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Hello TM,

I am not an experienced traveller. This year, I am planning on changing that, and will be backpacking worldwide for the foreseeable future.

Travelling poses a lot of problems for people in general. Trying to get your backpack under 20kg and still taking double what you need, wear and tear on items, keeping cost of living (surviving) minimal. Its a difficult yet awesome endeavor.

For me, it has posed a more serious problem. What magic to take, and where to hold it.

So the first thing i though was 'IMPROMPTU : WORLDWIDE - THE SHUFFLESHUFFLE SHOW!' but soon realised that theres a ton of magic that i will no longer be able to perform, and arguably these are my strongest bits.

Then I thought - weight... how much can I carry.

THEN i thought practicality. Language barriers. What acts can be silent? This rules out a lot of mentalism no doubt.

THENNN i was all like 'shuffleshuffle, whats going to draw in a crowd if you want to busk for money as a magician?'.

I convinced myself that 'hey man, you can pickpocket. NO PROBLEM. except what if it is misconstrued and I get in trouble? thats the last thing i want, and I'm normally covered by the venue and its safe to steal there.

THEN i was totally like 'dude I'm hungry'.

So that brings me to belly full me (now), still mulling over a million questions and no closer to where I want to be.

Now, what should we always have on us? We dont need rings - others will. We can use our phones - i have an iPhone which will come with me.
We need stuff that will not easily break, or can be stored away neatly and in a tiny space. Coins are no problem, we can just move them with our wallets.

What would you guys take. What trick would you take. What items would you ALWAYS carry, and what magic is going to be best performed to foreign tongues?

My question is this TM; how do i blow peoples mine on a GLOBAL SCALE, but not be weighed down by a conglomeration of magic props, a dove and my ring of fire?

Dont forget to be awesome!

Shuf

Sponge balls, they're light, pack small and will go down well regardless of age or language.

Lady of Mystery wrote:Sponge balls, they're light, pack small and will go down well regardless of age or language.

You do love a bit of sponge don't you?

Lady of Mystery wrote:Sponge balls, they're light, pack small and will go down well regardless of age or language.

Seconded

Sponge balls
Rope
Silk
IT
Cards
Done!

Both ropes and silks are very visual, easy to attract a crowd. TT the world is at your fingertips. Sponge balls are pure magic and always a crowd pleaser. Cards, everyone wants to see a card trick.

As for language. All the above can be done without it.

Rope, knot moves around, cut and restored, ring on string...no words
TT vanishing and re-apearing silk. Vanishing cig, bill change,...no words
Sponge balls, words are nice but you can take one, vanish it and two appear, physically put one in the spectators hand and hold it closed, vanish yours, etc, can all be done with gestures.
Cards? Well everyone wants to see a card trick.

Not particularly useful advice in terms of what to take:

but if you do any card stuff don't take any cards with you... wherever you go, buy a local deck of cards, or a souvenir deck of cards to bring home, then you could perform with those, plus will have a deck of cards from each place you visited.
You could take a joker from each deck and mount them all together in a frame when you get home, or make your own rainbow deck/stolen cards with a card from each pack (which would be a nice story/explanation for where all of the cards came from as you would have a personal connection to them).
You might end up with too many decks depending on how many places you visit, so you could post some home at various points in your travels.

You could then add to this collection for the rest of your life...

Also, perhaps learn a few phrases about magic in the language of where you are visiting...
"please take any card"
"would you like to see a magic trick"
"thank you"
etc
etc

what is the bare minimum you would need to say to draw in a crowd?

Take some cups and balls (maybe sponge balls like suggested above). Cups and balls is a very simple visual plot that can be understood anywhere in the world regardless of what tongue you are speaking in, and can be done close-up, on stage if you use big sponge balls, and also in the street. It can also be a very short or longer routine. A very versatile trick.

FTHO wrote:what is the bare minimum you would need to say to draw in a crowd?

"Free beer!"

Deck of cards and a pendulum, and then use what you find on your travels....I love using local currency....

Big hat - make it clear you're a busker? Universal magician symbol is a black top hat with a red headband, it seems to me.

Loads of good replies, nice work guys.

I have decided that all magic work will need to fit on my person, no bag space usage. it all needs to be at my fingertips.

SO, i am taking a pocket square in top pocket.
im tying the long bit of rope to my bag, and the little bit is going in my topit.

im going to take FTHOs advice, and buy cards there, but i wont be collecting these will stay in a trouser pocket.
(Would love to buy cards - but i am literally going to be homeless so nowhere to bring them back to! all my property is being left in my brothers garage in a couple of small boxes) TT in trouser pocket

i am going to take a bounce and no bounce ball - just as its fuinny. also the balls serve man other purposes.
i am going to wear a ring on my wrist, held together by a piece of string and various elastic bands.
As Dr Todd says - local currency is good. I'll use that for coins.
I HATE SPONGE BALLS. im sorry, I just do. I feel like a clown, and they are always annoying to carry. they either puff out loose pockets and look dumb, or pur pressure on your body when tight and walking a lot.. I know im literally the only one who thinks this, and yea, i get insane reactions.. but its not for me! so these are being left!

FINALLY i am going to take a thread reel. i think haunted deck/floating rings/levitating pens etc etc are too good to pass up, and I can leave the reel in place a lot of the time.

also a few words in each language is another killer idea from FTHO, so i am going to look into this.
I may make a topic about this as I'm sure its useful to others!

Now cups and balls - my chop cup is too big to carry around. This is a borrowed cup job i think. maybe in bars and retaurants etc. im not going to take one.

done well guys, done well.

Hey Shuffle, word of warning regarding the reel... If you're going to be travelling through humid countries, be wary of your magicians wax perspiring, melting and slipping (if you do indeed use it). Had nightmares with it when I went to Thailand/Vietnam.
Stay safe on your travels dude.

E

Amazing comment. thanks a lot it didnt even cross my mind!

Cheers Ettienne, much appreciated.

shuffleshuffle wrote:I HATE SPONGE BALLS. im sorry, I just do. I feel like a clown, and they are always annoying to carry. they either puff out loose pockets and look dumb, or pur pressure on your body when tight and walking a lot.. I know im literally the only one who thinks this, and yea, i get insane reactions.. but its not for me! so these are being left!

Pah, and you call yourself a magician?!