130226535-Terri-Rogers-SECRETS-the-Original-Magic-of-Terri-Rogers.pdf

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MARTIN BREESE ENSINGTON PARK ROAD, NOTTING HILL GATE, LONDON W11 2ER TEL: 01-727 6422

►GICLOSEUP £t MAGICASSETTES

SECRETS THE ORIGINAL MAGIC OF TERRI ROGERS

Written by TERRI ROGERS Edited by MARTIN BREESE Illustrated by DAVID BRITLAND Published by MARTIN BREESE PUBLISHING LTD. Jan 1986. ()Copyright by Martin Breese Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher. Martin Breese Publishing Ltd., 164 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill Gate, London W11 2ER.

meet lerri Roqe'i1 Terri Rogers is a professional ventriloquist with an act that has earned her international fame. Terri and her partner, Shorty, after many years of success working clubs, cabaret and variety were spotted by shrewd TV producer, John Hamp who first brought Terri to the notice 'The of the viewing public via his great series Wheeltappers and Shunter's Club'. Three times the irreverent Shorty was taken from his case for the benefit of the programme's fast growing audience. Terri was soon much in demand as a guest artist on many other TV shows including 'Meet and Greet', 'The David Nixon Show', 'The Magic Circle Show' and Paul Daniels' ' Blackpool Bonanza'. Then Terri's TV career took a different turn, beginning with her appearance on a documentary, 'The Comediennes'. This programme showed Terri and Shorty at home and at work as well as bringing in a psychologist who tried to analyse Shorty; only to find himself being analysed instead. The show was repeated several times and gave Terri the opportunity to reach an audience numbering millions. One result of the documentary was a Hollywood offer and Terri and Shorty were whisked across the Atlantic to appear in a Home-Box Office special devoted to ventriloquism. The show, produced at the Mayfair Music Hall, reached a vast American audience. For the second time in her life Terri had been discovered. The first time was when the famous showman, Carol Levis, spotted her when his show played Terri's home town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. Levis could hardly ignore someone with such obvious potential and from this

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ginning followed years of touring, playing clubs and eatres throughout the British Isles in addition to gular tours for the US forces in Germany. rri's interest in magic goes back to her childhood, ginning with the purchase of a small box of tricks from olworths. Throughout her professional career she has en pre-occupied with magic during her every spare ment. The interest has led to life-long friendships th wonderful magicians Ken Brooke and Pat Page as well meetings with such greats as Dai Vernon, Ken Krenzel d Iry Weiner. iL ANDREWS

CONTENTS RAZOR BLADES FROM MOUTH ..................... 4 THE PIRISH COMPASS ......................... 15 IT'S A STICK UP ............................ 26 BLANK AMAZEMENT ............................ 31 THE COMPUTER DECK .......................... 33 BOTTOM'S UP ................................ 38 THE CHINESE TWIST .......................... 40 SMALLER'N THAT ............................. 44 THE HOLEY TUBE ............................. 50 SHOOT OUT .................................. 56 THE ITALIAN ROPE TRICK ..................... 60 T.T.F.N. (OR THE GAMBLER'S CURE) ........... 64 CURRY FLAVOUR .............................. 70 TRY THIS ................................... 74 FINAL WORDS ................................ 80

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hands are seen to be empty of all except that which they are supposed to be holding.

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One of the classic stage-tricks; 'The Razor-Blades From Mouth' has always fascinated me, combining, as it does, the magic of doing the impossible with an element of danger. Although the trick has probably been performed by thousands of magicians all over the world, without any problems, I personally have never liked the methods used. I have seen several ways of switching the blades or getting the second set into the mouth but, although clever, I think that most of the established methods have some weakness or look suspicious. For example: might not the spectator wonder why the magician should put the blades into a receptacle, only to empty them into his mouth? The original method seemed so fraught with danger that it is hardly surprising that magicians sought other ways. So I put my mind to working out a way of performing the same effect, with a minimum of suspicious moves, yet keeping the basic effect untouched. The routine that follows is so clean and trouble-free that I have been asked by some of the leading magicians to release it for their exclusive use. However, I have decided, instead, to reveal it in these pages, in the certain knowledge that it is worth many times the price of this book. HERE ARE THE MAIN ADVANTAGES: 1. The genuine blades never enter the mouth. 2. The threaded blades are not introduced until the very second that they start to appear. This means that you can patter just as long as you wish prior to producing a string of glistening blades, from your mouth, via a completely empty hand. 3. There are no suspicious moves at all. The 4

THE EFFECT The razor-blades are exhibited on a semi-circular stand. A blade is taken and used to cut up a playing-card. One by one the other blades are removed from the stand and held in a fan at the right fingertips. The hand squares the blades and pops them into the mouth without any suspicious moves. The right hand picks up a cotton-reel and unwinds about two feet of the thread and breaks it from the reel. The cotton thread is rolled into a ball by hands which appear to be otherwise empty. The ball of cotton is openly placed into the mouth. Now with obviously empty hands, the performer reaches into the mouth with finger and thumb and pulls out a razorblade attached to a short length of thread. He continues to draw the cotton line forth until another razor-blade makes its appearance firmly tied onto the thread. Drawing the cotton further, it is seen that all the blades are threaded at intervals along its length. There appear to be no tricky moves and the whole thing looks utterly impossible. METHOD You will, by this time, be tearing your hair trying to figure it out. To save us all the horror of lots of bald magicians, I have decided to blow the gaff. Let's deal with the first obstacle: namely, putting the blades in the mouth. In the old methods, this part was not only unhygenic but quite dangerous. In my method the blades appear to go into the mouth, but do no such thing as it is just an illusion. Incidently, all these blades can be really sharp but I don't think this is necessary because you don't have to slice cards with every blade. Still, I leave this to you.

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One blade is gimmicked, which makes the illusion possible and, when I perform the effect, it is the only sharp blade. All you need to make the gimmick is a paper-clip and four inches of very fine nylon-thread. I have found the clear invisible-mending thread sold by haberdashers to be ideal. First tie the nylon thread into a loop, which when looped over the first finger will make the knot reach about three-quarters of an inch into the palm when pulled taut. When the knot has been securely tied and trimmed, thread the knotted end through the paper-clip at the nonbusiness end. When sufficient loop is through, thread the other end of the loop through the knotted end, and pull until tight. A spot of 'Superglue' at this joint will prevent any tendency for the thread to unravel but use only a tiny amount. When you have done all this you should have a paper-clip with a two inch nylon loop attached at one end (and if you are not very careful, your finger as well, so do watch that glue).

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One of the genuine blades is gimmicked. The forefinger is placed through the loop of thread and the gimmick can then be easily

Now either glue or solder the clip to the razor-blade, in such a way that the clip is not seen through the holes. The illustration should make everything clear. I have found that by roughening the blade where the paper-clip goes, superglue will make a permanent bond. If you have done loop the nylon should hang in enable you to without a single

all this correctly, you should be able to over your first finger, and the blade a palming position. This gimmick will seemingly swallow a number of blades, blade entering your mouth.

Here then is the first stage of the routine. The blades are displayed on a stand and the gimmicked blade is the last one. (In other words at the end of the stand.) Its loop protrudes upwards, in such a position that it can later be engaged by the fingers. If you wish, you can show that all the blades are sharp, starting to slice cards with them in turn, beginning with the blade which is at the opposite end of the stand to the gimmick. When you take the gimmicked blade, engage the forefinger

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through the loop. (The other blades have been replaced after showing.) Pick it up with the forefinger at its front and thumb at the rear. Cut your playing card, then immediately start taking blades, two or three at a time and secretly slide them into the clip at the back of the gimmicked blade as you arrange them into a small fan. When all the blades have been removed the left hand helps square them into a bundle and you display them to the audience, raising your hand about ten inches higher than it was and extending your arm. This indicates to the spectators that you are about to do something very important.

The gimmicked blade holds the remaining blades in position prior to apparently being swallowed.

The bundle can now be brought, quite naturally, up to the mouth where the right thumb releases the blades, which immediately fall and hang in the position previously described (ie palm position). The hand continues towards the mouth and the fingers open wide as they touch the lips. Obviously the mouth has been opened as if to receive the blades. The fingers of the right hand remain open and the hand drops naturally to the side as you make a pretence of chewing and eventually swallowing the blades. Remember just what you are supposed to be doing - popping something into your mouth and then eating it. So portray just that. Practise in front of a mirror, holding a biscuit up instead of the blades. Note the timing on putting the biscuit in your mouth and then dropping your hand. Ensure that you follow the blades with your eyes as you bring them towards you. If you act it out correctly in performance, you will see people wince when you apparently put them into your mouth. When you see that, you know you' re creating the right illusion.

The thumbtip holding the artificial blades is hidden inside the cotton reel. The reel is placed out of view, perhaps behind the stand, so that as it is picked up the real blades can be ditched.

STAGE TWO: Cotton-reels these days are made of plastic and are hollow, except for dome thin fluting which holds the centre in place. The size of the reel that you obtain is important. Mine is a 500 yard mercerised cotton-reel, the perfect size for the job. Hollow out the centre and

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stick a piece of circular card at one end. The reel is placed behind the stand so that it can easily be grasped by the right hand. In the hollow portion of the reel is placed the 'tricky-bit' that makes the trick work and sets it miles ahead of the others. What can it be? The simple ' thumb-tip', inside of which are the strung-blades. I can almost hear you saying: "Where am I going to get blades small enough ...or a big enough thumb-tip?" Don't worry. You see, as I have already hinted, the blades are not real. They are in fact made of metalised polyester, sold under the trade names of 'Melinex' (in Britain) and ' Mylon' (in the U.S.A). This material has many uses which will suggest themselves to you if you handle it. If you are in the habit of making props it is well worth having a roll of this untarnishable, unbreakable, pliable mirrored plastic around. But I'm moving too quickly, let's get back to the presentation. You have just seemingly swallowed the blades. Your right hand has been placed, momentarily, behind the stand in order to pick up the cotton-reel. The palmed stack of blades is released and allowed to fall onto the table where it will remain hidden by the stand or any other prop you may have. The right thumb is inserted into the tip within the reel, the curved nature of the nested imitation blades allows this, the pad of the thumb coming into contact with the first blade of the threaded set. When this has been done the first and second fingers should grip the cotton-reel at its other end and the reel brought into view without removing the thumb or tip. The left hand now unwinds about two feet of cotton and breaks it off. The right hand then replaces the reel on the table and the tip comes away with the right thumb. You are now ready for the big finale. Your left hand has been trying to roll the two feet of cotton into a ball. It is not unnatural therefore to bring the right hand into play to assist. The thumb-tip is completely invisible if the thumb is kept pointing towards the

