Few people do street magic for very long before they come face-to-face with the "hecler." At least this is what, in current jargon, we call a person who wants, at the very minimum, to take the spotlight for a few moments and, at the very worst, wants to steal the whole show. What to do about them?
There is what I call the "traditional approach" which has been popular for the past forty years or so. This is the "rude/comic retort/put down" approach popularized in the writings of Robert Orben among others, as well as in the antics of countless numbers of stand-up comics. My friend Thomas Voy, a most talented Denver-based performer, refers to this approach as "out-heckling the heckler." is it beginning to sound a bit grim?
It is, I submit, a risky business for several reasons. First, for the traditional to place well, one needs to be very good/fast with comic retorts. Second, there arises the question of character? Third, the traditional approach is presumed to work for the following reason: the heckler is expected to be devastated by the performer's tacky remark that he is stunned and/or embarrassed into silence. Perhaps this was true in the good old days but today the traditional approach to dealing with the heckler can easily generate endless combativeness:
He says something.
You say something.
He replies.
You reply.
And on and on.
And the danger is that the whole show begins to fall apart. Members of the audience start to become uncomfortable and/or bored- and wish they had gone to that movie instead. I would suggest, in other words, that the traditional approach really is not all that entertaining- unless, of course, the character you are creating is somewhere in the stand-up comic class. People do not appear to mind being insulted by an expert, but if the performer doesn"t have this authority, this presence, or this inclination to insult people, he would be wise to look about for another set of strategies.
Why not begin by scrapping the very name "heckler?" The word is part of the problem. Why put a label on those people? The problem with labels, after all, is that we begin to believe them: Do you see how this happens?
Here's a scenario:
I am performing, let us say, a more seriously presented effect and someone interrupts and makes a joke which happens to be funny-and several other spectators begin to laugh. What shall I do? What shall I do then? Shall I say in my mind: "A heckler!" Is that what I should do?
If I do this-if I jump to apply a label-what happens?
Doesn't my mind begin to flip through its memory-bank of things to do when confronted with a heckler? Lash out!
Always be the center of attention. Put him down! Never share the spotlight. Say something that "tops" what he said. heckle him back- only better! Out-heckle him! Isn't it just too crazy!
Once my mind applies the label, it begins to scan the label associations and stored memories (all those one-liners to use on hecklers) and I am suddenly dealing with the past, with memories and concepts and theories, and not with the present: with this living, breathing person who, for a short time, is with me as my audience. If it was funny, why not laugh at his joke? Don't be a sour puss! Join in the fun (even if you did not start it).
What, after all, do these people want? What are they looking to achieve? The answer, clearly, is recognition. They want to be involved. Is that bad? Hardly! What the performer needs to realize is that people will talk. Thay will make jokes. This is part of the fun of it for them. Do not fight the inevitable! Do not swim against the stream!
Brad Chadwick Professional Magician and avid writer
of magic and magic theory. Dedicated to making all
of your performances better! http://magicandillusion.tripod.com/ Magic & Illusion Resources
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