What to do when you get I know how you did that!

This is probably the first problem a magician starting out has - what if someone knows your tricks? How do you prevent it, or handle it when it does happen?

Well, first up, let’s just be clear. It happens to everybody, at some point. But here’s a check list to make sure it happens as little as possible, and when it does, to give it minimal importance.

One - Are your tricks deceptive?

There’s an old line about ‘there’s no bad tricks, only bad performers’. The truth is, there’s plenty of both. Not all tricks are created equal, and as a performer it’s up to you to pick the best ones for your own performing character.

As a general rule, I like to avoid tricks where the first solution as spectator might come up with is the correct one. Like Linking Rings. Urg. So, are the tricks you are doing deceptive? Is there an obvious solution to them, and if so, what can you do to hide or conceal the secret more? There normally is, and if it’s not obvious, consider changing the effect around, especially if you are getting called on the same trick repeatedly.

Two - What’s your spectators intention?

If someone says “I know how you did that one!’, your initial reaction might be that they are trying to spoil your trick. But this isn’t necessarily the case.

Most of the time, they are just looking to be involved. If I’m at a friends house, and a movie comes on that I’ve seen, I might comment that I’ve seen it. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to watch it again, and it doesn’t mean I want to blow the experience for everyone else. It’s just conversation, and this is something you should be aware of in your performances.

If this is the case, I don’t respond with any of the stock lines. “If I’d known this was a double act, I’d have charged more money...” etc. I simply say, ‘Ah cool! I still love this trick, and I’ve done it loads.’ This usually generates a ‘Yeah, it is a good trick’ response from the spectator, and their intentions have been clear, and met.

If someone is genuinely out to spoil the experience, I will simply stop performing, say that I’m sorry that they didn’t enjoy it, but perhaps they will not mind if I show the tricks to other people that haven’t seen it? This then takes the situation out of their hands, and into those of your spectators, who will want to see more.

Three - Have you practiced enough?

Of course, when a spectator says ‘I know how you did that’ there is absolutely no guarantee that they are correct. But, it’s better if you leave them with no explanations, true or false. So take a look at your routine. Is there a moment that people think something might be going on? Is your misdirection covering any required moves? Are the moves technically up to scratch?

Four - Is it actually important to you?

Finally, I often hear ‘It doesn’t matter if they see what you are doing - as long as you are entertaining’. Tommy Cooper is often offered as an example. While I understand the viewpoint, I can’t quite bring myself to agree. In order to be a magician, you need to entertain and deceive. Both of those things are essential.

However, if someone does say ‘I know how you did that!’, they might be surprised that in the full flow of performance, I’m not actually concerned. I’m not claiming any kind of special powers here, and so in the grand scheme of things, one trick being figured out is pretty uninteresting. As such, I think this is sometimes a ‘defusing’ attitude. A spectator looking to get a rise or reaction out of you will be unsuccessful, and you carry on regardless. As long as you are entertaining in your own way, they will realise how unimportant the actual mechanics of the trick are.

So, there are some approaches. Do you have different views, or ways of dealing with the situation? Let us know!

 

Until next time (if not before…)

Liam Montier for dudethatscoolmagic.co.uk

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