“MEET VAL ANDREWS”

Your Author/Lecturer was born in Brighton, Sussex, England, on February

15th, 1926. At the age of seven he followed an elephant for a score of miles,
to find that it was destined to be “vanished” by “The Great Carmo”. From that
time on he “haunted” the galleries of the local theatres to see those final
figures in the “parade of giants”: Dante, Murray, Lyle, Cardini, Chefalo, and so
many more. This led to his becoming a local performer. Then, when he was
not much more than twelve, he turned “pro” and toured in “Variety”, which is
a British “Vaudeville”.

During the war he was based in London, amusing and amazing civilians and
forces alike, despite the nightly attentions of the “Luftwaffe”! He also toured
both U.S. and British Army camps and gunsites. When the war finished, he
started to turn his attention more toward writing than performing, He has
produced more than 100 books, including his more recent biographies of
“Greats” like “Murray” and “Dante”. His works on Horace Goldin and “Chung
Ling Soo” will be published shortly.

As a lecturer he has travelled widely in both Great Britain and America. He

has two principal lectures. One is crammed with magical “ideas” and original
tricks. The other on “Showmanship”, the subject of this little book.

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 shortcut to showmanship

definition

DEFINITION: “Showmanship” is many things. Sometimes it is the art of mak-

ing that which is accomplished easily appear to be more difficult. (If a Magi-
cian throws a knot into a piece of rope he is likely to gain more applause after
several preliminary failures.) On the other hand it can be the art of “throw-
ing-away” something which has taken months of practice to perfect. (For art
can be in the concealment of art.)

When a tailor adds a row of hand stitching to a mass-produced suit he en-

hances its value with showmanship. One can enjoy so much more a quite
basic meal if the caterer serves it with gleaming silverware and snowy table
linen. The caterer and the tailor are both showmen who know the art of tak-
ing a base-original, and polishing it until it becomes an enticing commodity.
Another facet of the showman’s art is to turn seeming tragedy to advantage:
I remember seeing many years ago a “one-legged-tap-dancer”: a gentleman
who with both his limbs would have been worth a quarter of his pay! That
which at first might seem like a handicap can be turned to advantage with
the right showmanship.

necessity

NECESSITY: We need “showmanship” (Unless we have some great “gift” or

“freak talent” such as a five-octave voice) in order to “project” what we do,
draw attention to that which we desire noticed, or gloss over that which is
better not noticed. We need it like a jeweller needs a buffing wheel, in order to
make that which could be dull and lifeless shine and entice.

acquisition

ACQUISITION: We cannot buy showmanship, we can only acquire it the hard

way, through experience. Yet there are short-cuts which we will ultimately

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discuss. It is rather like learning to paint a masterpiece. The initial talent to
do so must be there: the art master can save the “genius” years of study by
showing him how to mix paints and prepare canvas. In the same way the
aspiring magical “showman” can learn a lot from established performers of all
kinds.

showmanly arts:
timing

TIMING: It is often said of a showman that he had “a good sense of timing”.

This is indeed an art born of experience which can become instinctive. Like
an angler, the performer must know the exact moment that he must “strike”
to gain best effect. As this magical moment will vary with every audience,
only a built-in “timing meter” born of experience will be able to gauge it.

That master of timing, George Burns, once stated in a radio interview that he
thought his “timing” was overrated. He said: “I tell a joke, and if they laugh I
smoke my cigar for a while. If they don’t laugh, I tell another joke!” (Or words
to that effect.)

Obviously the smoking of a cigar, the nervous handling of a musical instru-

ment, or the admonishing touches with a magical prop can be “aids”. (Giving
work to hands and eyes during those “electric pauses”.)

pointing

“POINTING”: This is the art of drawing the audience’s attention to some

aspect of what is happening, which they could easily miss, and in so doing
lose the whole point of an effect or line or situation. For example, there is
little to be gained in “vanishing” a birdcage if the audience are unaware that
it existed, through insufficient emphasis. (We must give them time to no-
tice it, or even stress it’s presence by word or deed.) A good example: when
the magician makes a “top-change”, he should take care that the two cards

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involved are of contrasting colour and denomination. If this is not possible for
technical reasons, then greater stress must be placed on each card by word
or gesture or both.

SHOWMANSHIP AND THE PARANORMAL: There can be little doubt that mag-
ic acts with a “paranormal” angle: mentalism, hypnotism and demonstrations
of “sightless vision” or “X-Ray Eyes” need an enormous showmanly “selling
campaign” in the area of operation prior to an appearance. The presentation
of such an act, although often easy enough magically, requires great skill in
the department of showmanship.

