Magic by Misdirection

When a magician steps out in front of an audience, lie does so as an entertainer. The fact that he is a magician is entirely secondary, from the viewpoint of his spectators. While it is true that the audience may be there because he is a magician, it is even more true that his spectators are there because they expect to be entertained-entertained by magic. Very frequently even this is not true. Many times the audience is there to be entertained, without consideration being given as to the particular kind of entertainment. Most frequently, perhaps, the magician is merely one of several types of entertainers. Thus SHOWMANSHIP FOR MAGICIANS attempts to cover what I believe to be the most important field for the performing magician. It is intended to help the magician to prepare his performance so that it will be most palatable for his spectators. To some, this may seem as if the cart were before the horse. At first thought it might seem more logical to start with the mechanics of magic. It might be argued that before you can have an entertaining magician, you must have a magician. I choose the opposite viewpoint. I select this stand because I feel the performer must be an entertainer first.