talkmagic.co.uk

I know it's a strange question, but I really like to know what are your experiences about it.
Watching street magic performances (Blaine's, Oz's and so on) I noticed that the reactions of the public are quite impressive (they scream, laugh hysterically, tremble, run away, ask God's help, call the Exorcist).
After a period of training, I recently started showing some tricks (two card monte, biddle trick, ID and some simple stuff I created using DL, tenkai vanishes and backpalming) to friends and girlfriend... and reactions are nowhere near to the ones I see on the videos.
This is not a problem for me, since seeing a big smile on the face of my girlfriend or having my friends saying "How the f**k did you do that!" repays me for all the times I knee to the floor to take the cards dropped from my hands during my practice nights (eheh).
But I still wonder why the hell people in that videos react like they just saw Satan rising up from the ground sorrounded by flames. American people must give great satisfactions to street magicians!

Uriel

It depends. Most of the time, it depends on your charisma and workmanship. You patter plays a big role in the reactions of the audience. I've gotten a bunch of girls screaming before. People gasp when they see me do the ambitious card. Guys swear constantly when I impress them and stuff.

But sometimes, with the wrong crowd, you won't get as great a reaction.

StEvEbO!

Thanks for the reply.
I'm sure workmanship and routines are very important (I forgot to mention it on my post), and surely I have to improve them... after all, I'm just moving my first steps in perfoming in front of people, and maybe the routines I use now (mostly Oz's ones) don't suit perfectly with my personality, I'm trying to develop my own way.

Other opinions?

Uriel

I think there is a tendency for Americans to be just a little louder than most other nationalities (combined) so that might contribute. Also in a lot of these videos you are only seeing the best reaction a magician had to a particular effect.

Note that I am not saying it is impossible to get these reactions from non-americans, but I wouldn't excpet it every time, in fact I much prefer stunned silence or offers to buy me a drink.

I perform to hundreds of people a week and see quite a wide range of reactions. There is no question that british people are far more reserved than Americans and much less likely to react in such a visibly strong way. Some actually delight in not reacting. Possibly one of the strongest reactions I've had was in a restaurant when one of the guys got on his knees into a worship position and even later when I was doing another table and he was walking past, he did it again. Regularily I get told that I'm scaring them etc, but on the whole the reactions are just laughing or amazement on the faces and comments like "what the f***"

Don't forget that people also like to play up to a camera.

I do not agree about the loud stuff. I am pretty "silent" and do not raise my voice too much, but I get great reactions, and "wows" and really hysteric responses from time to time. I think it's more about your patter, carisma, sorroundings and environment.

I recently had one friend who didn't react. Period. I'd do the biddle trick and he'd go, "Oh, it's in the deck." Blimey, it was annoying!

Kati

The worst are the people who are amazed but purposefully make you annoyed!

e.g. After biddle trick like kati said... my brother would go "what? what happened? Am I suppose to be amazed?" lol

StEvEbO!

Well I didn't mean I got no reactions at all, eheh... "wows" and laughing and "How the f**k did you do that!, or even stunned silence (with a friend of mine, a physicist... five minutes speechless after the biddle trick) are quite common.

But I agree with Happy Toad and nickj: camera plays its role, and Americans tend to be loud people (don't want to offend no one, Italians are quite noisy too... even if they don't have an epileptic fit after a card trick).

Uriel

I think also, David Blaine has a really creepy personality. And what with them American types being so full on, they just let it go!

So yeah! they'll play up like they think he's the anti-christ or something, heh..

On the flipside, I've had a friend accuse me of being the anti-christ.

I (as rcarlsen mentioned he is) am very passive, and quiet when I perform. I think this lends itself a whole lot to getting a good response. I mean, the softer you speak, the more secretive and eerie it sounds... especially for close up. So that when something does happen, it not only makes the spec go "wow".. but they get the hairs on the back of their neck standing up, and they can be pretty freaked. I MUCH prefer this reaction!



~Sym~

[EDIT]
For the record, the best reactions I've had have been the "In the spectators hands" effects. Ultimate is when you point to the "top" of the deck in THEIR hands, during an ambitious routine... you get the "No... but noo... NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"... Haha..

I also like to conclude Twisting Aces with placing the last cards in their hands (after using EC showing all face down) and saying "The true magic happens in your hands, with just a little blow"... and letting them spread the cards...
[/EDIT]

I'd agree with much of what has been said. I also find that Oriental audiences can and do have reactions similar to our American cousins.

Alcohol is also an influencing factor.

Heres a tip-

Dont react to your own magic straight away. If a really strong piece of magic has just occured, and you say nothing, a tension is built which the spectator is forced to break. Either by laughing, cursing, screaming or crying, the spectator creates the magic moment. If you reveal that the folded, stapled honey-coated card is theres and yell WOOOW geez! look at that! its your card! SERIOUSLY! then they wont react as strongly.
Just something to consider.

I definately agree, ouch-kabibble.

Like the way DB just stares at his spec as the effect "settles" in their brain, it spooks them out more and more, prompting them to react.

~Sym~