How to Put an Act Together for Walk Around Magic
Andy Field is a professional Gloucester magician, offering table top magic, sleight of hand illusions, mind reading and more, for a variety of occasions. Over the years Andy has built a strong global following, boasting over 20,000,000 views on his YouTube channel and an array of reviews across multiple platforms. Having amassed experience as a wedding magician, party magician & close up magician, Andy is seen as one of the industries most tried and tested professional magicians.
How To Build A Walk Around Magic Act
Andy pulls you in with his first walk about trick and never lets go!
After more than 20 years performing close-up and walk around magic, I have learnt that a great act isn't built by collecting hundreds of tricks. It's built by creating memorable experiences.
Having hundreds of tricks does not make you a great magician.
In fact sometimes it creates the opposite problem.
You end up with a drawer full of unfinished ideas, half-used gimmicks, and decks of cards bought because you were convinced they were going to completely transform your act.
Every magician has that drawer.
You know the one.
The mysterious place where old magic goes to retire.
Therefore the real challenge isn't collecting magic.
The real challenge is building an act.
A professional walk around magician doesn't simply arrive at an event and pull out random tricks whenever someone looks interested.
Instead, every sleight of hand routine has a purpose.
The order matters.
The timing matters.
Further more the audience matters.
Most importantly, the experience you create matters.
Because magic is only one part of the performance.
Likewise real skill is creating moments that people remember long after you have packed away your cards.
What Is Walk Around Magic?
Walk around magic is exactly what it sounds like.
You move around a venue.
Therefore you meet groups of people.
You create impossible moments.
Simple, isn't it?
Well...
Not quite.
Unlike a stage show, where everyone is seated and waiting for you, walk about happens in the middle of real life.
Guests are chatting.
Conversations are happening everywhere.
Someone is looking for the bar.
Someone else is explaining why they "don't really like magic" before you've even introduced yourself.
"Magic doesn't fool me."
Fantastic.
You've not even started yet.
However, this is what makes walk around magic exciting.
Every group is different.
Every event has its own atmosphere.
All audiences react in completely unique ways.
Therefore, your act needs to be flexible.
A routine that works beautifully in your living room might struggle at a noisy wedding reception.
The best walk around magicians understand that their job is not just to perform tricks.
In short their job is to entertain people.
Start With Yourself, Not Your Tricks
One of the biggest mistakes I see magicians make is copying other performers.
They watch someone brilliant online and immediately think:
"I need that routine."
Now, there is nothing wrong with inspiration.
In fact, studying great performers is one of the best ways to improve.
The important thing is finding your own voice.
A magician can perform the same effect as someone else and create a completely different experience.
Why?
Because audiences don't connect with methods.
They connect with personalities.
Your humour.
Such as your style.
Your confidence.
Your ability to make people feel relaxed.
A trick performed by the wrong person can feel ordinary.
The same trick performed by the right person can become unforgettable.
Decide What Type of Magician You Want To Be
Vibrant and comedic heart warming walk about magic!
Before building your walk around magic act, think about the feeling you want to create.
Do you want people laughing?
Do you want them amazed?
Would you rather create mystery?
Perhaps you want a mixture of everything.
Personally, I believe entertainment comes first.
Of course, the impossible moments are important.
After all, I am a magician.
However, people remember emotions more than methods.
They remember laughing with friends.
They remember being surprised.
Therefore they remember the moment they looked at each other and said:
"How did he do that?"
A confused audience isn't always impressed.
A happy audience usually is.
Your Opening Trick Has One Job
The first routine you perform has an important responsibility.
It needs to make people comfortable.
When you approach a group of strangers, they don't know you.
They don't know whether you're entertaining.
They don't know whether you're awkward.
Therefore they don't know whether you are about to produce a rabbit wearing a tiny waistcoat.
The opening effect doesn't have to be your biggest miracle.
Instead, it needs to create connection.
A strong opener says:
"This is going to be fun."
Once people relax, everything improves.
The audience becomes more involved.
The conversation becomes easier.
The magic becomes stronger.
Build Your Walk Around Set Like a Story
A great walk around act has structure.
I think of it almost like a conversation.
