Magicians are great entertainers. They hone the skill of creating the illusion of possessing supernatural powers and obsess the audience irrespective of age and gender. Magicians are wise, witty, and can create a grandeur with their mystical, magical tricks. Are you already in this field or planning to become a magician?
This post will help you gain knowledge on different types of magicians. Excited much? Keep reading further:
Magicians Types
The modern world has introduced us to different kinds of entertainment. But magicians continue to top the league. Don’t know why? We do! Here are the various types of magicians:
1. Close-up Magicians
Close-up magicians (also called micro-magicians or table magicians) perform magic tricks up-close, straight in front of the spectators’ eyes. So, the distance is usually not more than 10 feet.
They use tiny props to perform the magic tricks, including coins, watches, money, dice, sponge balls, etc. Sleight-of-hand is the famous method used by close-up magical performers to manipulate different objects.
Close-up magic is one of the most impressive and purest forms of magic. It is typically performed for a small audience (around 25 people).
2. Street Magicians
Street magicians are performers that attract passersby on the streets. They usually use car tricks, sleight-of-hand, or mentalism effects to offer exquisite entertainment. As the name suggests, the tricks are performed on the streets.
One of the most popular street magic tricks was performed in 1996 by David Blaine in his Street Magic TV special shows. David Blaine used to film the acts involving magic tricks for TV.
3. Illusionists
Illusionists are magicians that generate wonderful illusionary effects on stage to spellbind live audiences. They usually create psychological illusions, exploit gaps and challenge your conscious experience. These entertainers usually use special effects and big props.
Seen magicians slicing a woman into two halves? The oldest kind of magic trick still doesn’t fail to catch everybody’s attention!
4. Monologue Magicians
Monologue magicians (dramatic magicians) have storytelling capabilities, great theatrical training, and strong acting skills. They perform some magical drama to keep the audience engaged.
5. Comedy Magicians
Comedy magicians are the type of magicians that can bring laughter to every performance. They focus majorly on humor than magic. Famous comedy magicians include Mac King, Penn & Teller, Tommy Cooper, etc.
A comedy magician can turn scary tricks like twisting, chopping, and piercing tongue into entertaining and add a lot of fun to the whole party.
6. Animal Magicians
Animal magicians are great performers that use real animals like rabbits, parrots, doves, etc., to perform tricks on stage. They inspire interest and curiosity in viewers. Louis Comte was the first magician to perform magic using animals in 1814.
7. Manipulators
Manipulators are magicians that are experts in the art of card manipulation. They perform for large or small stage events to openly display their technical skills. With the swift hand techniques, these magicians create an illusion of vanishing objects like coins, billiard balls, phones, thimbles, etc.
8. Mentalists
Mentalists (also known as psychological magicians) are entertaining experts that blend magic with mental magic. Modern mentalists use mental mathematics, sleight, misdirection, keen observation, and theatrical tricks to do jaw-dropping illusive acts.
It means they can read the minds of people. The art of mentalism dates back to ancient times. Phillip Esscoffey, Derren brown, etc., are great examples of mentalists.
9. Escapologists
Escapologists, escape artists, or conjurers know how to keep the audience enticed and hooked by showing off magic tricks that involve escaping traps. The traps can be coffins, cages, handcuffs, steel boxes, bags, fish tanks, etc.
It means escapologists make it seem like they are stuck in a situation that is almost impossible to escape, but they ultimately do it. One such famous escape artist is Harry Houdini.
10. Wedding Magicians
Wedding magicians are those that captivate the attention of your wedding guests. The tricks performed are unique and customized according to your wedding theme and style. The custom magic tricks for the groom and bride make them feel extra special.
11. Bar Magicians
Bar magicians are the famous types of magicians that specialize in doing magic tricks in bars. Their main motive is to ensure that the guests stay at the bar for longer.
12. Children Magicians
Children magicians are specialized magicians that entertain children only. These fun and eccentric experts usually work on the stage or in small groups. They usually perform magic tricks for kids at specific preschools, Sunday schools, elementary schools, birthday parties, or churches. So, they can help you turn any kid’s event or party into an awesome one in no time.
13. Parlor or Platform Magicians
Parlor magicians are those that usually work without assistants. Also known as platform, magicians do not perform magic on bigger platforms; instead do tricks in front of a limited audience, up close and personal.
Platform magic is more intimate than stage magic because it does not need many props. Parlor magicians visit the house of their client and install the setup in a room. They allow their audience to gather around comfortably, allowing them to watch magic tricks up close.
14. Stage Magicians
Stage magicians typically use bigger props and have more assistants. In addition, they usually wear a suit, a top hat or cape and perform on the stage. It is most likely that the stage magicians will call random people from the audience on the stage and make them a part of the trick.
15. Sleight of Hand Magicians
Sleight of hand magicians use cards or other objects/props to entertain their audience. They are usually intelligent and sly. These magicians usually create magic tricks by making swift movements and performing tricks that human eyes can’t follow.
16. Professional Magicians
Professional magicians are the ones that graduate into full-time magicians over time. They are very disciplined and usually do high-stakes performances for larger audiences.
17. Quick Change Magicians
Quick change magicians can change from one outfit into another speedily. This art form was established and popularized between 1867 and 1936 by Leopoldo Fregoli. Notable quick-change artists include Charlotte Marie, Lee Lyle, Arturo Brachetti, etc. Sounds interesting, right? You can become an expert too by reading and practicing quick-changing techniques by the artists.
Conclusion:
The art of magic has stunned many fanatics since ancient times. Magicians can add amazement to almost any event, don’t you agree? They can either use auditory, visual, or sensory illusions to perform magic tricks. The magic techniques have been perfected with time by regular performance and practice. Are you already planning to hire them for your event? Go ahead and create a lasting memory.