|
|
Pecan_Creek Veteran user The Nation of TEXAS! 323 Posts |
I've been reading some threads about newbies like me trying to decide what kind of magic suits them and I keep coming across Close-up and Parlor as well as Stage and "Street" the latter are self explanitory(well maybe not street) but what is the difference betweeen Close up and Parlor?
|
jcards01 Inner circle Waterloo, IL 1438 Posts |
Close-up can be attributed to people close around you while parlor might be stand-up to a small crowd where people are not necessarily that close yet not at a great distance like stage magic might be.
Jimmy 'Cards' Molinari
www.jimmycards.com |
Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
In the "olden" days, people would entertain guests in a room called the "parlour". The guests would usually be seated at a short distance away from the performer.
Think of everyone sitting around your living room watching TV. That's a "parlor" setting. Close-up is when the people are within arm's reach (usually). Ed |
Dave McFarland Regular user Portland, OR 184 Posts |
Quote:
Close-up is when the people are within arm's reach (usually). And they may be at your sides and behind you, meaning they can see from all angles. |
bizjak New user 48239 57 Posts |
Close-up is the most intimate form of magic. Parlor on the other hand is intimate but the audience is further away. Some close-up tricks may be done in Parlor settings as the distances are not as great but not all parlor tricks can be done close-up. Birthday parties and the like can be called parlor.
|
Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts |
It's a good question and arm reach is too simple for an answer, otherwise the close up convention would all be parlour.
Strolling magic versus tricks on a table may be a better reference but it's too restrictive as well. In fact Parlour is the term used durig the second half of the 19th century up to the first world war for what we call today corporate magic. It's more defined by the income of the audience than by prowimity or tools. It could probably be defined as a style
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
|
Hansel Inner circle Puerto Rico 2492 Posts |
Parlour is a Big close up show and a small stage show. So play on both situations, Close up only is close up, you can't do in a stage...you can do a bill in lemon in a close up situation and in a parlour situation...BUT you can't do...lets see.......Galaxy card trick (out of this world) in a stage.
Just my point, Thanks, Hansel!
Follow Me...
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Hansels-Comedy-and-Magic-Show-929625643774678/ Youtube: HanselSP Twitter: @HanselSP Instagram: HanselSP |
abc Inner circle South African in Taiwan 1081 Posts |
There is no clear line in my opinion. I think Lawrence O gave the historically correct answer but I am not sure if it wold be applicable today.
More relevant to your question is that I don't think now is the right time for you to decide what you like best. I have been doing magic for many years and although I love stage magic (and manipulation) and prefer it over anything I am just better at close up magic. If I decided 10 years ago that I liked stage magic and only wanted to focus on it I would never have discovered what I am good at. |
marty.sasaki Inner circle 1117 Posts |
If you get a chance view Ricky Jay and his 52 assistants. In this video (originally on HBO) Ricky Jay does a lot of card tricks, the cups and balls and a few other things including some card throwing stunts. The setting is definitely parlour or maybe stage, but many (most?) of the effects can be considered close up.
The distinction is often arbitrary and is only a general indication of what is going on. Don't bother with making a choice, look at all of magic. It is all wonderful and can be entertaining if it fits into your personality.
Marty Sasaki
Arlington, Massachusetts, USA Standard disclaimer: I'm just a hobbyist who enjoys occasionally mystifying friends and family, so my opinions should be viewed with this in mind. |
Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-09-29 04:07, marty.sasaki wrote: Very good advice. Anything that Ricky Jay does is very good, very polished and showing a great audience experience. It somehow demonstrates that the staging may be fairly secondary in terms of effects' selection (secondary not meaning unimportant), in any case less important tn building a character. The moves are moving more often from table to chest, the speach is broader... unfortuntely the talent doesn't come with the setting, only with the work. Another tip is, if you get a chance, to get to the Magic Castle where they have a close up room and a Parlour room. If you are a beginner, you may want to start on close up as it's difficult to get bookings for shows like Ricky Jay's one.
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
|
Pecan_Creek Veteran user The Nation of TEXAS! 323 Posts |
I appreciate the answers. I am not trying to define either as a way to elimate any field of endeavor. It just seems like here on the Café and on more than a few online shops there is a distinction between "close up tricks" and "parlor tricks". I guess it comes down to... its more about the setting and performance space than the effect as marketed. But the dividing line is quite porous.
|
Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
One issue - in my mind, at least - is how the performance space affects the presentation. In close-up, I am "right there", and pretty much expected to stay there. The people are usually within arm's reach, and everything must be scripted with that in mind.
I prefer a parlor or small stage setting for most of my stuff because it gives me room to move and act. It also lets me use other large props. I'm not going to be able to remove two basketballs, a 5-foot wand, a 17-inch Rabbid, and a jumbo invisible deck from a small box in a close-up setting. Someone else probably could, but I wouldn't be able to pull it off. Parlor also gives you the opportunity to separate the volunteer from his "group" - and the group from what you are doing. Depending on who your audience is (such as young male teens!), this could also be a consideration. Ed |
Hayre Regular user Arkansas 194 Posts |
The lines have mostly been blurred by the all-magician audience factor. When performing close-up for laymen, the audience is very close, and usually few in number for practical reasons. At times, close-up performers performed the same material for magicians at close-up convention shows, where many more people were in the audience. The results...complaints about visibility. Over time, close-up for magicians has involved getting the performer in a standup position (if they were formerly working seated), and performing with more visible props in some cases. In other words, the close-up show for magicians began to resemble parlor type shows (if not material) for laymen.
|
Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-09-29 19:44, Ed_Millis wrote: Ed, I think you are making the discussion progress here. In fact, if in parlour magic you can perform as near to the spectators as in close up, you can also leave some of your props behind you in full view without the fear of having some indelicate person touching them. You furtermore have more room for "acting" as you control the space, which is not as much the case in close up. I find your post really helpful in progressing towards a better understanding of what we do instinctively or by taste. It also helps to avoid debates which may turn into just groundless semantics.
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
|
Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Close-up are smaller illusions( coins for example). They can not be seen clearly from far away. So the spectators will have to be a close distance from the performer.
Parlor sized illusions can be seen clearly far away. Usually parlor sized illusions are performed in houses across the room for all sized audiences. Stage illusions are the biggest sized illusions. Usually the performance takes place on stage for dozens of spectators. An assistant is usually needed to perform with magician. |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » New to magic? » » Close up vs Parlor (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |