Hi all, I'm new to the café, so please be gentle! I've been interested in magic since the age of seven, but until recently it's just been an enthusiastic hobby. Having been made redundant fairly recently, I'm hoping to make a little money out of something that I love. Most of my magic is close-up, and I've recently discovered spooky/bizarre magic which I hope will make my performances stand out a little. If anyone has any advice for a professional magician who's just finding his feet I would love to hear from you.
Warm regards (because cold ones are bad for you)
Mr Strange

Welcome Stranger!

If you're serious, and, get involved, you won't be a stranger long.

So! Tell us a little more about yourself. ("Seven" is only a few years ago, if you're an adolescent!) Since you are now qualified to be redundant, I guess we can assume that "seven" was more than a "few" years ago.

PROFESSIONAL is as much a matter of ATTITUDE, as a matter of FINANCE. Before you were qualified as redundant, what did you do to earn a living?

$how Bu$ine$$ is "two words", and twelve letters. 2/3 OF THOSE LETTERS, SPELL BU$INE$$!!!

Are you living in a metropolitan area, or extremely rural area? (ETC.) If you hope to be a professional, it would make a difference in the sort of advice.

"Close up" --sitting at a table with a pad in front of you, and 6 people sitting around the table, or standing up before a group in a parlor, or ???

How much ACTUAL EXPERIENCE have you had, performing? Are your PROPS, magic shop "toys", or "ordinary objects" like coins, cards, handkerchiefs, finger rings and string, or ???

What books have you read? (magic "oriented") Or, are you a "you tube" magician?

I'm 84, (almost 85). I was a part time pro. for 20 years, then a full timer for about 50 years. I'm re-tired, but, not yet re-dundant!

Welcome Mr. Strange,

Best of luck (and hard work) in your quest.

The search box just under the Café banner will help. Many of your questions have been asked and answered so get ready for a lot of reading and remember to come up for air.

By the way Dick is one of the most helpful and experienced voices here. It is not always fun, goes down easy, advice but he gives good advice.

-Mary Mowder

Many thanks for your replies. Dick, I'm now 55, so qualify for early retirement. I'd rather not put my feet up just yet though! I worked for the last 26 years as a computer programmer, and have lived in London for all that time.

I started off in magic, as most youngsters do, with a magic set, which contained a set of cups and balls, a deck of cards, a few ropes and some other plastic props I can't remember. I was hooked. Before long, I was looking for books on magic at my local library, and trying to get to grips with the contents. I fell in love with card magic: not the sleight of hand type, but effects which were easy to do and could be embellished by a good story.

A lot of the effects I know involve cards (I generally learn from DVDs these days), but I have a number of special items to add variety to my performances. I have a number of items from Promystic and Taylor Imagineering, and the effect they have on audiences is incredible. I'm also new to spooky magic, so have discovered the joys of Gemini Artifacts, Alchemy Moon, Outlaw effects and Lebanon circle.

Most of what I do is close-up (sitting/standing at a table): I prefer this style of performing, because I think that a spectator is more likely to be impressed if the magic is happening under his nose.

I haven't had a great deal of actual experience yet: I did a couple of shows for the Hilton hotel a few years ago (table magic), for a group of senior citizens at a Christmas party, and for friends and family, who tend to be the most critical I think! All feedback has been positive so far, so I hope that I'm doing something right! I should add that my performances to date have been free of charge, and I have no idea what a reasonable fee would be for a paid performance. Do you have any thoughts on this?

Mary, thank you for your input. I've been following various threads on the café for many years now, and I will certainly make use of your search engine. I look forward to my future experiences on the café.
Warm regards (because cold ones are bad for you)
Mr Strange

Hi Mr. Strange,

Welcome to the Café. As you live in the London area, I would suggest that you join The Magic Circle Apprentice Scheme. The scheme allows you two years to improve your skills with mentors from TMC before taking the necessary entrance examination.

If you go to their website and click on 'Join Us', you will get all the details for joining the Apprentice Scheme.

http://themagiccircle.co.uk/join-us

Please feel free to PM me, should you require further information.

All the best

Michal J MIMC

Hi Michael - thank you for your suggestion! Anything to help me improve my performance would be most welcome. My friends have commented that although my magic is very impressive, my presentation skills need honing, and I seem to lack self confidence. If the apprentice scheme can help here I will be glad to sign up.

I'm away for a about a week now to look after my friend's epileptic cat! Thanks to all for your helpful suggestions. Until later.

Warm regards (because cold ones are bad for you)

Mr Strange

Welcome again! --And, I must say, you speak excellent English for a foreigner!!! We, here in the colonies appreciate that! (hee hee)

Michael J has already given you some good information. I was an Associate Member of the Inner Magic Circle (with Gold Star!) for some years. I finally resigned, because I was so busy doing shows that I could never possibly make a meeting.

I've only been in London, once, about 50 years ago, and, was unable to even visit the IMC meeting place.

My knowledge of British money was never great, and, with the Euros, I'm less knowledgeable! So, I suggest that you ask Michael J. about potential fees.

Re: PRESENTATION! Presentation is the "key" to making magic entertaining! (Magic is NOT INHERENTLY ENTERTAINING!)

The performer needs to develop a presentation that will make the trick entertaining. My mentors, in the '40s, said it like this: "It aint WHAT ya do, it's HOW ya do it!

So, it's not the trick, it's how you present the trick! A trick, like music, only exists while it is being performed.

A distinguished late countryman of yours, put it this way: "Those who think that magic consists of doing tricks, are strangers to magic. Tricks are only the crude residue from which the lifeblood of magic has been drained." --S.H.Sharpe

The late John Mulholland, was editor of the now defunct "SPHINX" magazine. In 1942, in his "op-ed" page, he said: "It has been said before, and well said, that it is not the secret of trick which counts with an audience, but the way that the magician performs the trick. Many magicians are too inclined merely to learn secrets; or merely to disclose secrets to other magicians... More time should be spent on how to get the most out of a trick in presentation."

There have been a number of well qualified magicians who have written books on the topic. Dariel Fitzkee, in the '40s, wrote "Showmanship For Magicians", Messrs Maskelynne & Devant wrote "Our Magic" in the '40s, also. You'll be sure to hear about them when you join the Magic Circle. Fairly recently, Kenneth Weber, wrote and published, "Maximum Entertainment" I'm fairly sure that the Circle has a library! Books on a shelf, are, merely POTENTIAL KNOWLEDGE!

Of course knowledge should never be confused with wisdom!

Self confidence "tends to come" with experience!

Heavens, Dick, thank you for the lengthy (and very welcome) advice! May I say before continuing that your American is flawless.

I've had a PM from Michael J (thanks Michael!) about joining the circle. One problem I have here is that I don't know anyone within that esteemed establishment who could act as a sponsor. Were you sponsored when you joined?

I do appreciate that with magic, performance is everything. Without it, magic is just a puzzle to be solved. Many years ago, when I was performing magic regularly for my friends at work (usually on Fridays at the pub!), people commented that I became a different person when I performed. I was more confident, the magic was entertaining as well as baffling, and I was told that people appreciated the stories I wove around my effects.

Somewhere along the line I guess I lost my mojo. Since being made redundant a year ago, I haven't had many occasions to perform magic. Hopefully that will change soon!

All the best to you and thanks once again for your attention.

Warm regards,

Mr Strange