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What do you do if the audience (big or small) wont follow your directions for a trick, or say that they want o inspect an uninspectable item, instead of just saying "no, dont touch". Is there a more clever way to control them so its not so awkaward??

Experience is the first thing that comes to mind.....the way you subtly word things can help, how relaxed you appear in the presence of a gimmick/gaff can make someone want to inspect it or not inspect it....."Selling" the overall performance of the effect will help you get by this.....you will find that you will sense spectator tendancies, and you can work toward holding an inspection off by simply shifting focus in other areas........you will get better with time.

Do you have a specific effect in mind that you are having trouble with? If so, pm me and maybe I can help you find a solution!

I find that going straight into another trick instantly takes their minds of this fact and they're instantly open to more tricks. Job's a good 'un!

thats very helpfull, thanks

ill try that next performance

Yeah, for uninspectableness (is that even a word?), I'd say either move on to the next trick, or keep a spare, inspectable item on hand. Obviously this doesn't work all the time, but if it's something small like a trick deck/coin, then i always keep a real look-a-like in the same pocket i keep the gaffed version in, so if anyone wants to sneak a peek, I slip it into my pocket and pull out the normal version.

As for people not following directions, I've run into that problem a few times myself. Most people won't do this in a group at the risk of looking like a total jerk, but it's always better to make sure. I always try to create a little plotline for each trick, and use it as an explanation of why they need to follow along.

If a spectator wants to do a riffle shuffle, but your trick depends on a clean cut or overhand, a simple plot can keep them off of the idea. I always stay along the theme of magic energy/chi/mojo, so I say something like "The cards have adjusted to your own personal energy, riffling them together can disturb the balance and might mess up the trick, while overhanding them keeps their energy in clumps, thus keeping the balance between you and them." Using a simple story like this gives the spectator more motivation to follow the rules.

Which would you think could be better to stop people wanting to look at what you have put in their hand, be it sponge balls or a card?

"hold this, don't look at it"
or
"hold this, nice and tight so I can't get at it".

Plant the seeds and let their minds do the rest.

well, maybe think about a couple of self-working effects that they themselves can do...shows you have absolutely nothing to hide...

if someone really insists on wanting to look at something, you can just say "yeah, sure, no problem...at the end of the show though ok?"...again, it says on some level that you've got nothing to hide...

if they grab at something rudely, just chastise them gently, semi jokingly "dont make me shoot you" or whatever suits your character...and immediately...shoot them! nah...immediately invite someone to join in the next effect, cutting off the grab-monkey...

you could just have a banana in your pocket and when they grab just put the fruit in their hand and say "there you go monkey-boy..." i must try that myself actually...

It's always a good idea to pick your participants as best you can. I usually scan the audience when an act before me is one and observe people that look like good volunteers.
The worst thing is someone that can't count or remember things.

dino50011 wrote:What do you do if the audience (big or small) wont follow your directions for a trick, or say that they want o inspect an uninspectable item, instead of just saying "no, dont touch". Is there a more clever way to control them so its not so awkaward??

For this particular problem with cards I tend to place a card in the palm of a spec's hand then tell them to place their other hand on top of it. That way they are less likely to be tempted to lift the card and it shows that you cannot get to the card in anyway.

Other than that I try to keep the momentum flowing so that I don't give the spec much time to think 'hmmm I wonder what that really is'.

Also one more point- I never tell someone NOT to do something as once you do this the person will nearly always do it.

Simple Slap them!


But I must agree with magic monkey that "hold this so i cant get at it" is a great line. Give that spec who wants to catch out a reason to comply

I used to use a really cheeky line but it did diffuse the situation. If they asked to check something i used to say im an entertainer not a miracle worker. So in that situation they give a laugh and forget about it. At the end of the day they might have thought it was a dodgy deck or something but after that they didn't care they just enjoyed it. Even thoe it was implying i was using something else it didnt matter because they never found out what it was. I think the more and more performances you do this will happen less and less it's just experiance really.

......but I must agree with markdini that "slap them!" is a great feeling. Give that spec who wants to catch out a reason to comply!

I believe there are two main approaches.

1) do tricks and routines which are tuned to roudy audiences, give them lots of feeling of control and have multiple outs.

2) make the magic a serious issue and make it that they're not allowed to be part of it unless they take it seriously

thank you alll

all of these are brilliant- espesially the slap!

Just my tupnies worth..

Audience managment is something that comes with experience. but I agree that you should really have different routines to deal with different types of specs UNTIL you can manage your audience properly.

If Im performing for a bunch of rowdy yoots I let them shuffle the deck lots and do cuts and make the magic happen in their hands.. just for a few effects, then Ill take the deck back and continue.. I can always palm a duplicate from my pocket into the deck if I need it. This way they are less likely to want to examine anything as they have already had things happen while ive not touched the deck. An example effect : shufflecutdeal from Jay Sankeys 22 blows to the head, or any kind of mnemonics effect.

All else failing, kick em in the gnads!!

But the bottom line is, after you perform for a while you will know what kind of specs you are dealing with and alter your presentation, just slightly, to deal with those fingering fools.