HI,
As I seem to look for different things from an effect than most other childrens magicians. I would like to ask...
What are you looking for from your effects/show?

Ok now we all want to entertain but that's rather broad. Are you out to make them laugh?
believe in magic? what aare your aims?
Phillip

My aim is to entertain them, and hopefully leave them thinking the magic is real, I entertain them with lots of silly stuff, and amaze them with magic at the same time. If they laugh all the way through the routine, and go WOW! That's magic at the end, I've succeeded. Most of all I want them to go home and tell mum & dad they want me at their party.

We "are out" to see children go home elated and happy. Some would call this on a high. Believing in Magic? This is not important to us, although needless to say the 20 mins. of magic in a 2 hour programme we present is performed to mechanical perfection (before anyone picks up on this!). I personally look upon any magical prop. as purely being a 'vehicle' to be filled with lots of other content. Laughter? Essential in short outbursts as it cannot be endlessly perpetuated. Like Clive, we expect, not so much from the children, but any parents present, and the birthday parents, to propagate our continuing business.

Best Wishes, - Tony.

Hi,
I suppose that I too should answer my own question.

I too am looking to send my audience home on a high (the whole audience not just the kids)

In any effect I choose to perform I am looking for comedy opportunities both visual and verbal along with opportunities for audience participation on a group or helper basis, hopefully both! I am also looking to put my helpers into positions from which they can react and their personalities shine through. (nothing I can do will be as funny or get the Oh factor as a child’s comments or reactions for the most part)
It is also important to me that I do good strong magic I am a magician I am paid to amaze as well as entertain in my opinion. I also think that it is just as easy to entertain with a strong magic effect as a weak one. One of the main things I try not to do is embrace any of my audience. Which is why I will not use Farmyard frolics ext.
One thing I really hate is if I hear a parent that has come to pick up their child say to another parent that stayed for the party "what was the magician like? ..... Oh well the kids enjoyed it"
Phillip

Well put, as I've said before I don't go out of my way to entertain the adults, but they often come up and say they enjoyed it as much as the kids. One of the important things I want to get out of a show, is that I must enjoy it as well. I think I've got the best job in the world, although you can't really call this a job, not when it's this much fun. I get to read my paper in bed most mornings, I don't have to scrape the ice off the windscreen at the crack of dawn every morning, and I spend my life going to lots pf parties. Great!

I love that eyes like dinner plates, open mouthed look you get from the kids when the magic happens,

I've had a sort of transformation in my approach to magic. In the past I was satisfied with smiles and noise and general good responses.

Now I've decided that I want a message built into my magic, namely that the world is a more interesting place if you take the time to enjoy how magical it is. This has resulted in a sort of a format which starts with introducing the idea of magic around us and moves closer and closer to some of the kids doing the magic themselves. I find it much more challenging and interesting to write like this.

My new goal is to have kids and adults alike leave my show looking for magic. Some of them will become magicians. Some will amuse themselves with little games like trying to disolve clouds and make traffic lights change. In either case, they'll be looking.

My slogan is
"Magic for adults that kids love"

I tell the person inquiring about what type of show I do that I get the whole family involved.

This seems to have many benefits

I get to do the magic I like
The kids love it
The adults love it
What I do is more appreciated by the adults
Everyone has a good time together


I don't expect this to go over very well here but in this way, I am a very selfish magician. I want to do what I like which is magic for adults. If kids are there, great!

After each show I do, the parents tell me specifically that they are glad that I performed a show for all.

It works for me, and apparently for them.

My goal is to have bursts of laughter, giggles, lots of color and ALWAYS amazement (otherwise, I'm not doing a magic show). I want the kids to say "that guy was fun" not "that guy was stupid"...to rephrase a previous post.