If there is one fault that is common to a lot of magic patter acts, it’s that the performer speaks too fast! I know this not only because I have witnessed it on many occasions, but also because I am definitely guilty of it myself.
The fact of the matter is, if you patter too quickly many of the spectators may miss the essence of what you said, and this can have a dramatic effect on how well your act is received. Just think about all the different ways that this could have a detrimental impact for a moment.
For instance, if you gabble out some instructions to an assisting spectator and the person mishears or misinterprets what you have said, they might do the wrong thing and completely ruin the trick. You might imagine that they have deliberately sought to mess you up, but the truth is they might simply not have heard what you said due to the speed of your delivery, and were too intimidated or embarrassed to ask for you to repeat it all. Continue reading “The Perils Of Fast Patter”