Dear Friends in Magic,
In this month’s Museletter, Mystery School member Lisa Krol explores an essential element of magical performance that is often overlooked. While magicians dedicate countless hours to mastering technique and perfecting presentation, there is another instrument at our disposal that deserves just as much attention.
Lisa invites us to consider how we use this powerful tool and the role it plays in creating memorable moments of magic.
The Voice
Do you dream of the one effect that will create jaw dropping reactions? Do you have drawers full of purchased effects that did not deliver? I am guilty on both counts, and I bet you are too. I promise I am not selling anything! Instead, I want to bring your attention to something that will improve your performances and it will not cost you a dime or take up drawer space!
I recently produced a recorded video show. Not a magic show that was recorded, but a magic show designed and written as a video. No easy task when magic relies on the participation of spectators either directly or in the implied randomness that anyone could be asked to assist. It is no accident that televised magic shows use a live audience, and social media posts are either short one trick ponies or filmed in the street with random passersby.
For various reasons, these were not options for me, so I put the viewing audience at the table directly across from me and spoke to them as if they were sitting there for 35 minutes. I quickly discovered how much harder it was to be engaging without the audience in the room. No feedback, no heads nodding, no eyes widening. All those cues we use when we perform to a live person were missing, and I had to make up for it. As a result, I poured heart and soul into the delivery – in other words my voice.
That’s it – the voice.
So simple but such an impact!
I realized that I needed to become a much more engaging storyteller to capture and hold the viewer’s attention and I would need to replicate the synergy of a group who lead each other in gasps and applause. To address these factors, I built in dramatic pauses. Not just pauses but a measured length of silence.
“Count to 3 here” or “5 count here.”
I worked on tone. While most of the show was quite dark and serious, there needed to be some tension relief. Noting which lines should be said with a smile or wink lightened the delivery. Scripting a pause immediately afterwards allowed for laughter even if I could not hear it. Volume was carefully noted. Dropping my volume on those moments where live spectators tend to lean in brought the viewers forward in their seats.
Speed was another factor. Where a live spectator might get excited or jump to conclusions in the action, I increased the speed of my own speech to mirror what should be happening in their heads.
The results were impressive. The video show was engaging. People leaned in. Viewers even clapped sitting in their living rooms. I know this because they told me! An odd comment coming from someone I know well was, “You didn’t sound like you at all. It was like watching someone else entirely.” Given, I was performing as a medium speaking to ghosts, I took it as high praise with my friend separating her relationship with me to become immersed in the show.
Since the video, I’ve given a lot more attention to my voice and what I’m doing with it. The pauses and volume adjustments are not accidental, they are planned with purpose, and the delivery has improved dramatically.
That’s it! One simple idea and it uses what you already have. Think about your favorite effect. Even if you don’t script your performances, you probably say roughly the same thing every time. Where you want people to lean in, drop your voice and make them strain just a little to hear. Slow down on the parts that are key, especially if there is process involved. And where the magical moment is happening, speed up and get a bit louder.
Record yourself and try it a few different ways, then decide what works best for your vision and style. Think of your voice as a supporting character to the action and use it well!