Performing problem

[Jebzy]

I need advice.

My problem is that I can't close the trick or presentation.
Example: I have learnt one or two new card tricks, and I want to test it to my friends. Then I show them the tricks, they are amazed, but they are always asking for more. They say one more, one more... then I show something very quick, but they still want more and that happens every time. So I don't want to show them anymore.

Long time ago someone gave me this line - "I am not trained monkey, but if you will give me a banana I will show you something" or something like that, but it doesn't work, they still ask for something, I have tried to say that my magic powder are empty, but they still ask.
Please tell me how to close the trick. How I can show just one trick? Maybe some lines or things that you use in this situation.


Thanks.

-Jebzy

 

[RickEverhart]

Here's your advice. What you do with it is up to you. Stop performing for your friends and perform for strangers. Your friends are always going to keep asking for more where as a stranger will allow you to entertain them and be thankful for the two or three effects you are going to share with them. Your friends ARE going to treat you like the trained monkey to keep doing more and more. You need to be the one in control and stop. I do not perform for family or friends anymore. Why keep buying and learning a zillion things to entertain the SAME audience? Do the things you do and do them well for different audiences. This is how you will truly learn and master your set. I hope this helps even though it is probably the answer you weren't hoping to hear.

 

[CaseyRudd]

Rick is right on the money. Your friends will hassle you to keep showing them stuff because they are your friends and they feel that they are entitled to seeing more magic. It's a natural thing. Rick is also right when he says the strangers wont hassle you as much. After performing for a LOT of strangers while busking, none of them hassled me to show them more. I showed them one or two tricks at most and then went on my way. I was trapped in the magic-for-friends category for a while until I finally told myself to not do it again. It became annoying for me and I see that it's starting to annoy you too. Do whatever you want to do, and don't let others choose your actions for you.

-Casey

 

[Luis Vega]

I need advice.


Long time ago someone gave me this line - "I am not trained monkey, but if you will give me a banana I will show you something" or something like that, but it doesn't work, they still ask for something, I have tried to say that my magic powder are empty, but they still ask.

Of course that wouldn´t work..that the stup*dest line I ever heard to stop perfoming..what would have done if they actually gave you a banana?

You need to grow some guts and say NO..and that´s it... you are to worried that they won´t like you if you stop performing... it happened to a lot of us, but when that happened to me I just say..."Hey, only the first one is free!!" but It they kept asking and bothering me I just say NO... and that´s all...

 

[Jeremy Hanrahan]

I agree, if your effects fly with your friends you are ready for the real world! I personally have 3 sets of 4 effects. Depending on the spectators I may show 1 set or all 3. Also have more then you expect to show, that way your spectators will think you are a magical machine lol.

J

 

[TeeDee]

The simplest thing to do is to use a classic technique called "speaking" (I don't know who to credit with this, probably Marlo). The way it works is as follows. You want to convey the idea that you don't want to perform any more tricks, so say words (using your brain, vocal chords, tongue and mouth-orifice) that mean "I don't want to perform any more tricks", then (and this is the clincher) don't perform any more tricks.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Those pieces of advice are accurate, but they won't work so well for everyone. Personally, my personality doesn't jive with a hard-edge 'no'. It brings the social interaction to an awkward close which makes me uncomfortable.

Here's what I do. I structure my routines so that the 'last' trick is always one that finalizes the magic. My ACR involves vanishing the deck except for the chosen card. If I do coin work, it vanishes at the end and is gone. Everything feels natural to finish right there and not do any more, because I purposely structure it that way.

That's my advice to you. Look at what you're doing Structure your routines and your patter so that you have 'finisher' tricks which clearly end your performance. Afterward, you have the ability to say, "I can't, it's gone" or whatever. When I do card work, I perform whatever I want to perform, then do my ACR and the deck is gone. Obviously I can't perform any more - the prop is gone. In the even that I actually want to perform more, I can take their card back and make the deck reappear.

 

[Craig Browning]

I love Christopher's solution in that it is both, artistic as well as professional. At the same time I think the idea of performing for total strangers is applicable for the reasons given.

How do you stop your friends from wanting more?

The solutions are generally negative so I wouldn't go there. Be grateful for their support and know that it will be through them that word of mouth will initially get spread. Do some fun bits for them from time to time in the spirit of joking around, but keep it simple.

I knew of a guy . . . a decent card-man who would end his routine with an assembling Ace type routine but when the last card was to pass and he made the reveal, all the cards had changed so as to read THIS IS THE END. . . the color change blew their minds, was an excellent finale and a classy way of ending his demonstration. It's also the kind of thinking that will get you out of the situations you are talking about.

 

[spade57]

i stopped showing magic to friends i show them flourishes they will never stop asking for more and more tricks go to cafe show strangers

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

I totally glossed over the performing for strangers part.

I do also highly recommend that. I find that performing for strangers is actually easier than performing for friends. Mainly because strangers have no choice but to accept whatever claim you are making because they don't know you. To friends, you are acting. You're being a character that they have never seen you be before. Therefore it can be harder to really work it, because you'll feel that dichotomy. However, if I walk up to a stranger and tell them that I am something that seems reasonable, ie: "I'm a performer" or "I'm a hypnotist" or "I'm testing psychic abilities" or whatever, they kind of just have to accept that because they have no evidence to the contrary. Not only that, but it's much easier to assume and maintain control over strangers when it comes to audience management. They already have the preconceived social-norms to conform to, which friends will have been allowed to break on occasion. By that I mean touching props, challenging what you say, etc.

I usually will just test a new piece on my friends to make sure angles and mechanics are what I thought, then actually begin performing it for strangers.

 

[Jebzy]

Thanks for the answers, but actually you didn't get me right. I am preforming for strangers too.

I usually will just test a new piece on my friends to make sure angles and mechanics are what I thought, then actually begin performing it for strangers.

That's how I actually do, and I don't know how to end that new piece of magic.
But you gave me very good answers, I will definitely use it.

Thanks.