Upon Examinations...
One of the things I often get asked when lecturing or teaching a trick is “What happens if someone says ‘Can I examine it?’ or a similar question?”
It’s a strange question because these days, lay people simply never ask me to examine the props I am using. I like tricks that end clean, but even when I use them, and overtly offer the props out, people often refuse.
And yet, it certainly wasn’t always like that - I definitely remember starting out, and lots of spectators were very ‘touchy-feely’ and often wanted to check out whatever I happened to be using.
Coming to understand the change is difficult - there was certainly no sudden tip or secret that I could credit the change to - the shift was instead so gradual that I have no recollection of the actual process.
So, to my mind, that means a combination of several things. I’m going to take a look at three of them now.
Confidence.
This is the big one, and time really is the only thing that progresses it. When I first started out, I wasn’t a very confident performer, and that in itself encourages certain spectators to become involved. They might feel that they can ask to examine things simply because you seem nervous about using or introducing them yourself.
Later on, you will find that people who are watching a confident and enjoyable performance, simply don’t want it interrupted, either by themselves or others.
So, what can you do to build up your performing confidence? Of course, it’s just experience. Find yourself some nice tricks that end ‘clean’ and examinable, and practice them until they look great. Then, use them as much as possible, on every one!
Try ‘The Haunted Key’or The Matchbox Illusion Both of these are great non-card items that are examinable.
If you are a little more technically minded and are comfortable with the Elmsley Count and other basic card moves, you can’t go wrong with any of John Bannon’s ‘Fractal’ range, with Spin Doctor being a favorite of mine.
Once you have a little collection of examinable tricks together, insert one that doesn’t end clean but still looks very fair. A great example is another John Bannon trick, ‘Twisted Sisters’.
By sneaking one non-examinable trick into a set of two or three others, your confidence will grow, and you will find people become less interested in grabbing any of your props.
Personal Space
Understanding how to use peoples personal space to your advantage can be a subtle but useful tool. It essentially works like this - the nearer you place something to a spectator, the more they will feel ‘allowed’ to handle it. So, if you were using a stacked deck, say, and a close up mat, tabling the deck on the outside of the mat would be more likely to encourage spectators to pick it up. In reverse, placing the deck nearer to you goes a long way to secure its safety, and people are less likely to invade your personal space.
Presentation
This is a biggie. If you find spectators are making grabs for certain tricks, then you need to look at the tricks presentation. Are you coming across as ‘challenging’ or a bit of a smart ass? Monte effects, or tricks with an ‘observation test’ presentation are the most common offenders. Tweak the stories so that rather than your spectator being the victim, relate how you were a victim when you first saw ‘a guy doing this scam’.
Rather than making your spectator look foolish, and yourself look clever, this way you put both of you in the same boat, which is obviously much more likely to avoid confrontation and frustration on your spectators part.
So there’s a couple of ways that might help you perform and avoid having spectators get too ‘grabby’.
Until next time...
It’s a strange question because these days, lay people simply never ask me to examine the props I am using. I like tricks that end clean, but even when I use them, and overtly offer the props out, people often refuse.
And yet, it certainly wasn’t always like that - I definitely remember starting out, and lots of spectators were very ‘touchy-feely’ and often wanted to check out whatever I happened to be using.
Coming to understand the change is difficult - there was certainly no sudden tip or secret that I could credit the change to - the shift was instead so gradual that I have no recollection of the actual process.
So, to my mind, that means a combination of several things. I’m going to take a look at three of them now.
Confidence.
This is the big one, and time really is the only thing that progresses it. When I first started out, I wasn’t a very confident performer, and that in itself encourages certain spectators to become involved. They might feel that they can ask to examine things simply because you seem nervous about using or introducing them yourself.
Later on, you will find that people who are watching a confident and enjoyable performance, simply don’t want it interrupted, either by themselves or others.
So, what can you do to build up your performing confidence? Of course, it’s just experience. Find yourself some nice tricks that end ‘clean’ and examinable, and practice them until they look great. Then, use them as much as possible, on every one!
Try ‘The Haunted Key’or The Matchbox Illusion Both of these are great non-card items that are examinable.
If you are a little more technically minded and are comfortable with the Elmsley Count and other basic card moves, you can’t go wrong with any of John Bannon’s ‘Fractal’ range, with Spin Doctor being a favorite of mine.
Once you have a little collection of examinable tricks together, insert one that doesn’t end clean but still looks very fair. A great example is another John Bannon trick, ‘Twisted Sisters’.
By sneaking one non-examinable trick into a set of two or three others, your confidence will grow, and you will find people become less interested in grabbing any of your props.
Personal Space
Understanding how to use peoples personal space to your advantage can be a subtle but useful tool. It essentially works like this - the nearer you place something to a spectator, the more they will feel ‘allowed’ to handle it. So, if you were using a stacked deck, say, and a close up mat, tabling the deck on the outside of the mat would be more likely to encourage spectators to pick it up. In reverse, placing the deck nearer to you goes a long way to secure its safety, and people are less likely to invade your personal space.
Presentation
This is a biggie. If you find spectators are making grabs for certain tricks, then you need to look at the tricks presentation. Are you coming across as ‘challenging’ or a bit of a smart ass? Monte effects, or tricks with an ‘observation test’ presentation are the most common offenders. Tweak the stories so that rather than your spectator being the victim, relate how you were a victim when you first saw ‘a guy doing this scam’.
Rather than making your spectator look foolish, and yourself look clever, this way you put both of you in the same boat, which is obviously much more likely to avoid confrontation and frustration on your spectators part.
So there’s a couple of ways that might help you perform and avoid having spectators get too ‘grabby’.
Until next time...
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