Prakash If you were the costume designer for a play or a movie, you have to take into account the world of this character. Who is this person? What would they wear? What do I want the audience to think of them? If you’re a stage magician, that’s probably all you have to take into account. But if you’re a working journeyman magician, in particular a close-up magician—
Rachel Or journey woman—
Prakash I beg your pardon, or journeywoman magician—journeyhuman magician—you’re also taking into account where you’re going to be. There is no costume designer who takes into account what the audience is going to wear.
Rachel I do see magicians dressing down more and more, which I don’t think is necessarily wrong. But if you are not super sure that’s the move, you’re never wrong to be a little overdressed. No one’s ever mad that you wore a suit when everyone else was in jeans. You are working. You are serving a different purpose in that space than everybody else there.
Prakash You’re a special kind of hiredhelp. You’re not a guest, but you’re not a waiter either. You’re somewhere in between. We’re talking about costumes, and I don’t think magicians use that word very often.
Rachel No, but it’s a good word to use.
