Hey there,

I didn't know where to post this, But a friend and I are planning to put together a
1 hour long magic show, and we have an ending and the middle of the show but we have no beginning. Do any of you have any ideas of how 2 people could begin the show so people stay interested?

Thank you,
Jeff

Hi Jeff
its a bit of a big question.
do you mean magic routines or performance or both.
Presumably if its a one hour show its in a theatre and peole have bought tickets? so my feeling is you can take your time. As I understand it percevied wisdom in the magic fraturnity is to open with a quick effect and establish your credentials as it where - at least that's what a lot of the litrature seems to say. Personally I think this is true for a shorter cabaret act. In an Hour long show I think you need some sort of premise or thread to hold the whole thing together. With two performers there is obviously the uestion of your relationship to each other/status and reletive characters. In the opening you could begin to introduce some of these themes through a simple introduction. Come on and introduce yourselves but within this begin to develop any themes you might have in your show, and your relationship - and allow your opening effect to emerge from this.

I don't know if this makes sense - but that's my take onit. Obviously every show and every performer is diffrent so dependong on your specific show things will be diffrent - so I've tried to keep it genral.

My best advice is to get a theatrical director.

hope that helps???

bob

http://www.bobpercy.com

You could start off by making yourself or your partner appear on stage with a shadow box.

Look into using pass by panels. you could put a picture of each of you on one.

You need to write a beginning. It may have an effect or it may not, but it needs to start your show. It show set the tone for the rest of your performance. You need to create a beginning that only you can create. Not knowing anything about the rest of your performance, how can the magic populous possibly write something that makes the statement you need to make?

In my shows I write an opening that introduces the characters, their relationships and the premise or problem of the show. Although, even as I write that realize it is harder than I make it sound. Drew? Bill? Gwyd? Any help here?

Did you ever figure this out?

The best thing is to keep it simple. The best rule is that there are no rules!

When my friend David Parr and I started work on The Magic Cabaret we decided that we wanted a double opening. The goal was to keep the introduction simple and magical. The idea was to introduce the audience to each of us separetley, yet somehow combined the two opening effects in a way that let everybody know we were working together.

This all sounds rather vague, I know...but hopefully it will plant some seeds in your brain. PM me if you want more details.

Good Luck!

I think both of you on stage while performing either an Illusion or comic by play etc
but it must as mentioned set the tone for the show......... which you have as mentioned for the later stages etc.......

My problem with this question is that there are too many answers. Your show could start so many different ways. You could use a very simple, brief introduction of the two of you, or you could use something truly complicated that develops the nature of any of a variety of different possible relationships between the two of you (eg. close, adversarial, symbiotic, competitive, etc) Your opener should be the first part of your over all statement. Not knowing what that statement is, it's very hard to advise how to start it.

Drew,

Exactly. When I enter the stage, it is actually from the back of the theater, and involves no illusions or magic at all.

Your opening does not have to be an "appearance" or any other kind of illusion if it doesn't fit you or your story.

If you are interested in a hands on director, I offer those services, as do other here and in the magic community.

Drew,

Exactly. When I enter the stage, it is actually from the back of the theater, and involves no illusions or magic at all.

Your opening does not have to be an "appearance" or any other kind of illusion if it doesn't fit you or your story.

If you are interested in a hands on director, I offer those services, as do other here and in the magic community.

I'm chiming in a little late here, but Matthew and I were rehearsing some changes today in our Act II entrance for our two-person show, so I thought I'd offer some thoughts.

The wonderful thing about working with a partner is the relationship you have with that person. The true, honest, actual off-stage relationship you have provides more than enough information about status, tempo, background, emotional life, etc to give you a basis for your on-stage relationship. Very often, the honest choice is the most effective choice.

For my solo work, I tend to create very outlandish archetypal characters, because, as Drew said so eloquently, there were too many options. I got bogged down, so I made a bold choice, and let the other choices fall in line. But working with a partner, my own character begins to take shape in relation to my partner's character. And our characters are, essentially, our off-stage lives amped up just a touch.

The other tremendous advantage to making the truthful choice is it makes improvisation much easier during those unexpected moments. My own immediate honest reactions to, well, ANYTHING are never going to be out of character, nor will Matthew's. Our characters and relationships are preserved, which is great for a show where we very often deviate from our road map.

So, go back to that relationship, your friendship or working relationship with your partner, and examine that. That will give you lots of clues to help you define your opening moments on stage.

Best wishes, and good luck,

Brian

Bowarama!!