Why Showmanship Is Essential to Success
Being successful as a magician relies just as much on your stage
persona and your ability to be engaging as it does on the tricks
you choose to perform or the technical skills you possess.
The reason for this is because tricks in and of themselves can
fall flat if not presented in the right way. A sleight of hand
that dazzles when performed by an engaging magician can leave an
audience yawning when in the less capable hands of an
under-whelming performer.
So if you want your tricks to go over well, you've got to learn
how to sell them to your audience.
That means you've got to work on your showmanship just as much
as you have to work on the tricks themselves. Learn how to get
the audience eating out of the palm of your hand!
If you are not sure how to do this, don't worry. Showmanship is
something you can easily learn and improve upon with practice.
It's not necessary an inborn trait that you either have or don't
have-it's a learned skill that even the best magicians are
constantly honing and perfecting.
Here's how to make good showmanship part of your magic routine:
Build a Bridge to the Audience
Whether you are onstage in front of ten people or ten thousand,
your success is directly related to how much your audience feels
inclined to trust you and suspend their disbelief for you.
To win them over, talk directly to them. Make eye contact. Make
use of volunteers. Don't confine your show to the stage. Invite
audience members up, or go down to mingle with them.
Don't Wait to Warm Up-Be "On" Right from the Start!
Don't wait to "warm up"-you've got to be "on" right from the
start! Most magic shows last only about an hour or less, so make
it a point to create your relationship with the audience quickly.
Cultivate a Stage Persona
Ideally, magic tricks should bring about a sense of wonder and
excitement, not a sense of being tricked or fooled. And you as a
magician should therefore aim to be mystical and wise, not
hokey.
Of course, there are many ways to be entertaining. Some of the
most successful magicians in the biz are very serious in terms
of their demeanor. Others, however, are jocular and love to
crack jokes during their shows.
Your "stage persona" is really up to you. If you're naturally
inclined toward being chatty and making jokes, go for it on
stage.
If you're naturally more reserved and quiet, you can think about
adopting a more "David Blaine-like" character when you're
performing.
The trick (pun intended!) is just to make sure you approach it
as a role or a performance. Give the audience the dazzling
entertainment they want and you will always be a hit.
Just Believe
Believe in what you are doing and suspend your disbelief as much
as you can. The illusions work best when you truly trust in your
abilities and honestly belief that you are creating miracles! In
reality you know that they are tricks, but if you act like
they're just fakes or frauds then you'll never win over your
viewers. Put it this way: if you don't believe in yourself, why
on earth should your audience?