| Street magic removes the boundaries from the | | | | the audience to applaud loudly, screaming etc. All of |
| stereotypical view of magic. There are no stages, no | | | | this time, people around you will be curious and join the |
| mirrors, no assistants and generally, no over-glorified | | | | audience. If you go to any street festival, you will find |
| props and illusions. | | | | most of the time the performers are warming up the |
| | | | audience to attract more people. |
| Often referred to as naked magic, street magic strips | | | | |
| an illusion down to its bare minimum for maximum | | | | Once you have your audience, you will need to draw |
| effect; using everyday objects, a street magician can | | | | them in to prevent them from walking away from you |
| outstand groups of passers by in a way no other | | | | and your hat! Get close to them, allowing people at the |
| street entertainer can imitate. | | | | back to hear you easier, and to allow for further |
| | | | expansion. Possibly ask all the kids to come and sit at |
| With no stage, large illusions or assistants to pay for, | | | | the front (and for some reason, they always want to |
| the street magician can find himself making a fortune if | | | | put money in the hat - parents' money of course!) |
| he has the right attitude, right location and right | | | | |
| performance. Typically this involves passing a hat | | | | When planning your routine, make sure it is |
| around (known as "the throw") - magicians such as | | | | weatherproof to the extremes. A pack of cards won't |
| David Blaine and Paul Zenon have had the luxury of a | | | | stand a chance in the wind, and on one occasion, the |
| television career to significantly boost their income, but | | | | famous 'Zig Zag Lady' didn't stand up - a gust of wind |
| it is still possible to make a living from street magic | | | | blew it and the beautiful assistant over - not the ideal |
| without television. | | | | outcome! |
| | | | |
| When starting to perform Street Magic, you must | | | | Keep the routine to a fairly short time - people will |
| realise that the trick is to maximise your audience - | | | | typically be shopping and won't want to hang around |
| stunning them to the extent of silence will not help you, | | | | for half an hour while their car parking ticket expires. |
| no matter how amazed they are! The key to success | | | | Once they wonder off, you've lost yourself a few |
| is maximising the audience's participation - use your | | | | pounds. |
| voice combined with their applause to attract more | | | | |
| spectators. This doesn't mean you have to shout, then | | | | I saw one incredibly cunning technique for maximising |
| perform a miracle - work the audience - warm them | | | | your 'hat income' a couple of weeks ago in London. |
| up by making them applaud loudly, bring a child onto | | | | Two magicians asked a little girl to join them and help |
| the street and get her to do something, and then get | | | | them with their tricks involving a purse. |