What's your favorite trick?

What's your favorite trick?

This is a question I get asked by new visitors to our store almost every single day.

They want me to show them my single favorite effect because they trust my judgment and they want to get the best trick in the world on their first visit to Ronjo's.

I try to explain to them that it is an almost impossible question to answer.

There are so many factors to consider that they just don't know about as a new comer.

Of course being involved in magic for so long, I do have many effects that I would favor over others but some of those effects are not for the newbie’s for so many reasons.

Some of those reasons are as follows.
1. The difficulty level is too high for a novice. You don't jump right into an Okito Box routine when you have never heard of the French Drop before. You have to learn to crawl before you can walk.
2. An effect may not be appropriate for their audience.
A. They want to fool their young children and should consider colorful visual effects. Something like the Coloring Book and not a packet trick like Color Monte.
B. They want to mess with co-works minds. Here a pocket trick such as the Invisible Deck is an appropriate choice and a set of Linking Rings would be very poor choice.
3. We wouldn't want a child new to magic trying to handle a Thumb Tip. This person's hands are too small. Their motor skills have not developed yet and they do not understand the effects using a tip as perceived by the audience. Here something like a basic set of Cups & Balls would be a good choice.
4. We wouldn't want to show a new comer a Hot Rod, because they may be disappointed by the fact that you are unable to repeat the effect to the same audience. They may be discouraged by this if they are too new to magic will not appreciate the impact that this trick actually has. We may instead suggest another paddle effect like the No. 2 Pencil By Mark Jenest.
5. A great effect such as Yigal Mesika's Spider Pen is not for the novice. The device is delicate and beginners are more prone to damage the item before they understand what it can do. They will feel ripped off that they wasted 50 bucks. Or even worse. They can and do understand the mechanics. Get it down smoothly and quickly and come back a week later for another great trick but are disappointed that they can' find anything they like. Their expectations are set too high and have very little to look forward to.

I could go on and on and on. There is no simple answer to their question.

I actually do have my favorites but just because they are my favorites, doesn't mean our friends would agree. What is right for some may not be right for others.

Don't believe me? Here is an example. A-Vase-ing. This trick comes in almost every magic set I have ever seen, yet no one over about 8 years old does it. I think you should! I love this trick. I created a wonderful routine and supply my patter and handling with the instructions. I took me many years to "like" this trick but once I learned it inside out and made it my own, it became one of my favorites for so many reasons.
1. It uses audience participation.
2. It has a comical story line and fills time.
3. It is magical.
4. It packs small and plays big. (Well big enough for most house parties).

In a nut shell my favorites to demonstrate in the store will vary according to who my clientele is at the time.

It should also go without saying that the effects I may share with friends or if I were to perform a show this list would change.

Now if someone put a gun to my head and said name you top thirty favorites effects using props that I actually show my clients in the store and that are currently on the market and not ones that I do not do perform and have only seen here is my list in no particular order and for no particular audience.

I have highlighted links for just a few of these.

1. Michael Skinner's Ultimate 3 Card Monte
2. Peek A Boo
3. Scotch & Soda
4. Vanishing Silk (Thumb Tip)
5. Appearing Cane
6. Invisible Zone
7. Matchless Matchboxes
8. Color Changing Ball To Jumbo Square
9. Cesaral Melting Point
10. Silver Copper Brass Transposition
11. Okito Box
12. Healed & Sealed
13. Hot Rod
14. Crystal Cleaver
15. Gozinta Boxes & Sponge Balls
16. Spider Pen
17. A-Vase-ing
18. Number Two Pencil
19. Confusing Crayons
20. Appearing Flower
21. Donuts - Production
22. Blizzard
23. Matrix Poker
24. Impossible Penetration
25. Crystal Bubble
26. Gold Rush
27. Psychic Crayons
28. Stiff Rope
29. Nail Writer
30. What's Mine Is Mine

Not all of the above effects will appeall to everybody and they certainly are not appropriate for every type of performance or age group.

But in answer to your question, What is your favorite trick?

These are my top 30 favorite in store demos.
So come on down to Ronjo Magic if you are local or search for these and the many other fantasic effects on our site.

We talk to you tomorrow.

Pete