talkmagic.co.uk

My show is being performed in 4 weeks time.

Is it bad that I am really nervous now?

It was always a pipe dream...something to spend my time doing...the planning and execution, e.t.c

I've enjoyed the planning of it, and sorting it all, different methodologies on stage in comparison to close up...

It's been fun!

But now all of a sudden...I actually have to perform it. I'll be on stage alone for approx 2 hours...only now am I realising how long a time that is! And I have people travelling from a variety of places in both England and Wales to see it...some of whom I have never even met before...

Hell, one guy is flying back from Hungary that one weekend just to see it!

Is it normal to be cacking it this much? What happens if on the night it goes tremendously wrong?

I've performed similar acts cabaret style before...but this is so different!

Ahhhhhh!

As long as it doesn't all go horribly wrong on the night you'll be fine.

Indeed. It's all stuff I've done tonnes of times before. Hell, it's like second nature.

I'm just starting to freak out now, as a stage gig is much more than a normal cabaret!

It's weird though...same act, different venue = freak out

It's completely normal.

All you can do is rehearse, prepare, and make sure that you're absolutely ready. Run through the entire show, make sure everything is in it's correct place - don't make do, if an audience member needs to perform an action, then actually perform the action (sign card/choose page in book, etc.) This will catch anything small that you might have forgotten about.

Since it's so far away, I'd suggest reserving a couple of days here and there to not think about it. It will do your mind a world of good to have a holiday.

Run over your lines, visualise the performance, and keep telling yourself that this is going to be fantastic - you know that your material is good, and you know full well that you can do this.

Look forward to the buzz after the show - it's going to be fantastic

Good luck

I'll be on stage alone

Thats true.. asuming the audience doesn't turn up that is.



2 hours is a bit long though. Id say 90 mins is enough. plus an interval.

If i was to put a one man show togther, Thats how long it would be.
And it's easier to plan , because you do it in roughly 20 minute segments.

We can all do aprox 20 mins, without too much stress.

and we all usualy have more than one act.

so, you lump the acts together, and presto.. you have a show.

Even better if you can lay your hands on a musician of some kind, and maybe a singer or two, which I can do without too much trouble.

daleshrimpton wrote:

I'll be on stage alone

Thats true.. asuming the audience doesn't turn up that is.



2 hours is a bit long though. Id say 90 mins is enough. plus an interval.

If i was to put a one man show togther, Thats how long it would be.
And it's easier to plan , because you do it in roughly 20 minute segments.

We can all do aprox 20 mins, without too much stress.

and we all usualy have more than one act.

so, you lump the acts together, and presto.. you have a show.

Even better if you can lay your hands on a musician of some kind, and maybe a singer or two, which I can do without too much trouble.

Nah, this is a proper full length show. first half interval second half. If people are travelling and paying hotel bills, the least I can do is make it worth their while

Ah well. Worse comes to the worse I mess up, pick myself up, and try again the next year

I always find that in the past when I have performed other things on stage (not magic) (oh and no bingo) time goes much more quickly once you get in to the flow of things. It's the bit just before you step out in front of the audience that's the problem, leave that in the wings and you'll breeze it.

I've always performed on stage acting, but you know what I am really looking forward to? The fact that I can look at the audience and smile, and chat...

is that sad?

That bit I'm looking forward to

Oh, and the end...the end should be fun...

Beardy wrote:is that sad?

Absolutely not.
Being able to interact with a receptive audience is a wonderful feeling.

Have a great time!

If anything I'd suggest trying to turn the crushing nerves into excitement and anticipation... that might make it all easier to manage.

All the best.

about 90% of the big full time pro magic/mentalism shows Ive seen, have had a performance running time of less than 2 hours.

see, what you have to build into it, is room for error, audience speed, and room to strike, and get out of the building.

your audience will like as not, want to hang around afterwards to chat.. which delays your strike time by quite a bit. and if your not carefull, it takes you past the magic hour, and the venue will slap an aditional fee.
Its happened loads of time in shows Ive been involved in.

