Gigs at a local museum...

[Rneogy]

I've been seeing people posting how their gigs went I thought, "Why not go through it?"

So yeah. It was at a museum, nothing big, but not small either... The museum was based on younger kids, ages ranging from 2-10... Their parents were there too, so it was fine by me...

11:45 - I arrive and set up my stuff. By the way, this is supposed to be a 45 minute show, starting at 12:00. The people at the museum show me the room. Everything's nice. I looked at it the day before, and I knew what to expect.

12:00 - People come in... The museum staff are a great help, and spread the word about the show... Many many people are coming in.

12:00-12:45 - The show... Here's my lineup:

Appearing wand / D'lite routine
What's Next?
Vanishing Silk (thumbtip)
Extreme Burn
Turncoat Prediction
An ACR of mine
This n' That (though it's very easy to just search online and figure out, people love it, so I perform it...)
PK Touch
Tarantula (levitating ring)
Linking Ring Routine


So the show goes great... Everyone loves it... I had some trouble with the Tarantula, but I don't think anyone noticed... Since it was a science museum, I used my D'lites routine about energy. (you can see it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXumxuwyM14 )

Unfortunately, a kid was standing on a chair for a part of the show right in front of the camera, and later, the camera itself turned off mysteriously with full battery. So I won't be able to post this... Btw, the room itself wasn't too big... About the size of a small classroom (not college).

One thing I learned about this is that 45 minutes was too long. With the young kids, they couldn't stay put for too long. The reason wasn't actually of their natural behavior, but the problem was that most of the people who watched the show were just visiting the museum and heard about the magic show while they were there. I believe that if the magic show was more "set in their plan," they wouldn't leave. Do you guys agree? It was funny because people left in small waves. After 10 minutes, 2 families left. Then another 10 minutes passed, and more left. It was fine, though, as there were at least more than 5 families still watching at the end of the show. People really enjoyed it. So yeah, first question. Do you guys think that if the magic show was more "scheduled," they wouldn't leave halfway. I know for a fact that it wasn't because of my magic, as they were enjoying it a lot. I guess the little kids just couldn't stay for that long?

Second question, and this kinda bothers me... It might sound a little newby, but I never understood this too much. How do you end a show? I know it's supposed to end with something strong... But whenever I see videos of good live performances, the magician doesn't even need to say that the performance is over. The audience just somehow knows... Can someone please explain this to me?

Thanks,
Rupayan

 

[BlueSpade1000]

WHAT!!!!!!! you live in Massachusetts. I live in Boston!!! and I go to the science museum all the time. Where in Boston do you live. Would it be possible to meet up with you I'm 15. I only Do Card Magic and I do cardistry/flourishing.

 

[Aaron.Williams]

\

One thing I learned about this is that 45 minutes was too long. With the young kids, they couldn't stay put for too long. The reason wasn't actually of their natural behavior, but the problem was that most of the people who watched the show were just visiting the museum and heard about the magic show while they were there. I believe that if the magic show was more "set in their plan," they wouldn't leave. Do you guys agree? It was funny because people left in small waves. After 10 minutes, 2 families left. Then another 10 minutes passed, and more left. It was fine, though, as there were at least more than 5 families still watching at the end of the show. People really enjoyed it. So yeah, first question. Do you guys think that if the magic show was more "scheduled," they wouldn't leave halfway. I know for a fact that it wasn't because of my magic, as they were enjoying it a lot. I guess the little kids just couldn't stay for that long?

Second question, and this kinda bothers me... It might sound a little newby, but I never understood this too much. How do you end a show? I know it's supposed to end with something strong... But whenever I see videos of good live performances, the magician doesn't even need to say that the performance is over. The audience just somehow knows... Can someone please explain this to me?

Thanks,
Rupayan

Well first of all, for kids aged 2-10, 45 minutes is WAY too long. You'll be lucky to have everyones attention for about 15 minutes. So when you're performing for that age group, cut it down to about 10-15 min.

To end a show, I would say that I'm about to do my last trick and then at the end, I would say, "Thanks! You've been a great audience, etc." For the rare amount of kids shows I do for a birthday party, I would ask the parent ahead of time to put a different colored crayon in the gift bags and put them under the chairs or something and then do the magic coloring book trick.

Hope I was helpful.

 

[redwulfe]

I watched your video and I will try to be as helpful as i can with my comments, as that is what I think you where looking for.

Technique:
I think your technique is good you seemed a bit nervous but overall your technique was good. I liked your handling with the D'Light Your second trick was a card one and though I knew the cut you used, you covered it well and was mindful of your angles as you should be. The third trick I saw was the manipulation and though it was not a full blown manipulation act your technique on the sleight you did do was well performed.
Now for the bad. I think you did not seem, or at least to me, comfortable enough with your props. They seemed to be handled as props instead of something you where just casually showing to the audience. What I mean by this is easy to see in your video re-watch it and pay close attention to the way you pulled the D'Light through your shirt. The way you handled the light up to that point was like a prop but then suddenly it was magic. You relaxed and it became something that was not a prop, it was a phenomenon. In that moment you where actually holding energy and not a D'light. Please re-watch and look at everything you do don't take my word on it see if you think it is true.

