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Tips and Advice from a Young Magician - Part 2
by Cathal Kielty
In part 2 of my essay to help beginning level magicians, I will provide tips
on performing for real audiences, presentation and developing a performing
persona as well as originality.
I will presume you have read Part 1 and will also presume that you are
practicing more often and only performing tricks that you have mastered. Now I
will move into an important part of magic:
1. Your Performing Personality
This is an important area in magic and will help you with the presentation of
your magic once you have found your performing personality. A performing persona
is the personality you try to give whilst performing. You may try to be
mysterious like David Blaine or funny the way Tommy Copper was. Look at your own
personality and think would being funny suit me? Would being magical suit me?
Once you have found what suits you best you will have made great progress in the
art of magic.
2.Presentation/Patter
I personally believe that presentation and patter are the most important
elements in magic. It is this that turns a technical feat into something of
wonder and intrigue. But it is something beginner level magicians tend to
overlook until later on in their magical lives. For example you could get a
spectator to pick a card replace it in the deck and then you could run through
the deck and find it. This is not very magical and doing that is what I call
leaving a trick naked but if you 'dressed up the trick' by having the spectator
pick a card and you then proceed to tell them their card by reading their body
language is more magical and with a little bit of imagination it could be turned
into something spectacular. Good books to help with presentation is 'Strong
Magic' available at most magic shops. Good ways to practice presentation are by
getting involved in a local theatre or acting school. By doing this it will not
only help your presentation/patter but it will also give you confidence. You
should have your presentation work with your performing persona, e.g. If you
have your performing persona, to be funny well then your tricks should be funny
by using jokes and quick gags throughout the routine. How I work on my
presentation is quiet simple, I try to have my performing persona both
mysterious and magical so when I have mastered a trick, I look at myself in the
mirror doing the trick and I say to myself "if I were magical would I really put
my hand in that position?" Or "if I could really do that would I say something
like that?" And by asking these questions that I believe are necessary and then
by readjusting ones performance you will find your magic will be enjoyed by
more.
By this stage I will presume now that you are putting deep thought into
presentation, patter and your performing persona, I feel it is time to move into
an area known as:
3. Originality
If you want to make it as a magician, I strongly feel you have to be different
and original with your magic, which is probably why I am a huge fan of David
Blaine and Derren Brown. They went out, were original and are becoming quiet
successful. You must find a style that suits you and your performing personality
and stick with that and you'll find for being different, you can become
successful. So have a little think and be amazed with what you might think up.
Here I will give some tips on performing for real audiences:
4. Tips on Performing
1. Don't be shy; think what's the worst that can happen, you can only gain from
the experience.
2. Never perform a trick till you have it fully mastered.
3. Don't charge any money at first only accept what you are given.
4. Stay relaxed, don't be fidgeting.
5. Never perform a trick twice unless you can do it two different ways.
This brings me to the end of my essay. I fully believe those who have read the
two parts will benefit greatly. For more tips or advice don't be afraid to email
me,
Cathal Kielty
cathalkielty@hotmail.com
© Cathal Kielty June 2002