Discovering your real character

[Harsh007]

Hi everyone,
this is my first post on t11
I am into magic since 3 years. I dont usually perform much and spend most of the time practicing. Today I had few guests and I entertained 2 kids (about 13 years old) with tricks from RRTCM which were pretty mediocre.... still they freaked out. For the first time I enjoyed a LOT performing. I noticed that I was a completely different person while performing. I was completely free and making jokes. I am usually a shy, serious guy, but today while performing it came out naturally from within.
I just wanted to know that how do you all find your original style/character that suits you?
Any tips and suggestions are welcomed
(Sorry for my bad english)

 

[nothingmuch]

I think you have exactly the right idea. You really just need to perform and see what comes naturally, if you pretend to be someone else, the audience will pick up on that. Just think about the effects you like to perform, and the person who you are, and make it work. Whether you portray yourself as funny, serious, mysterious, confident, silent, or whatever else, if it's what comes naturally to you, then that's who you should be!

 

[Harsh007]

Thanks AG.

 

[obrienmagic]

I think you have exactly the right idea. You really just need to perform and see what comes naturally, if you pretend to be someone else, the audience will pick up on that. Just think about the effects you like to perform, and the person who you are, and make it work. Whether you portray yourself as funny, serious, mysterious, confident, silent, or whatever else, if it's what comes naturally to you, then that's who you should be!

A second this!

Your character should be an extension of yourself and whatever you feel makes you most comfortable. DO NOT try to imitate another performer's character because you will more than likely not be able to portray them the same way and the audience will definitely notice...

 

[RealityOne]

It is, as Amber said, a process of finding your character through performing. My performance character is very different then my everyday personality. I'm typically reserved and serious (which works well for being an attorney). In performing, I'm larger than life with a very dry sense of humor (half of which is funny because of the sense of humor and half of which is funny because it really isn't funny but I intend it to be). I play to my strengths which are story telling, the ability to present a script as being extemporaneous and my ability to engage the audience. There is something about performing that frees you to be the person you see yourself as. Embrace that.