Hey Everyone! I am making this magic essay to hopefully make some of your performances better. I am going to start off with a brief story and then the advice following. If you are going to read this, I am going to recommend reading the story too, and not just the advice. This is my first magic essay I have written. Here comes the story…
The story happened about 2 years ago when I was in Boston. I was kind of interested in magic and was kind of looking at books from book stores, just learning little tricks. Then we went to Boston. We were in a certain place in Boston (I forgot what it was called) and all of a sudden we saw a magician that was right about to perform a straight jacket escape. I was hooked all of a sudden. I asked my family if we could please stay and watch and they said okay. So we started to watch the magician and he asked for two volunteers. The volunteers were a couple (husband and wife I think). So the magician asked the two volunteers to start to buckle him up. So they start to buckle him up and then there was a last buckle that needed to be buckled, I think you know what buckle (the one that goes between his legs). It was really funny though because he called this strap the “happy strap”. Then he asked the audience who should buckle the “happy strap” the man or the lady. He was going to do this by popular vote. The woman got voted to do it. So the magician was kind of doing pelvis thrusts to try to fling the strap in the air and she would buckle it. The whole audience was laughing and having a good time. Then once the strap was buckled he had some strong guys tie rope around him. Then once all of that was finished he made his escape (it probably took like 5 minutes or so, maybe less). The whole time though he was kind of talking and making jokes and stuff like that. Afterward I think he had a little hat to put donations in and I think he made a pretty good profit. That is the end of my story.
Now, believe it or not there actually was a point in telling that story, it wasn’t just to bring back some good memories. My point in this thread is how your patter can totally affect your performance. I mean, without all the jokes and talking, that performance probably would have been pretty lame. So what I am telling you is when you are performing just kind of do some casual talking and maybe a few jokes here and there. If you are not really funny though then don’t force it. Just do casual talking instead. My second point is how he involved the audience. I loved it when he asked for a vote from the crowd (spectators) because obviously there was a majority that wanted the woman to buckle the “happy strap”. It was really funny though because you could see the woman’s face and how she kind of knew it was going to be her that was going to have to buckle the happy strap. But, it was great how he was talking to the audience and involving them. He didn’t just have them sit there and watch. My third point is all about the “happy strap”. He probably spent like maybe 2 minutes or so just doing the happy strap and the votes and stuff. Sure you may be thinking, 2 minutes for one strap! Although it seems like awhile, I’m pretty sure almost everybody loved it because he joked about it and made a big point about it. He didn’t just make the joke short, he kind of carried it out and it was hilarious. If you have a good joke and the spectator doesn’t seem like they are in a rush then kind of carry it out. Like in Bill Malone’s 654 Club, he tells someone to do a cut and then Bill Malone just puts the same packet back on top (he didn’t even make a cut). Then the whole audience starts laughing and he just does it again with a little twist. My point is that he kind of carried it out. If you have not seen Bill Malone perform, then look him up on YouTube. Just type in Bill Malone and watch some of his videos. What I am saying is when you are performing involve the audience, do some casual talking, and maybe throw in some jokes. I am not telling you to be just like Bill Malone, but just watch what he is doing and how the audience is reacting. Watch how he is involving the audience, making some jokes, and doing casual talking. If you look at many successful magicians today, that is what they are doing. Bill Malone really stands out in my mind though.
If I haven’t said it enough though here are some tips
1. Involve the audience
2. Do some casual talking
3. Throw in a few jokes or do something to really make the audience interested
I hope this essay will help you in your magic and performances, best of luck!!!!
-Hunter
The story happened about 2 years ago when I was in Boston. I was kind of interested in magic and was kind of looking at books from book stores, just learning little tricks. Then we went to Boston. We were in a certain place in Boston (I forgot what it was called) and all of a sudden we saw a magician that was right about to perform a straight jacket escape. I was hooked all of a sudden. I asked my family if we could please stay and watch and they said okay. So we started to watch the magician and he asked for two volunteers. The volunteers were a couple (husband and wife I think). So the magician asked the two volunteers to start to buckle him up. So they start to buckle him up and then there was a last buckle that needed to be buckled, I think you know what buckle (the one that goes between his legs). It was really funny though because he called this strap the “happy strap”. Then he asked the audience who should buckle the “happy strap” the man or the lady. He was going to do this by popular vote. The woman got voted to do it. So the magician was kind of doing pelvis thrusts to try to fling the strap in the air and she would buckle it. The whole audience was laughing and having a good time. Then once the strap was buckled he had some strong guys tie rope around him. Then once all of that was finished he made his escape (it probably took like 5 minutes or so, maybe less). The whole time though he was kind of talking and making jokes and stuff like that. Afterward I think he had a little hat to put donations in and I think he made a pretty good profit. That is the end of my story.
Now, believe it or not there actually was a point in telling that story, it wasn’t just to bring back some good memories. My point in this thread is how your patter can totally affect your performance. I mean, without all the jokes and talking, that performance probably would have been pretty lame. So what I am telling you is when you are performing just kind of do some casual talking and maybe a few jokes here and there. If you are not really funny though then don’t force it. Just do casual talking instead. My second point is how he involved the audience. I loved it when he asked for a vote from the crowd (spectators) because obviously there was a majority that wanted the woman to buckle the “happy strap”. It was really funny though because you could see the woman’s face and how she kind of knew it was going to be her that was going to have to buckle the happy strap. But, it was great how he was talking to the audience and involving them. He didn’t just have them sit there and watch. My third point is all about the “happy strap”. He probably spent like maybe 2 minutes or so just doing the happy strap and the votes and stuff. Sure you may be thinking, 2 minutes for one strap! Although it seems like awhile, I’m pretty sure almost everybody loved it because he joked about it and made a big point about it. He didn’t just make the joke short, he kind of carried it out and it was hilarious. If you have a good joke and the spectator doesn’t seem like they are in a rush then kind of carry it out. Like in Bill Malone’s 654 Club, he tells someone to do a cut and then Bill Malone just puts the same packet back on top (he didn’t even make a cut). Then the whole audience starts laughing and he just does it again with a little twist. My point is that he kind of carried it out. If you have not seen Bill Malone perform, then look him up on YouTube. Just type in Bill Malone and watch some of his videos. What I am saying is when you are performing involve the audience, do some casual talking, and maybe throw in some jokes. I am not telling you to be just like Bill Malone, but just watch what he is doing and how the audience is reacting. Watch how he is involving the audience, making some jokes, and doing casual talking. If you look at many successful magicians today, that is what they are doing. Bill Malone really stands out in my mind though.
If I haven’t said it enough though here are some tips
1. Involve the audience
2. Do some casual talking
3. Throw in a few jokes or do something to really make the audience interested
I hope this essay will help you in your magic and performances, best of luck!!!!
-Hunter
