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JohnCressman Special user Allentown, PA 903 Posts |
I was hired to do a few hours of strolling magic in a renaissance themed Shakespearean Festival. I've never really done strolling magic - all of mine has been show-based.
Any sugggestions on how to approach it, what tricks to do? Any renaissance or Shakesperean themed magic you can suggest? |
isaacfawlkes Loyal user FL 256 Posts |
If you don't do walk around why would you book it?
But since you already booked it, rope effects are always good. professors nightmare, jumping knots of pakastan, even cut and restored ropes. almost any easily reset coin routine wold work. I have used mismade bill, sponge bunnies, ambitious card. Just remember that you want tricks that reset themselves or are very easily reset in the open. As to themes just create your patter based upon the time period. If you give the patrons a good time you will be a success. good luck and have fun |
JohnCressman Special user Allentown, PA 903 Posts |
Thanks for the suggestions. My agent booked it. Sigh. To him... a magic show is a magic show.
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isaacfawlkes Loyal user FL 256 Posts |
John
Where and when is this Festival? |
JohnCressman Special user Allentown, PA 903 Posts |
It's the first week in July, in New Jersey.
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Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
Fie upon such knavery, for in such deeds doth hide the lack of wit that can undo us all!
Verily, I say unto thee: Brush up your Shakespeare, Start quoting him now. Brush up your Shakespeare And the women you will wow. Just declaim a few lines from "Othella" And they think you're a heckuva fella. If your blonde won't respond when you flatter 'er Tell her what Tony told Cleopaterer, And if still, to be shocked, she pretends well, Just remind her that "All's Well That Ends Well." Brush up your Shakespeare And they'll all kowtow. Brush up your Shakespeare, Start quoting him now. Brush up your Shakespeare And the women you will wow. If your goil is a Washington Heights dream Treat the kid to "A Midsummer Night Dream." If she fights when her clothes you are mussing, What are clothes? "Much Ado About Nussing." If she says your behavior is heinous Kick her right in the "Coriolanus." Brush up your Shakespeare And they'll all kowtow, And they'll all kowtow, And they'll all kowtow. Brush up your Shakespeare, Start quoting him now. Brush up your Shakespeare And the women you will wow. Brush up your Shakespeare And they'll all kowtow, From "Kiss Me, Kate." Good advice for anyone working such an event. In fact, I'd LOVE to see someone do either a rope routine like Sandsational Ropes to this, or maybe a cups and balls routine, mixed with a bit of soft shoe, just for fun.... But I am one seriously sick puppy...! Lee Darrow, C.H.
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
JohnCressman Special user Allentown, PA 903 Posts |
Any other ideas for tricks? Street Magic? Close-up Magic? I'm trying to come up with some Renaissance/Shakespearean theme ideas... but I'm coming up blank. I need a light bulb moment... you know, what light breaks in yonder window and all that =)
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Cunningham Regular user Minnesota 159 Posts |
Hey John,
On one of Eugene Burger's DVDs there is a Gypsy Thread routine with a Shakespearean theme... In the end if you are in costume, your props are not TOO anachronistic and your magic is good, you'll be fine. Best of luck and Huzzah I believe is the word. Jim |
JohnCressman Special user Allentown, PA 903 Posts |
Thanks Cuningham... I thinking of doing some card tricks and either doing them with Tarot Cards, for that olden day feel, or with an old looking deck... IF I can find one.
I'm also wondering about using props borrowed from people... there are some fun bill tricks and coins tricks I can do (especially with Raven)... I'm hoping if I ask for the coins in Old English style... Crowns, Pence, Shilleings, etc. Any ideas about tricks and props that aren't TOO anachronistic? Hehe... where's the SCA when I need them! Obviously... rope... coins, especially if I can come up with old looking ones, etc. Any other ideas? |
CJRichard Special user Massachusetts 542 Posts |
Try these Replica Coins from James Townsend They're made of pewter and reasonably priced. Don't quite date back to Shakespeare, but I think they'll do.
