How long should a good busking routine be?

Depends on what you want.. But I would say between 5-10mins... if longer than 15 mins people may walk away, and thts not cool...

Well, if you are a beginner, you should start out doing 5-10 minute shows. An example of a show would be: hankey vanish, coin routine, card routine, professors nightmare,( then cups and balls.) But when you start doing it more, you should make 15, then 20, then 30 minute shows.

So in 5-10 minutes, I should do what should really take about 35-45 minutes?

Great advice.

I don't think anyone really said it that way. There's no way what cenafreak listed could be done in 10 minutes. I think he meant those as examples, not a set list.

Start with 5-10 minutes. That could be just two tricks or so. As your confidence (and audience) builds, add more material until you eventually work up to a half hour show.

Remember, Gazzo can do 45 minutes with only one trick, although there's a LOT of other things going on during that time.

I did mean that as a set show. I am not saying the routines should all be 5 minutes long, they should be two minutes. Another one could be: Hanky vanish, Fiber Optics, Linking rings.

There are 2 types of busking shows. A sidewalk show and a circle show. I went to Gazzo's master class one year and worked with him. He does 3 effects sometimes he will add a 4thand always climaxes with the cups and balls. His shows are 30 to 45 minutes long and he might lose 2 or 3 people out of a crowd of between 50 to 100. remember that is GAZZO, not some kid starting out.

My sidewalk shows are 10 to 15 minutes long and consist of 3 effects. I am rewriting my show because I am dropping the use of a table. Just more $hit to carry.

What did you use a table for, Paddy?

I used it more to "mark my pitch" than anything else. I would set up my jackstand and table top and sometimes hang my pouch under the top as a savante. Then started to use the pouch more but still used the table when I did my chop cup finale. Now working on a different finale to eliminate the table all together.

What about linking rings or your rope routine as a finale?

I was going to do cups and balls for a finale (By the way, save your breath on telling me that too many people do cups and balls. I don't care )

It's ok to do cups and balls. And by the way, I was asking Paddy that question.

Right now, my show is about 20 minutes long. I've only performed this one a couple of times though, so it still has a couple of bugs to work out (nothing serious, just a little timing issues). I only have three effects though.

i have a show planned and practiced, but since it is winter here i have to wait to perform. hoever i have more than 3 or 4 effects, and my end is a 50ft rope escape from a chair (which i have brought myself). ionno what do you guys think of that?

good point!

too, in some areas - (always be familiar with your local legislation / ordinances) - whereas 'street performing' is okay, i've found you cannot have anything really set up; something held in your hand is not equivalent to anything standing, taking space ...