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audience and the hand held naturally. In rolling the cotton-ball there is plenty of opportunity to demonstrate that your hands are otherwise empty. The left hand holding the ball of cotton is raised to the mouth and pops it in. (I ditch it whilst rolling it into a ball and mime the rest.) You can still patter and therefore build the finish. What you say is up to you and must suit your personality. I like to patter right up to the point when I want to produce the blades. At that point I stop talking, my eyes open wide, and my left hand clutches my midriff as if I have had a sudden shock. (I'll leave the nature of the dramatics to you.) When ready for the climax, the right hand should be held straight out, palm down, fingers slightly open and thumb pointing at the audience. This is difficult to describe, but it is as if you are inviting the audience to pay attention. It takes but a second and emphasises that the right hand is empty. What happens next should make them gasp. Bring your right hand up to your mouth, inserting the thumb and loaded tip therein. Do this quickly but draw the first blade into view more slowly to be followed by all the others. Be careful as the last one emerges, remembering that the end of the cotton is still attached to the thumbtip. This means that you need to insert your thumb back into your mouth as if to hold the end of the cotton but in fact to re-insert the thumb into the tip which is now empty. Display the blades and smile as you enjoy your well earned applause. MANUFACTURING DETAILS I believe that the best blades for this trick are the German 'Pajarito 155'. They are suitable as they have just three holes rather than being three-holed and slotted as are most razor blades sold today. Slotted blades tend to contribute to the fouling of threads and should be avoided. The German blades have semi-circular ends which are useful when making copies in 'Melinex' for the dummy blades. Most of the dealer-sets are made

from suitable blades, so if you find it difficult to obtain the correct blades you can always invest in an old-style set of apparatus. You will need a good punch for making the holes in the dummy blades and a good sharp pair of scissors to cut the ' Melinex' into those vicious looking imitations. You will also need a small piece of plywood or hardboard and two three-quarter inch panel pins. This is to make the 'Strung Blade Loader'. To make this, take one of the real blades and place it on the wood. Make two pencil dots in the dead centre of the two outer holes. Discard the blade and knock the two panel pins upright into the wood, where the dots are. Next, with sharp pliers, nip off the heads of the pins and file smooth (this will facilitate the easy sliding on and off of the strung blades). This piece of equipment is perhaps as important as the props themselves. Its purpose is to stack the blades with the cotton neatly folded between each. We will refer to it as the 'stacker'.

The 'stacker' helps you to set up the threaded blades.

Back to the blades. There are no short-cuts...if you will forgive the horrible pun. You must cut out the dummy blades singly using a genuine blade as a pattern. Do it as accurately as possible and punch the holes cleanly so that the threads will not get snagged. The making and threading of these dummy blades is the most time consuming job of all but you only have to do it once so be sure to do it well. To thread the blades use about three feet of strong thread to match the cotton you will use. Start by tying one end of the thread to one blade which should then be placed on the two pins of the stacker. Pull the thread down to the pin opposite to where the knot is and back up to the knot again. You should now have one loop of thread that encircles the pin opposite and finishes at the knot. This loop is about three and a half inches long; about the distance that the blades should be knotted from each other. I have found that a long darning needle, threaded at the free end of the cotton, helps enormously in tying

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You will need a stand on which to display the genuine blades. The blades can be held in place by sections of magnetic strip as shown in the illustration.

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the blades in place. Tie the blades about three and a calf inches apart along the length of the thread. You will have to do them singly, otherwise you will get in a ness. When you have reached the last blade leave another three inches of thread before attaching it to the thumbtip at the side where the blades are going to be tested. You can use adhesive tape to fix it.

the PirLA Camp_ Before I start explaining the workings and history of the ' Pirish Compass', it is only right that I should express my thanks to Martin Gardner, who opened my eyes to the magic of topology. If you haven't explored this amazing world of shapes then it's time that you did. Anyone who has followed my progress in magic will know that I have a great interest in the application of such things in conjuring. Thank You Martin.

Jow for the stacking of the threaded blades. First put the blade which is at the opposite end of the thread to : he thumb-tip onto the stacker. (I.E. Over the two pins.) ? ull the thread down around the opposite pin and back to the first pin. If you have done this correctly you should 3e able to push the next blade onto the stacker. Continue this operation with all the blades and if confused look at the illustrations. The blades are then removed from the stack and inserted into the thumb-tip. ADDITIONAL NOTES. i'ou will notice that I have not specified just how many blades should be used in the effect. Well, I started out with a dozen. That number fitted quite well into my thumb-tip but now I use only eight. This is mainly because a lesser number speeds up the effect but is just 3s showy. )ne more point: when loading the blades into the thumbtip, do it so that the knots are nearest the opening. This ensures that the blades will slide out freely and easily. [ use a 'Vernet' thumb-tip as this is quite roomy and can oe placed in hot-water to be expanded if necessary. kny stand can be used for the blades as long as you can Iitch the gimmick behind it. The illustrations show letails of the one that I use and which you should find aasy to construct.

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The sheer simplicity of the modus operandi of this effect is matched only by its possibilities. Rather than write reams on all the effects possible using this principle, I will explain one and let your mind and imagination do the rest. When I explain this amazing effect, inspired by a cardboard fly-killer container which attracted my attention whilst clearing up some trash, you will understand: A: what I mean by using your imagination. B: what a fascinating subject topology is. Never again will you look at a shape without exploring its possibilities and the facets of its nature. We all see arrows in some form or other literally thousands of times during a year without really taking too much notice of them. Well, now you are going to be let into the secret of an alternate arrow one that changes its direction with a minimum of handling and with amazing results. To make up the arrow, as a pocket-effect, cut four pieces of card, six inches long and three-quarters of an inch wide. Make sure that all the pieces are cut accurately as one piece being even slightly different from the others will throw the whole project out of gear. When you have done this, scotch-tape the pieces together by their longedges thus forming an oblong, six inches by three

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inches. Keeping the oblong-shape Scotch-tape upwards, stick a piece of the tape, six inches long, onto one of the long edges leaving half of the tape overlapping. Flip up this section of the oblong so that the sticky side of the tape is now exposed. (see illustration.) Now flip over the opposite section so that it attaches itself to the exposed sticky section of the tape. Make sure that the edges meet exactly and using your thumb press down on the place where the two edges meet at one end. Keeping the pressure on the join, run your thumb down to the opposite end making sure that the Scotch-tape is stuck on both sides. So now the four pieces have been formed into a tube, six inches high. With a pencil, number the sections one to four. Do this lightly so that you can erase the numbers later. This will help you to follow the instructions more easily. With the tube collapsed flat you will soon discover that by squeezing the sides, so that the end of the tube opens mouth-like, you can alter the combination of sides one and two, two and three, three and four and four and one yet the shape will stay the same, oblong. Now with the tube flat, and with the sides one and two uppermost, cut the top end to a point. This must be done with great accuracy, cuts being made at exactly the same angle on each section, and meeting at the top-junction of sides one and two as shown in the illustrations. When you have done this, squeeze the sides again, forming an arrow-tail. Now, using the same angle as before, cut a point at the other end, once more being very careful to get that angle exactly right. If you have done all this you now have a simple alternative arrow. It may be that you feel this simplistic form of the effect is all that is necessary. Later we will explain the more involved and complicated applications. For now, if you are happy with it, you need only mark stripes on the apparatus with a felt-tipped pen

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to hide the joins and complete the prop. To make the arrow change just squeeze the sides under cover of one hand and this will give you the effect in a simple form. If you wish you can make a paper tube just wide enough to slide the arrow through but not long enough to cover the whole length of it. Show the tube empty and slide the arrow into it, point first, making sure that the spectators are aware of its direction. Cover the tail with one hand and when the arrow is halfway through, squeeze and change it (secretly of course). Continue to push the arrow through the tube until the tail starts to protude from the opposite end. Remove the arrow to show that it has seemingly changed direction despite having been contained. Let's go further with this simple straight-arrow. There are a few letters of the alphabet which you cannot turn upside-down. For example: I, 0, S, N, H, X, Z. As luck would have it, N and S are two of these and of course stand for North and South. So let us add these two letters to our arrow to form a compass. Just to confuse things, it is crucial to the moves involved that these letters be placed in the correct position. With the arrow's point facing away from you, either paint, draw or label, the letter 'N' at the pointend, but to the right of the centre-join. Likewise put the letter 'S' at the tail-end, but left of the join as seen in the illustrations. With this arrangement you can now bring about an effect so confusing that it will take a lot of explaining. EFFECT Performer removes an arrow from his or her pocket and it is shown to be blank on both sides. "This may look like an ordinary arrow, but it is in fact the culmination of fifty years research by a team of scientists. There were two of them, one Irish and one

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Polish. Hence the name of this instrument, The Pirish Compass. Like its inventors, the compass doesn't quite know whether it is coming or going. When they first brought it to me, I immediately pointed out that if it was supposed to be a compass it should, surely, have some indication as to the direction in which it was supposed to be pointing ..North ...South ...East or West? The Irish professor stopped turning the compass over and over in his hand. "Oh but it has.." he said "it's got an 'N' to indicate North." With that he removed his fingers from the tail, and there, to my amazement, was an 'N'. This annoyed me because I was sure that I had seen both sides completely blank, plus the fact that the 'N' was in the wrong position. I pointed out to him: "The 'N' should be at the point."

1. Hinge the sections together with tape.

At this he turned it over to reveal an 'S' at the point, saying: "As you can see there is already an 'S' at the point, meaning South." As I was about to tell him just where, in my opinion, the point would do the most good, he looked me in the eye and said: "You're not happy with it, are you?" I told him that I would indeed have been happier without it. He asked me: "Is it the colour?" I said: "You have missed the point. And so for that matter has the letter 'N'. Not only that but why have you got them on opposite sides?" "It's simple.." he said. "It's in good company." I replied. "I'll

put that smile on the other side of your face." He said. "It would be better if you were to put the 'S' on the other side of the arrow instead of losing your temper." I said.

2. Fold and join to form a flat tube.

3. The ends are trimmed to form a point. 4. Refold the tube so that the pointed end becomes the tail of the arrow and then trim the opposite end to form a second point.

Fortunately, at that point, the Polish professor came to life, saying: "I've told him he doesn't know his 'artic' from his elbow ..he's done it wrong, hasn't he? It should have a tail at both ends, shouldn't it?"

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I waited until he had finished before telling had got it WRONG too. I also mentioned that I the whole thing. The Pole pulled himself up five-and-a-half yards and said: "Wait a minute, what you want?"

him that HE was sick of to his full just tell us

The Irishman stopped trying to put his 'Rubic-Cube' into its box. (Well, its not easy with the lid on.) "Yes, tell us what you want?" He said. I said that all I eyes lit up "Would its got an 'N' at is, and an 'S' at that's wrong, I'll

wanted to do was go home. The Irishman's you be needing a compass.." he giggled, " the point, to show where the North-pole the tail to show where the South is. If emigrate to the East."

