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GANSON'S MAGIC T EACH-IN
SERIES
THE HINDU THREAD TRICK often referred to as THE GYPSY THREAD Methods, Routines, Tips on Presentation, and ideas by magicians who feature this classic trick
WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY
LEWIS GANSON
Contents Contents...............................................................................................................................4 INTRODUCTION...................................................................... INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ .......................................... 5 THE HINDU HINDU THREAD TRICK ..................................................................... ........................................................................................... ...................... 6 THE EFFECT ................................................................ ................................................................................................................... ...................................................6 6 THE THREAD ....................................................................... ................................................................................................................. ..........................................6 6 PREPARATION ............................................................... ............................................................................................................... ................................................6 6 PRESENTATION.............................................................................................................8 MARCONICK'S GYPSY TH THREAD..................................................... READ..................................................................................... ................................ 13 PREPARATION ............................................................... ............................................................................................................. .............................................. 13 PERFORMANCE ..................................................................... ........................................................................................................... ...................................... 14 EASY GYPSY THREAD .................................................................. ..................................................................................................... ................................... 18 PERFORMANCE ..................................................................... ........................................................................................................... ...................................... 18 ALI BONGO'S EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE ...........................................................................................20 ...........................................................................................20 THE ROUTINE.................................................................. ROUTINE ..............................................................................................................20 ............................................20 THE THREAD OR COTTON.........................................................................................20 SHOWS FOR CHILDREN CHILDREN.................................................................. ............................................................................................. ........................... 21 THE NEEDLE NEEDLE THREAD THREADING ING ADDI ADDITION..................................................................... TION..................................................................... 21 PREPARATION ............................................................................................................. .............................................. PERFORMANCE............................................................... ..................................................................... ........................................................................................................... ...................................... 21 21 JEWELLED SCABBARD GAG ................................................................. ...................................................................................... .....................23 23 HUMOROUS GYPSY THREAD .................................................................................... ....................................................................................23 23 DISPOSAL OF THE PIECES ........................................................................ ......................................................................................... ................. 23 BREAKING THE THREA THREAD D .................................................................................. ........................................................................................... .........24 24 DISPLAYING THE PIECES........................................................................................... PIECES...........................................................................................24 24 DAVID NIXON'S IDEA ........................................................................ ................................................................................................. .........................24 24 THE BONGO GYPSY GYPSY THREA THREAD D SUIT ........................................................................... ...........................................................................25 25 PATTER ................................................................................ .........................................................................................................................25 .........................................25 A NOTE ON THE PREPARATION PREPARATION ...............................................................................26 CHADWICK'S MENDING MENDING COTTON VER VERSUS SUS TACKING THR THREAD EAD ........................... ...........................26 26 REPEATING IMPROMPTU IMPROMPTU....................................................................... .......................................................................................... ................... 27 DANY RAY ................................................................................. ..................................................................................................................... .................................... 27 PAT CONWAY'S CONWAY'S ROUTINE ...................................................................... ..............................................................................................28 ........................28 REQUIREMENTS REQUIREMENT S ........................................................................ .........................................................................................................28 .................................28 PREPARATION ............................................................... .............................................................................................................28 ..............................................28 PERFORMANCE ..................................................................... ...........................................................................................................30 ......................................30 CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................32
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INTRODUCTION At the time of writing, sixteen 'Teach-In' books have been published, each dealing with a different magical effect. Suggestions are constantly being received for new subjects to be included in the series. A request which re-occurs is for a treatise on The Hindu Thread, often called The Gypsy Thread, two names for the routine in which a length of thread is broken into small small pieces then restored. Top-line magicians Fred Kaps, Dany Ray, Ricky Jay, Billy McComb, Ali Bongo, Hans Trixer, Marconick and many others, have all featured this beautiful cameo of magic. My own involvement was through the magazine THE GEN when the clever Dutch magician Marconick, allowed me to describe his version for publication (Volume 10, No. 12 - April 1955). That fine performer Ali Bongo not only prepared the excellent illustrations but was a great help in compiling the text. He has also again kindly come to my aid in providing the latest up-to-date information on this classic, having performed it for many years under all sorts of conditions and in many parts of the world. On commencing the research for this present book, I approached my good friend Peter Warlock and as usual, he gave me his full co-operation and permission to use material which appeared in his 'Pentagram'. In Volume 7, No. 8 for April 1953, is a very full explanation of 'The Hindu Thread Trick', credited as the Baker-Kaplan-Warlock-Trixer version because of a combination of ideas gleaned from these four magicians. However, Hans Trixer was responsible for the inspiration behind the 'Pentagram' article, wrote much of the text and should be credited c redited with updating this splendid effect and bringing it to the attention of so many magicians. Prior to the publication of the version in Pentagram, there have been explanations in several books, amongst which are 'Greater Magic' (pages 846-847); Sach's 'Sleight of Hand' (pages 45-47); Al Baker's 'Pet Secrets', Kaplan's 'Fine Art of Magic' (pages 305-313) and I was surprised to learn (via Ali Bongo) that Professor Louis Hoffmann provides an explanation in 'Later Magic', rather hidden in the text of 'The Chinese Paper-tearing Trick' (pages 473-475). Kaplan's 'Fine Art of Magic', published in 1948 has some excellent line drawings accompanying the text, showing his method for the preparation of the thread and the handling through all stages of the routine. Hans Trixer states that it was this version with which he experimented experimented and which form formss the basis of his routine. Kaplan calls it 'The Gypsy Thread Trick' and it has become known as this to many magicians. However, Hans Trixer has returned to the older name for the routine he describes.
