I was wondering what the mainstream personality is among many of you...

I've seen magicians range from a serious/mystical persona to comical stand-up type persona's.

What type of performer are you, and why?

Light comedy, mostly a slight exaggeration of my own personality.

Ditto Photius.
My typical stage persona is just a slight exaggeration of my own personality. I'm working on a Renaissance Faire persona right now that will be a greatly exaggerated version of myself, only with a ren faire accent! (note I did NOT say an English accent...)

I think it's best to work with what you've got, as opposed to attempting to acquire something you do not possess.

Straight man to my audiences comedic duo. I make the audience members my comedic foils.

The best advice that I've heard is to be yourself. Make your stage personality maybe an exaggerated version of yourself. In my case, I'm actually pretty shy, so my personality is what it would be if I weren't so shy. I try to imagine that I'm performing for friends rather than strangers.

I find playing myself comes pretty naturally!

Actually I do both comedy and elegant magic but in different sets. (My audiences are usually accomplished adults.)

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Thanks all.

Im finding that I like the more serious persona with some dry "Steven Wright" type humor thrown in.

I play a very high energy, stand-up type, booze loving con man.

-Matt

Mine is Serious and Silent most of the time You have to find what suits you and go with that for some comedy is great for others it may not work what is your personality and go from there!

Although your personality may be rooted from a single place, I think it must change depending on what situation your in. The personality I use for festival shows would not go down well in a restaurant situation!

I'm usually quite an eccentric and high energy performer. This is really an amplified version of myself, or at least a certain side of myself. This is in stage and larger show situations.

Although many performers recommend to be yourself more exaggerated, many others recommend the exact opposite. Sylvester the Jester in his Q&A here a while back recommends to be the thing you want to be rather than the thing you are. It all depends on the type of person you are.

Mine is Comedy/High Energy/Elegant. If you are in a crowd, you find multiple personalities. So I play towards that. It also depends on the situation. If the crowd expects a comedy magician then I'm leading with that.

My overall motive is that the clients leave happy and amazed with magic.
Sam

Mine would sorda be playing myself. Funny, not to serious ect.

Zach

Best part of wt I read is yes friends pls b yourself. Do not try to copy others it's not ethical. Straight magic? Well... Yr audience needs to laugh a bit don't dry them up to much if yr a serious stand up intertainer,pls gv them a giggle or 2. Remember yr best audience when starting r yr friends and above all yr famuly.O and practice till yr hands fall off. Ciao 4 now.

Sorry for the spelling, its (family)

Always good to see someone new posting and contributing, but a small request.

Most folks don't read The Café from a telephone or other text messaging device. So while your message was definitely readable and I appreciate your correcting your spelling, please use full words or acronyms, it's easier for us old guys to read.

Just a request. Feel free to ignore it.

Thanks Marty. Pont well taken. It's a habit when writing in the web world.

(Point)