Why Magic Needs A Context

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I might be old fashioned, but I do prefer magic that has a context or a framework for the impossible event that is happening. For me, a visual piece of magic eye candy is nice, but ultimately less satisfying than an effect which builds through presentation to a satisfying magical conclusion.

Magic is, of course, totally illogical. Most effects that we create have little foundation in reality, and it is that very fact that makes it interesting. If magic was no more surprising or interesting than using a remote to ‘invisibly’ turn on a TV, then it wouldn’t be something that anyone would be prepared to pay to witness.

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Passive Or Active – What Sort Of Magician Are You?

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Are you a passive or an active consumer of magic? In other words, does your magic interest simply extend to reading magic mags and watching magic online, or do you actively seek to get out and perform?

Personally, I have always been a performer, right from when I was a child. Assimilating magic knowledge was not an end in itself for me, but a means to enable me to put together an act and then perform it somewhere.

I’ve always felt that there is not much point in finding out the inner secrets of magic, of attending magic lectures, of reading books on the art, and of turning up at the local magic club, if you are not then at some point going to use the knowledge that you have gained from immersing yourself in the art in this way for a practical end. Continue reading “Passive Or Active – What Sort Of Magician Are You?”

The Trials And Tribulations Of Lecturing Overseas

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As I write this blog in mid-April I am about to embark on a two week trip to the States where I will be presenting 6 lectures in 8 days at different venues on the east side of the country, and then finish by attending the incomparable 4Fs Close Up Convention.

When you have overseas lecturers visiting your club and you are sitting at home and wondering whether you are going to make the effort to turn up to listen to him, have you ever stopped for a minute to consider what that person has had to go through in order to be there in your clubroom?

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The Power Of A Positive Magical Peer Group

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I have always been of the opinion that who you mix with can have a profound influence on the type of person you are and the attitude that you portray. If you are surrounded by upbeat, positive people, the chances are that this will probably rub off on you and your glass will generally be half full. Spend most of your time with those who find reasons not to do things and for whom everything is a problem that can’t be solved, and you would do well not to become similarly negative.

As in general life, so in magic. When I think back to my early formative years in magic and the people who I met and spent time with during that period, I can clearly trace the positive impact that they had on me. Their knowledge, attitude and drive were terrific role models and had I not hung around with them but chosen the company of others instead, there is no telling what direction I might have ended up taking.

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Pre-Show Anxiety May Not Be Nerves

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It’s probably true to say that every entertainer experiences some form of heightened anxiety just prior to performing. It manifests itself in different ways ranging from a dry mouth, to butterflies in the stomach to even perhaps some sweating or hand trembling. It’s all part of the process of the body preparing itself for something that often takes us out of our comfort zone.

We label this feeling of unease as ‘nerves’, and for those who experience it severely, it can be a significant barrier to a good performance, because if you are unable to cope with these physiological side effects, you may become unable to present your magic adequately.

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Your Self Esteem Makes You A Better Performer

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In order to a good performer I would suggest it is an absolute necessity to be really confident in your ability. That’s not to say that you won’t feel any nerves prior to a performance, but more that once you get out there in front of an audience, you have an inherent self assurance that enables you to be successful.

But where does this confidence come from? Is it purely from having years of successful performing experience behind you? Is it just that you’ve seen it all before, have negotiated previously all the likely stumbling blocks, and so you no longer feel that there is anything very much out there that can surprise you?

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There Are Some Things That Get Better With Age!

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As you grow older, you can be forgiven for thinking that there’s very little which actually improves for you! Your eyesight gets worse, you feel like you have diminished energy, modern gadgets appear to be unfathomably complicated, and your joints ache. Hmmm, not great!

However, I would suggest that for magicians there are a number of things which do improve as you get older, and so in the interests of redressing the balance, I thought I would tell you what they are.

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The Ageing Magic Club Demographic

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Every year I go out on the road and present lectures to magic societies both in the UK and abroad, and this affords me a relatively rare perspective on the state of magic clubs generally. Are they thriving or in the doldrums? Are they relevant in today’s world, or an anachronism?

I’ve talked before about the very few women who seem to attend magic clubs, so I don’t want to go over that subject again here now, but instead I wanted to discuss the age demographic of society membership. Continue reading “The Ageing Magic Club Demographic”

How To Create Routined Magic

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Last year I was sent a question by one of my younger E-Club Pro members who wanted some advice about how to put together a routine. He explained that he had plenty of tricks, but was looking for pointers about how to create a more flowing routine.

The first thing to say about this was that I was rather pleased that he was wanting to create a routine in the first place! I have always loved effects which comprise of several blended parts (my Master Routines are testament to that fact), but in many ways this feels a bit out of fashion. Continue reading “How To Create Routined Magic”

Embrace Change, Don’t Fear It

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The pace of change in our everyday lives seems unrelentingly constant. No sooner have we got used to one way of doing things than alterations are brought in which we have to absorb. And this applies to everything from how our utility bill meters are read to how we check in for a flight.

Sometimes change comes about because it is genuinely necessary, while at others it appears that change has been brought in not because it necessarily improves things but almost just because it becomes possible. Continue reading “Embrace Change, Don’t Fear It”