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Magic Tips: Presentation
"Magic is entertainment, not simply
a puzzle"
How Important is
presentation?
It's hard to believe but presentation is
actually far more important than technical skill!! I have known many magicians
over the years, ranging from novices to technical wizards, but the successful
magicians have always been those who either create a mysterious aura or those
who make their audience laugh! You have to decide the style that most suits
your personality and develop an act around this theme.
How Many Tricks?
A good number of tricks
for a performing close up magician is seven. You should be able to perform
these tricks perfectly and develop a line of patter which will keep your
audience involved. This "magic" number may seem odd, but let us assume that one
day you are offered a position performing magic in your local restaurant. The
first table you go to, you will perform three tricks. This is a good number
which will leave your audience wanting more, provided the tricks have been
presented well, but is enough to be considered an act. You then go on to the
next table who may well have been looking over their shoulders to see what all
the fuss was about, so they may have already seen the tricks and have an idea
what is going to happen! You then show them three different tricks, to their
surprise!! The seventh trick is required to perform an encore to a receptive
table!
Which Tricks?
You
should always attempt to start your act with a magical effect which is both
visual and easy for you to perform. A good example of this is
Eddie Gibson's Poker Chips.
This is a quick and visual effect, requires no audience participation (other
than to look) and is totally sleight free. This enables you to concentrate on
introducing yourself and entertaining your spectators without the worry of
sleight of hand. Also, if this is your first table, you may be a little nervous
which is a bad time to be attempting a sleight of hand trick!!
Now that
your audience is interested (and believe me they will be!), you can perform a
more involved trick. It should still be easy to follow, as should all your
tricks. There is nothing more embarrassing than your spectators falling asleep
during your performance (not speaking from personal experience, of course!).
The Invisible Deck is a
perfect mid-session trick as it enables you, the performer, great scope to
entertain. You are asking your spectator to select an "Invisible" card from an
"Invisible" deck. You can tell them you're wearing an "Invisible" blindfold, so
you can't see the selected card!! The fun goes on, for as long as you wish!
Eventually, you show them a "Real" pack of cards, in which the "Invisible" card
their were merely thinking of a few moments ago is now reversed in the deck.
This deck can be in full view the whole time!!
Now it's time for your
final trick. This should be another visual magic item, not a card trick. In
general, although people enjoy good card tricks, they generally prefer visual
magic. The Cigarette thru
Coin or vanishing
handkerchief for non-smoking areas are perfect closing tricks. These are
longer than your opening trick, as you now have an interested group, but not as
long as your middle trick, as two long tricks in a row is too much for your
average spectator to enjoy! A good period of time for your close up act is
around five minutes in order to be considered an "Act" but not too long to
become tiresome!
Final
Note
Remember that magic is not created by the tricks you
buy, but by the aura you create. Place the same importance on your
presentation, as you do your technique and you'll become a magician.
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