What stories interest you? That can not only tell you what kind of character you might be but also can point to some creative direction in your magic. There are two ways to develop bizarre magic, start with an effect or start with a story. I find the latter is more creative in that the effect is "born" as a result of the needs of the story and often you will then have to create a way to make the effect work in real world performance.

Watch great bizarre performances. I recommend getting a hold of Andruzzi's Bizarre and watching him perform bizarre anywhere (with a drink in hand!). I also like Eugene goes Bizarre as it has not only Eugene, but a couple of other guests who perform. These tend to focus on the supernatural, but remember in general - Bizarre Magic should be MAGICAL! And WONDROUS! You don't want people to say "How did he do that?" you want them to say "Was that real?"

Regarding venues, I think bizarrists tend to need to have more knowledge and control of their performance environment than most simply because you are really doing theater. So you should understand how different effects play in different settings. Some will work well, some will not.

Good luck on your art! I believe leaving someone with a taste of real magic is a true gift and a powerful thing in our art. So many people have stopped believing in themselves and their possibilities. I like to believe that being touched by a real magician gives them some of that spark back that they had when their world was young.

As in ANY RITUAL of Magick, it takes young "Blood" like jfquackenbush to raise the Dead....

jfquackenbush, youve just been sacrificed. thanx for waking us up.......

Hail!

Ha! thanks Baba. As the resident vodou expert, can you give me any pointers on coping with my new, um, "life" as one of the walking dead? Any hope in an appeal to Papa Legba for resurrection?

Funny you should ask....no. =p

No I'm not a mime and I've never studied it in a traditional format.
However I am a member of The San Francisco Mime Troupe...it's not that kind of mime...
It's the nations longest living political theater company our new show opens in SF on July Fourth like it does ever year (plug plug)
While the companies roots are in mime. Mime really encompasses a wider range of acting styles: melodrama, commedia dell arte, etc; not only white face mime. Even musical theater and soap operas can be argued to be forms of mime...but that's for a completely different thread on a completely different forum.

I've been lucky enough to have been swept up into the world of ensemble physical theater where I've learned through doing it, being taught it for a show, watching it and generally being exposed to it and it's practitioners. So as you can see I'm a big supporter of going out there and getting exposure to all kinds of performances.

Your home town should be good for this, yes?

C

PS
You might want to specify which Christian. There's two of us here.
Christian Chelman/The Curator...or as I like to call him C-Major.

And me
Christian Cagigal/ just call me Christian Cagigal...or as I like to call me C-Minor. =p =p

We should post in the Christian section of the Magic Café, hehehehehehe.

Can we? or would we be burned?

Get ready...

I don't know which is worse: being burned or being sprayed with holy water.

Bill

Same result for most of us.

Hi JFQ,

Regarding mime: a thorough grounding in the performing arts can only help you. That includes vocal training, dance/movement, acting (in which mime is often taught), improv, and a practical knowledge of technical theatre. I would also strongly recommend obtaining performance experience as an actor outside of the magic discipline; there's a great deal to learn by working with directors and more experienced performers.

Best,
Neil

WOW. this ritual even invoked the likes of Mark Raven and Neil Tobin! good to see you fellas!

To me, the so called BIzarrist is one who occasionally haunts a magic shop, but is rarely lucky; he/she then turns to the local flea market, with a lightbulb floating o'er his/her head.