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madmanmike1 New user Canada (Ontario) 94 Posts |
Hello all,
I'm reworking my entrance and wanted to get your thoughts. I currently enter with music and flash performing a classic silk appearance and a cane vanish to silk ribbons, but I am finding besides being out of character for me it seems to much to soon. I am considering just walking onstage with a brief hello, a couple of jokes and a gag before I get into the magic. It increases the stage jitters to go out there without a prop in hand but I'm coming to feel that a flashy entrance does not fit structure wise. I've heard it said that you should meet them before you wow them, and the audience does not pay too much attention to what you are doing the first few minutes anyway. They are busy sizing you up -deciding whether you are worth watching. The more I think about it -starting with something flashy magical and loud is akin to greeting someone with a mallet instead of a handshake. I beleive there is an article titled "get to know them before you kiss them". I'm also wondering if some magicians (myself included sometimes) hide behind the flashy bright stage entrance because it's eaisier/safer than talking to the audience right off. So what do you think? a flashy powerfull magical start right from the beginning or a intro, hello and a joke? Do we hide behind our magical entrances because of a bit of stagefright perhaps? Just wondering Madmanmike
"it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide!"
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24314 Posts |
It depends on a couple of factors. If you work silent, to music, then you should hit them with a flash opener, generally speaking. This is especially true if you are doing a short, timed act.
If you are going to be talking during the show, you can do a "warmup" before you hit them hard. Some of it depends on the venue, as well.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
madmanmike1 New user Canada (Ontario) 94 Posts |
The routine I'm developing is for a 45 minute long banquet act with 500 or so adults. the venues would be most often community halls, reception rooms, and convention meetings.
"it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide!"
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24314 Posts |
Then you probably need something that will get their attention and will warm them up at the same time. If you are doing 45 minutes, you are probably going to be speaking (just an educated guess).
One thing I would recommend -- record your introduction. This way, you don't have to worry about some idiot mispronouncing your name, ad-libbing on your intro, because he thinks he is funny, or messing with the things that need to be said.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
madmanmike1 New user Canada (Ontario) 94 Posts |
The recorded intro is a good Idea, I've had a lot of illiterates read my intro card before.
I do do a lot of speaking during my show and end with a silent musical t&R newspaper bit, then a charming encore. Has anyone had experience switching from a flash opening to a spoken greeting? What seemed to work better and why do you think so? I'm probably going to attempt the switch during my next show anyway so I can experience it first hand, but I'd still like to hear thoughts on the matter. Madmanmike
"it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide!"
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adgnyc Loyal user New York City 293 Posts |
To me, a spoken introduction is much more effective. Everyone has seen appearing silks, vanishing canes, and the like, both live and on television. If an audience is going to spend 45 minutes with you, they need a compelling reason. How much they enjoy those 45 minutes will depend almost entirely on how much they enjoy being with you. Use your first few minutes to establish a rapport with the audience; give its members a sense that you are a compelling personality, and make them feel that they are in capable hands. Then they can relax and go along with you for the ride. (Sorry to mix so many metaphors here.) I guess what I'm saying can be boiled down to:
a) Let the audience know who you are, and make them feel lucky to be spending time with you -- i.e. allow them come to you rather than try to reach out and grab them by the throat. b) Once you've made that deal with the audience, it will follow you wherever you want to lead it.
Adam Green
New York, NY |
drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
I have never really tried a flash opening, but for one of my shows, I was in a mixed program with some musicians. We wanted to make sure that we had rising action, and it was a very friendly crowd; most of them had seen us before. The solution was to open very low-key, and close big.
I opened by playing a roller organ with the house lights up. I invited people up on stage to see how the roller organ worked. It felt like drawing a tip for a street act. When I felt that I had them, I went into some street magic, closing with the cups and balls. Then the musicians did a set, just the two of them. I did the third act, then the musicians did a fourth act with a third musician joining them. I closed with a big escape, with thrilling music. I think that a flash opening would have been wrong for this show; my job was to help people make the transition from the outside world, with jobs, phone calls, and bills, to an evening of entertainment. My big close was only big in relation to the rest of the show. Many people talked to us about the effect that the show had on them, and I think that a lot of the impact was due to the routining, with variety and steadily rising action. So I think that you have to look at the whole arc of the show, the venue, the audience, the other acts (if it's not just you), in order to pick a suitable opening. Yours, Paul |
madmanmike1 New user Canada (Ontario) 94 Posts |
Well, after quite afew recent banquet shows, I'm now a firm believer in the spoken greeting opening. The flashy bit I used to open with just seemed to much to soon for so many people. Heck some of the people don't even start paying attention untill after everyone applauds. I've been opening by reading my own intro (humerously off stage) then coming on stage and performing a couple of quick visual gags. Nothing big or out of charactor though. This way of opening seemed a lot more natural and gave the audience time to pay attention to my first real effect. I found that I had a better reaction with my first effect when I talked and greeted everyone to begin with (rather than the flash) I also found that it helped with the build of the show, starting off gently then moving swiftly into a higher gear.
Mike
"it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide!"
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Joe Russell Veteran user Buffalo NY 397 Posts |
Mad Man MIKE,
According to my personal bible of magic phsycology "The Magic of Ascanio", A pergformer should NEVER NEVER NEVER break out of character no matter how appealing a certain effect might be. that's why criss angel will be a fad some day and david blaine will live on, Criss' character jumps around way to much and he doesn't stick to a specific character and theme. However you wont ever catch blaine out of character when he does his magic. For example no matter how diabolicaly awsome your needle through the arm is, it might not fly to well at a childs B-day party because it doest fit the character of a b-day party performing magician, plus you'll give kids nightmares.
Who is Tattoo Joe?
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madmanmike1 New user Canada (Ontario) 94 Posts |
Your point is?
I'm unsure if you are agreeing with me or arguing my presentaional change. Perhaps your tone is just not coming through the text.I found my spoken opening was more in character with the rest of my show than the flashy opening. I also proved to myself that no matter what someone else says about a thing, or a "magic rule" you can never be certain untill you try it for yourself.
"it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide!"
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Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
I just thought I'd point out a similar discussion I started some time ago here on the Café called "The first 10 seconds".
You can check it out here: http://themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic......forum=41 When you said, "I've heard it said that you should meet them before you wow them". The first thing that came to mind for me is that it would even be better to wow them as you meet them. Just thought I'd bring that up as another way to look at it. Ron Jaxon |
madmanmike1 New user Canada (Ontario) 94 Posts |
Thanks Ron,
I read your posts and I agree with what you said. What I want to do in the first few minites is let them know Character-wise who I am. With a joke, a line, or a sight gag. Even a bit of lite magic. What I have learned is that trying to blow them away with a flashy bit of super magic does not work during the first few minites( for me anyway) I do want to make them interested in me as soon as possible though. Wow them, maybe - I'm more going for the intrest them first angle, then I'll wow them. It's been many more shows since I've switched to this kind of an opening and it's still going super!
"it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide!"
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John Long Inner circle New Jersey 2826 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-12-19 13:34, Jaxon wrote: I am considering this, and considering how to do it. I am considering walking out and introducing my self and the show, while doing various visual magic: Ron's "chair sitting" w/o a chair, then realizing the chair is missing. Pour myself a drink, then to get more out quicker, start to drink directly from the can only to find that the can coke has vanished. Pull out another can and start pouring it into the glass, then while busy talking, let go of the glass which just floats, and eventually see what's going on and quickly grab the glass. or have the contents of the glass turn into a silk when I go to drink from it. John
Breathtaking Magic;
Not Breath Taking |
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