Don't Perform for Strangers

[Huruey]

My proposal in this thread might not be everyone's "style", but I thought I'd share my thoughts anyhow. Performing for strangers is difficult, and can sometimes be quite awkward, so in my opinion, its not worth doing.

Instead, when you intend to perform for people you have never met before, try breaking the stranger barrier before you begin the magic. Don't rush into your first trick, put a little more emphasis on getting to know your audience as people rather than as spectators. Once you have broken the mould, it's almost as easy as performing for your best friends, and in my opinion, that's how magic is made.

If you still suffer from nerves, or find yourself being 'heckled' a lot, maybe you might find this approach very useful to you. Stop challenging yourself to perform for strangers. It doesn't need to be a challenge.

Huruey

 

[kenlimmj]

Huruey I fully agree with you. I've done a bit of performing here and there to people I've never met before in my life and its really a lot easier when you know something more about them than the clothes they wear and the drink they're holding in their hands. I'll think of a total stranger as someone to which you walk right up to on the street and go poof: "Take a look, I'll place this card in the deck and watch what happens". When I was starting out I had a bit of a tendency to do that and there's quite a large chance they'll be thinking "Who the hell is this person and what is he trying to do?"

I actually like to walk up to the person and make a bit of small talk with them, like Huruey say, get to know them as people instead of spectators. Sometimes I'll introduce myself, sometimes I'll ask for their name if I find that they're quite amicable, sometimes I'll crack a few jokes here and there. This kind of relaxes the atmosphere, and when you are relaxed you perform better and when the audience is relaxed they're more appreciative. In certain cases when I know I'm performing for a tough audience I even use a bit of Mentalism talk prior to my card magic to pre-empt them.

 

[Dizzi]

in other words: Connect with them.

This is good apprach, and if you notcie, it is what the pro's do (Establishing a first name basis with the spectator and making physical contact)

 

[Jack]

I'll agree that breaking the ice is important however in some situations you might not have the luxury of chatting a whole lot before. How you approach people should be part of your routine and rehearsed just like you practice the tricks themselves. And it shouldn't take too long. Remeber... no matter what you are always a stranger when you start out.

How you approach people is very important. Think about your words and the impact that they have. I like to walk up to a group of people and ask them to "help" me with something. It's different from saying I want to "show" you something. When you say "help" it makes them a part of the magic immediately and they are much more likely to want to participate. You have made them feel important. When you say you want to "show" people something you have already separated them from the magic because you know something they don't. You're setting them up to be tricked. People will be much more likely to want to see more if you are entertaining them rather than tricking them.

Cheers!

 

[Huruey]

I'll agree that breaking the ice is important however in some situations you might not have the luxury of chatting a whole lot before. How you approach people should be part of your routine and rehearsed just like you practice the tricks themselves. And it shouldn't take too long. Remeber... no matter what you are always a stranger when you start out.

How you approach people is very important. Think about your words and the impact that they have. I like to walk up to a group of people and ask them to "help" me with something. It's different from saying I want to "show" you something. When you say "help" it makes them a part of the magic immediately and they are much more likely to want to participate. You have made them feel important. When you say you want to "show" people something you have already separated them from the magic because you know something they don't. You're setting them up to be tricked. People will be much more likely to want to see more if you are entertaining them rather than tricking them.

Cheers!

I don't think having a rehearsed way of approaching people is a good idea, unless your style and character really require it. I'd personally avoid any style or character that prevents me from being natural or real.

Huruey

 

[Steerpike]

I don't think having a rehearsed way of approaching people is a good idea, unless your style and character really require it. I'd personally avoid any style or character that prevents me from being natural or real.

I've encountered this argument before and I can't really say I fully agree with it.

We script our acts. At least, I would hope the intelligent among us do. What on earth is wrong with having a standard greeting?

And if it's something we came up with, how is that unnatural or not real?

 

[Huruey]

I've encountered this argument before and I can't really say I fully agree with it.

We script our acts. At least, I would hope the intelligent among us do. What on earth is wrong with having a standard greeting?

And if it's something we came up with, how is that unnatural or not real?

I think having a standard greeting is different to having a strictly scripted and rehearsed greeting.

Everyone is different, and by treating every audience you have in exactly the same way, from greetings to goodbyes, you lose that important personal touch.

I think that the way in which you approach people should be more something that you develop purely from real life experience, rather than something you rehearse.

Huruey

 

[Steerpike]

treating every audience you have in exactly the same way

Who here suggested any such thing?

 

[MitchellStafiej]

Too often do I see magicians just come up to the person and say "want to see a magic trick?" Honestly from experience, I have seen magicians do such a thing to me and it just turns me off. Spectators get weirded out and feel an invasion of privacy. You must break the ice with something besides the magic. Even just introducing yourself helps. It's better that the spectator's know who the magician is and what his plan is...

Mitch

 

[FOO:L]

Go up, ask if they want to see something cool. (always helps to have cards in hand or something) introduce yourself and ALWAYS ask their names. Do a round of hand shaking and then proceed with the trick. My couple of cents.

If you need advice on how to approach spectators with magic, and in the process, also connect with them, look up Waynes full performances. Watch how he approaches people.

 

[spades]

Yeah I fully agree with Hurrey and the majority of you. This can only improve a performance.
It's good just to talk to them throughtout anyway so that by the end of the performance you are a normal guy(or girl) who showed them some cool stuff. Who knows you might go away from it with a new friend.
-S♠

 

[Medifro]

I've encountered this argument before and I can't really say I fully agree with it.

We script our acts. At least, I would hope the intelligent among us do. What on earth is wrong with having a standard greeting?

And if it's something we came up with, how is that unnatural or not real?

I'm pretty sure Joe means improvisation when meeting up people, using his communication skills.

I don't see anything wrong with that, especially if your personal character allows you to. I do it all the time, especially in informal performances, as opposed to, say, table hopping, where planning out good approaches are key to get good connection.

In a side note, while scripting is important, we got to keep in mind that audience participation, which is a big feature in close up magic, demands the performer to go in and out, taking advantage of the situation ( working on with a joke said by a participant, doing a conversation and get to know them more, arising of an interesting subject, more elaboration on the theme of the effect .. etc )

Cheers,

 

[neco]

everyone is absolutly correct...
its never about us its always about the experience...

-neco