Would you say that you're somebody else when you perform or are you the same on and off "stage"?

I'm trying to develop my performance to fit my personality, "wise cracking hyperactive computer nerd from New York City", better. I was wondering how people here would describe their performance character. I think this creates a more natural feel to my patter.

Any thoughts on character development?

I like to be myself while performing.

Some times, I am more energetic, some other times I am funnier...I depends on the mood.

The atmosphere rules my being.

Mago Mai

I don't know because it flows naturally. I enjoy performing and while I'd like to think I am pretty much myself, I also know that if I am feeling sick, or my back hurts or feet are sore, it all goes away while I am "onstage".

This is not an uncommon phenomenon I understand, many an aging film actor can look near death between scenes but when the camera rolls they transform.

My best guess is that my performing personna is the best part of me rather than a character.

Hello,

When I started out in magic, I (as many do) had the idea that I could create this wondeful character that eveyone would love, I was wrong.

The fact of the matter is, is that many people get into magic because they aren't very excited about themselves, they think they can create this false powerful persona.

You must be yourself, with a few theatrical tweaks to make you work on stage.

If you are trying to be something you are NOT, people will see that (they're not stupid) and you'll only end up looking silly.

When I see people talking about "I could be this" or "I could be that," I know they're not going to get it, because there will be NO depth to their performance.

As simple as it sounds, they best advice is to be yourself. You can choose to ignore that advice, it doesn't make any difference to me because I'm not the faker.

This is more applicable to close-up magic, if you're developing a stage act (like what Jeff McBride does) then it's completely different.

Just take the previous posters for example, who are they? Themselves.

All I ask is that you think about what I said?

John.

P.S. If you think all the above is just rubbish then you are wrong. I got this advice personally from one of the most successful magicians/mentalsits (I give no names to be accused of name dropping) of our time.

Hmm well I'll try to answer your question, which is my character is me, but specifically the me who became fascinated with how magicians could manipulate cards and make "random" conditions fall the way that they want.

So in every trick, patter line, ect I try to reinforce that so that's what my spec's will remember.

I present most of my routines as impossible slieght of hand, and then the MAGICAL controlling of random events.

It is truly hard to be both magical and yourself at the same time...

I also feel that even if you are the same person on and off stage, you still need to tone down certain parts of your personality and accentuate other parts to be a memorable character, so they will remember YOU and not your tricks.

I extract a different part of my personality when I'm performing but it's still me. When I see patients during the day I extract another part. I'm not a good enough actor to become someone totally different.

I agree with what you're saying here. As several people pointed out though there are tweaks that need to be made to your personality. I really am a wisecracking hyperactive computer nerd form NYC. In reading my first post I realize it sounds as if I'm trying to create a character. I'm not, but in trying to make my patter and performance fit my personality I wonder if it will go over well.
I know the only way to find out is to try it and see.
I just don't want to spend alot of time developing a presentation if it's only going to entertain me and a a few other geeks.


Your advice was far from rubbish. I appreciate the time and thought you, and everyone else who responded put in.
Thanks
Dave

Hey 50 Posts !!!!

It's good to see you understand. Most of the younger crop of magic these days don't want to hear it, their goal is to look for that one magic trick that'll make them famous.

I must mention that you can't please everyone. In life, and in magic. There will always be people who don't like you/me and there will always be people who don't like magic tricks. So we can't please eveyone. That's why I say it's impossible to create a perfect character that everyone will love.

It's best to just be yourself, and those who like you and your magic will be the ones you do it for. Forget about pleasing the minority, they aren't worth it.

Any comedy that you introduce into your magic should be YOU, it should come from within. Don't use silly one liners for cheap laughs that you learnt out of a joke book (unless that is something YOU would say). Your humor should fit your personality, so only introduce humor that is YOU.

As for the theatrical tweaks, the way to do that is to perform for people and see what parts of you they like and what parts they don't. Magnify (but don't overdo it) the parts of you they like, and erase any they don't. All you have to do is listen to your audiences and you can make these changes. You could also listen to your family and friends and do the same, find out what they like and what they don't, and make those neccessary adjustments.

