Here's a little story that changed my entire outlook on how I view presentation.
Around 1992, I'd been into close-up magic for a couple of years, and figured I was pretty competent. I visited the Edinburgh Festival (fringe) and went to see John Lenahan, whose stuff I was familiar with.. (anyone remember "Monday Night Magic at the Hen and Chickens, London?). I was so disappointed. All the stuff he did was self working! My Mother in Law was impressed, however. The next evening, I went to see another magician, who was all sleight of hand. I was so disappointed! There was no entertainment value. That "other" magician is still performing, so I have to assume he's radically changed his act.
I spoke to John later, and asked why he'd used self-workers.. His reply was along the lines of "allows me to concentrate on the audience 100%, and not worry about screwing up the tricks.."
I was disappointed in his show, as I was looking for new puzzles. I probably missed the presentation completely.
But I remember the aftermath. And it made me a much better performer. I started to perform for the spectators, rather than myself.
I get bookings because of my personality - not because I'm a whiz at sleights.

And of course, the entertainment value I bring to each show.

Am I sick of doing Sponge Balls? No. Am I sick of doing Card on Ceiling? No.. or any of the other dozens of effects I've been doing for years? No. Because they're tried and tested crowd pleasers - and they may not be new to me, but, where I am, they're new to my audiences.

Entertainment or magic? You choose! Just try and combine the two.

Regards

DCB

Here's something that stuck in my head as well. Simon Lovell said it during a lecture I attended years ago.

"Instead of hearing, 'I saw this magician the other night. Man, he made cards vanish and reappear outside the bar window and under my glass and in my shoe and he did all this really great magic but, ***, I can't remember his name' I would rather hear 'I saw this magician Simon Lovell the other night, I can't remember a *** thing he did, but god was he a good magician.'"

Think about it.

Mario, he was probably just a clown who left his make-up at home.

This reminds me of circus trapeze acts that fail a few times on purpose to emphasize how difficult the trick is. It's amazing how we discover little things that work by accident.

Another oldie, but goodie...

Imgic, thanks for popping this one back up here(!).
Phew(!),...over ten years old(!...!) now!
It's funny, for me, reading how I was thinking(!),....back then.
How I was 'talking'.

Today, I'd actually still agree with what I thought(!).
Altho I admitt, '...times change.'

Speaking of 'change',
I couldn't help but think:
"Wow!,...look who all wrote here!
look at what for in-put we had!...!
Ten years ago!"

T. Sebastian
Bill Palmer(!)
manal
The Might Fool ("I feel like a big-top tent having 2104 Posts" 😊)
Lawrence O (!...!)
Kozmos
deadcatbounce (Great name!)

What a group of folks.
What a discussion,..over a one week period.
Agreement.
Dis-agreement.
No injuried egos. Soft-skins.
,....'vanishing act'.

It was definately 'a different time',
....ten years ago.
Different 'streets'.
,..different 'business'.
Another type of passion?
A 'freshness'?
.....i don't know.
Maybe I just slept too long..... 😴💤💤💤

....maybe everybody else got gigs! 😕

Thanks for popping the Post imgic.
gallagher