Hello!
I have sent a good few years now learning effects, etc and have performed quite a lot for friends and family. Wanting to grow as a performer, do you have any tips for getting performance experience? I have been working on lots of mentalism, so I don't know if street performance is always appropriate (please, please correct me if you think I'm wrong).
Thanks!
RH

Rory,
Welcome to The Magic Café.
There are plenty of opportunities to get performance experience. Just keep your eyes open for fund raisers, independent or assited living facilities, small town festivals, volunteer fire department carnivals. I often volunteer my time for fund raisers where money is being raised for a medical condition. In the states we have plenty of car cruises where people gather. You could set up a table or just perform strolling magic. Just get permission from the organizers. Think outside thd box and as I said look for opportunities where you feel people would enjoy what you have to offer. Have fun.

Cheers!

Welcome to our 'motley' crew!

May I help clarify a term! The EFFECT is what the spectator SEES, or THINKS THAT HE SEES. So, you can't really LEARN AN EFFECT. You CAN learn METHODS or SECRETS.

P.S.: DavidPaul$ has given you some good ideas about finding opportunities to perform.

IMHO, I'm not sure that, at your age, you will find it easy to present any sort of mental tricks.

Sorry! And thank you very much.

I have found a love of Mentalism, but would it be of your opinion that I should stay away from it?

No, don't say away from it, find a way to present it. It is tuff if you are doing none prop mentalism. You have nothing physical to draw interest from the onlookers. If you have mental effects using keys, coins, bills, anything more then a pencil, you will have something they can look at. That can get you started, and then go into your other mental effects. So a lot of what you are referring to as Mentalism, needs more clarification.

You said you have been doing it for family and friends, what feedback are you getting, can they refer you to places and organizations to perform. This will at least get you started.

Of course, much depends on if you have put together a sold act or set for strolling close up. Do you have scripted out what you are going to say with each effect. Are the trick all different from a viewing audience perspective.

Keep at it and get out there, you have to circulate to percolate, as the say in the sales world. Exposure, met people and sale yourself. Tell them what you do and ask if they could use your services.

Mentalism is very hard work. You have to be extremely entertaining because you are the focus not the props, which is how most magic should be too, but I digress.

Anyway if you enjoy mentalism possibly check out the work of Peter Turner. He has some very powerful techniques... and loads of advice on being entertaining. In one of his dvd's he mentions going out with a camera even if it isn't on record. It will give you reason to approach people even if it is just for flight time.

You are never too young to perform. I would suggest you determine what sort of mentalism performer you want to be. Watch different types and then come up with your own. Maybe you have already done that, but, for example, John Archer does comedy mentalism. Very effective!

kJ

Sounds like you just need flight time. The best way to grow as a performer is to perform often, record yourself, and then watch the recording so you can self critique. Start small with one or two effects. Find open mic nights and ask the host if you can perform on their show. (This advice is assuming you are doing some sort of parlor or cabaret size act. I only infer that since you said mentalism.) Put together 5 minutes and hit as many open mics as you can. Poetry, Music, and Comedy open mics are usually receptive to magicians.

If you are wanting to improve your close up, ask around at various restaurants and Cafés to see if you can get a regular gig table hopping.

You are probably still in the process of finding your voice as a performer. Your voice is your point of view, your tone, your presentation, how the audience perceives the human entertaining them. The only way to find your voice is to wade in and perform as often as possible.

Every act has to start somewhere. Derren Brown didn't wake up and suddenly produce Miracle. He started as a hypnotist, and moved on to being a card magician, and then a mental card magician, and then a mentalist, and on to whatever the heck he is now. But that all came from seeking out performance opportunities. I think you have the boyscouts over there. Put together a program and ask troupes if you can perform for them. Check with your local small business groups, they might have a meeting that needs some light entertainment. I end up opening for a lot of bands. Maybe you have friends who need an opening act.

I enjoy performing at Nursing homes. Easy to book. Fun for the residents, and many of them even pay a little money.

Just perform to everyone you can.