by Jean » Feb 18th, '13, 20:46
Firstly you should introduce yourself, people here are more able / willing to advice you if they know something about you.
Second because as you said everything your doing here is standard mentalism stuff, all very similar to Derren Brown, most of us will find your show boring because it's nothing new. It's always more worthwhile to ask for feedback from non magicians, although I understand how frustrating that can be as their advice doesn't accommodate for the methodology of the effect.
I'm going to be giving nothing but criticisms here, I hope they're constructive and I certainly don't mean to put you down with anything I'm about to say. I'm just trying to give you honest and fair feedback on where your performance needs work.
Don't start by promising them a lecture,
When you first perform, your just a random guy and people don't care about you. They have come to be entertained, not given a lecture on something they probably don't care about, by a person they don't know. It's better to demonstrate what you do first, and later, when you've got people interested in how you do what you do, then you can tell them about your interests, studies and beliefs.
You take to long to actually do anything.
It's four and a half minuets in before you even start an effect, and it's been seven minuets by the time you've done one trick. If you're planning to perform on stage most act's when they're starting out get about five minuets, you're going to have to tighten your act considerably.
Get your props in order.
Have everything to hand ready to be used, every time you have to look for something, or have someone hand you something, you're loosing your audience. You'll notice by the time you start your first effect (the zenner cards) some of your audience are talking amongst themselves and no ones seems focused on you. This is because you've taken so long faffing about that people aren't aware that something as actually about to happen. Have everything, the table, the chairs, the bag, the bottle, the pad and pens etc, have them all either in place for the show or on a smaller prop table that you can easily access. Do a run-through of your act without an audience, Work out everything you'll need, where everything will be and where everyone will be standing.
It doesn't seem believable that you're a psychologist, even if you are.
I don't know if you actually are studying or have studied 'psychology' but the way you talk about it doesn't seem believable to me. I don't know you, so this is either you haven't had any real psychological training, or you're just not expressing your ideas and views vary clearly. Either way your not speaking with any authority on the subject and you have to work on your script. That's something I can't advise you on, I also can't make myself plausible as an expert in psychology.
Start with something that doesn't requires audience member's to get up.
This is similar to the 'don't promise them a lecture' bit. It's fine with your friends, but if you want to perform this on stage remember that you have to win your audience over first. They are going to be less eager to come on stage if they have no clue about what's going to happen. Start with something where people can call out numbers, words, names etc, from their seats.
On your first effect.
I'm assuming the zenner effect works with mul***** **t's. You need to make that smoother and not introduce new things (the arrow) after a decision has been made. I can give you some advice with that but it'll have to be via p.m as it'll get a bit 'exposure-y'. Let me know if you want me to p.m you with my ideas.
Change your shoes
Okay now I'm getting nit picky and hurtful I know, but still you should change your shoes. Make sure your clothing is coherent with your style and persona, those shoes are not.
Don't use the bag and padlock
There was to much faffing about with the bag at the beginning, have the prediction in an envelope inside the bottle and placed in plain view throughout. Call attention to it at the begging or give it to someone then move on. Also get a larger playing card for the revelation, google 'jumbo playing cards'.
Don't smash the bottle in the bucket
If you want to smash the bottle fine but have it in a larger blanket not in a bucket.
What's with the music?
There was music playing in the background. I don't know if you wanted music or if it was just already playing but either way next time make sure there are no unnecessary distractions during your show.
I want to finish by saying the second half of your show was a lot better. I didn't find your explanation as to how you we're reading their minds convincing but that might just be because I know it's Bullsh*t. Laymen won't know what we know and you can tell with the last effect your audience were really impressed.
Good luck with your act.
Invoke not reason. In the end it is too small a deity.
