magic_fella
Thinking about Magic...
What is at the heart of a relationship between a magician and his audience?
It's a strange chemistry and, since it's one of the things I do for a living, I spend a lot of time thinking about it.
The magician says "I'd like to show you something that will amaze you, something that breaks the rules of this world. C'mon. Give me a minute. Come over here. Stand by me and have a look at something cool."
The audience says: "Sure. Try. I dare you. I'll give you a minute...maybe two. But you better make me laugh...and I had better not see you mess up. If you do it well, I'll reward you with applause and respect. If you blow it..."
It's a dance I have done thousands of times...and it's based on a strange unspoken agreement between performer and audience.
We all know it's a "trick," right? We know things don't actually float in midair without a little help.
We all know I can't actually read your mind -- and that cards never EVER get torn up and put back together again. It only looks that way. See? Magic!
Most impossible things start with the "magician" sitting alone with instructions on his lap, reading through them carefully, line by line, disciplining his body and his mind to do it perfectly.
Sometimes these instructions are badly written, and the would-be mage looks at the words, looks at the prop and then back at the words again saying a very un-Houdidni like "HUH?"
This strange discipline...along with bits of string and tape and tissue and the other things you don't see are the real stuff of magic. It's fragile as gossamer but it must roll confidently along even through the performer is tapdancing on a high wire and there's no net.
The longer I do this, the more interested I am in the people. I watch them carefully, without looking like I'm watching, trying to pinpoint when they're interested, and when they're not -- what makes them laugh and what makes their eyes widen in surprise.
It's always about the timing and entertaining them. The effect is just the icing on a carefully created cake.
And the most interesting thing of all: I am doing exactly what magicians for centuries have done because (if they know what they're doing) it's always completely and totally about the audience and that strange power THEY have to make or break some guy stalking them with a deck of cards or an elegant man in a tuxedo or (in my case) a southern gambler stepping out of the 1800's.
This performer was at the Maryland Renaissance festival. He was standing by himself, desperately trying to attract a crowd.
I know exactly how he felt.
So this is the image of that seduction that takes place dozens of times an hour between the magician...and his audience.
Can you hear the music?
Thanks once again to Peter, Cheryl, Elie and the delightful Mr. J for taking us to this enchanted place. We miss you guys.
Thinking about Magic...
What is at the heart of a relationship between a magician and his audience?
It's a strange chemistry and, since it's one of the things I do for a living, I spend a lot of time thinking about it.
The magician says "I'd like to show you something that will amaze you, something that breaks the rules of this world. C'mon. Give me a minute. Come over here. Stand by me and have a look at something cool."
The audience says: "Sure. Try. I dare you. I'll give you a minute...maybe two. But you better make me laugh...and I had better not see you mess up. If you do it well, I'll reward you with applause and respect. If you blow it..."
It's a dance I have done thousands of times...and it's based on a strange unspoken agreement between performer and audience.
We all know it's a "trick," right? We know things don't actually float in midair without a little help.
We all know I can't actually read your mind -- and that cards never EVER get torn up and put back together again. It only looks that way. See? Magic!
Most impossible things start with the "magician" sitting alone with instructions on his lap, reading through them carefully, line by line, disciplining his body and his mind to do it perfectly.
Sometimes these instructions are badly written, and the would-be mage looks at the words, looks at the prop and then back at the words again saying a very un-Houdidni like "HUH?"
This strange discipline...along with bits of string and tape and tissue and the other things you don't see are the real stuff of magic. It's fragile as gossamer but it must roll confidently along even through the performer is tapdancing on a high wire and there's no net.
The longer I do this, the more interested I am in the people. I watch them carefully, without looking like I'm watching, trying to pinpoint when they're interested, and when they're not -- what makes them laugh and what makes their eyes widen in surprise.
It's always about the timing and entertaining them. The effect is just the icing on a carefully created cake.
And the most interesting thing of all: I am doing exactly what magicians for centuries have done because (if they know what they're doing) it's always completely and totally about the audience and that strange power THEY have to make or break some guy stalking them with a deck of cards or an elegant man in a tuxedo or (in my case) a southern gambler stepping out of the 1800's.
This performer was at the Maryland Renaissance festival. He was standing by himself, desperately trying to attract a crowd.
I know exactly how he felt.
So this is the image of that seduction that takes place dozens of times an hour between the magician...and his audience.
Can you hear the music?
Thanks once again to Peter, Cheryl, Elie and the delightful Mr. J for taking us to this enchanted place. We miss you guys.