Your Performance Persona

[Big_Hoos]

So we all know the old saw horse (straw man?): all these young magicians are just Blaine xeroxes, they don't have any personality or sense of presentation, they just get some stubble and look mysterious and say "watch...look watch...look closely watch..."

To what extent is this true? Do you have a 'character' per se (even if it's just a magnification of yourself)? Is your presentation always very serious and full of long pauses that are supposed to pass for mystery, or do you inject a bit of humor into your act?

Last time I had to design a stage character for myself I was 15. My character then (a Blaine clone! shocking twist, isn't it?) is decidedly different from the character I intend to design myself now. I'm a different guy. I don't take myself so seriously, I have a different set of interests, and with the benefit of hindsight I recognize just how boring my gothy "Mysterious Stranger" was.

How do you guys (folks? I know there are some ladies here) find the middle ground between deadly serious MAN OF MYSTERY and canned "insert Mother-in-law joke here" wannabe-standup-comic walkaround guy? What's your performance persona like? Have you spent much (any?) time designing yours?

 

[Squ!rrel]

I'm usually just myself, i'm often performing for people who know me so if I suddenly switched from my normal personality to a weird magician it wouldn't work. It also just wouldn't feel very natural.

I often use some humour, I don't have any jokes or lines prepared but if something happens that I can make a joke out of then I will.

I've noticed that most people who try to be Blaine clones don't come across as mysterious, just very boring.

 

[sickofyou]

just be yourself....you dont have to plan and then create your persona.

 

[Tally]

I have a stage performance coming up in about 8 months. In that stage routine, my character is in love with this girl. We do a bunch of love stuff and doing a floating rose routine. But when I go out perform on the streets...I do not really know what my style is. I don't really know my personality. I probably need to look at myself more closely? and watch lots of other magicians and go and perform. Then I probably will know what my personality is and be able to present that everytime i go perform.

 

[Ben Long]

If you've ever seen Cardini performances, I try to do something like that, where I seem to be just as surprised by the trick as the spectator. I like the idea of appearing to not be in total control, and it lets me use some pretty awesome facial expressions.

It's great for misdirection too.

 

[JohnnyZ]

When i do show something to the ones that have interest, i do it in Tudor style.
Most that call them selves "magicians" tend to disagree with this kind of performing, but i like flashy and visual and straight to the point close up illusions, rather then story telling and card picking (witch i offer occationally).

 

[CoryOOreo]

No, it's unnecessary. I would rather just be who I am in real life. That way, there's still a hint of tangibility in what I do.

 

[d34thg0d]

I try to be myself when I perform and I avoid using fake stories for my magic.
I phrase my sentences such in a way that my spectators will understand every part of it rather than my usual sloppy way of talking with my friends.

 

[darosa.justin]

SOmething I realized while reading a section of Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz (to call yourself a magician, you need to own to this book)- when you say "I try to be myself", it's still a character.

No matter who you are, 'yourself' is a character. You could be a relaxed kind of guy, so your magic is probably laid back, causal, etc. You could be an intellectual and educated person, so your character could be more scientific, or include more facts.

Sickofyou said this "just be yourself....you dont have to plan and then create your persona." While this may be true for you, or any non-proferssional/working magician, this philosophy will DEFINATELY not work when you make a living from magic. This philosophy probably only works because you do magic for fun, or as a hobby- where honestly, nobody actually cares about your persona. However, when you're a working magician, you've got to have a set character, so you're not out of 'form' throughout your gig and many other reasons.

 

[Jakeh]

I'm just myself. From experience, it's much easier doing that than trying to be someone else.

 

[MoJoe13]

I like reading how everyone is trying to be themselves. I wish more of you would elaborate on who you are, though.

My persona is a lot like me. My routines are heavy on patter and conversation, filled with stats, stories and questions; light on jokes. If you watch me, you may learn about the phases of the moon, the thing thieves steal the most, a brief history of feudal Europe and why Texas Hold'em has made things easier for cheaters. In other words, I'm an unashamed geek. Not much goth, mysterious or strange about me. Wardrobe is a graphic T and jeans (don't cringe, when I land some paying gigs, I'll be dressing better). I really ought to post a video sometime.

The David Blaine-ish persona doesn't work for me. Too much of a talker, I guess.

 

[Big_Hoos]

SOmething I realized while reading a section of Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz (to call yourself a magician, you need to own to this book)- when you say "I try to be myself", it's still a character.

No matter who you are, 'yourself' is a character. You could be a relaxed kind of guy, so your magic is probably laid back, causal, etc. You could be an intellectual and educated person, so your character could be more scientific, or include more facts.

^^ Absolutely. This is part of what I meant when I said that your character/persona is really just a magnified version of yourself. Maybe you don't only think about science all the time, but it's an interest, so maybe all your effects are "demonstrations of some interesting scientific principles."

