Improv

[AdamF]

I think the major issue that many people don't realize that improv is a skill that needs to be trained. They think when they get up in front of a crowd they'll just say whatever's on their mind. This is why so many of those performances are full of nothing, because suddenly the mind goes blank.

There's a huge difference between straight up improv, and being flexible in your presentation. Having a big ol' reservoir of one liners and such that you've honed over time and have developed the skill in using them, that's being flexible.

I most certainly do script my walk around and strolling performances. I know what I'm going to say for every trick. That doesn't mean I can't deviate from that script. But every time I do a certain trick, I'm going to say more or less the same thing. That kind of consistency is important for honing the effect of the trick. If you change more than one thing at a time, you don't know what's making your performance work or fail.

I agree with Christopher.
Although theater and magic share a lot in common, one major difference is that in magic you are directly interacting with your spectators. While scripting is extremely important and a useful tool, you need to be able to have a natural reaction to what your spectators are saying and respond accordingly. For example, if you are going to have a light conversation with friends you don't script every word beforehand.

 

[krab]

I agree with Christopher.
Although theater and magic share a lot in common, one major difference is that in magic you are directly interacting with your spectators. While scripting is extremely important and a useful tool, you need to be able to have a natural reaction to what your spectators are saying and respond accordingly. For example, if you are going to have a light conversation with friends you don't script every word beforehand.

That is why I keep a running list of one liners and responses. Leave nothing to chance but look like the reaction is off the cuff.

 

[AdamF]

That is why I keep a running list of one liners and responses. Leave nothing to chance but look like the reaction is off the cuff.

But no matter how many one liners you know, you are never going to have one for every situation.

 

[krab]

But no matter how many one liners you know, you are never going to have one for every situation.

I have been performing for people for close to 20 years and performing magic in general for 20 years. It was only in the first few years that I would get stumped. I didn't have the chops or the world experiance. Working five to seven gigs a week and co hosting a radio talk show for years honed those chops. I said it earlier. The real working pros. The guys who make a full time living busking. The guys working in the bars and restaurants every night. They might look like it is all off the cuff, but it is skills they earned and paid for with real world work.

So, I can say since about 1999, I have yet to run into an jam where I didn't have a prepared line or two. I work all the time. I keep notes on what works and what doesn't. Learned when to walk away from the rude table or a drunk party. You do these things and you will never run into something where you aren't prepared.

 

[krab]

Better yet, I'll tell you the last time I had nothing for a situation. It was Halloween 1999 and I was 20 years old. I was working a private party at a club. I did the comedy rope through body where a bra comes through with the ropes. Some people laughed but the guy on stage was beet red. I popped off, "We have all seen the pictures, this is a much better color for you than those other ones." Dead silence. Nothing. On of the other guys on stage pulled me to the side and asked who the hell had shown me the photo.

At this point I had nothing. I had never really had a guy who had been photographed in women's underwear and then have the photos leaked out by the jilted ex. I made a note that the line while funny in some groups is a bit childish and can back fire really quickly. I learned that night not to do anything that can put me in a spot like that again.

 

[blakehensley]

For the sake of exposition, I do have a theater background. Nowhere near as much training as some here, such as yourself, have had, but enough to at least know my ass from a hole in the ground.

That said, I use John Rhys-Davies as an example because the Lord of the Rings trilogy is huge, and people may be more inclined to listen to an actor from a movie they loved than a loudmouth narcissist like yours truly.

I'm not opposed to the ability to improvise. I am however opposed to this idea so many magicians take that they don't need to rehearse. Ever. I've seen videos where 90% of the stuff they said was some variation on, "Uhhh..." That's the point where a guy has to admit he has a problem. Being able to gracefully improvise off the cuff is difficult. It takes work. And that unfortunately is work that a lot of magicians think is beneath them. So instead they just make everything up as they go with no structure whatsoever. It's like watching children play, but without any charm or imagination.

I frequently hear the excuse that a rehearsed performance looks fake, but that's bull****. The whole point of good acting is that it's not supposed to look like acting.

Your points are extremely valid and I understand where you're coming from. You have a script that you pretty much go by for your performances, am I correct? I'm also assuming that you mostly do a more stand-up/stage act. If not, please correct me. I feel like when you have a bigger stage routine and you are performing for a larger audience, compared to a group of people on the street, you should have well thought out patter. I'm not saying that you shouldn't have any type of practiced routine and patter when you are performing for people on the street, I just think it can be toned down a bit. I don't think you should go out and try to do an ambitious card routine to a complete stranger with no patter at all. You do NOT and I repeat do NOT want to perform anything with this kind of patter, "Now pick a card. I'm going to place your card in the middle of the deck and give it a shuffle. Now I'm going to cut the deck. Now I'm going to try to find your card." I absolutely hate when somebody shows me a trick and they sit there and explain to me what they're doing. I can see what you're doing, I am not blind. That's only when I take my glasses and or contacts off. And if I'm in my dark padded room I can't see anything either. They only let me go out on Monday's.

Sorry, I'm getting off topic here, aren't I? Let's get back to it.

Like I said, your patter should not be you simply explaining what you are doing. But I can't say that I've never done a trick or even a few tricks with some random made up patter. But I have also taken 2 years of improv classes.

That's just me.

Blake

 

[krab]

Like I said, your patter should not be you simply explaining what you are doing. But I can't say that I've never done a trick or even a few tricks with some random made up patter. But I have also taken 2 years of improv classes.

That's just me.

Blake

One lesson I learned from a guy at Ohio State in an improve group is this. People who come to those shows always ask for the same five or six things over and over again. They pretty much know where they are going each night.

 

[AndrewJ]

My school encourages asking for things in ways that inspire new, odd answers and sometimes even being picky about not using the same answers repeatedly. Many of troupes openly complement the suggestion while saying "we've done that too recently." ie, we're doing you a favor.

Anyway, back on topic, it seems the real issue is putting in the work to be a performer.

That does mean some scripting. It means rehearsing some sort of performance style. It means practice and dedication to performing above and beyond doing tricks. Even I agree that "improv" only helps after study and can at best be an assistance.

I just hated to see the form take a beating without some defense of it.

 

[Steerpike]

Your points are extremely valid and I understand where you're coming from. You have a script that you pretty much go by for your performances, am I correct? I'm also assuming that you mostly do a more stand-up/stage act. If not, please correct me.

Not too far from the mark. I do script heavily, but if I think the opportunity and timing are right, I'll go off-script. Part of it is I'm confident in the persona I use when performing. I know exactly what sounds right and what sounds wrong coming from me. That focus makes it easier. Still challenging, but it does solve that initial problem of reducing anything/everything to something. I was primarily a close-up magician, but since I made the move to mentalism I find more flexibility.

Again to clarify, it's not improvisation itself I'm opposed to. It's improvisation as a shortcut. All improvisations are an experiment by nature. To assume they'll all work shows a profound lack of respect for your craft.

I just hated to see the form take a beating without some defense of it.

Understandable. Even when I don't intend to I can come across a little confrontational.

 

[blakehensley]

To assume they'll all work shows a profound lack of respect for your craft..

Now, I never once said that I thought all would work. I clearly stated that I believe that you should have some form of a routine and patter to go by. But to not use it sometimes is not a bad thing I don't think.