<-|Top|Showmanship For Magicians|Trick Brain|Magic By Misdirection|Mail|->
<-|!*!|C|I|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|->
SHOWMANSHIP
For
MAGICIANS
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The effectiveness of an entertainer varies with the types of audiences and with the suitability of his material to the specific audience he is entertaining. A given act, with certain material that has been aimed at a specific class of audience, will be most effective when performed for that audience. It will vary in effectiveness, with other classes of audience, directly as that act's interest appeals correspond with the experience of the cross section of that audience.
If an act, or any presentation from a single trick to a full show, can be planned so that it appeals strongly to all types of audiences, it will generally be more useful to performers who appear before various kinds of audiences. This is a point that should be obvious. The material in some acts is suitable only for a night club audience. When this act is presented for a family audience often it will be found to be downright offensive. Likewise, a routine that is patterned for a family audience wouldn't be acceptable usually in a night club.
So it is necessary to give some consideration to the type of audience for which a routine may be planned.
Audiences divide about as follows:
- A single individual, witnessing a pocket trick.
- A small group of people, witnessing a program in a home, or at an informal gathering.
- The family audience of mixed adults and children.
- The mixed audience of adults only, comprised of people of average intelligence.
- The mixed audience of adults only, comprised of people of exceptional intelligence.
- The "drinking" audience of adults.
- The audience of men at a smoker or banquet.
- The audience of women only.
- The audience of young people in their teens.
- The audience of children from six to twelve.
- The audience of extremely young children.
The character of the audience and the type of material most likely to be effective may be judged by studying the possible characters and interests of the individuals making it up.
As an example, group three, the family audience, is today the same type of audience that Herrmann, Kellar, Thurston and numerous other magicians regularly played to in the past. It is made up of older men and women, settled adults and children of all ages. There is a simplicity that contributes to general mutual enjoyment. There is little artificiality about such a group. There is generally no competition, criticism or fault-finding among the individuals in a gathering of this kind.
On the other hand, the fourth group, the audience of mixed adults of average intelligence, is much different. Usually, as a group this audience is much more sophisticated, or at any rate fancy themselves to be. There is rivalry of dress and position among the women, and critical inspection and appraisal. The men, although not necessarily more intelligent than those in the family group, are usually professional or businessmen. Such audiences may be found in certain types of lodge entertainment.
Group five, the mixed adults of exceptional intelligence is an especially good audience to a smart, capable performer, if he has the proper material. These people are educated because as individuals they are naturally investigative. The clothing, social position or financial standing which is important in the fourth group, gives way to intelligence standards. These audiences are usually found at literary societies, discussion clubs, forums, lecture courses and the like. The weak spot in this audience is the defense barrier they erect between themselves individually and other individuals in this group. This barrier reveals itself in a reserve in word and action, which is difficult to break through.
The sixth group, the "drinking" audience, is a difficult one for the entertainer. Usually the audience is made up of scattered large and small groups. These groups are ordinarily more interested in themselves than in external influences like a floor show. Because they are drinking they do not concentrate. Often they are loud and boisterous and unruly. Occasionally the entertainer is confronted with individuals who are surly and antagonistic. It is difficult to gain and hold attention. Entertainment is secondary to food and drink and conversation. These people are usually not above average intelligence, with wits dulled because of liquor, to a point where little short of the most obvious will even interest.
The seventh group, men at a smoker or banquet, is similar to the sixth, except that since it consists of men only it is usually even more noisy and unruly, and it is frequently ribald. Drinking, this group is usually inclined to be rough. But sober, where the entertainment is connected with a lodge, it is a very amiable audience. Under this latter circumstance there is good-natured toleration of almost anything. The spirit is friendly. The object is simply one of relaxation.
The audience of women, the eighth group, is not at all common. Usually it is a women's club of some kind. Again you have competition and the distinctions arising from varying social planes. This audience may be considered almost unfriendly. It is critical of the performer, his appearance and grooming. Rarely will you find relaxation.