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THE HINDU THREAD TRICK The modern effect as performed nowadays is usually the one described by Hans Trixer (with occasional slight variations) so we will commence with a description of what the spectators see. THE EFFECT
Like all magical classics, the plot is simple and easy to understand. The magician breaks off a long length of thread from a spool then places the spool aside. He holds the thread between the tips of his left thumb thumb and forefinger for display, his hands being clearly seen to be otherwise empty. Slowly and deliberately he breaks off small pieces of the thread of about equal lengths until just one short piece remains between his left thumb and forefinger. The rest of the small pieces are rolled into a small ball between the right thumb and forefinger. The piece from the left hand is now added to the ball which is then seen to be clinging to the centre. The ends of the straight piece are taken between the tips of the thumb and forefinger of each hand, the hands moved slowly apart when the ball is seen to gradually unroll, leaving the magician as he started with one long length of thread. Again the hands can be clearly seen to be otherwise empty. THE THREAD
Many magicians who perform this trick and have described it in print, state that the best type of material to use is that known as 'tacking' thread. It is the cheap thread or cotton used by tailors and dressmakers for tacking pieces of material together. This cotton has not been impregnated with the substance which gives the better quality cotton a smooth surface and makes it springy. This dull looking, limp and somewhat inferior cotton has another property needed; that is, it breaks quite easily. It is supplied on bobbins about two inches high and is either white or black - it is the WHITE that is required. In the photographs, I have used both black and white to enable a contrast to be made, using white on black to allow details to be seen inIcertain cert ain photograph photographic ic printsuse and eit either her black or white white according tto o background in others. repeat - for performance, WHITE. PREPARATION
Careful attention to the preparation of the thread according to a tried and tested method of folding, is vital to the success of the trick, otherwise you may finish with a tangled ball of cotton and completely spoil the effect. Various methods have been devised for preparing the thread but first, we will confine ourselves to the one used by Hans Trixer and described by him in Pentagram. 1. Hold the spool in your RIGHT hand and bring it up to the face.
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2. Take the free end of the cotton with the LEFT hand and extend the arm so that about one yard is unwound from the spool. Release the length and again bring the left hand up up to the spool. 3. Again, grip the cotton near the spool and bringing it up near the face, extend the left arm so that another length of cotton is pulled from the spool. So you have unwound about two yards of cotton, the length of your arm ensuring that the measurement is the same each time. 4. Do not release your hold on the cotton with the left hand but wind it around the left FIRST and SECOND FINGERS in the form of a 'figure eight' - Photograph 1.
5. As soon as you reach the spool, carefully remove the 'figure eight' piece from the fingers, taking great care that the loops are not mixed up. 6. Where the loops cross, fold the top loop onto the bottom loop, so making a circle Photograph 2.
7. Pleat the bundle carefully and fold in half again. Repeat this then wind the cotton coming from the spool THREE times around the bundle - Photograph 3.
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8. Push the prepared bundle of cotton (after unrolling a little more from the spool) into the hollow part of the spool - Photograph 4.
9. You are now left with about a yard of cotton coming from the centre part of the spool. Wind this length lightly around the spool - Photograph 5 shows white cotton on a black spool for clarity. All is now ready for performance.
PRESENTATION
To obtain maximum effect should for thisbebeautiful close-up item (which the canaction also be performed on the a stage), everything done slowly and deliberately, taking 8
place right at the fingertips. The spectators can see every move that is made, see every part of the hands and fingers yet a seeming miracle takes place. Take the spool from the table or pocket, holding it at the protruding ends of the bobbin between the right thumb and SECOND finger, the tip of the second finger being at the top over the hole in the end of the bobbin containing the ball of cotton - Photograph 6. If the other fingers are spread, the spectators can see that the hand is otherwise empty. Show the left hand to be empty. This is done without comment, the idea being to ensure that the spectators realise that you have nothing concealed in your hands.
With the tips of the thumb and first finger of the left hand, take the free end of cotton -spread the other fingers. Similarly, when the right hand is later brought into play, use only the thumb and first finger for handling. While the left hand moves to the left in the action of unwinding the cotton, bring the bobbin about five inches beneath your chin. By unwinding cotton to the length of your arm, the correct length is obtained. As soon as you have measured off the correct length of cotton, you prepare for a vital move - perfect timing ensures the handling is natural.
Up to this point, the palm of the right hand has been towards the audience but now turn it and at the same time, move the right thumb outwards and hold the bobbin momentarily between the tips of the first and third fingers. Now take over the bobbin
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with the thumb and second finger and simultaneously, drop the free end of the cotton from the left hand -Photograph 7. Timing is now the essence of the next move. Take the bobbin with the thumb and first finger of the LEFT hand and at the same time, relinquish the hold with the right thumb. Bend the right forefinger inwards and that part of the cotton issuing FROM THE CENTRE OF THE BOBBIN is pinch-gripped in the fold of this finger. The grip must be tight for the left hand moves away with the bobbin and the concealed ball is withdrawn. The small ball of cotton should now take up position at the tip of the right forefinger for the thumb to come down to hold the ball between thumb and forefinger. For misdirection, your eyes must follow the movement of the spool. Only about four to six inches of cotton are unwound as you move the left hand away and at this point, the cotton is broken and the bobbin placed aside. The position now is that your left hand is empty whilst a yard of cotton hangs from the right forefinger and thumb. Now turn the palm of the right hand towards the spectators who see it empty they turn it again to its original position. Bring the left hand under the right and at a point approximately one inch from the little finger, grip the cotton and break it. Move the left hand away showing the long piece then bring the left hand back to the right and place the long piece against the short piece. As the left hand comes up to the right and the right thumb and forefinger open a little to receive the long piece, the left thumb and forefinger give ample cover to the small ball which momentarily momentarily might be visible. Again bring the lleft eft hand under the right and break off another piece of ccotton. otton. Repeat these actions until the original length of cotton is broken into pieces measuring between three to four inches in length. They are held between the right thumb and forefinger as in Photograph 8. Remember, at this point, one of the pieces has a small ball of cotton at its centre.