And so, as the golden sun sunk slowly in the west, I said farewell to the Irish and Polish professors, telling them exactly what they could do with their Pirish Compass.

BLANK TURNOVER (1) The arrow is secretly turned over by pushing on its edge with the thumb and pulling on the opposite edge with the fingers. See Diagram 2. This is similar to the usual

THE METHOD The effect depends upon a series of Paddle Turnovers. I'll describe the various moves below. By following the patter story and the illustrations you should have no trouble in following the routine. BLANK TURNOVER(l): This move is in the initial stages of the effect when both sides are shown completely blank. Have the arrow in the correct set-up: 'N' at the point and 'S' at the tail. Lay it, letters down and point away from you on the left hand, at the fingertips, with the point overlapping the hand by two inches. The right hand approaches the left hand, palm upwards. Right hand passes under the left. The right first and second fingers and thumb grasp the sides of the arrow near the point. The right hand now lifts the arrow off the palm, turning it inwards towards the body, at the same time as turning the arrow over and inwards. You will find, by extending the thumb and closing the fingers, you can flex the arrow as 20

it is being turned over. (All in the same action.) So when the arrow is pointing towards you and laying on the left palm, in reverse, the letters are still face down. 21 3

BLANK TURNOVER (2): Start in the same position as the first turnover. Grip the same as before but, as the arrow is turned inwards, squeeze with the thumb and fingers of the right hand until it has changed its form. This time when the arrow is lying on the left hand at the end of the turn, the right first and second fingers should cover the letter ' N'. What has also happened is that the point has changed ends. But if done after a couple of No.1 turns, it goes unnoticed. Now continuing from the point where the right fingers are covering the letter 'N', the left first and second fingers now grip the point, the fingers underneath (covering the ' S') and thumb on top. Now turn the arrow inwards, as before, but with the left fingers and thumb doing the turning. When the arrow is pointing upwards the right hand fingers and thumb release their grip on the tail. Keep the two fingers extended to let the arrow swivel around them before gripping the tail at the outer end again. This is repeated for as long as the patter story calls for it. The illustrations should clarify the moves. Once you understand how the arrow works you'll have no trouble with the routine. The moves enable you to show the arrow blank, cause the letters to appear and change the positions of the point and tail. Left handed magicians should be careful because the flexing move gives different results when performed with the left hand instead of the right. If you try it you'll see that the move is not the same because the arrow is being flexed in a different direction. There are two sections of the arrow on each side and the flexing exchanges only one of them. If you flex the arrow with the opposite hand then you are exchanging a different section. So the left handed routine will be slightly different to the right handed routine.

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BLANK TURNOVER ( 2) This time the arrow is 'flexed' as it is turned over. The thumb and fingers push together, as in Diagram 2, forcing the tube to form into a different shape. The arrow turns end for

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THE IMPROVED ARROW THE IMPROVED ARROW

The diagrams opposite give details of a more advanced form of the 'Pirish Compass'. It is constructed from four sections A,B,C and D. Sections B and D together along arrangement shown D. Finally join D

are identical. The sections are hinged the straight edges following the in the illustrations ie A to B to C to to A to form a tube.

Diagram 2 shows one side of the finished arrow and diagram 3 the other side. When the arrow is flexed the arrow head forms a new tail and the tail forms a new arrow head at the opposite end. The arrow should be decorated so that the joins cannot be seen by the spectators. You can do this by creating a pattern on the surface of the arrow or covering the arrow in felt (the self-adhesive kind available in a roll from art shops) or other material which will make the joins less obvious. Any coverings of this kind should be put on the arrow before it is assembled.

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A

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C

,/ A 3~

D

A FINAL TIP The larger the arrow the more difficult it will be to flex. However, you can construct an arrow which will flex itself by incorporating an elastic device similar to that used on production pop-up dice. This will give you one change but it will be instantaneous. If you are doing a longer routine then merely glue a small piece of sponge inside the arrow. This forces the tube to open slightly as soon as you release pressure and enables you to flex the tube easily. You need to apply a little pressure to squeeze the arrow flat after the change but this doesn't present any problems.

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Stick lApJ

One of my magical friends, Jack Jansen, apart from being a really nice guy and a talented magician, has a habit of using sticky-labels on cards. When someone chooses a card, he has them stick a label on it and sign it. This he does in order to save ruining cards as after the show he can peel them off. I see his point but I have a collection of signed cards that I have built up through the years, simply by presenting such effects. I have cards autographed by Ricky Jay, Gaeton Bloom and David Roth to name but a few. For the benefit of those who are not autograph hunters, here is a trick that uses those stickylabels and I dedicate it to Jack Jansen. EFFECT A spectator chooses a card under the fairest of conditions. The spectator sticks a label, bearing his signature, onto the back of the card. The performer also chooses a card and likewise signs a label and attaches it to the back of his card. The two cards are placed, face downwards, side by side with their signed labels showing. The magician and spectator guard their cards yet, under seemingly impossible conditions, the cards change places. PREPARATION You will need a pack of cards and some sticky-labels. The kind I suggest are circular and about half-an-inch across. You'll also need a double-backed card. This doesn't need to be a specially printed fake. Just stick two Jokers face to face. That will serve well enough. To set up for the trick, prior to performance, sign a label and stick it to the centre of one of the backs on the special card. Sign another label and stick it on the

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centre of the back of any other card. Try to make your two signatures as alike as possible. Having done this, place your double-backer, label uppermost, on top of your face down pack. Place the other labelled card face up, second from the face of the pack. Pop the pack in its box and you are all set. PERFORMANCE "When

I was a kid, my mom used to sew labels on all my clothes and write my name on them. I used to be sick of seeing my name all the time. I only had to pull my socks up and there it was staring me in the face. If I took off my hat there it was again. If I changed my clothes I would see my name at least a dozen times. So why did I have to wear Clarke's shoes? I finally got hooked on the idea and became a label nut. The time came when I was sticking labels, with my name on them, onto things that didn't even belong to me. My mother gave up but I carried on. Here I'll show you what I mean.." Take the cards from their case and thumb off the top double-backed card and point out its label. Place the card on the table. "You see the label with my signature? That means this is my card. Other people have properly printed ones but with an act like mine the money never stretched that far. I have some labels left over, would you care to sign one? Thank you. Now I know that you are about to ask me where I want you to stick it... but I'll avoid the obvious in case you stick one on me."

While speaking, pick up the pack and hold it in both hands with the right hand over the top, thumb at the inner short ends and fingers at the outer short ends. The left hand is underneath with the thumb on top. The left fingers hold a break between the two bottom cards and the balance of the pack. The right hand now takes the pack from above and the break is maintained by the right thumb. Once this has been done, remove the left hand from

27

the pack as it is now supported entirely by the right hand. Peel a card from the top of the pack with the left thumb onto the left palm. Continue peeling cards from the right to left hand and then say, "Will you say stop somewhere please, and wherever you stop me, that will be your card." Keep peeling cards and then comment, "Today ...if possible."

THE TIP OVER

When he says 'stop' be sure you know which card he means, ie the one on top of the left hand pile or the one still on top of the deck. Whichever one it is, ensure that it is transferred to the top of the left packet and then request that he place his label on the back of the card. The spectator has not seen the face of the card. Tell him to " Stick your label on the back of your card. Remember your card - it shouldn't be hard - it's got your signature on it." Point to the label with the right forefinger then slide the labelled card about three-quarters of an inch over the edge of the pile, at the long edge, using the left thumb to push it there. Then with the inner long edge of the right hand pile, flip the chosen card face up but as the right hand flips the card over it continues its move following the chosen card. It is now face up and covered completely from view for a split second. In that fraction of time let the right thumb release the two bottom cards of its pile on to the top of the chosen card. The illustrations show the move. When you flip the chosen card over and perform the move, the right hand pile should appear to be merely stabilising the flipped-over card. The face of the chosen card must not be seen. Practise the move by flipping a card over normally and then try to make the move match the natural action. As the right hand pile is removed there should be a face up card on top of the left hand pile. It is the one with

The

right

above

the

thumb

holds

lower

two

a

break

cards

of

its half. The left thumb pushes over the selection. As the right hand packet levers over the left hand card it releases the cards below the thumb-break.

your signed label on its back. This card is now pushed off face up onto the table with the left thumb. The spectator assumes that the tabled card is his selection because this is the first time he has seen the face. You then ask him to - "Tell everyone the name of your card ...loud and clear. You'd be surprised how many people forget their card." While the spectator is telling everyone the name of his card, the pile in the left hand is placed on top of the

28

2')

pile in the right hand and then the whole pack is turned over and placed face up on the table. You pick up the double-backed card with your signed label and say, "Good.. now I'm going to place my signed card, reversed into the pack." The doubled-backed card should be placed on top of the face up pack and the pack given a complete cut. "Does

anyone remember what my card was?" As the spectators were never shown the card they will have to say no. "No... do I have to do everything myself?" During this mockannoyance you turn the deck face down and spread it to reveal one face up card which you remove and place face up on the table. "This

is my card. Please remember the .... of .... because I'm going to test you." This card is in fact the one with the spectator's label on the back. Scoop up the spectator's card (the one he thinks is his) and slide it under the other tabled card (apparently yours) and then turn both cards over together. Place the card with the spectator's label on it face down in front of him. Ask the spectator to place his hand over his card and not to let anyone near it. You do the same with your card. Ask the spectator to name his card and then say, "Would you repeat that ..louder please?" and then when he does say " After all the trouble my mother went to. Look at your card." When the card is turned over it is seen to have changed to your card and when your card is turned over it is seen to have changed into his card. "Never mind ...go and see your doctor as soon as you can. Show him your card and he will tell you what to do with it." The style of presentation is of course a matter of taste and preference but, if done with tongue-in-cheek, I'm sure that the idea of a magician slowly losing his cool will get laughs.

30

Blank gAmapment This trick also uses the Tip Over Change described in 'It's A Stick-up', so if you have already got the hang of it the rest will be easy. You require a blank-faced pack of cards, with red or blue backs, one face card with a contrasting back and a slip of paper with the name of the odd backed card written on it. To set up the trick place the stranger card (odd backed, face card) face up, second from the bottom of the pack. The prediction (slip of paper) should be in your pocket. Commence by saying, "One of the greatest magicians in the world gave me a blank cheque for this one card trick. I refused his offer but, if the cheque had something written on it, I might have taken him up on it. All good card tricks start with a spectator taking a card. Well this is the exception. It is, in my opinion, one of the most incredibly bad card tricks in the world. I have, on occasion, been paid thousands not to perform it, so unless you can afford a lot of money, you'll just have to put up with it." Whilst pattering away, you can be shuffling the cards, though taking care to keep the bottom two cards where they are. Also do not let the audience see the blank faces. "I

have in my pocket a prediction that I wrote, on a piece of paper whilst waiting for applause for the last trick. Would you hold it for me?" At this point take the prediction from your pocket and hand it to a spectator.

