Failed Performance

[darosa.justin]

Last week, i posted a thread asking whether my close-up card tricks would work on stage at a party.

Today at the party, i didnt perform on stage- i walked around peforming tricks.
What happened was that i went into the room, and went to the birthday boy (9th b-day party) and showed him Panic. I guess the lil kids didnt get the trick so they had no reaction.
So i was like, ok so this isnt going to work. I started showing here then there, ambitious card but still, i guess he didnt get it. So he left and played somewhere else.
Bascialy, in the end, i performed simple stuff for like 2 five year old girls. Their reactions were alright, you can imagine kid's reactions (WHOA!).
I felt like it was such a waste of time to go to the party because i just performed for 2 little children (out of like 15). I cant really blame myself cuz most of them elft before watching my magic. I learnt that my tricks (2 card monte, here then there, ambitious card, biddle trick, etc.) dont really work on kids because they forget where each card is etc.
Ill jsut stick to performing for 12 year olds and over.

 

[MattTarrant]

Amazing? Yes?

 

[JohnnyZ]

Card tricks doesn't amaze kids? WOAH WTF ?

 

[MagicSpider]

Do spongeball magic...lol

 

[Tally]

AHHAHAHHA wow it was funny to imagine the expression on the kid's face when they didn't understand...haha gook luck next time with people older haha

 

[Dizzi]

kid magic = visual. my friend actually does a short zombie routine with a stuffed racoon!

 

[Cliff|Bumgardner]

I'm going to be brutaly honest here but please understand I'm not trying to be mean.

First, get yourself some material that doesn't include the words "Crash Course"... I have those DVD's but you need to expand.

Secondly, you were completely unprepared... You walked into a childs party with close-up magic... thats like walking into a bar with a subtrunk... ain't gonna work my friend... If you want to do children's parties then look into SpongeBalls, A Spring Animal, ect... You guessed it, CHILDREN'S MAGIC.

You were simply unprepared, better luck next time.

Sharp

 

[MitchellStafiej]

Kid's magic is very different from close-up magic or sleight of hand - it is nearer to stage magic, with visual illusions to keep your audience from wandering off into their imaginations..

When planning your children's magic shows, it is essential to keep in mind that children have a relatively small attention span, so you need to keep them on their toes by using visual props (such as magic wands, colourful tricks etc.), funny jokes and a lot of audience participation. The magic illusions should be varied, exciting and most importantly, entertaining for the children.

The tricks you choose for the magic show are very important - you should pick tricks for children that are suitable for their age and sex. A patter about football wouldn't go down too well at an all-girls birthday party!

Before you perform a show, watch a little children's television and see how the presenters act. They smile, laugh and appear to be enjoying themselves - a very important part of being successful! Try to also remember some of the characters names - you can rename your pet rabbit to a "Teletubby", or "Barney" at the time being, for example.

To be (almost) as successful as famous magicians, you need to enjoy performing magic, the kids will know you are enjoying it, and your positive feelings will help to make them enjoy your magic show - there's nothing worse than watching magic performed by a bored magician!

Improve your chances of repeat performances by rewarding the children with merchandise. A well crafted balloon model is great, but once it pops, you're forgotten. If you can afford some promotional material with your contact information to give to the children along with the balloon, then the parents will have a way of calling you for their child's next party. Just don't pin your business card to the balloon!!!!

Mitchell

 

[sourboarder]

I think it was all in your patter. I have a (at the time 5 year old) cousin, see my do biddle trick at a restaurant. She was already restless before the effect began, so i had some work to do. then my acr once again she loved it. Just work on your patter, make sure everybody knows where the card is. Also maybe you just didn't display it well enough, or you were going to fast. Or maybe the 2 kids just weren't into magic. That's a possibility. Don't force reactions, get reactions.

 

[MoonlightKnight]

SPONGE BALLS are for children, you have to get the patient kids for card tricks. My 6 year old sister pays attention these days so TnR is one of her favorites. But she loves Sponges much more. Of course, my sister thinks Under Pressure is a trick. "ChRIS! Your hands aren't moving but the cards are!"

 

[Anthony Bass]

First off, I don't understand why you would expect 5 year old children to understand Here Then There, ACR,or Panic. Kids like visual magic. Those effects aren't really that visual. Do something that gets them involved (having the kid pick a card for an ACR doesn't count). Spongeballs work very well for all ages becaue it happens in their hands, and it's semi-visual. Visual effects are the best for children. Most card effects don't fly (some do though, you just gotta find the right ones).

