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GOOD
CONJURING
IN PRACTICE & THEORY
By
S. H. SHARPE
....... LONDON:
GEORGE JO H N S O N , 24 BU CK IN GH AM STREET, STRAND,' W .C . 2.
19 3 6
l ', L
A B«'s
W ILL ALMA
M .I.M .C . ( L O N D O N )
stu dying our su bject in all its asp ects and a p p lyin g our
CONJURING
THE OBJECTS U SE D .
A conjurer should take into consideration the kind
o f apparatu s to be visib ly introduced into each effect—
w h eth er such could b e sim plified or discarded , or m ade
m ore appropriate to the style of presentation . A p p aratu s
adm issible in an O riental or C abalistic setting w ou ld be
out of p lace in m odern draw ing-room conjuring.
C ab in ets and m echanism in general often indicate inferior
conjuring; and objects of a size to suit a theatre stage
are out of proportion at close quarters, and vice-versa.
L u c k y the b eginner w ho cannot afford to b uy sufficient
p a rap h e rn alia to gladd en the d e ale r’ s heart. H e at least
starts with a fair ch an ce of b ecom in g a go o d con jurer.
Sufficient attention is rarely given to the ch oice of
articles used in an effect, w ith the result that harm ony
is lackin g an d m axim um lesu lts are not o btain ed. If,
for instance, an effect is of a bizarre ch aracter, everyth in g
used should be in k eep in g with the fantastic atm osphere
it is intended to create. A n im personation o f a Ja p a n e se
conjurer should not include objects only to b e foun d in
C hina or India, let alone the E ast E n d o f Lo n d o n ! S o m e
tim es a conjurer w ill attem pt an im pression of a p erfo rm er
o f several decad es ago y et include tricks of recent in ven
tion in his p rogram m e. Such details m ay p ass the a vera ge
sp ectato r’s notice but cannot fail to m ake a critical o n
loo ker im patient with the p e rfo rm er’ s lack of artistry.
W h ere a vagu e or abstract im pression is aim ed at,
the use of objects with com m on place associations w ill
b re a k the spell in a sim ilar w a y . F o r ex a m p le, W ill o ’
2
CONSTRUCTION.
CHARACTERISATION.
nature; and even then there is all the difference b etw een
b eing able to perform a sleight b y itself and using it u n
o b served to produce som e effect during the course of an
actual presentation. T h ere should be no m ore n eed for
a conjurer to look at his hands during a sleight than w hen
he raises a glass of— w h atever he drinks from glasses— to
his mouth. W h en a perform er finds it n ecessary to attend
consciously to the execution o f his tricks th ey h ave not
been sufficiently practised to w arrant public u se, b ecau se
he w ill be unable to give sufficient thought to the dram atic
side of his perform ance if m atters o f technique are on
his m ind. H e w ill, in fact, b e called upon to do two
things at once and p ro b ab ly m anage neither in a finished
m anner. The perform er w h o shirks effects requiring con
siderable technical skill in order to a vo id practice or
through fear o f m ishaps ought to be ash am ed o f him self.
W hen w e visit a conjurer, or a singer, cr an actor, w e
w ant to see w h at he, the m an, can do, not w h at his
apparatus o f the assistants are cap ab le of. A m agician
is one w ho conjures, not the m inder of penny-in-the-slot
m achines. I must say that 1 n ever form a v e ry high
opinion o f a conju rer unless he does som ething 1 cannot
do m yself, or in a w a y I cannot fathom . I, for one, w ant
to see a conjurer vanish coins by his ow r. m agic; 1 do not
want to w atch him turning b lack -b ack ed coins o ver on a
b lack -faced b o ard in a b are -fac ed m anner. It is this
personal factor— or characterization— w hich lifts a p e rfo r
m ance from the leve l of a m ere “ sh o w .”
DRAMATIC ABILITY.
MANNER.
SPEED O F PRESENTATION.
A
N en velo p e is show n em p ty and h eld b efo re a light
to pro ve that nothing is co n cealed . If w orking close
up it m ay be exam in ed and initialed b y a spectator.
It is then sealed and p la c e d in the clip of a d isp lay stand,
o r leant again st som e article in full view .
CARD BUBBLES
This is another effect utilising the b ack-palm .
U nder co ve r o f a h an d kerch ief a chosen card is
a p p aren tly dissolved in a glass of so ap y w ater said to
possess m agical properties. U sing a cla y p ip e, the con
jurer then blow s several bubbles with this w ater and bursts
each in turn b y catching them betw een finger and thum b.
T h e third bubble ch anges on bursting into the chosen
card.
Method.
A piece of clear celluloid the size of a card is on
the top of the pack.
H a v e a card fre e ly chosen. Palm the fak e card
in the right hand and p lace the p ack aside. R e c e iv e
the chosen card b ack on the palm of the left hand and
then take it in the right hand, secretly placin g the fa k e
over it so that both can be held as one. D o not look
at the chosen card but hold it up for all to see.
