Meeting Report: May 12 2021 - Suzanne Lecture

The energetic Suzanne was the welcome lecturer at the May 12, 2021 meeting of Ring 216. Presenting over Zoom, she was generous sharing her deep experience in restaurant magic. As she demonstrated her main opening set for table work, young club member Satvik ably assisted her as audience volunteer and afterwards was not shy in asking questions about her performance. Among the magic she explained was her working card routine, in which she focused on details of maximizing misdirection and entertainment, and a clever presentation for the transformation of dollars into hundred-dollar bills. And she related her nerve-wracking (and trophy-winning) experience on “Fool Us”.  

 

Many members were interested in the practical side of the business. In response to their non-stop questions, Suzanne described how she got her first restaurant gigs, and how she learned over time that as a house magician she was not just the entertainment but had an important role as a liaison between the restaurant staff and the diners. She gave advice on how to approach a table and what to do if the people aren’t welcoming, including, “Never take it personally.”

 

And what does she do if a spectator blurts out that they’ve caught her in a move? This took a long time for her to learn. She was very upset at this for years. Now she has a number of ways for handling it gracefully. Most of all: “If you’re a nice person, and not a jerk to them, you can make a lot of mistakes, and you’ll be fine.”

 

This is Suzanne, and if you enjoyed her magic, please tell the hostess on the way out!