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isaacfawlkes Loyal user FL 256 Posts |
I always cringe when I see a street performer doing a money production or manipulation trick on the street. My belief is that the audience may think "if he can produce money from the air why do I need to put money in his hat?" I am watching Cellini Street tape #2 (great series) and he is doing some coin work and I wonder, doesn't it give the audience another excuse not to fill the hat?
What is the general consensus? Am I being overly analytical? |
Jim Wilder Special user Birmingham, AL 954 Posts |
To confuse the issue, I see two opposing views. I have experienced it both ways. At times, when I have performed bill in lemon, when the bill was produced, the spectators have told me to keep it, as I had earned it (in their words).
On the other hand, I have had the experience inline with the school of thought, "If you the performer produce the money, the spectators will not." In general I tend to agree with the latter, however, I think performing with money does interest spectators. Jim |
isaacfawlkes Loyal user FL 256 Posts |
I am not really talking about a bill-in-something type effect. I have used that and it does interest the spectators when you destroy someone's money. But they always get it back. I am talking about Miser's Dream or coin manipulation.
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BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
Like many other topics that keep popping up, this has been previously discussed here and many valuable responses can probably be found with a reasonable search in this forum. For really good info, I suggest that you take the time and do that search. I also suggest that anyone who is thinking about posting a question, search first. Then if you don't get a good answer, by all means ask.
The arguments go both ways. Some like it, some don't. I think a good coin manipulation routine (not a misers dream etc) makes for strong audience appeal. Kozmo does a very nice coin routine with audience interaction and kills them, and collects a nice tip from it. And I don't see why most other coin manipulation routines wouldn't be good too. Appearing and vanishing some coins, in my opinion, is seen as an entertaining demonstration of skill, and not proof that the magi can create his own money. Although it is an expensive peice of hardware to carry on the street, Dean Dill's Explosion where you produce more coins on your mat than seems humanly possible, would probably be a big hit for the right performer on the right pitch. So since I think coin maniplulation is OK for the street, I see your question really is should a busker do a misers dream? It depends on the busker...I do stuff on the street that nobody else does. Why? Because it works for me. And I think that's what a good performer does. I can see a lot of good buskers being able to get over with a misers dream. But I would think they can get better audience involvement and better tips with other effects. Not because folks would think he can make his own money, but because there are quite simply far more entertaining and audience-involving things to do than a misers dream. Not that some guys cant do a killer job with it, but for me, I just don't think it is strong enough. And if I am going to do 12-18 minutes and then pass the hat, I want to do things that build nicely, and climax to maximize my connection with the audience and my hat. BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
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Whiterabbit Loyal user Kevin Mc Lean 278 Posts |
An associate of mine (in a restaurant, but I think it's still applicable to the streets) had a negative experience when he switched a bill up then down to the normal level.
The two guys complained that he'd shortchanged them and the management had to pay out. Nowadays he only switches a bill down then up...
May your fingers never lose their deftness,
May your tongue always lead them down the garden path... Regards, Whiterabbit |
Kayo_City New user Dublin, Ireland 59 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-11-09 22:10, isaacfawlkes wrote: I've come across this in two different scenarios. The first was when I saw a performer in England do the misers' dream. He did it well but didn't get a big hat. He collected his money in the same container he used for the effect. People heckled "if you can produce money from thin air then you don't need mine" etc..... Thus the hat was small! The second was John Lenahan's lecture in davenports in London some time in the early 80's. He did the misers dream really well also. Both performances were very similar, however JL used one line which made his hat bigger! At the end of his routine he said "the only problem with taking money from thin air is that it never seems to stay there." With that he turns the container upside down and money apparently had disappeared. With that extra line and modification to the the container, it made a huge difference.
That's all i have to say about that!
City Livin' K.O Style |
Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-11-09 21:55, isaacfawlkes wrote: Ooof... I am going to tip something here so important I should be ashamed of myself for letting it go where potential rookies can read it. It is THE way to display money in your show and guarantee that you will receive money in the hat, MORE money than if you did not do this. EVERY top shelf professional street worker has a bit in his/her show where money is offered to a.. Oh, it has just come to my attention that I have posted on this before. You can search the archives for it or see the post on my site. Since I have lost the ability to edit my posts after the fact here I have become more particular about what I give. Issac has asked a great question and a very important one. If you don't want to dig in the archives here you can find it on my site under starting on the street. 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. |
Shorty New user Switzerland 87 Posts |
Sometimes we forget the audiences are not stupid. They know why we are performing on the streets. If you do a good show, they tip you well. It dosent matter if you do a Misers' Dream. By the way, it's one of the best tricks for the street. And if there any people who don't understand, say something like this, "there is just one problem with that money, it's made from chocolate!" Think: what's more interesting for people than a man who plugs money from the air and throws it in a bucket? What sounds more nice then this? Well, I never busk in the States, but in Europe it's like this. Sorry for my poor English. I hope everybody understands what I mean.
Greetings from the Old World. Shorty |
Pokie-Poke Special user Bensalem, PA 883 Posts |
I did it once, mixed with a chop cup that produced balled-up dollar bills. As I end up with no money in the end, I don't think it matters. Showing money going into the hat is ALWAYS a good thing.
www.pokie-poke.com
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