Move the hands together, remarking that you will take one piece away. Bring the tips of the left thumb and forefinger crosswise against the tips of the right thumb and forefinger. Open the tips of all four digits slightly, pinch the ball of cotton between the left thumb and forefinger and move the left hand keeping the right hand stationary - the audience see you take one short length of cotton from the right hand.
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The position now is that in your left hand you have a length of cotton, the centre of which has been rolled into a ball and in the right, a number of small pieces. Hold the left hand up, palm outwards, for the spectators to see into the hand whilst you roll up the pieces into a ball with the thumb and forefinger only of the right hand. On completion of the rolling, there is a ball of cotton between the right thumb and forefinger, similar in size to the ball concealed in the left hand. Toss the little ball of cotton from the right hand into the air and catch it on the outstretched palm then re-position it between the right thumb and forefinger, showing it very deliberately. State that you will add the small ball of pieces to the piece in your left hand. Move both hands together, bringing the tips of the right thumb and forefinger crosswise against the tips of the left thumb and forefinger as in Photograph 9. As the right thumb and forefinger take the piece with the rolled up ball in the centre from the left hand, pull the ball of pieces backwards very slightly.
Show the left hand empty and turn the right hand so that the single piece and what appears to be the ball just added, can be seen. Take the lower end of the piece between the left thumb and forefinger then release the grip with the right thumb and forefinger on the ball in the centre but retain the grip on the ball of small pieces.
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Pick up the free end of the piece with the right thumb and forefinger and lift it to bring the hands side by side but sufficiently apart so that an arc of cotton is formed with the ball in the centre - Photograph Photograph 10. Blow on the ball in the centre then VERY SLOWLY MOVE THE HANDS APART. It is the slow unraveling of the ball which adds considerably to the effect, the final position being that the yard or so of cotton is stretched between the hands, the latter being held palms towards audience, the little ball of small pieces perfectly concealed between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Some magicians now gather up the length into a bundle and dispose of the length and small pieces together. However, Hans Trixer has the following cleaner ending. Release the grip with the right hand on the end of thread so that the whole length hangs from the left hand. With the right hand, grasp the short piece of cotton above the left thumb and forefinger and pull it downwards and over the left hand so that this end meets the lower end. Move the right hand towards the spool of cotton and in so doing, roll the ball of pieces so that it is held by the tips of the FIRST AND SECOND fingers. Take the spool as in Photograph 6, pushing the small pieces into the centre of the spool. Take a bow, holding the spool at the tip tipss of the fingers of the right hand, with the restor restored ed length in the left. Hans likes to hand the restored length of cotton to a lady as a souvenir. Whichever version of this trick the reader eventually decides to perform, he is strongly advised to study the natural handling of the thread and pieces described in this Trixer version. The unhurried, deliberate actions carried out right at the fingertips, enables the spectators to see all parts of the hands and fingers. It is these clean, efficient and pleasing visual actions of the hands which add so much to the mystery of the effect and the enjoyment of the spectators. The only difficulty I encountered was in the last part of the preparation for folding the thread. In instructions 7, Hans writes: "Pleat the bundle carefully and fold in half again. Repeat this ... ". The bundle becomes so tiny that I had trouble with the 'repeat this'. I have purposely Hans' instructions. However, reader will also study the line drawings bynot Alialtered Bongo in the Marconick version thenifallthe will be clear.
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MARCONICK'S GYPSY THREAD In addition to being a fine stage performer, the clever Dutch magician Marconick has an excellent close-up act, in which he performs his own version of The Gypsy Thread. Some years ago (1955), he provided full information for me to describe it for publication in Harry Stanley's magazine THE GEN. Actually, Ali Bongo made sketches as Marconick explained every move. The sketches were later re-drawn by Ali in his usual artistic manner and readers will see that they make the necessary preparation very clear indeed. The effect is the classic c lassic one already described for The Hindu Thread. The thread used can also be WHITE TACKING COTTON but over the years, Ali Bongo has used a substitute which will be described later. So that every detail can be studied, it is proposed to reproduce the text in much the same words as in the original original GEN article but new photo photographs graphs have been added added.. In the Marconick routine, the handling has been simplified for the performer by a subtle idea in the preparation of the thread, which enables the little bundle of thread to be trapped between the sides of the first and second fingers in the action of picking up the spool - a vital secret move is over before the trick starts'. PREPARATION
1. Unwind about a yard of cotton from the bobbin. We will call this length A. Grip the cotton between the right thumb and forefinger at the point nearest to the bobbin then unwind about another yard. yard. This second length we will call length B. Fig. 1 shows the two equal lengths with "x" the spot where the cotton is held. 2. Place the bobbin in a position where it cannot unroll - on a table or have it held -then grip point "x" between the left first and second fingers holding it firm with the thumb. Holding length B in the right hand, wind it loosely in a figure-of-8 around the left first and second fingers. If the left first and second fingers are held slightly apart and the thread wound around them loosely in a figure-of-8 as shown in Fig. 2, until all of length B is used up, then the wound thread can be slipped off the fingers easily. The shape of length B after it has been slipped off the fingers is shown in Fig. 3. 3. Now bend the top of the 8 over the bottom (Fig. 4), when you will have a small circle of coiled thread (Fig. 5). Squeeze the circle sideways to make it a small flat skein (Fig. 6), then pleat the skein zig-zag into three as shown in Fig. 7. Take the bundle in the left hand and wind five turns of length A around it (Fig. 8). 4. The little bundle is now placed against the side of the cotton on the bobbin and the remainder of length A is wound back onto the bobbin. The bundle should be near one end of the bobbin and length A wound towards the other end; Fig. 9 shows this arrangemen arrangement. t.
