Posted on 20th March 2024

Naturally, I speak with a lot of potential clients, recently engaged couples planning a wedding; events officials organising the annual Christmas party; and restaurant managers looking to add something different to their entertainment lineup. Many of them will tell me how lost they are and don’t know where to start with booking a magician for their event. In these situations, it’s important to understand what type of magician you are considering. Do you want a walkaround performer or a formal stage show? This should help you narrow things down.

That said, you shouldn’t put too much weight on their props and material. Sure, you wouldn’t choose a mind reader to entertain the local convent’s Christmas communion, but ensure you focus on their professional persona. Watch their videos. How are their audiences reacting? Are they laughing, screaming, or hyperventilating? This is what you’re purchasing. Just because a magician may only do card tricks doesn’t make him any worse than someone who uses a wide range of props. They are a working professional and invoke strong emotional reactions from their audience. A deck of cards is the tool they use to achieve that.

Just for goodness sake, make sure they have public liability insurance.

What about my character? The Cheeky Trickster wasn’t born overnight. Do I mostly use cards? Yes, but I also use rubber bands, dice, and coins to demonstrate devious proposition bets. The Cheeky Trickster is a cockney wheeler-dealer; think of Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses. I’ll stack the odds in your favour, lull you into a false sense of security, and still come out on top. I’ll find the card, win the coin flip, and steal your watch. (Don’t worry, I give it back. If I like you.)

One of my earliest mentors, New York magician Jason Ladanye, is another example. Magicians will remember how the great Cardini would portray a drunk on stage, cards appearing all around him, apparently against his will. The audience couldn’t help but laugh at his “misfortune”. Cardini was the classic victim of magic and nobody did it better. However, Jason isn’t a victim, he’s in total control (and isn’t afraid to mention it). He’s James Bond with a deck of cards, constantly raising the stakes and remaining cocky in the face of danger. He will change the rules of a bet so his volunteers are overwhelmingly favoured to win. Somehow, he still does. He still has the winning hand, can find their card or turn an apparent blunder into a triumph. His excessive confidence almost makes him a villain. The audience may feel that they want him to mess up, but they end up overwhelmed by astonishment. They can’t help but appreciate his skill and laugh at themselves for ever thinking otherwise. You can view Jason’s Instagram page to see his character taking centre stage. Just don’t bet him any money.

A magician is remembered not necessarily through their material, but through the emotions that the audience experienced while witnessing the magic. Master Magician Michael Vincent said it best, “When you go home, don’t ask yourself how the tricks were done. Ask instead how the experience made you feel.”