"Over" Reactions

[sky_lark]

Hi there folks.

Recently (the past two days) I've been showing tricks like stigmata, svengali, and other self-working tricks.

I've always been looking forward to big reactions and I've never been satisfied with my reactions. Well, I showed a trick to one guy (can't remember the trick) on Wednesday and he went wild. In other words, he shouted things like "Woah!" "This person's amazing!" and so on so forth. It riled up everybody, and they were suddenly all trying to see my tricks.

The point is, today and yesterday they've been going a little overboard. Screaming and shouting for instance. That's a good thing but in a place where it's generally low level quiet it's not.

They keep crowding me, begging to be my volunteer, telling me to show my tricks to the boss, and all. Today I used up all my main, comfortable tricks showing to them.

My point is, I'm not ready for this type of thing. I'm not experienced at all, and it's making me feel a little uncomfortable. And to make my day, there's that one (actually, more like two) person who has to say it's a trick deck, it's a trick deck, you're cheating, I know how it's done. Luckily the the people I perform to just shrug him off, but I'm worried about what could happen...

Any suggestions? Help? On monday or tuesday, when it was the time period of playing War! card games, a guy I barely knew came up to me and hugged me (I was late and he really wanted to play) and said I love you in a happy way, not really in love, but still weird.

Thanks. Please submit your thoughts before I go to bed (three hours or so), because I really would like to avoid that person hugging me again.

- sky_lark

 

[MitchellStafiej]

Definitely, DON'T learn a new trick and try to perform it the first day after receiving it. It doesn't hurt to decline a performance, tell them that you are busy until you're comfortable performing more for them.

YOU'RE the magician, that puts YOU in charge, not the spectators.

Mitchell

 

[Keeper]

I don't have the chops to perform yet, so haven't been in the position. But here are my thoguhts....

Hold back your tricks. Only perform a few. If it cause a raucous you're not ready for, come up with an out - just as you would develope patter for a performance. Tell them that's all you've got for today, come back tomorrow and you'll do some more or something. If you're diggin' the vibe, but the environment is wrong, tell them you need to go outside to perform a certain trick and then then relocate. You'll have to develope patter for a trick to accomodate this, but it's an idea.

As for the man love... you're on your own bro

 

[thehumanbomb]

If the guy is hugging you, it may be because he thinks your reaction to the hug is funny. I know cause my friends do it all the time. Just laugh it off.

And maybe if everyone wants to see a trick, if you have a good one, why not wait until someone asks? Even though, as said previously, you the magician is in charge, you would get better reactions if they want to see the magic, and obviously if they ask you to perform, they want to see something.
Just a thought.

 

[emmanuel_1]

Well i get that all the time...a girl once threw.....a shoe at me calling me the devil after I did a simple transpo trick. the best advice I can give you, is that if at any time you feel uncomfortable with the audience, stop. They will beg and beg, and finally calm down just to see some more. Or if your the wild type.....start yelling with them.

The hardest part might be getting away from the crowds when you want to leave, I tend to try to leave peacefully....if i cant, i have them select a card....and i walk away. If they ask you anything say....na...i got a bunch more., oh and for the trick deck problem, learn a good deck switch. When performing to large crowds i find communication with all is important, if you feel someone is about to yell some exposure, involve them, make them forget. Or just look at them, smile and say something like right you are, and continue.

 

[Cardmagic12345]

-__- I'm not white enough for stigmata.

 

[The Dark Angel]

-__- I'm not white enough for stigmata.

You can perform Stigmata if you're African American.

 

[clllllust]

-__- I'm not white enough for stigmata.

I'm sorry but, I found that incredibly funny lol. Not that I'm a racist but that smiley and I keep imagining how you said it. Wow, thanks for that.

As for your issue I think Mitchell hit it bang on. Your in charge, if they can't respect you, then you don't have to show them anything. Stay calm, cool, and collected and just simply state you don't feel like performing.

As for the guy hugging you, I'm not touching that one with a 50 foot poll.

-RA69

 

[sky_lark]

If the guy is hugging you, it may be because he thinks your reaction to the hug is funny. I know cause my friends do it all the time. Just laugh it off.

And maybe if everyone wants to see a trick, if you have a good one, why not wait until someone asks? Even though, as said previously, you the magician is in charge, you would get better reactions if they want to see the magic, and obviously if they ask you to perform, they want to see something.
Just a thought.

They ask before I even get in the door.

Yeah, I should practice and not immediately show a trick.

I've scrounged up a couple to get me to the weekend, then I'll pull out the dusty Distortion, Super Sharpie, and Stripper deck and see what I can do.

Thanks so far, keep 'em coming!

 

[Keeper]

The hardest part might be getting away from the crowds when you want to leave, I tend to try to leave peacefully....if i cant, i have them select a card....and i walk away. If they ask you anything say....na...i got a bunch more., oh and for the trick deck problem, learn a good deck switch. When performing to large crowds i find communication with all is important, if you feel someone is about to yell some exposure, involve them, make them forget. Or just look at them, smile and say something like right you are, and continue.

I love this post! You crack me up Emmanuel... I'll have to remember that when I'm ready to perform. Pick a card and roll out... trick done, exit stage left. LOL. Actually, what if you controlled a really cool gaf card, or for the working magi, a card with your contact info on it. Force that card and tell them not to look at it. Then somehow work your way out of the performance an leave. When they look at that card, wondering the heck you're up to (why'd you leave) they'll have a cool card to remember you by.

Your ideas about addressing the heckler are pretty good too. It's direct and souds like it'd completely squash the party pooper.

You should definately not run through your entire repertoire of tricks each time. It'll get old to your viewers and they are more likely to catch you. If you routine a 3-4 tricks or so; have 2-3 routines you've got solid and then stretch them out over a period of time. Let people see something different whenyou perform. Even if yo use the same sleights for differnet effects, when you have complete different routines which incorporate those slieghts, the performance will be totally different and to the spectator, well - they'll be amazed at the vastness of your skills.