Huge shows admitedly.. but Ive even seen small vilage hall shows run out of time.

My rule is, if you can do 2 hours of material, plan to do 90 mins, because then you dont have to rush. Like as not, it ends up running 2 hours because your enjoying not having to rush.

daleshrimpton wrote:about 90% of the big full time pro magic/mentalism shows Ive seen, have had a performance running time of less than 2 hours.

see, what you have to build into it, is room for error, audience speed, and room to strike, and get out of the building.

your audience will like as not, want to hang around afterwards to chat.. which delays your strike time by quite a bit. and if your not carefull, it takes you past the magic hour, and the venue will slap an aditional fee.
Its happened loads of time in shows Ive been involved in.

Huge shows admitedly.. but Ive even seen small vilage hall shows run out of time.

My rule is, if you can do 2 hours of material, plan to do 90 mins, because then you dont have to rush. Like as not, it ends up running 2 hours because your enjoying not having to rush.

Sound advice, but I've got that area sorted. My techie crew have the keys to the venue, so we have until 9am the next day to get out, and we should be out my midnight that night anyways...that's their job

The timings are, of course, aproximate, and I have rounded up. Anything that I can see taking about 12 minutes I've boosted up tp 15 for example.

Hour and 15 first half, 45 second half is the way I can see it workng out.

Should be a good laugh!

where and when is the performance? If I'm in the area I'll come and offer moral support and crowd control! lol.
I understand the fear tho. I always get it. all the previous advise is golden here is some of mine too:
like all magic should be, practice, practice and then practice some more. I especially like to have the first 2-3 minutes polished off in my head so much that no matter how nervous I get I can step on the stage working only off the instinct and by the time the highly memorised first section comes to an end I'm starting to settle in.
Use your nervous energy before hand! jump up and down (be careful not to loose the contents of your pockets!!) take huge great breaths shake out your arms and legs and have a mantra to focus your thoughts mine always ends up being the first line of dialogue when i walk on for some reason. this will turn nervous energy into addrenalin and get you revved up.
Where possible have a full no breaks tech rehersal. at this stage you should have friends acting as audience in the seats to time how long it takes to get to the stage, sign a card etc. DO NOT OVERLOOK THIS! and don't compromise on the rehersal. No saying... "at this point I'll tear up the selection and burn it...." ACTUALY TEAR AND BURN. you will be amazed at how this can iron out any wrinkles and build confidence. Also important to do the whole act as it will be from beginning to end partly for timings but also it will show up any tech issues with moving props/tables/people etc.

I have no doubt that you will do an amazing job and your audience will be thrilled with the performance.

DON'T PANIC!

Indeed, I have a get in scheduelled the day previous of the performance, 9am-6pm (or later if neccessary) of pure technical run-throughs

The day of the performance I am going o have my hair done and get a manicure...just to relax me a bit...and maybe sell the last few tickets to the manicure people

From past experience... NEVER get a haircut so close to an important appointment or performance that a bad one doesn't have time to grow out a little bit and be tidied up.

If I can avoid it in any way I never get a cut done closer than a week before something I wouldn't want a bad haircut for. That way I have a chance for the hair to look a bit more normal and have room for rescue.

I've got a new barbershop to go to now, and they are incredibly good ("Best haircut I've ever had!" kinda good) take their time, do what you ask and to the best of my knowledge, don't screw up. Even knowing I was going to get a good cut I'd still give it at least a few days.

If you think pre-show nerves are bad, just think how they feel with a shocking haircut you can't hide or have fixed!

Beardy wrote:My show is being performed in 4 weeks time.

Is it bad that I am really nervous now?

The old stomach turns over when you think about it, does it? It's OK. Only be worried when it doesn't.

Breathe, relax and focus more on making sure you know every aspect of the show inside out. As the SAS say: perfect planning prevents p*ss poor performance. Know what to do and when to do it and you can be as nervous as you like. Your training will kick in, as they say, when you hear your cue.

And enjoy the adrenaline rush afterwards