talkmagic.co.uk

hi guys, not sure if this covered anywhere else...if it is i apologise.

I have been studying magic now for the last 9 months or so. ever since a guy at work showed me a trick and i was determined to learn the same trick.

I have worked through Royal Road, expert at the card table and various dvd's. I am at competent level and perform in bars regularly. All i do is card magic with no gimmicks or gaffs, coins, ring & rope or mentalism.

My question is this, i have been asked to do an audition at my local magic circle, i need to show them what level i am at.

Do i therefore play it safe and do a routine that is not overly complicated but shows that i can do, or try and plan and learn a routine that would be by far the best i have ever done, (but also more likely to mess up).

any thoughts......

I would maybe say stick with what you know but add some simple coin and sponge ball work, maybe a TT. Its probably best to speek to someone in the group. They know the group best.

Definately play it safe and if you can, add a little variety.

There's only so much that you will be able to do in the ten to twelve minutes time that you're usually given to work with.

Remember that you're not auditioning for the 'worlds greatest magician' but to show the judges and members that you have an understanding of the concepts of magic, be it basic, advanced or like most, somewhere in the middle.

I hope that this helps you and good luck.

By the way, why not ask some of the members that have already done their audition? Whilst I'm sure that they will tell you the same this is one of the great benefits of joining a magic society - being able to ask others when you're not sure yourself!

I am interested in this thread, as I too have been thinking about joining up at the local circle. I know an audition would be on the cards (no pun intended) and any advice given here will be helpful to anyone thinking of doing the same. Even for auditions for work maybe.

I have had a slight (honestly, no pun at all) interest in magic for years, but over the past 2 years I have built up a fair selection of effects including a growing number of non card illusions that are getting better responses all the time. My card magic goes from strength to strength and I am coming up with new ideas for reveals amongst other things.

The hardest part i imagine in showing magic for the first time to seasoned pro magii is overcoming, "but they'll have seen it before". I am lucky in that my uncle was a magician for many years, and likes to see any trick I've either come up with or learnt. Even if he has seen it, he gives good pointers on performance and patter too. Oh, and luckily it was in front of him that I learnt not to do cloth vanishes in front of light sources, even sun lit windows....he laughed his head off as he could see exactly what I was up to, but we both saw this as a good thing because I had got this lesson out of the way without the shame of it being at a public performance.

good luck with your audition king_of_keighley and have fun with it.
I know when mine comes around, I will as already suggested keep to what I know well but vary as much as possible(maybe I will get a chance to tryout newer material later in the evening, who knows) and if I get flustered, take a breath and carry on..... long enough to compose and just a little shorter than a pregnant pause should do it.
If all else fails, advice I heard for interviews once went along the lines of imagining them on the toilet to break your conscious divide between you and those you hope will ultimately allow you access.
Quite how this works with a room full of people I have yet to find out

Even seasoned pro's have to start somewhere

Your audition when it come will fly bye. Seriously, it's like being in a time machine and you'll find that 12 minutes feels like two or three and you'll wonder where the time has gone

If you approach the audition with enthusiasm and positive thinking then you'll be OK. Don't be afraid of making a mistake as this isn't the point of the audition at clubs

Having seen several successful and failed auditions at the Magic Circle HQ in London Id say that they care more about 'how' you perform rather than 'what' you perform.
If youre confident, entertaining and competant you'll do well. Dont try and do something really hard cos you think itll impress the judges. These guys are seasoned pros and have seen and know pretty much any effect you can think of doing.
Do something well and do it in an entertaining manner. Youre less likely to be nervous if youre performing one of your regular effects rather than trying to learn a middle deal the night before!

yeah, just do what you do smoothly

thanks for the advice guys, i think i pretty much have my routine set-out now. practice practice practice. I will let you know how i get on.

Good luck,

Auditions terrify me lol

If it were me, I'd play it safe for the majority, but at the end of the routine I'd a a little someting complicated that would really "wow" them. I'd practice the complicated one a lot and the easy ones a little.

The audition was on friday.

I started with doc eason's colour changing deck, from a new deck of cards, with a four ace control.

I then did a gregory wilson four ace production.

I then did an ambitous card routine.

then, coin in bottle,with a bottle of water,

i ended with my own force and reveal blindfolded.

They said i was in straight after the audition so i guess it went ok, thanks for the advice.

Congrats King!

Is that the Bradford Magic Circle?

Well done that man!
Congratulations!

Great! Hope you like it.

yeah thats right, the bradford magic circle.