31

"Take

care of it because it's worth money. When you get home, sleep with it under your pillow and it might turn into a tooth." While pattering you are getting on with the trick and holding the deck face down in the right hand, from above, between thumb and fingers. The fingers are at the outer short edge of the deck and the thumb at the inner short edge. This is just as described in 'It's A Stick-Up'. The right thumb holds a break over the bottom two cards of the deck. The patter covers the setting up of the break and right hand grip. "I'm

going to move cards from the top of the deck like this.. would you please call stop when you feel like it. Just say "stop" when you feel bored with watching these cards." Peel cards from the top of the deck onto the left hand and, whenever the spectator says stop, you execute the Tip Over Change and push off the face up card with the left thumb saying.. "Out of fifty-two cards, you stopped me at this one. Will you please read the prediction. As you will see they are one and the same." After the prediction is read out you continue, "Do I get the impression that you think all the cards are the same? Am I right? Well, you are right too... they are all the same... they all have red backs." When the chosen card is pushed onto the table, you are left with two packets of cards, one in the left hand, one in the right. Place the right hand packet under the left hand packet and ribbon-spread the pack from left to right, face down without revealing the blank face up card second from the top. Try and coincide the spread with the words: " They all have red backs" and then flip over the selected card to show that it now has a blue back. Say, "The next bit gets looks of blank-amazement" as you do a ribbon-turnover to show that the faces of the cards are all blank. Well that's it. I can assure you that I have performed it many times and it always gets gasps.

32

the Computer deck The idea for this item came to me after watching and listening to a lecture by TED LESLEY, the wonderful German Magician. Apart from being an extremely talented magician, Ted is one of magic's thinkers , and is very generous to his fellow magi. During his lecture he showed his risingcard routine which I might tell you, shook an awful lot of the magicians. I'm not going to tell you what he did because you should see his lecture and find out. The title of the trick may have misled you into believing this to be a new trick when, in point of fact, it is a new way of doing an old one. The difference between this and the more usual presentation is that you tell the audience that the cards are gimmicked, but not of course giving them the real explanation. In fact you tell them that the pack is computerised and that instead of having to resort to manipulations or sleight-of-hand, the pack itself can find chosen cards ...through electronic circuitry. Before you panic or go off in search of a soldering-iron, let me assure you that this will work with all rising-card decks and that it is only the dressing that is different. EFFECT After a card has been selected, it is cut into the pack which is then placed into its stand, box or tumbler and then covered with a silk. The spectator is told that if he whistles or sings it will start the computer deck to work. When the whistling, or singing starts a card is seen to rise under the silk. The silk is removed but instead of the chosen card there is one bearing a message: "KEEP THE NOISE DOWN PLEASE.. I'M TRYING TO THINK" This card is removed (in a manner apt for the type

33

of rising card you are using) and the business repeated. This time another caption card rises and this one says: " IS IT A BLACK CARD?" (Chorus of spectators shouting )

"No".

The card is removed as before with an apology from the performer who blames the weather and tells everyone that it affects the electronics. But he promises that the next card will be the chosen one. Another card rises with yet another caption: "IS IT A RED CARD?" The performer loses his cool and shouts at the deck, "Of course it is..if it'

"

quiet... am trying to hick..

The illustrations show both sides of the single gimmicked card described in the

s not black it has to be red. As he removes this card he reveals another, shorter caption, at the foot of the card:

"AND

'

DON T SHOUT." Finally the business is repeated and the correct card rises. MANUFACTURING NOTES The caption cards are blank-faced and match the deck in use. The lettering of the captions should not be attempted by hand. (For one thing it is difficult to write or paint on the surfaces of most playing cards. For another, most people are not capable of making a neat job

4

'

of the lettering.) Rather you should use 'Letraset or some other form of rub-down lettering plus some of the finishing substance which will protect the lettering once it is in place. The lettering can be obtained in a computer type style similar to that shown in the illustrations. The shop assistant will have no trouble finding the right type. Only one more thing to remember and that is that when the card rises from the pack a portion of it will remain trapped and unseen. Draw a light pencil line across each blank card at the place where the top of the pack will be when the card has risen. Any lettering must appear well above this line or it will not be seen. However, in the case of the double-captioned card, "DON'T SHOUT" should be

34

35

HANDLING If you are three fake forced are appearance. normal deck

using an electronic or clockwork deck, the cards and the duplicate of the one to be arranged in the proper order for their Usually the chosen card will be forced from a or a forcing deck.

If you use a Devano type deck you could replace the majority of the normal cards with duplicates of the force card to make the selection procedure easier. The force card should be red. You would start with the deck in the following order from the top of the face down deck:- face down duplicates, several indifferent cards, the rising unit and finally the three fake cards. The deck is fanned face down without exposing the fakes. The spectator selects a card, which must be one of the duplicates, and it is noted and replaced back from where it came. The deck is cut so as to bring the normal cards to the face and place one of the duplicates below the fake cards. You are now set up to perform the routine in the manner outlined earlier. It is possible to perform the whole of the routine with only one fake card. You use both ends and sides of the fake. One extra piece of preparation is needed to ensure that there is a duplicate of the face card of the deck also on top of the deck. This top card is reversed which means that the deck can be turned over secretly without the spectators noticing the change.

turned end-for-end as in the usual Devano routines. Note that the push-down move is only possible with the adhesive-type Devano-Deck. One last point, before a summary of the routine is given, use a red Two or Four spot as the force card. This is because the lower half of the card is not seen and can provide room for one of the messages as shown in the illustration. At the start of the routine the cards are in the glass in the non-working way. The card is forced from another deck and as the computer deck is being described it is removed and secretly turned end for end before being replaced. A silk is used to cover the glass and a card will rise under cover of it. The silk is removed and message disclosed. The message card is carefully pushed back into the deck and the glass turned as the silk is replaced. After the business, the silk is removed to disclose the second message. The cards are removed and the message card is disengaged from the mechanism and then pushed down inside the deck. The deck is turned over and replaced in the glass and covered with the silk. The third message is produced and the card carefully pushed down into the deck. The glass is covered and rotated. Next time the silk is pulled clear the chosen card is revealed.

When the first card has risen, and has been observed, instead of removing it from the deck, carefully push it back down into the pack without disengaging the adhesive contact. When the card has been pushed down level with the deck it should be placed in the glass or houlette and covered with the silk. As it is covered the glass is turned halfway round so that the next message will show when the card rises again. To get the other two messages the deck will have to be removed from the glass and 36 37 4

Bottomi un! This is more a move than a trick. Its uses are many but basically it is designed to cause a playing card to appear, suddenly, face-up from the deck. The inspiration for the flourish, came from two friends, Piet Forton and Ricky Jay. It was when watching Ricky performing Piet's 'Pop-out' move that I started to experiment on ways of producing a similar effect but without reversed cards. To start, the card to be produced is at the bottom of the face-down deck. Hold the cards face down with the right hand, from above. The long edges of the deck are towards you, the right thumb at the inside long edge and the fingers at the outside edge (1). The left hand grips the deck at the left end and cuts off half of the deck (the top half). The right hand half is moved over the left hand packet and the face card is stroked along the left forefinger (2). The left hand duplicates this action; the left packet stroking the right forefinger. The action is done quickly and is a cover for the move itself. When you are ready to produce the card you do the following: The right packet strokes the left forefinger but this time applies more pressure. The left forefinger moves up against the face card of the right hand packet. The right packet moves backwards but the left forefinger draws out the face card. Continue moving the right packet towards you and twist it anti-clockwise so that it is parallel with the left packet (3). The right packet is now moved around the left forefinger and this turns the trapped card face up. The card 38

finishes up at right angles to the two packets (4). packets themselves are on top of each other but jogged so that they can be separated and another produced if required.

The still card

All this takes but a split-second to happen and it is so quick that it is impossible for the spectator to see where the card came from ...it just appears. If you read the description, from beginning to end, with the pack in your hand, you should have moderate success. Once you understand the principle you should be able to correct. any handling problems. 39

?he Chinese twist I have to pay tribute to Paul Harris who, to my mind, is like ice-cream on a hot day or that surprise present at Christmas. He has injected, into what was getting to be a rather refurbished antique business, a completely new art-form using new methods to bring about new tricks. (As opposed to using an old method for a new trick, or viceversa.) We magic-nuts spend our lives looking for new surprises and he has provided them for us. Thank you Paul. The Chinese Twist was inspired by a move called The Bizarre Twist in that great book 'Paul Harris Reveals Some Of His Most Intimate Secrets'. In case you are not aquainted with the effect, one playing card is slid, face-down, between two other face-down cards. Suddenly, and visibly, the centre card is seen to be face-up. The move is beautiful and, when performed correctly, a real eye-popper. Take my advice and buy the book - it has many other goodies as well. If you can perform The Bizarre Twist and then follow it with my Chinese Twist, you have an unbelievable finish to a great card routine. So read on... The effect starts in the same way as the Bizarre Twist: two playing cards held lengthways between the thumb and finger of the left hand. A chosen card is slid between them. The chosen card is removed and placed into the pack. Holding the other two cards between his hands, the performer shows that suddenly the chosen card has returned to his hands but it is the only card there, the other two having completely vanished. Finally the other two cards reappear face up in the pack. When these two cards are turned over it is revealed they have have now changed the colour of their backs. 40

To set up for the effect, have a blue-backed pack with two Jokers on top and two red-backed Jokers face-up on the bottom. The pack should be in its case. To perform the effect, remove the pack from the case and give it a few false shuffles and cuts. Deal the top two Jokers face-up onto the table as you say, "Whenever there's any mixing going on, you can bet that these two Jokers are at the bottom of it.. even if they are at the top. Actually they are two shop stewards (Union representatives), or pickets, picketing the pack... and there's nothing worse than a pack that's been picketed." Fan the pack, offering it to a spectator for selection, taking care not to reveal the two reversed cards at the bottom. You continue:- "Picket a card.. I mean pick out a card. Good, now I'll show you just what these two Jokers are capable of." Divide the pack at the point where the selection was taken. (Try to get the card taken from near the centre of the pack.) Place the two piles of cards side by side on the table with the lower pile (The one with the two reversed Jokers at the bottom) to the left. Pick up the two blue-backed Jokers and hold them face-up in the left hand. (1) Take the selected card from the spectator and hold it face-up, by its short side, between the right hand finger and thumb, for all to see. Say, "Our hero wants to go into the factory to deliver some goods." Use the chosen card to point to the two piles of cards as you indicate that these will represent the factory. "Before.