In mentalism the showmanly skill is often in the complete, seeming, disregard

for properties. Those slates and clipboards may be special ones that have
cost you dearly. But if you treat them as anything other than they are sup-
posed to be, then you will defeat the object of their purchase!

applause

APPLAUSE: Too often the performer of magic: even the experienced one
seems to be unaware of the exact moment when the applause should come!
IF HE DOESN’T KNOW THEN HOW ON EARTH CAN HIS AUDIENCE BE EXPECT-
ED TO?

Often the performer reaches the climax of a trick, without thought or plan-
ning to place himself in any sort of “applause gesture”. When the climax of an
effect permits you to make a widespread gesture with the hands and arms a
natural “cue” is given.

Spoken applause cues can be used, so that they are an integral part of the
patter, avoiding any sort of ad-libbed or muttered words of finality. Phrases
like: “So much for the clever stuff...on with the show!” and “Isn’t magic won-
derful?” are useful. The most important thing surely is to make some sort
of “stand” for applause, quite early in one’s act: in so doing using words and
gestures which can later be repeated, and RECOGNISED by the audience as

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cues for applause! The most interesting practical example of this was given
by Dante, when he explained to his audience that his method of greeting their
applause was an upswept movement of his expressive hands. The more the
applause the higher the hands would be raised. Thus he was able by means of
this “cue” to dictate the measure of applause that he would receive for each
item!

The magician so often does not, by the very nature of his work, receive the
same measure of spontaneous applause as do artistes of other categories.
For this reason he needs to exert all his skill as a showman in order to gain
that applause. (By which, in this hard, cruel world, he will be judged by those
who employ him.)

audiences

“THE AUDIENCE”: Lets discuss the audience that can make or break us. Bad
audiences fall usually into one of two categories. First the silent audience.
You make a graceful entrance, perform your first effect: result absolutely
nothing! One thinks to oneself “That was one of my best items...what will they
make of the rest?” The resulting tendency to rush one’s material only makes
matters worse. It may be the fact that one is working too fast or inaudibility
that is responsible for the lack of response.

Almost as alarming is the noisy audience or unruly crowd. Here again, condi-
tions may be responsible. If an audience have been uncomfortably seated for
any length of time they are likely to be troublesome. Merely drawing attention
to the fact that one understands their discomfort can often win them over.
Less worrying is the individual “heckler”, but he can be a hazard too. If you
“top” what he says, you could be unpopular for the fact that you are taking
an obvious professional advantage. If you fail to “top” him, the audience will
think you a poor sort of professional! Either way you cannot win, so my advice
is to do all you can to win the Heckler over. But if this is impossible, then you
must nail him. You dare not fail here.

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 showmanship offstage

The days of Alexander Herrmann, when the magician would pull all man-
ner of magical stunts in public are long gone. But a smart showman always
has a good “story” up his sleeve for the press. Example, when Maurice Fo-
gel claimed exemption from Jury duty on grounds of being a professional
mind-reader, he hit the headlines.

Front of house displays are really a form of showmanship and many an act
has been “sold” to an audience before setting foot on the stage.

a shortcut

A “SHORT CUT”: The only short-cut to showmanship that I know is to study

great performers at work. Then, if you can define WHY they do a certain thing
at a certain time, you can capitalise on THEIR hard-won experience. I do NOT
suggest that you imitate anyone. But I do suggest that a little stardust often
rubs off the star and onto his admirer!

I remember as a young man seeing the late, great, MAURICE CHEVALIER

present his “one-man show” at a London Theatre, immediately follow-
ing World War Two. He had but recently been cleared of the “collaboration”
charges which had so threatened his career. I was a bit uneasy as to the
reception he would get. But I need not have worried: as soon as the jaunty
Frenchman stepped onto the stage, with his straw hat, jutting lower lip and
enchanting smile the audience were “his”. He had brought with him a pianist,
two hats, a cap and a cane. He worked in one set of black “drapes” through-
out. His songs were for the most part delivered in French with much time
taken in preliminary “translation”. He held that London audience in the palm
of his expressive hand for all but three hours: through sheer magnetism, and
“showmanship”. I learned more about that elusive quality from Chevalier, So-
phie Tucker and Danny Kaye than I did from the greatest of magicians.

