Every time I think we’ve gotten past the “yellow face” imagery in magic, I’m reminded that we haven’t. Someone recently posted this picture on facebook:
The style imagery on the head chopper (lower left) was originally used to create the impression that Chinese people weren’t human, like white people were. That then helped get support for things like the Chinese Exclusion Act.
This imagery is wrong on a working prop. Sure, on a historical prop in your collection or historical talk that gives it context, fine…but a prop used in a family show…nope!
Look at your props, if you have any “yellow face” don’t put it in your shows!
One of the challenges of performing roving magic at longer family events is that you will have kids follow you around to watch your set multiple times. One of the ways that I have solved this is that, at the end of the set, I tell them that if they see me tomorrow, they should ask me to show them the magic trick of the day. This tells them that you will show them something new…tomorrow.
What is the MAGIC TRICK OF THE DAY?
The trick of the day is simply a unique trick for that day. I only do that trick one day at the gig. Here’s what I used at a five day gig last month:
The magic trick of the day is usually a trick that I like, but for pocket space or reset purposes, I don’t always carry it. Sometimes the trick of the day will be a vintage trick that I’m learning to do.
The bonus is that doing one different trick each day, or each hour, breaks up the monotony of doing the same tricks over and over again. It adds a new space in my close up set to help keep me present while performing.
There was an act at a fair that I performed at last summer that couldn’t pull a crowd. Like zero people, aside from someone in the act’s parent. I’m not going to talk bad about the act, because that’s not what this post is about. This post is about what works and doesn’t work at a fair or show with a transient audience.
Let’s start with some basic info about what they did. They were a long form theater show that normally tours middle and high schools with an anti-cyberbullying message.
In theory, that sounds fine until you get to the reality of it at the fair.
A 45 minute show is really long for a fair, and since people will stumble upon your show, if they can’t figure out what’s happening within a minute or two, they won’t stay. A long form show like this will have a hard time building from its initial crowd. A show full of shorter things works better. A magic show built on routines works better, as the late arriving group can quickly get up to speed with what is happening.
The content of their show is kinda rough for a fair. You go to the fair to pet cows or ride the rides, not to learn about cyberbullying. Ask any family at the fair if they want to see a baby pig or to watch a 45 minute show about cyberbullying; I’m going to guess that 99% will say they want to see the baby pig.
Then they made a few choices that were interesting. They did the show on the floor, not the stage. The height of the stage gives you importance and unless you have an audience there, it doesn’t really look like a show is going on if you’re walking by.
Then they didn’t use microphones. I have a little inside information, but basically they didn’t “advance” their show and let the sound company know what they needed, so the sound company didn’t have them. This is an important part of performing at fairs, letting the sound company know what you need!
If you want to work fairs, look at your show and think about two things:
1: How would you engage a transient audience? 2: If you show is themed, is that what people attending a fair want to see?
With those two things in mind, you’re off to a good start!
The Crystal Cube magic trick is something that I thought didn’t look like anything that existed in real life.
It’s one of those props like Lester Lake’s Discecto, that to me look like they were created for a magic show…until you see what actual item they’re trying to look like!
Here’s a clear trinket box that I saw at an antique mall that looks like the Crystal Cube magic prop!
and here’s medical specimen box that looks like the crystal cube magic trick:
Sometimes these strange objects that are used in magic actually look sorta like something that existed for non-magic purposes! I love making that connection!
The Hot Shot Cut by Daryl is a great flourishy card reveal. In the last few years, I’ve changed how I do it from catching it myself to having people in the audience catch it.
I think it adds a fun element when they try to catch the card. They don’t always, and that’s also why it’s not always the best option. When doing things like a cocktail hour at a corporate banquet, I try to keep things off the floor.
Personally, I dislike bureaucracy; however, sometimes you need to wade through the red tape. A recent instance of this is that, in Oregon, to work in retirement communities you are supposed to have completed a diversity training that is required by the state. Honestly, I’m all for inclusion and treating people nicely, but do I NEED to have sat through this online class?
Probably not, but I guess there were probably some people at some point who did. When you perform for the public, you need to treat people with respect, especially when performing for seniors. It doesn’t matter if their values aren’t what your values are, judging people isn’t why you were hired to do a magic show.
Splitting dollar bills (like splitting cards) has gained popularity in the last decade. I honestly thought it was a new thing, however I was reading Ansology and in Max Maven’s book Thabbatical from 1994 he casually mentions it!
Unfortunately he doesn’t mention HOW it was done back then, but I can’t imagine its too different from how we do it now. I’m also very curious WHO was doing it back then.
Last week when my wife and I went to see the show The Rise of Houdini, the guy I sat next to was a magician. Before the show he turned to me and asked me if I would like to see a trick and of course I said yes!
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of homemade paddles and did a quick paddle routine with two paddles that had spots that disappeared and reappeared.
His paddle design was really cool. It wasn’t just a popsicle stick; he had built little handles for them, which made handling the prop much better, and it made them not look like just popsicle sticks, but something a little bit more special.
His other piece of EDC magic was a hot rod that he had made, but I didn’t get a picture of it. It’s always cool to see what other people are doing. When he found out I was a magician, he asked me to show him something. Unfortunately, with my hand fresh out of surgery, I wasn’t planning on doing anything, especially at someone else’s show.
