Magic Shows
TYPES & STYLES OF MAGIC SHOWS
A magic show is a theatrical act that a magician performs in front of an audience to amaze and entertain them.
There are some factors that magicians consider when deciding what type of magic show to offer and perform.
Some of the factors are: budget, experience, equipment, the location’s set-up, and type of activity or event.
Types of Magic shows are:
Close-up Magic Show
This show is great when the magician’s expertise is to manipulate small objects. It can be with cards as well as other small everyday objects like coins, cups, spoons, napkins, pens, sponge balls or even wine glasses.
Any object that the magician can fit into his pockets or find on the table can be turned into a source of amazement.
For this type of magic, the magician doesn’t necessarily need to be an expert in card magic.
Normally this type of magic requires a small space to perform the tricks in front of small groups.
Close-up magic is popular at places such as cocktail parties, casinos, strolling magic shows, and trade shows.
Card Tricks Magic Show
While similar to close-up magic, this type of magic show specializes only in card magic.
With card magic, the magician is an expert manipulating and creating many magic routines and magical effects with cards. This type of magic show requires much more people-participation, and like general close-up magic, it is often performed in small spaces with small groups of people – such as cocktail parties, wedding receptions’ cocktail hours, casinos, bars, trade shows and street magic.
Comedy Magic Shows
In this type of show, we have two categories: a comedian performing magic, and a magician using comedy. What is the difference?
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A Comedy Magic Show:
This type of show is when a magician uses comedy to deliver his or her tricks and magic routine. The emphasis of the show is the magic, and comedy is secondary as a way to highlight the delivery of the tricks or as a way to connect to the audience and enhance the entertainment. (Other ways, as I mention below, include music, drama acting, mentalism.) Often this type of show attracts an artist who can combine both very well – a clever and expert manipulation of tricks and a fun delivery of humor – keeping the audience amazed and laughing at the same time.
A Comedy Show with Magic:
This type of show is primarily a comedy show where the comedian uses a number of magic tricks as part of their comedy routine. The jokes and the comedy are the emphasis of the show. The comedian is more focused on the comedy than the technical aspects of magic and illusions. While many of these performances are fun and highly entertaining, there have been instances where comedians sacrifice the secret of the trick for the sake of humor – something professional magicians avoid at all costs.
Stage Magic show
This type of magic show normally is presented on stage in front of an audience. The stage can be a flat floor in a small room, a platform, medium stage or big theater stage in an auditorium. The magic show can be presented in a variety of ways – with music, mystery, trick manipulation, comedy, mentalism or card tricks.
Mentalism and prediction
This type and style of magic show is well elaborated by magicians to present themselves in a mysterious and sometimes scary way. They bring amazing predictions and mind reading illusions. They interact a lot with the audience. There are many types of places where this type of magic show can be performed – from small, intimate dinner theater settings to large stage theaters.
Middle-sized Illusions
Normally these types of magic shows are performed on stage or on platforms for a minimum of 70 people up to 400 people. The stage is well decorated with lights. The focus of the show is magic and illusions, and it can be combined with comedy, dancing, music and some effects such as smoke. The magic equipment is very visual, and the magic effects involve illusions such as levitation or suspension, escapism, a sword in the neck of an assistant, cutting a body, big predictions, a bullet in the magician’s mouth, and other types of mid-sized illusions.
Big Illusions
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These types of shows require big productions. They are presented on a big stage in theaters or stadiums. These are shows that require heavy, well-elaborated magic tricks and illusions, such as appearing persons, animals as tigers or elephants, dangerous acts of escapism, amazing levitations, or the magician flying onto the stage or out above the audience. Shows like this normally have their own theaters or tour to major venues by seasons.