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Of the great magicians that I saw: Goldin, Cardini, Chefalo, Murray, Carmo,
Frakson, and so many more, one stood head and shoulders above the rest as
a “showman”. This was DANTE, the great Danish-American illusionist who was
always a “magician”, on and off the stage. His greatest piece of showmanship
in my opinion was in the mode of taking his applause: no “bends” or “bows”,
just a graceful upward movement of the hands and arms, describing an “arc”,
which went higher with the volume of the applause. The public wanted to see
his hands go right up high, so the volume was usually considerable and it was
the greatest device ever for “milking” the applause!

elementary stagecraft

It is not my purpose here to delve deeply into stagecraft, as there are so

many excellent books available on the subject, and these notes are not really
aimed at the beginner. But I would like to just say a word or two about those
important things that tend to be neglected: “Entrance”, “Exit” and changes of
mood and pace. I once saw a performer make a wonderful entrance in cloak
and opera hat, to wonderful music: “The legend of the glass mountain”. He
then produced six tin watches from a paper cone! Obviously the magnificent
entrance must be justified.

Microphone technique is important today for the talking performer. It is

agreed that one should be able to “project” the natural voice to be heard
in the furthest part of a huge auditorium, without strain or difficulty. After
all, the old-timers did. But they did not have to work to an audience raised
on amplification. The modern audience have ears “attuned” to such sound,
through T.V., Radio, Discos, etc. and unless the voice is amplified it does not
seem to them professional. If you work with a stand-mike, the most important
thing to remember is to keep the hands in front of it, so that no movement is
masked or impeded.

Whilst all movements should be planned, for economy, an effort should be

made to keep the performance from being “static”. Changes of mood and
pace, aided by apt music and lighting are important.

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I think the use of tapes for musical background is excellent. Yet I have seen so
many tragedies occur to those who use them. Therefore I suggest that music
be carried and a pianist be cautioned to be ready in the event of a tragedy. Do
please be sure that the person operating the tape is competent to do so.

billing and introductions

BILLING AND INTRODUCTIONS: All too often today the bill matter is full of de-
scriptions like: “Fabulous”, “Fantastic” and “Wonderful”. One no longer seems
to see the clever “by-line” as of yore. Some examples: Of course some of the
by-lines might be “taboo” now. For example, at one time every other per-
former was calling himself “The Gay Deceiver”! (It was satire on the title of an
Operetta, and nothing to do with any kind of “liberation”.

On the subject of “introductions”: I always think it wise to write exactly what

you want said, by way of introduction, on a post-card. This should be handed
to the compere, M.C,, or chairman: and if I were you I would have him read it
back to you before announcing you in public, just to be sure that his pronun-
ciation is to your liking.

This may read as if I have little faith in others? Well, it is true that I have suf-
fered often in the hands of incompetents. One can produce and present the
finest act in the world, but if it is badly billed, wrongly announced and has
poor musical backing it will lack perfection through no fault of the showman.
(Save possibly that he was not as alert or insistent on detail as he might have
been.)

Photographs and printing are important aspects of showmanship, I have al-

ways believed that printed note paper should be as neat and simple as pos-
sible, and of quality that is the best one can afford. If you are going to spend
a lot of money on photographs, be sure that they will stay “topical”. There is
nothing worse than seeing ten-year-old pictures, depicting an act that no
longer exists.

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 THE AUTHOR “TAKES A CALL”

Many years ago I was working quite regularly in “Variety”, which was a British
form of “Vaudeville”. I chanced upon a very erudite book on “Showmanship”
written by an eminent magical writer. I soon discovered that everything that
I was doing was wrong. So I tried to take the authors advice with disastrous
results. I finished up with an act that was very clever, very slick, but com-
pletely uncommercial! The writers final word of advice was that every per-
former should throw at least one effect out of his act. I got a better idea when
I resumed what I had been doing and threw out the book! Then I got to think-
ing that I had far more idea of showmanship from the commercial angle than
the writer had. So, I wrote a little book called “Secrets of Showmanship”. I
duplicated it on a little gadget that looked like a blotter. A copy came up in an
auction sale recently, at “Sotheby’s”. It sold for a great deal of money.

So: I decided to write another little book about “showmanship”, incorporating

some of my original thoughts on the subject, and at the same time bringing
my treatment of the whole thing “up to date”. The result you are holding, and I
think you will agree that it is a practical treatise.

You will probably acquire this modest booklet at one of my lectures, or as a

result of attending one. If so, may I thank you for your attention, and say how
good it was to meet you.

If my views on showmanship do not coincide with your own, forgive me, for
you must agree that my views are CONSTRUCTIVE rather than DESTRUCTIVE!

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