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thanks for the advice! I'll try to be more natural in my performance style.

-Ben

i might advise to write/ devise the script/ patter first and while practicing just add in any extra sentances (humourous or otherwise). hope that helps somewhat

A script is a good idea, I know a few people don't like to use one but it'll help you to relax. If you've got a nice, well rehersed script you'll find that the magic and patter will both just come with out you really having to think about it.

Johnny Wizz writes in part: "I don't tell jokes because I can't, but I do make people smile and even laugh by just being me."

And that, in a nutshell, is the whole point.

Nothing sounds as bad as a performer who has stuck some jokes, usually from a third-rate joke book, onto his or her presentation.

Decide if you can tell jokes or not; if you can, fine; if not, that's fine, too.

Jokes have absolutely nothing to do with audience interaction.

magicmindben wrote:I need some advice on how to interact better with my audiunce during a mental routine. Does anybody know any jokes you can use for basic performing like this. I'd like to add more humour to my entertainment style

-Ben

You want to do a mentalism routine and be funny? Isn't that against the mentalists code? And for clarity's sake by mentalist I also include the magician who does some mentalism magic in his act. I'm pretty sure that is like seeing a tuxedo clad dove worker smile. I'm pretty sure that is against the rules as well.

All the advice given here is great. Unfortunatly there is no one good answer. You have to find what works for you and you will find that by experience. However it would also be a good idea to hire a theatrical coach or somebody along those lines to sit in the audience and critique your work. For any of us to actually answer your question we would have to see you in action, and then know what we are talking about.

I however are one of the 'be yourself' type people because as has been said, I can't be anybody else. But I think it be only responsible to add that "only be yourself if you are not a total A** h***!" I'm pretty sure that is advice that Jeff McBride gave at a lecture once.

Peter has it right there, and jokes do have nothing to do with audience interaction. Comedy does, and comedy is created in many ways, even when no-one is smiling! Tommy Cooper was late for an evening, because he was involved in a car accident, on the way. When he started to tell his audience why he was late, they just laughed, and when he said, "No seriously, now, I could have been badly hurt", they laughed even more. Comedy, like magic, is an art form, and needs to be approached in the same way. Everybody laughed, when Jasper Carrot said he was going to be a comedian, and everybody laughed when he was.

Hi Ben,

A question for you: are you funny? Do you make people laugh? Do you make your friends laugh?

Please, before reading any further, reread the last three sentences and take a few minutes to come up with an honest, brutal and unflinching answer. You do not have to share this answer with anyone but you need to be honest with yourself. This may sound bold, but, I am funny. I do make people laugh. Both friends and strangers, often unintentionally.

While you're thinking about that question I'd like to respond to a couple of responses to your original post. If you can't be arsed with that scroll down until you see your username in bold.

First, Gary Grace:

Let me guess at some of the words that you may be using in your act. 'mysterious'-she was my old maths teacher, 'Psychic'-I went to a psychic the other day. I knocked on the door, and she shouted,"Who is it?", so I left. 'Medium'- I went to one of these the other day, and he was laughing at the gullibility of the public, so I lost my temper and hit him. I was arrested for striking a happy medium.

You are a very naughty boy! Go straight to your room! Great jokes, though.

Second, bmat:

You want to do a mentalism routine and be funny? Isn't that against the mentalists code?

No. Now, you could be joking (!). Assuming you're serious: No. In fact: NO!

magicmindben, I am a budding mentalist. By that I mean I've spent the last couple of years moving away from close up magic towards mentalism. And by that I mean I've stopped performing close up and have started performing a 45 minute mentalism stage show, which, to be honest, is a new learning experience for me, a completely different kettle of fish.

I use humour a lot in my act. I don't tell jokes but use my interactions with the audience, and the surrounding environment, to allow humour to arise. This sort of humour is spontaneous but is founded upon having a fully scripted act. It's probably a defense mechanism (I had a very violent and brutal childhood), but I'm naturally funny. I can make people laugh just by looking at them. It is, therefore, very easy for me to be funny because I've had a lot of practice at it. But also, it's very easy because my act is scripted. Knowing what I am going to say at any moment throughout the act gives me the freedom to be spontaneous and to use the unexpected as sources for humour. As paradoxical as that sounds it is the truth.

Earlier on I asked you a couple of questions. Are you funny? Do you make people laugh? If you naturally do, I suggest you interact with the audience in the same way that you do when you're with your mates. If you don't have the inherent capacity to make people laugh then I suggest you get acting lessons from a reputable tutor, preferably one specialising in comedy.

Just occurred to me: what makes you laugh? What do you find funny? Humour is infectious. If you find something funny, and can communicate that effectively, then other people will too. Not everyone, but enough.

You could use a joke book but I wouldn't. I would much rather rely on my own inherent capacity for humour, which we all have (you included!) to introduce comedy into my act.

So, my advice in a nutshell, for what it's worth, is this: if you have a natural capacity for comedy use, and develop, that. If you don't, then get acting lessons (or whatever the equivalent is for comics; comedy lessons?) and cultivate the capacity for comedy.

Hope that helps. If not, er, then I'm sorry for wasting your time.

All the best
Gary

I saw an interesting (and good) lecture by Ian Keable the other day. He had a book with lots of advice on Comedy in Magic, no tricks just pure advice covering all the points.

It might be worth a look up, he was certainly very entertaining

Gary Dickson wrote:
First, Gary Grace:

Let me guess at some of the words that you may be using in your act. 'mysterious'-she was my old maths teacher, 'Psychic'-I went to a psychic the other day. I knocked on the door, and she shouted,"Who is it?", so I left. 'Medium'- I went to one of these the other day, and he was laughing at the gullibility of the public, so I lost my temper and hit him. I was arrested for striking a happy medium.

You are a very naughty boy! Go straight to your room! Great jokes, though.

That's not quoting me, I'm not that funny.

Ben,

The most important thing to remember when interacting with your audience is to be yourself!

Be original, be fun, and be you!

Try not to get to obsessed with how others say to interact. Be yourself. I'm sure you can make the audience laugh a few times too.

Best Regards,

-Hugo