This is the written tribute that I wrote about Ron Wilson for the recent tribute that was held in his honor at the Magic Castle.

It is with great sadness that I have witnessed the passing of Ron Wilson. He was gracious, helpful and a true gentleman in his actions from I first met him until the last time I spent time with him shortly before his death.

I tried to make a short video of expressing how I feel about Ron and his huge affect on me both as a sharing performer and a giving friend, however nothing seemed quite suitable or right. I can’t be there in person to express my feelings I decided instead to write a simple note saying how I feel.

I first met Ron when I was 21 years old and just starting to find my way around the Castle. I am half Scottish myself and found this as good a reason as any to introduce myself to him one evening. Ron was kind enough to forget the other half of me was English.

I had been performing on cruise ships for several years and it made a nice talking point with Ron, who was one of the top cruise ship magicians in America. He was warm and friendly and treated me like an equal and I really appreciated it. Our friendship continued over the years and my major regret about visiting the Castle so seldom in recent years is that I missed meeting with Ron.

Unlike many performers, Ron chose to retire from performing when he felt his performances were not quite up to his highly exacting standards. Ron was the ultimate perfectionist and while many of us would have tried to argue with his decision to quit performing and it was highly characteristic of this unique and special being to make it. The loss was to the magic world.

Attention to every detail was what made Ron’s act so special. Once I commented to him what an amazing match his gimmick was to the genuine egg in his sucker silk routine. He explained why. Every week he would buy two-dozen eggs and spray paint both the eggs and gimmick to be sure they were identical. When Ron wanted a gimmicked wallet that actually fitted in the pocket he went out and hired an industrial sewing machine, learned how to use it and made his own wallet. Now that is a perfectionist!

Ron’s dedication and love of magic continued on in many other ways after he decided to end the performing aspect of his career. Ron was always there for his beloved Magic Castle—sometimes “Tutt tutting” gently over what he considered a mis-step in it’s direction, but always willing to give the benefits of his wisdom, time and energy to preserve its purity.

As an agent specializing in booking magicians, Ron was also a beacon of integrity and quality. His clients at the cruise lines would not run the risk of loosing such a person from their day-to-day bookings and he continued as a highly regarded agent until the time of his death. The qualities that Ron brought to everything he touched were very special and make him impossible to replace.

What else can I say about the Uncanny One? He was modest, gentle, funny and helpful in his interactions with everyone he came into contact with. Ron had many celebrity friends as a result of his role in the magic world, he also had dealings with the less than famous and his actions and behavior were never altered or affected by the success of those he was rubbing shoulders with. I loved that quality in Ron. I am sad not to be at the Castle in person today and able to be part of the three-man team Ron had “Wish Listed” to host this tribute. I will however, be drinking a glass of J & B (with a dash of milk) toasting him silently and remembering this outstanding magician, friend and gentleman. In keeping with his wishes I will not let my spirits sink, instead I will reflect on how lucky I was to have been his friend. He was the very best.

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags:

Four Facts about Michael Finney

•April 7, 2011 • 1 Comment

It has been my pleasure to have Michael Finney as a friend for many years now and I would like to share a few thoughts about this remarkable magician and even more remarkable person. I have every reason to personally be grateful to Michael, as he was very instrumental in shaping my career in the comedy world with his encouragement and generosity of spirit and sharing. I am currently in the middle of a 25 shows in 28-day tour of various performing venues in Arizona and it has been happily punctuated with visits with and from Michael and his lovely wife Lori. This seemed like a very suitable start to my upcoming contributions to ‘Magicana’ magazine.

Last night I watched Michael perform a 13-minute set in a production show at the Arizona Casino here in Phoenix. It was a wonderful lesson in how to charm and delight an audience. Finney is a larger than life character and gifted comedian who kept the crowd in stitches from the moment he walked onstage until his set was finished. What may be slightly less obvious to the less knowledgeable members in the audience is exactly what a superb magician this multiple award-winner is. In the course of his 13 minutes he performed just one trick and one mind reading gag. Nothing more was needed and anything else was superfluous. I truly do not believe it possible that more laughs could be packed into such a short performance time.

Michael’s handling of the ‘Cut and Restored Rope’ is unique and manages to get non-stop laughs while never once causing his assistant from the audience to feel embarrassed or any feeling that she was a ‘prop.’ She became a willing participant and a delighted partner in his handling of this classic piece of magic. The confidence with which her role was defined allowed no trace of awkwardness to intrude in the proceedings; every comedy magician should watch how Finney achieves this vital ingredient of comedy magic. There is more to learn here than a dozen DVDs of marginal performers adding ‘new’ tricks to the seriously bloated marketplace of potential material. However, enough about the magic and laughter that Michael brings to the table; let’s look at some of the core issues and standards that have shaped these elements.

