A DO:

DO craft a lightweight handcuff display board with an interesting display of irons. It creates curiosity to help draw a crowd.

A DON'T:

DON'T do the Tom Horn belt (aka Australian Belt & Muff) more than twice on a busking day. The bruises to the wrists, hands and forearms get bad after a few performances. I know first hand (sore, swollen hands at that).

Steve

Steve,
What types of devices do you use on the street on a regular basis? How long in minutes do the routines for each run?

I never carried a board and have only done the chain cuff and straight jacket, so any info would be great.

Don`t hand out cuffs for inspection to kids (They run off with them) To sort out this problem,,,,cuff the kids together after useing them, then leave them cuffed for the remainder of your performance, this gives the impression that the cuffs are for real and keeps the cuffs in your possesion.

LOL Cuff the Kids Right Wrist to Right Wrist. then watch the FUN.

I start with a full-view demo of "Houdini's method" of escaping from the Irish-8 handcuff.
I follow with the Burling Hull Simplex Chain escape, given a humorous presentation at the climax.
I close with either the Tom Horn Belt or the straitjacket (from now on the straitjacket will be the standard closing).

The act lasts about ten minutes. I average 3-5 shows an hour.

I use the display board to help draw a crowd, along with idly performing trick knots with a length of rope.

The cuffs on my board include the Tower Double-lock, Hiatt 104 Darby, Deutsche Polizei Model A, Tower Bean Pattern, H&R Bean Improved, H&R Super, Fetters Spiked Collar, and the following Ian McColl repros: Bastille thumbscrews, Posey leg irons, Castle top Berliner, Stotz cuff, and a Freak handcuff copied from one in the Houdini collection.

My outdoor show garb consists of khaki slacks, canvas shoes (sneakers or deck shoes), safari shirt and a poor-man's knock off of an Australian Anzac slouch hat.

Steve

3-5 shows an hour!!! That's impressive stuff. I usually do 1 or 2 shows a day.

Do you usually try to attract a large crowd of say 200+ or do you tend to grab smaller audiences of around 50?

I generally go for the larger gathering. Maybe I should give smaller audiences a bash. Hmmm, something to think about.

Roslyn

The crowds tend to range from as little as 10-15 to as large as 30-40.

If 200+ people WOULD stop in their random wanderings and watch the whole show, I wouldn't complain.

Steve

Sounds pretty interesting Steve,

How are the hats? whats the average hat? Also are you in a spot that has traffic all day or is it say 10am to 7pm or somthing?

I guess that's why I only do 2 shows a day. It takes me quite some time to get what I thought to be enough people. I generally perform in tourist areas since the general British public don't know how (or want to) give money for a street show.

Are there many EA's that work the street? I kind of thought that most of you guys got 'proper' gigs and that I was one of the few that did street shows.

I have a piece of orange rope that I use to mark out a 'stage' and I get people to stand on it to keep it in place to help pull a crowd. I then use this front line to make cheering/whistling/clapping noise to pull in more people. When these people arrive I say that they just missed me leaping off the roof of a near by building and somersaulting to the ground. I also use fire juggling/breathing to gain some attention.

What do you guys use? What areas do you tend to work in?

Roslyn

Okay Ros, I have to ask, how do you get 200 people to stop long enough to watch, without most of them saying, "Well, he's not DOING anything yet. Let's go get some ice cream." and walking away? Do that many people actually stop AS the show is going on?

The area I perform in is high traffic, but people there have short attention spans, and it's in a mall type environment, so there's other things to catch their attention.

By the way, what do you deem a 'proper' gig?

Well, King, the hats aren't bad, but I'm still learning how to pump the crowd for tips; I haven't reached my full potential as a busker yet (my background has been night clubs, county fairs, shopping malls and banquets). My friend who works the same place averages ~ $200. US a day, but he has been busking for over a year.

I usually perform from around 2-9pm on a Saturday, noon-6pm on a Sunday and (sometimes) 6-9pm on a Friday evening.

Steve

Steve, there isn't really a point where there is any dead spots. From the moment I get to my pitch my show has began. As I said earlier I start by getting the rope layed out on the floor and grabbing people to help me. I get the people who stop involved in the performance of drawing a crowd. Then I do small tricks like fire breathing/fire juggling/skipping with a fire rope and generally burning stuff and making lots of noise. Like you I have stuff on my 'stage' area that you don't usually see in the street. I have a table with a rola bola (a large tube with a plank of wood) on it. I guess you could say that I have become my own warm up man. Once I've got enough people gathered in my semi-circle I make a gap and leave the stage. I then introduce myself and get the audience to cheer as I run on, then I start my show proper.

I tend to work in an actual street rather than the mall type environment that you do. Although it is a pedestrian only area.

My show is about 20 minutes long, but the warm up can last up to an hour. Of course people leave during this and more arrive. But you will end up with enough if you persist.

I must say that the hats are not that different at the end of the day. About £150.00 or $250 (approx.)

I start by doing a cuff escape and finish with an SJ escape whilst balanced on the rola bola.

I should also say that I've done street stuff on and off for about 5 years too.

Good luck,

Ros

Gotcha.
Good job.

Steve