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Hi Everyone,

I think I introduced myself once a while ago, but due to some family problems been unable to roam the forums. Anyway, my name is Rana, and I work as a Computer programmer living in Leeds, and been doing close-up magic for several years now.

Normally I am quite happy with the responses the magic gets: I do try to structure my act properly, which means things like "design for laughter" is one of the first tricks. If I want to do AC, that would be one of the last card tricks (just before several spectator mental reading or acaan). Patter line obviously changes depending on my situation: but here is the problem - sometime in my performance, it almost comes out as "I am fooling the audience", instead of "creating an experience for audience and enjoy it with them".

Last night at a wedding the last group I came across really got me thinking about how to present the magic correctly. As it was quite late, I used one of the big guns: "two card monte in hand": initial wow factor did occur, but then the spectator kept asking how it's done, and then started speculating that it's something to do with counting cards I was in a bad mood, and I did something wrong: I did make a fool out of her with the next effect, where she peeks at a card, then card is lost in deck. She jumped up saying it's on top, which I show her is not the case. I pointed out that it doesn't matter if I know where her card is, as she will find her own card. Once the effect was done, I was stupid enough to point out that as the spectator found her own card, it doesn't have anything to do with counting I am really bad, and surprisingly enough, she wasn't very happy.

Am I the only magician to pull such a big blunder? Does anyone have any advice on how to handle such incidents: on retrospect, I think the second effect was right, but I should have made them the star on finding the card instead of pointing out their mistake...

thanks for reading through a long question

Rana

Hi Rana,

I'm sure you're not the first to do this and certainly you won't be the last!

If you are to perform magic professionally then you can not allow yourself to fall for spectators heckles or some times rude behaviour.
Your livlihood depends on bookings and repeat bookings. If you basically 'put people in their place' with your magic, you are damaging your reputation and potential earnings!

The only way to handle it is by gaining experience!
You may have to bite your lip every now and then, but what is more satisfying to you? Humiliating the spectator, or wowing them so much that they want to spend an obsene amount of money on you to perform at their next event?

Hi Rana and I remember you from when you were last here.

To answer your question, you're not the first and won't be the last as taffy has pointed out. Put it down to expereince and work on your 'get out' for when this happens again - as it no doubt will.

There isn't any problem as I see it by dispelling a specs theory but if you can do this through an effect then it will be much stronger than telling them that they're wrong.

I wouldn't beat yourself up about it.

LOL i say kill them with a trick that will shut the rude spectator up very fast and do it with out exchanging words . I perform magic at my university and students are a bunch of rude people. So what i do when i have a nasty sepctator is one of 3 things:

1 - Explain that they should not think much and just enjoy the magic (which rarely works)

2 - Hit them with an effect that will leave them breathless... like penguin's tourched and restored such a simple trick yet so visual (I had people calling me a demon and running away dunno if I am that good or perhaps i smell ) this 90% of the time this works

3 - Switch your spectator when they ask for more (I dont reccomend this one as then your big mouth spec will think they are right and bad mouth you usually) not reccomend but gets the job done

but if your performance is smooth and your sleight of hand is flawless then you shouldnt have this problem.

Some advice when you do colour changes such as the snap change of shake change where a DL is required and you get a spec that kinda notices that, I usually do a underhand pass (I think its called that) subtlely to lose the card in the middle then i show them the top does not have the card then show the bottom doesnt have the card and this usually leaves them baffled as now the begin to belive the card actually changed and keeps them quiet for the rest of the performance.

Hi Rana,

Dat8692 offers good advice, take it on board. This has happened to all of us at some point and no doubt it will happen again.

The best bit of advice really is.... Don't take it to heart! So what? If the spectator says they have caught you, 90% of the time they haven't!

The spectator will say ' I saw that' or 'I saw what you've just done',, although they might not have, spectators will lie about things like this to make THEM look good.
Also do not assume you've been caught, you may do an absolute howler of a mistake, and think, 'Damn, its all over now, the effect is ruined! If you act and respond as if you have been caught your performance is over and the ego of the spectator will grow, as they've 'caught the magician out'.

