Here is the situation that I was hoping all y'all can help me with.

We are reenactors at a local colonial era fort. My wife runs the big stone bake oven during the events and I mainly assist her. About every 20 minutes or so she does a presentation on wheat grinding and bread baking, during which time I just try to stay out of the way. I have noticed that there are always a few people who are not interested in the presentation and I usually just chat with them on the other side.

I learned Fast and Loose and I like how it fits in with the historical aspect. I have bought the school for scoundrels DVD and learned a lot from it on the presentation itself, but I am having trouble breaking the ice in this situation.

What do you think would be the best way to introduce a quick fast and loose routine in a historical context like that? I was thinking of something like "You look like a gambling man" and proceed to show them the game. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks
Dan

Hi Dan:Have you considered dressing in character as an 18th century hustler? If you have access to a large wood barrel[that would fit..with the old game 'On the Barrelhead']
Also,trying to sneak a game in without your wifes knowledge...while she is involved with her baking...could provide a humorous situation.[of course it would help if your wife could play along...."Daniel!...you're not playing that game again ...are you"?]

Happy trails.
Rich

Dan, consider getting some green felt and painting up a "casino" type layout that features two boxes, one printed "fast", the other "loose" (mine was done by a sign painter in fancy script and detailed line work on the boxes).

You keep a pile of chips in the corner of the layout, and offer to "lend" the spec some chips to give him a taste of the game. He then gambles his chips in whatever quantity he likes on the outcome of the game. I find that giving the spec an actual stake (the chips) in the game makes a huge difference.

It also makes your opening line something along the lines of "here, let me give you some money"..........

I've found that in certain situations treating F&L as a more formal gambling game compete with a table layout works better than treating it as a back alley hustle.

Paint coins on the layout, heads and tails and wrap the two loops around them. Have them pick one or the other as Fast.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I have another question - do you refer to the game by its name? That is, typically we don't give the commercial name of an effect, lest someone run to teh interwebs to find out how it is done. How do you guys handle it?

I knew a guy who did the shell game with bottle caps and called it "pick and choose". That would work with fast and loose too...not that there is anything wrong with calling it fast and loose. Some performers do call it that when doing it and it goes fine.

"It's a game my gramp's taught me when I was knee high to a grasshopper. It's a fun, simple game called pick and choose".

IMO it is alway's a good idea to change the name of any popular effect to something benign.
In my F&L restaurant routine it is 'Catch and Slip' try Googling that..you get nothing.Google Fast and Loose and you get an exposure site.

BTW,this should hold for all popular effects.DO NOT DESCRIBE or NAME EFFECTS using the language we do... WITH NON PERFORMERS.

Happy Trails.
Rich

I use the terms "fast" and then "loose" to describe the two possibilities......but I never say "fast and loose" as a phrase or to refer to the hustle itself.

I refer to the chain as a "gamblers chain", and that's what they leave thinking it's called.

That's a great layout idea Whit.

I like the idea of running a game out of the back of the bakery. My persona is a Scottish trader, so while it is certainly not a hustler, at least he would have knowledge of games and gambling.

I will try to create a game board, probably shaped like a top of a barrel, that I can move around as needed. I will paint it up like Whit suggested, using colonial era coins. I will try to post pictures when I get it done for comments.

Thanks - you guys are the best
Dan

This is the one case where I would go ahead and say what it is- This is not an "Effect" this is the name of the game. It is the origin of the phrase "Fast and loose" as in "Playing it fast and loose" referring to risking things foolishly.
If you are doing it in a historical setting, give them the history of it! It is not a magic trick but a game that was actually played (To take other peoples money- A totally rigged game, but a game nonetheless).
Just my opinion,
Gwyd