SirRawlins wrote:I think that the point that MagicMan000 is trying to put accross is that he feels Adaptablility is important.
No, adaptability is a completely different subject. Magicman000 said:
laymen don't know we have specific routines do they ?
That is not the point. You are right that an audience shouldn't realise there is a set routine, and the best performers are those who's audience are too busy being entertained to realise that there is a routine.
However, this does not mean that those performers don't have a routine. It means the complete opposite i.e. their routine is so good that it is flawless.
Have you ever heard the terms "opener" and "closer"? By having an opener and a closer you have a routine. However, it is a routine at the most fundamental level. A good routine is one that will build from start to finish and have an audience utterly entertained and enthralled throughout.
What's your favourite film? Why is it your favourite film?
Personally, my favourite film is The Shawshank Redemption. Why? Because I am absolutely engrossed in the story all the way through. It has me hooked from start to finish.
That is how a good routine should be. It should grab you at the very begining and draw you in, deeper and deeper, until you get to the climax of the whole thing which should leave the audience completely satisfied and yet wanting more.
It's a very hard goal to achieve but my personal mission is to aim for perfection and that way I will always be getting better.
If you want to go further in your magic than just a deck of cards and a marker pen (and trust me there is so much more out there) then you will need to open your eyes and start giving the audience what they really want and not what you want to force feed them.
If you don't believe me, let's go back to the film analogy. Did you enjoy watching Home Alone? I know I did; the finale when he's setting up the house and then the robbers end up burning themselves and such is hilarious. But at looking back on it, would you rate it as one of your top five movies of all time? Personally, it wouldn't even reach my top ten. Think about it and if you can work out why you're on your way to understanding the importance of good routining.
For reference I strongly suggest you read "Strong Magic" by Darwin Ortiz.