You wouldn't meet someone at a party and immediately tell them your entire life story.
Magic works the same way.
The Opener
Your opening routine is your introduction.
It should be visual.
It should be engaging.
Most importantly, it should get a reaction quickly.
The goal is not to prove how clever you are.
The goal is to make people want to see more.
The Middle
This is where the relationship develops.
Therefore the audience starts trusting you.
They become part of the experience rather than simply watching from the outside.
Your personality becomes just as important as the magic.
The Closer
Every set needs a memorable ending.
This is the moment people talk about afterwards.
The routine that makes someone say:
"That was impossible."
A strong closer leaves the audience wanting more.
Don't Carry Your Entire Magic Shop
One thing I notice with newer magicians is that they sometimes arrive at events looking like they are moving house.
Cards.
Coins.
Ropes.
Boxes.
Envelopes.
Enough props to open a small magic shop.
The funny thing is, having more equipment rarely makes your performance better.
Usually, it just makes your pockets heavier.
A professional walk around set is built around quality.
Five incredible routines will always beat twenty average ones.
The audience doesn't know how many tricks you own.
They only know how they feel when you perform.
Choose Practical Magic
Very addictive walk about magic
This is where real performing experience teaches valuable lessons.
A trick that looks amazing in your bedroom can completely fail in a busy venue.
Why?
Because events are unpredictable.
There may be noise and distractions.
There may be someone who believes their job is to help you.
Ask yourself:
Can I perform this surrounded?
Can I reset quickly?
Would I carry everything comfortably?
Can I perform this if someone interrupts?
Because someone will interrupt.
Usually with:
"Can you make my wife disappear?"
I always think that's ambitious.
Even for magic.
Learn To Control The Pace
Many beginner magicians perform too quickly.
I understand why.
The adrenaline arrives.
Your brain thinks:
"Everyone is watching. Escape immediately."
However, rushing removes one of the most powerful parts of magic.
The reaction.
Give people time.
Allow them to process what happened.
Let the laughter happen.
Let the impossible moment breathe.
Silence is not a problem.
Used correctly, silence creates anticipation.
The Audience Is More Important Than The Trick
This is probably the biggest lesson I've learnt.
The trick is not the product.
The experience is.
Nobody books a magician because they want to analyse a perfect sleight of hand technique.
They book a magician because they want their guests entertained.
They want people laughing and want conversations afterwards.
Above all they want an event that people remember.
The magic creates the moment.
The audience creates the memory.
Practise The Performance, Not Just The Sleight
Most magicians spend hours practising the mechanics.
The secret move.
A false shuffle.
The palm.
Those things are important.
However, they are only part of the performance.
A complete performer also practises:
- Opening lines
- Timing
- Eye contact
- Audience management
- Transitions
- Reactions
A technically perfect trick without personality feels empty.
It is a little like watching a calculator perform at a wedding.
Very accurate.
Not particularly entertaining.
Your Act Will Improve Through Real Performances
The living room is a great place to practise.
Unfortunately, it doesn't argue back.
Real audiences teach you everything.
They show you which jokes work.
They show you which routines hit hardest.
An audience will show you where your pacing needs improvement.
Every performance gives you information.
Therefore, take notes.
Make adjustments.
Keep improving.
That is how a professional act is created.
Final Thoughts From Me
Putting together a walk about magic act is a journey.
It doesn't happen overnight.
The strongest acts are built one performance at a time.
Choose strong magic.
Be yourself.
Look after your audience.
Create experiences rather than demonstrations.
Ultimately, the best walk around magicians are not the ones carrying the most tricks.
They are the ones who can walk into a room full of strangers and leave people smiling, laughing and wondering:
"How on earth did that happen?"
And that is the real magic.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tricks should a walk around magician have?
In my experience, a small collection of strong, reliable routines is much better than carrying dozens of tricks you rarely perform.
What makes a good walk around magic act?
A great act combines strong magic, personality, humour, audience interaction and routines that work in real-world situations.
How long should a walk around magic routine be?
Most walk around routines work well between three and eight minutes, depending on the event and audience.
Should a walk around magician be funny?
Humour is a powerful tool, but authenticity matters more. The best performers use humour that naturally fits their personality
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