talkmagic.co.uk

OK really struggling here guys and gals

I'm looking for a trick that would be suitible for a magic street show. a circle show like gazzo did. I'm not wanting to do cups and balls as i feel that there are too many street performers doing this as their final trick so I'm needing a trick that is startaling, that builds and builds has a good ending and is compact enough for me to travel around the street with

any help very much appreciated

Figo

Ok... before you get to the tricks, learn how to use language... there is a very big difference between the terms "finally" and "finale"... the latter of the two seeming to be what you're looking for.

Sorry, but I had to re-read the title to this thread about a dozen times before it finally dawned on me what you were getting at.

Next... I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell everyone else that asks this sort of question. How can I or anyone tell you what effect is goingto work best for you?

In that you're doing street magic you probably wouldn't fair well doing a Lion's Cage or close with a Q&A routine or any kind of Patriotic Flag production with confetti and canon. I've used all of these and then some but obviously, it wouldn't be practical to your situation. But on the lesser end of extreme examples, I doubt that you would want to close with a Zombie.

Busking work is difficult and I can't for the life of me understand why so many young people today think it's "the thing to do" in that there is little to no money in it and hellashisly long hours in horrid weather and dealing with rude, critical, and obnoxious people, few of whom are going to respect you in the least... and for what, a buck here and there?

Ok...enough of the lecture...

What are your three hottest routines right now?

Place the second to best as your opener, the one in last place in the middle and your #1 bit as the closer... this is the old formula for pulling an "act" together (you are not doing a show, you are doing a bit... less than 20 minutes, in most instances 8-12 minutes... you must turn the crowd.)

Now comes the other reality... you are working for tips -- you're a pan handler and as such you must be creative e.g. your finale' has a couple of demands placed around it you may not be considering right now. The biggest being getting people into the act of pulling money out of their pockets either literally or in an imagined set of events. This is why the old Pea & Shell, 3-Card Monte adn Sidewalk Shuffle have been standards to this side of the craft for so long... they pull in the bucks!

Hustler routines, betchyas or bits with borrowed bills all implant this very important issue of getting cash from spectators. I've even closed bits of this sort (in my younger days) with a traditional magic pitch; the mouse, Svengali Decks, even Sculpting Balloons. Having a pitch is a great device but you had better be entertaining with the pitch as well as solid in your ability to sell the item. That however, is something Mark Lewis can tell you about better than I in that he's a far more "educated" crook than I when it comes to the razzle of the game.

Doing the sidewalk hustle is not the same as doing a show, get that settled in your mind first

ha well i have just returned from a course on this.

You need a big strong effect that will blow people away!

A visual stunning effect.

For instance i used Banknote in walnut however if i had remembered my Straight Jacket that is what i would have used.

thanks for your imput. I'm sorry my dyslexia offends u i can't help it. also i think u are misunderstanding the manner in which i will be performing. i won't be busking i will be doing a street performance in which i am experienced as i have been performing for quite a few years. street performing isn't about doing the 3 shell game to get money out of people street performing is about entertaining people for 15- 20 minutes with magic and comedy and entertaining them enough so that they put in money. your wrong when u say long hours for little money. as a street performer u work when u want for as long as u want and on a good day can get more money than a standerd gig would pull in. u don't work in the rain i mean whats the point in that. i appreciate your imput but i think that if u are going to give a lecture to someone u should at least have the decency to know a little about the subject if i asked this same question on performers.net the response would be totally different as street performers know what kind of crowd u get on the street and the joy and freedom of performing there. the reason i asked it here was i wanted a response from magicians,

dont want to be rude figo but craig browning is a very renowned and trusted magician, his words hold a lot of truth,

I'm sure he is but that doesn't mean he can insult me. i know what I'm talking about when it comes to street performing and i was asking for some friendly advice

i read that objectively, and saw it not as an insult, more as free advice from a seasoned pro. Good advice too. Take it, don't take it the choice is yours.
You can't choose what advice you are given when you ask for it.

Figo wrote:i know what I'm talking about when it comes to street performing

Then why don't you know what trick to do?

Best wishes,

Andy

hey look I'm sorry if i caused offence i was simple looking for some advice on a trick that would work well on the street i didn't expect this kind of reaction to a very simple question. i didn't expect lectures or insults either. again I'm sorry if i offended anyone

I dont think you need to be sorry about anything.

I know Craig is a professional, but some of his responses can seem a bit brutal, so dont worry about it, its just Craig being Craig

thanks glad to know I'm not totally hated on talk magic lol.

i think i understand why people got angry with me. but i can't stand rude people and i felt that craig was being rude. professional or not doesn't me u can treat people how u like.

As Craig said, Figo, the big problem is that you and only you will know what is right and startling for you to do for your audiences.
He's actually given you the answer to the question you raised in the first post by saying:

How can I or anyone tell you what effect is going to work best for you?

and

Ok...enough of the lecture...
What are your three hottest routines right now?
Place the second to best as your opener, the one in last place in the middle and your #1 bit as the closer... this is the old formula for pulling an "act" together (you are not doing a show, you are doing a bit... less than 20 minutes, in most instances 8-12 minutes... you must turn the crowd.)
Now comes the other reality... you are working for tips -- you're a pan handler and as such you must be creative e.g. your finale' has a couple of demands placed around it you may not be considering right now. The biggest being getting people into the act of pulling money out of their pockets either literally or in an imagined set of events. This is why the old Pea & Shell, 3-Card Monte adn Sidewalk Shuffle have been standards to this side of the craft for so long... they pull in the bucks!
Hustler routines, betchyas or bits with borrowed bills all implant this very important issue of getting cash from spectators. I've even closed bits of this sort (in my younger days) with a traditional magic pitch; the mouse, Svengali Decks, even Sculpting Balloons. Having a pitch is a great device but you had better be entertaining with the pitch as well as solid in your ability to sell the item. That however, is something Mark Lewis can tell you about better than I in that he's a far more "educated" crook than I when it comes to the razzle of the game.
Doing the sidewalk hustle is not the same as doing a show

Whilst some of the comments might seem to be a bit blunt, it's far better to hear and discuss them here amongst friends and supporters than out on the street when things go wrong and you're standing there with egg on your face asking, "Why didn't someone tell me?" !

i know he is and i appreciate his help i just think the way he said it could have been better. diplomacy is a wonderful thing. if he had put it the way you had this thread would have been over ages ago. thanks

Figo wrote:i know he is and i appreciate his help i just think the way he said it could have been better. diplomacy is a wonderful thing. if he had put it the way you had this thread would have been over ages ago. thanks

Figo

Don't ever take things I say too personally. Yet, I can (and will) be very blunt and direct. I explained before that I'm very familiar with your situation at several personal levels and because of this, I'm going to be harder on you, encouraging you to push yourself to overcome your challenges vs. allowing them to run and rule roost over your life. That's why we are given challenges of this sort in our lives, so we can become stronger and better, so understand that and take it in the manner it is intended.

As I shared before I had a wonderful man pushing me much the same way when I was kid and though I hated it then, I'm ever so grateful for it now.

I took a look at your web-site... looks good!

Now, if you want some critical help, PM me and I'll give you my mailing address. Send me some video of your working both, the kind of deal you are talking about as well as other environments and I'll see what I can do for you... just remember, I usually charge a heck of a lot of money to do this kind of thing for people

Great website! i wish you the best of luck with everything you do.