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Before the performance commences, commences, the bobbin can be on a table or in the left-hand side pocket of performer's jacket. PERFORMANCE
If the reader has prepared the thread as described and will go through the following moves with the bobbin in his hands, he will have little difficulty in mastering the routine. 1. Pick up the bobbin in the left l eft hand. The left thumb is on one side of the bobbin and the first and second fingers on the other side. Fig. 10 shows this hold and reveals clearly how the bundle comes sides ofbetween the first them and second sec ond With view the fingers held close together, thebetween bundle isthe squashed and is fingers. hidden from (Fig. 11).
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In Figs. 10 and 11, white cotton on a bobbin of black cotton has been photographed so that it shows up clearly. In performance, of course, all the cotton would be white. 2. Take the end of the thread between the right thumb and forefinger and pull to the right causing the thread to unravel from the bobbin. The pull must be a gentle one then, when the bundle is reached, it will not be pulled from between the left first and second fingers. Release the grip on the thread by the right thumb and forefinger. 3. Holding the bundle and length l ength of thread in the left hand, take the bobbin into the right hand, letting an extra three inches (past the bundle) unravel. Break the thread at this point and place the bobbin aside. Fig. 12 shows a good method of snapping the thread close to the bobbin without the danger of pulling the bundle away from between the left first and second fingers. Holding the bobbin between the right thumb and forefinger, the thread is trapped against the side of the bobbin by the pad of the forefinger. The thread goes over the second and third fingers and under the little finger which is bent and pressed against the top of the palm. Thus the thread is anchored against the side of the bobbin and the top of the palm. By bending the second and third fingers upwards, the thread will snap.
We are now left with what appears to be about a yard of thread hanging down from the left hand, the bundle being hidden between the first and second fingers. By bringing the left thumb up against the side of the forefinger, the bundle can be gripped between the pad of the thumb and the side of the forefinger. This keeps the bundle hidden but releases the second finger and we are left with a natural position for holding a length of thread, namely between the left thumb and forefinger. 4. The next requirement is to snap the thread into short lengths. This can be accomplished as follows: With the thread hanging down from the left hand, bring the right hand in front of the thread (nearest to audience) with the back of the hand towards the audience. Lift the left hand and let the thread run through the right fingers until the end of the thread is reached. Take two turns around the right forefinger and hold the thread pressed against the finger by the pad of the thumb. Allow the thread to go OVER the second finger and UNDER littleBy fingers. Press thread againstwith the palm with the padsthe of the thirdthe andthird littleand fingers. exerting an the upward pressure the second finger,
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thread can be snapped. The small piece of thread that has been snapped off is placed between the LEFT thumb and forefinger, close to the hidden bundle but with just a tiny gap between it and the long length to facilitate easy removal later. Continue snapping off short lengths, placing them between the left thumb and forefinger until all of the thread has been used up. We are now left with the short lengths held as shown in Fig. 13. The bundle (now on a short length of thread) is still hidden between the thumb and forefinger.
5. With the right thumb and forefinger, remove all the pieces of thread together EXCEPT THE ONE WITH THE BUNDLE ATTACHED. This can be done without fumbling due to the fact that a tiny gap has been left between it and the rest of the pieces. Make a rolling motion with the right thumb and forefinger; the pieces of thread will roll up into a ball between the pads of the the thumb and fore forefinger. finger. In Fig. 14, the visible ball is seen between the right thumb and forefinger whilst the short length of thread (really a long length because it includes the bundle) is seen between the left thumb and forefinger.
6. Place the ball between the LEFT thumb and forefinger, opening the pads sufficiently to let the ball be pressed between them but without disclosing the bundle. Close the pads over the ball. In appearance, you have placed the ball against the short length of thread under the pads of the thumb and forefinger; IN FACT, YOU TELL YOUR AUDIENCE THAT YOU ARE ATTACHING THE BALL TO THE SHORT LENGTH OF THREAD. 16
Immediately the ball is out of sight, take the bottom end of the thread between the right thumb and forefinger and give a gentle pull. This will bring the bundle into view on the thread (Fig. 15).
As the ball is hidden between the pads of the left thumb and forefinger, it appears that the ball composed of short pieces of thread has been attached to the straight piece of thread held in the left hand. 7. After a slight blow the bundle andof slowly move hands apart. The bundle will unravel andpause, you are left on w with ith about ay yard ard thread thread; ; the the same len length gth apparent apparently ly with which you started. 8. After a pause of sufficient duration to allow the audience to appreciate the restoration, lower the right hand and hold it palm upwards. Allow the thread to spiral down into the right palm (by lowering the left hand). When both hands are close together, drop the end of the thread and the ball of pieces (under cover of the left hand) into the right palm and bring both palms together. Make a circular motion with the left hand which causes the thread and ball of pieces to roll up together into a single ball. You are now left with a small ball of thread which is apparently the thread the audience has seen restored. This ball can be tossed aside causally -but make certain that it is not able to be picked up by a too curious onlooker. onlooker. That completes the description of Marconick's method for the effect. It is a beautiful magical item, performed right at the fingertips. Perfect cover is provided for every move and a trial will convince the reader that it looks simply impossible that a duplicate length of thread is concealed anywhere in the hands.