However if you carry on regardless, they will never know. Its all about your reaction and response.

And if in the unlikely event they do catch you and know they have, don't let their ego grow. If you respond with ,'No, you didn't' or words to similar effect, their ego will grow and they will keep pushing you. However if you say 'Well done you caught me' they've got nothing to go on and will stop heckling you. Then just carry on confidently and unbothered, they will not remember.

I now this sounds strange, but believe me, it is true!

You will learn all you are asking through experience. Now you already learned that you shouldn't make your spectator look foolish. How you will handle these things will all depend on your personality and the situation. Keep performing and you will figure it out. There is no one answer to this question, there is not a book you can read or a video you can purchase that will teach you what you are learning now. It seems like you are on the right track and doing a great job, keep it up.

Hey guys,

thanks for all the great advices; I have tried to keep them in mind, and so far so good.

(ps; please let me know if unintentionally I have made any exposure on my msg)

I am trying to find some performance videos to have some more ideas. Personally I didn't like blaine's performance: my personality doesn't suit that wooden expression and handling. I saw some Michael Close video, and that's how I would like to perform. He has a quite a comedic presentation, and I love the way he would weave in stories for the required misdirections.

The comic relief I think can help reducing the heat, but to much of comic may undercut the magic. How do you guys feel magic should be performed?

On a different note: I remember Sankey once mentioning making "the spectator the star": I am not really sure what that means... are we talking about the spectator discovering the card themself or something else? I have been using glide and count-down to get spectator to find the card, and recently picked up spectator sandwich from Daryl's revelation. Or are we talking about things like "do as I do" (my fav. since watching anthony hopkins)

I will be going to a wedding this sunday, and the girl I mentioned on my starting post would be there. What kind of thing can I do to make up for my foolishness (not fishing)? like almost everyone, I have rrtcm and hugard's Encyclopedia, so some trick name may be useful.

Once again, thanks everyone.

Rana

Riax: haven't seen penguin's tourched and restored effect yet; will check it out.

Hi Rana,

Magic is a personal thing. So every one will have their own ways and ideas about presenting magic. You need to discover what is best for you. I know this sounds obvious and ludicrous, but its true, you will only discover what this style is through experience.

You also mentioned''

On a different note: I remember Sankey once mentioning making "the spectator the star": I am not really sure what that means... ''

This is exactly what the replies to the original post meant.

Do not try and belittle the spectator. If you make them the star, they will go away feeling great, and saying how amazing you were, and everyone who witnessed what you did will know that YOU let the spectator become the star, resulting in people respecting you more for your talent and professionalism.
A lot of magicians are all about themselves, basically saying' look at me' 'Look at what I can do', spectators do not want to see this as you are there for their entertainment, not to show off!

If you can make the spectator the star, then you will still be given the credit as people know the spectator didn't have a clue what was happening but you were magnanimous enough to allow the spec to take the glory rather than yourself!

Sorry I'm rambling, but hopefully somebody will post after me and clear up what I'm trying to say?

If not PM me and I will help as much as I can

So every one will have their own ways and ideas about presenting magic. You need to discover what is best for you.

This is so true. You should want to be developing your own style of performance instead of being a clone of someone else. To do this you will undoubtedly make some errors of judgement.

I heard a quote recently which was "mistakes are small steps on the way to success"

I remember once I was performing bip book to a spectator and after the effect finished the spectator said very good but I know how it's done, I remember asking him to give his theroy and he gave the most ridiculous response which was completely untrue but I just said well done and carried on, what did this answer do: Personally I think it confused him as to whether he was actually right or not because I didn't give him a straight answer needless to say he didn't bother me again. About 5 minutes after this incident I performed exactly the same effect to a lady across the room who actually run out screaming and wouldn't come back in the room.

So don't worry there are people like this out there, let them get on with it but in all circumstances I wouldn't encourage embarrasing them. The best thing to do is ignore them but not completely, I just usually give them a one or two word answer which really doesen't answer there question but doesen't make me look rude and they will soon keep quiet.

Hope this helps.