VANISH MAGIC BACK ISSUES VANISH MAGAZINE 42 | Page 12

DOUG BENNETT: YOUR GET ACT TOGETHER Go ahead. Admit it. Looking back on 2017 you blew it! You didn’t buy Bitcoin or invest in Apple. And if you’re like a lot of us, you probably didn’t put a whole lot into improving your magic act either. But don’t be discouraged. Sure, you missed the boat on some red-hot investments that would have made you rich in the short run, but there’s still time to invest in a magic act that can keep you barely scraping by in the long run. And what better time to get your act in gear than the start of a brand new year? Sound good? Then let’s get to work. And if you’re wondering where to start, here’s a check-off list of 6 simple tips to help you get your act together in 2018. 1 Check Your Set List---There’s no easy way to say this, but some of the tricks in your show need to go. I’m not talking about the ones you’ve honed into timeless signature pieces (Think David Copperfield’s “Slow-Mo Duck Bucket”, Jeff Hobson’s classic Egg Bag routine, or Chris Hart’s signature Torn and Restored Music Sheet). Obviously, any really good pieces of magic that are original to you, or others that you have put your own unique stamp on definitely need to stay in your show. What I’m talking about is getting rid of tricks that seem outdated or that feel like you are “phoning them in”. It may not be easy for you to identify the things in your show that need to go, but if you listen to your audiences, trust me, they’ll tell you. 12 VANISH Magazine Naturally, before you give any trick the boot, you need to know what new trick will best fit in its place. Ideally it should be a trick that provides a more entertaining experience for your audience without derailing the pacing of your show. If getting rid of a trick / routine and replacing it with another seems daunting, another thing you can do is scrutinize your set list to determine if the effects fall in the right order. Even just moving one or two routines around can give your entire show a fresher feel. 2 Check Your Props---Like your shoes and your car, your magic props can start to show signs of wear and tear with repeated use. This can actually work to your benefit if the prop is a sub-trunk or something else for which a “used universe look” fits the presentation. But there are other props in your show-- -and you know which ones they are-- -which if not kept in top shape come off as looking “cheap and shabby”, not magical. And it goes without saying that props with mechanical mechanisms that you’ve jerry rigged to keep them working awhile longer should be professionally refurbished from time to time. After all, gaffer tape can only do so much. www.VanishMagazine.com 3 Check Your Wardrobe---Yeah, I’m putting this one in here because a lot of magicians I see working in the trenches today---guys and gals whose names you wouldn’t recognize---seem to have forgotten that we are now living in the 21st Century. The old notion that “in order to look like a magician you need to dress like a magician” is dead. Guys like Henning, Copperfield, Angel, Blaine and Franco have shattered the stereotypical image of what a magician looks like, forever. Plus, there has been a world wide cultural shift toward dressing more casually for all occasions that also can’t be ignored. This isn’t to say you should start wearing a hoodie and torn jeans in your show. The key is to wear clothes that fit you physically, and more importantly, clothes that fit your onstage persona. 4 Check Your Music---First impressions count. And aside from what you choose to wear, nothing can make or break a great first impression of you and your show than your choice of music. While music may not be needed throughout your show, when you do use it, the music should match the mood, energy, and style of your routine. The great Joanie Spina had a masterful