CIRCLE, SQUARE

This trick is a basic principle of magic. The methodology can be used for many different effects, both close up and stage.

The performer shows a large square box with four sides but no top or bottom. It is held up to the audience and they can see right through the opening. Also shown is a cylinder-shaped box (the circle) which also has neither a top or bottom, it too is shown to be empty. The circle is placed over the the square and with the right word, out pops an assistant, magically.

The secret:

This trick can be made small for close-up or huge for stage. You can make objects or people appear or disappear, depending only upon the size of the circle and square. The trick is made up of a cylinder and a box. The cylinder is large enough to fit over the box, completely covering it. Neither box or cylinder have a top or bottom. The cylinder and the box are not faked. In the simplest form, the person or object which is going to appear is in the cylinder which begins on a table or the middle of the stage (depends on the size of the illusion). The box is shown to be empty, it is then placed into the cylinder. Then the cylinder is lifted and shown to be empty. Now the person or object is hidden by the box. When the cylinder is replaced over the box, the tricky part is done. From the audience's point of view, you have shown both box and cylinder to be empty.

Variations:

The box has a window cut into it. Without bringing too much attention to this fact, remove the brightly-colored cylinder (if this is how you have decorated it) from over the box. The window will now show what appears to be the dark inside of the box. Then replace the cylinder and lift the box. Both were shown empty. So where was the person or object? There is an inner cylinder (inside the box) which the audience does not and cannot see since it is always inside either the box or the square. It is smaller in diameter than the colored cylinder and it is painted flat black, the same color as the inside of both the box and the colored cylinder .

When the audience sees through the window after the colored cylinder has been removed, they are actually looking at the exterior or the inner cylinder and not the inside of the box. When done in this version, the illusion can be viewed in the round without having any trouble spots for the performer.

Another concept is to have the square fit over the cylinder rather that vice versa. Of course, this arrangement would make the inner hiding place a square rather than a circle. Confused yet? Wait, there's more.

Another version is to perform this effect like that of the Dollhouse Illusion. Only one cylinder and one box or square is used. The person is hidden in the cylinder, which is placed behind the square. The square is not attached on all sides, in fact the back and one side are open and ajar. When you begin you lift the square and show it to be empty, when you replace it to the stage you place it directly i n front o f the circle. The back of the square is open. When you lift the circle the appearer crawls into the square from their hiding place inside of the circle. Then you place the circle into the square and over the appearer. Spin the box around and hook up the back and side. Then out pops the assistant.

If the illusion is made for table size, you can produce a rabbit or scarfs or any number of items.

The Dollhouse Illusion

This type of illusion has always been part of the magician's bag of tricks. It is an easy way to produce the assistant. Sometimes the assistant will produce the magician. Although this trick is called the Dollhouse Illusion, it can be painted to resemble a train engine, bus, school house, car, etc.

The performer enters the stage area carrying a part of the dollhouse. The house is in three sections: The roof, the front and side section, and the back with side section. Each piece will be picked up by the performer and shown inside and out. The performer will then put the parts together, forming a dollhouse. The completed house will be three feet tall (at the peak of the roof), two feet wide (the front of the house) and three feet deep (the length of the sides).

Once the house has been assembled, it can be moved around to show that there is no funny business going on. At the performer's command, the roof pops off the house and out steps one or two people depending on the performer's wishes. No trap doors or special stage settings are required for this effect.

The secret:

This effect takes timing and coordination from both the performer and those who are to be magically produced. When the performer enters the stage with one part of the dollhouse, the other two parts are already on the stage. The roof is standing on its end so that the roof peak is facing the audience. In this position, someone could be hiding behind the roof but would be unseen by the audience. The back-side section is leaning up against the peaked roof section. The section carried by the performer is the front-side section. If the stage has curtains, or wings, have the roof section standing near enough that someone could crawl from the wing or curtain to the hiding space behind the roof without being seen.

If the stage has no curtain or wing, then the person who is to be produced must be behind the roof until they are produced. As an alternative, you can drag the roof out, while the person crawls along behind the roof, hidden. Then go back for the next piece and lean it against the roof. Finally, return with the next and last piece of the house.