The young people in their teens make up the next division. There is competition between the boys and amongst the girls. There is inspection and critical appraisal. Reserve is a defense barrier difficult to break down. This group is particularly critical, alert, conceited-and yet willing to revert to the habits of childhood, if the change can be induced subtly. It is difficult to hold attention because of the awareness of individuals of the opposite sex.
The two children's groups are the trick performer's own field. Here you have spirited desire to trap the magician. There is a wholesome respect for the performer, a spirit of admiration, and yet underlying it all is deviltry and mischief making. Fundamentally, the difference between the two groups is that the older group will catch the magician if they can, whereas the younger children are simply interested. Both groups love tricks dearly. But the older group can become decidedly dangerous, if given the opportunity.
There are yet two more groups-still audiences, even though small. The first group is made up of a single individual, the person to whom you are showing a card or pocket trick. This person is friendly and the trick is performed, usually, as a bit of amusement for his benefit.
The same holds true of the second division, the friendly audience in a home or at an informal gathering.
This audience discussion is important because it lays the groundwork for an analysis of material suitable for the various audiences. Through an understanding of the essential differences in character of the audiences, it becomes much easier to plan the material to gain the greatest effect. The underlying character of the group influences the state of mind of the individual spectator making up a unit of that audience. This state of mind changes as the spectator becomes a part of each different group. This, then, becomes the basis for material selection.
The magician's tricks and lines make up the material of his act.
The family audience is chiefly interested in relaxation. Profound mystery is acceptable in very light doses only. But even this is best cloaked in an interesting presentation. Comedy effects are chiefly desired. The pace is slow and leisurely. Elaborate magical apparatus is advisable. Always acceptable are the old favorites, the egg bag, the pudding in hat, the Welsh rarebit, hat productions, the linking rings, rising cards, passe bottles, effects with live-stock, sleight-of-hand tricks of broad effect like the cards to the pocket or the multiplying billiard balls.
For the family audience the tricks least likely to meet with popular response are the spirit slates, mental effects and the usual type of card tricks. I believe it is a mistake to attempt such things as the X-ray eyes, seeing with the fingertips, muscle reading, the needle trick and the like.
The mixed audience of adults prefers a somewhat faster routine and a smarter approach. It is best not to perform effects subjecting a member of the audience to discomfiture or embarrassment. The so-called "sucker" tricks are best left out. The properties and apparatus should be ordinary in appearance. Effects in which articles are produced from the mouth, like the needles and eggs from the mouth, are not in good taste unless performed with extreme discrimination and tact. The routines should be short with original angles of approach. Mental effects are particularly effective with the educated audience. Effects like the X-ray eye act, seeing with the fingertips, contact mind reading and so on will receive considerable interest. Anything bordering upon the supernatural, like the rapping hand, the spirit slates or message reading, if properly "sold," will be sensational. Success rests almost exclusively upon refinement in the talking accompaniment and in profundity.
The "drinking" audience demands fast delivery, smart lines, smart appearance and broad effects. Many of the more successful performers work silent with musical accompaniment. Others adopt a fraternizing spirit and talk to individual members of the audience as to long-time acquaintances. The formula is hard work, fast work, loud talk, smart gags and direct simple effects.
An audience of men is interested in effects done with things in which men are interested cigarettes, cigars, ropes, handkerchiefs and golf balls. Card tricks are popular if of broad effect. Avoid apparatus, trick tables, pretty drapes and such magicians' paraphernalia. Manipulative routines with cards, coins, balls and cigarettes interest them.
If this audience is sober you will have no difficulty in retaining interest. They like to see you make an individual spectator the goat. They like to have you take stuff from his clothing, break his watch, build a fire in his hat and in general clown around.
If drinking, this audience is like the mixed "drinking" audience.
Women are rarely interested in magic. Some of them resent it. Usually colorfully decorated properties will interest them most. The puzzle curse should be taken from the effects you do. The performer will receive very little audience cooperation. It is advisable to eliminate all effects requiring the use of spectator assistants. Use materials and properties with which women are familiar. Be careful to stay away from all types of vulgarity. Sympathetic silks, milk filtration, restored ribbons, spirit slates, message reading, diminishing cards, spiritualistic effects and that type of material are most effective.