Selection:
I think you choose some very good effects to show but the one thing that I felt was lacking was a connection of those effects and I also feel that the order of the effects is important to. This unfortunately is a skill that comes with time. But their is a cheat so to speak. Treat each effect as if it was part of a greater story. in a story you have the exposition where you introduce yourself and what is about to happen over the course of the story. You did this with the wand and D'light. You said poof, sorry couldn't resits I am in theatre , I'm a magician and this proves it as I have a wand and it appeared form nowhere. Then you went on to talk about energy which is the theme of my show as you can see I can do amazing things by manipulating the energy I can cause my thumbs to glow... and so on. Honestly I would stick closer to your patter. After the exposition you have a raise conflict, things start to get harder and increase in amazement. Energy in the form of light traveling to your eyes can be bent to make you think you see the same card appear over and over on top of this deck, or to make you think you see $100 bills out of these $1 bills, it can also be bent around objects to make them seem to vanish like this card I am waving slowly in the air. Basically you slowly add dramatic tension as you do more incredible feats, at which point you hit the climax where everything is on the line. Will the magician fail? Well, he is our hero so I hope not. I will attempt to cause the metal in these ring to seeming fuse together, melding into one another seamlessly as the metal turn form solid to gas and back to solid right before your very eyes. Oops now I can't get them apart. After this you have the falling action and denouement (resolution). Thank you as you leave this room know that the forces of the universe are back on track. It is here that you may do a closing effect to rap up and give your final patter that lets everyone know that the show is over. People are accustomed to this and this may be why they know when a show is over or not.

Presentation
I think you had a lot of good ideas, the energy idea was well thought of and you seemed to be trying to build a rapport with your audience but you seemed a bit unnatural. You where a presenter rather than a magician at this point. The groundwork is their the foundation is laid I can see that in your style. You are on your way to becoming a great performer, but it does take time. Keep up the good work. Always take any advice you can get with a grain of salt even mine or someone famous'. Look at it, absorb it and test it to see if it is true before you just flat out accept it.

Tips:
Take everything you did and write each trick out, line by line action by action. You will see your performance in a whole new light if you do. You will be able to look at it and analyze it and cut and trim it into something great. Like I said you have the groundwork already done. After you do this I would look at making the whole of your performance into a streamlined routine. Choose what is going to be the climax what will be your exposition and so forth. Write your patter to fit. Make sure the patter is also comfortable to you add some stories about how you learned magic and so forth this is where the rapport comes in and it will become more comfortable because it is your story as you tell it. It doesn't have to be 100% true just enough that you fell comfortable with it and can say it naturally. Make the whole thing into a 30 minute performance. then practice the routine from beginning to end till you have it down and record yourself doing it to look for things we've talked about. In the mean time continue to perform bits of your routine for people adding in the new patter and see how they play. There maybe some adjustment needed.

all in all you are on the right track and doing good.
Red

 

[Rneogy]

Thanks everyone for the advice... Lol especially Redwulfe for that huge essay that you wrote... I was just wondering though... It seems to me as you want me to go through my entire show sticking to the theme of the energy... I just kind of find this a little too extended. I mean, I've never seen a magic show with every trick always coming back to the same thing... Of course, this would be perfect for a routine, but an entire 30 minutes on how magic is me manipulating energy? I definitely like the idea of the continuing idea, but if I made my show all about that idea, wouldn't it make the audience a little... I don't know, bored? I know this sounds a little weird, but still... I like the idea, but find it not so appealing at the same time. Maybe a section of my show on that idea would be better.

I guess it would be fine, as I could just start off with the D'lites, doing that energy routine, and continue with effects, patter being whatever I want it to be, but in the end, returning to the original idea of energy.

Anyways, after that little rant, I want to say thank you for all the advice... Any more would be greatly appreciated.

Rupayan

 

[RikAllen]

Thanks everyone for the advice... Lol especially Redwulfe for that huge essay that you wrote... I was just wondering though... It seems to me as you want me to go through my entire show sticking to the theme of the energy... I just kind of find this a little too extended. I mean, I've never seen a magic show with every trick always coming back to the same thing... Of course, this would be perfect for a routine, but an entire 30 minutes on how magic is me manipulating energy? I definitely like the idea of the continuing idea, but if I made my show all about that idea, wouldn't it make the audience a little... I don't know, bored?

Depends on how you present each new idea about energy. Energy comes in many different forms (food, light, motion...etc) and each effect can be a different idea. If you wanted to expand the idea you could go with energy and matter, the differences and how they co-exist. Gamblers do entire shows around the theme of gambling, they just show different aspects of a cheaters arsenal.

Maybe you could take physics as a whole and create a show defying the laws and theories of physics. Zombie ball could be a counter action of gravity or the linking rings could be solid through solid without destroying either ring...the ideas are limitless.

Just an idea, Red has a lot of good advice, I think two more things should be added.

Slow down. You're not as far off as some people, but you're not where you need to be, just slow down a touch when giving instructions or talking in general. If you feel like you're going too slow, then you're probably where you need to be. Your audience has never heard your script before, even if you recite it 1000 times the week leading up to the show, they still haven't heard it-so make sure they can absorb it.

The other is to be more clear when you speak. This is actually two ideas, Slowing down will help with your articulation, making it easier to follow and then word things so that you don't have to repeat yourself. Some times people don't pay attention, that's a different problem all together, but at the same time if you're giving crystal clear instructions then it won't take more than one time for someone to understand.

You did well, and the fact that you had a show and are out performing is amazing in and of itself. Keep up the good work man!