Northwest Ring Of Fire :: Close-up :: Street Show ~ Runboard
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PhilemonV
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Street Show

I'm putting together a "street show," and I'm going to use the following classic effects:

Chop Cup
Daryl's Rope Routine
Ninja Rings

What do you think is the ideal order to present these effects? Which is the best opener? Which is the best closer? Which, by default, fits in the middle?

Your thoughts...?
4/22/2008, 10:06 am Send Email to PhilemonV   Send PM to PhilemonV
 
bcookmagic
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Re: Street Show

Out of the 3 which is your strongest in your opinion....I would think ropes rings cups?
4/23/2008, 9:31 am Send Email to bcookmagic   Send PM to bcookmagic
 
JondeauxTheMagician
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Re: Street Show

Are you passing the hat? Is one of them your money trick?
4/23/2008, 4:50 pm Send Email to JondeauxTheMagician   Send PM to JondeauxTheMagician
 
PhilemonV
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Re: Street Show

I'm not sure which is my strongest (although ideally I would like to say that they're all equally strong).

Although I'm very tempted to actually work the streets when summer rolls around (and "pass the hat" afterwards), right now this is going to be for the Heaven nightclub.

I wanted to come up with a set that was strongly visual, required minimal interaction, and didn't require me to try to be heard over the loud music being played.

And at Heaven, I'm paid by the venue, so there's no need to pass the hat, but I should keep that in mind.

If I have the act polished enough, I'll present the whole thing at the next club meeting to be "workshopped."
4/23/2008, 6:52 pm Send Email to PhilemonV   Send PM to PhilemonV
 
bcookmagic
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Re: Street Show

Enjoy the rings you bought from me that you havnt paid for yet.... emoticon Please let us know how the routines are coming along. B
4/28/2008, 1:13 pm Send Email to bcookmagic   Send PM to bcookmagic
 
PhilemonV
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Re: Street Show

The check is in the mail.

Well, actually, the PayPal is. :-)
4/29/2008, 9:18 am Send Email to PhilemonV   Send PM to PhilemonV
 
bcookmagic
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Re: Street Show

Great so I lose 4% through paypal...LOL Thanks Enjoy!
4/29/2008, 1:26 pm Send Email to bcookmagic   Send PM to bcookmagic
 
PhilemonV
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Re: Street Show

I took the 4% into account. emoticon
4/29/2008, 2:25 pm Send Email to PhilemonV   Send PM to PhilemonV
 
Jeff Dial
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Re: Street Show

From my brief experince what you are really doing on the street is a close up platform show. I do a one cup rouinte, but play it big. If you are doing a close up show Daryl's ropes (Jumping Knot of Pakistan?) seems more platform while the ninja rings and chop cup seem more close up.

Cellini said to take your best three effect and create your routine. Sounds like you are there.

Go out and have fun. If you can you handle the rejection of oneone wanting to stop and watch your act it will be a great experience. emoticon

Last edited by Jeff Dial, 6/14/2008, 7:47 pm
6/14/2008, 7:46 pm Send Email to Jeff Dial   Send PM to Jeff Dial
 
Magic Hanz
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Re: Street Show

Philemon,

Good to hear you're hitting the streets. That's where I was all summer long. I traveled to Austin and Houston to perform and I performed at the Pike Place Busker's Festival this summer. I'm currently getting ready to fly to Australia for most of the winter and perhaps even meeting up with Tom Frank down in LA.

Here's my quick analysis of the effects and my recommended order:

1) Ninja Rings: depending on your routine, these rings are small, speedy, and flashy. Very eye-catching and the name of the game on the street is color, sound, and movement. You'll have the flashy reflection of the rings, the speed and flurry of movements (that is if you perform a quick routine like Shoot Ogawa), and you can provide sound with the tapping of the rings and projecting your voice. Also, you can rinse and repeat this trick over and over until you build your core "heart" as Eric Evans and Cellini like to call it. Your "heart" is the group of 4-5 people who have stopped and have shown sincere interest in what you are doing. You can talk with them and get their names while you perform the ninja rings over and over gathering more and more people as you do. But once you get that core group, let 'er rip.

2) Daryl's Rope Routine: In my opinion this is an ideal second effect because it's still visual, but a little bit more involved than the rings, i.e. the rope demands more of the audience's attention to understand what is going on. Once you've captured the audience's attention, they're on the bus and ready for the ride. The rope routine provides them an exciting ride and you can interject quite a bit of humor into it. Are you also going to be doing the acrobatic knot?

3) Chop Cup: Any type of cup and ball effect with the delivery of the loads is a killer closer on the streets. It can also be used as an effective opener because it has multiple climaxes and tends to build crowds. If an audience member shows up a bit late into the routine, they still get to see a bit of the magic. I'm working on a chop cup routine for a close-up corporate gig and it's going to be a slower paced "game" that I'll play with somebody and then start "cheating" until the loads are delivered. Doing a slower chop cup routine could be effective as an opener that way. What type of routine do you have? Is it quick, (fast talking, fast movements) or is it a slower pace with smooth and deliberate movements? Normally I use the cups n' balls as my closer on the street, but I've changed it up whenever it's necessary and have started with the cups n' balls and have closed with the straitjacket.

As far as order goes, it all depends on the type of show you want to deliver and the vibe that you're presently feeling from your audience at the time you are performing. Street magic is a lot like jazz...you've really got to improvise and go with the flow.
I have learned to switch the order of my effects right in the middle of my show depending on the variables: if the audience's attention seems to be waning, if it's hot outside, if it's windy, if it's cold, if you've got an audience predominantly consisting of children, you get the idea...

So an option two might be:

1) Chop Cup (crowd builder & multiple climaxes)
2) Rope Routine (same reasons as before)
3) Ninja Rings (quick, succinct, ends the show on an upbeat positive energy)

Hopefully some of this helps you out.

All the best,
Magic Hanz

PS: Give me a call sometime, 206-383-8878. I'd love to work together on the chop-cup.




---
"My mind is the key that sets me free." --Houdini
11/24/2008, 2:34 am Send Email to Magic Hanz   Send PM to Magic Hanz
 


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