In the world of theatrical magic, misdirection is a form of deception where the performer is able to draw attention of the audience to one item to distract them from the other. Controlling attention of the audience is the main goal of any theater, and the foremost need of any magic act. If the magic is of the "pocket trick" variety or the stage is a major production that relies on misdirection, it is the primary key to the success. The term refers to either the effect (the observer's focus on an unimportant object) or the sleight-of-hand or patter (the magician's voice) that creates the illusion.

It's hard to pinpoint who first coined the phrase, however the first reference to misdirection can be found in the writing of a renowned writer and magician named Nevil Maskelyne. it is a method of distracting the senses of the audience in order to screen from being aware of certain information that require secrecy. The same time, the magician, artist and author Harlan Tarbell noted, Nearly the whole art of illusions is based on this art of misdirection.

Some magicians who have studied and refined techniques for misdirection are Malini, Tommy Wonder, Derren Brown, Tamariz, Tony Slydini and Dynamo.

Henry Hay describes the chief act of conjuring as manipulating interest.

A few magicians can divert attention from the audience by using two fundamental ways. One leads the audience to turn their attention away for a short time, so that they do not notice a act or gesture. The other method alters the perception of the audience, lulling them into thinking that something else is a significant factor in the success of the trick but it actually has no bearing on the result in any way. Dariel Fitzkee notes that The real talent of the magician is in the skill that he displays in manipulating the spectators mind. In addition, sometimes, props like magic wands aids in distraction.

Without mastery of Misdirection makes use of the limitations of the human mind to give the wrong picture and memory. The mind of a typical spectator can only focus on one thing at the time. The magician utilizes this to manipulate the perceptions or ideas of the audience of sensory input, leading them to false conclusion.

A few magicians have debated the meaning of the term, misdirection, causing plenty of debate regarding what it is and how it works.

The accomplished illusionist Jon Finch made a distinction between direction and misdirection. One is a negative word, and the other positive. In the end, he sees the two as the same thing. If a performer any means, has led the thoughts of his viewers to believe that he did something that he's not done, he's wrongly directed them into this belief which is why he has misdirected them.

Tommy Wonder has pointed out that it is much more efficient, from a magician's perspective to focus on the positive aim of directing the attention of the audience. He writes that misdirection implies wrong direction. It suggests that attention is diverted away from something. By constantly using this term it becomes embedded in our minds that we begin to perceive misdirection as directing attention away from rather than toward something.

Slydini said that if the magician believe it, the audience will believe it, and magic is something they don't see. Misdirection is true when they believe what the magician does and follow the magician. read more