Magic on the Early English Stage [Hardcover]

An original investigation into conjuring tricks and stage magic on the medieval stage.Magic on the Early English Stage is an original study of conjuring tricks and stage magic in theatre from medieval times to the seventeenth century. Performers who created such magic were known as jugglers rather than conjurors, as we know them today. This book investigates, for the first time, the nature of their work, their skills and the relationship between individual jugglers and magic performed 'on stage'. As Butterworth describes, much of this work was performed by small family-based companies whose repertoire included tumbling, vaulting and 'dancing on the rope'.Magic on the Early English Stage is an original study of conjuring tricks and stage magic in theatre from medieval times to the seventeenth century. Performers who created such magic were known as jugglers rather than conjurors, as we know them today. This book investigates, for the first time, the nature of their work, their skills and the relationship between individual jugglers and magic performed 'on stage'. As Butterworth describes, much of this work was performed by small family-based companies whose repertoire included tumbling, vaulting and 'dancing on the rope'.Magic on the Early English Stage investigates the performance of magical tricks, illusions, effects and their staged appearance in the medieval and early English theatre. Performers who created such magic were not known as conjurors, as we might refer to them today, but as jugglers. Records concerning jugglers on the medieval stage have been hitherto misunderstood or misapplied. These references to jugglers are re-examined in the light of discussions of 'feats of activity' that also include tumbling, vaulting and 'dancing on the rope'; appearances and disappearances of the 'Now you see it, now you don't' variety; and stage versions of these concepts; magic through sound in terms of ventriloquy and sound through pipes; mechanical images and puppets; als*