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MagikDavid Loyal user Cincinnati, OH 297 Posts |
Here's question:
As a magician, what is the most important lesson you've learned in a performance? I'm looking for a specific incident which may have caused you to re-think how you perform... routine... market... prepare... etc. I'll give the first example: Years ago (when I was doing kid shows), I regularly did Cub Scout Banquets, Christmas Shows, Birthdays, etc. Then I was contacted by the Jaycees to perform for a visiting delegation of kids who were competing in a Special Olympics divisional championship. To make a long story short... I worried and dreaded the performance, because I'd never performed for mentally handicapped/challenged kids before. Although I was well-seasoned as a 'kid show' magician, I wondered about how my regular act would play (i.e., would some effects be too complicated to understand? Should I use more quick flashy visual effects? Should I not use audience volunteers? Would they be unruly and out-of-control? etc. The closer the dreaded date, the more my stomach churned... I thought I was getting an ulcer. I even thought about backing out. Anyway, the showdate finally came. To my utter surprise... these kids (over 200) were the most well-behaved, most attentive, most appreciative... of ANY audience that I had ever performed for. Several of them even came up after the show and asked for my autograph (that had never happened before or since.) Lesson learned: Kids are still kids... no matter what their handicap, circumstance, ethnicity, class, etc. The dread I had was based on fear of the unknown and my own personal bias. I never let that happen again with my magic and my personal life. Dave
One good thing about being wrong...
Is the pleasure it brings to others. |
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
The most important lesson I learned is not break any of Maskelyne’s rules. For example an hour ago I did a card trick that went wrong because broke rule 24.
Here are the rules that you can break with justification but I had none an hour ago. http://www.timwallacemagic.com/maskelyne.asp
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
Father Photius Grammar Host El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo) 17161 Posts |
It was to listen to sincere constructive criticism. Monk Watson once gave me an ear full of it right after I showed him my act. Initially, I wanted to blow the old poop off. But I thought better of it, and tried to do what he told me, made all the difference in the world. Performance improved hundreds of percent, and my magic performance career took a huge leap forward.
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
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JRob Veteran user Central South Carolina 395 Posts |
Don't be in a such a hurry to start performing with little or no practice and/or rehearsal. This isn't like sports that you can "play your way into shape" (actually it doesn't work well in that realm either)
"Jim Roberts, AKA: Professor Jay Rob "<br>
The Professor's Facebook Page |
Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
That I'm a lousy magician. Too ADD to get it right. I just liked making the posters and booking the shows and devising the program.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-04-12 13:27, MagikDavid wrote: Getting caught on a trick when I was fourteen due to lack of practice and rehearsal. Now I follow David Devant's advice. I have different close up 4 acts that I worked to as near to perfection as I could over the 53 years that I'm doing magic and learn from other magicians.
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
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Steve_Mollett Inner circle Eh, so I've made 3006 Posts |
It's not what you actually do that counts; it's what the public THINKS you do.
Author of: GARROTE ESCAPES
The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth. - Albert Camus |
Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-04-16 12:57, Steve_Mollett wrote: ... or what you learned from them about how to let them think that you do what you want them to believe you do... "Analyze this" (Robert DeNiro) or "Analyze that" (Billy Crystal) :)
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
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