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trevorsmagic Regular user The U.K. 186 Posts |
It nearly always happens you do a really good trick and they say do it again I was just wondering what you guys say??
A couple of lines I use are: "Why? I did it well the first time" or "NO" Just kidding with the second. So, what do you guys say?? |
ColinB Regular user 129 Posts |
How about something like, "Let me show you something even better," and go straight into the next trick. If that was in fact the last trick, try "I'll be back with something even better," before making your courteous but hasty exit.
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p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
Hi,
I think that if you are working casualy for friends etc. you may get asked to do it again, but if you are working a routined sequence of effects then you can usualy routine it out so that it does not happen in the first place, much like you would eliminate them asking to examine the deck or indeed getting them to examine the deck. For example I often use a colour change deck routine (I am clean at the climax) and the effect is so strong that I know someone will ask if they can look at the deck. So rather than waste time letting them examine and pass them to each other as they tend to do, I follow the colour change deck by handing the deck (usualy to a lady) and saying "could you please go through the deck and remove a card that you like or find yourself drawn to." This is my selection for the next effect, but I have also had the deck examined without them asking and by giving them a task at the same time they do not take all day and break the flow. phillip |
Stephen Long Inner circle 1481 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-04-18 07:41, p.b.jones wrote: Bingo, Philip. However, if you do perform a lot in informal situations where you do get asked to "do that again" a lot, you might consider learning more effects which incorporate repitition of the same effect where you can "do that again". The ambitious card would be the best and most well known example I could give you - "look, I'll do it again, the card goes into the center..." Often you only get asked to "do that again" if the effect was short and sweet, or if the spectator feels that there was something that they could have missed the when you first performed it. If you are constantly asked to "do that again" try slowing your performance style down a little bit – make everything perfectly clear so that the spectator feels that there was nothing to miss and consequently that there would be nothing to gain in seeing the effect again. See what happens. some thoughts Stephen
Hello.
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Paul Inner circle A good lecturer at your service! 4409 Posts |
How about,
"Let me show you something even better.." Or "Sure, same place same time next week" "You like to experience that feeling of Deja vu do you?" "Nhaa, I've seen that one!" (said with a smile). "Why, what did I do you didn't quite follow?" Most don't REALLY expect you to do it again. Paul Hallas. |
p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
Hi Stephen,
This is a personal thing, but I typicaly ( not never) do effects which repeat such as ambitious card even if the method changes. Lay people find it strange that you do the same trick twice. Coincidently this very point came up this week. I was lecturing for Huddersfield Magic Circle and One of my hosts Barry (who is relativly new to magic) was telling me that he had bought some sponge balls and I think a video of routines so I performed mine a (a variation of Phil Jay's) one ball splits to two, the normal 1 each to specs hand, two balls change to a billiard ball, biliard ball vanishes. end and reset ready to go again. I was explaining to Barry why I only use two sponges and do the into hand thing only once. when Barry's wife Joan says "I have always said to Barry why do all of these magicians want to keep repeating the same effect again and again once I have seen it once that is enough" Just something to concider and disregard if you disagree phillip |
Jason Fleming Veteran user Marooned, Hawaii 374 Posts |
I wonder if people for some reason don't want to say "Wow, I really liked that!" Maybe it's too vulnerable to say something like that in public. So instead, when audiences want to say that they were really blown away by a trick, they are left with saying a command/request "Do that again!" rather than a compliment.
Maybe most people probably don't praise others enough in any situation. So they're out of practice when they want to or need to praise some magician, so revert to "Do that again!" Also, I wonder if the simple act of doing a magic trick sets up an adversarial relationship between performer and audience...no other kind of performing I've been a part of (my undergraduate degree is in music and drama) the audience is rooting for the performer. They don't want to see you fail. In magic, it's the opposite. They want to see the magician screw up, and the magician is implicitly communicating "I am going to fool you" just by saying "watch this!" So, when they really are impressed, they want to see it again to take another crack at catching you. What I usually do is take "do that again" as a compliment, say "thank you very much, you guys have been a great audience, I really appreciate it" and wave goodbye... Any thoughts? :sun: |
Stephen Long Inner circle 1481 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-04-18 12:39, p.b.jones wrote: With regards to Joan's comment, she must be among those who do not respond with "do that again". I think for most lay people, they do not feel that once is enough, hence the common response - "wait, wait... do that again..." I have to say that, in my experience, lay people do not find it strange that you do the same trick twice. It is my view that they tend to feel that they are being treated a little more fairly -- it's almost as if they are being given (depending on the specator) a) a second chance to experience the magic or b) a second chance to 'catch' the magician out. Imagine the ambitious card routine (which I know you don't perform) with the card rising to the top of the deck only once... The audience would be sure they had missed something. By repeating the effect in equally fair but increasingly impossible circumstances, the effect has to be strengthened. Doesn't it? I would, by no means, want to bore an audience by over doing it, but I certainly feel there is something to be said for these kind of effects. I think there is something nice for the audience about being given the chance to watch even closer each time, yet be blown away in increasing amounts at the end of each climax. I can certainly understand why you are against these effects though. However, I feel I must stick to my guns and respectfully disagree. Doc, with regards to your addressing the "do that again" with a "thank you, goodnight" -- it almost feels like you have ignored their request. I think any request by the audience is certainly something that needs to be addressed. As was mentioned, I don't think lay people really expect you to do it again. If I have performed a quick one off for a friend (or otherwise) and they say "do that again" I often respond with an apologetic "sorry..." They always either nod their heads or roll their eyes, but I know they understand. However, I very much like Paul's "nah, I've seen that one before" response and I may start using it. (Thanks, Paul ) That was a (relatively) long one. Phew. Stephen :carrot:
Hello.