Remember, magic is a journey, and you'll descover all these things along the way. You can't fugure it all out in a day, it takes time. And more importantly, have FUN, If you don't have fun in magic then what's the point? Don't get stressed thinking too deeply about magic, just travel the journey and you'll figure out all these things along the way.

Take care,

John.

I'd say my performance personality is in part created by my audience. If I'm working for a shy crowd then I'll tend to get more conspiratorial with them, to be as inclusive as possible. If the crowd's wild, then I can crank it up to 11 and know they'll be right there with me. Their reactions feed me.

I don't know that it's necessarily even a conscious decision. I don't act contrary to my nature (I wouldn't even know how), but performance gives the parts of my personality that usually don't get much air a chance to breathe.

Even the wildest magic "characters" like Sylvester the Jester can ring true if they flow naturally from the performer's own personality and love of the art. The best of these creations are those who are really sharing a part of themselves with their audience.

Anyway, that's enough from me.

Cheers,

Cy.

Being yourself is one of the hardest things one can ever do HOWEVER it is essential to work successfully. Even a character must come from within that performer and it is the coming from within that makes it work. There is a sincereity that is unconsciously projected to the audience that is picked up and it is through that which they decide if they like you or not. If you are an unlikable person you will, no matter how much you try, eventually project that to your audience unless of course you truly deserve "an Oscar" for your performance.

One of the best ways to learn to "be yourself' is to perform stand-up comedy. If you write material from the heart, it will go over well but if you do eneric or worse, ripped off jokes, you will not do as well. It is through such work that one truly learns to "bear their soul" to the audience which while it does make one vulnerable, it is how a successful performer works best. An audience can smell fear, sincerity, hate, all of the emotions from 100 paces - something one should always bear in mind.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat

I'm usually act myself, though more sophisticated. But when I'm kinda nervous about an effect that might be hard to pull off, or I'm not the best at it, I act like a

When performing, I am both myself and yet much different then "myself". I am normally a very quite and standoffish person. When performing I'm still me, and don't try to be anyone else, but now I have something to show, something to talk about, something to perform. I am having a good time, and enjoying the relationship I share with those around me. I often wish I could be like this all the time, but that's not me. So be yourself... yes, but also be the performer in you.

Undone.

Strange, mysterious and sexy, it seems to work for me.

Anabelle

I found that magic simply intensified my true core personality. I was always rather funny and well spoken with my friends and now that I'm doing magic I feel a little funnier and my words and thoughts flow a bit smoother with the strangers I do magic for. So, I guess that magic itself created my "character", but the core of that character is really who I always was.

I would never want to be so concerned with how I'm acting (as an alter ego) to take emphasis over what my hands are doing. Most magicians (especially street) that I've seen that are presenting a character are usually obvious and that turns me off.

Just be you and let your magic magnify your finer qualities.

My Nearly Normal Persona is pretty much the same on and off stage.

Of course it is a bit more restrained off stage.

I recently have asked others how they would describe my shows.

The word that comes up besides Nearly Normal is

FUN.

During the 75th Annual IBM Convention in KC, I had several shows in nearby communities.

I took a performer to one of them.
After my program I asked her what she thought.

She replied that she was surprised.

I asked why.

She said that she knew that I could do some
heavy magic.(finger flicking stuff)

She quipped that she expected more magic.

What she and the audience got was more BOING AND BANANAS.

During my programs I go for the emotional connection,(humor, surprise, fear, pride....)

Cue the music parody.

If I were king of Comedy,
not duke, not knight not prince,
The regal robes of my comedy
would be polyester not satin not chince.

...
...
...

Harris Deutsch
Laughologist and
2003 First Prize Winner
Informal Comedy Magic
during the
Strolling Olympics
at the
75th Annual IBM Convention

My stage personality is an amplified version of myself. I try to take the best qualities I have and emphasize them as much as possible, and eliminate those that are detrimental, or at least downplay them.

If my spectators are trying to "catch" me, I'll be sarcastic and crack a few wise comments...if they're recptive to the magic, than it's a whole new ballgame...

Reading and using the exercises in Julia Cameron's The Artist Way helped this nearly normal magician develop many ideas (along with a bunch of .........)

It also led me to the habit of going on

Artistic Outings to places I did not associate with entertainment.


Harris Deutsch
Laughologist