Hey guys, here we go again. I was at work today and started to day dream and was wondering if I could go to any shows. What would they be? I would enjoy going to see David Copperfield, Lance Burton, Penn & Teller, Maybe the Criss Angel Cirque Du Solei. But that's not what this thread is about. So, later that day my dad picked me up from ork and I remembered that he had been out to Vegas on two different occasions. So I asked:
"Hey dad, when you went out to Vegas those times, did you see any shows."
"Um...yeah. I saw a comedian and an improv comedy show at some theater place."
"Any magic shows?"
"no."
"Why. You never wanted to see them or was it too expensive?"
After this happened my dad told me one of the strangest things I"ve ever heard, and it really got me thinking about Stage Magic vs. Street Magic. It is just such a controversial subject, but hey a little debate never hurts, so here was the reason my dad gave me:
"Well, no, they were expensive, but not too bad. It's just...Well, I can't get into that big stage stuff. I like the more up close, done at random stuff. You know? Like that David somethin' guy or that guy who wears all the Affliction shirts. Street entertainers, that's what I like. You know? It just makes it seem more magical."
So I got home and I started to think really hard about that, and soon I had a clear understanding of what he was saying, and I soon started to agree with him. He was right. When you get down to the guts of it, Stage stuf seems to be more showy and not too magical. but this, off-the-cuff magic, seems astonishing. Now, after a lot of thought today, I figured I would right my thoughts down, and let people see what I am thinking.
So here it is... I've already bored you so I'll make it quick... Well, think about it. There is no dubt about it. Pen & Tell, Burton, Seifried & Roy, and Copperfield are all very talented magicians, who have gotten very famous, and are extrordinary illusionists. But, could it be that the only people go to see them is because they lik,e magic, and are more famous, than say I guy who works outside a hotel for tips. Of course!!!
Now, when you go to a large theater type place, you are going into it knowing that everything has been rehearsed, and coreographed, etc. You know that everthing is in fact a trick and it has been all set up months or even years before hand. Now, when you know this, sure you still have fun and are amazed at the show. But you are asking yourself: "Wow! I wonder how he did that?" But what the ultimate goal is is to have the spectators go: "That couldn't of happened. Did I just see a miracle?"
However, what if you are walking down the street and a man walks up to you and says, "I want to show you something." , and he grabs a crushed soda can off of the side of the road. He then shakes it until it restores to the shape of a simple can. He then shows the top to be open, and then seals it. To make it better he opens it and pulls out a full can of soda. (Being Magicians, we wouldn't be amazed.) But if you were a layman, you might go: "What the hell. He just did a miracle. That could've been any soda can."
In reality it couldn't be any soda can, but to them it just blends into the suroundings and makes them think that you simply did something that was plain out of the ordinary. As far as they are concerned you were NOT set up, even though you realy were, but when you go and see a Stage Show ou know that everything is set up. But all the magic that's off the cuff is great, because it takes people off gaurd, and makes them break away from reality for a second or two. I believe that in a Stage show, that doesn't happen. You might not expect what happens, but you know that it was all rehearsed before, and the set was designed. But when a strabger approaches you and makes a credit card dissapear, or makes a cigarette dissapear, or restores a can, or even just makes your card vanish from the deck. That seems like, it just happened.
I am curious to see how many people understand what I'm saying. And I want to here replies. So please post. And if you need clarification, just ask and I'll be more specific.
"Hey dad, when you went out to Vegas those times, did you see any shows."
"Um...yeah. I saw a comedian and an improv comedy show at some theater place."
"Any magic shows?"
"no."
"Why. You never wanted to see them or was it too expensive?"
After this happened my dad told me one of the strangest things I"ve ever heard, and it really got me thinking about Stage Magic vs. Street Magic. It is just such a controversial subject, but hey a little debate never hurts, so here was the reason my dad gave me:
"Well, no, they were expensive, but not too bad. It's just...Well, I can't get into that big stage stuff. I like the more up close, done at random stuff. You know? Like that David somethin' guy or that guy who wears all the Affliction shirts. Street entertainers, that's what I like. You know? It just makes it seem more magical."
So I got home and I started to think really hard about that, and soon I had a clear understanding of what he was saying, and I soon started to agree with him. He was right. When you get down to the guts of it, Stage stuf seems to be more showy and not too magical. but this, off-the-cuff magic, seems astonishing. Now, after a lot of thought today, I figured I would right my thoughts down, and let people see what I am thinking.
So here it is... I've already bored you so I'll make it quick... Well, think about it. There is no dubt about it. Pen & Tell, Burton, Seifried & Roy, and Copperfield are all very talented magicians, who have gotten very famous, and are extrordinary illusionists. But, could it be that the only people go to see them is because they lik,e magic, and are more famous, than say I guy who works outside a hotel for tips. Of course!!!
Now, when you go to a large theater type place, you are going into it knowing that everything has been rehearsed, and coreographed, etc. You know that everthing is in fact a trick and it has been all set up months or even years before hand. Now, when you know this, sure you still have fun and are amazed at the show. But you are asking yourself: "Wow! I wonder how he did that?" But what the ultimate goal is is to have the spectators go: "That couldn't of happened. Did I just see a miracle?"
However, what if you are walking down the street and a man walks up to you and says, "I want to show you something." , and he grabs a crushed soda can off of the side of the road. He then shakes it until it restores to the shape of a simple can. He then shows the top to be open, and then seals it. To make it better he opens it and pulls out a full can of soda. (Being Magicians, we wouldn't be amazed.) But if you were a layman, you might go: "What the hell. He just did a miracle. That could've been any soda can."
In reality it couldn't be any soda can, but to them it just blends into the suroundings and makes them think that you simply did something that was plain out of the ordinary. As far as they are concerned you were NOT set up, even though you realy were, but when you go and see a Stage Show ou know that everything is set up. But all the magic that's off the cuff is great, because it takes people off gaurd, and makes them break away from reality for a second or two. I believe that in a Stage show, that doesn't happen. You might not expect what happens, but you know that it was all rehearsed before, and the set was designed. But when a strabger approaches you and makes a credit card dissapear, or makes a cigarette dissapear, or restores a can, or even just makes your card vanish from the deck. That seems like, it just happened.
I am curious to see how many people understand what I'm saying. And I want to here replies. So please post. And if you need clarification, just ask and I'll be more specific.