Most Common Busking Mistakes

Dancers, Buildings and People in the Streets (Dance Performance)

Most Commons Busking Mistakes!

1.)    Being too shy and therefore sitting as far away on the pavement as you can from passers-by and of course having your HAT too far away for people to notice.  Make a big enough noise, be confident in your performance and people will notice, make allowances and not walk into you!

2.)    Getting so distracted by hecklers that your audience walk away or they only stay to see if there’s going to be a punch and not to reward you!  Come to the street prepared with some witty one liners to shut down and ward off hecklers before they take hold.

3.)    Being unsafe – if you are using fire or dangerous props you have to account for accidents, mistakes and all eventualities.  Lay down a rope or chain to mark a safe distance for people to stand and watch out for young children who don’t understand the danger they could be in if they run into the middle of your stage when you’re juggling fire for example.  Know your limitations and perfect your finales, even if you have an exciting idea you want to share – messing it up at the last minute will kill your audiences enthusiasm and you won’t get paid.  You have to appear and BE in control and sure or people won’t trust you and won’t want their kids near you and you want children’s shows, they are the most unpredictable but also funniest and most enjoyable.

4.)    If you’re doing a show build an audience first with teasers, setting up and by interacting with them or by the time anyone has noticed you, your show will be over.

5.)    Escalate in a show – start small but impressive, showing off your skills and then do a bigger trick and finish with something that will blow their minds.

6.)    You need a hook – something different, a different performance style or addition to an age old routine to make your audience feel they are seeing something exciting for the first time and not to bore them with a juggling routine that the previous five performers have already done.

7.)    Respect is very important.  If a mother is genuinely concerned for her child and pulls them away don’t insult her rights on how she’s bringing up her children or the audience will turn against you.  Also if a van or police car decides that they need to drive right through your pitch in the middle of your finale, you have to keep the momentum, you can’t avoid the situation so be polite and deal with it as quickly as possible.

8.)    One of the biggest mistakes in shows is choosing the wrong volunteers.  Bringing an audience member in ‘backstage’ so to speak immediately helps the audience to relate to you and they will take the lead on their reactions from the ‘one of them’ standing before them.  Therefore you don’t want to pick someone who is going to heckle you, not trust you, be terrified and shy and run away or the spectators will do likewise.  How to avoid this, though it’s not always possible as you have to be a good people reader and that will come with time but even then people can surprise you, is to watch for committed, happy and reactionary people in your crowd while you do a few warm u p tricks.  After a while you will learn what type of people will be most likely to want, even need, to be in your show and will be a great addition to it.

9.)    Be funny, be insulting but always be on the edge because it’s so easy to go too far in your adrenalin rush and say or do something that discomforts or insults the audience but DON’T play it too safe either or people will get bored.

10.)                        Lastly another mistake is not to ‘pack’ your crowd.  Often when you start to perform a few people will stop and they will be all higgledy-piggledy, scattered all over and kind of focused in your direction.  Tell them to come closer and form lines like in a standing amphitheatre ~ that way it’s harder for people to walk away and psychologically they have made a decision to stay and watch.  You want reactions from the crowd or it’ll be like pulling teeth and torturous for everyone involved including the performer.

Buskers are Not Beggars!

Buskers are not Beggars, that it the first thing to remember when strolling down city streets ~ you are inadvertally entering a performance area, a stage if you will where men and women, old and young are showcasing their hard work and talents for your enjoyment.  Most of these people are genuine artisans from a historic and bohemian heritage providing shows for the masses without distinction or exclusion.  All too often the cries of “Get a real Job?” or “Stupid vagrant” are heard by passing ignorant and judgemental folk.  You must remember that despite the mockery and heckling, these entertainers still choose to work on the streets following an ancient tradition from antiquity and sourced all over the world.

The term “busking” was first cited in the English language in the 1860s and comes from the Indo-European word “bhudh-skō"” ~ to conquer and later to the Celtic “Boudi” ~ victory and finally to the Spanish “buscar” which means ~ to seek.  In this cynical, capitalist word you would join these together to form ~ someone who#s looking for recognition and money but there is also a spiritual and psychological impetus of such a raw, unpredictable and often peripetitic profession.  Street Performers encounter so many people and ideals from different walks of life and are often seeking a personal enlightenment that may be as simple as growing confidence or skills but they absently get a snap shot of society and global personality.