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EASY GYPSY THREAD I performed the Marconick routine for several years, often using the following presentation when sitting at a table for a close-up act. Two additional articles are needed; a small plastic picnic plate and a pair of scissors. The plate I have is dark red in colour, the white cotton showing up clearly when it is on the plate. The spool is prepared in the Marconick manner and can be either in a pocket or on the plate (bundle side down), with the scissors resting against it to prevent it rolling. PERFORMANCE
Pick up the spool in the left hand, getting the bundle between the left first and second finger as described. Unwind the thread in the usual manner but then place the spool on the plate as the bundle is transferred transferred to between the left thumb and forefinger forefinger.. It appears as if the thread is just being held at a convenient point to allow it to be cut from the spool. Pick up the scissors and cut the thread at the point it would be broken in the routine described. Move the spool off the plate. Hold the left hand high above the plate so that the bottom end of the thread almost touches its surface. By moving the scissors up the length of thread, pieces about three inches long are cut off and fall onto the surface of the plate - Photograph 1. The cutting should be made deliberately, allowing the spectators to see each piece fall from the length of thread in the left hand.
Eventually, you are left with one short piece in the left hand, the bundle in the centre of this piece hidden by the left thumb and forefinger. Place the scissors aside, pick up the pieces from the plate with the right thumb and forefinger and drop them into the left hand which is now held palm up. Extend the left hand for the spectators to see the pieces.
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With the right thumb and forefinger, gather up the pieces from the left palm and roll them into a ball. From here on, the ball is seemingly attached to the centre of the single piece held by the left thumb and forefinger then the restoration is made by holding an end of the thread in each hand and slowly moving the hands apart. To repetition, above instructions have been kept can briefbe as incorporated. it will be obvious that all avoid the fine points ofthe handling of the Marconick routine Cutting instead of breaking the thread can be made quite a 'showy' business and has a certain advantage for the performer as there is no danger of the 'ball' being dislodged from between the thumb thumb and forefinger as th thee thread is snapped.
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ALI BONGO'S EXPERIENCE As Ali Bongo has been closely associated with this trick for so many years, I asked him if he would be kind enough to allow readers to benefit from his experience. Good friend that he is, a recorded cassette duly arrived with his cheerful voice explaining so many aspects of the trick together with a bunch of practical ideas that I decided to set it all down in his own words. Over to Ali:
THE ROUTINE
"The routine I use for The Gypsy Thread is the one by Marconick. You will remember that I took down details from Marconick himself and drew the illustrations for the text which you published published in 'The Gen Gen'' many years ago ago.. That is the ver version sion where the ball is on the side of the bobbin. I use this quite a lot just as published, with the machine-type bobbin shown in your your photographs but I use a different type of cot cotton. ton. THE THREAD OR COTTON "I find that the tacking cotton recommended is rather stiff and strong so what I do is to get CHADWICK'S MENDING COTTON which can be purchased at most of the large stores like John Lewis, etc. It comes on a flat card. I take some of this and wind it round and round the bobbin on top of the cotton already on it. "Sometimes I carry with me the flat cardboard pack of Chadwick's Cotton with it prepared as one would a bobbin so that the ball is on one of the flat ssurfaces urfaces of cotton on the card. It is then a flat packet I can carry in a wallet - but I really prefer to use the bobbin method. Billy McComb carries the flat packets around with him and he carries several with the little ball already prepared. I prefer to make up each set just before a performance as I find that if the ball is prepared too long before a show, it can snag when you come to 'restore' the cotton. However, Billy is very successful with the trick. Billy uses a little gimmick for preparing the thread which is a little block of wood with four
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nails in it so that the 'figure-of-8' can be made around the nails and the cotton slipped off easily. Maybe a couple of large garden-type staples would be suitable, then the cotton would slip readily off the top of the p projections. rojections. Again, it is a question of pr preference eference and I have no difficulties with the preparation using the Marconick method. SHOWS FOR CHILDREN "When I was performing shows for children, I included the following version. "The idea is to start the trick as normal but have a little girl to help and she holds her cupped hands up in front of her. You drop the pieces, one by one, onto the girl's hands until you have the last piece remaining in your left hand. Now you pick up each piece separately from the girl's hands as you ask her to count (in fact you can ask all the children to count) the pieces. When all are in your right hand, they are rolled up into a ball which is apparently apparently attached to the centre of th thee pieces in your left hand. Finally, ask the little girl to hold one end of the cotton as you slowly pull on the other end to make the restoration. "I found that the above was a nice item to perform in a kids' show. It is very good for parties where you have a rather intimate type of situation. THE NEEDLE THREADING ADDITION "My own contribution to the trick is the addition of a needle threading effect which has been described in several books. It forms an ideal opening to The Gypsy Thread routine. However, I do not use the Chadwick's Cotton when performing this addition; I use the 'tacking' cotton. PREPARATION
"Prepare for the trick as previously described then thread a needle onto the free end of the thread. The needle should be a fairly large one with a large l arge eye. "Bring the needle round in a half circle and push the point through BOTH sides of the thread. Study Fig. 1 in which the two crosses show where the needle penetrates the strands of thread. Fig. 2 is the stage where the needle is through the strands of thread and Fig. 3 shows the position when the thread has been pulled tight. Test it to ensure that the thread will not slip - sometimes I have to push the needle through twice to ensure it is tight. "In appearance it looks as if the needle is just threaded on the cotton. "Stick the needle through a few strands of cotton in the bobbin to hold it securely until needed. PERFORMANCE
"Pick bobbinWith and get so the ballpull is between first and second the the left hand up - asthe normal. the itright hand out thethe needle, unwind thefingers cotton of from 21
bobbin. Now let the needle dangle - there is no fear that the needle will come off the end because it is attached. Break the the thread in the nor normal mal way and put the bo bobbin bbin aside. "Now pick up the needle in the right hand and show it around to the ladies in the audience and ask someone how many times it is threaded. They will say "Once". Now I say I am going to thread the same needle twice with the same thread. I take it close to the left hand so that the left fingers pull the loop round and round but this is all done under cover of the two hands so no one actually sees what happens.
