We're only human, even when we're being a
magician. Sometimes things drop, explode, reveal,
or just plain don't work during a performance and
the magician is left exposed, even to the point
of revealing the secret behind a trick. Here are
some suggestions to ensure that mistakes in
during a performance of magic tricks aren't the
end of the world.
!! Steps !!
* Remind yourself at the outset that every
magician has made a mistake somewhere. The mark of a good magician
is showmanship and solid performance, and part of that is to know
how to act and improvise as much as knowing how to perform the
tricks. All magicians join the Blundering Magician's Club at some
point or other! It's how you react that makes all the difference;
ease of recovery and setting the audience at ease.
Remain calm and avoid panicking. The show must
go on. Don't let a mistake cast a pall over the
entire performance; the audience will forgive
the error provided you remain good-natured and
professional about your pick up. The majority
of audiences want you to succeed and they want
to be entertained; they're not baying for your
blood if something trips up. If anything, most
people will be very sympathetic, and will
marvel at how well you managed the mistake to
get on with the rest of the show.
* Practice overcoming surprise quickly. Develop a neutral or
professional face that is not easily phased by things going wrong.
In many cases, provided you maintain your composure and just keep
going, many members of the audience won't even catch on that
something has gone wrong.
* Even if you think that the secret to the trick has been revealed,
don't be surprised if many members of the audience didn't register
this. Remember that what you see is not what the audience sees.
Oops!Assess the damage quickly. If the entire trick has been
ruined because the secret to its delivery has been openly
revealed, it's probably best to abandon it as "prop failure"
with a smile and professional wave of the hand. In this case,
put away the prop and move on to the next trick. If it's not so
bad as that, consider ignoring the mistake and simply keep
going. This is the most professional and composed approach to
keeping the show going. If the trick has other elements to it
that you can continue with because they haven't been ruined,
keep going down this path. If, however, the trick itself is
spoiled, try the following:
* Restarting the trick. Mention something about gremlins and return
to the start of the failed trick. Only do this if the secret to
the trick was not revealed.
* Doing a different trick using the same magic props. This can work
well where the mistake has taken place at the beginning of the
trick.
* Stopping the trick and put it all away and move to the next part
of the performance. This is the most useful method when you
realize you're missing parts or all of the necessary props, you
sense a feeling of anti-climax, or where the secret has been
exposed.
* If you forget how to do the trick, try to make this less than
obvious. Tell the audience there's a "glitch" and you're moving on
to the next trick. If you remember the trick later, you can always
say that the "glitch appears to have been fixed" and come back to
it.
Divert the audience's attention. Magic is all
about diverting attention as part of the
entertainment, and when you've made a mistake,
diversion should be brought to bear in its
fullness. Ways to divert attention include:
* One of the most important points of misdirection is not looking at
what you are doing. Look at the audience, they follow what you are
looking at and if you're not looking at your dirty work, they
aren't either.
* Talking constantly to the audience about some aspect of magic, or
drawing out the suspense while you quickly remedy the problem. If
you're really good, point to someone in the audience and ask them
a trick question, or even ask them to come down on stage to help
with the next trick!
* Use humor. Humor is your performance ally. For example, put away
the prop as you make a joke, if you make your mistake at the end
of the trick. Try saying "There's nothing like a well-rehearsed
magic trick. And that was nothing like a well-rehearsed magic
trick". Then do your next trick.
Don't give a repeat performance. Stuffing up
once during a show is forgivable. Doing it
twice starts to tell the audience you don't
know what you're doing and by the third time,
they're watching a clown, not a magician. While
it's a tall order, spend a lot of time learning
to maintain composure on the stage and you will
be able to recover well and keep your
confidence to continue without making any
further mistakes.
* If you keep stuffing up the same trick, this means there is
something amiss with it. Pull it out of your repertoire until you
figure out how to do it flawlessly; if not, drop it altogether.
Ask for advice when you're not surePrepare thoroughly before
each performance. An important part of ensuring that things
don't go wrong during a performance is to prepare thoroughly
beforehand. Practice the tricks repeatedly, triple check that
all your equipment is in working order, and make repairs to
anything that is faulty or suspect.
* Seek help from a fellow but more experienced magician if you're
not sure how to fix a magic challenge or extend your ability
further. Instead of using your audience as the guinea pig and
potentially failing in the process, training with someone more
experienced can help reveal your weaker spots and allow you to
perfect them before undertaking a live performance.
* If you're a beginner magician, approach each magic performance
with confidence. If you worry too much about missing the trick or
messing it up, you may just be setting yourself up to do that very
thing! Go in with a feeling that you're ready to show your
well-rehearsed skills and be confident when performing.
* Watch failed magic tricks in online videos. There are plenty of
them available; what they will teach you is what not to do, what
reactions are good or bad, what to keep in mind when performing
certain tricks, and possibly, which tricks to avoid altogether![1]
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Make sure you have more than one trick with you. While your
audience is trying to figure out what just happened, they're
already captivated by your next trick.
* If someone says, "I know how you did that.", just say, "Good, with
a lot of practice and a lot more tricks, you might just become a
magician some day".
* Resist the temptation to show the same trick to the same audience
again. Leave everything with an air of mystery and less chances of
stuffing it up the second time around!
* Training and practice make a good magician, not gut feelings or
hoping things will work out!
* Be personable and equal to your audience. An audience that likes
you will be more inclined to forgive a magic mistake than if it
feels you have behaved arrogantly or condescendingly.
* Have accomplices or helpers for difficult tricks; this reduces the
chances of failure being caused by trying to do too much of a
complex trick unaided. Accomplices or helpers also serve as
audience decoys and distract attention away from the trick.
!! Warnings !!
* Don't worry, just keep on going, the audience will soon forget
your botched magic trick while they're trying to figure out the
one you are doing next.
* Sometimes there will be hecklers. Use humor to defuse their
sarcasm or abuse. Other audience members will be more inclined to
side with you if you remain calm, professional, and affable.
* The more complicated the trick, the more famous the magician, the
harder the fall; be well rehearsed!
* Never attempt any trick that can result in physical harm to you or
a volunteer if not done properly unless you are fully trained and
have taken all safety precautions necessary in the event something
does go wrong. Magicians have died or received severe injuries as
a result of bungling very challenging and dangerous tricks,
whether by faulty equipment, over-estimating their own ability, or
just plain bad luck. If you ever reach that level of daredevil
magic, be sure to have a good support team, well-tested equipment,
and the ability to put your life before your ego.
!! Things You\'ll Need !!
* Magic trick props for practice
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Do a Number Magic Trick
* How to Do the Color Fusion Magic Trick
* How to Perform a Simple but Good Magic Trick
* How to Do the Cup and Balls Magic Trick
* How to Do a Math Magic Trick
* How to Do a Mind Reading Magic Trick
* How to Do a Cool Magic Trick
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
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