crowd gathering

[Greedybogle]

Hey.

Along the idea of singing to attract a crowd, why not bring along a boombox? I find that roping off an area in character while some appropriate music is playing is a great way to draw a crowd. While you lay down the rope and your props, you can interact with people and establish a connection.

If this doesn't work, you could always go and shout, but people are more resistant when you try to force them to watch your show...a little music and a meticulous setup are much less intrusive, and draw a happier crowd.

[clapchap]

I work a market, along with a paid music act. I try to keep my show more of a background, nothing loud or distracting for the musicians. When ever my crowd runs low (i usually have 10-20+ stand around at one time), fire is usually the way to go. I go from 10-20 to 40-50 by the time my second trick is in the air. It seems like a low trick from a juggler's point of view, since fire is the same as clubs to me, but people will stay long enough for me to prove there is more than just flash....

[upjuggler]

I have had some luck with the clock... What I had was a sign identifying (pardon the spelling) myself as a comedy juggler, saying "Next performance at (whenever)."

It helped a bit, but I found that it was easier to pack light, and I am doing fine without it.

--- Hey Tom B. --- Hope to see you in Midland this fall!

UPJUGGLER

[jugglermatt1]

Bubbles work really well , we use them for gathering , what we do now is make a gigantic bubble and continue until the first child runs up and pops it , then using the pustefix blue multi bubbler , run around like a mad thing usually with full on fast music until the song ends .

[Pele]

Firegirl has alot of good stuff as far as really creating a raport with the audience. Sometimes just putting out a clock doesn't do that. Taking the time, in character, to set up, ask people to help, build up to the rowdiness, make them do the work for you is a really great thing. If not in an era themed event, starting music while you do this also works.

The non-era shows I like to sort of play around a bit. Get a small crowd interested. Then go right into my first segment. By then a bigger crowd has emerged and I can stop to talk with them on the whole before continuing. It seems that this slow crescendo really works to get the audience involved, and keep them there.

At era themed events I love to stand at the back of my audience and have them yell for me. I get to look like the proud master and it is much fun.

[vernon]

During the Edinburgh Festival saw a great contortionist Bendy Em...she stood on her perspex box and basically told everyone to stop what they were doing and look at her...and then proceeded to tell the gathering pax what was going to happen and then get a response from them. Cool stuff.And it worked, time after time after time after time...

[Scot Free]

I find asking for spare change works

[Evan Young]

I like to lie to the people. I tell them that I'm going to swallow my bowling ball, and pass it out the other end. Then I tell them that I'm gonna get locked in my trunk, knives are gonna get shoved through it, it's gonna get set on fire, burried in the garden, and I will appear in the upper level of the bank building with big bags of cash, which I will distribute evenly amongst all who are watching. I like the line "look, I've got fire, I must be good". I tell girls that I'm good with my hands, or that I'm going to juggle naked.
The naked thing also workes to get people to move in. Let them know that they will have to be real close if they want to be able to see.
I just kind of act goofy and then I do a few small warm up tricks and then bust out the show.

[jayrodin]

I just put on the one man band and do a sound check...

[thayr]

Originally posted by Flo
Perhaps I'll break out my favorite renditions of "You are my sunshine" followed by "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and for my finale I'll do the famous "I Love you, You Love Me". If it doesn't work then I'm going to jump up and down and light things on fire!

What if you light yourself on fire and jump up and down WHILE singing? For the longest time I've wanted to do a gag where I'm setting up something with fire and I "accidently" set my head on fire (some sort of hat with wick on top) and then continue setting up for a trick acting like you don't notice your head is on fire. It could end with noticing your head is burning and dunking or dousing yourself with a bucket of water. I think just having a hat you could set on fire would attract people in the first place... use all the lines and banter telling people about the show, all the while your head is on fire. Alot of pitches where I am don't allow fire though...

[Butterfly Man]

Tattoo an insect on your forehead ... it ain't for everyone but ...

That "light your hat on fire gag" only worked for me once.

[Rachel Peters]

waaah waaaah waaaaaaaaah (descending trumpet noise)

The old "poke your eye out with a fork" schtick only worked for me twice.

[jayrodin]

What's the "poke your eye out with a fork schtick"?

[Rachel Peters]

I just made it up.
It's where you poke out your eye.
...but you can only do it twice.
Unless you have more eyes.

[Schuyler]

Wow, I wish I'd heard all of this advice back when I was in Kindersley. I suddenly GET why that show flopped so hard despite the perfect pitch.

Also, in the last town I was in I picked up three toilet plungers. Oddly enough they are a massive crowd pleaser. People love them so much more than the clubs. I now feel silly when thinking of how much I payed for the clubs and then how much I payed for the plungers. I'm just trying to think of a way to set fire to the cups of the plungers now without ruining the things.

(P.S. Rachel, that's a brilliant idea! Penn & Teller have been giving away a "poke your eye out" bit for a while now, I dress like I pirate to perform, and I need an excuse for putting the eye patch on AFTER I juggle.)