A memorable part of the evening was also when the host decided to introduce me to the whole room! Something as a close up magician that rarely happens, in fact NEVER.  So I am being introduced with pockets full of close up magic, reception drinks type magic and I can see where this was going, the guy was going to introduce me and then expect me to do a big visual trick for the whole room!  My brain was in Prof Steve Peters “Chimp” mode,  i.e.  PANIC this guys about to stop talking and all i got on me is a few elastic bands, string and cards…help!  

So the he stops talking and with a big flourish “And I give you Brett the Magician!”   

It was at this point two things happen!  The whole room applauds and stares at me!  The next thing…the Chimp shuts up and I go straight into Entertainer mode!  I do a polite and quick introduction then go straight into a prediction routine that sits in my back pocket as a classic “goto in any situation” routine.  It goes flawlessly and even though it was an awkward room layout and I had my back unavoidably to some of the audience they loved it!  

So what the heck just happened!  In all truths experience happened!  That moment of panic and thinking things through literally just disappeared as I went into a routine without even thinking about what to do.  It really happened like that,  I just went into entertainer mode and did it!    

I know it so easy to say experience is what you pay for and thats the difference between a working professional and a guy that does gigs at the weekend.  However, this is the first time that I had actually experienced it for myself in such a natural but quite bizarre way.  The reality was that I was actually still thinking what am I going to do here when my subconscious brain is already performing the routine!  Weird or what!  

It great to have challenges and new experiences but so rewarding when stuff happens that the audience really doesn’t see!  It really is amazing!!