"If you study Fig. 4, it will be seen that by gripping thread at point A and pulling down wards, the thread will automatically become threaded into the eye of the needle for a second time. This happens because the thread has been joined to itself by the initial preparation -by pulling the thread through the eye, the join is brought up and passes through the eye - thus a second strand of thread can be seen to have been passed through the eye. "The pulling can be done by gripping the thread at point A between the left second finger, which holds the thread against the side of the left thumb. In this manner, the bundle is still held between the thumb and first finger and does not interfere with the pulling. "Now I show it and say: "Look, I've done it twice - I'll try to excel myself and do it three times!" I just keep pulling the circle round and round until the thread is eventually all used up and is actually threaded through the eye of the needle five or six times. I keep saying: "Now I'll try for three ... now I'll try for four ... now I'll try for five ..." and so on. "Finally, you are left with all the thread looped round and round through the eye of the needle as in Fig. 5 and you are holding the little bundle against the series of loops. Let go with the right hand then hold it up in the left hand and show the spectators so that they
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can see close-up how many times the thread is through the eye. At this point, you may get applause because it looks very clever! "I now say: "We have got the needle on the thread but there's only one way to get it off". I reach down into my jacket and remove a very large pair of scissors and cut the loops (see Fig. 5) and remove the needle. "In your left hand,pieces. you now have a lot of pieces threadall which you separate to show they are all individual With your right hand, of remove except the one piece of thread (with the bundle on), roll them up into a ball and proceed with the moves of the Marconick routine. "The above makes the trick more interesting when performing an intimate close-up show. It seems to make the climax stronger - maybe because you have taken slightly longer to get to it! JEWELLED SCABBARD GAG "A gag I used with the above is, when I went to my coat to put the scissors back, I opened the coat wide and there was a very large jewelled scabbard which the scissors went back into. Actually, I adapted this idea from a film called 'The Five Thousand Fingers of Doctor T', where there was a mad musical conductor and he put his baton away in a jewelled scabbard. "I passed on this gag to Ricky Jay and he uses it in a different form. HUMOROUS GYPSY THREAD "Another gag I have used for magicians is that instead of about a yard of thread being prepared in the 'bundle', I prepare about three or four yards. It makes the 'bundle' much bigger but it is alright for this this gag. "What you do, is to proceed in the usual way breaking the thread, etc., but when you come to the end where you start pulling the little bundle open, it seemingly goes on for ever! The tag line is: "And there is the thread restored ... restored ... restored ... restored ..." DISPOSAL OF THE PIECES "When I perform the standard version and have the small ball of pieces in between the right thumb and forefinger, I come to the point when the hands are moved apart for the thread to become restored between them. "I bring the right hand over to the left thumb, leave the end of thread between the left forefinger and thumb so now the thread is doubled up. I reach down for the loop at the bottom and bring bring this up to the left thum thumb b as well so now the thread is folded folded into four.
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"I reach over with the left hand to a spectator on the right-hand side and say: "Look, you can have this as a souvenir". This provides ample cover for the right hand to drop and dispose of the pieces in your pocket or even drop them on the floor. "At one time, I used the "You can have this as a souvenir" as a running gag, giving stuff away whenever it was convenient to do so. I started with the miniature vanishing wand, which apparently I placed in a paper bag (actually the wand went up the sleeve). I would screw up the mouth of the bag to close cl ose it then hand it to a lady, saying: "You can have this as a souvenir", which was the start of the running gag. BREAKING THE THREAD "I have noticed that a lot of people who perform The Gypsy Thread, when they reach the stage when the thread has been broken off the bobbin, start breaking it again close to the left hand which I feel is wrong - it should be done at the other end of the thread. You slide your right hand along the thread to the righ right-hand t-hand end (f (free ree end), ttwist wist it arou around nd the first finger then break it with the second finger. Some people then bring that broken end and put it in between the left thumb and forefinger. "I am in agreement with that particular method of breaking the thread because when you break it, your rightthe hand goesis, well awayisfrom left then so that is always away from where 'lump' which good.your If you putattention that piece straightgoing into where the left thumb is then you are bringing attention back to the left hand, which I prefer not to do. DISPLAYING THE PIECES "The method I started (I think I was the first) was to break off the first pieces of thread then BEND THE LEFT ARM AT THE ELBOW in towards the body and place the small piece of broken thread onto the left sleeve. s leeve. Against a dark suit, the white cotton shows up very well and this makes it very visual. It also makes it possible to perform the trick in a fairly large theatre as you can see the cotton against the jacket. Each time you break another piece off the thread, you place it next to the other pieces on the sleeve, eventually having a linewith of pieces which can be clearly seen. From here on, you gather up the pieces and proceed the routine. "Sometimes I used to put the broken pieces between the left thumb and forefinger and LEAVE them there for a moment, which allows you to show the right hand empty. These days, I am a little bolder and push them straight in and take them right out again then grasp one end of what will be the restored thread. DAVID NIXON'S IDEA "I taught David Nixon The Gypsy Thread Trick and I am proud of the fact because he did not perform many close-up sleight-of-hand tricks. Actually he did it very well and had a good idea for performance. "For the television cameras, he had to perform sitting at a table so when he broke the thread into pieces, he let each piece fall onto the table where they were clearly seen. Next 24
