LIMERICK magician Steve Spade will attempt a most spectacular and dangerous escape this Saturday September 15 when he bids to escape from being burned at the stake. The illusion will be the headline act in an event entitled “Night of Fires” at the medieval King John’s Castle in Limerick, part of the inaugural Elemental Arts & Culture Festival. Talking to Limerick Post this week, Internationally renowned mentalist and magician Keith Barry was impressed on hearing about Steve’s burning at stake escape, Keith says, “I think it is just fantastic to see the youth coming up and getting out there and doing their own stuff. I hope that Steve will stay safe this weekend.”
The illusion, named ‘Sacrifice – Without Fear There Is No Courage’, will see Spade being tied to a stake on a 6-foot high platform surrounded by wooden logs in the middle of the mediaeval Castle courtyard. Numerous torch bearers will light the logs and Steve will have less than 60 seconds to free himself while battling flames and smoke.
Steve Spade, says, “I was inspired to perform the illusion from the mediaeval stories of magicians accused of being witches or warlocks and being burned at the stake. Burning at the stake was a common method of executing blasphemers, thieves and witches in Catholic and Protestant countries during the Middle Ages,”
The 2012 Elemental Arts & Culture Festival this Saturday encompasses the arts in all their guises, from interactive street art, dance and short films, to street performers.