"You know some of you are laughin', but there's people here tryin' to learn. . ." -Pop Haydn
"I know of no other art that proclaims itself 'easy to do.'" -Master Payne Ezekiel the Green |
JohnCressman Special user Allentown, PA 903 Posts |
Nice! Hmm... I wonder if I can use those with my Raven...
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Cunningham Regular user Minnesota 159 Posts |
Hey John,
I think you are on the exact right track by asking to borrow something using an "Old English" or simply English term. That's the basic "game" you are playing with the audience. Both parties (you and them) willingly play because each want "the experience". It's my belief that the emphasis should be on solid magic and great entertainment rather than trying to "live" the time period. I wouldn't worry too much about using a regular deck of cards or coins, it's somewhere around Hippety Hop Rabbits that I'd start to panic. The Cellini DVDs, The Art of Street Performing 1-3 and Magic That Can Be Performed Anywhere will have a wealth of visual, high impact magic that would fit the bill. However you most likely have enough magic in your repertoire now that will work perfectly in this situation. A few well placed My Lords and My Ladies along with a costume and good magic will get you thru this one adventure and if it turns out you like "Renaissance Festivals"...well plenty of time to work up a full show if it turns out you don't in fact already have one. My advice would be to think of this show like M*A*S*H triage rather than major brain surgery. By that I mean, make sure the patient survives the current trauma and then worry about any possible future. Hope all goes well, let us know. Jim P. S. The Gypsy Thread is on Eugene Burger's Magical Voyages Part Three. |
sardini Regular user 111 Posts |
If you can find it, buy a copy of "The Renaissance Magick of MarcoM the Mountebank". I'll sell you mine for $500. That's what it's worth, to me.
~CK |
Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-06-16 09:34, JohnCressman wrote: Probably not, without some substantial reworking. They're pewter, which as far as I know is not magnetic. I like the coins. I have about a dozen of the 1610 Crowns for use in various routines.
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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Cunningham Regular user Minnesota 159 Posts |
Hey John,
Here's a link to the Marco book: http://www.adessoverlag.com/lord.htm Very affordable and sold thru Bill Palmer's website, I've had great luck with the things I've gotten from Mr Palmer. Which brings me to another thought, Mr Palmer did this kind of act for years, why not P.M. him and ask for some pointers...You could also try P.M. ing Bro Paul as well, he is a regular user here and I know he adapts his act to a variety of venue/time periods. He's a great magician and a very nice man and I'm sure would have some tips that would help. Best, Jim |
JohnCressman Special user Allentown, PA 903 Posts |
Thanks!
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Mike aka Duffy New user York, PA 8 Posts |
Hey John;
An economical alternative to buying reproductions of coins would be to go to a coin dealer and root through his "junk" box. You'll be able to find all variety of coins which look "period", and they can be had for next to nothing. Who knows? You may even find some that will work with the raven. Some other tricks you may want to consider are: cups and balls shell game fast and loose chain some mentalism with tarot cards egg bag already mentioned, but the Cellini dvds are pure gold. Best of Luck! Mike |
JohnCressman Special user Allentown, PA 903 Posts |
All good ideas Mike. Thanks!
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MagiUlysses Special user Kansas City 504 Posts |
Greetings and Salutations,
(This is the answer I posted in the "Street Magic" thread to this question) I finished a faire a few weeks ago where I carried a table for the cups and balls, did the professor's nightmare or a ring-and-rope routine, along with a color-changing streamer, and a "floating" wand, for a 15- to 20-minute show. The table was a covered and framed sheet of plywood, the stand was a restaurant tray jack stand, and all my props fit in a poacher's pouch. Aside from those, just about any tricks you do well with ropes, silks, coins, or cards will do well -- although I stay away from cards for my own reasons. And the more audience interactive you can make the trick the better. If you have three to five tricks that you do well, can involved an audience member or two, or three, and you're a decent performer you're good to go. If you want to get historically accurate, download the relevant section of Discouverie of Witchcraft but I wouldn't bother, unless the festival organizers are going to be sticklers for authenticity. I don't know what Electric Touch is, but to answer your question, unless I was making enough money to pay for a new pair of boots and put money in your pocket at the end of the day, I wouldn't trash a good pair of boots. Just my $.02 (USD) worth. YMMV |
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