Fact one: Michael Finney is a true Gentleman.

There is a decency and humanity within Michael that shines out and transcends everything that he performs. A genuine philanthropist and caring person, Finney has achieved more success than most people in the magic world can dream of. His charity work is not some tool to be used to shape his public image, but a deeply felt need to share his success and gifts to improve life for those less fortunate than himself. The large sums of money that Michael has raised for children’s charities through his ‘Dry Heat Golf Classic’ is just the tip of the iceberg—though it can scarcely feel that way to the scores of kids who have received life saving heart surgery from it. As I observed during this visit, if any charity needs a champion to give a helping hand then Michael is the first one there. If an ’At Risk’ youth can be made a little less at risk here is the person to walk that extra mile to do something practical.

Fact two: Michael Finney never forgets.  

Michael began his performing career while he was still a bartender and seems to have remembered everyone who has helped him achieve his success in the entertainment world. It sometimes amazes me how quickly magicians forget the mentors and people responsible for their development as performers. You often get the feeling that they leapt fully blown onto the scene and have been getting ripped of for their ideas ever since. Michael was taught his first trick and how to tend bar by Robert James Shaw and a few minutes looking at the photos and reading the attached notes on Michael’s Facebook photo page will tell you the full story about the way true friends show their gratitude and acknowledge their roots. Take the time to check it out and also to observe how Michael has chosen to encourage young performers in their magical path. There is a generosity of spirit here that should set the standard for every other magician.

Fact three: Michael Finney is a true patriot.            As a Brit who has lived in America for over 35 years, patriotism is a slightly confused topic for me. Far to often you see a politicalized form of patriotism that I find less than appealing. Michael is a patriot of the right kind and his love of country is based on the people within it and his belief in them. A proud father of a decorated veteran, Michael wears a red suit to honor the troops every Friday night. His belief in his country is based on what it continues to do and will achieve in the future and not a sentimental or arrogant estimation of what has been achieved in the past.  It is impossible not to feel a shared sense of pride when you encounter this kind of genuine vision for what can be achieved by a unified country.

Fact four: Michael Finney is a superb host.

If you don’t know it, Michael is a short order chef of no minor talent! To spend an evening at Michael and Lori’s beautiful home in Glendale, AZ. Involves wonderful little surprises in the culinary department. Little bowls of delicious food keep appearing filled with delicious goodies to eat. Back in the era of the ‘Comedy Club’ Michael would cook up meals for the entire ‘Comedy Condo’ and must have made him as popular as an enthusiastic new agent in the condo. Wandering around their home admiring the never-ending collections of memorabilia with one of his Margarita Martinis is a joy. The signed pictures, albums and guitars, amply testify to the length and scope of his career and overflow into a state of quietly controlled chaos. No sooner was I admiring his one of a kind Harley Davidson chopper than I found myself sitting on it while Michael and Lori snapped pictures of it for my Facebook site!

 

I hope this hasn’t sounded too much like a peon of praise to Finney, but it is how I see it. I certainly wouldn’t want to paint the full picture. Michael is also feisty, fiery, obstinate, opinionated and a pain in the rear perfectionist: all part of the package with this one of a kind character, however no one I know would change a thing about him. Oh, and if you were counting, you will notice I only listed four facts about Finney–you have to find out one for yourself!

 

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags: ,

‘Siegfried & Roy: Unique in all the World’ the ultimate tribute!

•January 15, 2011 • 1 Comment

I was honored and excited today when I received an early copy of the new book ‘Siegfried & Roy: Unique In All The World.’ To say that I’m impressed by this work of art is a gigantic understatement, I may have to look for new phrases and invent new words to pay full regard to their achievement.

My regular readers will know the slightly obsessive affection I have for the physical packing involved when presenting a product to the public. From Norm Nielsen’s rubber dove to Apple’s latest laptop, I just love the feeling you get when you see packaging that is practical, functional and combines them into an esthetic statement.

With performers as ‘over the top’ as Siegfried & Roy you would expect the packaging of the project to be just as ‘over the top.’ It is. By the time you get to the final box that houses the book, DVDs and artifacts, you instinctively know that you have something very special in your hands. You do. Opening the package (which weighs as much as a large dog or a small tiger) a pair of white gloves is revealed which gives you an idea of the precious contents. This isn’t a book you want to leave fingerprints on! The very act of donning those gloves to finally remove the oyster from its shell is enough to cause the most hardened heart to beat a little faster.The actual book is housed in a magnificent box that also contains three exclusive DVDs and a secret compartment.