With the three pieces all on stage, the performer opens the front-side section. The performer shows it front and back, then sets it up, just next to the roof section. Then the performer picks up the back-side section, shows it all around, then places this part next to the front-side section. The performer begins to hook the front section to the side section. (see drawing B) At this point, there will be space between the end section and the house for those who will be produced to crawl into the house unseen. Once the front of the house has been connected and the people have crawled into the house, the performer walks to the rear of the house for the final hookup. Then the performer picks up the roof, shows it all around, then places it upon the house. The house now is fully assembled. (drawing C)

In this position, the person or people to be produced are safely concealed in the house. The performer can shift the house to the center of the stage and spin it around. In moving the house, performer must be careful not to move quickly, since the house occupants must crawl along at the same speed. Remember: When spinning the house around, make sure you spin the house without moving it from its center spot. This way the production person or people only have to remain in one spot while the house spins around them.

When it is time to produce the person or people, the performer can tap on the house. The person or people within only have to stand up. They will lift the roof off the house as they stand. The roof will fly off, back over the rear of the house and out of the way, usually falling flat onto the stage. The performer then disconnects the front of the house so the production person or persons can walk out onto the stage. This action will also reveal that the house is now empty.

This illusion is simply constructed and can be performed by the raw beginner, and also be used by the most accomplished professional. Corrugated cardboard can be used for the house material. Tape can be used to connect the sections together. An elastic band on the front, and another at the back can be used to connect the front-side and back-side sections together during the performance. The roof section simply sits or rests on the top of the assembled house.

LEVITATION

One of the most startling effects in magic has always been the levitation. Whether you levitate an assistant, a horse or a car, getting something to float has always pleased the crowd. I will explain the illusion in terms of floating a woman, but the principle will work with any object, big or small, male or female.

The assistant is brought up to center stage. She is placed in a reclining position on a couch. Then covered with a large cloth. She is commanded to rise. Once she has risen to a height of one foot above the couch, the couch is taken away and the performer walks all around the floating woman.

She continues to rise until she is well over the head of the performer. Then she slowly descends until she is level with the performer's head. Again she begins to rise. This time, the performer takes hold of the cloth and while she is rising, the cloth is whisked away. The woman is gone, vanished right in front of the audience.

The secret:

The secret is in the couch (remember the couch from the above trick description?) and the rest of the effect depends on a mesh-like screen which is shaped like the assistant's body. As soon as the assistant lies down on the couch, the performer picks up the cloth which will be used to cover her. While this is taking place, the body mesh or screen is lowered over the assistant. Since the body mesh is clear, it is not seen by members of the audience. This movement is done by someone behind or off in the stage wings. The body mesh is molded to resemble a woman, it is attached by four strings of invisible thread to a location controlled by another assistant. When the performer covers the woman with the cloth, it is the screen which is really being covered.

As soon as the woman is fully covered, she secretly slips into a hidden compartment in the couch. After the couch is removed to a backstage area, the woman gets out of the couch. Because the couch has played such a small role in the effect, most people forget about it.

The shape of the screen leads everyone to believe that the woman can still be seen from the audience. In reality, the trick is already done. Now the performer merely p lays out his or her part.

The off-stage assistant watches the moves of the performer, lowering or raising the cloth covered screen as per the performer's commands. When the cloth is whisked away, the invisible screen can't be seen by the audience.

The body screen seems invisible for a couple of reasons, first the back ground or back drop is dark. Black is best. The mesh is made of a nylon material which can also be black or transparent. Either way the audience is unable to distinguish the mesh from the dark background.

It is usually a good idea to have the off-stage assistant raise the uncovered screen completely up out of view anyway at the conclusion of the trick, this keeps the stage area clear.

In some cases, I have seen the body mesh more like a mold, covered in a black velvet material exactly matching the backdrop. This black velvet mold should remain invisible to the audience so long as it is seen against a black velvet rear curtain.

CHAIR SUSPENSION

This is the modern version of this very impressive trick which was first seen in circus sideshows. Magicians often did not perform it because the circus sideshows didn't employ magicians as a rule, sideshow roadies worked more cheaply. Today the illusion can be performed by even the youngest of performers. It can be performed under any type of condition, even in the round. Often, performers will use a member of the audience. No special setup is needed for this completely self-enclosed illusion.

On the stage with the performer are two folding chairs. These chairs might have been on stage all through the show. Perhaps they were used when the performer had members of the audience up on stage with him. Or the chairs can be brought onto the stage when the illusion is to take place.

The chairs are set up in the center of the stage, facing each other. They are about four feet apart. A heavy board is then placed across the back of the chairs. A person is requested to lie down on the board. This person can either be an assistant or someone from the audience. One of the chairs is then removed. The person and board appear to be suspended in mid-air. A hoop can then be passed over the person and down to the floor of the chair. The chair is replaced, the person is asked to step down and the board is then removed.

