My wife and I are casual members of our local SCA barony and we enjoy going to local events. I usually bring some magic to perform, mostly just casually when people happen to walk past our day shade and stop to chat for a while. If I draw enough of a crowd I'll go into a two or three trick routine.

I'm looking to up my game, though, and I find myself lacking tricks that would be appropriate since most of the things I enjoy and have learned are closeup material and frequently with props that are too obviously not medieval looking. I'm looking for advice for tricks that would be good for two situations:

1. Parlor tricks that I can put into a longer show with a larger crowd standing around. I already have been performing Professor's Nightmare and a Chop Cup routine (which I might swap out with a Cups and Balls instead). The tricks don't have to be historical for the period, I just want them to not stick out as obviously modern.

2. Tricks suitable for walking around and going table to table before and during the feast. Table space is often very small or non-existent, so it would be nice to have things that don't really require much, if any, table space. Again, the tricks don't have to be historical, just not look too out of place.

While I'm also asking, have any of you SCA magician types put together an official SCA persona that is related to performing magic? I've been going often enough that it's time for me to go ahead and register an SCA name and develop my persona.

Thanks,

Dave

I've done linking rings and cloth/silk stuff for SCA in the past.

Hi Dave,

Sorry I haven't been on Magic Cafe much but I hope I can help. FYI there is an SCA Magicians group on Facebook if you are interested.
1) Parlor Tricks I do in the SCA - Misers Dream, Gypsy Thread, Cups and Balls, Professors Nightmare to Linking Ropes, Linking Rings, Lota Vase, Sword through neck, Heart of Glass, Educated Duck, Change Bag, 6 card repeat a bunch of sleeving if I am in the right outfit.
2) Walk Around Tricks I do in the SCA - Sponge Balls, Any card trick (I just get period-looking cards like Highlanders), Fast and Loose, 3 card monte, 3 shell game, Coin Matrix, Haunted Key.
I have had great success and so has my apprentice. The biggest key is making it look like it belongs in the medieval setting. I save the "Historically Accurate" stuff for Arts and Sciences competitions and don't get hung up on authenticity unless I need to.
I also have a website with my SCA documentation, a list of all period tricks, and every book I can legally and ethically make available for download. I love helping other magicians so feel free to reach out.

In Sevice to the Dream
Aslak the Awful, OL, OP
(JAson Porter)