Howard County Fair 2010: Renaissance Magic
Inspired by the works of Leonardo DaVinci, as well as their annual trips to the Maryland Renaissance Festival, the Wood brothers brought classic magic from centuries ago to the Howard County Fair in 2010.
"The Cups and Balls," the oldest magic trick still being performed, was among the highlights, as well as routines from Italian street entertainers of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Ingenious contraptions were showcased, with a nod to the fun and fantasy of DaVinci's ingenious designs. Playing cards were found with the help of Renaissance technology, and a distress message was shot through a castle wall, only to be found lodged within a potato.
Eggs appeared, disappeared, and were splattered on target, and the artwork of Leonardo DaVinci was showcased in a mind-reading experiment.
This themed performance brought audiences back in time, proving that routines from 400 years ago still amaze and delight.
Click here to view more photos on Shazam Magic's Facebook page!
Warning: Show-spoiling trivia and photos below!
The Wood brothers, like all magicians, are disinclined to reveal the magic secrets used in their shows. However, they enjoy sharing the technical secrets and trivia behind the magic, and are happy to answer any non-magical questions in person or online.
What follows are some photos & trivia from their 2010 "Renaissance Magic" performances at the Howard County Fair.
- Despite the photos and video, Matt & Peter's costumes were only Renaissance-themed on the two days they were documenting the show. They wore more modern "street clothes" at the other performances, so it was easier to come and go between shows without looking 400 years old.
- Their costume choices were researched to be as accurate as possible: Matt's brown shirt and belt suggest he's a tradesman (since he's the assistant moving props around), whereas Peter's bright blue shirt, vest and boots suggest he's an upper-class Renaissance performer.
- Peter broke 120 eggs during their week at the Fair (eight per show), and sent 210 eggs flying over the heads of unsuspecting audience members.
- The DaVinci Card Device was built by Matt Wood. While it was inspired by several DaVinci ideas and sketches, the concept of a card identification machine was cooked up by Matt & Peter. In addition to the main wheel, gears, and secret compartment, the Device has a custom-built carrying case for transport.
- The Wood brothers used a new deck of cards for every two or three performances, because the cards would get dirty / lost once they shot out of the machine.
- Peter's version of the Cups & Balls was inspired by several other magicians' routines; in particular, the Wood brothers were fans of the version shared by Johnny Fox (a Maryland Renaissance Festival performer), who inspired Peter to add the appearing wine as part of the finale.
- Because of the complexity of the routine, Peter rehearsed the Cups & Balls for more hours than the entire "Renaissance Magic" show combined.
- The Cups & Balls also wins the prize for the most expensive trick in the entire show, with over $600 invested in the props Peter uses. He custom-built the table to be the perfect height, and it's covered with a giant mousepad.
- The "wine" consumed by Matt & Peter as part of the Cups & Balls routine is actually watered-down iced tea.
- The final device -- The Delivery Machine -- was built by Peter to resemble an early attempt at steam power. The internal pyrotechnic system is complete with battery, ignition and safety switches.
All photos by Damon Meledones, Copyright © Peter Wood
Click here to view more photos on Shazam Magic's Facebook page!
