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Martin222 New user Wales Uk 10 Posts |
I,m not entirely new to this forum but I have had to re register because of problems with my email. Therefore I hope that I don,t appear rude by nor introducing myself to the forum again.. Anyway I have dabbled with busking for the last three summers and this year I am getting imersed in it going out whenever possible and performing most of the day. I am making some money , starting to feel comfortable out there , unfortunately I find myself from time to time having to contend with apparently stray children of all ages and not an adult in site , I feel uncomfortable when they are very young and the older ones seem intent on causing disruption and ruining the magic. Any advice would be welcome on how to avoid these situations, other than bluntly saying go away.
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
"If you want to see a show, go get your parents"
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
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Yellowcustard Inner circle New Zealand 1334 Posts |
Pretty much what Franks say. I always say look if your parents are not here you need to go and find them because I don't want anyone to get lost. If they turn around and say it fine there parents are over there I just refuse to perform and say they need to be with there parents. Over here in New Zealand we have a movie in the park and it great to busk. But the problem is family's turn up early and adults wan to hang and save space. This can mean kids wonder and hang and watch the show. This can cause issues with kids watching the show 5 times then ruing for other as well as not tipping. Again I say to watch this show you need your parents. But I find most kids are OK and there a couple of kids that go most weeks and they bring me food and treats and are nice to talk to. Also a food van owners kid likes to learn magic so free food for me.
In the past I have found parents and said your letting your kid hang out with a stranger? Depending on the relationships I have got help from security teams and the police before.
Enjoy your magic,
and let others enjoy it as well! |
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TheRealMagicMike Regular user Las Vegas, NV 178 Posts |
Agreeing with the above suggestions... I just say, I'm sorry, I can't have "unaccompanied minors" at the show (which in large part in Las Vegas, that is actually true). "If you want to bring your parents over, I'd be happy to do a show for you."
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gallagher Inner circle 1168 Posts |
It can definately be a problem,
but we deal with it a bit differently. We tell the children to move back a bit, ...watch from a distance, "....we need the space to set up. ,...and when we're set up,... we can play!" Then, I continue setting up. Usually there's adult interest, as well, by then,... if not, We set up sloooooowly. I think it's important, teaching the kids, to respect,... in this moment, our Show. Hey,....we're a school,.. let's face it! Sometimes, in the Show, if children get a bit too 'active'; ....and our jokes don't slow 'em down. I openly adress the audience,.. and their parents, by saying, "If YOU don't teach your children respect; later, society will. That's why we have prisons,... filled with such..." ,...then point to the child. I continue, with a line I stole from Bobby Mavervick, "..it's not easy being a parent today." yeah,.. it doesn't happen often,.. but, once a week. yeah,... it kills the Show. but,... we stand behind it. (Maybe a third of the audience, as well.) I find it really important, on the Streets, to keep the control. Create and demand the Respect. Very hard(!),... this is the 'street'! Still..... On the Streets, we're Teachers and Missionaries, as well as Entertainers. ,....fill the boots. I wish you well, ....and success(!). (Someday, they may be MY audience! 🙃) gallagher |
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JoeJoe Inner circle Myrtle Beach 1915 Posts |
The kids themselves are not a problem, I use them to my advantage as they can be used to attract attention. The problem is when their parents come back for them in the middle of a show. They can disrupt people's attention span and enhance walk-a-ways, and if you are not careful you can end up losing the rest of the audience while engaging them.
