All too often we deceive ourselves more than our audiences. We think that if we go through the steps involved to make the trick work that our audience will be as entranced as we. It is easy to lose sight of how the “clothes fit the man.”
Truth? In magic? Isn’t the point of magic to deceive the audience’s eyes and minds under the guise of entertainment? The answer of course is yes and no.
When I speak of truth, I speak not only of the facts perceived by the audience by way of the literal presentation, but also of the subtle details that form the foundation of the total experience. The buttress of your show; so to speak. This starts with intentions. Why are you there? Why do you do this? What do you want to communicate? Do you have anything worth saying?
Audiences aren’t there to like you; although they do want to like you – and your act. They are there to experience something they have never experienced before. I am not talking about novelty, I’m talking about you! You have one chance to get the audience to appreciate the experience. Don’t blow it by being unprepared and not having done the prep work – not only the technical work but the mental work as well.
With each performance, audiences give us something very important; their time and attention. We need to recognize this and respect it.