Magic on the Early English Stage

Description

Magic on the Early English Stage explores the performance of magical tricks, illusions, effects, and their staged appearance in theatre from the medieval period to the seventeenth century. 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 on the medieval stage are re-examined in the light of references to 'feats of activity' that also include tumbling, vaulting, and 'dancing on the rope'; appearances and disappearances in respect of 'Now you see it, now you don't' and stage versions of these concepts; magic through sound in terms of ventriloquy; mechanical images and puppets; and stage tricks. Information that has remained dormant since original publication is discussed in relation to jugglers such as Thomas Brandon, the King's Juggler, and William Vincent, alias 'Hocus Pocus'.

Philip Butterworth is Reader in Medieval Theatre at the School of Performance and Cultural Industries, University of Leeds. He is the author of Theatre of Fire: Special Effects in Early English and Scottish Theatre, and has published widely in journals on the subject of Medieval Theatre, including essays in 'Medieval English Theatre'. He is currently working, with Joslin McKinney, on The Cambridge Introduction to Scenography, to be published in 2006.

'One of Butterworth's strengths is to bring out the hidden terminology of magic.' Times Literary Supplement 'One of the strengths of Butterworth's book is the way that it brings together material relating to both the medieval and early modern periods ... This is a serious, empirical account of a colourful subject and Butterworth's interest lies in the 'how' rather than the 'why' of the magical illusion.' Around the Globe 'The range of evidence used in this study is impressive, and is used by Butterworth with ease and aplomb ... Butterworth's is a serious, scholarly work, thorough and written with an iron grasp of the material. This makes it an invaluable source for the understanding of the minutiae of medieval and early modern theatrical culture ...' Marginalia 'Philip Butterworth is rapidly establishing himself as the pre-eminent authority on special effects of the medieval stage ... His approach is cautious, scholarly, and thorough ... Magic on the Early English Stage is a valuable addition to our knowledge of stage effects and other technical 'tricks' of the period.' Comparative Drama 'Magic on the Early English Stage provides an unprecedentedly precise and impeccably thorough survey of the historical records within its purview.' Studies in English Literature 'Philip Butterworth's book is one of the first to position the elements of magic and conjuring within the broader context of 'legitimate' theatre history.' Theatre Journal 'The study remains a meticulously organized expansion of our records and understanding of early modern magic.' Michael Saenger PhD, Southwestern University 'What makes Butterworth's Magic on the Early English Stage so remarkable is its ability to be at once profoundly erudite while conveying the wonder of these performers and their performances. ... Equally impressive is Butterworth's exhaustive compilation and use of sources, many of which, as he notes, have not been in print since their original publication. ... The reader leaves this text feeling quite certain that though his subject is sleight of hand and other devices meant to misdirect, Butterworth himself us guilty of no such tricks, instead delivering a truly spectacular work that will be of use to all interested in the early English stage for many years to come.' Early Modern Literary Studies