talkmagic.co.uk

So further to the last post I've been trying to perform short routines for my co-workers and friends. They're one or two minutes long at best but we have to start somewhere.

But when I did a little card routine for one guy, afterwards I asked him if he had any constructive feedback and he said that I handled the cards well, but that he wasn't really into magic, as other than the odd bit of Derren Brown he's enjoyed, he feels like magicians are just showing off.

Having not performed for a wide range of people, I can't tell if he specifically meant *I* seemed to be showing off or if he just feels that way about magicians in general.

Have you ever performed for people like this? How did you win them over?

-Stacy

Stacy,
You will meet this more and more, as you perform more.

Many (male?) magicians ARE showing off, (shiny suits, "card" ties, rudeness). Many are drawing attention to themselves, and trying to show off and build their own egos. That's OK if you are performing for "the magic club audience", but get out into the wider-World audience, and this changes.

Look at the words we use "effects", a "deck" of cards (when "pack" would do....), "riffling", (what the heck is "RIFFLING"?). We build a language to try and bolster our own self-importance - any group of like-minded people do. You say you "did a routine" - I know it's only semantics but perhaps just try to "...perform some magic"? Most performers are showing off, that why we perform.
Magic is different from may other performance types because we, as a community, allow terrible magicians, with no real formal qualifications to perform to the public. There are some truly awful magicians out there, who are showing off, but have so few social skills that they do not realise the errors of their behaviour. Your colleague does not have a stereotype without reason!

His/her stereotype is brought about by what he/she sees in their concept of "magicians", and most of what they see will reinforce what they already believe. Language and semantics plays an important part in creating and maintaining these, (see Wonderwords...). Perhaps as a child they were told "Stop showing off!" a lot, and that's the base of their belief system? Who knows.

You will not change them, or "win them over" in one performance, but do not try to force the issue. The only thing that will change their opinion is if they are influenced by e.g. others (preferably people who they admire / aspire to be...) saying things like "That magician/magic was excellent" - but it may never happen, so accept it.

If you are "trying to win them over", you may be doing magic to benefit yourself, (you WANT them to like you??), thereby reinforcing their stereotype and their belief...? Trying to discover your motivations for wanting to "win people over" may help you to arrive at the answer you are looking for.

Your job is to perform magic in an entertaining and compelling way, for your audience. That is not the same as saying that everyone has to be your audience and has to find your magic entertaining and compelling. They won't. Perform increasingly well, and with increasing levels of confidence and professionalism for the ones that do.

Hope that helps.
Bruce

My advice would be to be humble, and suggest that the magic is in the hands of the spectator, not you.

My advice would be to be humble, and suggest that the magic is in the hands of the spectator, not you.

Agreed.
Bruce Graham
http://www.magicinyourhands.co.uk

Agreed here too. I can't be bothered most of the time when someone hands me a deck unless I'm really in the mood. I tell them I'll show them how to do a trick instead and have them go through a self-worker like the lovely Frinell's Aces from MacTier's Card Concepts. The only person ever to have worked backwards and got it was my sister after my bro-in-law's 40th last year, and it took her several days. Most people are as baffled as losing a number when hypnotized.

Then there's always the tarot. How much more in their hands does it get than in their mind?!

I was watching Mark Lewis Vid the other day and he mentioned the old phrase "you do want to see a card trick , well your going to see one anyway"

Its s delicate area i know but people who pay to see Magic shows are there for a reason and the remaining probably need to be assumed different and many probably wont give a tinkers cuss or care about what we do.

Eugene Burger never offers to do tricks and only will perform after being asked at least twice in the course of his normal life. Even when he worked the eatery this was a issue that had to be treated with care about who and who not to approach. One supposes the real workers here have the same issues

I think it's on a Dan Harlan DVD but he announces that he'll show the specs a neat trick, then produces a deck of cards. Their faces indicate that they're not particularly impressed with the idea of a card trick and Dan says something like, "No not a card trick, I'll use the rubber bands on the card box!" and does Crazy Man's Handcuffs. Lots of changing emotions in that which keeps the spec's interest and sets them up eager to watch something which they didn't expect.

Against all (initial) advice to the contrary, I wear a badge that says "Bruce Graham - Magician". When I approach a table, and start to move closer, it all goes quiet, because they almost invariably SEE "Bruce Graham - MANAGER".
It allows me to get their attention, and gives me perhaps a 3-5 second advantage to "win them over" - which in our game is worth having
Bruce

BrucUK wrote:Against all (initial) advice to the contrary, I wear a badge that says "Bruce Graham - Magician". When I approach a table, and start to move closer, it all goes quiet, because they almost invariably SEE "Bruce Graham - MANAGER".
It allows me to get their attention, and gives me perhaps a 3-5 second advantage to "win them over" - which in our game is worth having
Bruce

I am of the opinion that you should have such a badge, one of the main reasons it lets people know you actually work for the restaurant and not some freak wandering about pestering everyone.

Some folks just don't like magic. Most don't like to be fooled because usually when somebody is fooled it makes them feel that they have been made a fool of. Experienced performers eventually manage to get around this by allowing the audience to become part of the magic, to switch gears from performing tricks to creating magic...and so it goes.

But there are other reasons.

Here is my main reason for never, ever volunteering to be an assistant at a magic show. I know it sounds silly but:

A) I have a fear of numbers, my worst fear is some magician asking me to 'think of a number' I honestly go into a sweat because I don't want to blow it for the magician, and I don't want to look stupid, but I know there is a very good possibility that the magician is going to ask me to divide the number by three, multiply by two etc...by that time I'm uncomfortable and the trick is ruined.

B) this is going to sound odd, but I don't like to be the center of attention, nor do I like being laughed at, (with yes, at? NO!) And too many times I've seen magicians make fools out of their spectators. Ending up with a plunger on ones head is not funny. Having an egg broken into a spectators hand...not funny. Being laughed at because the magician can make the rings link but the spectator can't...not funny. And the list goes on.

We do have a bad rap. Unfortunatly it is usually justified.

When I plan a performance I sit and imagine it from the audience perspective first, to make sure that the participation isnt just humiliation, that there are no boring bits and that nobody gets left out. As a beginner I am still learning how to get the most entertainment value but this is the best way I have found so far. I would also appreciate some tips on getting people on side and keeping them engaged if anyone has any.