Strolling Hands: A Lecture on the Art of Restaurant and Walk-Around Magic By Justin Miller
Website: ww.closeupjm.com
Price: $20
Format: eBook
Pages: 26
In this set of lecture notes Justin gives a quick overview of what it is like to get a reastaurant gig, and also explains six effects. He answers commonly asked questions such as:
-How do I approach a table full of people talking to each other?
-How long do I stay at a table?
-Do I accept tips if offered? Do I solicit tips?
-Do I work just for tips, or do I charge the restaurant a fee?
-How long do I perform each night?
Then he goes into an important aspect of reastaurant magic that is often overlooked, Pocket Management. He goes over the do's and don'ts of pocket management, He gives and example of bad management and then goes back and tells you what was wrong with it. He also explains a pretty slick deck switch in the context of looking for another Sharpie.
Next he gives his thoughts on the importance of having an Opener, Middle, and a Closer. "Opener’s should be quick and visual. Middle: Longer than opener and something that will leave them thinking. Closer: Total Mindblower! Knock there socks right off, back to the store, and make them pay for them again!" that is a direct quote from the notes.
Justin then talks about ways of dealing with employees at restaurants. He classifies them as: "The workaholic just trying to get by. The sour one that thinks magic is stupid and fake. And the fan of magic that just keeps bugging you and stuff." He tells you ways to bond/deal with each type of employee.
Finally in a couple of brief paragraphs, Justin explains what you should do on your "breaks".
Now off we go to the effects!:
Shockingly Sweet- A signed sugar packet's corner is ripped off and all the sugar is poured out, into the spectator's hand. Then you ask for the sugar back, you "forgot" to do something, you pour it back into the packet and then visibly restore the ripped packet...with their signature still on it.
Impromptu: No
Gaff/Gimmick: Yes, and I am pretty sure every self-respecting magician has at least one.
My View: Very neat effect, I like the pouring of the sugar in their hands as it proves as a nice convincer for them. This is a perfect opener for reastaurants, because it uses a known object from the table, and the gimmick does pretty much everything for you.
Keyed-Up- A card is selected, lost, the usual procedure. Then the cards are spread and the word "Key" and a picture of a key are found on the back of a card. The card is found to be the selection. The key is then VISUALLY "popped" of the back of the card and a real key lands in the spectator's hands. The signed card is then examinable.
Impromptu: No
Gaff/Gimmick: Yes, along with a household item.
My View: I like this one alot, this is one of those effects were you have to weigh the setup vs. the power of the effect. I would definetly be willing to do the set-up for this. When that key lands in their hands they look at you like "You Mother&^$%#$@". This was definetly the Highlite of the notes for me.
Chasing Ackerman's Back x3- Three cards are selected, signed and place away back in the pack. The four Jacks are then introduced and then go blank, then visually turn into 3 cards. Only 3 cards are then turned over and shown to be all three signed selections.
Impromptu: No
Gaff/Gimmick: Yes
My View: I personally don't like this effect to much, just not my can of coke. But I am sure plenty of you out ther could make it work for you.
Flushed Again- A card is selected and replaced in the deck. Then four blank cards are introduced, then with a rub each blank card helps determine what the selected card is, with the last blank turning into the actual selection. Then all of the sudden a fifth card is seen, the cards are tuned over and found to be a Royal Flush.
Impromptu: No
Gaff/Gimmick: Yes
My View: Same as Chasing Ackerman's Back, but I do prefer this one more, I'm a sucker for Royal flush kickers.
Coin-ivorus- Bring out a coin purse along with 3 half dollars, then a Chinese Coin is introduced and it lures each half dollar towards it. Then it visually "eats" each half dollar, till nothing is left. Then the magi opens the coin purse that has been on the table the entire time and pours out the 3 half dollars!
Impromptu: No
Gaff/Gimmick: No
My View: IMHO for the setup that is involved, it wasn't cuttin it for me. I mean it is a pretty cool effect, its just the set-up that turns me off. Or maybe its just the fact that I am a cardman.
Seal-a-Feign- A marked coin is visibly pushed through the cellophane of the playing card box. And for the kicker the coin actually goes through the card case and lands inside a SEALED card box. In fact the only way to get it out is to open the seal and dump it out.
Impromptu: No
Gaff/Gimmick: No
My View: Awesome effect, the setup is kinda tedious but I think it is worth it. No wonder he uses it as a closer.
All in all I think this was a pretty good purchase, personally I thought the information was more valuable than the effects. When I bought this I was hoping for some good Impromptu material, and I was disappointed when I saw that just about every effect uses a gaff/gimmick.
Final Score / 8.0
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