Anthony Bass

 

[clllllust]

I'm not going to go into the flaws of your performance because I'm sure from everyone elses posts I'm sure you can make your next routine more kid structured. But, remember kids love Bright, Shiny, and Colourful Objects. If in doubt, buy D' Lites for Kids Parties. They'll be amazed.

-Happy Holidays,
-RA69

 

[Krash]

We, as magicians, need to remember that there is no such thing as a failed performance. I say that in meaning that "failed" is too harsh of a word for something of that nature. For now, let's call them "mess ups", how's that? =P

Anyway,

I agree with some of the above posts. You kind of walked into a childrens party gig un-prepared. It's like trying to show a 5 year old kid something along the lines of a mentalist routine with PK touches or something like A Dream Of Aces.

I've never performed for anyone younger than the age of fourteen, but it's true. The younger they are...the more visual the effects need to be.

I can vouche for using things like sponge balls and even spring animals. (I love my Rocky Raccoon, if you've not heard of it...look up David Williamson on youtube)

As long as you learned something from your lil' "mess up" you shouldn't need to deem it a failure.

Shane K.

 

[JohnH]

We, as magicians, need to remember that there is no such thing as a failed performance. I say that in meaning that "failed" is too harsh of a word for something of that nature. For now, let's call them "mess ups", how's that? =P

Anyway,

I agree with some of the above posts. You kind of walked into a childrens party gig un-prepared. It's like trying to show a 5 year old kid something along the lines of a mentalist routine with PK touches or something like A Dream Of Aces.

I've never performed for anyone younger than the age of fourteen, but it's true. The younger they are...the more visual the effects need to be.

I can vouche for using things like sponge balls and even spring animals. (I love my Rocky Raccoon, if you've not heard of it...look up David Williamson on youtube)

As long as you learned something from your lil' "mess up" you shouldn't need to deem it a failure.

Shane K.

QFE. Amazing post.

Learn some good kid-show routine structure. For example, you need a warm-up, where you get the kids "into it." I recommend anything by David Ginn.

 

[darosa.justin]

Ah Well...as I said, im not performing for kids again. Not really my type of magic.

 

[David Rysin]

Ah Well...as I said, im not performing for kids again. Not really my type of magic.

Well, although I completely agree with the "Not really my type of magic" part of that statement, not performing for kids just because you made a mistake your first time doing it is just, frankly, stupid. First of all, you were unprepared for a show for kids, if you had done your research, you would have known that. However, I won't go into that as everyone else has already talked about it. What I will say is this: Until you are getting enough gigs from adults, you will not be able to turn down gigs unless you want to loose money by doing magic. What I suggest that you do is get together one or two GOOD kids acts- visual, quick, full of comedy, and audience involvement-, get those acts up to par, and get out there and perform. I personally do not like performing the magic I do for kids, I like the kids, just not really the type of effects that I do for them, I find performing for adults doing stand-up/cabaret to be far more entertaining for me to perform. However, I have not, and will not, turn down a single 6 year old's birthday party for the next 5 years, or however long it takes for me to become established and receive enough gigs for purely adult parties.

Go out, get something by David Gin, some "appearing" effects, "dissapearing" effects, effects with silks, and large objects...enough for a 20-25 minute act, go out there, and PERFORM!

Good luck,
~David

 

[darosa.justin]

I appreciate it if you didnt dicate waht i should and shouldnt do. Its my life, my magic, and i do what i want with it.

Im not in it for money, and i dont do 'gigs'.

Im going to perform for people I want to perform to. Because when i'm comfortable performing, my audience will enjoy the magic more.

 

[MattTarrant]

If you dont want peoples opinions, why post on a public forum?

 

[darosa.justin]

Opinions and 'orders' /dictations are different.

Telling me waht to do with my life if different to giving advice on what i can do.

"Go out, get something by David Gin, some "appearing" effects, "dissapearing" effects, effects with silks, and large objects...enough for a 20-25 minute act, go out there, and PERFORM!"

Maybe thats not exactly dicating what i should/shouldnt do, buts it's pretty close.

 

[MattTarrant]

To me, that reads like advice.

Valid advice.