Malice in Wonderland!

[KeoSilver]

Depending on what style of music you are playing, I believe that playing music requires the same understanding of "truth" that actors do. Whether you are replicating or interpreting.

If you're playing a classical piece, like a Mozart for example, you need to understand the emotion is trying to be portrayed, and the "truth" that the author has put into it. This allows you to effectively and appropriately apply your subtleties, ornamentation, articulation, etc.

If you don't do this, you might as well just let a machine play the music.


Likewise with Jazz. A musician's interpretation of a jazz piece relies largely on the musician. What truth he reads from it. What truth from himself he can bring into it. That's why you can take one of the most upbeat standards and turn it into a ballad, or a slow waltz, but you really need a good unerstanding of yourself and your present state to it to do this effectively and appropriately.

If you don't do this, you might as well just let a machine play the music.


BTW. This is a good thread. We really need to focus on our characters as much as we focus on our sleights.

Thank you for posting this, I haven't gotten around to watching the videos, I'm at university at the moment, but I'll be sure to when I can.

I agree and an attempt to help people who can't make the connection about this example and magic.

A classical piece of music is like the stock instructions you get with a rising deck. Just as a musician is supposed to take their song and change and contort it into something that doesn't even resemble the original piece of music a magician is supposed to add their own emotion and personal touches. This is more easily accomplished with the understanding of your character.

In the recent adaptation of Macbeth Directed by Teller and Posner re did the comic relief the "Porter" into something totally different. He was an in character comedian basically. He interacted with the audience in his drunken stupor before returning to the stage where he finally answers the door.

Why do I mention that? Well because it is a great example showing how an actor can interact with an audience in character without a script. I don't know these are just my thoughts on the subject, they may not be all right but it is all good. ^^

 

[TheatreHead]

and this is all conducive to understanding our magic better, it's good.

In the recent adaptation of Macbeth Directed by Teller and Posner re did the comic relief the "Porter" into something totally different. He was an in character comedian basically. He interacted with the audience in his drunken stupor before returning to the stage where he finally answers the door.

Why do I mention that? Well because it is a great example showing how an actor can interact with an audience in character without a script. I don't know these are just my thoughts on the subject, they may not be all right but it is all good. ^^

Yes, but being able to freely interact with the audience like that, without a script especially, is testament to how much work he has put into his character.

You think he tried improvising in character without first knowing the script inside and out? Highly doubtful.

Improvising in character demands that you know your character so well, that you'd know how they'd react in situations that they haven't been placed in within a script.

To be concise: To be able to improvise in character, you need to know your character's truth. To learn your character's truth, you need to know their script back to front.

 

[KeoSilver]

Yes, but being able to freely interact with the audience like that, without a script especially, is testament to how much work he has put into his character.

You think he tried improvising in character without first knowing the script inside and out? Highly doubtful.

Nope never did think that, it is very very important that you the actor fully understand your character. Allow me to give a theatrical example: I am play Reb Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof. The character has to pull a cart from a side wing, unfortunately the actor gets it stuck against something and can't get it free. Are you going to break character to fix that? Nope you stay in character and start improving as you the character attempt to get the cart unstuck from a rock.

Same thing with performing magic on stage. Accidents happen and how you deal with them can either make something seem bad or part of the show. Example:

A David Copperfield moment, he was spieling in front of a drop, talking about a new illusion and something loud and metallic falls behind the drop. Instead of breaking character, showing signs of worry, etc. he stayed in his character and changed his spiel to, we are selling a new illusion. I kind of wish I knew where that video was on the interwebs.

 

[TheatreHead]

Nope never did think that, it is very very important that you the actor fully understand your character. Allow me to give a theatrical example: I am play Reb Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof. The character has to pull a cart from a side wing, unfortunately the actor gets it stuck against something and can't get it free. Are you going to break character to fix that? Nope you stay in character and start improving as you the character attempt to get the cart unstuck from a rock.

Same thing with performing magic on stage. Accidents happen and how you deal with them can either make something seem bad or part of the show. Example:

A David Copperfield moment, he was spieling in front of a drop, talking about a new illusion and something loud and metallic falls behind the drop. Instead of breaking character, showing signs of worry, etc. he stayed in his character and changed his spiel to, we are selling a new illusion. I kind of wish I knew where that video was on the interwebs.

OK, maybe knowing the entire script isn't a necessity, but my teacher never let us engage in improvisation in character unless we had memorized our scripts.

regardless, my point still stands, and it seems you agree with me:

Improvising in character demands that you know your character so well, that you'd know how they'd react in situations that they haven't been placed in within a script.

eg. accidents, people forgetting lines, people not coming on stage, etc.