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Am i on my own here; whenever i show a new trick to my girlfriend...she goes mad if i dont tell her how its done, it makes me laugh inside but I can actually see how frustrated she to have someone next to her who could easily tell her and wont!! This may apply to boyfriends aswell( i wouldnt know). SHOULD WE ENTRUST THE SECRET TO OUR PARTNERS TO AVOID THE SILENT TREATMENT????????

We all need guinea pigs, and we all need critics.

BUT... revealing the secrets is a discretionary thing.

Number one: it de-sensitises people to magic once they know the real workings

Number two: the true meaning of magic or illusion is basically something that can't rationally be explained by the laws of physics. Therefore, by explaining, the myths are exploded and you may feel flat.

ALTHOUGH... there is quite a lot of scope for having someone who is LOOKING for the switch, move or sleight... because they will BURN you so tightly that they'll help you get it flawless and indetectable.

To gain this sort of scrutineer, you have to reveal the method. Example: my good lady helped me master the Classic Pass - and only by showing her the actual handling was she able to tell me when it could not be detected.

Therefore, there are more practical reasons that 'getting a quiet life' for disclosing secrets, I think.

I certainly like to try all my tricks out on my girlfriend first - and she's always keen for me to explain how they are done, but rather than tell her straight off I perform the same trick repeatedly - maybe from different angles - just so I can see how far I can take it - how many times I can perform it before it gets particular obvioius.

I hasten to add that for everyone else I try and limit to performing each trick only once.

I also let her examine some of the tricks that are so called 'partially examinable' (scotch and soda/cig thru coin etc) after I have perfromed them - so I can get a little feedback on how much scrutiny exactly they can come under. This I have found very helpful.

So yes i find it helpful to let her in on my secrets - but I make her work for it

I also find it useful to have her supply me with coins etc sometimes - it may not exactly be the same as getting a coin from the spectator, but it can be less obvious than using my own. (She looks so innocent).

As soon as I walk through the door with a new trick or one arrives in the post, my wife tends to ask me to put the kettle on, then when I get through to the front room, coffee in hand, there she is on the settee lloking at the trick and frantically reading through the instructions. So in answer to your question.... It's obviously a girl thing!! lol

Simple answer: Don't show em!

Dan: Have you ever managed to say 'No' to a woman - especially a Wife/Partner - and live to tell the tale?! Definitely risky territory!

Don't even go there Dan !!!!

Especially once a month every month ------->

Please
But seriously folks , my wife is happy to see an illusion and gives me feedback on angles et cetera, she doesn't want to know how it works as it will "lose the magic"
My Father on the other hand wants to know everything, I did him a deal and only showed him more advanced illusions only after he had learned to do some simple ones, he enjoys doing these in turn for the grand kids and delights in keeping the magic a secret from them
Keep the magic alive