One of the most frustrating things I find about being into magic is the sheer amount of crap I have to wade through to find something which is useable for me... things which fit me. In part this contributed to me giving the magic game up entirelly for almost twenty years ( as well as attending a FISM and coming to the horrible realisation that I'd never be THAT good!).

For this reason I've decided to offload some of the "props" that I've accumalated over the years, avoid attending any conventions for a while ( I find that too many conventions lead to all the local magicians doing the same routine... coincidence? although I am considering going to SCAMCON next weekend... Chris Capeheart AND Charlie Frye!) and use the money I make/save to finance a new street act. I've finally accepted the fact that my niche in magic, what I truly enjoy, is busking and that any other magic I do will therefor be a derivation of my busking ( nothing wrong with doing busking routines in a stroll around setting is there?).

One of the main problems of being a busker, I find, is that in some areas it's something of a solitary art. Sure there's plenty of folk out there strumming guitars or standing very, very still but there's not so many magicians. In fact I've never actually seen another busking magician... ever. For that reason I am addicted to books on the subject and DVDs... sure I want to be original and don't want to be a "hack" but it's nice to see what other people are doing. Currently I'm being sorely tempted by three things and feel like Faustus in conversation with the devil so I leave the solution to my temptation to you... what would you buy?

The Royal Touch? ( VERY tempting... even has a misers dream routine therein apparently and I'm hitting a mental block on this routine... just can't get it dialled).

A set of four Jeff Sheridan Genius at Work DVDs? ( a very different style I think... something which may help me further on my quest to find... um... ME)

Some escape stuff ( encyclopedia of escapes)... I've got some ideas for an escape act but couldn't escape from a wet paper bag at the moment.

Aha... I know what you're thinking... we don't know enough to help so.... at the moment I work on a smallish sidewalk with reasonable, but not great, foot traffic and a very crowded pitch ( going to circulate around four S.E. towns this summer and busk my way around Blighty for a month). My current act is a cut and restored rope into a fibre optics type routine... a quick card trick designed to draw the edge closer and finshing with cups and balls ( yes, I shamelessly do a hat load), nothing too adventurous... mostly tried and tested stuff since I don't want to step too far out of my comfort zone in my first year.

I'd go with Cellini because you not only get his views but more than a taste of Slydini's. Sheridan has always been a bit to artsy for me in an museum of modern art way. Cellini is more street level yet still artistic.

I would recommend anything by Cellini or Charlie Frye in a heartbeat. The Royal Touch is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated books in magic. A virtual goldmine.

See Gazzo's stuff. It gets the money.

I have royal touchs in stock on my web page for $80

http://www.kozmomagic.com

gazzos stuff is terrific

Collect and buy 'em all!

I'd have to second pete, Gazzo's stuff is very useable. Cellini goes without saying one of the best close-up and street magicians around. Very classic style too. I've got all of Cellini's DVD's and found them all worth the cash.

Sheridan stuff is on Ebay at the Moment ....again it is to artsy for the street these days ,
Sheridan was performing in Central park back in the 60s .So a lot has Changed since then, These days audiance are simply to impatience to watch a performer 'pose ' while doing an Hour show......

His DVD 'Genius at Work' recieved a Poor review in Genii magazine they show some clever stuff but not really use on the Street these days consideriong he was doing his act some 40 years ago !
The material on his dvd are certinaly not as Cleaver or of the caliber of the material on the Jim Chillini Stuff. .....Go with Chillini.

Mr. Biro is Correct the Gazzo stuff is Cool . The late Bob Read Also has a VHS tape available of his act which I understand was simply awsom !!!
worth looking into .

If you want to START on the street Jim Celini's book is the way to go. I would also HIGHLY recommend a very cheap (seven bucks or so) little Dover paper back called Hugard's modern magic manual or just Hugard's Magic Manual. The Hugard book is the source where most street magicians who do magic got there material two or three generations back. There is a TON of untapped stuff in that book that was made for the street. my buddy Jimmy Talksalot turned me on to this book and my brain about slid out of my ear. Everything is in there from hat loads to commercial card stuff.