R e m o ve a h and kerch ief from the b reast pocket and
throw over the card and fak e , l a k e hold outside with
the left hand and palm the card in the right. N o w take
hold o f the celluloid through the h an d kerch ief b y the
right hand, holding the fak e b y the side so that there can
be no doubt that a card is there.
H old up the tum bler of so ap y w ater and exp lain
that it contains a chem ical cap ab le of dissolving anything
p laced in the solution. L o w e r the h an d kerch ief o ver it
so that the fak e card is subm erged in the liquid. H old
one corner of the h an d kerch ief in the right hand to help
con ceal the palm ed card.
A fte r a fe w m om ents’ pause ** to allo w the card to
d isso lve,” sm artly d raw a w a y the h an d kerch ief and hold
the glass up to the light to show the card has b ecom e
invisible. T h e so ap y w ater h elps to hide the fak e .
Standing w ith the right side to the aud ien ce, p lace
the h an d kerch ief on the table and take up the c la y p ip e.
B low a bubble and burst it w ith the left hand. T u rn to
the right, low ering the right hand and back-palm in g the
card as the left hand holds the pipe and another bubble
is blow n. Burst this with the right hand k eep in g the card
h idden. C asu ally lo w er the hand again to avo id an y un
natural position of the fingers b ein g noticed, and b lo w a
third b ubble. K e e p in g w ell a w a y from it so that all m a y
see the effect, burst it betw een the fingers an d thum b o f
the right hand, at the sam e time producing the card from
17
Method.
T h e m irror is a sheet o f ordinary silvered glass; but
instead o f the usual b ack in g of paint and p a p e r it is p ro
tected b y another sheet of thin glass. Such a m irror acts
in the usual w a y w h en lighted from the front; but w h en
a stronger light is beh in d it than in front it b eco m es
transparent.
A shallow b ox lined w ith b lack ve lv e t is built b e
hind this m irror as show n in the figure. In the centre of
the b ack o f the cabinet an enlargem ent o f the second
22
action incidently show ing that the torn flags are not inside
it.
Third Phase.
The F la g o f the W orld is lo ad ed from the b o d y in
a sim ilar w a y to the butterfly in T h e Invisible S ilk w o rm ,”
describ ed on p age 24 of Conjured Up. In lifting
the stream er from the table, the fak e goes into
the chute-servante. W h ile gathering the stream er
into loops the load is secured; and w hen the b ig flag is
open ed with a flourish the bunch o f sm all flags is held
behind one corner; to be d ropped on to the table as the
flag is spread over it.
If p referred , body-loading can be avo ided b y h avin g
the banner in an open w ell in the table and secretly p ick
ing it up with the stream er.
POOR YORICK!
Enter the conjurer thoughtfully handling a skull and
rem oving pieces of earth.
“ T o think this skull once had a tongue in it and
could sing. It might be the pate of a politician w hich
that ass of a grave-digger o ’ er-ofhced; (ironically) one that
could circum vent G o d . W h y did he suffer the rude kn ave
to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel ? Or
of a courtier, w hich could say, ‘ G ood-m orrow , sw eet lord !
H o w dost thou, good lo rd ! ’ Y e t the kn ave sayeth ’ tis
Y o ric k ’s skull, a k in g’s jester of olden tim e. A la s, poor
Y o r ic k ! W h ere be you r gibes n o w ? Y o u r gam b les?
Y o u r so n gs? \ o u r flashes of m errim ent that w e re w ont
to set the table in a ro ar? (The jaws click several times.
7 he conjurer looks astonished and quickly places it on a
table, rear-centre.)
“ H ow n ow ! A rt h au n ted ? W ouldst clam p thy
jaw s to m ake mine own teeth chat, and m ock w ith grin
right high -fantastical? (Three clicks.) T h o u m ust in d eed
be Y o rick to jest in such a m ouldy plight. (Three clicks.)
T h rice clicked his ja w s. W h at m eanest h e ? Y e a or n o ?
I have’t ! P rith ee, skull, canst click thy ja w s ? (Three
clicks.) A g a in thrice. T h re e clicks m ean Y e a ; y-e-a.
T h en tw o m ean no; is ’ t so, je ste r? (Three clicks.) Y e s !
D ost thou know w ho thou art? (Three clicks.) T h ou dost !
G o o d ! T h en tell m e; art Y o ric k ? (Three clicks.) Y e a !
T e lle st thou the truth, sku ll? (Two clicks.) N o ! T h o u
liest, th en? (Two clicks.) No a g a in ! A p lagu e take the
coxcom b; he neither lies nor telleth the truth. T h o u hast
a nim ble wit for a num bskull, jester. W h ere be thy b rain s?
29
He answereth not! Hast any brains? (Two clicks.) No!
'Tis clear thou hast none, for thy pate holds nought but
dirt.
“ Dost thou think Mussolini will look o’ this fashion
i’ the earth? (Three clicks.) Yes! Then pomp, it seems,
spans not the wormy grave.
“ And my lady? Though she paint an inch thick, to
this grim favour must she also come ? (Three clicks. Then
despondently:) E ’en so. And smell so, too ? Puh ! (Holds
handkerchief to nose, then throws it over skull. Three
clicks are heard.) One, two three. She must. (The
covered skull is placed on a plate on a small table to the
side of the stage in front.)