Yes, as in any job, these buskers are hoping to be paid and are NOT paid to be there by the ‘local banks, government authorities or any other corrupt organistations’!  (typical street hat line!)  Even whatout the mastering of entertainment skills, performance techique and presence, these people have to conquer self-confidence, belief and endurance.  It is not a stable profession and is constantly changing and evolving.

When it first began it was the only way for many people to be heard.  The world was not technologically advanced as it is today where artists can self-promote through social networking, audio recording and you tube videos.  Scaling millenia of history, there has always been a public voice whether they were oral story tellers before civilisations could commit works to paper or read the results, or perhaps sharing public announcements or views in ‘speaker’s corners’.  It is a noble and hard profession which takes courage to undertake and many years to master fully.

There are two main types of street theatre, walk-by and shows.  The first are less demonstrative but no less talented engaging onlookers for a few moments as they pass by with no start or end to their offerings like human stautues, musicans, balloon artistics, dancers, some jugglers.  Shows will have a ‘build’ where the public are encouraged to actually stop and watch a mini ‘production’ from start to finish ~ a magic show, a danger show, a uni-cycle show ~ these shows will have a theme, a vague outline for dialogue and a progression from warm up tricks to the more startling and climatic visual skills (however the ‘big finale’ isn’t always the hardest trick or offer, just attracts the biggest crowd reaction, for example – it’s a lot harder to juggle seven small balls than to juggle three flaming, fire torches – in this way you have to learn what’s ‘marketable’ and let go of some of the ideas and skills sets that you’re ‘married to’ because they won’t work in front of an audience).  The other main difference is that a show will have a ‘hat line’ when the performers encourage the spectators to pay them for their time spent entertaining and engaging with them whereas a ‘walk by’ will simply have a hat or other recepical placed in a prominent position to collect money as folk pass.

What you don’t realise when you think of the ‘freedom’ and self employment of the street is that there are often rules.  Firstly you must consider where the law stands on busking ~ do you need a permit?  Is it tolerated for tourism?  Then where to busk? ~ Are you going to block a shop door or street, are your audience going to be safe?  Are you drowning out some other poor performer by turning up an amp right beside them?  The bigger shows also often have to contend with the fact that they’re not the only show in town and there is revelry and pettiness and everyone’s an artist with a touch of bi-polar and attention needs!  There are few cities and areas in those cities where firstly busking is allowed and secondly receives enough people traffic to make the biggest impact and so often there is a rota or auction set up for participating performers that provides a running order for ‘the pitch’ ~ the stage you’ll be working.

In the end of the end you’re relying on the honesty and good nature of the public which is often a precarious thing but also a beauty thing and connecting a way that most folk now avoid!  It can takes years, even decades to learn the skills, the performance techniques and prepare a show so NO these people are NOT beggars and this is their JOB and you are only intimidated by their courage, risk taking and confidence as you skulk back to your office cubicle! 

Much Ado About David Tennant

Opening Night Review :-

Wyhdham’s Theatre is in the heart of sprawling London Town by the well worn steps of Leister Square’s Underground maze. All around, tourists barter for discounted West End seats, coffee and bagels scent the air and the chu-ching of one armed bandits ding to flashing neon lights as the hustle and bustle of a thriving capitol discombobulates the senses. However, currently the renowned starry walkway of the glittering stage, Leister Square, is closed for renovation which is fairly hilarious in itself, not possessing the ability to ‘break-down’ as such or require painters, plumbers or candlestick makers except to grace its lawns in summer’s prize picnic weather.

The Theatre itself is the very image of sophistication and ornate beauty with the pale pastel blue and cream theme, laced with gold, sculptures in antiquated style and a ceiling that would make Michael Angelo proud and causes much less neck ache with its more diminutive proportions. It is intimate and welcoming. The curtain cascades down in sky blue, the building smells of love, passion and age and the seats are filled with eager patrons and probably quite a few whovians!



