At an Undisclosed Location Somewhere in Colorado…

Had a performance Saturday night at my semi-regular venue which shall remain unnamed. My presence at this venue is not a well-kept secret — obviously, hundreds of people see me there each week. I do not, however, advertise my performances at this venue, preferring to keep it as a place where I am free to experiment.

It is an old but cogent observation that magicians (and other performance artists) need a place where they can hone their craft on a regular basis. The truth is, as a performer, if you’re not logging consistent “flight-time” in front of a live audience, then you’re not performing at your peak. It is the bane of the amateur magician that every time they take the stage (after a prolonged absence), they’re walking in cold. As a result, their sleights will show some rust, their scripts will be a little stilted, and their audience interaction will be a bit flat.

Honestly, the audiences at my secret undisclosed venue are some of the most difficult audiences I work for. They have extremely short attention spans, in an environment that is full of distractions. And they force me to work hard to win them over. But it is the grueling conditions which attracted me to this venue to begin with. Being tempered in such fires means that I can take a “proper” gig (with a moderately attentive audience) knowing I’ll have them in the palm of my hand from the word go. (I was introduced to this strategy by my magical friend and colleague, Mike Michaels, who used to work during the intermissions at a strip club. When his act was strong enough to divert the attention of lascivious patrons, he knew he was ready to take on Las Vegas.)

Saturday night was an opportunity for me to continue breaking in some new material. Prestodigitorial technique can be developed in the practice room. Next it must be tested under the “fog of war” before a live audience. And most importantly, the presentation can only be truly discovered before an audience.

The magic in question is a piece that most magicians will be familiar with, the venerable “Six Card Repeat.” Mastering the technique is not difficult, however, presenting this piece of magic is quite a challenge. There are many subtleties and nuances in the presentation which require much attention. The crux of the performance rests upon finding the correct pacing and rhythm. Also crucial is signaling the audience as to when you are ready to receive their applause. It is a deceptively difficult piece to present, and yet from its inception I’ve sensed that it will grow to become a very strong opener, it having an almost hypnotic quality that rivets an audience’s attention.

If you are an amateur, striving to become a professional, my advice is to secure for yourself a “secret undisclosed location” where you can get regular stage time.