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crocodilewings New user United Kingdom 53 Posts |
Nothing, that's what. Lazy sods.
I'm working on a new performance persona with the working title of "Atlantic Dave", a trilby-bedecked spivvy/hustler/cardsharp/geezer type. It's not exactly original, but it's still a good starting point. Although it's loaded with magic potential, I'd really like to insert some juggling in there. This is a bit problematic, since the hustler stereotype isn't really known for its circus skills. I've hatched the idea of pool balls (which could double as a billiard ball routine if I can get suitable shells for it), and this doesn't seem too much like shoehorning a non-native skill into the idiom. Trouble is, I like clubs. Scratch that; I love clubs. I think they look way more impressive than balls and have more audience-wowing potential. That said, I can't see Atlantic Dave whipping out a set of Radical Fish to bedazzle the punters with his double back-crosses. It's too far removed from the character concept to make sense. So, what club-like props can he juggle? Something with the right sort of weight and balance that would make some sort of sense for him to carry about his person or have close to hand. I keep drawing blanks. Cheers. Rikk |
AntonDreaming Special user Gloucester by the sea 622 Posts |
Well first off I hate when people use the word punter. Its insulting to your potnetial audience. Anyway personal gripe.
Ideas for you sir. Beer or champaine bottles some nifty tricks with a lit cigar or cigar, lighter and ash tray (lots of potential with catching the ash tray and cigar in neat ways) I have a hard time seeing a hustler doing any real juggling. I would think that using pool balls may bot be a bad idea. Another thought would be to use a 2 section pool stick and a billard ball. This way you can unscrew the stick and juggle the sticks and the ball and then go into the multiplying ball effect with the one ball. If you could learn to do the famous boby may trick or some varient of it then that would be all the juggling you would need to do in the show. IMO Heres yet another way you could go an in my opinion the best is to have a set of old beat up clubs that look like they've been through the rinnger a couple times. Keep these clubs in your case and when your ready to do the juggling part of your show explaine to the audience that you wernt always the shady/con man you are today and that you once had an honest job juggling on the street for tips. You might even add that this is where you got your first taste of the hustle after seeing some one do the three card monty or somthing. You can then tell the audience that you want to share with them a few of your favoraite tricks from when you were a juggler. To me this is a logical and realistic idea to me. Going this way will also add some depth to your persona without taking a huge amount of time to tell some long boring story. Somtimes people get so caught up with the concept of being the "hustler" or being the "mystery man" or whatever that they end up beating the audience up with the persona. They forget to ask themselves questions like. What would this person do at home, what do they do for fun, who are they other than the persona. This bit would make a good piece 2/3rds through the show to spice things up. By this point some people in the audince may be ready to see somthing diffrent and you can give it to them! I would say go the strait forward way and don't try to "make the props somthing else" this will just seem somewhat forced IMO. PM me if you want. Let me know if this was helpful at all, Anton |
crocodilewings New user United Kingdom 53 Posts |
This was helpful, thanks. Punters was meant as an in-character term by the persona, since the audience clearly won't be placing bets. That is the sort of vernacular he'd probably use, though.
The idea isn't really to have a specific juggling portion of the act, more to occasionally throw it in as a small bit of flash to keep them on their toes. I'm liking the idea of drink bottles. |
CDS Regular user MI 109 Posts |
If you are going to do some juggling with drink bottles... why not learn a little bar Flair..?
I recommend a Ken Hall DVD " Lear to FLAIR with Ken Hall" and Dean Serneels first vol. Those are the two I have seen... http://www.barproducts.com for dvds and you can get Flair Bottles for $10... good luck Chuck |
FacadeTheStiltBoy Elite user Greensboro NC 474 Posts |
The correct answer to "What do hustlers juggle?" would be, "Depends on how much you want to bet."
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Pokie-Poke Special user Bensalem, PA 883 Posts |
Juggle Q-balls, then flair, then cups and balls with the final loads Q-balls. always thought this would be cool.
www.pokie-poke.com
The Adventure cont... |
Big Jeff Loyal user 300 Posts |
You could juggle baseballbats and say that you hustled the wrong people ....... etc.
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
I tried juggling base ball bats, and it took me over a year to recover from the tendon damage.
RIKK Punter is a synonym for sucker. I suggest you choose your adjectives more carefully in the future.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
crocodilewings New user United Kingdom 53 Posts |
I think the term "punter" may become more derogatory the further across the Atlantic it goes. In the UK it's used pretty harmlessly as a term for any participants in low-level gambling.
In the unlikely event of my gaining international renown, I'll bear the distinction it in mind. |
crocodilewings New user United Kingdom 53 Posts |
Yeah. Spot poll reveals that in the UK "punter" is pretty much synonymous with "customer". One for the US/UK dictionary, I think.
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
RIKK
I have lots of British magician friends who have used "punter" in their posts. This is not an American expression, so I asked them "what is a punter" and it is not a complimentry term the way they use it, But living in a country that has made swearing an art form it is not a big deal, especially since you have taken the time to answer me. In the US & Canada a punter is just a position on a football team.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
crocodilewings New user United Kingdom 53 Posts |
Well, my spot poll was basically asking random people (housemates, work colleagues and people online; approaching thirty people so far) how they defined it. Most said "customer", and a few made specific gambling references. To date, one person has considered it derogatory, and they defined it as "Someone who is likely to pay for something the seller considers essentially worthless". Everyone else considered it neutral, although two people mentioned it was also a term for a prostitute's clientelle, a bit like "John". I'd certainly feel safe using it in public.
If it's not a transatlanticism (and if that word doesn't exist already, I'm officially coining it), it might be industry-variable. If you work in institutionalised gambling where the house always wins in one way or another, I suppose you would see the punters as suckers, since they're essentially throwing their money at you. Far beyond the use of the word, I find this sort of thing quite fascinating. |
crocodilewings New user United Kingdom 53 Posts |
Ooh. Wait. Another person just said it was derogatory.
"I tend to think of it as someone uses prostitutes. I've probably seen too many gritty ITV dramas" I should do this sort of word-examination thing more often. |
Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
RIKK
I am also a standup comedian, and I don't think anyone in your country would laugh at my jokes. We are two countires seperated by a common language. Quite often here at the Café when I use American slang I have to explain it to my British friends. The first time I heard someone used the word punter he was talking about people who pay money to visit his freak show, so I just thought it was a synonym for fool.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
dave_matkin Inner circle 4522 Posts |
I can juggle 8 balls!
Wana see me? wana bet that I cant? Well I can........ Then I fumble with 4 to show them 4 is easy (drop them) .... Ham it up..... I CAN JUGGLE 8 BALLS!!!! Then get 3 pool 8 balls out and juggle them. I think it is more of a comedy (using term lightly) routine than a con BUT I can imagine the people on the real hustle (BBC 3) doing it as a bar bet. |
crocodilewings New user United Kingdom 53 Posts |
Quote:
I can juggle 8 balls! Now that I like! |
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