magic show tips – Page 30

Invisible Deck Crib by Charlie Roper

There are some magic products that just shouldn’t exist. This is one of the products:

It’s a cheat sheet for the invisible deck. Let’s start with the memory, you really need to remember two things. You need to remember which side of the deck is even, and hearts to spades, that’s it. For the math, you need to be able to subtract a number from 13.

It’s not too hard, however, it that’s too much for you, you can eliminate the math and memory by simply opening the flap and looking at which side is towards you. Then removing them from the box the correct way and fanning them vertically while looking for the named card. Boom, no math, no memory, no need for an Invisible Deck Crib.

OK, so is this solving a problem? If you’re not going to put the time into learn a trick, you really should be doing it. I suspect that’s what’s behind all the versions of ACAAN that are marketed, it’s to try to make the trick accessible to lazy magicians.

Maybe someone has a learning disability and can’t do the math in their head? OK, there are lots of things that I don’t do because I don’t have the ability to do them. For example I can’t use memory pegs because I have a thing called Aphantasia, however I was able to learn a memorized deck. It took a lot of work and I had to create little things to help me learn it. I wanted to learn to a memorized deck, so I figured out a way.

Now let me mention the worst line in magic advertising:
“eliminates memory and math (or commonly sleight of hand) to allow you to focus on performing.”
This makes it seem like you can’t do the two at the same time. Let’s look at famous magicians:
Darren Brown, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Doug Henning, and Criss Angel
All of them do or have done technically challenging things in their shows and could still entertain with it. Why can’t you?
If the answer is because it takes practice, then maybe performing magic isn’t for you.

Believe in yourself, you can do it!

-Louie

Street Performer in NOLA

I found this picture in my phone of a street performer when I was in New Orleans last month. I just caught the end of the strait jacket escape, which also was the end of the show, so I don’t know if it was a one trick show, or more.

What I saw was fine for what it was, a get the money show. I’m not it’s target audience, so all the standard hack jokes didn’t really do anything for me, but the people watching seemed to like them and that’s all that matters…or is it?

It comes down to what is your art?

What are you giving the audience a piece of you, or a piece of a dozens of other people’s shows that are used without permission?

Is your art a line that you saw another magician get a laugh with, so you started doing it? If it is, that’s fine, that’s your art.

Is your art giving the audience some sort of experience that no one has ever seen before? This is what the kind of art that I like to watch.

Is there anything wrong with this show? No, it’s fine, just not for me. His show would probably also run circles around mine at that pitch in NOLA. There are a tons of places where a guy drumming on a bucket will absolutely do better than the guy with the a million dollar violin.
Sometimes the right show for the right venue matters.

-Louie

Let Them Show You a Magic Trick!

Whenever someone finds out that I’m a magician and asks to show me a trick I always say yes. I’m amazed at the amount of magicians that hate being shown tricks. By saying “yes” I’m promoting someone’s enthusiasm (and my own) for magic.

The quality and variety of tricks that people show me are way better than a decade ago. I think YouTube has helped people learn more than just the 21 card trick.

By saying yes, I met a guy that could do a tabled faro shuffle with a beat up deck and he helped me learn to do it. The other day one I saw a coin trick that I’d never seen before and it was cool!

@louiefoxx Mad skill! #cointrick #juggling #coin #stunt ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

This is how tricks used to move around, person to person.

-Louie

Out of Town Shipping Notice

**The daily blog will continue to be updated below this pinned post**

This is a quick heads up that I’m out of town now through June 9th, 2025.

No orders will ship during that period or work on products will happen while I’m away. In stock items will ship on Wednesday6/10/25.

**The daily blog will continue to be updated below this pinned post**

Take a Tour

Magicians can learn a lot from taking tours. I did a whiskey tour when I was in Nashville and Jimmy the tour guide was a great example of what magicians can learn.

Jimmy had a great “character”, we all knew what he was about very quickly. He also had what was essentially a stand up comedy set that he did while he drove the bus. He told personal stories about the landmarks we were driving by and the history of the area. I think many magicians miss that, connecting with the performer.

I do think that magic is important and you have to have good magic, but connecting with the audience and letting them know who you are is a close second.

-Louie

You Should Be Working!

Many years ago I heard an interview with Jerry Seinfeld that had an interesting piece of advice. He said your job isn’t having fun onstage, you should be working! I agree, your first job is to work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun at the same time.

Here’s how sweaty I am after a show:

I know it’s gross, but I busted my ass onstage! It was fun, but I worked

-Louie

Get Your Name Out There

When I was in Nashville recently I saw a ton of bands whose names I can’t remember. One of the bands playing at a bar that I stopped in was this one:

Their name was one the screens behind them. This is something that’s easy for you to do with your show. Put your logo on to a flash drive and keep with with your show gear. Now anytime there’s a TV in your performing area, plug in the flash drive and pull up your logo.

Personally I think having your logo on a screen is more modern than having a sign on our table. It also adds a touch of “production” to your show. This is a super easy way to get them to remember your name!

-Louie

Remote Control Chattering Teeth

It always fills my heart to see people using the magic tricks and props that I’ve created!

Fredric Desmarais is working on a routine using the Remote Control Chattering Teeth that I make!

If you use anything that I make, please send me pics of it in your show!

-Louie

Summer Library Show

I did a test show of my 2025 summer library show. My show is themed around colors, with an emphasis on the colors of the rainbow. Here’s my view of the show when set up:

The Milson Worth Silk Cabby is something that I put in the show for the color blue. The effect that happens is that “my grandma’s scarf” stretches from about 9 inches to 20 feet long while in my grandma’s scarf box. This prop is an outlier in the show as I don’t use magic prop looking things in the show.

After doing it in the show, it really doesn’t feel right as a prop in the show. I think I may just use a double walled bag. The bonus of that is that it will reduce bulk and weight that I need to move around. The downside is that I don’t get to use a fun, vintage magic prop in my show.

For me a test show about a month before the summer library season is really helpful to identify things that don’t work, or I don’t like in the show. Once the season starts, I don’t have a lot of time to build or find a new prop to replace something that isn’t playing how I hoped it would.

-Louie

Say NO to Things Like This

One thing I’m not against is doing a show for free, but there needs to be a reason. I’m not talking about shows for charity, but shows that are ticketed, but there’s no pay. I look at these as a chance for me to break in new material and I don’t do my A material, I do things that I’m working on. The only exception to this is if it’s a favor to a friend.

A little while ago a show producer posted a “casting call” in a performer’s group. Here’s the form you had to fill out to audition to perform for free:

First of all, if there’s an audition for a free show, I personally stay away from it. There’s zero reason to audition to not get paid, unless there’s some other form of compensation from the gig, like them providing high quality video/pics of the act.

Next they are asking for experienced performers to do this gig for no pay. The schedule of the shows taking place on Saturdays kills any opportunity to take paid gigs on that prime night for actual paid work.

The super crazy thing to me is that they want 7 rehearsal days…for a FREE show! Then another six days for the shows, for a total commitment of 13 days with zero compensation. The gig is selling tickets, but they aren’t even kicking in for gas or meals for the performers.

Personally I say NO to gigs like this.

This is worse than the charity gig that asks for a show in trade for exposure. You can easily leverage those shows into something that’s a win-win.

Is getting to do an act that’s not even YOUR act worth it?

-Louie