Close-up magic
Magic performed at arm's length, with cards, coins and everyday objects, for a few people at a time.
Also: table magic, strolling magic, parlour magic, street magic
Close-up magic is done within a metre or two of the audience, often at a table, using cards, coins, rings, ropes and borrowed objects. It differs from stage magic in that spectators can lean in, which gives the impression of directness. Street magic, performed informally for passers-by, belongs to the same family. The art traces to the street performers and cups-and-balls players of earlier centuries, and in the twentieth century performers such as the Canadian Dai Vernon, known as the Professor, set a high bar for technique. Many leading magicians now work in restaurants, bars and television. Because the audience is so near, the work relies on skill, timing and a clear sense of the spectators' attention.