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trevorsmagic Regular user The U.K. 186 Posts |
Some good replies here guys thanx for the comments to the thread i only started 24 hours ago
......trevor |
p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
quote:
I have to say that, in my experience, lay people do not find it strange that you do the same trick twice. It is my view that they tend to feel that they are being treated a little more fairly -- it's almost as if they are being given (depending on the specator) a) a second chance to experience the magic or b) a second chance to 'catch' the magician out. Hi, I think that part of the reason that we have different views on this is that we are both aiming for a different type of relationship with our audience. I am not in any way (though to some extent it's unaviodable) trying to set up a relationship where the audience is trying to catch me. in fact my performance structure is to try and avoid this. I know this Challenge aproach works for some people I am not knocking it. Just saying that it is not my aproach. quote: By repeating the effect in equally fair but increasingly impossible circumstances, the effect has to be strengthened. Doesn't it? I am not sure it does, Yes it is more pleasurable for the performer to nail them again and again. but I think as well as the fear of same thing over and over. you have to consider the wind up factor. do not confuse the frustration of trying to work out the magic with the pleasure of the entertainment. Often I have seen people say something like "arh how is he doing that that's the third time" in an exited manor. is it entertainment or just winding people up? I think it depends on the spectator. so I try to avoid it. phillip |
Paul Inner circle A good lecturer at your service! 4409 Posts |
The whole thing about the approach does depend on the trick you are doing.
For the sponge ball routine for instance, the one most surprising magical moment is when a second ball appears in the spectators hand. Nothing else in that routine is as magical. In similar fashion with the Invisible Palm, the first card appearing in the most magical. Which is why in that routine I favour an ending where the cards change. With Ambitious Card, you can appear to be making conditions more fair or more difficult with a slightly different handling each time, so it is in a way a challenge routine, with an unexpected pay off of the deck becoming solid or the card in wallet whatever. There is no set rule. A few effects naturally strengthen by a repeat (if not overdone) and others simply do not. The character of the person watching can also take a part in the equasion. And... Joan being a magic wife may have seen some routines so many times she just prefers them shorter now. Magic wives are no longer the same as lay people when it comes to viewing magic.Though generally if they ARE impressed with something, you know you have a good one! But back to the plot, if after the first rise in an ambitious card routine someone asked me to do it again, I'd pause, use a line about not normally repeating things, look around, and then say, "Go on then, just this once!" By the way, there is also a similar thread on what to say when asked to repeat under, "Now That's Funny". Paul Hallas. |
Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Repeating a trick depends partly on the trick, partly on the venue and audience, but mainly on the personality of the performer.
If "magic is art", then why not repeat a trick if you can carry it off? A classical actor doesn't refuse to do Hamlet's soliloquy simply because the audience has seen it. (On the other hand, it's unlikely that he would do it twice in one night for the same audience, either!) cheers, Peter Marucci showtimecol@aol.com |
Matt Graves Special user Huntsville, Alabama (USA) 504 Posts |
You know, Eugene Burger has said that many magicians he sees perform their magic too fast. Maybe that is a big part of what causes it. There needs to be a sense of closure, or of course people may want to see it again. If they get the feeling you just caught them out on the offbeat, they might want another chance at seeing it.
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Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
Bingo Serling!
Chances are great if someone says "Do that again." to a magic trick they felt fooled, tricked, conned. Not entertained, enlightened, or delighted. It is likely that some aspect of the presentation of the routine was too fast or unclear not allowing them to soak in the details of the situation. It is also possible you left them just hanging rather than picking them up by delivering some meaning to the magic, some purpose other than "I fooled you." Yes, some people do tricks just to watch their audience twist in the wind trying to figure out the clever puzzle. For me that is not magic. |
Stephen Long Inner circle 1481 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-04-19 03:06, p.b.jones wrote: Philip, I never try to set up a "catch me if you can" relationship with my audiences. I want to treat them fairly; I don't want them to feel like they have missed anything which is why I invite them to watch closely in effects such as ambitious card or jazz aces. Not so that they are given the opportunity to "catch" me (for I do not challenge them), but so they can see that there is nothing for them to catch me doing. "Wait, wait... do that again..." "Certainly. The card clearly goes into the center..." The above exchange is not challenging an audience. It is treating them with the respect they deserve. IMO. As for the whole "fast magic" thing Sterling pointed out. Yes. Absolutely. This is a very common cause of the "do that again" response. Slowing down my magic is one thing I am currently working very hard on. And I believe it's not just in the speed of your "moves". It's in your whole attitude -- the speed at which you patter, the relaxed vibe you give off when performing. Stephen :carrot:
Hello.
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trevorsmagic Regular user The U.K. 186 Posts |
I agree Paul,the look on their face and the pure delight on a specs face when they find more than one spongeball in their hand really is magical,and as you say the first time is the best.
Thanx to all the other guys for your brilliant replies to my question at the start of this post ........trevor |
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