In movie reviews they often warn you that a ‘spoiler’ is coming up that might interfere with your enjoyment of the plot. That has never once stopped me from reading the rest of the review. I am going to act accordingly.I’m not going to give any hints, or ‘spoilers’ about what ‘secrets’ this compartment contains. However, let’s just say they are unique, original and priceless to any true magician or collector. The attention to detail is immaculate and the selection of ‘goodies’ will delight any purchaser and bring shivers in the spine to collectors. The actual book is about the size and weight of a medieval Bible and I will warn you in advance to open the book on a table or your arms will develop Popeye muscles by the time you finish reading the book. I should also inform you that once you start reading the book you won’t want to stop—trust me!

The story of these two remarkable men will grab you instantly; it is a classic story of following a vision and creating reality from a dream. You will be amazed by how much of that journey you knew about, how much you kind of’ knew and how little you really know about these icons.

I seldom write in Magic New Zealand about magical products unless I feel passionately about them. It’s not my style. However, I happily, proudly and without reservation recommend this landmark magical production. Given its limited edition of only 500 copies each one signed and numbered, ‘Siegfried & Roy: Unique In All The World’ may well become the ultimate collectable in the magic world.

This is not an inexpensive book to purchase, because this was not a cheap book to publish but the sheer extravagance and ‘over the top’ way it has been presented will probably never be repeated. You won’t ever be seeing a paperback or downloadable version of the book—it would be impossible.

If you truly consider yourself a serious student of magic, a collector or just a financial investor, I suggest that you go immediately to the publishers website http://www.noesispublishing.com/SRbook.phpand see if there are copies still available.

Then—Buy One!

I feel absolutely certain you will never regret it. Think of the joy of being one of the lucky 500 people are going to feel the excitement of opening the box, putting on your gloves and turning the pages to share them with their magical cohorts. You will have to warn them not to salivate on the pages— maybe they should have included bibs as well as gloves!

Congratulations to Diana Zimmerman, Paul Stone and Robert Gould and everyone else associated with the project.You have succeeded in creating a book that is “Unique In All The World.’

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags: , , , ,

A change in direction

•January 6, 2011 • 1 Comment

When I first started performing magic shows at the tender age of 14, Christmas was the golden time of year for bookings. At that time the majority of dates were Children’s parties and on a good weekend one might be able to notch up 8 or 9 shows. As young as I was, even then, I realized that this kind of work in that many dates was close to a weekend in Dante’s Inferno. However, you still spent the other 11 months waiting for December to roll around.

When I arrived in Los Angeles at the stately and mature age of 21, I quickly realized that kid’s parties were no meal ticket; in fact they practically didn’t exist as a species. So I began performing at business parties as the employees celebrated the holidays and NewYears Eve also became another golden payday. While these weren’t my favorite kind of dates, they certainly paid the bills.

At that time Susan and I shared a gigantic old house in South Pasadena with two other tenants and our share of the rent was only $80 a month. Even back then that wasn’t a great deal of money, and we practiced an acutely planned form of economy to keep things in the black. We knew the exact day and time of day when our favorite fresh foods hit the discount rack at our local market. As you can imagine these Christmas shows for businesses were a huge boon to the budget.Christmas parties were usually a chaotic nightmare and working to drunken employees was not the audience that any sane minded magician craved. New Years Eve was the same, but even more so. January was usually also a fairly fertile source of revenue, which combined with December was the source of nuts and berries for the upcoming drought that inevitable followed these two bonanza months.

As the years went by I gradually became less and less dependent on the holiday season as a potential cash cow. In fact at this current stage in my life it has become an extremely quiet spot in my datebook. I almost never spend a New Years Eve pulling cards from lemons or linking finger rings and I really like it this way much better. It does give me a certain existential satisfaction to be far enough along in my career to be able to spot these milestones.

I can remember almost by the year the degrees of change that entered my life as a performer. I remember when I stopped doing strolling magic (never a favorite pursuit for someone as private aMe) and then I stopped performing even formal close up shows. 26 years ago I performed my last week at the Magic Castle.

By the end of the ’80s I had to (rather reluctantly) say goodbye to the Comedy Club world, as they began to fade away. By the mid-nineties the golden era of corporate work had begun to seriously dry up. It is customary to say that it was 9/11 that sunk this lucrative market, but truth be known, it was fading fast even before that fateful date. Now corporate events are a much rarer and more appreciated gem in my datebook.

