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It's always a good idea to put a script together. When you start performing it, what you'll find is that the script will naturally develop and evolve, you'll take out the bits that don't work, enhance the bits that do until you're left with something that you're happy with.

When you start performing it, what you'll find is that the script will naturally develop and evolve, you'll take out the bits that don't work, enhance the bits that do until you're left with something that you're happy with.

Totally agree.

Alas Allen's excellent advice is not applicable to the original poster. As he is an old fuddy-duddy like myself he may not be aware that the expression "street magic" has taken on an entirely different meaning nowadays. It has nothing to do with busking or the type of thing that Gazzo or Pete Wardell does so alas their works will only be of limited value to kardshark. I am afraid that Allen, from some of his previous opinions on this forum, is going to be quite horrified by the concept and take to his bed in great distress over the matter.

This ghastly idea is done for no money at all which makes it even more ghastly. It consists generally of acne ridden teenagers and young people approaching respectable people in the street going about their business and showing them tricks whether they want to see them or not. I am afraid the rather awful Henning Nelms book will be of no use at all in this situation.

I am afraid that this relatively new notion has come about because of David Blaine wandering the street approaching people and mumbling away to them about a coin vanishing. It doesn't seem to have dawned on the hordes of young card trick terrorists that are emulating him that Blaine has a camera crew with him which rather sticks out a bit. This is a world of difference from some enthusiastic teenager approaching you in the street with a eager glint in their eyes asking you to select a card. I rather think that instead of this annoying activity they would be far better employed going out shoplifting like other teenagers and give Alex Cobain some reason for his employment.

I rather suspect this notion was promoted by my old friend Brad Christian of Ellusionist fame who realised it would make him great wads of money. The ironic thing is that when Brad was young he would have been horrified by this awful notion. However, that was well before he realised he could make some money out of it.

Dear Mark, I write from my sick bed having read your well qualified posting. Send me a Get Well card!!! Enclosing a $50 bill--ha ha.

Yes I have seen youngsters pulling out cards and stopping strangers on the street. And one day they will stop the wrong person.

Many times now I have complained about loads of magicians pulling out tricks and FOISTING them on the Public whether the victims want to see magic or not.
'He asked me if I wanted to see a card trick I said no. He showed me 5'!!
Again before ,I have mentioned the magician, who was on my Magic Club Committe--every time he appeared for meetings at my home--he would LITERALLY thrust a trick directly UNDER my wife's nose--saying 'have you seen this one'. Put Barbara off Magic for Life.
Another professional friend--internationally known--would, when he encounted other friends(magicians and lay) of mine, pull out the latest to show them!!
And on one of the Forums I also took a young magician to task over going to the SAME pub EACH week and 'doing'(the only word that fits!) 2 hours of card tricks.

On the other hand--I have a 20/21 Japanese/Amercian magic student, living just outside of Hollywood, busking, In the Old Way.
He has a quick fit up table, wears specs and a hat as part of a character he has created. and performs on the sidewalks of Hollywood with some cards, Cups & Balls, Cigarettes etc. And he does very well at it. I do get regular videos.

So I wanted kardshark to BEGIN the RIGHT WAY.
Too many as you point out in the usual vigorous, straight forward, common sense, well qualified, Mark Lewis manner, we all expect.

And yes--I do not like the Henning Nelms book-- with its diagrams, like Victor Sylvester Dancing steps(that dates me!) footprints on the floor.
It is an interesting but a bit overblown read ! However some will like the routines and no doubt pick up some useful, to them, pointers.
Nelms was a lawyer then theatre director then writer and an amateur magician.1900--1986. As far as I know he only wrote 1 magic book and 2 mystery novels.

Allen Tipton

OK Allen, take it Slow, Slow, Quick Quick, Slow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7OhLjyuKHE (ignore the first 40 seconds or so and the daft stuff at the end).

Ok Mandrake--deep breaths. You and Mark Lewis ought to get together.

Dancing:: Although I was trained as a Classical Ballet dancer--before we were married, as I played, one of the two leads. opposite my wife, in Call me Madam--she remarked sotto voce !!! as we waltzed round the stage. 'Where the hell did you learn to dance??' The problem was I could never master Ballroom Dance except a simple waltz. This mean that on any turns, I could pivot round as in ballet style, almost swinging her round at the same time.
And my reply in this 'dance of love'!! was--'Oh I could just eat some fish and chips
42 years later she still remembers this remark!.

Allen Tipton

Wow. All these suggestions helped A lot. I've prepared a suitcase, complete with a small felt-top table, and some supplies. I wrote up a few humorous scripts and have prepared a deck rotation system for easy resets. Since then, I've noticed a significant increase in reactions and even tips. i still feel fairly stiff, but I've been told I look very natural. I plan to study up some more and increase my training regimen. Thank you VERY much for the help.

Acting, Showmanship, and Magic.

1. First is DICTION
2. Acting before any trick. Big or small. (example) your close up table is your theater Bill M. was given to you as an example.
3. Dale Carnegie-books
4. Coe Norton-writings on shomanship
5. Dariel Fitzkee
6. Nelms was given to you as a good example of a great book-and nothing is ever old-remember that.
7. Never practice in front of a mirror, people-audiences are not a mirrors---bad habit
8. Practice your manipulations and passages with coins eo w/cards in a dark room (no lights),your brain and your hands must become one in second nature.
9. Manicure , atire and wear nice jewelry-wich helps as a diversion.
Start with this friend.

Showmanship is the difference between a tasty dish beautifully served on a golden platter and some grub chucked on a plate.

I liken it to learning to drive.
To start with you are fully absorbed with all the controls, mirrors, signals, cluth, gears, steering, road signs etc.
Then after a couple of months of driving you are chatting with a passenger while changing a CD while looking for traffic at a junction.

Once you have a script learnt by heart and have performed it a few times, you start to relax and think about 'how' you are performing rather than 'what' you are performing.

Today my 'scripts' are no longer a detailed set of words and actions... they are now more of a strategy to stick to while chatting and ad-libbing and projecting my personality.

Also see 'Strong Magic' (Darwin Ortiz) for lots of thought-provoking ideas on showmanship.

This is going to sound odd. And may not work for you. But what the heck.

What kind of music do you listen too?
Have you tried, (while practicing anyway) to put on some tunes and try to perform to the flow of the music?
It helps some loosen up and not concentrate so much on the moves but the flow.

Doesn't work for everyone but perhaps it is worth a shot...

pretty sure eugene berger has a dvd on presentations, i havent seen it so cant really comment, might be worth a look though...

In my opinion the greatest showman alive in this day and age is Derren Brown, he has flair, comedy, a sense of ease yet a strong sense of misdirection which is all vital for performance.

Randy wrote:Why not just take a few acting and improve classes, that will pretty much teach you how to be a showman and will put you a few steps ahead of the head of the other magicians out there who don't do it.

I just signed up for a comedy improv class. Eight weeks, then they put you on the stage (I've performed stand up comedy on stage along with mind reading but never on its own). They also do a clowning course. Lots of other stuff too.

Google 'Hoopla improv'.