Also a place where a lot of the greats got much of their street act is from Tarbell.

If your goal is to be original and somebody you saw on the street inspired you, instead of going out and nicking their act it is always a better idea to go back and see what inspired them. In that way, you may find the things that would work for you.

The Cellini book is worth every penny and is in my opinion still the master work on the subject of performing magic on the street.

there is other stuff I would recomend after you have used this stuff to create an act but IMHO this is the place to start.

Best,

Dan-

Theres also the cellini art of street performing series which I think and I have all of this stuff....is the most indepth view of street performing...and if you PM I will give you a fanatastic deal...as a matter of fact...anyone who wants a great deal on all cellini product PM me now!!!!!

I've seen some of the Kozmo Magic material on Cellini and it is excellent.

I may get tied to a stake and burned here in a moment, but I'll tell ya right here and now that I've not been able to use much on the street that I learned from a Gazzo resource.

Wait, I take that back. Gazzo does an OUTSTANDING job of instructing the viewer on the cups and balls. He teaches GREAT thoughts on how to stand, what misdirection to use, watching your windows & the purpose of the wand, etc... Gazzos resources are EXCELLENT for learning effects. And..........they are VERY entertaining. I belly laugh when I throw in one of his DVDs.

But, don't think you'll be able to go out there and do it like he does it. That's what I meant to say.

However, I've used an absurd amount from the Cellini resources that I've collected. Cellini teaches the "How to" very well, but he also shows you a variety of people doing it and helps to give you a feel of how YOU might do it.

When I watch Cellini, I can picture my character doing the effects of giving the stock lines. Somehow, his instructional style allows me to picture myself on the pitch.

This is NOT a knock on Gazzo. I just can't do what he does. He's got a disposition that allows him to say things that might get me rolled into an alley.

Cellini's material is much more open and usable to people of various performance styles in my opinion.

Unless you've got the ability to insult WHILE getting the laughs, then you may find it difficult to use what Gazzo's materials have to offer.

OK fellas, I've left my flank open. You can light me up if you'd like. But, this guy asked, and these are my own honest thoughts on the subject.

Not that it makes a difference or that it makes me a better performer, but I do have a boat load of both Gazzo and Cellini resources. So, if anything my opinion comes from my own personal viewing of many hours of video from both fellas.

Everything danny said is right on target.

also the cellini dvd vol.1 has a great instructional on the sidewalk show using sonny holliday's show as a demonstration.

but once again I think danny nailed it.

the only thing I could add is;

I just got back from a small pitch in san diego trying to do circle show stuff like gazzo stuff and it was filled with complications and less money.

I've seen a lot of circle shows come here and don't even try and get one off it's that deserted.

some of the other problems are due to regulations there, and the extremely small trickle of people walking by with short attention spans and their prudishness make it difficult to do just comedy and crowd build.

so I would strongly urge you to use this sidewalk show info with a lot of flash and constant action. for quick action packed shows.

unless of course you are going to be going to places that are flooded with good strong foot traffic and allow bigger shows.

I like turtles

Oh yeh and I like turtles

Get the Cellini #1 DVD from Kozmo. After that, if you're hooked, get the Royal Touch from Kozmo and read thoroughly. After that, spend all your money on me.

Too late Frank... bought a deluxe pouch from you last year. Sorry folks, should have been clearer... not entirelly new to busking, spent the best part of last summer working in Asheville and Helen GA... looking to go further though.

Chad... I admire your bravery in expressing reservations over Gazzo's stuff ( must be something to do with being British).. truth be told I love it but found Cellini something of an aquired taste ( yes I know.. heresy!). When I look back over at Cellini's stuff I find useful material but it took me a view viewings to really appreciate it... strange.

That said I think that in the end I'm going to go with Cellini's book since it seems such required reading, I'll also look for the Hugard text and try and get some of Charlie Frye's stuff later on... and that should be plenty for the next year or so!

TedB.. expect a pm. I still don't get the turtle joke.

Thanks for all your advice fellas!

tom

Tom loves turtles...he just doesn't know it.

GOOD TIMES

I love you guys.