This February I celebrate my 60th birthday, I don’t actually turn 60, till a year later, however I think it wise to celebrate the event a year early as I may feel in a much less celebratory mood in 2012. I suspect that birthday will be day of quiet contemplation and a double dosage of  Zoloft. Possibly washed down with a toast of Armagnac to this particular ‘performing idiot.’

As you proceed through your performing career it becomes easier to spot patterns and trends in our rear view window. They build up a database of knowledge that remains ever valid, the same gigs are going on, and it is just the names and locations that have changed.

I plan to use this accumulated knowledge in another direction. During the ‘found’ year I have created between my two 60th birthdays I am making a new transition and hope to bring all my skills and talents back into focus. Susan and I are forming a small ’boutique’ agency booking comedians and magicians. This will allow me to end the never-ending travel that I have thoroughly enjoyed in the last decade during which I have concentrated on the fertile cruise ship market. A year should prove just about right to set things up correctly and get them right. I plan to focus on my writing, lecturing, developing talent, and marketing the act that has supported me so nicely throughout the years. I will never fully retire from performing because in that way lies a short cut to an early ‘shuffle from this mortal coil.’

While I have dropped the occasional hint about this new direction in my various writings, I have been exceedingly coy about my exact plans. I have no desire to turn into a ‘magic factory,’ in spite of my deeply held respect for the visionary Andy Warhol. No, my idea is to keep things small and pay attention to the quality without being seduced by the quantity of my future work.

I do however take this opportunity to invite any of my readers to become a part of my future plans. Drop me an email and let’s see if we can unite in a useful way in our ongoing paths.

My email address is  Nicklewin1@me.com

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags:

Stop bitching about wanting more work…..and do something about it (part two)

•November 20, 2010 • Leave a Comment

Magicians tend to think more in terms of working for other magicians at the local club or magic conventions. A less fruitful way of obtaining work or improving performing skills for real (i.e. paying audiences) can scarcely be imagined. However a small group of magicians can create a showcase that can result in actual paying gigs. Don’t expect the showcase to make much money for you, just use it to garner exposure to some potential paying clients.

Decide on a market that has some potential for development in your town. Private parties, fundraisers, kid’sshows, promotional shows etc. Then market your show (case) for the kind of people who book them. Make sure you present the very best entertainers in these areas; not just the hotshot from the local club that the other magicians adore.He might well  bore the pants of a ‘real’ audience.

When you get a nibble from a potential buyer is when you can harvest the full benefits of your group activities by engaging in some subtle ‘up-selling.’ See if you can add a couple of close up guys to an after-dinner show or alternatively if someone wants a close-up show then try and pitch an after-dinner performer. There is only strength in numbers when you work together.

Think like a team and work as a team and you might be surprised at the doors that open, at the very worst you will learn a lot about the very real skills of producing an event. The other added bonus is that you will be improving those performing skills, which are the true bread and butter of a busy working pro.

Events of this kind are the way comedy clubs sprung up in the early 80s. Plan and execute a successful event on a regular basis (once a week or once a month, as long as it’s consistent) and see where it can take you. Let me assure you that each month Jeff McBride’s ‘Wonderground’ in Las Vegas attracts a sizeable crowd that many major casino showrooms would kill for. Monday Night Magic in New York and the Mystery Lounge in Boston do the same on a weekly basis.

If you want to be in show business then you had better put on a show! No more bitching about no work, get cracking on finding it!

 

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags: ,

If you want more gigs, don’t blame the economy. Stop bitching and do something about it!

•November 18, 2010 • 1 Comment

The economic downturn that has hit the world has certainly cut down on the amount of gigs that are available for jobbing magicians. Yeh, so what’s new! Ever since I can remember (except for a few golden years in the 80s) there have been people in panic about the shortage of work. However I hear a lot of talk about it now as I travel performing my shows, yes there is a slight ironic edge to that statement!

Sure there is less money around and things are tighter. Well when the times get tough, the tough get going. This is when you need to think very carefully about marketing to the audiences that still want to hire magicians. It is also the time to make sure your magic product is really top notch. Unless you are a really good performer maybe you shouldn’t be doing paying shows. Ouch!

A magician who does a poor job may not only be hurting his chances of future work but he may be spoiling the field for other magicians who do a better job; brutal but true. Having a web site and a video no longer guarantee bookings. This is a good time to stretch the envelope a little.

One of the secrets that a real pro discovers is that when one door closes another one tends to open. You may have to really keep your eyes open for it though, it may just open a crack and there may me a bunch of magicians waiting in line to put their foot in the door. Your job is to be one of them.