he can get in he has to get through the picketline." At this point apparently slide the chosen card, face-up, between the two Jokers but in fact slide it under them and support it there with the first finger of the left hand. (2) Say,"He receives a real going-over." Slide the chosen card to and fro before leaving it seemingly held between the two Jokers. "But as soon as their backs are turned he makes a break 41

and hides in the factory." This is the point where the Chinese Twist is brought into play. Let's take it from the point where the cards are held in a face-up cross arrangement (2). The right hand returns to the three cards to turn them over. The first and second finger and thumb grip the three cards at a point where the two Jokers and the chosen card cross. (3) Two fingers on top and thumb underneath turn all three cards over using the same principle employed in The Chinese Compass. They turn at an angle of 45 degrees to the point where the fingers and thumb are gripping the cards. When the twist has been performed the left thumb and second fnger take the same position as before the twist: the left thumb and second finger at the right short end and the forefinger keeping the cards in position. To explain what happens: As the cards are turned, swivelling at forty-five degrees, the two cards that were between the thumb and fingers of the left hand are now in the same position as the single card was when apparently slid in between the two Jokers, whilst the single card is now being held at the short ends by the thumb and second finger of the left hand. (4) The two face-down Jokers are taken, as one, and placed on the right hand pile of cards. (The spectators think you are removing a single card, the selection.) The left hand pile is placed on top thus losing the cards in the middle of the pack and bringing the reversed Jokers to the centre. "The two shop stewards got trapped by the two old-hands." As you say this, the right hand is placed palm down over what the spectators presume are the two Jokers in the left hand. Both hands are turned over as you say, "But wait... look.. our hero was too quick for them." The left hand is slowly removed to reveal the face up chosen card. This is placed to one side and the pack is spread to reveal the two face-up Jokers. You remove the two Jokers, still face-up and say, "I'll

bet their faces are red.. well, anyway, their backs certainly are." At which point you take one card in each hand and slowly turn them over to reveal their red backs. Just one point: When you are sliding the card under the two Jokers, remember that you are supposed to be sliding it between them. So don't make it look too easy. Give the cards a little blow as if to separate them. This really brings us to the old point about a magician needing acting ability.

REQUIREMENTS

Smaller'n ghat

An ordinary pack of cards from which you will force a card by your pet method. A Jumbo card to match the force card. The Jumbo must be a low value card like a Two spot. One poker size, Bicycle court card and a close-up mat.

This effect began as an addition to the Diminishing CardCase. However instead of diminishing, it grew into a formidable close-up diminishing card routine. If you think that doesn't make sense just wait until you read the effect.

One half size double-face card (patience size). Use a Nine or Ten spot and on its back glue half a court card to match the poker card.

Magicians in the know will remember Brother John Hamman's wonderful 'Micro Macro' and may, quite rightly, assume it as the basis of this effect. We do however go one step beyond seemingly making the impossible possible. Nothing is added or taken away. EFFECT A playing card is chosen by a spectator who returns it to the pack. The magician shuffles the cards and places them aside. Producing another pack from his pocket the magician spreads it to show that one card only is reversed and therefore face-up. The audience would think this wonderful if the face-up card were the same as the chosen one but unfortunately this is not so. The face-up card is placed aside and the magician again spreads the pack. The cards are now seen to be half their normal size. Again there is a reversed card but once more it is the wrong one... so it is removed and placed alongside the full-sized card. Once more the pack is spread and this time is seen to have diminished to a quarter of normal size. Inevitably there is one reversed card but unfortunately it is still the wrong one and is placed aside. In desperation the performer asks to be told the denomination of the chosen card. As soon as he knows which card it is he lifts and turns over the closeup mat to reveal a giant replica of the selection. 44

Another quarter spread, towards gimmick card is

patience size card. To its face glue four or five size cards face-down. These are arranged as if with a quarter size Five or Six spot face up one end. This card is not actually stuck to the but can be removed. The illustrations show how the clipped between the other glued cards

A Patience pack. This is gimmicked by glueing half poker cards to each small face. The cards become double-backed, patience back design on one side and poker design on the other. All the cards are illustrated and you should have no trouble making them up. Time spent in making a good set. will be well rewarded. SET-UP Have the Jumbo card face-up on the table, under the close-up mat. The normal cards set to force a duplicate of the Jumbo are in the left side pocket. The gimmicked pack is set up as follows from the top:-The poker size Jack of Spades. The patience size card with quarter size cards stuck to its back. The smaller cards are uppermost. Next you have about twenty-six patience cards with the poker back uppermost. The half-faced Jack of Spades is next with that side uppermost. This is followed by the remainder of the patience cards with the poker backs uppermost.

45

Note that the number of patience size cards in will vary depending on whether you decide to peel order to make them thinner. The main point is that of Spades should appear to be in the middle of when the cards are first spread.

the deck cards in the Jack the deck

Neatly square up the patience cards under the normal Jack. Their long edges are up against the short edge of the Jack as shown in the diagrams. It is essential that the normal short edge of the half Jack (patience gimmick) is in line with the top edge of the normal Jack, otherwise it will not show properly when the spread is made. Place an elastic band around the cards and have them in the right coat pocket. PERFORMANCE Remove the ordinary cards from your left coat pocket and force the card which matches the Jumbo (Let's assume it is the Two of Clubs) saying, "I am about to show you one of the most incredible predictions you will ever see. Please take a card, remember it and, whatever you do, don't tell anyone what your card is. Just shuffle it into the pack." Whilst the spectator shuffles, remove the set-up deck from the right pocket. Hold it with the whole card at the top and the patience cards towards the audience as shown in the illustration. Remove the elastic band and ribbon spread the cards on the table. Be careful not to show the quarter size fake which is under the top card. If you can, before spreading, overlap the top (whole) card half an inch forward and then ribbon spread. This provides better cover. It will look as if you have spread a poker deck ( although along the short edge) and that a face-up Jack of Spades is in the middle. If the face-up card is hidden then gently spread the centre cards further until you have about three-quarters of an inch of the Jack exposed. Be careful to keep the cards aligned throughout this part of the trick.

46

47

Point at the face-up card and say with great enthusiasm.. . "There is one card, and one card only, face-up in the pack. Answer yes or no ...is it your card?" The spectator will answer "No". Be sure not to prompt them to name their card accidentally at this point. Gather up the spread by placing your left fingers at the outer end and your right hand at the near end. The left hand 'claws' the spread cards up back towards the whole card. The right hand anchors its end of the spread and helps cover the cards as they are gathered beneath the normal card. Do this quickly so as not to destroy the illusion that you have a normal deck.

Holding the deck in position before ribbonspreading it across the

Now, without drawing attention to what you are doing, lift the deck so that it is gripped once again by the right hand just as it was when first introduced. The left hand reaches into the right hand and grips the deck, fingers on top and thumb underneath. The right hand loosens its grip while the left hand rotates at the wrist in an anti-clockwise direction. As if turning a key the left hand turns the deck completely over. The right hand grips the deck again and then the left hand withdraws the normal Jack of Spades (now face-up) and places it face-up to the left of the mat. This is all one continuous action. The deck is hidden from view and the spectators assume that the Jack is the one that was in the middle of the spread.

The left hand rotates the deck anti-clockwise within the right hand before

This is your first incorrect discovery and the pack is now set to re-spread. During this you have beguiled your audience with patter, "Was your card smaller than that? Funny, I'm not usually wrong." The spectator will reply " Yes". Ribbon spread the patience cards from left to right in front of you. Once again there is a face-up card but all the cards appear to have shrunk. You say "There is one card, and one card only, which is face-up: Answer yes or no, is that your card?" He will reply "No".

48

The left hand slips the quarter-size fake from the bottom to the top of the deck.

49

Remove the patience size card (Nine or Ten spot) and place it beside the full size Jack. Be careful not to turn it over or you will reveal the half-face on the reverse. Ask again if the selected card was "Smaller than that?" He will reply "Yes" and you take advantage of the verbal misdirection to accomplish a bit of chicanery. As you gather the patience cards up into the right hand and back into the previous position, the left fingers slip the bottom, quarter-size fake, to the top of the deck. The cards are small so the move is easily executed by curling the left fingers under and around the cards bringing the fake to the top of the deck. The fake turns over as it is pushed around the deck.

The 41o1et 'Jae Here is a prime example of how a topological puzzle can provide the basis of a quite startling stage effect. THE PUZZLE: Six coins are placed in the shape of a triangle (1) and the trick is to try and turn the triangle upside-down by moving only two coins. The solution is so easy that most people miss it (2).

Again spread the cards but this time lengthways and vertically. They appear to have shrunk once more and are now seemingly a quarter of their normal size. There is now one tiny card face up in the middle (Five or Six spot). Remove it and repeat your patter formula. "Now tell me honestly, Yes or no, is that your card?" When he replies "N o" look crestfallen and say, "O.K. you win what was your card?" When he tells you, try to look stunned, (which is a little different from crestfallen.) and say, "The Two of Clubs? That's not a small card ..it's a very big card." As you say this, gather the cards up off the mat, being careful not to reveal any fakes and lift the mat to reveal the Jumbo card. That's it folks. I'm not suggesting that you will not have to work hard in both making and performing the effect. But it really can be done and merits the effort. Don't forget to keep the "What smaller than that?" line going, to build up to the climax.

