A Bad Audience

[@lufferov]

Paul you are SO right, I see a lot of people in my job (stage manager) come off stage regularly and bemoan the poor audience, sometimes they are "big names" too. My reply is always the same "the audience is the same every night, what did you do differently?" It doesn't always make me very popular, but I believe it is true :) The audience that Ken Dodd had rolling in the aisles last week are more or less the same people who are the "bad audience" for you tonight.

[@eddiehenrik4869]

I saw Paul and Debbie in a live CSE (Combined Services Entertainment)show in the Falkland Islands in 1996 (ish). I wasn't that interested in magic at that time. But WOW! I was very impressed. Their performance was flawless. Ever since then. I've tried to do a few basic tricks with friends and family. I'm so happy that I've found this series of videos. "Thank's Paul"

[@mattsohl]

Thank you so much for these videos. A couple of years ago I made my new years resolution to get back into magic. I used to do it as a kid. Now I'm two years into it and getting into performances. I love watching what videos of you I can. A great performer with excellent showmanship! -Matt

[@TomElvisSmith]

Walking on stage confidently is an amazing tip. I hadn't thought of it before. I'm going to try to remember that when I sing for people. I often show when I'm nervous.

[@jackta101]

Indeed! It's why I decided to do the street stuff last year - to force me to go from performing for mates and people I knew, to complete strangers. Was great fun - and have been doing more and more since. This year I have a free Fringe show - so time to learn some more.

[@cazzward2005]

Its wonderful to listen to your methods Paul. I saw you in Kettering his Sunday and you were fantastic. Pure entertainment. It was a pleasure to see you perform live :-)

[@thepauldaniels]

On my Magic Days which I hold at home, I do teach something that I learned years and years ago about grabbing an audience and making them watch and listen. I'll be teaching it on the coming DVD(s) I am making this year with Luis de Matos.

[@thepauldaniels]

Been there, done that, and won. I find it always helps to tell the audience how you feel, and that you didn't realise it was the wrong venue and so on. I know I chat a lot to the audience, but that helps me across so many bridges and problems.

[@jackta101]

The only comment I would raise here is an un-reactive audience. Last year I was doing card tricks on the street at the Edinburgh Fringe and there was a group of guys and girls that asked to see some tricks. So I got out my cards and went into it, got them talking to me, taking part in the tricks etc. great! But when each trick climaxed they just stared in silence. It's not that they hadn't been affected, it's just they didn't know how to express it, which made playing off it rather difficult.

[@PatrickWaltrick]

A DVD with Luis de Matos ? Great news ;-) Yes, we'd love to hear more about these techniques !

[@Dreamoen]

As a magician in the canary islands, part of the legacy that some big magicians around here build knowing ken brooks, and all the old big boys, makes me feel I grew up in the wrong time to be a magician instead of tricking cams and such. Thanks for ur insight, I envy the old times where I werent even and idea.

[@thepauldaniels]

Jake Erdmann has asked if I have ever had a show go completely wrong and the answer is only once in the last couple of decades. That was caused at an after dinner cabaret by really bad lighting. My fault of course 'cos I should have checked but for many years the lighting companies lit the stage properly. Why doesn't stuff go wrong? It's because when I am planning a new bit of business I work out what and where it can go wrong and then plan what I would do if that stuff happened.

[@thepauldaniels]

Ah... you forget all the years I was on stage and not known at all. That's where I learnt all these rules. As for Owton Manor... I had a great time there. Happy Days

[@thepauldaniels]

Oo... that demands a HUGE answer. You learn who to pick on in the audience, a smiley guy, nice person. You learn to totally control the 'volunteer', their movements, and how to answer smart ass remarks with a smile or a come back or even get applause for their 'joke'... there are thousands of answers to your question....

[@PMacleod3000]

Yes but Paul, when a known entertainer comes on to the stage they also know what to expect from them. But heh, Owton Manor Lodge was fun years ago I believe!!! lol

[@PMacleod3000]

You had a great time!! Thats not what you told me years ago at the Ladle Hotel. As I recall, it's all boarded up now and I think pulled down, probably to make the roundabout bigger lol. How the years fly past.

[@jackta101]

I'm not saying I was applause - just more reaction than stunned silence - and whooping and hollering comes much more comfortably I find to people who are quite extrovert. But sometimes you do a trick for someone and they stare at you in amazement but don't vocalize anything - it's a quiet sort of gasp. I suppose my point was the first time I encountered that type of spectator I was caught a little off guard. I've since developed ways to turn that from stunned silence to vocal reactions.

[@lufferov]

Actually, I'd like to add an exception to the rule (isn't there always one), and that's where your act is not suitable for the audience. I've seen that before! Someone books you for an event, but the audience have no interest in the entertainment and just want to chat and drink. You don't stand a chance, you accepted the booking in good faith but arrived and then realise they should have booked a band, not a comedian or magician!

[@magictricks9876]

I think that 95% of the time it is the fault of the entertainer. The other 5% is due to factors beyond one's control. If your good and entertaining people will be interested. If your not, then they won't. It's like watching a TV. If your not into something then you switch channels.

[@TheStevenWhiting]

I've always wondered how do magicians cope with the one person that ends up on the stage trying to ruin the trick because they think they know how stuff is done. The ones that want to check the cards over after you've done the specific cut etc? I liked magic as I grew up, but never got into it enough as never understood how you'd get round that.

[@SimonJobson]

Lovely video, paul :)

[@thepauldaniels]

Street requires a different technique altogether and as for 'applause' that is really hard to get 'cos they are mostly carrying stuff. In modern times it is difficult to get people to applaud anyway 'cos most of their 'entertainment' comes from TV, where in their homes they never applaud. Your patter/chat/presentation is lacking somewhat if you can't get 'street' to whoop and holler :)

[@thepauldaniels]

See? You're learning. :)

[@lufferov]

Paul you are SO right, I see a lot of people in my job (stage manager) come off stage regularly and bemoan the poor audience, sometimes they are "big names" too. My reply is always the same "the audience is the same every night, what did you do differently?" It doesn't always make me very popular, but I believe it is true :) The audience that Ken Dodd had rolling in the aisles last weekend are more or less the same people who are the "bad audience" for you tonight.