The Emergency Magic Kit

The Emergency Magic Kit is something you should not be without! Every serious performer should have one. Find out what the big deal is in this important article.


The Emergency Magic Kit

If you are a seasoned performer you know that gremlins can work themselves in at almost any moment no matter how much planning and prep you put into your show.

Perhaps you forgot to pack your show or some of your props were stolen or misplaced during a busy day of performing. What can you do? Answer: You need to cancel the rest of your schedule for that day….

If you cancel the rest of your schedule that day you can go back home and get some more material to bring with you next time. Hopefully you can see that I am just pulling your leg here!!!

What you should do is carry a small backup case/kit wherever you go. I keep my kit in the trunk of my vehicle. Simply keep the kit there all the time and it will always be ready at a moments notice. This solution works well when driving to gigs, which will be more common for the everyday performer.

If traveling by plane you may want to consider packing a smaller case of extra magic stuff that you can take with you as a carry on. Keep in mind when prepping your kit there are all kind of new rules, regulations, do’s and don’t’s!

Over the years I have used a couple of different backup containers. One being a plastic storage container.



Today I use a metal briefcase, which I bought cheap at a local Home Depot. Either way they both still serve their purpose. The metal briefcase, which is actually a tool case, cost me only $20.



What do you put in the emergency backup kit? Whatever you want really. Here are some things I have in mine…

· Thumb Tip
· Sponge Balls
· 1 Regular Deck of Cards
· Hank of Rope
· Scissors
· Tape
· Marker
· A couple silks
· Rubber bands

The metal briefcase allows you quite a bit of room and sometimes I may add in extra things such as Rocky the Raccoon, Change Bag, Jumbo Cards etc. You can change out some of the material if you like. This might be a good idea if you perform a variety of shows such as birthday parties and corporate shows. You could go as far as having a backup kit for each particular show but I really don’t think that is necessary. Most of the material in my kit can be played up for any type of audience.

Maurice Roberts from the U.K. also highly recommends a backup kit like this. If you have watched Maurice lecture more than likely he has mentioned how important this is. Jeff Mcbride also mentions the use of a backup kit on one of his instructional magic DVDs. Jeff actually has the backup kit with him even when performing on large stages. He keeps the kit right off stage, this way if something happens to go wrong someone can bring the kit on for him and he can continue with material from it. Obviously being well rehearsed with your backup material is highly suggested, this way the audience won’t even know anything is wrong!

You never really know what can go wrong during a performance. The sound may not be working, a performer may not show up and you need extra material, your stuff gets lost or stolen…. The key is to always be prepared!

Having an emergency backup kit with you will give you that extra peace of mind during all of your gigs.

I predict you will use yours at least once during your magic career! Remember to always be prepared!