50

THE EFFECT A green, triangular tube is shown and several silks or bunches of feather flowers are produced from it. The last: silk (red) is full of holes and therefore a source of embarrassment to the immaculate conjurer. He stuffs the silk back into the tube, makes a few mystic passes and pulls the silk out again. The silk is repaired but unfortunately it has also changed colour, from red to green. Conversely the tube has changed from green to red and - wait for it - is full of holes: 5I

METHOD Now what on earth have those coins got to do with a production tube that changes colour and becomes perforated? If you study the third illustration you may understand the connection. The tube is composed not of six coins but of four triangular sections which have interesting possiblities. Believe it or not, it is possible to hide four surfaces which are perforated with holes. 'One

picture is equal to a thousand words' it is said. Well, certainly in this case it is true as you will find if you study the illustrations. Such study should make it possible for you to construct the apparatus to whatever practical size you wish. As to the materials: it can be made of card or thin plywood. If you decide to make it from heavy card, cloth-hinges and model airplane elastic are best. The airplane elastic acts as a spring mechanism to make the tube reverse itself. You can use other materials and a lot depends on how large you wish to make the apparatus. But if you favour ply, use spring-hinges. I suggest that you make a rough cardboard model first to familiarize yourself with the whole construction. PERFORMANCE Load the compartments with silks but leave compartments A and B for the holey silk and its contrasting replacement ( the perfect green silk. These silks must be large enough to cover the tube.. These load chambers should be sealed at opposite ends to avoid any possible confusion regarding the removal and insertion of the silks. The red holey silk should be loaded into compartment B when the tube is set up. The perfect green silk should be placed into compartment A, at the bottom, with the U-clip holding the tube in place at the top. With the tube set up, one side is red and full of holes. The audience should not see this side. They see only the

To perform the effect, pick up the loaded tube with the right hand, placing it on the left palm so that it stands there in an upright position. If you study the illustration you will see a nylon loop hanging from the bottom of the tube. One end is attached to the perfect green silk and the other end is attached to the U-clip (a cut down hair clip) which holds the tube in position. In placing the tube on the left palm, allow the left fingers to engage the nylon loop. Holding the tube carefully (so that the red portion is not seen) produce the silks etc from compartments C and D. When these compartments are empty, remove the red (holey) silk from

52

5"3

s

its compartment and show it. Draw attention to its colour and condition. It is very important that you do this otherwise the effect is lost. Drape the silk over the tube and look suitably upset as you push it back into the tube. When it is completely inside, engage the right middle fingers into the finger hole provided, and start to withdraw the green silk from the bottom of the tube (The nylon helping you to locate it). Pull it out with obvious delight and show that it is repaired. Take care not to pull the nylon so far that it pulls the clip free and releases the mechanism prematurely. When you have made the most of the green silk, drape it over your left hand and the tube. The left hand, after draping the silk, continues its downward movement to engage the nylon and pull the wire gimmick free of the tube thus allowing the elastic to do its work transforming the tube to its red holey version. Because the right finger is in the hole provided, the side triangular section should flip around automatically.

Holey side of tube faces you whilst the audience see the solid sides. The thread is looped around the left hand.

Now place the left hand under the tube. As at the beginning, remove the right hand from its position, taking the silk with it to reveal the holey tube. All three sections are now full of holes and the tube may be shown all around. Note that the length of the nylon must be long enough to allow free movement of the silk without causing the clip to be pulled off the tube prematurely. As mentioned before the measurements are flexible and the strength of the elastic band required will vary. You may be surprised to know that I came up with this idea for Pat Page, not as a trick but as a transformation magic table. So you can see that there are no size limitations. In conclusion I leave you with this problem: How do you

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lead in to this effect? Remember, you cannot show the tube empty for obvious reason. How can you get round this? I have the answer, have you? Maybe it's n 'square-circle' principle, or maybe it's a switch. I'm not going to tell you: neither do I offer any prizes .. the invention of an original idea in magic brings its own reward.

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shoot Out Not so much a trick, as a move or flourish, this is one of the few items in this book to have appeared in print before. I released it for publication in 'Babel', and would like to thank David Britland for his permission to reprint it here. David was editor of both 'Babel' and 'Talon' and has written and illustrated several books of his own. A very clever young man, one of the new-thinkers in card magic. EFFECT Deftly riffle shuffling the deck.. (He does it deftly because he does not hear so good.) the performer places it face-down upon the table. He cuts to three of the Aces unerringly. Just before completion of the fourth cut there is a complete surprise. Yes, it is another Ace.. but.. it shoots right out of the deck, toward the spectators, as if propelled by an unknown force. It's a change of pace, it's a surprise, it's 'Shoot-out'. THE MOVE The fourth Ace shoots out of the deck face-up. First we'll deal with the technicalities of propelling the card from the deck and then we'll deal with the matter of getting it reversed. Reverse the face card of your deck. Hold the deck face down (1) in the right hand by one of the short edges. Slide the reversed card about half-an-inch to the right to bring its outer right corner in contact with the third finger of the right hand. It is this particular finger that does all the work. The deck is held horizontally and just slightly above the table-top. If the deck is

56

actually tabled you may have difficulty in picking it up unless you're working on a close-up pad. The left hand cuts the deck (from the left side) and places the upper half on the table just in front of the right hand portion (2). The right hand can move backwards a little so that the left hand portion does not have to move too far forward in order to clear it. The right hand now moves forward to deposit its portion on top of lire tabled packet. As the right hand packet is almost over the tabled packet the shooting action is performed. The move is simplicity itself. The right third finger pulls back on the outer corner of the end-jogged card. The card remains held by the right thumb and second finger. As the third finger pulls back on the card it will begin to buckle and eventually the pressure will cause the card to slip off the third finger and shoot towards the spectators (3 and 4). The right thumb does not move during the buckle action but, when you feel the card is under sufficient pressure, you relax the third finger and allow the card to shoot forward under its own pressure. As the card flies forward the cut is completed by dropping the right hand cards onto those on the table. REVERSING THE CARD This move is improved if the card is face-up rather than face-down but obviously you have to reverse and end-jog the card secretly. I have found a move which will do both at the same time. I discovered it in Jean Hugard's 'More Card Manipulations' volume three. You will find it there described under the title: 'Reversing the bottom-card: Two methods'. It is the second method which interests us. The Ace to be reversed should be on top of the deck, which is held face-up in the left hand dealing grip. The right hand comes over the deck (5) and the right thumb riffles one card free from the back of the deck (the

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Ace). The right hand then slides the deck towards you in a sort of squaring action. The deck is moved back until it clears the left forefinger and is then moved forward again but the Ace is left projecting towards you in what is generally referred to as a Gambler's Cop (6 and 7). When the deck is moved forward it is left overhanging the left forefinger where it can be taken by the right hand ( gripping the outer short edge) and turned completely over and placed face-down on top of the copped Ace. The deck is placed face-down in the left hand but not square with the face-up Ace. The Ace is left projecting from the deck. 6,7 and 8 show the reverse being carried out. The right hand now takes the deck from the near end and turns it anticlockwise until it is in position for the shoot-out. With careful attention to angles, the move is completely deceptive. David has found an alternative method. He says it is Ed Marlo's 'KM Move' and I'm sure he is right. (He has the only out-jogged bookshelf in London.) We will assume that the deck is face-down, with two Aces at the face. False cut the deck and then turn it face up in the left hand dealing position to show that you have found a third Ace ( two have already been produced). Double-lift the two face cards as one and start to take them off the face of the deck (9). Just as the Ace(s) is taken from the deck the left hand turns palm down (wrist turn action) and the left fingers pull the rear card of the double back onto the bottom of the deck. The deck however is now face down but the stolen Ace is face up. What's more it can be stolen into a jogged position rather than square with the deck as is usual with this kind of move. The left hand covers the jogged Ace. The visible Ace is thrown to the table and the deck transferred to the right hand for the shoot-out (or the move made from the left hand if you prefer). 10 and 11 show the move being carried out. PATTER BY VAL ANDREWS (When I asked Val if he could think of some good patter 58

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?he Malian bane_ Here is an example of a trick that is so simple yet can drive magicians to distraction just trying to figure out how it is done. And as Paul Daniels said to me: "If you can fool magicans, you are bound to fool the public." Whilst I am name dropping I might as well carry on that way and mention someone else, who in my opinion, is another 'one-off', Pat Page. Pat is one of those rare birds, in this day and age, a completely honest, and I do mean honest, man. When I say this I do not mean to infer that everyone else is dishonest: rather that if you ask Pat's opinion on something he will tell you exactly what he thinks. Without frills and without hurting your feelings. So you know where you stand with him.

'Shoot-out',

"What's

for he said, in it for me." in his usual charming, crusty manner. I had to bribe him by promising him the loan of my 'Adonis' table-stand, for his next lecture.) "This is the story of a Texas gambling-man. He used to win so often that he had to carry a 'forty-five' to protect himself... and a 'thirty-two' to protect the 'forty-five'. He could take a shuffled deck and cut to the Aces every time.. Ace of Clubs.. Ace of Hearts.. Ace of Diamonds.. ( CUTS THE ACES.) One night he was playing with Wild Bill Hiccup.. I'll repeat that.. on second thoughts perhaps I won't.. when Wild Bill said: 'If that thar next card y'all cuts is the Ace of Spades it will mean a shoot-out'. It was, and it did. (SHOOTS OUT ACE) But the Texas gambling man survived, and lived until years later when he broke the code of the West ...uttered a discouragin' word."

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Having said this, I would add that Pat and his family are probably the best friends I have. Apart from Val Andrews, Pat and the late Ken Brooke have been the most influential as far as my magical originality has been concerned. Both Pat and Ken showed interest in my ideas and encouraged me to continue to "think original". But more of that later. Back to the trick: One day, Pat and Margaret spent the day at my flat and as I prepared the dinner I tried to think of something to take their minds off my cooking. So I came up with the trick that follows, intending it at first as a gag but it fooled Pat so badly that I was encouraged to continue with it. I figured that if it would fool Pat, it would fool anyone. So here I had a miracle that had been born in the kitchen. You won't realise how effective it is until you try it. As in the Indian Rope Trick, a rope appears to stand

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erect without any means of support. The piece of soft white rope is about 30 inches long and seemingly quite normal when the performer starts to handle it. The rope is held upright between the hands and then, inevitably, the top hand lets go and the rope remains standing stiffly, supported at the bottom only. But wait, here's the best part. The rope is thrown to a spectator, who may examine the rope and actually keep it. Thus I have, I believe, created the world's first disposable Indian Rope Trick. If you were reading this in a catalogue, I would at this point say: "No threads, wires, springs and completely self-contained. The rope can be examined, and given to a spectator to keep after the effect has been performed." No one would buy it, because they would assume I was breaking the trade-description code. Apart from the rope you need a gimmick found in almost every kitchen, and this will cost you about 50 pence to buy enough of them for a hundred performances. What is the secret? It is elementary, my dear reader. All the clues were there: the reference to the kitchen and the word 'Italian' in the title, plus the inference that the whole thing is cheap enough to throw away. You must have guessed by now ...no? Well, it's SPAGHETTI. Now don't get mad ...it is practical, and as long as you keep the secret it will remain a miracle. To prepare - and it is best to prepare a dozen or so at a time - buy a packet of spaghetti of the dry type, sold in sticks which are about twenty inches long. Cut some pieces of soft white magician's-rope; each about a yard long. You used to be able to buy two types of rope but now it seems that only the thin type is available in Britain. Fortunately this is the one you require. Take a length of rope, knot one end and thread a piece of spaghetti into the centre of the free end. Very carefully push the spaghetti stick further up into the rope. you will find it easiest to let the knot hang down, so that

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you are pushing the spaghetti down into the rope. Feed it in gradually, a little at a time, rather as you would thread a curtain wire into the hem of a net curtain. You have to push it all in, without hitting any obstruction, so do it slowly, teasing the rope gently. Push the spaghetti along the rope so that it is not only all inside but so that you have enough rope loose at the end to tie another knot. When you have finished, you should have a piece of rope perhaps thirty-two inches long with a knot at each end. Twenty inches of the rope is rigid commencing at one of the knots. If you prepare a number of these ropes, they can be stored in a postal tube. PERFORMANCE The rope should be on display, hanging over a hook or suitable object with the stiff portion hanging on one side, the limp portion on the other. When ready to start. the trick, just lift the rope by placing your hand between the two hanging ends, lifting it at the point of support. Take care to do this gently and not break the gimmick. Grasp the end of the short, hanging, portion and lift it: until the whole rope is upright. As you do this, release your hold on the rope with the other hand but do this before the top is vertical. The swinging rope looks normal and not rigid in any way. Grasp the free end with the hand so that you are holding it vertically, a hand at each end. Turn the rope end for end (as if turning a propeller) still keeping it taut. The gimmicked end of the rope is now uppermost. Release the bottom end and, if you are fortunate enough to have the services of an orchestra, cue the drummer for a ' roll' with your free hand. This same hand strokes the rope from top to bottom a few times. In this action you locate the lower end of the spaghetti and then hold the rope at that point. As if doing a balancing feat, release

czl.3.n. The rope is pulled down through the fingers of the left hand and then to the right. This breaks the gimmick into tiny pieces.

