Illusionism is a mixture of art and science, for the purpose of presenting apparently unexplainable events or experiments to entertain and delight the spectator. The purpose is to cause his admiration and guide him through a fantasy land where the child everyone has inside flies and plays by the artist’s hand.
The first advice for a good presentation is to prepare the show conscientiously. Select the feats to be presented through a list and order them in a logical sequence. It should be borne in mind that for the opening and closing of the show you should choose feats that draw the audience’s attention and which you master perfectly, so as to keep the public’s delight and mood until the end. Your show should be brilliant and spectacular. Thus, the spectator will be willing to witness magic again, when he remembers all the feelings aroused by your interesting show.
My next advice is: Once a feat has been chosen, practise repeatedly –and with conviction- every and all its movements or parts. Do it alone, assisted by a mirror or a video camera. Once you have mastered the technique and the time of each action, you should add to that cocktail an ingredient which shall make your audience either remember the feat or your performance for centuries or forget it immediately: include in your presentation the adequate talk, music, gags, or humor during the feat. You should also contemplate the possibility of the spectators’ participation in the feat. If such is the case, treat them with consideration. Please, bear in mind that you should never ridicule anyone who kindly offers to cooperate with you as you will only make that individual hate magic, and your mother.
Now you are ready to engrave in your memory a golden rule in magic: "NEVER PERFORM BEFORE AN AUDIENCE A TRICK YOU DID NOT PRACTISE ENOUGH AND WHICH SUCCESS YOU ARE NOT FULLY CONVINCED OF".
If, in spite of having complied with such rule you fail, don’t despair and remember the second rule: "DON’T DESPAIR AND TRY TO CONVEY TO THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU MASTER THE SITUATION". Magic has enough resources to cover you so that nobody even suspects that the trick has failed.
Stage presentation is of the utmost importance. Your correctness and elegance shall draw the spectator’s attention, and your show shall gain prestige. If you are untidy or your elements are unprepared or in bad condition, the audience will feel uncomfortable and it will take time to draw their attention. The evolution of magic throughout time has left aside oriental or etiquette costumes. The choice of your clothes shall depend on your personality and of the audience before which you are performing. If it is a children party, a business meeting or a disco show, bear in mind that the audience’s acceptance or rejection shall depend on your choice of the clothing.
Take into account that the apparatus or elements to be used in the show should be meticulously and carefully finished, and decorated with good taste.
When performing your tricks you should never announce from the very beginning which shall be the final effect, nor do unnecessary suspicious or garish movements at the time you make a trap; create an atmosphere to the end. It is better not to announce what happened after a trap has been made, but to prepare the audience to enjoy the final effect surprise: this shall bring you the applause.
Another golden rule to be taken into account is: "DO NOT REPEAT A SHOW BEFORE THE SAME AUDIENCE".
May be on one occasion you may be asked to repeat a trick. My advice is DO NOT. It would be very dangerous. The audience shall be ONLY TRYING TO DISCOVER THE TRICK. Do not categorically refuse to do it or they would form a negative opinion of your skills. Convince them that you can perform a more interesting and spectacular alternative of the trick.
If, on any occasion, you are asked to teach tricks, remember another golden rule: "NEVER REVEAL THE SECRET OF A TRICK". Try to find a humorous way to explain that, for example, saying that anybody can perform the trick, that the only thing he/she needs is the magic wand and the magic powders. Think that the game would lose value if the secret were revealed. There are, however, many feats that can be performed by you simulating that you are discovering the secret, when, in reality, the end is quite different.
Another thing to bear in mind is that if you have no great magic knowledge you should not show all the feats you know in only one show.
The participation of the audience may give credibility to your actions such as for example, mixing and cutting the pack of cards, or drawing one. You should study the possibility of inviting spectators, not to justify that the show includes some kind of participation by inviting a great number of people to help you who will then be standing around without doing anything. May be you can approach a spectator to see certain shade of the game without the need to bother him/her.
Another rule:"DO NOT PLAY A HEAVY JOKE ON YOUR ASSISTANTS". Otherwise, when you ask for help in another feat nobody will like to help you for fear of ridicule. Remembering his/her name and making it known to the audience will prepare him/her with a better mood to help you.
Next rule: "CLEARLY EXPLAIN TO HIM WHAT SHOULD HE DO TO HELP YOU". This is an essential rule, since you are the only one who knows what will happen, you’d rather not be the cause if he makes a mistake, but his clumsiness.
When choosing your assistant, bear in mind the psychology of the feat. Sometimes, the help of a lady shall be preferred; on occasiones, a gentleman will be better; on some others, may be a couple bearing in mind the gags you have prepared.
Among the audience you will find different types of individuals known as "the troublesome"; some cannot accept the existence of unexplainable phenomena and try to explain the solution to their seat neighbours. You can easily call their attention by asking them to be your assistants. Never discuss with them. Others may ask you to repeatedly revise the elements, explain his logic remarkably. Do not engage in controversy with them; do not give them importance, they will soon be compelled to remain in silence by their neighbours. A more complex example is the one that, due to his/her sick personality, does not forgive the fact that the artist attracts attention and likes to show off through bad taste comments or jokes; in some cases, even insults. My advice is not to reply to any of his "genial" comments because you will no longer be master of the game. If he persists in that attitude, tell him: "I see that you prefer to replace me. Here you have the pack of cards. Please, do entertain us with all you know". The surprise will quiet him down, apart from the criticism from the audience.
The last golden rule is: "NEVER COPY OTHER MAGICIAN’S PERFORMANCE". Your creativity and originality in your performance shall lead the opinion the audience will build of you. The success or failure of an artist depends on discovering his personality and appropriately choosing the effects in keeping with his physical character and technique, creating his own style.
