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chosen1 Regular user lots of places 123 Posts |
Hello All
So I’m putting together a show for the streets. Feel like I have all the pieces and am now looking to finalize the closer. I’m trying to make this show as portable as possible. No table, minimal props. Does anyone here have experience with the egg bag and an in the hands chop cup routine? Which played better? Can see benefits to both and would love for anyone to share any personal perspectives. Thank you guys for all the info I’ve gained reading these forums and any insight you can provide Best, Brandon
We should all be in a constant state of wonder
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Zauberman Veteran user 314 Posts |
I've done both Brandon...lots. On the streets.
The egg bag is a great trick but I never did it as a closer. Generally you have a spectator on stage the whole time which you'll want to consider. I have used it at the beginning and middle...where it has worked great. You mention a 'in the hands chop cup'. I assume you are wanting to do a chop cup routine without a table. If so you may want to have a look at Axel Hecklau's, 'Just a Cup'. you don't have to bang the cup down on a table to get the ball (dice) to release. I really like his idea. |
Hawkan Elite user Sweden 495 Posts |
You can do Chop Cup on the ground.
Hawkan |
Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5444 Posts |
There are any number of published (print and DVD) in the hands, table-less chop cup routines. It is not a difficult transition from a table top to using the hand as a table.
One of the grandfather's of the in-the-hands Chop Cup routines is probably over 40 years old. It is George Shindler's Chop (using a gaffed coffee mug) in his lecture notes and video/DVD "Entertainment First". Mr. Shindler used the routine for walk around from time to time. I learned it directly from him at his lecture in Baltimore at the "Funhouse" (anyone remember the Funhouse?) in about 1980 - 82ish. I bought the cup and his lecture notes. Over the years I bought two other cups from Mr. Shindler. I used it on the street as an in-the-hand-routine. You can see his routine and the props here: http://www.showbizmagic.net/product/chop-mugthermal/ Another routine designed specifically for an in-the-hands performance is Carl Royle's "the Gold Cup" https://www.penguinmagic.com/p/10640 I believe that a Chop mug is a better choice for an-the-hands Chop Cup routine than the more traditional metal Chop Cup. Why? First, you can hang it from a simple loop from your belt (or put your belt right through the finger hole/handle) for ease of carry with the balls in your pocket with a final load and second there are a number of flourishes that can be executed using the finger hole of the Chop Mug (think Val Kilmer in "Tombstone") that are just fun to watch and to do. They look good and difficult and are remarkably easy to perform. That is just the tip of the iceberg. A little search will find you more. A little inventiveness and a solid knowledge of the props and you can adapt almost any Chop Cup routine to be in the hands. One could argue that the Chop Cup is just another version of the classic "Egg Bag". Or, at least, I would argue it. LOL!! The Egg Bag was used on the streets before magic even came in doors. It is hundreds of years old. Most of the routines today use a person from the audience to help. However, many of the older routines excuse the person and continue the egg bag a couple more beats such that the performer ends standing alone and the center of attention. It is the perfect prop and trick for the street. It can be performed completely surrounded, the props are easy to carry, and it is a real personality piece. A real plus is you can use the bag to hat the tip if push came to shove. The routine cries for and almost demands a surprising final load. Most of the published routines have some form of final load or surprise ending (Trevor Lewis, Ross Bertram, Tom Mullica, Marlo, Billy McComb, Jeff Hobson, etc. ) Billy McComb doesn't even use eggs. He uses a glass of whiskey as an initial production, vanishes it and reproduced it from his pocket. It is short, sweet, does use audience participation but ends "in-one". All are in print or on DVD. Either (or both) are fine for the street.
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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Hawkan Elite user Sweden 495 Posts |
Talking about Chop Cup routines in the hand - check out a short and sweet one from Michael O´Brien in his Penguin lecture: https://www.penguinmagic.com/p/12390
Hawkan |
Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5444 Posts |
Thanks for that! I totally left out Michael O'Brien and a couple of other walk around and table hopping performers. There are several in the hands routines out there.
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
Eggbag. Absolutely!!
You can engage multiple people more easily And you can get out from behind your table more easily.
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
markmagic New user KY 51 Posts |
The egg bag fits anywhere in your show!
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
My personal opinion is that the egg bag isn't really a closer unless you've got a good kicker ending. But that's just my opinion -YMMV
It's a definite worker on the street, but not a finale.
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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Guardian452 Loyal user Los Angeles 235 Posts |
I've been doing the egg bag as an opener and as a way to help gather the crowd. I do not believe it is strong enough to be a closer unless you have a Mullica style ending to it. I end my show with the cups and balls so I imagine a 2-3 load finale would be a good closer.
Been a busker since I was 14 from San Diego; Don Driver was my mentor along with many others like Jimmy Talksalot, Sleeveless (Stephen Sloan), Bob Elliott.
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
Quote:
On Mar 20, 2022, Hawkan wrote: YOU can do a chop cup on the ground. If I get down there... I ain't getting back up any time soon!
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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Guardian452 Loyal user Los Angeles 235 Posts |
I use the eggbag as an opener/ crowd but I admittedly have little experience with it in terms of years. I don't have a kicker ending though which I need to work on and definitely makes it a better trick. I end with the cups and balls. Though if you have 2 loads for the chop cup it could be a finale.
Been a busker since I was 14 from San Diego; Don Driver was my mentor along with many others like Jimmy Talksalot, Sleeveless (Stephen Sloan), Bob Elliott.
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markmagic New user KY 51 Posts |
Do them both, they’re both classics.
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deadcatbounce Special user the Wilds of Ireland 863 Posts |
Quote: On Mar 20, 2022, Hawkan wrote:
"With every mistake - we must surely be learning..." George Harrison.
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