The audience does want to like you, though you have to enable them to do so. Unfortunately, that guy in the audience who is giving you grief wants to like you too.

Most of the time, the heckler is trying to "help", although they may not know it in that sense. Once in a while you will get someone who is just malicious. In that case, I just pack it up and try later - the freedom of the street! But, most often I think that he or she is just getting excited or is trying to play. If your character/situation supports it, there is a definite expectation that the street-juggler is also supposed to be able to juggle sharp words as well as sharp knives. It's tied in with the image. Exchanging witty remarks can make your show look fresh and improvised. Even though you may have a collection of favorite lines, because you whip them out at appropriate times, it can look as though you made them up on the fly. The very nature of what makes juggling interesting to watch is the resolution of conflict. The juggler demonstrates complete control of the situation presented with balls, pins or whatever. The confrontation dynamic of a heckler presents the same situation. After all, who hasn't had a conflict where afterwards they thought of the perfect thing to say. It is very entertaining to see someone succeed in the face of adversity and maintain control over a seemingly uncontrollable situation.

Having done street juggling for several years, I have had to deal with my share of hecklers. I used two basic strategies: Face them head on or change the subject.

It depends on the crowd dynamics. If the group is wanting to laugh and they would enjoy the confrontation, then by all means test your wit against the heckler. If they are more subdued and are uncomfortable with the situation then you might be better off to change the subject.

When I want to change the subject, I usually go into really-*#&@^%-good-technical-you-can't-deny-that-I-am-a-juggling-master type of routine. Often, I quit talking. Anytime that you talk to the audience, they have a right to talk back. Even eye contact can signal them to respond. Most of the time you want some kind of reaction, applause, laughter, whatever, but sometimes you want to cut off the audience for a little bit. If I am having trouble with a rowdy individual in the crowd then one option is to cut down the interaction by slipping into a fast, technical routine. When I look like I am in a tight groove and drawing the focus to the props rather than to me, the audiences focus changes away from the heckler and usually, everyone gets really quiet and polite. (Shhh... he's concentrating! ) It also gains support from everyone as it validates your skills.

If you are up for it, it's a good opportunity to do a little improv by taking on the heckler's challenge of word play or making jokes. A pocket full of lines is useful in the heat of battle. Kit Summers posted a long list of "come-backs" which might be usable.

In my street shows, I avoided cracks that were based on insult humor. I have never like the idea of sacrificing one member of the audience for the amusement of everyone else. Often, that heckler turns out to be the one who drops the ten or twenty dollar bill into the hat. (Even when giving tips, hecklers like to show off!) I always tried to include the heckler as a confidant and friend rather than an enemy. They are people too, and in the dynamic of a street show, very important people at that. One way I found to do this was to rework many of the heckler joke ideas and redirect them to myself. I never put myself down, but if the heckler's remark had some truth, then I would play on that. I'll try to use an example: I drop a pin and the heckler calls out "Hey, you dropped one!", a remark that has some inherent truth about the situation. A confrontational reply might be "It looks like your mother did too." A somewhat less aggressive redirection of the guilt might be a sarcastic reply of "Thanks for pointing that out. I don't know what I would do without your help.", or "I'm an optimist. I still have two left...", or "No wonder the routine just got easier!" or "One lousy mistake and the audience turns on you!" The redirected aggression remarks enable me to resolve the situation and the challenge that the heckler poses and still keep the heckler as a member of the audience. We both save face. Additionally, the latter remarks cut the exchange short. I am not returning the challenge, hence, the heckler is MUCH less likely to say anything back. When you meet aggression with aggression you risk continuing the volley of insults for a very long and ugly time.

As a golden rule, I NEVER have anyone come onto the stage and "try" anything with my props. "If it's so easy, why don't you do it!" ***DANGER***. I have had people hold props, unicycle mounts, fire, etc., but in those situations, their behavior is carefully controlled by the structure of the routine. I try to never pass the control on to someone else. I'm the master. I'm in control.

I always welcome people to yell out stuff in a street show. It gives me the chance to show off my humor. But, I also always make sure that what I say to them does not allow them to reply. That way, I always get in the last word, an important detail for someone who is trying to demonstrate complete control of the situation.

- Steve