Written by: Alexander Boyce
Performing Zoom magic shows has solidified one tenet I had about magic, while also completely changing my perspective on another.
In my specialty of performing sleight of hand and psychological illusions for quarterly meetings, client dinners, and incentive trips, I’ve come to realize that magic is often the juice but not the orange. The magic I perform must be astonishing and astounding, but not for its own sake. That style I perform creates a full range of responses in the audience from awe, laughter, and curiosity. Delivering those experiences became all the more important when performing virtual magic shows. Everyone is used to sitting in front of their screen and completing tasks and setting goals. What is rare to do on screen, however, is experiencing those heightened emotions that the magic I perform creates. That is the big secret of why the clients I work with have me back again and again. They know that they can count on me to create a memorable experience filled with heightened emotions. Just as that was true of shows before the pandemic, and virtual shows for the past year, it’s also true of the hybrid shows I’m fielding requests for now.
However, my perspective was completely changed in another way. Before performing virtual magic shows, I was convinced that the sensation of magic could only be produced at in-person events. However, by focusing on magic that happens both in my studio and at the hands of the guests watching at home, I’ve found that magic can transcend the screen. That realization has made me question many of my preconceived notions of what magic can be, and I’ve heard from many of my clients that they’re doing the same in their industry. Zoom magic shows have proved to be an incredible opportunity to reexamine what is possible in corporate entertainment, and I’m excited to see that continue in the upcoming hybrid magic shows this year.