Magic Tricks - Table Hopping

Table hopping is a form of close-up magic where the magician moves from table to table (typically in a restaurant), performing magic. This provides critical exposure for the magician, and improves the credit of the restaurant.

I am often asked by youngsters how old they should be before they start table-hopping. My career as a table hopper started a few days after my final Gcse exam (English exams at the age of 16). I would say that you should be at least 16yrs (even then, I felt quite young for the job) - the older you are the more likely the audience are to respect you, and the easier it is for you to "keep them in control". Hopefully being younger can work in your favour as the audience may make allowances for being young, so are less likely to try to trip you up. Sadly some audiences see this as a vulnerability and an opening to make themselves look best by showing to you that they know better! You should in effect feel definite with what you do, and with your skills in 'managing people'.

Magician

I found it very useful to subtlety let the tables know that I was employed by the restaurant - it is useful to wear a name badge (if you aren't in "costume") - that way the tables are likely to let you do magic for them without reasoning they have to tip you, or that you are begging!

Timing is a very important factor in table hopping. It is critical to time your visit to the individual tables - if you arrive just before the waiter/waitress arrives with their meal, your visit will be cut short at once - nobody wants you nearby then! I found that arriving shortly after their main policy was cleared away worked well, or nearby "coffees". Of course, it will depend on your location - you will soon see what suits each place.

Another demand I'm often asked is what rate to charge. There is no hard and fast rule - it again depends on the type of location, your caress and how often you are going there (it is often worth charging a lot less for a regular place to ensure a long life-span there.) If it is just a one-off extra occasion, then remember you are providing a very unique service, so you should be able to fee a fair amount.

I found it very useful to get audible appreciation from the tables (i.e. Laughing or clapping) - it often makes other tables inquisitive and eager to see you!

Finally, should you do the same tricks to each table, or dissimilar tricks to them all? This obviously depends on how many tricks you can do with a dinky amount of props that all fit in your pockets! If you repeat the same habit to every table, future tables may have already seen your tricks, so will be less entertained, and more likely to shape out how they're done. If you turn your habit for each table, then you may find your audience is much larger than the one table, so you have to be very just about viewing angles. If you can administrate this, it is ordinarily more impressive for the audience, and for the restaurant managers who see a "good capability magician". It also prevents you from getting into a monotonous routine, which is likely to make your act less intriguing after you've done it 50 times that night!

Good luck!

Magic Tricks - Table Hopping