Jonathan Townsend wrote:performer wrote:... the best way to "make the moments" are to underplay them. Trained actors overplay them.
For those of us learning how to do that reliably - go for about half the audience catching on that there's been a glitch - have a friend watch a few shows so check audience responses during those moments to fine tune the performance?
A lot depends on how incompetent you are. If you appear incompetent or better still if you ARE incompetent you won't need to act so much! I would also suggest that for the average magician, despite what I said earlier, one sucker trick in a performance is more than enough. I break this rule but that is because I am an exceptional person and normal rules do not apply.
The best way to act as if things have gone wrong is to think in your mind that it HAS gone wrong! In other words it is all in the mind. And no. Don't get friends to check audience responses particularly if those friends are magicians. The trouble with magicians is that they think their opinions are important. They most certainly aren't. You don't need anyone. Just observe for yourself. It should be pretty obvious if they think the trick has really gone wrong. If they mock and deride you or seem to feel sorry for you then you know you are on the right track.