The Performance of Illusion and Illusionary Performatives: Learning the Language of Theatrical Magic

Abstract

This article highlights the linguistic dimension of sleight‐of‐hand magic performance through a situated study of the transmission of a trick from expert to novice magician. Focusing on the context of apprenticeship rather than performance, we distinguish an emphasis on linguistic techniques for producing illusion, skills deeply embedded in the magician's artful practice. Ultimately, we conclude that a magician's talk is performative in that its meaning lies in the effect it has on the visual experience of the audience, who co‐constructs the trick.