“ One, two three. She must. (The covered skull is
placed on a plate on a small table to the side of the stage
in front).
‘‘ Methinks thou could’st do with new lodgings.
(Conjurer moves to far side of stage as though the smell
is objectionable.) Can'st hear me now, jester? (Three
clicks are heard.)
“ Maybe thy sight doth also serve thee still. How
many fingers seest thou? (Holds up one finger. One
click-)
" And now? (Four fingers. Four clicks.)
" This time how many? (None held up. Silence.)
“ Come! Art blind? O strange paradox; to see, yet
have no eyes; to hear, yet have no ears. Thy spirit must
indeed be immortal, jester. How many years hast been
under the cod? (The skull begins to tap deliberately until
it reaches about seven, when the handkerchief collapses.
The performer rushes over in surprise and carefully lifts
the handkerchief. H e picks up a few small objects from
the plate and throws them back one by one; they are teeth,)
“ Alas! ’Twas too much strain for thine old head.
(Blowing a cloud of dust from the plate which he has taken
from the table.) “ Poor Yorick!
First Method.
While the skull is being held, the jaw is secretly
moved by the hand remote from the audience.
After it has been placed on the table, either the
familiar horizontal thread across the stage with one end
in the hands of an assistant, or the electro-magnetic con
trol may be used. The latter is the cleanest and most
deceptive method and is managed by having an electro
magnet hidden in the table with the wires led down the
legs to batteries and a switch behind the scenes. In the
skull’s jaw, which is normally closed by a balance-weight,
30
a piece of soft iron is loaded. This is arranged to come
just above the pole of the magnet in the table. Every
time the circuit is closed by the assistant the iron is attrac
ted and the jaw opens, closing again when the current is
switched off. Alternatively, the batteries may also be
hidden in the table with the switch concealed under a
carpet so the performer may actuate it with his foot.
ALICE IN CONJURELAND
(With apologies to Lewis Carroll.)
LOOKING-GLASS PEOPLE.
The scene is a curtained set; and in the centre of
the stage stands a chair and a mantelpiece on castors,
over which is a large mirror against a section of wall,
see Plate. A curved metal rod fitted to the mirror-frame
carries a curtain that can be drawn to hide the middle of
the mirror.
33
Looking-glass People.
The mirror is made of silvered glass backed by
another thin sheet of glass instead of the usual protection
of varnish and paper. Such glass acts as a mirror on either
side in reflected light, but is transparent when lighted from
behind. At the back of the mirror is a smaller plane mirror
is fitted at an angle of 45 degrees as shown in the figure.
In the wings is a plane mirror about three feet wide
by four feet high fixed parallel to the stage-mirror so that
the two form a kind of periscope. In front of this mirror,
and strongly illuminated, stand the people to be reflected.
A black screen should be behind them for a background.
The distances between the figures and the mirror, and the
first and second mirrors, reduces the size of the final image
sufficiently for it to occupy the centre of the visible glass.
This image is seen by the audience through the trick-glass
on the mantel-piece provided the stage lighting is very
feeble. The lamps illuminating the figure are dimmed
while the actors change places, and are then turned up
again to show the fresh reflection. When this phase of
the effect is over, the plain mirror behind the looking-
glass must be removed by an assistant through a stage-trap.
If preferred, the two mirrors could be arranged on
the periscope principle to work from below the stage,
through the trap, instead of from the wings.
As an alternative, these two secondary mirrors may
be dispensed with. Behind the transparent mirror a
shallow cabinet would be arranged as in “ Reflected
Thoughts,” page 19. The characters would then secretly
enter this cabinet in turn by the trap and have the lights
gradually turned on them so that their heads and shoulders
would be visible through the looking-glass to the audience.
The trick-cabinet would finally be lowered through the trap.
Through the Looking-glass.
The section of the looking-glass enclosed by the three
straight sides of the frame and the straight curtain-bar
(see Plate) is movable and can be pushed down into a
slot in the mantelpiece like an old-fashioned window. On
each side at the top, the mirror extends behind the visible
top section. The space between these extensions is for
the passage of Alice when the glass is lowered. Counter
weights suspended over pulleys in the mirror-frame are
fitted to the movable glass— also like a window. The
straight bar across the mirror—which appears to be part
of the curtain-rod fitting— hides the junction between the
moving and fixed parts of the glass. The space between
39
the straight and curved curtain-bars is filled with material
to prevent any top view by people in the upper circles of
the hall.
5
CONJURED UP
By
S. H. SHARPE.
Tricks, Illusions, Patter, Theory.
Uniform with “ Good Conjuring.”
Well Illustrated. Demy Svo.
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75c. £ I O lid.
flj NEO MAGIC
sflL SHARPE.
A book on the Art of the Conjurer.
Cloth. Demy Sva.
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3
HOFZINSER’S
CARD CONJURING
By
OTTOKAR FISCHER.
Illustrated English Edition.
Edited with Notes by S. H. SHARPE.
Cloth. 184 pages.
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