The secret:

As with other suspensions, there is a gimmick in use. In this case, one of the chairs is reinforced with a metal bracket. The bracket runs down the back of the chair, then down the adjoining legs to the floor. The board has a slot cut into one end of the board. This slot will be able to engage the chair's support bracket when placed across it. At most times, the support can hold up to one hundred twenty pounds.

The action of slipping the board into the metal is a sliding motion, a motion easily covered by setting the board on the chair.

It would be wise to have the chair's metal bracket installed by a welder. It is also a good idea to the welder reinforce the slot in the board with a metal retaining plate. Usually the boards need to be quite strong, because the weight of a person on the board could break a board which is too thin.

I suggest using wooden chairs rather than the aluminum type. Paint the chairs a bland color such as brown. Make sure that the metal is painted the same color. The board can be a brighter color. I used a board which had the color and logo of a sponsor. If you don't have a sponsor you can probably use a well-known company by simply asking permission. This way the board looks more like a billboard than a specially-prepared magic prop.

Black Magic

This kind of magic is no doubt the closest to an act of real magic in existence, and one of the easiest kinds of illusions to perform.
The magician enters the stage wearing a white outfit, then slowly the lights go down. In the end, the audience sees only the magician because he or she is dressed in a white outfit and the stage now is dark. The performer then commands any desired item to appear, float and then disappear. People, animals, flowers, tables, everything the magician wants seems to appear, vanish or float at a command. But the performer goes even further by sawing a woman in half as she stands before the audience. Each half then moves about the stage on its own. Eventually the performer may put the halves back together, or may simply make them vanish.
There is absolutely no end to what the performer can do. In the end the lights come back up and the performer can either be on stage alone again, or the stage now can be completely filled with the magical appearances of all the items from the show.

The secret:

This is field of magic which has all but been abandoned in present performance. To me it seems that present day magicians are looking for more mechanical tricks so they do not need to act as much, or work as hard. Someone will come along soon, I'm sure, who will begin to perform this style of magic again.

The staging is the main concern. The back curtain or backdrop is flat black. The performer is dressed in white, or other light-colored outfit. The performer should also wear a mask or have his face touched up with make-up. Hands should be gloved, or covered in make-up. This will make the performers hand and face stand out against the black backdrop.

In the dark, with only black light lighting shining on the stage, everything which is black is unseen by the audience. Everything which glows in a black light will be seen by the audience.

During the late sixties and early seventies, black light-sensitive posters and art had a great comeback. The poster would seem to shine in the darkness of the black light. Elements not visible in the light of day would become visible with the black lights shining. To make anything appear, just have your black-clad assistant carry them onto the stage. Because the assistant is completely dressed in black, they are not seen by the audience. (their faces and hands are black, too) The object they carry will seemingly float onto the stage. Or, you can reach behind the curtain center (where two curtains meet) and produce the objects.

If the object is black on one side and black light-sensitive on the other, you can carry it onto the stage and make it appear and disappear simply by turning it around. People, too, can vanish and appear if they hide behind a cloth of black or a board painted black. Incidentally, adding a strobe light gives the effect an even more amazing effect, although I wouldn't suggest having the strobe light on too much or too often. It does hurt the eyes. The constant flashing light turns the stage into a wave of movement.

Because your act is limited only by your creativity, you should let your imagination go wild. Forget about traditional magic, you wont need tricks. Just look at your stage as your land of imagination. A place where anything can happen.

To float someone, have an assistant lie down on a black plywood board. Then have two of your black-clad assistants lift the board. The assistant is then floating and can float right off the stage into the wings.

I have had both the opportunity to perform in black light and to see a black light performance. It is truly the most amazing sight to behold. The magic of items appearing and vanishing, objects floating in mid- air. Really amazing.

When you perform black art effects, you can see everything on the stage because you are so close to the action. You may forget how dramatic it all looks to the audience. But try to keep in mind that black art is truly the most magnificent art form of magic. You will appreciate it more if you have your show video taped so you, the performer can review the show. As a television spectacle, black art magic is truly well-fitted. Why? The set which you work can be totally dark, while the people at home are in whatever light they choose.

Doing black art magic on television is the next best thing to trick photography. The camera only sees what you want it to see. Black art is truly the cleverest and easiest magic to perform.

But beware: Black art illusions are obviously not meant fo r close-up or for small shows of any type. And fire regulations may restrict the amount of darkness. You may also have trouble finding a club which is willing to turn the lights so low.

