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How can I best close my show (before a possible Encore)?

I have worked on my stage show for the past few months and from what the clients and the audience says it plays well and effectively. However, I always feel that the close of the show is weaker than it should be. With "close" I mean the end of the final effect before the Encore. With "feel" I refer to how it appears to be a little abrupt and dissatisfying. Obviously, if I knew exactly what was wrong, I didn't need to post this question.

There may be a couple of reasons I can think of:
- The final effect is not suited for its position.
- The routining of the show as a whole is suboptimal.
- My scripting of the final effect needs to be improved.
- My delivery in the end needs improvement.
- Something else is at miss.
- All of the above.

Does anybody have an idea how I could identify the problem better and find a solution?

Try videoing the performance and watch it back, putting yourself in the position of the audience. Be honest with yourself, does the finish work, is it your performance? Have a think about what you can do to make it get better reactions, pacing is the thing I find often can make a big difference.

Depends on what it is? Are you a Mentalist, in which case an impossible prediction works well, especially if you can find a way of tying other routines from the show into it, which will help recap peoples memory of what you have done. Buttertub could be used to achieve this very easily if you go for a f***e like a Newspaper prediction or Magazine test.

It would probably be helpful to post a rundown of your act (or if possible a video of it). Otherwise right now we can only guess what problems, if any, your show has.

Thanks for the replies so far.

I initially was looking for suggestions as to how one might in general be able to improve the finale, without swamping the board with too lengthy descriptions. If it helps, I have responded with a rundown of my act below.


Here is a brief summary:
My show is a mentalism act that runs for about 45 minutes. I have video recordings of it (one in German and one in English), but I didn't want to bother people with the entire 45 minutes.


The effects and presentations are:
0. Introduction
Brief introduction of myself and my show which sets the tone for a more serious mentalism act.

1. President A. Lincoln story
This is very similar to the beginning of Banachek's "Prethoughts". It does not contain magic effects at all, but is a story about President Lincoln anticipating his assassination. I found it is very effective in setting the mood and raise the question "Can we learn about our future before it has happened?"

2. Clipline
The classic newspaper prediction. Serves as a first response to the question in segment 1.
Note: This is the first time when an actual magic effect is done. Initially, I had been afraid that it could be too late, but I have found later that it plays very well as long as the story in segment 1 is presented strong enough.

3. Marked Thought
An ESP card effect along the lines of "Spectator as the mentalist" (handling is from R. Osterlind's ETMMM). Whereas in 2 I made a prediction about the future myself, in this segment it is the spectator who makes the prediction. I use a presentation that includes a brief hypnotism segment where the spectator sees herself a few minutes in the future.
Note: This segment is quite long, but it has a minor climax in the beginning and a couple of humorous lines in the middle that contrast with the more serious tone of what has happened before.

4. Question & Answer
The classic, I typically do about 5-7 questions from random people in the audience about the future.
Note: This segment is the longest of the entire show. It is what people talk about most and what is remembered best. I wonder whether it might be better to put it entirely at the end or to keep it where it is.

5. Blindfold Routine
The classic from R. Gann, as presented by R. Osterlind on several DVDs. I closely follow the Osterlind presentation and have selected this item because it offers a contrast to the other effects in that it introduces a new theme. I also found it plays very strongly. It does break (at least in the way I present it) with the previously established main theme of the show, though - it involves an ability focussed on the present, rather than the future. The finale is the word prediction, a feat of pure mindreading without elements of premonition.
Note: It might well be that the contrast is the reason why the ending feels abrupt. On the other hand, the audience likes the diversity as much as I do. So I chose not to do the 27th prediction in a row here, but something entirely different.

6. Encore
Typically a bit involving sleight of hand with the host of the show. This is really genuine magic, not mental magic or mentalism.
Note: My magic repertoire is mostly close-up rather than stage-material. So the effect is really done more for the host with the audience watching his reaction. Possibly this is not such a good idea; on the other hand, I don't want to wheel in huge props for the Encore as that might look contrived and artificial.

i dont know if you've ever heard of Ken Webber's book 'Maximum entertainment'. It's a great read and full of useful advice aimed at the issues that you seek to address, i think you would find it very useful.

Best wishes for your next show!
T

Tony, thanks for the recommendation!

I am embarrassed to admit that I do not have "Maximum Entertainment" yet; only "Strong Magic" by D. Ortiz which has helped me work on and improve my show, but still has not given me the inspiration to make it as perfect as I would like it to be (which, of course, is entirely my own fault).

After reading a couple of reviews I have immediately ordered the book. I am confident that it will help me perfect my show and hopeful that it may also help me to get new insights into the issue of the ending.

Ending on a blindfold routine, with your face blocked, is a bad ending. Not a bad effect, but wrong place in your act. You don't need to end on anything spectacular. Just something appropriate. And it must focus the attention of the audience back on you. Something simple and direct. I won't advise you on what it should be, because I am not familiar with your style. But try something that brings the energy level down and focuses on you as the star.

I totally agree with Tony, also for your last effect avoid having any other volunteers on the stage. You really want to have all the attention on you at that point.

TonyB wrote:Ending on a blindfold routine, with your face blocked, is a bad ending.

Just for clarification: The routine has a climax after I have removed the blindfold and the volunteers have returned to their seats. I get a word - which I had "failed" to grasp previously - by mind reading. This is the final climax of the effect and for this one I am not blindfolded and alone on stage. Then I adopt the applause position.

TonyB wrote:Not a bad effect, but wrong place in your act.

I do not disagree with that conclusion, this might be a source - or possibly even the source - of what I consider a problem.

TonyB wrote:You don't need to end on anything spectacular. Just something appropriate. And it must focus the attention of the audience back on you. Something simple and direct. I won't advise you on what it should be, because I am not familiar with your style. But try something that brings the energy level down and focuses on you as the star.

I must say that the advice to "not end on anything spectacular" goes against everything I have read in other sources. Practically everybody advises to finish with the strongest effect in one's repertoire, and to make the conclusion as memorable as possible.

Maybe I misunderstood your point, though.

Lady of Mystery wrote:[...] for your last effect avoid having any other volunteers on the stage.

See above - at least at the final climax I am indeed alone. Or do you advise to not use any volunteers at all for the entire segment?

Most people advise on ending with something very strong. In contrast Jeff McBride, at a masterclass I attended, emphasised that the end was a conclusion, not a highpoint.

If you consider a novel, a thriller - the climax is the hero saving the girl, defeating the crook, of whatever. But the book has a few more pages left, tying up loose ends and making the ending more emotionally satisfying. That is what I mean. Make your ending emotionally satisfying, rather that spectacular. Your ending needs to emphasise you and focus attention on you - and to ground your audience.

I like to finish with something unexpected, something that comes as a supprise to the audience. It's also nice if it's something that ties up a few loose ends from the show.

I tend to end with something that lets the audience know that I appreciate them.

I end with a standing ovation

Stop bragging about your sex life Chris.