I've posted a question on the mentalism forum. I couldn't duplicate it here (cafe rules ) but if there's anyone who can give advice on this, it would be tremendously appreciated. It's about performing mentalism or bizarre magick in a street magic context.
Here's the link :
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......15&0
Thanks in advance

Hello.
I hope you will not interpret this question the wrong way, but are you talking about LEGITIMATE street performing, or the misconceived branch of "street" as popularized by David Blaine?
I actually am a real street performer, and have been for 16 years (doing street) so I may be able to help you.
Cheers,
J.Warrens

What do you mean by REAL street magic ?
The aim is to be on the streets, attract people to surround you and then to perform for them.
I have absolutely no experience in this field. But I do want to get experience. I'm mainly a mentalist with a bizarre performing persona.
If you could share some of your experience, I'd be grateful.

Street Magic, from my meager knowledge is to setup somewhere with a table, draw a crowd and you pass your hat around at the end of you routine. The type of magic that Blaine has made famous is actually Strolling Magic and is sometimes referred to as "Guerilla" Magic because of it involves approaching an unsuspecting stranger. Every now and then I will perform the latter. I hope this helps. Take Care.

OK, it's about street magic then.

You might be able to get a feel for some things from stuff by Tony Shiels. The personna of a mountebank with strange tales seems more suited to busking queues than some other personnas.

An effect I've been using in my show for quite some time now is David Parr's "A Game of Life or Death".
It is very good, but you will need to have a warmed-up audience before doing it, as it too slow for an opener.
It is available from most dealers.
It always gets a wonderful reaction, and even I am surprised sometimes at how quickly people can become superstitious, when performing this.
Cheers,
J.Warrens

I do this sort of thing for busking.

I walk to the spot wearing a black blindfold hood, setting up my side table. When a few curious mill about, I hold a hand out, palm first, toward the closest person, saying I "sense" someone standing there and giving a thumbnail description. I then pull off the hood, remove the STEEL BLINDFOLD, then fish out my glasses and put them on.

I then engage the person in a close-up mentalism effect. And so it goes...

Any angle-and-light-proof bizarrist effect works. PK effects or effects with 'haunted relics' go over well.

Steve