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I have my show scripted and practiced but I can make changes if necessary.

How do I know if what I'm saying (as there are gags throughout the show) is genuinely funny, or if it sounds forced and scripted?

What I'm doing fits who I am and my personality which, from what I've heard from this board is a good thing, but how do I know if it's forced?

What would you define forced humor as?

This is confusing and a little close to my show date but I can manage as the gags can be altered easily out of the show.


Thanks if you're able to help me,

Ian

Well, the only way that you can find out if your script works, is to try it.
Then learn from your mistakes

The question can't be answered unless a script is shown. Only you yourself can judge whether it fits your persona, is funny etc.

Otherwise, just perform it to a small group of people (preferably not friends and family, unless you really have to) and ask for feedback that way. Aslong as you don't over-do the humour, I'm sure it'll be ok anyway.

Using gags also depends on what persona you want to give out, do you want to be the charming magician, the serious psychic, a mixture etc.

I'm not a professional magician/mentalist with a stage persona so I can't really offer much more than what I've observed from other magis/mentalists

I agree with Dale - you have to try it out.

Seeing and reading a script as suggested won't help either. You just have to get out there and trial it and then fine tune.

If you think something is funny, do it. If you don't, don't. The problem is, the only sure-fire way to find out if something is actually funny is to see if it gets a laugh.

Bottom line...if you feel comfortable saying/doing it - and I a mean truly comfortable - then it won't seem scripted as you can say it with ease and confidence.

Thanks, It will be in front of family. My family is pretty picky so they may be good to test it out. I'll try to get it on video so you can tell me what you think. I don't think magicians will like it though because some of the gags may be over used but some of them are my own so... but, I'm not performing for magicians so that's not a problem.

Thanks for the quick replies. Look for a video on the 2nd or 3rd (maybe).

Thanks Again,
Ian

An audience is your best judge with any act that you put together. I spend months putting together an act that I thought was funny and very clever. The fist time I got up and performed it, the jokes all fell flat and all the cleverness didn't impress anyone. In fact it was the more silly pieces of byplay that I'd thrown in which got the best reactions.

Perform it, think about what works and what doesn't. For the bits that don't work look at them and think about what you can change to make them work or even if it's best to drop them altogether and look at the bits that did work and think about why they worked well and apply more of that to your act.

Good luck with your performance Ian

Thanks, It's in 1:30 hours and I have just made 2 trick cuts...

It went well, It got good reactions and laughs (thank goodness). There will not be a video, because of the quality of the video, I spent so much time on the lighting and it was to bright for my camera.

The line-up was:

A mind reading wallet gag

Vanishing Coke Bottle (Nielsen)

A tennis ball effect which I don't feel like typing up.

Oh wee gee card trick where the spectator feels the deck cut in their hands to their card. I reviewed it a bit ago...

The old No gag where the spectator thinks of a word...etc.


A comedy cutlery bending effect

Sensory Projection

A comedy card trick with no ending...

I had a slight crowd control problem but other than that I enjoyed it and it seemed like the audience did.

Thanks for all the help even if you don't realize it you helped...

Personally, I find that all the gags and bits of banter that I formally script get discarded. The good stuff that becomes essential material for me develops organically.

There are two approaches I now take when scripting routines:

1. Record yourself ad-libbing your routine without azn audience. Don't be self conscious, and don't be afraid to ramble. Nobody will hear this but you. Try also not to talk about what you're doing. The audience should be able to see that for themselves.

Take notes when you listen back to the tape. Don't worry about transcribing anything verbatim at this stage. Just try to find comments or gags that sound good to you. Also try to identify moments that need more time to cover moves or other devious stuff. Highlight these as priority moments for your script. You'll probably find good stuff ewlsewhere in the recording that doesn't help the overall effect that you can move to the appropriate places.

2. Record your actual performances. Listen for gags and lines that you personally like. Listen for hesitation or moments when you seem not to be fluid and confident. Most importantly, listen for laughter and other reactions from your audience.

Keep what works, ditch what doesn't.

As I said, every script I've just sat down and written has turned out to be lovely on paper and a dead wet fish in the flesh. The above methods are the only way that I can get scripts that sound in any way natural, fun and interesting.

Just an opinion...

Pete

Ian the Mental-Ian wrote:A tennis ball effect which I don't feel like typing up.

Glad it went well for you Ian,shame about the lighting though - never mind lesson learnt eh!

So come on spill the beans old chap on this Tennis Ball effect !

Did you ever get around to buying the " Get Nyman " DVD ?

Well done Ian!

Well, I know that you have performed your show, and I'm glad that you succeded, but in the very first post you ask what forced humor is, and how you know that it is forced and if it any good.

Well I personally think that it is okay, if you have some few planned funny remarks, this I do myself. Not say'n that all people always laugh when say'n those planned remarks, but in general you will succed, and the only way to come up with something funny which is matching the effect that you are doing, is to try them out and see how people react. I know that many people will dissagree with me, and say that the humor want be any good if it is planned, and that is has to be natural. Of course do not make every effect funny, but it can be quite good to have some funny stuff once in a while - but still it depends how you are as a person and how you want your audience to see you.

My advice is, take your time in finding some funny remarks which matches a few of your effects, and then try it out on the street, to see how it works and then you can make some changes if necessary. (some times you get some performing tips when purchasing effects with a video torturial)

Take it or leave it but I have had great succes with planned humor