A way to combat the club's skittishness is to have low lighting facing away from the stage area and into the audience. This arrangement will actually enhance the invisibility of the act. However, this illusion, when performed in total darkness, has effects which are truly eerie.

Black art is labor intensive, but this problem can be overcome by using backdrops which hide your props.

The best illusions in black art will float, appear, have objects or even people vanish then magically transpose from place to place across the stage. The act can end with the magician causing him or herself slowly vanish, from the ground up, or simply float away, off the stage. To vanish from ground up, have an assistant cover the magician with a black mini-curtain .

However you decide to end this act, you must clearly script what you will do and maintain the script. A story line or play line would be suggested. You could even use a children's fairy-tale as the script. Just because the act is in the dark, don't be afraid to talk to the audience during the show. The effect of your voice will be greatly amplified because the stage is black. Your audience will be more focused on what you are saying since they will be limited to what they are seeing. The lessening of one sense heightens another.

BROOMSTICK SUSPENSION

Similar to the original Robert Houdini version of the stick suspension, this version is the modernized way of presenting the illusion. Two regular broomsticks are brought to the stage and placed handles down, bristles up, in a platform. Between the two broomsticks the magician puts a small stool. The broomsticks are about two feet apart. A young person is asked to stand on the stool and let his or her arms hang over the broomstick bristles.

Upon command, the youngster is seemingly hypnotized, the stool is removed and then one of the brooms is removed. The youngster remains in suspension. Then the performer takes hold of the youngster's feet and begins to arc them into a 90 degree angle from the remaining broom. A hoop is passed over youngster and remaining broom. The youngster is then lowered back to the original position, as is the second broom and then the stool. The young assistant is then dehypnotized and steps down from the stool. Everything used in the illusion is then taken down and brought off stage. The performer may then move on to the next miracle.

A nice illusion, but it needs a good deal of showmanship to make it really good. This trick has been done so often, by so many performers that it has become boring. Seldom does the modern audience believe that the assistant is hypnotized. Most people in the audience will be aware that the broom is rigged.

The secret:

The assistant is wearing a body harness which has a joining point under the armpit. This joint hooks into a coupling which is hidden in the broom bristles. The broom is specially manufactured and is actually made of metal, but painted to resemble wood. A ratchet at the point of connection allows for the suspended position by letting the assistant's feet to be moved upwards while still holding the assistant's torso firmly in place at the armpit.

A platform with holes drilled for the two brooms are needed. When the assistant is getting his or her arms over the broom bristles, the assistant will engage the joining points into the ratchet. All the paraphernalia is hidden during there positioning of the assistant onto the brooms by the flowing clothes worn by the assistant. Once in place, neither the stool nor the second broom are needed, but the audience does not know this fact. When the stool is taken away, the assistant is in the air, maintained by the joining point. Then the second broom is moved away.

Because the joining point is a ratchet, the performer merely has to bring the assistant up to the desired angle, the ratchet will lock into place. Then the hoop is passed over the assistant without any sort of magical assistance. Once the trick is complete, the performer

Bag of Money

This effect gained great fame for the Amazing Kreskin.

The performer hands several paper bags (usually five), to members of the audience. Before doing so, he shows the audience that a one- hundred-dollar bill has been inserted into one of the bags. The performer concentrates, then asks the volunteers to set fire to two of the bags and return to their seats with the other two. One bag remains on stage. Of course, the $100.00 bill is always found to be in the bag left on stage.

The secret: Once again, simplicity is the key to this trick, along with great stage presence and presentation. The $100.00 bill is never placed into any of the bags. Instead the performer pretends to put it in. The money has, in fact been concealed in the performer's palm during the process of pretending to place the bill in the bag.

At the end of the trick, the performer takes hold of the remaining bag and violently tears it open while the palmed money seems to mysteriously emerge from the torn bag.

I have also seen this effect done in a comedy motif, where the performer will borrow a high-denomination bill from someone in the audience. During the trick, the performer will make out as if the trick has not worked. He does this by tearing open the last bag and pretending to find no money within. Then the performer asks the spectator who helped him before to now open their bags, search their pockets, even look under their seats. Still no money.

At this point, the audience believes the money has literally gone up in smoke, only to have the performer recover the money from a pocket or behind an ear.

This effect works as above, except the money does not have to be palmed when the on-stage bag is opened. A good way to get rid of the palmed money is to reach into a pocket for matches used in burning the stage bags.