Older people who read the above initials would be forgiven for mistaking them for "TaTa For Now", as uttered by 'Mrs. Mop' (Dorothy Summers) in the popular wartime radio programme, 'I.T.M.A.'. But in fact they really stand for Tri-Tetra-Flexagon. The T.T.F.N., as I call it, is the easiest and simplest of all flexagons. "Big deal", you might say, "What's a Hexagon?" Well, it's one of those folding inside out/outside in affairs, ala the Himber Wallet or those tumbling blocks which keep the children quiet and everyone else awake.

THE FINAL SEQUENCE

the top end, thus showing the rope or at least twenty inches of it defying all natural laws. Make a few passes with the free hand as if to show that there are no attachments then, with the same hand, take hold of the bottom of the rope. Pull it to the side of the upright at a forty-five degree angle and slowly pull it out to the side, so that the upright piece gets shorter and shorter (and the spaghetti breaks into pieces as it is pulled through the fingers) and the rope actually between the hands gets longer and longer. Finally you hold the rope horizontally and bring the hands together so that the rope falls into a natural loop before you throw it down into the audience.

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Hexa-flexagons seem to go on and on getting more and more complicated and have incredible results. However, we only need the simple one, which does the job we want quite well. Although you may think it is just another two-way wallet, it has something the others do not even though it is quite simple to make. Before I explain the making of the wallet, let me tell you the trick I have worked out for it. Although I doubt if it will fool magicians, it goes incredibly well with lay-audiences and of course magicians love the idea of it. EFFECT You talk about a friend who could not quit gambling. "1 bet him fifty quid that he couldn't stop ......he took the bet." Next, offer to show how you got the fifty pounds back. Hand a spectator a pack of cards to shuffle. As he shuffles, explain to him that you are psychic and can tell exactly which card he will choose. You explain that you are so confident, that you are prepared to bet fifty 65

pounds, despite the impossiblity of what you are about to do. At this point you produce a wallet, which you place on the table. You then take the cards from the spectator and run through them thoughtfully. You remove one card, and without letting anyone see the face of it, you flip open the wallet to reveal that it has two pockets. The one on the left is labelled, "Impossible Prediction." The one of the right is labelled, "Spectator's Choice". The card you have selected is slipped face-down into the prediction pocket.

my friend, he just had to do it and so will you if you want to see the end of this gambler's cure."

This last sentence is aimed at the spectator and you con suggest that he should bet a drink or some such trifle. When he has finished squirming, ask him to take your prediction card out of the wallet himself. When he does this, he finds that it is his own, signed card. When he snatches the card out of the spectator's-card pocket, he gets a real shock, because it has a caption written on it: "You Now Owe Me Fifty Quid ....You Idiot." METHOD

YOU NOW OWE ME FIFTY QUID ••..YOU IDIOT! You now explain why the prediction is impossible. The spectator has not taken a card yet. If they examine the pack they will find it is quite normal and without duplicates. Further if they count the cards they will find that there are but fifty-one. As you have already removed a card and the spectator has yet to choose one, it is impossible for your card and his to be the same. The spectator chooses a card, signs it if he wishes, and it is then placed in the appropriate pocket in the wallet. You say, "My gambling friend bet that this couldn't be done and, like you, he placed a card in the wallet. In fact he bet me fifty pounds that I hadn't predicted his card. I said, 'Let's see the colour of your money. If you' re not prepared to put the money up then I'll put the wallet away and you'll never know'. That was too much for

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You need a normal pack of cards with one card missing. (In case the spectator really counts them as indicated in the above presentation.) You also need a blank card with a matching back. On this you inscribe the caption (see illustrations) either by hand or with some form of rubdown lettering. If you don't have a matching blank you can paste white paper over a Joker. But do make a neat job of it, especially regarding the edges.

You need a special wallet, which will take you all oI thirty minutes to make. My wallet is made of soft cord, covered with leatherette-type paper. I made the caption labels for the pockets with rub-down lettering. You need four labels, two of each reading "Spectator's Choice" and " Impossible Prediction". If you follow the illustrations you should find construction quite easy. Just cut the shape out lightly in pencil, write the letters A,B,C, as in diagram. Remember that, at the finish, the letters each side will be identical. By the of the cards. around

the and the on

way if you are wondering what the special property wallet is, it is that the wallet changes, not the They stay where they are, the wallet changing them.

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A

Y X

C

D

The wallet is constructed from the shape shown in diagram 1. The smaller rectangles indicate the positions of the labels on BOTH sides of the material. As indicated in diagram 1 you fold A over to B. Note that the portion marked X goes BEHIND the portion marked Y (Diagram 2). The shaded area indicates the other side of the material. Next C is folded UNDERNEATH to D and glued in place. This produces the final wallet as in diagram 3.

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Only one move is involved: the wallet has to be closed one way and opened the other. This is done at the point in the patter, where you say: "Otherwise I'll put the wallet away, and you won't know one way or the other." At this point, close the wallet and make as if to put it away. Seemingly change your mind laying it down again open on the table. If you've done it correctly you've switched the cards around. Of course at the beginning of the trick the card you take out of the pack is the caption card. Leave the wallet open on the table throughout the routine except for that point at which you threaten to put it away. That way the stunt looks very fair indeed.

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Cunnq 3lavour Cardicians all over the world have evolved different methods of performing Paul Curry's 'Out Of This World'. In fact Paul stated, in one of his marvellous books, that so many people had come up with ideas for it, suggesting either that he had missed lots of methods, or was in danger of having the world's first "Book-length card trick". Possibly he just meant to be amusing. 'Out Of This World' has been re-designed by such names as John Scarne, Harry Lorayne and many others. Television has had its fair share of 'O.O.T.W.' with Paul Daniels featuring it in his television series and John Tremayne giving us a lovely version with photographs of film-stars. Probably the thing the 'O.O.T.W.' afficianados would most like to do is allow the spectator to deal two piles, without having to stop him half-way through. Allowing him then to turn the piles over, showing separation of the reds and blacks without any funny moves. Well, this is yet another version of the effect, except that in this version the spectator really does just deal two piles and without being stopped, seemingly deals one pile of reds and one pile of blacks. That's not all, but I am racing ahead of myself. The name, David Britland, has cropped up before, in this book, and as I have said, he is a very clever young man. The reason I mention David is that he performed his version of 'O.O.T.W.' for me, I dealt the cards into two piles and he did not stop me at any point. This knocked me for six. He didn't divide the cards either, but what he did do was brilliant and new; a completely original concept. It was seeing this breakthrough which inspired me to think again and what I came up with does look quite impressive. Does it improve Paul Curry's original trick? I don't know. Try it and you may get to like it.

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EFFECT The performer asks red cards into one into another. When the piles over to succeeded.

a spectator to deal what he thinks are pile and those he believes to be black he has done this, the performer turns show that the spectator has apparently

The performer is not however impressed because he claims he can do it quicker. He now mixes the cards so that there are reds and blacks in each pile. The two packets are shuffled together. Instantly the red and black cards separate ...and it's quicker than using ESP. PERFORMANCE The deck is set with the red cards at the top and black cards at the bottom. There is also one red card at Lhe face of the deck. You start to overhand shuffle the deck but when you get to the middle section you run cards singly until you are past the point where the reds and blacks meet. Continue the shuffle and run single cards as you reach the end of the deck so that the last card (single red) goes on Lop of all. Whilst shuffling, ask if there is anyone present who has had experience of "Extra Perception" ...not to be confused with "Extra Sensory Perception". "It's almost the same except that all the sense has been removed. Anyone.. No? Well, let me show you an experiment." Hand the cards to the 'unsuspectator' and ask him to deal one card face-down onto the table. Point to a spot on the table in front of him slightly to the left of centre. When the card has been dealt ask him to deal another card about five inches to the right of the first. Both cards are face-down.

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Ask him to deal what he thinks are the red cards onto the left hand card and those he believes to be black onto the right hand card. Remind him that there are twenty-six of each so he should try to keep the numbers in each pile equal, although you caution him not to try and follow any particular sequence (eg red, black, red, black etc). When this has been done, square the cards and turn them over to reveal the face cards of each pile. You say "I asked you to deal the red cards onto this pile, and the black cards onto this one" and then you start to spread the alleged blackcard pile. But you don't spread far enough to reveal any of the red cards. As if you are totally unsurprised that this could be done, you say, "Just imagine that you have, by some mysterious means, divided the red cards from the black" and you place the packet back on the table leaving it slightly spread with seven or eight black cards still showing. You pick up the alleged red pile and spread this but showing only red cards. Exposing only the red cards in the packet table it, slightly spread, beside the black packet. The spreads are done casually and confirm, to the spectator's surprise, that he has somehow done the impossible. However, because you don't acknowledge it as a particularly great feat you won't get called on the showing of the cards. Note that when you spread the red pile you spread from the rear of that packet. The spectator therefore sees that the front and back cards of the packet appear to be red. The packets are turned facedown as you talk. You continue, "Even with the aid of mysterious forces, I think you will agree that it took at least 60 seconds for you to sort the colours. But I can do it in a fraction of that time.. let me show you. If I take half of the black cards and exchange them for half of the reds you can see that we will have reds and blacks in each packet." During this you cut just over a third from the top of 72

each pile and place it on the opposite pile. The red packet can be flashed as you make the transfer and, when placed on the black half, that packet can be turned over and spread to show that it really does now consist of reds and blacks. The packet is turned face-down again and, without explaining why, you remove the face cards from the bottom of each pile (your original indicator cards) and place them face-up, about six inches apart, on the table. The two piles are placed, short edges together and carefully riffle shuffled into each other. The pack is then squared. Snap your fingers or make some other magical gesture and then cut the pack into halves. I n fact the cut is made several cards short of the centre. This means that packet that came from the top will consist of all red cards. The packet is turned face-up and spread below the red marker card. The remainder of the deck is spread below the black marker card however you do not spread the last few cards as these may c o n t a i n one or two red cards. You have apparently separated the colours instantly and magically. The two packets are picked up and shuffled together to prevent the discovery of any odd red cards in the black packet. Note that the riffle shuffle of the packets should be as even as possible. That way you will get t h e best separation of reds and blacks. Do it well and you'll even surprise yourself. 7'i

