“Insights into the Art of Magic: A Personal Insight.”
Boston Magician Joe Ferranti’s Magic Musings
Massachusetts Comedy Magician Joe Ferranti performs Magic/Comedy for an adult birthday party.
” Do That Again.”… hmmm?
Magicians get together to share and hopefully learn from each other. Additionally, we discuss everything about magic. I remember several times when friends were talking about what to do when a spectator asks, “do that again.”
Furthermore, a repeat performance is likely to give away the secret. Without the secret, we have no magic. Consequently, the most common solution to this request is to repeat the trick with a different method.
Consider the “Ambitious Card” trick. Its strength lies in its repetition. Moreover, if the methods continually cancel out any assumed solutions your audience may consider, the result can be an extraordinarily strong magic effect.
Massachusetts Premier Strolling Magician
But I am not talking about this type of repetition. Let’s say the ending of the trick involves finding a signed card in your wallet. The card in the wallet is the “punchline.” You can’t repeat this trick. (To the same audience.) Think of the spectator who brings you to his friends and says, “Do the trick where the card ends up in your wallet!” You see, the problem.
Perhaps you know a method to have a card end up in a spectator’s wallet. (A slightly different trick, but a good follow up, and a complete surprise.)
When possible, I like to watch other magicians perform. Recently, observing a magician perform a trick, the spectator said those words, “Do that again.” I heard a tone in her voice, the pitch rising, her eyes moving to the side, looking up. Suggesting she was assessing what she saw, and concluding in her mind, “I think I know how that was done. If you, do it again, I can figure it out.”
There is so much going wrong here, I don’t know where to begin.
But let’s cut to the chase. She didn’t wait for the magician to answer her request. She ended with, “Oh, never mind.” (Ouch!)