he picked up all the pieces, rolled them into a ball and apparently rolled them round onto the piece of thread just below the left thumb but then he let them fall off again onto the table. To the spectators, it seemed that he was trying to stick the ball onto the thread and was having difficulty. This looked natural so when he again picked up the ball between his right thumb and forefinger and brought his right hand to the left thumb and forefinger to make the usual move for seemingly attaching the 'ball' to the thread, the appearance was very realistic. "After the restoration, he just bundled up the restored pieces and ball of pieces together and dropped them into an ashtray. "Obviously, these ideas are only practical when you can perform seated at a table so that the pieces, then the ball, can fall onto its surface. THE BONGO GYPSY THREAD SUIT "Some years ago, I wanted to be able to work in nightclubs and other venues where the usual Bongo costume act was a bit too clownish so I decided that a more sophisticated style of dress would be more appropriate. "One of the tricks I wanted to do was The Gypsy Thread or Hindu Thread - I'm never quite sure what should be the correct title. Actually, I prefer The Hindu Thread because I saw it done in India and it is probably as much an Indian trick as it is Japanese - as far as I know, it is not a Gypsy trick! "Because of this trick, I designed a suit of a 'Pandit Nehru' style, the jacket having a high collar with a sort of cravat at the top of it. The reason for this was just so that the spectators could see the thread against the black suit. If you have a white shirt front on stage then the thread will not show up. "So this suit was black all the way over so that my hands would show up against it and the thread would be clearly visible. "It worked very well for what it was designed to do and I still have the suit. The only trouble was that it made me look like a vicar, so now I had reached the other extreme! "It may seem funny to have a special suit made so that one could work one small trick but actually I think this is the way magic should be. So many people do rope tricks with white rope which does not show up against a white shirt front and you can't see it. I'm always advising performers to use yellow rope or red rope so that it can be seen. Very few people actually take the advice. PATTER
"The patter I use for this trick is as follows: "Ladies and Gentlemen, a little bit of Oriental magic as performed by the Indian Fakirs ... sometimes known as Yogurts I Picture if you will your oriental mystic sitting crosslegged on his little bed of nails - very carefully of course!
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"He takes a spool of thread and unwinds about a yard - or perhaps these days, it should be a metre. Then, flexing the mighty mighty muscles of his arm, he breaks it off - the thread that is - not his arm. He begins to break the thread into little pieces ... one, two, three times ... four, five, six ... (putting the bits on the sleeve). Then delicately moistening the tip of his forefinger (lick forefinger then appear to decide that it tastes nice so suck it like a lolly) loll y) ... Ah! flavour of the month. month. "He picks up all the tiny pieces and rolls them into a tiny ball, right at the tips of his forefingers ... or his three fingers ... or whatever it is. This is really a close-up trick ... watch the magician go cross-eyed (bring the hands right up to the eyes and stare open-eyed at them for a moment. If working close-up, I hold the hands right up in front of a spectator's eyes and say: 'This is really a close-up trick ... watch the spectator go cross-eyed!'). "Now he places the little ball on the centre of the little strand and rolls it around so that it clings (let it hang there for a moment) ... isn't magic wonderful! "Now the magician offers up a silent prayer that the trick may be successful ... a gentle blow (blow what is known as a 'raspberry' - which gets a laugh just before the climax) ... and lo and behold, the thread is completely ... restored". A NOTE ON THE PREPAR PREPARATION ATION "After the trick has been performed many times, the preparation seems quite simple. Confidence has been gained because one has become proficient in preparing the thread. At times I have reached for the bobbin (in a restaurant or similar surroundings) then realised that it has not been set-up - so I have put my hands under the table and actually done the set-up whilst chatting to people at the table. I find it is perfectly possible to do that ... it takes just a few moments because I have become so used to doing it. "I repeat that I like to set-up just before a performance so that the thread has not become set in position in the bundle. When prepared for a long time, the springiness goes out of it and it does not unfold cleanly. This applies particularly to the Chadwick's Mending Cotton. CHADWICK'S MENDING COTTON VERSUS TACKING THREAD "In my needle threading sequence, I wrote that I do not use the Chadwick's cotton. If I am going to perform both effects then it is the 'tacking cotton' straight from the bobbin which is used. "The Chadwick's cotton is a bit too soft to thread through the eye of the needle. The tacking cotton is harder and when you thread the needle through the two strands to make the little loop, it somehow is a little more positive. Chadwick's is softer and sometimes breaks away.
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REPEATING IMPROMPTU "Although one does not recommend repeating a trick, there are times when perhaps someone joins the party and it becomes an embarrassment if you have to refuse the insistent request to show it again. "If you do not have another bundle prepared and have no time to re-set in the normal manner, there is an 'out' which I have used on some occasions. "I notice where the 'restored' thread from the first performance has been disposed of maybe in an ashtray, etc. I get hold of this, look at it then roll it into a ball and say: "We'll get rid of this and do it with a new piece." Seemingly I dispose of it but actually I retain it between the right thumb and forefinger forefinger,, pull off anoth another er length of tthread, hread, brea break k it up in a rather more casual way (maybe get someone to help me) then do a complete switch of the two balls. It will not pull open, of course, as it should do but I get round this by instead of holding it myself, I say: "Look, I won't do it myself - I'd like someone else to hold the ball of pieces for me. Now would you hold the ball?" This is where the switch of balls is made as there is plenty of misdirection to cover the action. One has to 'play it by ear' as there can be no set form of handling in such a situation - so you have to use your own cunning. "Say: "Now you perform the magic - just look for one end and you will find the thread has been restored". restored". The fact that the thread is in a bit of a ttangle angle does not m matter atter because it is in their hands. "Obviously, this is an 'out' but it works'. DANY RAY "One of the most beautiful presentations of The Hindu Thread I have seen was performed by Dany Ray at a Magic Circle Scala Show one year. It was really very beautiful. He called his wife on stage and she was dressed in a very elegant, dress of flowing chiffon and she handed him the reel. This was all done to the music of 'The Swan' by Saint-Saens. He talked over the music using gags, one being as he was breaking the thread ... "Broken! ... Casse! ... Alles Kaputt!" "His actions as he moved about the stage were ballet-like which was most pleasing to the eye. As he broke the thread, his hands moved well apart so that one could see that it really was broken. Additionally, the movement apart of the arms was done with an artistic, flowing action - all in keeping with his general style of performance." So the cassette ended. Thank you, Ali Bongo.
