Fool Us. should we?

[chriswiehl]

I just watched Penn and Tellers Fool Us special. At the beginning, Penn says that we get into magic to be fooled. Do you think that people want to be fooled? As a magician I feel like fooling the audience is one thing, but instilling a feeling of wonder is even more important. What do you think the best way to do this is?
For me I feel that it has something to do with the rapport building in the beginning, you want to let them know that you are not challenging them, but trying to interact with them and show them something you have been working on and that it is an art.
Musicians don’t try to challenge their audience to figure out how they play, or painters to challenge others to paint as well. Why should we try to make the audience figure out how we do something.

 

[ChrisWiens]

I totally agree. That´s the reason I don´t like Slydini. He often challenged the spectator/assistant to find out how something worked, and sometimes he made somebody even look like a fool.
Watch his video where he does the Helicopter Card. You can see and feel how uncomfortable the spectator was.
That´s not my perception of magic, but each to their own.

 

[Jack]

Read the introduction to the Art of Astonishment by Paul Harris. He seems to hit on what you're trying to achieve rather eloquently.

I am currently at the point in my journey where I find that "Magic" can be very condescending to an adult audience. It demands that they suspend their belief rather than inviting them to use their imaginations. I tell them what I do are tricks or illusions and that I need to borrow their imaginations for it to work. Immediately it makes them part of the wonder. I let them know I can't do it without them. This puts me on their level rather than above them and makes the event a moment that we share. You can't perform without an audience. Other than that it's just practice or masturbation. Don't forget to make your spectators important. If they feel important they won't care if you are "tricking" them in fact, they will generally beg for more.

Cheers.

 

[Austin Fields]

I agree with you Chris. It's a difficult thing with magic, because people see it as a puzzle. They know it's not real magic, so they watch to try and figure it out. You're right that it's all about how your relationship is with the audience in order for them to not see it as a trick or a puzzle, but as an art. Paintings don't need patter to be considered as art, but magic isn't so easy.

 

[RickEverhart]

People may have the desire to be fooled, but that does not give us the right to make them look like "fool".
I think of it more along the lines of entertainment and allowing them to enjoy the wonder and awe. Let the audience get caught up in the moment and they will respect you because of the rapport and interaction you've had with them throughout the performance.

 

[redwulfe]

I agree, I think that building rapport is the most important part of the exposition of a trick or set. this reminds me of a bit of theory I learned a while back. At the end of any effect the audience after they have rewound the effect in their head and played it back will make a decision on whether they are fooled or not. At least that is how it was explained to me. At first I didn't agree with this, but as I continued to delve into more theory it wasn't whether they where fooled or not it was whether they were going to allow themselves to be fooled. This is based on whether they like you or if you have a good rapport with them. If you build a good rapport and let the audience know that it is OK to be baffled by the mystery that you have shown them then they will allow themselves to be fooled and enjoy it. If you do not build that rapport or challenge the audience then they will not allow themselves to be fooled and will seek out the answer any way they can.

Red