Close Up Magic by Eric Meredith

You’ve done your research. You’ve booked a magician hoping you’ve chosen well, and this is your reaction afterwords…

“Eric, Just wanted to say thank you again for how awesome you made our night! We couldn’t stop talking about it after you left! You truly were amazing. I am a huge fan of magic, and you blew my expectations out of the water! You will always be my first recommendation when any of my friends are having a party! The night was more than we could have imagined. Once again thank you so much! I wish there was another word besides INCREDIBLE!”

While I love my public shows, nothing beats a private performance.

Imagine YOU are feeling, “I wish there was another word besides INCREDIBLE!”

Just completed another run of SOLD-OUT shows at the Alchemist Tavern near the Meadows Casino. If you love magic (who doesn’t?) – you know it is best experienced Up Close.

Look at these seats! Ok, sure, the magicians have no room for errors but Look At These Seats! More shows will be announced soon. I am thrilled to have another venue near Pittsburgh where you can see magic as it was meant to be experienced. I mean, LOOK AT THESE SEATS!!

Your evening begins with magic AT YOUR TABLE, followed by a full hour of Close-up magic. You may even be one of the stars. It’s funny, it’s clever, and it’s right up close. Did I mention, LOOK AT THOSE SEATS!

Catch you next time at The Alchemist Tavern.
https://www.facebook.com/thealchemiststavern

Practice, Practice, Practice.

There is a lot going on in this picture. First, I spend much more time preparing to perform than performing. Here, I am practicing a new routine involving rope – something that heretofore has not been part of my act.

If you look around the mirror, you will see a script (i.e., Cue Cards) that includes both the spoken words (patter) and the step-by-step moves. Magic is an extremely procedural art. Everything must be done in sequence.

Obviously, a mirror (or video camera) is a critical element in every practice session, after all we have to see what you see. If you are new to magic, I encourage you to use both mirrors and cameras – each has their value. When you record your routines, be sure to listen without video – it’s a completely different show.

Pro tip: be sure to practice the transitions between the routines. In a perfect world, these transitions will have the same level of entertainment as the rest of your performance. Your goal is one continuous performance punctuated by moments of surprise, joy, and astonishment. You don’t want Trick, transition, Trick, transition, Trick, etc.

You will also note a stopwatch, as knowing how much time each routine requires is vital to putting together a show that begins and ends according to audience (and client) expectations.

Once the practice environment is set up, it’s practice, practice, practice. Remember, the value is in the ex*****on, not in the secret.