Got 5 Minutes to Perform (Advice Needed)

[Pete Pridanonda]

Hi Everyone,
So I was asked by the principal of my school to perform magic for 5 minutes on stage as part of a benefit concert. I have a few effects that I would like to perform but I would like some of your opinions as what you think will get the best reactions/most impressive. This will be for people ages 16-18 and there will be around 200 people.
I am planning on performing one of these four routines:
1. Richard Sander's Fiber Optics Routine
2. Invisible Deck Routine
3. Book Test Routine
4. Cardiographic/Sketchpad Card Rise
Which one do you think the audience of this age group will enjoy the most and find it the most impressive? Thank you in advance.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

The one(s) you can perform the best. You're looking for a quantitative answer to a non-quantitative question. There's no universal answer here. Some of them will find a rope routine impressive, some will like the ID, some will like a book test, and some will like Cardiographic.

My only advice is not to do a book test. I doubt it will go over well in the show you're describing.

 

[Randy]

Just do a Jumbo ID and it should go over fine.

 

[junkbox]

Being of that age, I would say most people would prefer the Fiber Optics Routine. It is very visual and has a lot of magic packed into that routine. I would definitely say no to a book test, and would not recommend Cardiographic. The invisible deck always packs a punch, but I would probably go with the rope routine.

 

[RickEverhart]

You are asking for my opinion so I am going to give it to you. Fiber Optics all the way man. VERY visual and looks amazing. Go for it!

 

[Pete Pridanonda]

The one(s) you can perform the best. You're looking for a quantitative answer to a non-quantitative question. There's no universal answer here. Some of them will find a rope routine impressive, some will like the ID, some will like a book test, and some will like Cardiographic.

My only advice is not to do a book test. I doubt it will go over well in the show you're describing.

Thank you for your feedback Christopher. I am curious as to why you think book test would be a bad idea. Is it because this age group prefer visual magic?

 

[RickEverhart]

I would be against a book test as well for a large group like that. To me book tests are usually saved for small intimate settings so you can really get that emotional hook with the audience. That is tough to do in a huge gymnasium and nobody in the gym gets to see the book pages except the person you have up on stage. Just my thoughts.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

What Rick said is definitely part of it.

It's also a difficult routine to perform in an interesting way. Too many people assume that if you can tell someone the word they are thinking of, it must be amazing. It's not. It's usually painfully dull and slow and awful. I believe Teller said it thus, "All you're doing is saying nouns".

So far I can think of maybe 2 book tests that were actually entertaining. One was Penn & Teller's, the other was Derren Brown's and he didn't even do it as a mind-reading thing - he framed it as a memory stunt.

When you really break it down, a book test on its own is not a good trick. It's as entertaining as your average card trick - instead of pick a card, it's pick a word. Usually the word selection process is convoluted which removes the magic, or the reveal is lame, which ruins the magic. If you could actually read minds, they could pick up any book, pick any word, and you could tell them what it was.

 

[junkbox]

I agree with what has been said previously. Teenagers want fast, visual, action-packed magic that blows their minds. Fiber Optics is just that. A book test is just about as far away from fast paced and visual as you can get.

 

[Pete Pridanonda]

Being of that age, I would say most people would prefer the Fiber Optics Routine. It is very visual and has a lot of magic packed into that routine. I would definitely say no to a book test, and would not recommend Cardiographic. The invisible deck always packs a punch, but I would probably go with the rope routine.

Based on the comments that I read from Rick and Christopher, I completely understand why the book test would be a bad choice for this audience and performance venue. However, could you please let me know why you would not recommend cardiographic? Thanks in advance.

 

[krab]

You say this is on stage and Cariographic is more of a parlor effect. Really anytime you have to have a card selected, it doesn't play well on a large stage.

 

[Pete Pridanonda]

You say this is on stage and Cariographic is more of a parlor effect. Really anytime you have to have a card selected, it doesn't play well on a large stage.

Well, the main effect of cardiographic is when the drawing of their selected card visually rises on the sketchpad, which can be seen by a big audience. Besides, I rarely have the spectator show their selected card to anyone. After they selected and memorized their card, I have them put it back in the deck and after that refer to it as the "thought of" card. Therefore, only the actual magic itself is important.

 

[krab]

Well, the main effect of cardiographic is when the drawing of their selected card visually rises on the sketchpad, which can be seen by a big audience. Besides, I rarely have the spectator show their selected card to anyone. After they selected and memorized their card, I have them put it back in the deck and after that refer to it as the "thought of" card. Therefore, only the actual magic itself is important.

It would have to be a really big pad. I know the effect. I wouldn't do it for more that 75 to 100 people. Also if no one else sees the selected card how do they know that really was the card? There is no plot.

 

[Randy]

Well, the main effect of cardiographic is when the drawing of their selected card visually rises on the sketchpad, which can be seen by a big audience. Besides, I rarely have the spectator show their selected card to anyone. After they selected and memorized their card, I have them put it back in the deck and after that refer to it as the "thought of" card. Therefore, only the actual magic itself is important.

You're kind of shooting yourself in the foot when you don't have them show everybody else the card. Because what happens if the person forgets their card in the heat of the moment? What happens if they decide to screw with you and say it's not their card? These are the reasons most guys will have you show the card to everybody else, so you can counter the whole "LOL, no that's not my card..." or "I don't remember what my card is."

 

[RickEverhart]

Randy is EXACTLY correct on this one Pete. You ALWAYS have more than just the one person who selected the card, get to see the card. You may not have been burnt on it yet but I assure you if you perform long enough....you will. I've been there and if a person totally forgets or isn't as familiar with suits as magicians are....it kind of kills your big finish. I've been on a stage multiple times years back and tried to show a single poker size playing card to just a spectator and it didn't play well.

If you absolutely are going with this routine....then you better invest in a JUMBO deck for your selected card to be seen by the audience prior to the rise on the pad. Martin Lewis would probably agree.

 

[Randy]

Being that you have 5 min and it's for a large audience. I would say just do a quick 3 phase Fiber Optics routine and then end it.

 

[Pete Pridanonda]

It would have to be a really big pad. I know the effect. I wouldn't do it for more that 75 to 100 people. Also if no one else sees the selected card how do they know that really was the card? There is no plot.

I will have the spectator name the card before the drawing rises. The good thing is that for some people, it would seem like the spectator could've named any card and that card will rise.

 

[Pete Pridanonda]

But yes I do agree that fiber optics is the best way to go in this case. Thank you very much for all of your help!

 

[krab]

I will have the spectator name the card before the drawing rises. The good thing is that for some people, it would seem like the spectator could've named any card and that card will rise.

The you have people crying stooge.

 

[Randy]

Just stick with Fiber Optics and end it there. You only have five min and your doing it for 200 people. It should do the job just fine.