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PAT CONWAY'S ROUTINE I had been told that Pat Conway had something special in the way of practical ideas for the trick, particularly in the preparation of the thread, so I sought his permission to include his version in this book. He not only consented but kindly sent full details of his routine. For the photographs, I have used black thread on the bobbin so that pins will show up against it. The thread used for the trick is WHITE and a length has been wound on the bobbin to show up against against the black thread. This is for photographic photographic purpo purposes ses only. The effect is the classic one so we will start with what is required. REQUIREMENTS
A spool of white tacking thread thread and TWO dressma dressmaker's ker's pins. PREPARATION
This a vital aspect inofthe finishiswith no tangling thesuccessful thread. performance of the trick as it ensures a smooth 1. Unwind about eight feet of thread from the spool (roughly about twice the length between your outstretched arms). 2. Trap the thread at the point it leaves the spool by pushing one of the straight pins into the thread on the spool over the strand, then under the thread on the spool again. The spool can now hang suspended on the single strand of thread - Photograph 1.
3. Hold the thread between the right thumb and forefinger at about the centre point of the unravelled thread, leaving the spool dangling from the thread towards the floor. 4. Place the loose half of the thread over your head and let it hang round your neck out of the way.
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5. With your left hand, pick up the second pin and place it between the thumb and first finger of the right hand which are also holding the centre point of the strand of thread. 6. Start winding the length of thread from which the spool is dangling in a 'figure-of-8' around the ends of the pin you are holding -Photograph 2. This has the effect of drawing the spool up to the right hand. As the spool moves up, you will notice that it twists around. THIS IS THE SECRET OF KEEPING THE THREAD FROM TANGLING WHEN YOU EVENTUALLY 'RESTORE' 'RESTORE' IT.
7. When the spool reaches your right fingers, grasp the bundled up ball of thread on the pin between the right thumb and first finger, whilst the left fingers wind the lloose oose thread two or three times around the bundle. 8. Press the bundle on the pin against the thread on the spool, near one end then wind the loose thread ONCE around the spool, trapping the bundle and pin against the side of the spool - Photograph 3. Continue to wind the thread around the spool but AWAY from the bundle until all the thread is wound around the spool.
9. REMOVE THE PIN FROM THE BUNDLE AND THE FIRST PIN then trap the loose end of thread furthest from the bundle against the spool with one of the pins. This holds everything in place - Photograph 4.
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10. Place the spool on your table with the little bundle at the back and you are ready to perform. PERFORMANCE
Pick up the spool s pool between the right THUMB and SECOND FINGER, displaying it openly. Make sure that the bundle at the back is covered by the ball of the thumb, the second finger being at the opposite side of the spool - Photograph 5 is the performer's view.
Pull out the pin with your left hand and toss it onto the table. Unwind the thread by pulling on the loose strand until you feel a little 'pull' under the right thumb, then unwind ONE more strand and the little ball will be delivered into the correct position for gripping it between the tips of the right THUMB and FIRST FINGER. All fingers can now be spread wide apart apart without disclosing the ba ball. ll. Break the thread off the spool a couple of inches on the spool side of the bundle. Place the spool aside then with the left hand break the thread into small lengths, placing them between the right thumb and forefinger alongside the strand with the ball at the centre. Take all the strands between the LEFT THUMB AND FOREFINGER WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ONE STRAND WITH THE BALL ON IT - this remains between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Roll up the small pieces into a ball with the lleft eft thumb and forefinger. Pretend to put the ball between the right right thumb and for forefinger, efinger, seemingly at attaching taching the ball to the centre of the one strand. What you really do is to move the 30
left thumb and forefinger up the strand of thread, squeezing the ball of pieces between them and so hiding the ball. At the same time, you release the other ball between the RIGHT THUMB AND FOREFINGER. To the audience, it appears as if you have attached the ball to the centre of the single strand. All that remains is for an end of the strand to be held in each hand and the hands moved SLOWLY apart.
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CONCLUSION Having studied every explanation of 'The Hindu/Gypsy Thread' that could be located then selected information with great care, we feel the result is that all necessary details on the subject needed for a successful and entertaining performance of the trick are contained within these pages. Other routines have their merits but we had to make a final choice and the contents of this book is the result. Although we have have endeavoured tto o avoid undue rrepetition, epetition, it has been ne necessary cessary to rep repeat eat explanations of certain moves so that readers have before them a complete c omplete description of each routine, rather than having to refer from one to another. Certain types of thread have been specified; different methods have been given as to how it should be prepared to ensure a clean restoration and various styles of presentation have been recorded. Faced with alternatives, one is bound to wonder which one is best. The answer, of course, is that because they are all practical and audience-tested and have been evolved by experienced experienced magicians who eemploy mploy them in their own acts, it has to be a personal choice. Some readers will oneWhatever completethe routine, willthe prefer a portionofofthis oneclassic to be married to parts of select another. choice,others we trust performance will continue to bring enjoyment enjoyment to magician magicianss and their audiences. LEWIS GANSON.
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