In June, the kids just got out of school and everyone is happy to be a family again ... by August, the parents have been stuck with these kids for two months and don't want to deal with them so they just tell them to go play ... so the timing of this thread doesn't surprise me as this is when they start showing up more frequently. First thing is don't attract them in the first place - when I see unattended children I'll stop doing magic until they walk by, like if I'm dancing with a cane I'll hold on to the cane until they pass then start dancing with it again after they walk past - it can be pretty easy to not get someone's attention on the sidewalk. At just before the one-thirty mark on this clip a man is pushing people out of his way so he can grab his kids from the front row and you can hear me deliver my line for that situation - "relax man, you're on vacation, have a good time, watch the magic show". While I am directing my words at him, I am really speaking to the rest of my audience to calm them during the disruption so they don't decide to walk off as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPSU6oyz_R8 -JoeJoe
Amazing JoeJoe on YouTube[url=https://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingJoeJoe]
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Kyoki_Sanitys_Eclipse Inner circle 1513 Posts |
I liked the video as always Joe Joe. You could definitely make a joke of it
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Martin222 New user Wales Uk 10 Posts |
Gentlemen first thanks you for taking the time reply to my question, and for all your invaluable advice. Like you say Joe Joe, kids aren,t the problem . I have seen some parents stand well back from their off spring and let them be disruptive and say nothing, looking at the expressions on their faces I think that they get a kick from it. Indeed I soon leant that if I stop a child then they usually drag the parents over. When I first started busking I would be so pleased that someone wanted to watch that I would just perform for anyone , even if it was just a few kids...alone. I now see that I need to be a bit more selective. Coming from a close up background I strive to be pleaseant and freindly , pherhaps having a bit of an edge wouldn,t go amiss.
It's reassuring to hear that the experts sometimes loose their audience too , I had about twenty five people watching my CnB's last week , a little girl called something out even though see was just guessing and imediately about twenty of them walked away. Thanks darling. Again thanks for the advice all of which I shall put into practice |
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Nick W Special user 515 Posts |
Teach them how to drop F bombs. Then teach them to say it to their parents when they return. make a show out of it. what do you care, they would have walked out on you anyway. you think I'm kidding don't you? this is the streets, parents should know better than to leave their kids with strangers. what better person to enlighten them than you.
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Martin222 New user Wales Uk 10 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 7, 2016, Nick W wrote: That made me chuckle Nick. I'll give your idea some thought , but this is Britain you know . |
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Nick W Special user 515 Posts |
Its actually not my idea, it has been done before.
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imgic Inner circle Moved back to Midwest to see 1336 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 7, 2016, Nick W wrote: Brilliant!
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
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imgic Inner circle Moved back to Midwest to see 1336 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 12, 2016, imgic wrote: I should have said f'ing brilliant.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
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Kyoki_Sanitys_Eclipse Inner circle 1513 Posts |
I really like that. I see some people on here not liking it but oh well. I might try to sell the children. Line them up, the ones without parents present, and start tauctioning them off. I don't know how that would go over though
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Nick W Special user 515 Posts |
Nah, brilliant is doing that gag and making the people watching love you for it. otherwise its just a crude gag, ya get me? how do you do something vile yet deep down remain cheeky? delicate balances. you might actually really tick someone off and get punched for it. it all depends on your energy. auctioning them off is funny, worth a try. or you can get time magazines and staple playboy covers to them and give them to the kids. the gags are endless guys, but you must:
be fearless. own it. |
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Kyoki_Sanitys_Eclipse Inner circle 1513 Posts |
That is also great. I would love to see how this would all go over
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Nick W Special user 515 Posts |
All depends on your character and delivery....
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Kyoki_Sanitys_Eclipse Inner circle 1513 Posts |
I doubt that I could pull it off but my friend would be great at this type of humor
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noland Veteran user 350 Posts |
I work in a family-friendly area--Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Probably unlike many if not most magicians who busk, I have a kid-friendly set I do just for kids. It runs up to about 12 minutes, and is somewhere between a trickle show and a door front/sidewalk show. (I have a separate set I do for adults.) I realize I'm changing the direction of this thread, which is about having non-paying kids parked with you, but as a matter of curiosity--does any one else do an act that caters specifically to kids? And by that, I don't mean using a kid in the show as a prop for entertaining the adults, but genuinely entertaining the kids in a friendly manner?
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
There was a we comic about a cynical librarian named Dewy who had a sign up in the children's room; "Unattended children will be fed a lot of pixie sticks and given a kazoo!"
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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