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I went to see a performance by someone called Chris Cox last week at the Edinburgh Festival. This was the first magic show i'd been to since taking up any interest in actually learning magic and found that I could concoct a method for most of his effects.

Chris done his job and put on a excellent show and the laymen in the audience were left in amazement at the magic. His showmanship and effects were quality and I can still appreciate this.

I suppose I started to learn magic because I loved it and wanted to know how things were done, initially for my own curiosity.

Don't get me wrong- the rest of the audience seemed to rightfully love the show, it was excellent, but I left feeling a bit disappointed that none of it was 'magic' to me.

I just wondered if anyone else has had similar thoughts on this.

That's one of the negative effects (excuse the pun:wink: ) of getting involved and learning magic- it can make all other magic you see "un-magic", and thus spoil some of it for you. When I watch other magicians perform, this frequently happens. However, I find that I am able to put "layman's head" as it were if I want to, and thus enjoy the magic. It's still not quite the same though...

I can go and do this and have fun if the person is funny. I was able to put a laymen's head on. Until the person sitting next to me kept saying, "Do you know how to do that?

I think the natural tendency for magicians is to try to work out how things are done. You just have to take the active magician's part of your mind off the hook and slip back into passive spectator mode.

That is a down side. But, every now and then you will see an effect and not have a clue how it was done, that brings all those layman feelings rushing back.

Or, you can know exactly how the effect is acheived, but watching it is still incredible. I find this happens with Giacomo Bertini. I have his DVD, but watching the performance still leaves me speechless. Type him into YouTube and you'll see what I mean..

I see what you mean he is really good with coins.

babyshanks wrote:That is a down side. But, every now and then you will see an effect and not have a clue how it was done, that brings all those layman feelings rushing back.

The Berglas effect did this for me the other day, that and, to a lesser extent, Chris Hare's birthday detector.

And in terms of enjoying how well a particular known effect is done, I love Teller's clear cups and balls. A lot of the "exposé" routines of Penn & Teller are impressive because of how well they are done.

I realised this as I began in magic.

As we travel this 'Royal Road', We make a major sacrifice. In order to bring magic to others, we all but destroy the magic for ourselves.

It'd take something really magical to impress a magician.

But take solace in the fact that you bring enjoyment to others. And also that you can appreciate a magic show from a different perspective to others and focus on the presentation and technical skills rather than the effect itself.

That's why I keep trying to do to much in my show for magician's coming up.

I agree that you can't ever really get into a layman's state of mind if you are a magician. So I think that you when watching a show you need to stop your mind from thinking about how the effects done. If even one thought comes into your head about the method, push it out and try to replace it with thoughts of how amazing the effect is.

Mr.Mystery wrote:If even one thought comes into your head about the method, push it out and try to replace it with thoughts of how amazing the effect is.

... or even be impressed with how something was done even when you know (suspect?) how it was done.

I think the telling line in your post, is......

I suppose I started to learn magic because I loved it and wanted to know how things were done, initially for my own curiosity.

Do you perform much yourself ?

i think its the same for a lot of different fields.

i have been a club dj for 10+ years and find that when im in a club im constantly listening to the mixes rather than enjoying the tunes themselves.

but I left feeling a bit disappointed that none of it was 'magic' to me

Yes its called being a Magician....The only person that makes me forget is DB...I can watch him and just forget whats goin on and enjoy the show.

I find that I enjoy watching magicians for different reasons now. Although I certainly don't know how everything's done, I do sit there and think how it could be done. But what I enjoy now is watching a magician's presentation and their performance in general.