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?
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?