What is interesting is that the real pros usually keep working when each new disaster hits the work scene. They have to– because a true pro has to work or he doesn’t eat, and that really keeps you on your toes. The first thing to do is to look for the areas of work that are still available and paying money.

I would suggest that one of the more essential skills is the art of adaptability. People usually mistakenly think that Darwin’s theory of relativity refers to ‘the survival of the fittest,’ what he actually says is ‘the survival of the most adaptable.’ Words to live or starve by.

For instance why not try getting a small co-operative of magicians together and staging a show on the quiet night in a local venue. Don’t forget that restaurants hotels and clubs are having some challenging times economically too. Make them an offer they can’t refuse. Comedians work very hard at finding stage time in order to develop their work and to promote themselves. Magicians should too. To be continued……..

 

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags: ,

A Treat for Mindreaders……….

•November 17, 2010 • Leave a Comment
Error
This video doesn’t exist

Here is a real treat for the mind readers out there. A very famous mindreader on a very famous show.

Enjoy

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags: , ,

What a Production Manager can do for you……..

•November 7, 2010 • 1 Comment
Error
This video doesn’t exist

I just had the pleasure of finishing a cruise on the Celebrity Millennium. I frequently get asked questions from people who want to, or have just started cruise work. I took the opportunity to shoot an 8 minute video with Erin Heare. Erin is the production manager onboard the ship and one of the very best I have worked with. She shares some great information!

I wanted to break the industry favorite a ‘steady cam’ so I invented something new for this video; a ‘shakey cam!’ Well, OK it’s me operating my Flip camera immediately after drinking TWO Red Bulls. However if you are watching this clip for the video quality and not the insights involved, you shouldnt be’ watching it at all.

I am preparing a seminar that covers cruise work from A-Z , but I couldn’t bare not to share this great little interview. Thank you Erin!

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags:

Traveling Like a Pro……..

•November 3, 2010 • 3 Comments

Let’s talk travel. I am always amazed at how some magicians approach the business of travel. Whether it’s a 20-minute drive in your Toyota to the other side of town, or 36 hours of intricately engineered flights to Ho Chi Min City, remember it’s the travel you’re really being paid for. The show is the cherry on the Sundae.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from Roy Johnson. He pointed out that it doesn’t matter how long you spend setting up or preparing props/tricks at home but always have them ready to go at zero time when you arrive at your gig. That way you are best prepared for the unexpected delays that are hidden in that deceptively simple word—-travel.

Any real pro will tell you that you should always allow way more time than you think it will take to arrive at your gig. The worst that can happen is you get to enjoy a cup of coffee when you arrive at the gig. At best you might well pick up useful tips about the upcoming show. It makes your client feel good too when they know you have arrived.

In this day and age, if you are a jobbing magician, there is no excuse for not having a smart phone (OK, I really mean an iPhone) to give you a GPS system, house your contract, and allow you to keep in touch. When you are flying that iPhone is even more essential.

With all the international travel I do, I have got a list of Apps that I would never travel without. My personal treasure trove of travel-aids includes; Flight Tracker, Airport Maps, Airport Codes, Country Maps, Currency Translator, World Clock, Free Wi-Fi Finder and Call A Cab. These Apps have saved my ass on many occasions and probably cost less than 15 bucks between them.

I always arrive way early for any flight, that way I have the ability to know about any delays at the earliest point and can take action accordingly. If a flight is cancelled you can use your iPhone to find an alternative flight and then make a reservation on it, while the masses are lining up at flight desk, maybe trying to get that same reservation you just locked in on your phone.

Other vital tips, for the traveling magician is making sure you have the actual necessities for travel. These including; a pen— easy to forget, spare cash for unexpected expenses like departure taxes that can’t be charged, all the visas you need and last but not least a show.

I am always shocked by how many performers do not carry a full show in their hand baggage. Luggage gets lost and delayed all the time. Even if you perform a ‘Big’ show take the time to sit down and work out what tricks you can fit in your hand baggage and still present a full show. Let me start this list with; 6 Card Repeat, Torn & Restored Newspaper, Cards Across, Coin in Bottle, A rope routine etc. etc. You could fit that list in the pockets of your travel suit. Oh, did I forget to mention traveling in a suit in which you can work in if it is needed.

I could go on for a while with simple but oft neglected things.However, maybe you should book my lecture on ‘Making Money With Magic’ where I can really get into it!

 

 

Posted in Magic, Magic and Magicians
Tags:

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »