How to Tell a Captivating Story in Your Patter Without Overdoing It?

Hi Mariana,

It would be interesting if you shared the routine along with your patter.

Anyway, if you yourself feel it's not realistic, then it certainly won't feel realistic to the audience.

There are a million types of magicians out there; some enjoy reciting (Lavand, Dámaso, etc.), but many others don't. That's very personal, and there are no fixed rules.

What I try to do is: talk about things I believe in, things I know about, and things I genuinely enjoy. It should be evident that I know what I'm talking about, that it's a part of me, that it's real. That's how you can really captivate people. Juan Tamariz tells a story about how he used to joke that he couldn't see without his glasses, but when he had cataract surgery and could almost see well without them, he stopped doing the joke because it was no longer true.

Ricardo Sánchez also mentions that he loves it when someone approaches him after a show to discuss a topic he talked about, because it shows he's generated interest.

In my version of the Magic 9, I talk about cults, and I pull out a really cool book on the subject and all. It's a topic I enjoy, one I've read a lot about, and it shows when I speak. In fact, when I was creating the effect (which came from a version Luis Olmedo taught me), I was tempted to use the Satanic Bible by LaVey as the book – it's more recognizable to the public – but I decided on a book about The Process, a really messed-up cult from San Francisco. Even though it's less known, it was easier for me to sell that as a truly messed-up cult than LaVey's church, because I know they were much crazier. I'm not sure if that makes sense. The funny thing is, people ask me for the book to look through it after the effect, so the message definitely gets across.

It's also the Iceberg theory, where it's apparent that you know more than you're letting on, and that creates interest.

In summary, three ideas:

• speak in a way that feels comfortable to you (and that can change over time, and with different routines)
• talk about things you know, that you connect with, and that genuinely interest you (that way you'll convey that interest and connection)
• tell the truth, or as close to the truth as you can get; that also comes across.

I recommend Juan Tamariz's Arcoíris mágico (The Magic Rainbow), specifically the seven veils section where he discusses truth and knowledge in presentation, among other things – besides chapters solely on patter – and Ricardo Sánchez's Antes de la trampa (Before the Trap), which is all about patter.

Lastly, and I think this is important. There will be routines you absolutely love when you see them, but for some reason, they just don't fit your personality at all. And that's okay; those are routines to watch, not necessarily to perform. You have to find routines that feel right for you, create them, or modify others so they fit you like a glove. And that includes both the internal and external aspects.

Hi Mariana,

After everyone else has weighed in, I'm going to add my two cents.

I teach at the university, and one of my responsibilities is supervising senior theses. To help my students prepare for their defenses, I tell them to record themselves so they can hear how they sound from an outside perspective. We hear ourselves internally, through bone conduction, and that's a bit different from hearing yourself on a recording, which is how the rest of the world perceives you.

When you hear yourself from that external perspective, you'll see exactly what you're conveying. Then you can even record a video, reviewing the complete structure, the effect, and the audio.

Hey Mariana, honestly, I often ask myself the same thing. What I've found through my research and practice is that your patter needs to be consistent with your persona or character. I don't know if you're familiar with Dani Daortiz; he's a highly renowned, top-tier magician, and you'd never imagine him doing a slow or calm trick. He certainly could do it, but it just doesn't fit his character.

Beyond that, it's crucial for it to have coherence. While it's true that some incredibly skilled professional magicians might have confusing or slightly odd patter, it's best to start with simple, coherent patter. The sense of the impossible will come naturally.

I'd also recommend asking yourself if you find it engaging, if you're passionate about it. Otherwise, I find it hard to believe it will interest anyone else. But if you manage to make yourself passionate about it, that emotion will be contagious and draw anyone in.

Hope this helps!

Hello!

I think it's important to get used to telling your patter rather than just reciting a script.

Once you've got your patter down, the key is to try and tell it to the audience as if there's no fourth wall.

I always recommend approaching your patter rehearsals in a very relaxed way and trying to shift your mindset a bit. What we do is more than just a script; it's a conversation where we know exactly what to say.

Thanks to Willy for mentioning my work!

Hey Mariana,

While the story in your routine is part of the performance, you don't need to act when you're telling it.

Practice telling the story to someone without performing the trick—just tell it, like you'd recount your weekend or chat about a movie you really enjoyed. Pay attention to how you talk naturally and try to apply that same relaxed conversational style. Let the trick be your primary focus, not performing the story itself.

I think you're putting too much pressure on the delivery of your presentation, which is why you're worried about your tone of voice or your gestures (which you say aren't convincing). Instead, focus on polishing your magic techniques, and don't sweat the rest—just be natural and enjoy it!

Best, and good luck!

Good luck!

Hey there,

In my opinion, for a story to be effective, it needs narrative coherence. That means all aspects of the story should be logical. This way, just like a good tale, there shouldn't be any loose ends, allowing you to guide the spectator smoothly and make it feel completely natural.

Often, creating a sense of realism really helps in telling stories that feel like they're ripped straight from reality.