Well here we are in 2021 and we are living in a very cool age for performance. The new breed of tattooed street magician is super popular and with it comes the ability of wearing just about what you want for a show ..
BUT AND I SAID A HUGE BUT …. theres something you need to always remember.
Performers come in two formats when working a show …
1: Your show:
This can be a street show all the way up to a Vegas headliner show where people are paying to see “YOU”. If you are booked on your name and the billing is on your name … then Its your show and you choose to wear your style. Jeff McBride wears Oriental costumes, Dan Sperry wears wild goth make up, I myself in my Geno’s world tour show have many bright costumes bordering on the clown style. This is perfectly expectable when again …. It’s on YOUR NAME. This can also be if you are doing a stage tour as part of a show or a season at a theme park. you are doing “YOUR SHOW” so all production elements you control.
2: You are a magician for hire.
You are a magician for hire, now this category is the most common and always will be. You are being booked as “the magician” for the client, now this gig could be, a wedding close up, a kids house party, a corporate trade show event.
Its in this second area that so many young magicians are falling. foul of now adays and are loosing work and clients because of it. Ask any seasoned pro and they will tell you the same thing … EGO is not important, all that is important is paying the bills at the end of the year. if you can make a full living from performing your magic then you are successful. thats it .. there is no hidden secret that are not shared.
So with that said, whats the problem?
So many young performers now are turning up at gigs in the wrong costumes and its purely EGO based … If you are hired to perform and a wedding as the walk about close -up magician then you should be wearing a standard smart wedding magicians costume of some sort. EG: suit, vest and tie but smart … the guests will be so should YOU .. Tyhere is NO if and or BUT to this …
DRESS FOR THE GIG … its NOT hard to work out what the requirements should be …
Corporate Trade show where all the sales people and managers are in suits …. is a t-shirt and jeans really going to fit ? OF COURSE NOT …
Most pro in the sales work will ask if there is any special dress code for the gig. Some events my be themed and booker will tell you that …
So now of course there would be exceptions to the rules …. an example … Ive done weddings on beaches in Mauritius so I worked in shorts and short sleeved shirts as the other guests were. its common sense.
NOW I can honestly tell you in the last 5 years Ive met magicians who have turned up for magic festivals with me at theme parks over here in China who were trying to wear jeans and T-shirts and saying to the theme park producers … “It’s my style” No they didn’t buy it either …
When are you a STAR .. do you what like … Its your show …. everything else …. dress for the gig … clients are happy, guests are happy .. you get REBOOKED … its that simple …