There's nothing wrong with "being yourself," and in fact I'd encourage it, but in my opinion if your persona is uninteresting then your audience won't remember you; they'll remember the effects. Which of these reaction would you prefer?

"I saw this guy last night, he did this crazy magic trick..."
"I met this magician last night, [Your Name]. Have you seen him? He's amazing..."

If you've ever seen Cardini performances, I try to do something like that, where I seem to be just as surprised by the trick as the spectator. I like the idea of appearing to not be in total control, and it lets me use some pretty awesome facial expressions.

I really love this idea, Ben, as Cardini is a favorite of mine. Do you have any performance videos uploaded here? I'd love to see something like this in action.

 

[Toby]

I'm definetly me, and im more of a stand-up comic guy. When i perform, im relaxed, and jokes just keep flying out of me, and we all have a good time. I never talked to my audience about it, but i think that they will remember me as a funny, nice guy who does magic...

And i allways present my magic like im doing it for the first time, and that i need audiences attention and understending if something unexpected happens. That way they will pay attention and participate, and they will not heckle me or anything. Plus its much more interesting for me and audience.

 

[Steerpike]

I like reading how everyone is trying to be themselves. I wish more of you would elaborate on who you are, though.

The sad truth is that most people who try to be themselves are not very interesting people.

I say you're not going to succeed in entertainment unless you can be larger than life.

My persona is an odd little mix. I combine disparate influences and can put on different faces depending on what I need. My influences include Teller, David Blaine, and Eugene Burger just to name a few.

I'm sarcastic and funny without being a full-on comedian. I love to rib my spectators like we're old friends. I'll often say something very sarcastic at their expense, then quickly grin and laugh, "I'm such a [jerk]." They always laugh because they see I'm just playing around. I try to make everyone feel as if they've known me for years.

I also have a scholarly aspect, making references to experiments and dramatic demonstrations. I try to quantify and contextualize some of my routines by sounding like I'm a student of magic.

And I also have a darker Rasputin-esque side in that I'm dealing with forces that only few people can understand. I can utilize them to an extent, but there are times when I'm in over my head and am simply caught up in the middle of the strangeness.

When dealing with more light-hearted crowds, such as when busking, my humorous persona shines through. Everyone has a good time.

But when I'm dealing with more sophisticated clientelle, I can show a more serious side. I talk a lot about superstition, legends, mythology. I associate myself very heavily with the wolf as a symbol. When doing haunted magic, I have a whole pseudo-scientific spiel about how I have the ability to make contact with a world parallel to our own, a reality I refer to as the Shadowland. As a man capable of contacting and even travelling ethereally through this realm, I refer to myself as a Shadowlander.

I've most recently begun working on original material in an attempt to escape from more standard card and coins fare. To that effect, I've made it a personal goal to invent 20 new thumb tip routines by the end of the year (already come up with 6 plus a utility), and I'm applying sleights I already know to more unorthodox objects. I utilize signs, sigils, charms, and fetishes. Overall, I try to create the image of modern day sorcerer who blends anachronistic alchemy and conjuring with more modern sensibilities.

To give you a rough idea of my non-magical influences that have helped shape this, I draw a lot of inspiration from the books of authors such as Ray Bradbury, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Steven King. I also draw some influence from the music of groups like Dio, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Bal-Sagoth, and Savatage. And I really love movies from Christopher Nolan, Akira Kurosawa, Roger Corman, Hayao Miyazaki, Robert Rodriguez, and Peter Jackson.

 

[Big_Hoos]

A wonderfully detailed response! Thank you!

 

[Nick Alagna]

Word Count.

 

[copperfield 14]

If you've ever seen Cardini performances, I try to do something like that, where I seem to be just as surprised by the trick as the spectator. I like the idea of appearing to not be in total control, and it lets me use some pretty awesome facial expressions.

It's great for misdirection too.

You smoke?

 

[MoJoe13]

The sad truth is that most people who try to be themselves are not very interesting people. I say you're not going to succeed in entertainment unless you can be larger than life.

True, but most who try to be somebody completely different don't fool anyone. I agree with Big Hoos, who suggests you have to magnify yourself.

Which just goes to show how dark and twisted you are, deep down in your soul, Steerpike.

 

[Toad]

even some pros do this, watch Dan and Dave in iceland. notice how dan's tone immediately changes when he starts the queens. dave didnt do that though. kudos, dave. i like dan more, though.

 

[Steerpike]

True, but most who try to be somebody completely different don't fool anyone. I agree with Big Hoos, who suggests you have to magnify yourself.

Which just goes to show how dark and twisted you are, deep down in your soul, Steerpike.

You know what works better than "be yourself"? Be you, but bigger.

I think in past lives I was burned at the stake, and it shows.