I think the difference here is between performing different tricks for the same people you know and performing the same effects for different audiences. When you perform different tricks for the same people, the “trick” becomes the point of the performance. Naked astonishment is enough and there really isn’t time or a need to embellish. However, when you perform the same tricks for different people, the point of the performance is different. The focus is on engaging the audience through a variety of techniques and emotions. Now, I agree (and I know that @WitchDocIsIn agrees) that most performers do not do this very well and a lot of the presentations are trite and hackneyed. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying to develop good presentations.
I’ve been thinking of how to perform the invisible deck with something more than say-do-see patter. Here is what I came up with:
People always ask me if I can predict the future. And I always tell them that I’m a magician and not a psychic. Most of the time, I don’t think they really get the difference. From the looks on most of your faces, I’m guessing that you don’t get it either. So let me show you.
Could you please come up here and help me out? Thank you. What is your name? [He responds “Jake”]. Well, thank you Jake for helping me. Do you have psychic powers? [He answers “No.”]. I actually knew you would say that. [Let the line fall]. To be honest, neither do I, but let’s try this anyway.
In a moment, I am going to try to read your mind. Don’t worry, I won’t be asking you to think of anything difficult. Instead, I’m going to ask you to think of a playing card. Can you do that now, think of a playing card? Got it? To ensure that I don’t cheat, not that I ever would, I’m going to take the card that I think you are thinking of and turn it over and then stick it in the middle of the deck. Don’t look. [Magician reverses the card.]. My prediction is locked in. Tell the audience what card you are thinking of? [Spectator says, “I’m thinking of the 9 of Hearts.”]. Let’s see how good a psychic I am. [Magician hands deck to spectator who spreads the deck showing one card reversed.] Ladies and gentlemen, the [Magician picks reversed card and turns it around triumphantly] the 2 of Spades. Well, that was close, [look at spectator expecting approval] wasn’t it? Seriously though, if I had real psychic abilities, I wouldn’t waste it on predicting a playing card, I’d be buying lottery tickets.
Fortunately, nobody came here tonight to see a psychic, but to see magic. Would you be so kind to stay up here with me and help me demonstrate some magic? [He says “Yes.”] We’re going to start the same way but we are going to do it in a way that is larger than life. [Spread deck of Jumbo cards toward the audience showing all cards face up]. It looks like they all are there. You are going think of a card. Actually, better yet, have the audience help you think of a card. Pick three people and have the first one name the color, the second one name the suit and the third name the value. Can you do that now? [Spectator asks three audience members to help him, and they jointly determine a card]. Imagine you are holding the card the audience has collectively thought of. Now turn the card face down and imagine putting in the middle of the deck I’m holding. [Magician pantomimes turning the card over and inserting into deck and indicates that spectator should do the same]. Perfect. And now for the magic. [Aside to spectator] Do you have a magic gesture to make the card you are thinking of actually reverse itself in the deck I’m holding? Because if you do, now would be a good time to use it. [Spectator does a magical gesture and magician looks on skeptically]. Perfect [Said as if you are certain it is anything but perfect]. Should we see how you did as a magician? [Magician spreads deck showing one card reversed face down]. Check this out, one card is reversed in the deck. What was the card you imagined reversing in the deck? [Spectator says 2 of Spades]. [Aside to spectator] What are the chances? [Pause for spectator’s reaction which will be equivocal and respond with. “Yeah, I’m guessing our chances aren’t that good either. [Saying as part of the aside], Nonetheless, [turning to audience in a louder voice] I’m not going to touch this. Jake, I want you to take that card, look at it and if [pause to show uncertainty] it is the 2 of Spades turn it around triumphantly and show it to the audience. [Spectator takes the card, looks at it, reacts and then shows it to the audience.]. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give our magician Jake a round of applause. [After applause ends] I knew he could do it. Wait, does that make me psychic?
The difference between the say-do-see patter and this presentation is what the audience remembers. With the say-do-see patter, the audience remembers “someone named a card, and it was reversed in the deck.” With this presentation, the audience remembers “the performer showed the difference between a psychic and a magician, when the magician was pretending to predict the card, he couldn’t and then when the spectator was playing the magician, he was able to have the thought-of card reverse itself in the deck.” The presentation adds a bit of humor, a bit of fun by-play and a good amount of context that explains the “why” behind the magic. It also goes with my style where magic happens because it has to, rather than magic happening because I know a secret. There are a lot of subtle touches here that build astonishment… the initial failure of the magician as a psychic, the spectator’s hesitancy at their abilities, and the magician’s doubt as to whether it will actually work. The audience is rooting for the spectator on stage . Also, there is some hidden magic. The presentation doesn’t’ make a big deal about how the card gets reversed in the deck and that will be a speed bump when the spectator remembers the effect (sort of a delayed astonishment).
Again, if you are performing casually for people, astonishment often is enough. If you are performing for groups, there needs to be astonishment but also context and other elements to increase interest.
