“Bert Allerton’s Rules for the Close-Up Magician. “ Part Nine

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We continue with our next point in the series…
“To be a really successful close-up magician you must:”

9. Have a sense of humor, and if not naturally a comedian, be able to build up situations with your magic that produces laughs.

Circa 2003

I happen to be a natural comic but I don’t think I completely agree with Bert on this one. I think that every performance ought to have at least one opportunity for laughter. Those moments are needed to relieve that tension that builds and can really make dramatic moments more significant.

However, I love to watch a serious performance of close up magic so long as the performer can pull it off. It’s very difficult not to appear pompous or cheesy while performing magic seriously. I think it’s even harder to do in a close up environment.

My style is comedy punctuated by moments of serious astonishment. Modesty aside, it’s like a sudden realization that the guy you’ve been laughing and having a great time watching is actually really, really good.

It’s the money hidden in the wallet you got on your birthday, the gift within the gift…it’s one of my favorite moments….

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