Do not perform tricks where things are placed within the mouth. Women have a natural aversion to this type of performance. Use no card tricks except broad effects.
For the audience of young people in their teens, the repertoire should be similar generally to that for the mixed audience of adults.
Children are the greatest lovers of magic, as magic. But here you will find deftness and skill absolutely necessary. All of the "sucker" tricks will go here. There will be audible comments if the tricks are not done smoothly. Use livestock, hat tricks, productions, passe bottles, the egg bag and other old standard tricks. Don't try tricks based on misdirection. The misdirection will NOT work. Stay away from manipulative routines. Children are not particularly appreciative of performances of skill.
Keep in mind that the child's paramount interest is in discovering how the tricks are done. If you succeed in fooling him, you are a success. Do not perform tricks where something is destroyed or placed in the mouth. Fairy tale patter will go for the younger ones. The older ones will give you the razzberry if you try it on them.
The performance of an individual small trick for a lone person is a comparatively simple matter, if the trick is of such a nature as to interest the particular person who forms the audience. A natural, friendly intimate approach is probably most effective. Nothing suggesting the theater or theater methods will be suitable for this type of presentation. This general advice holds true also of the small informal group. Everything should seem spontaneous and natural. But, in spite of this appearance, everything should be carefully rehearsed and routined. This is the most dangerous condition a magician can encounter, the performance of magic informally for a small audience under intimate association.
All of the above is generalized observation. But it must be remembered that the groups remain individual, and identifiable as those groups, only so long as they remain in the environment of these groups. By this, I mean that the women's club group must be found in club surroundings. The children's group must be found where children would be normally entertained.
However, the moment these groups become part of a theater audience, all theater technique must be substituted for the more intimate techniques of the smaller groups.
Where I have made general references as to effects that may be found effective, which does not necessarily mean that the usual conventional presentation of those tricks must be used. On the contrary, to gain the maximum impression ALL of the appeals that are consistent with that particular type of audience, as detailed in this work again and again, must be employed.
If you intend to specialize in any of these groups exclusively, you should study the most effective entertainers in that group. Again I must caution you that I am not necessarily referring you to magicians alone. Rather I am referring you to the appeals employed by the foremost entertainers in these groups REGARDLESS OF THE PARTICULAR METHOD OF ENTERTAINING THEY EMPLOY. It is WHAT they do and HOW they reach this group that is important.
The broader theater expedients, as demonstrated by the top performers, acts and shows, still are fundamental. Yet these fundamentals may be varied and influenced by the specialized angles made necessary by the particularized characteristics of an individual type of audience. The theater audience is a general audience and the general appeals will apply. The special group is a special audience and the general rules must be adapted to that group.
Yet there are no hard and fast rules that may be laid down for any one group. It is mostly a matter of presentation. Even effects and material which would at first thought seem to be unsuitable or out of place with a certain class of audience, properly presented from an angle that fits the group, can be made effective. Much of it is a matter of good judgment and audience sense. Experience with the various groups is the best guide.
While the words, "entertainment" and "amusement" generally have come to connote any type of pleasurable diversion, through popular usage, a study of the exact meanings of these will shed some light upon the type of material which might be found suitable in public performance for the average audience.
Amusement carries with it the common idea of pleasure. It kills time, especially leisure time. It keeps one interested or engrossed. It banishes reflection and lulls the faculties.
On the other hand, entertainment is more or less intellectual. It combines both the rational and social. It acts on the senses and awakens the understanding, and it reaches the most reflective people.
In Chapter Sixteen mention was made of the three general classes from which audiences come. Recalling that these distinctions are due essentially to varying degrees of maturity and culture, it may be seen that amusement, not entertainment, will reach by far the greater portion of average audiences. You should aim to amuse, because the first and second classes of people generally desire their pleasure to be of the type that does not require mental activity on their part. And these two classes are far greater in bulk than the class that prefers entertainment, which is intellectual. The definitions of the three classes make this fact obvious.
<-|!*!|C|I|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|->
<-|Top|Showmanship For Magicians|Trick Brain|Magic By Misdirection|Mail|->