I’m not taking Fitzke’s approach that magic isn’t strong enough to stand on its own (which has gotten us generations of sequined magicians and irrelevant dancing girls). Rather, I’m taking the position that strong presentations take strong magic to a higher level. Part of the problem with the Invisible Deck is that there isn’t enough substance to support a more serious presentation. Those effects are few and far between.
I’ve been thinking of how to perform the invisible deck with something more than say-do-see patter. Here is what I came up with:
People always ask me if I can predict the future. And I always tell them that I’m a magician and not a psychic. Most of the time, I don’t think they really get the difference. From the looks on most of your faces, I’m guessing that you don’t get it either. So let me show you.
Could you please come up here and help me out? Thank you. What is your name? [He responds “Jake”]. Well, thank you Jake for helping me. Do you have psychic powers? [He answers “No.”]. I actually knew you would say that. [Let the line fall]. To be honest, neither do I, but let’s try this anyway.
In a moment, I am going to try to read your mind. Don’t worry, I won’t be asking you to think of anything difficult. Instead, I’m going to ask you to think of a playing card. Can you do that now, think of a playing card? Got it? To ensure that I don’t cheat, not that I ever would, I’m going to take the card that I think you are thinking of and turn it over and then stick it in the middle of the deck. Don’t look. [Magician reverses the card.]. My prediction is locked in. Tell the audience what card you are thinking of? [Spectator says, “I’m thinking of the 9 of Hearts.”]. Let’s see how good a psychic I am. [Magician hands deck to spectator who spreads the deck showing one card reversed.] Ladies and gentlemen, the [Magician picks reversed card and turns it around triumphantly] the 2 of Spades. Well, that was close, [look at spectator expecting approval] wasn’t it? Seriously though, if I had real psychic abilities, I wouldn’t waste it on predicting a playing card, I’d be buying lottery tickets.
Fortunately, nobody came here tonight to see a psychic, but to see magic. Would you be so kind to stay up here with me and help me demonstrate some magic? [He says “Yes.”] We’re going to start the same way but we are going to do it in a way that is larger than life. [Spread deck of Jumbo cards toward the audience showing all cards face up]. It looks like they all are there. You are going think of a card. Actually, better yet, have the audience help you think of a card. Pick three people and have the first one name the color, the second one name the suit and the third name the value. Can you do that now? [Spectator asks three audience members to help him, and they jointly determine a card]. Imagine you are holding the card the audience has collectively thought of. Now turn the card face down and imagine putting in the middle of the deck I’m holding. [Magician pantomimes turning the card over and inserting into deck and indicates that spectator should do the same]. Perfect. And now for the magic. [Aside to spectator] Do you have a magic gesture to make the card you are thinking of actually reverse itself in the deck I’m holding? Because if you do, now would be a good time to use it. [Spectator does a magical gesture and magician looks on skeptically]. Perfect [Said as if you are certain it is anything but perfect]. Should we see how you did as a magician? [Magician spreads deck showing one card reversed face down]. Check this out, one card is reversed in the deck. What was the card you imagined reversing in the deck? [Spectator says 2 of Spades]. [Aside to spectator] What are the chances? [Pause for spectator’s reaction which will be equivocal and respond with. “Yeah, I’m guessing our chances aren’t that good either. [Saying as part of the aside], Nonetheless, [turning to audience in a louder voice] I’m not going to touch this. Jake, I want you to take that card, look at it and if [pause to show uncertainty] it is the 2 of Spades turn it around triumphantly and show it to the audience. [Spectator takes the card, looks at it, reacts and then shows it to the audience.]. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give our magician Jake a round of applause. [After applause ends] I knew he could do it. Wait, does that make me psychic?
The difference between the say-do-see patter and this presentation is what the audience remembers. With the say-do-see patter, the audience remembers “someone named a card, and it was reversed in the deck.” With this presentation, the audience remembers “the performer showed the difference between a psychic and a magician, when the magician was pretending to predict the card, he couldn’t and then when the spectator was playing the magician, he was able to have the thought-of card reverse itself in the deck.” The presentation adds a bit of humor, a bit of fun by-play and a good amount of context that explains the “why” behind the magic. It also goes with my style where magic happens because it has to, rather than magic happening because I know a secret. There are a lot of subtle touches here that build astonishment… the initial failure of the magician as a psychic, the spectator’s hesitancy at their abilities, and the magician’s doubt as to whether it will actually work. The audience is rooting for the spectator on stage . Also, there is some hidden magic. The presentation doesn’t’ make a big deal about how the card gets reversed in the deck and that will be a speed bump when the spectator remembers the effect (sort of a delayed astonishment).
Again, if you are performing casually for people, astonishment often is enough. If you are performing for groups, there needs to be astonishment but also context and other elements to increase interest.
I’m not taking Fitzke’s approach that magic isn’t strong enough to stand on its own (which has gotten us generations of sequined magicians and irrelevant dancing girls). Rather, I’m taking the position that strong presentations take strong magic to a higher level. Part of the problem with the Invisible Deck is that there isn’t enough substance to support a more serious presentation. Those effects are few and far between.
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