Street or stage?

r3nu4l

For the performers amongst you...

Can I ask firstly if you prefer the environment of street or stage and why? Secondly, is there a division between street and stage magicians?

Have you practiced both or have you honed your art to one environment only? What made you choose that environment.

I've seen both in action and while I slightly prefer street magic I do love the wow factor of stage magic.

oeb

I personally favor walkabout, which is closer to street than stage.

There are many reasons I prefer it to stage magic. Stage magic generally relies on expensive props (Expect to pay from 2 grand to much much higher for professional illusions) and too be honest, I see it as a bit corny.

Walkabout on the other hand is much more in your face. It's quicker (A routine may be over in 2 or 3 minutes) and it's often more impossible.

When watching magic on stage, specs often justify what is happening to themselves (There is a false bottom on that trunk, duh). Often times they are completley incorrect, but they don't know that

The money these days is still pretty evenly devided between the two, but neither is as you seem to envision it. Most preformers I know seem to either go the 'Kids Party' (Stage) or 'Wedding' (Street) route, but it's not unusual to see people who do both. I dont really know how much business there is in traditional Stage shows these days (Unless you are willing to invest alot in promotion, and for an example of that see the way that Keith Barry is marketed).

For actual work on the street, there are a couple of ways to make money at it. The most obvious one is to get someone to pay you to stand outside their premises or attend their event (A street market maybe?). The second option is busking. Don't expect to get far running around like David Blane or the likes (That format is not suitable for busking) instead try an approach such as Owen Lean (The Roadmage) uses (Hit-and-Run style), he paid his way through college doing that in Dublin. Other options may be something like an escapist routine (Figo spent the last couple of weeks preforming one around Galway) or the more traditional street show (Gazzo would be your best example here)


Devision-wise, not really, it's generally a different type of show. 'Street' style magicians generally tend to display more skills at sleight of hand (As they preform right under the noses of the spec) where as a dedicated 'Stage' magician will generally have a better developed charachter and more honed communication and patter skills. But that being said, there are people who can happilly switch their top hat for a toppit and preform both.

King Mob

Good post oeb.
I completely agree with most of it. Except I think stage magician have more than just better communication and patter skills. Alot of them have a wealth of skills for construction of tricks, perhaps more so than street magicians. Then again as you said stage magic is inherently more corny.

Do people think stage magic is being overshadowed by street magic?

Personally I very interested in learning both kinds of magic however being a dirty student I have to take to cheaper route.

On another note would you have a website or email for Owen Lean.
I remember meeting him years ago on Grafton St. He was the first magician I met and started my interest in magic.

oeb

Owen has a website (http://www.roadmage.com/) and you can probably reach him from there. He is in Canada at the moment though, so I don't know how much internet access he has at the moment.

Few (of the big ones anyway) stage magicians actually construct their own tricks. For example there is more that one circus that has done the rounds in this country that has a magician who had no magic experience before joining the circus. They were chosen for their charisma rather than any existing skills and then just shown how to operate the relevant effects as they go along.

There are plenty of companies in the US that specialise in building stage illusions and I assume there are probably a few in the UK as well.

Generally, if you want to go that route I would advise aquiring plans for the illusion you want to preform (They are available from various books, and some websites sell them too) and rather than building them yourself get a carpenter (Or more precicely a joiner or cabinate maker) to build them for you. It will cost more, but it will also look fifty times more professional and will last you an awful lot longer too.

Stage magic by its very nature is much more constructed and scripted. In most cases you might as well be preforming for a camera because if all goes well, the only interaction you will be getting from the people you are preforming for will be applause and gasps of amazement. (If you are terrible you might also hear 'boo's and get empty pint glasses thrown at you (Or maybe that's just in Munster)).

Close up on the other hand tends to be more adaptable. Your routine can often change on the fly to suit the people you are preforming for. Most of what you are doing will be done with props you have on you anyway.

r3nu4l

King Mob wrote: »

Do people think stage magic is being overshadowed by street magic?

I think that most people these days associate stage magic with 'props and gimmicks' rather than pure skill whereas street magic is viewed as more impressive because it appears to require more skillful deception techniques. I'm not saying that's the case just that that's how I think it appears to most people. I know too that street magic often requires the use of props.

Street magic has that 'raw' feeling (despite hours and hours of practice going into the simplest tricks. Stage magic seems to be associated with glitzy capes and top hats...

oeb wrote: »

(If you are terrible you might also hear 'boo's and get empty pint glasses thrown at you (Or maybe that's just in Munster)).

Is that the voice of experience? Sounds like there's a story buried there somewhere

That's definitely another problem with stage magic, it doesn't just require an investment of time into learning and perfecting the mechanics of a trick, it also requires a heavy outlay of cash.

oeb

There is of course the cheaper option of building it yourself. But don't come crying to me when your chubby assistant causes your plywood 'Saw a woman in half' illusion to collapse.