‘Much ado about Nothing’ – ‘Two star-crossed lovers’ Benedict and Beatrice are NOT; perhaps two sparring pragmatists, duelling with scabbards crossed, though they are more likely to cross wits or cross-dress, in Benedict’s case, for an impious charade. The set design is neoclassical and grand with marbled white flooring and pillars and a Mediterranean backdrop to establish the scene. The curtain rises to reveal a relaxed, sun bathing and casually dressed Beatrice (Catherine Tate) and an aerobicising Hero to modern, strong beated music.



The crowd goes wild – yes a strange metaphor for Shakespearean theatre – on the arrival of the sexy smooth Tennant in a golf caddy car with high spirited horn. He has definite ‘5-o’clock’ shadow for ruggedness and is wearing stylish sunglasses. Benedict and his compatriots are arriving at their good friends, Leonato’s after an undefined war and are clad in crisp, white military regalia. Love a man in uniform!



The script is faithful to the original Shakespearean which praises its author with natural modernity and biting wit. Chronologically, the scenes have a distinct 80s feel and the metered songs are set to contempory up-beat rock music. There is a focus on visual slapstick comedy which, during the false love testimony scenes, includes Catherine squirming around mid air on a painter’s pulley and Tennant layered in supposed white paint, forgetting his hand slipped folly and plastering the stuff all over his wild, full hair, face and summer clothes. The effect, with two such strong, energetic and facial expressive actors, is hilarious though one does feel that perhaps the hi-jinxes detract from the genius of the penned script in favour of wooing audiences to fits of giggles that drown out the dialogue. Certainly far from a traditional RSC production.



The characterisation of Benedict and Beatrice play on the actor’s natural crazy charisma as egregious, energetic and demonstrative fools with such comfortable banter and exaggerated peevish insults. There’s a lot of Catherine’s comedy style and David is cavalier and teasing with innate magnetism and presence. However what I really loved was the vivid flip to intense drama in the wedding scene when somehow they managed that mix of serious acting and uncomfortable humour as the dialogue is both potent with impetus and silly and ironic with the pre-determined personalities that the audience is half laughing and half crying.



This was opening night, the first preview but ostensibly very little went wrong, a dropped beer can, cigarette and David half crashed into the screen flats when making a hasty exit on the buggy – not the best driver – bless! The whole house exploded with applause and a standing ovation that left David Tennant in particular, looking a little bashful and humbled but grinning from ear to ear and giving his customary mock salute on exiting.



I am forever awed by that man who is certainly one of the most powerful and expressive actors of our time, if not the most and yet the man, seems genuinely miffed by his acclaim and is likeable and conversational in person that one cannot help but grace him with a fond, goofy smile!



I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about being so close to the man that this inspired me and filled many a fantasy (often naked) for years but strangely I found that he still felt unreal, like I was watching from a detached screen though perhaps that is defensive, to protect the heart from truly wishing!



I really hope that this is converted to DVD but I doubt it. I think Hamlet was the exception and not the rule, justified but its prominent place in theatre history and the educational value but this is a Delfont Mackintosh theatre production and was definitely theatre for the masses, bridging the boredom many might have felt at straight and incomprehensible Shakespeare (not that I’m condemning that as in Shakespeare’s time the playhouse was plebeian entertainment for all).



Just an aside to say – wow has Catherine Tate lost weight – she looked absolutely stunning, breathtaking really and David in hot pants and Hawaiian shirts AND conversing in his natural Scottish accent well blow me down with a feather and take me out of the oven for I’m done!!! You could really see a great bond of friendship in the chemistry between the two and a lot of excitement in their new undertaking. Oh that I wasn’t such a good girl or I would have loved to snap some shots or discreetly video the entire production. After turning up two years ago and watching Hamlet THE NIGHT BEFORE David returned to the leading role, I am thrilled to have the privilege of attending that night and am besoughted with London and the arts all over again. Now just to beat depression, get a job and have some money to actually live there! Sigh!