Here is an exchange I had with Daniel Madison recently about the very same thing.
me:We don't know each other personally but I am a fan of your work. I just spent three hours in what was essentially an exercise in rejection. If you're working a gig (at a pub as I just was) and the people just aren't having it how do you get them interested? To say the least their apathy was rather depressing. I have been performing magic for a while now and I make my living as a stage actor so rejection is something I am familiar and comfortable with (auditions and such) but this was different. There just seemed to be a complete disinterest in magic all together. For the most part they wouldn't even give it a chance. What do you do when they just don't care? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers,
-matt
Daniel:This is something that every magician should experience, it's times like these that teach us the most about our art, these times shape our act and teach us to adapt. Magic is generally condescending, it does not invite one to suspend their beliefs, it expects them, and this is how the avoidance begins for most people. Through performing magic for people I learnt how harsh an act it is when judged for what it is, no matter how many of us try to change the general image by making it cool and hip, it will always be 'magic.' Since I dropped the 'magician' title, I've had so many good experiences, connections and friendships. The art of sleight of hand does not deny or try to disguise itself, it is dishonestly honest and holds a light up to its own deception, in stead of hiding the deception behind claims of mystical and unearthly powers as magic does. Claiming that a card mystically jumps back to the top of the deck asks for belief... claiming that the card arrived by deftness is a very subtle admission of skill and deserves more attention. My views now are that we should showcase our skills and how we get from a to z, and not just show a, then z.
Hope this offers a little thought on the situation you found yourself in, and thank you for reminding me of such experiences I dealt with which helped form my ways.
D
Cheers!