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brandonford1982 Veteran user 304 Posts |
I perform on the streets and I want to reinvent my act... How many tricks do you feel are necessary, or how long of a show? I perform mainly grand illusion type magic. Straight Jacket, Levitation, Sword Thru Neck........
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Three tricks and collect the money.
If you do a decent straight jacket you could do an entire 30 minute show with just that and 50 feet of chain. Nothing gets the money on the street like a straight jacket. Grand illusions are great but on the street lugging that equipment is a real killer. I would think as light and as tough as possible. Your equipment will be beat half to death working the street. My suggestion would be two smaller curtain front type tricks combined with a bigger trick like the straight jacket. Also keep in mind that everything you take out on the street should work surrounded. With three tricks you should be able to work 15 min to an hour. You could do the same with just the straight jacket. The big thing about a street show is there must be a lot of YOU in the show for people to pay. On the street you need to be 200% 100% entertainer and 100% magician. If you are unfamiliar with working the street I am sure you are going to think everything I said is crazy, I know I did when I first heard it. To get an idea go and see some street performers in your area and watch how they lay out their shows. You will be surprised to find that there is a lot more talking than juggling or magic. There was a guy in Key West who did the world's most stupid egg trick. He had a 45 min show and only did one trick and that trick lasted exactly 1 second! It floored me when I saw it. He had a good show though. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
One of the key things to think about is that if you are doing a stage show, people paid to come in see it. And since they already paid, you can pretty much do what you want. They probably won't all leave, and you have their money.
On the street, you have to draw them, and keep them, and get their money. People are in a hurry today; lots of things are going through their minds as they go here or there. You are an interruption to their schedule/plan/life. So you need to engage them, go from an interruption to a welcome break, and keep raising the bar so they stay content, and since they have short attention spans, you have to repeat your purpose (to entertain, and get paid), keep reminding them of everything you did and how they liked it, and then close with a killer. You want them to drop their jaws, and open their wallets. Then you want a quick reset and start all over again. If you want to do an outside show with big stage equipment, and do it every couple of hours, and that will get you enough money to make it all worthwhile, in the right place, with the right show, that could work. But as Danny said, that will depend on how they relate to you. Good Luck out there. And don't hurt yourself lugging all that equipment around. BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
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Hill Inner circle 1164 Posts |
It pays to listen to the professionals on this board!
I like to stick to an old rule - Tarbell told us three tricks should make a routine. While he was not talking about street work, its a good rule of thumb. Listen to Danny Hustle and BroDavid; they are a street performers mecca. |
BerkleyJL Veteran user Chicago, IL 397 Posts |
Quote:
There was a guy in Key West who did the world's most stupid egg trick. He had a 45 min show and only did one trick and that trick lasted exactly 1 second! It floored me when I saw it. I was just noticing this phenomenon, having watched Gazzo on the Cups and Balls. He does like 30 minutes on the C&B...mostly talking and interacting with the audience. It works the same for stage too. Harry Anderson (a busker, too, if I remember correctly) did very few actual tricks on Hello Sucker, but kept the gags and patter going for an hour! I think it doesn't matter WHAT you do, as long as you make it interesting enough that people will want to watch you...and that you can convince them it was worth some of their hard-earned cash!
I need a stage name.
Joe Berkley |
JamesinLA Inner circle Los Angeles 3400 Posts |
Yeah, you're dealing not just with short attention spans and appointments--like dinner or movies--but also where I work, I'm competing with other performers who are doing shows 40 feet on either side of me. Thank goodness they're usually musicians. But last Sunday I was up against breakdancers that were 80 feet from me. I held my show together and the people stayed for me.
Also really like the comment from BroDavid about quick reset. I'm really trying to work on that. Right now, my show takes too long to reset. If I could be faster, I could instantly start building another edge from the people that just came in at the end and didn't really see anything. Jim
Oh, my friend we're older but no wiser, for in our hearts the dreams are still the same...
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Pokie-Poke Special user Bensalem, PA 883 Posts |
When I have to deal with other performers I try to make some form of arrangment to alternate shows. 100% attention from 1 crowd is better than 50% attention from 1/2 the crowd. Plus this gives all parties concerned a chance to rest, reset, and be ready for the next show.
I don't think the number of tricks is important, but how long your show is, how long can you get away with, and still leave them wanting more...that depends on your pitch.
www.pokie-poke.com
The Adventure cont... |
JoeJoe Inner circle Myrtle Beach 1915 Posts |
I think too much emphasis gets put on how long or how many tricks ... you're on the street, you can go as long as you want - no timers, no lights, nobody's gonna pull you off stage. Do as much as your audience wants ... give them what they want, and if they want more, give them more.
I try to routine about 3 tricks - that's the blueprint. If a particular audience doesn't seem to be enjoying it, I end early. If the next crowd is going nuts then I throw in another trick. If they tip well, I might even do yet another trick just for them. After doing it a while, you'll be able to read your audience - you can spot someone that is relaxed and doesn't want to leave. You'll notice that there is a kid's mother in the crowd that doesn't want to be there. You'll spot that guy whose jaw is dropping, just begging for more. The point here is to just go with the flow - the amount of money you make will have absolutely nothing to do with the number of tricks you do, or how long it takes you to do them. Enjoy yourself, have as much fun as your audience - if not more. When you're having fun, they are having fun, and that's what will earn you a tip.
Amazing JoeJoe on YouTube[url=https://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingJoeJoe]
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