The first advice for a good presentation is to prepare the show conscientiously. Select the feats to be presented through a list and order them in a logical sequence. It should be borne in mind that for the opening and closing of the show you should choose feats that draw the audience’s attention and which you master perfectly, so as to keep the public’s delight and mood until the end. Your show should be brilliant and spectacular. Thus, the spectator will be willing to witness magic again, when he remembers all the feelings aroused by your interesting show.
My next advice is: Once a feat has been chosen, practise repeatedly –and with conviction- every and all its movements or parts. Do it alone, assisted by a mirror or a video camera. Once you have mastered the technique and the time of each action, you should add to that cocktail an ingredient which shall make your audience either remember the feat or your performance for centuries or forget it immediately: include in your presentation the adequate talk, music, gags, or humor during the feat. You should also contemplate the possibility of the spectators’ participation in the feat. If such is the case, treat them with consideration. Please, bear in mind that you should never ridicule anyone who kindly offers to cooperate with you as you will only make that individual hate magic, and your mother.
Now you are ready to engrave in your memory a golden rule in magic: "NEVER PERFORM BEFORE AN AUDIENCE A TRICK YOU DID NOT PRACTISE ENOUGH AND WHICH SUCCESS YOU ARE NOT FULLY CONVINCED OF".
If, in spite of having complied with such rule you fail, don’t despair and remember the second rule: "DON’T DESPAIR AND TRY TO CONVEY TO THE AUDIENCE THAT YOU MASTER THE SITUATION". Magic has enough resources to cover you so that nobody even suspects that the trick has failed.
Stage presentation is of the utmost importance. Your correctness and elegance shall draw the spectator’s attention, and your show shall gain prestige. If you are untidy or your elements are unprepared or in bad condition, the audience will feel uncomfortable and it will take time to draw their attention. The evolution of magic throughout time has left aside oriental or etiquette costumes. The choice of your clothes shall depend on your personality and of the audience before which you are performing. If it is a children party, a business meeting or a disco show, bear in mind that the audience’s acceptance or rejection shall depend on your choice of the clothing.
Take into account that the apparatus or elements to be used in the show should be meticulously and carefully finished, and decorated with good taste.
When performing your tricks you should never announce from the very beginning which shall be the final effect, nor do unnecessary suspicious or garish movements at the time you make a trap; create an atmosphere to the end. It is better not to announce what happened after a trap has been made, but to prepare the audience to enjoy the final effect surprise: this shall bring you the applause.
Another golden rule to be taken into account is: "DO NOT REPEAT A SHOW BEFORE THE SAME AUDIENCE".
May be on one occasion you may be asked to repeat a trick. My advice is DO NOT. It would be very dangerous. The audience shall be ONLY TRYING TO DISCOVER THE TRICK. Do not categorically refuse to do it or they would form a negative opinion of your skills. Convince them that you can perform a more interesting and spectacular alternative of the trick.
If, on any occasion, you are asked to teach tricks, remember another golden rule: "NEVER REVEAL THE SECRET OF A TRICK". Try to find a humorous way to explain that, for example, saying that anybody can perform the trick, that the only thing he/she needs is the magic wand and the magic powders. Think that the game would lose value if the secret were revealed. There are, however, many feats that can be performed by you simulating that you are discovering the secret, when, in reality, the end is quite different.
Another thing to bear in mind is that if you have no great magic knowledge you should not show all the feats you know in only one show.
The participation of the audience may give credibility to your actions such as for example, mixing and cutting the pack of cards, or drawing one. You should study the possibility of inviting spectators, not to justify that the show includes some kind of participation by inviting a great number of people to help you who will then be standing around without doing anything. May be you can approach a spectator to see certain shade of the game without the need to bother him/her.
Another rule:"DO NOT PLAY A HEAVY JOKE ON YOUR ASSISTANTS". Otherwise, when you ask for help in another feat nobody will like to help you for fear of ridicule. Remembering his/her name and making it known to the audience will prepare him/her with a better mood to help you.
Next rule: "CLEARLY EXPLAIN TO HIM WHAT SHOULD HE DO TO HELP YOU". This is an essential rule, since you are the only one who knows what will happen, you’d rather not be the cause if he makes a mistake, but his clumsiness.
When choosing your assistant, bear in mind the psychology of the feat. Sometimes, the help of a lady shall be preferred; on occasiones, a gentleman will be better; on some others, may be a couple bearing in mind the gags you have prepared.
Among the audience you will find different types of individuals known as "the troublesome"; some cannot accept the existence of unexplainable phenomena and try to explain the solution to their seat neighbours. You can easily call their attention by asking them to be your assistants. Never discuss with them. Others may ask you to repeatedly revise the elements, explain his logic remarkably. Do not engage in controversy with them; do not give them importance, they will soon be compelled to remain in silence by their neighbours. A more complex example is the one that, due to his/her sick personality, does not forgive the fact that the artist attracts attention and likes to show off through bad taste comments or jokes; in some cases, even insults. My advice is not to reply to any of his "genial" comments because you will no longer be master of the game. If he persists in that attitude, tell him: "I see that you prefer to replace me. Here you have the pack of cards. Please, do entertain us with all you know". The surprise will quiet him down, apart from the criticism from the audience.
The last golden rule is: "NEVER COPY OTHER MAGICIAN’S PERFORMANCE". Your creativity and originality in your performance shall lead the opinion the audience will build of you. The success or failure of an artist depends on discovering his personality and appropriately choosing the effects in keeping with his physical character and technique, creating his own style.