7hLr Here are some ideas that may or may not get you thinking. Pete Biro, another very forthright friend of mine, once quoted: "There are only about twenty original thinkers in the magic world." Well, I think that the man quoted by Pete is wrong. There have to be more original thinkers, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of 'doers'. After all you can THINK original magic from the day you are born to the day you die; but unless you DO IT, no one will know and all those ideas will be wasted. Somebody once said: "There is one good book in everyone... the story of his life." By the same token, there must be an original effect to be obtained from every magician. Why then do we see thousands of magicians all performing the same old effects over and over again? Those who do get thinking and doing are the ones we all know, and look up to, and are. generally successful. There are of course some who, whilst never having had an original idea for an effect, are original in their concepts for presentation and are successful as a consequence. But very few are original in both their effects and their presentations. So get to it.. THINK and DO. The ideas presented here are not for new effects, rather they are thoughts which if you take them up may give your performances a new and original slant. GUILLOTINES: Everyone presents this effect in the same old way, locking someone's neck in the stocks and seemingly passing the blade through their neck without decapitating them. Presented in this way the effect loses all its drama and becomes a mere puzzle. As soon as the blade has fallen and the head is seen intact the illusion is finished. But if the victim were to be placed in the

74

apparatus so that his head were not visible, and t h e audience could only see his body, the whole aspect of t h e effect is changed. All you have to do is put the victim on the audience side of the guillotine. 1. When the blade has fallen the audience are n u t immediately aware concerning the survival or otherwise of the victim. 2. There are lots of possibilities here for macabrehumour. You could hold dialogue with your victim, and for his part he could be reading his lines from a cue-sheet which is spread on the floor but unseen by the audience. Another possibility is to seemingly converse with him via a hand-mike, but his replies are in fact those of an offscene assistant with another microphone. So much carefully rehearsed humour could seemingly be ad-lib. All the helper has to do is keep his mouth shut.. which you whisper him to do. 3. Imagine that the blade has gone down and a 'clunk' is heard, rather like the sound we imagine would be made by a falling head. Especially when the performer lifts a basket or pail from behind the apparatus and empties i t over the audience. The fact that the utensil is filled only with confetti will be an eleventh-hour discovery. 4. Under cover of the merriment caused by this bit of business anything could happen to the victim. For example, your assistant could place a mask on him, to match that on a dummy head also involved? Whilst on that theme, how about putting a mask on t h e victim before he is locked into the apparatus? After the operation you could lift a dummy head, with a duplicate mask, from behind the guillotine. SPONGE-BALLS: One of my favourite attention getters for lay company is the sponge balls. For many years magicians have presented the routine in the same old way... bul why? Not too much thought appears to have gone

7'i

into the presentation, with no intention of ringing the changes. How about the introduction of a rubber egg? You could introduce this as part of the routine, then switch for a real egg. This could be hard-boiled for safety: or you may prefer to be able to crack the egg and tip the contents into a glass. Of course you could go a step further, and use rubber eggs instead of sponge balls, culminating in the production of a big egg or how about one of those huge foam-rubber sandwiches? (Strangely, since I started writing this book, I have heard news of the production of sponge eggs.) Recently, Pat Page asked my permission to put in T.A.T. Papers an idea that I'd had for a novel use of a giant sponge ball. You know the one. It's about five and a half inches across and scrunches up into a truly miniscule space. Well the idea somehow didn't work as smoothly as it had in my mind. But one thing leads to another, and I came up with another idea which opens up additional possibilities. Originally the idea was that the performer tries to inflate a paper bag but fails to do so to the point of red-faced breathlessness. His hand holding the stillflat-bag drops to his side. Suddenly it inflates, illustrating the fact that a watched bag never fills. Now my method of inflation was a squashed giant sponge ball held firmly inside the bag, to be released when I wished the bag to swell. The theory was great but in practice the result was too slow. But when I found out why I was onto something better. Let me explain... The reason that it didn't work well was the chance use of a very thin white polythene-type bag: in which I had purchased goods from the Chemist (Drugstore). The trouble was that the bag was virtually airtight when its top was restrained, stopping the air entering the sponge ball and allowing it to expand. In fact the wretched thing took an age to inflate. But then I realised that I could get a

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better effect if I rolled the ball, rather like flattening a tube of toothpaste and sealing the mouth of the bag. I realised that the bag (and of course the hall inside) would lie as flat as a pancake, until the air was again allowed to enter. In the presentation I held the flat bag and tried to blow it up (but really doing no such thing). In disgust I put it down, being sure to open the mouth enough to allow the slow entry of air. The effect of the bag inflating by delayed action is very, very funny. It still needs some other element to make a real trick out of it. Can you think of something? FLASH PAPER: How about making an imitation rose or carnation from flash paper? This is almost as easily done as said, as anyone who has made paper-flowers from tissue will agree. Make the flower on a wire stem and place it in an elegant glass. To finish a lit cigarette production, thumb palm a lit cigarette and bring the hand down in front of the flower. The touch of the lit cigarette will result not only in a vanish but also a blinding flash. Excellent misdirection for a steal with the other hand of a giant pipe or other item. RING AND ROPE: The Borrowed Finger Ring Off Rope is a well known trick and Pete Biro, Roy Roth and the late Fred Kaps all lay claim to the climax where the ring ends up trapped on the stem of a wineglass which must be broken to release it. Very clever, and costly. Fred's presentation on his TV show included the idea, which I loved, of trapping the ring in a small box which has a spring lid. When the box came away leaving a bare rope, everyone assumed that the ring was in the box. But when the box was opened it contained just a card with a message written on it. The message suggested that Fred should serve the drinks and this led to the discovery of the ring on the stem of the wineglass. Very clever. I started to think about that message in the box and a fresh idea occured to me. Imagine making the ring disappear and then pointing to a box that has been in view the whole time. Imagine telling the owner to open

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the box and take out his ring only to find a message which cannot even be read with the naked eye. In fact the print is not only very small but the words do not make sense. Even the magician has to put on his glasses to read it. He makes great play of getting out and putting on his glasses, only to find the borrowed ring trapped on the bridge of the spectacles. How, you may ask, am I going to get the ring on or off the glasses? The answer is, I haven't the vaguest idea. Have you? Magical opticians please note. For impromptu performance you could just load the ring onto one of the ear-pieces (or side-bars) of your glasses, via an open ended spectacle case which is in your pocket. The more spectacular version will need a special pair of glasses which come apart in a manner similar to the brass key puzzle. Speaking of rings, how about a running gag with someone's ring which is never where it is supposed to be eventually ending up on the key of your Chinese Rings. You would have to pretend to saw through the key ring to get it off. COMEDY PROP: Many years ago, when I was a student, just playing with the idea of becoming a professional ventriloquist, I was asked if I could think of some ideas with a cartoonist in mind. The artiste in question was Peggy Cavell who is a very strong speciality cartoonist. Peggy wanted to get together a spot for children in which she would dress as a clown. So I put my thinking-cap on and came up with several ideas which I made up for her. Peggy mostly works cabaret now so I know she will not mind if I pass the odd idea on to you. This item is useful to any magician who entertains children with such effects as 'Magic Painting' or features any kind of cartoons or Chalk-Talk. The effect is that large tubes of paint shoot out a long column of their supposed contents when squeezed but when the pressure is relaxed the paint withdraws into the tube,

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which resumes its normal shape. It's an effective gag and easy to make. To make one of the tubes you need a plastic container of the kind that is used to contain washing-up liquid. These are the safest to use as they have only contained nontoxic substances are straight sided and pliable. Cut the bottom out of the container and flatten the open end that' s left. Turn this edge and staple it together making sure that it is straight and airtight. Next get a large modelling balloon about three quarters of an inch wide, nine or ten inches long and not too thin. Take the cap off the end of the giant tube that you have made leaving just the projecting neck of the bottle which now looks like a large toothpaste tube or over-sized tube of paint. Holding the open end of the balloon, drop it into the opening in the tube. When its whole length is inside, pull the lips of the balloon over the neck of the tube. This means that the balloon is inside, with its mouthpiece expanded outwards and over the neck of the tube (at least three quarters of an inch should be over the neck) and made fast by binding with nylon thread which is wrapped round and round the balloon and knotted tightly. It only remains for you to cover the trade name with a dummy label. Since I first dreamed up this comedy prop the joke-shops have offered a tube which shoots out a cord. but my version is bigger, brighter and the contents withdraw back into the tube. Have fun.

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3inal Wottds There are many reasons why this book was written. Several people asked me to write up the tricks I had invented. Also someone else suggested that the best way to keep one' s inventions is to publish them. Well, at least a book is dated and it ensures one's prior claim to items. I appreciate that great minds think alike but I not only thought up these things but published them for you to use. Manufacturing rights are reserved but my arm can always be twisted.

record that Val has for books on tricks, gags, illusions and of course those wonderful biographies of his. In fa t he has written and published over 100 books on every magical subject. (If he missed any let him know, I'm sure he will put that right as soon as he has Lime.) Throughout the many years that I have known Val, he has never ceased to amaze me with his inventive mind and the sheer volume of material that he manages to create. I aim both flattered and relieved that he has taken so much trouble to help me. TERRI ROGERS, LONDON 1985.

You will have noticed that the book is dedicated to Ken Brooke. Ken was the first person in London to give me encouragement and advice. Over the years, at Ken's studio, I met a real galaxy of magical stars. Dai Vernon, Fred Kaps, Jay Marshall, Nicky Lewin, Billy McComb, David Copperfield, Maurice Fogel, Ricky Jay, Max Maven, Pete Biro... the list is endless. Many of these people became my great friends, or as I prefer to say: "My friends, the greats". On visits to America I have since experienced wonderful hospitality especially from George Schindler who is not on the above list because he deserves a list of his own. Apart from meeting and talking with these very special people, I experienced Ken's unique humour, which is impossible to define. I hardly need to mention his originality, his magical innovations and his selling-techniques: awe-inspiring or, to me, just inspiring. GOD BLESS YOU KEN... HEAVEN KNOWS, YOU BLESSED US. Finally a word of thanks is perhaps inadequate for the incredible patience and skill with which Val Andrews has managed to decipher my scrawls and make sense of my descriptions. There are very few magical authors with the Printed

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Tomes of Leamington

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