Metamorphosis (illusion)

Last updated

Metamorphosis is the name of a stage illusion invented by John Nevil Maskelyne, but most often associated with famous escape artist Harry Houdini and performed to some renown (for speed) by The Pendragons, among others. [1] It is also known amongst magicians as the Substitution Trunk (often abbreviated to Sub Trunk).

In the illusion, an assistant (Houdini employed his wife Bess) is locked inside a large box or trunk, often after being restrained with handcuffs, ropes, bags, etc. The magician stands on the trunk and holds a curtain up to momentarily conceal his entire body. When the curtain is lowered, it is now revealed to be the assistant standing atop the box, the magician and assistant having changed places instantaneously. When the box is opened, it is shown to contain the magician, restrained as the assistant had been. In some acts, the magician is locked in the box first, then appears standing atop the box.

Modern version of Metamorphosis called Suspended Animation performed by grand illusionist Christian Farla FarlaSwitch.JPG
Modern version of Metamorphosis called Suspended Animation performed by grand illusionist Christian Farla

Variations include the Aquarian Illusion created in the 1970s by Alan Wakeling for Mark Wilson, who performed it in The Magic Circus series and a HBO special Mumbo Jumbo! It's Magic, and in closing his Las Vegas shows. [2] In this version an acrylic tank filled with water is used and a beautiful swimsuit-clad woman assistant is locked inside underwater. Penn and Teller performed the illusion in an underwater theatre with a female assistant (a Weeki Wachee "mermaid") handcuffed and locked in a steel cage on the sea bottom. These variations add a significant element of peril. During the performance the assistant is trapped underwater with no source of air, and if something were to go wrong she would possibly drown.

Pictured to the right is "Suspended Animation". Called the modern day metamorphosis, the trunk is suspended on a platform above the stage creating an aerial exchange. This evolution of the illusion was invented by Australian Illusionist John Taylor. [3]

Illusionist Criss Angel assisted by Klayton and his other assistants has also performed the Metamorphosis trick as part of his "Amystika" show. In Angel's version, he was handcuffed, and put into the box with assistant standing on top of it. After the flashes and torches lit the stage, they swapped places.

A method for Metamorphosis was exposed by the Masked Magician, Val Valentino, as part of Fox TV series Breaking the Magicians' Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed . He was assisted by Michelle Berube.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Houdini</span> Hungarian-American illusionist, escapologist, and stunt performer

Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician Robert-Houdin (1805–1871).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Escapology</span> Practice of escaping from restraints

Escapology is the practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, coffins, steel boxes, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks, and other perils, often in combination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Copperfield (illusionist)</span> American magician

David Seth Kotkin, known professionally as David Copperfield, is an American magician, described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawing a woman in half</span> Stage magic trick

Sawing a woman in half is a generic name for a number of stage magic tricks in which a person is apparently cut or divided into two or more pieces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Steinmeyer</span> Magical illusion designer

Jim Steinmeyer is an American author, inventor, and designer of magical illusions and theatrical special effects. He holds four US patents in the field of illusion apparatus, including a modern version of the Pepper's Ghost illusion. Steinmeyer has consulted for many famous magicians, including David Copperfield, Doug Henning, Siegfried and Roy, and Lance Burton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese Water Torture Cell</span> Predicament escape

The Chinese Water Torture Cell is a predicament escape made famous by Hungarian-American magician Harry Houdini. The illusion consists of three parts: first, the magician's feet are locked in stocks; next, he is suspended in mid-air from his ankles with a restraint brace; finally, he is lowered into a glass tank overflowing with water and the restraint is locked to the top of the cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristen Johnson</span> American escape artist

Kristen Johnson is an escape artist who works with her husband magician Kevin Ridgeway under the names Living Illusions, Ridgeway & Johnson and Breathless. She was the featured magician on the cover of the June 2009 issue of the magicians' magazine The Linking Ring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assistant's Revenge</span>

The Assistant's Revenge is a transposition illusion in which two performers change places. It was created by magician and inventor Robert Harbin.

A magician's assistant is a performer in a magic act who is not billed as the magician or principal name in the act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Klok</span> Dutch magician, illusionist and actor (born 1969)

Johannes Franciscus Catharinus "Hans" Klok is a Dutch magician, illusionist and actor.

Impaled is a classic stage illusion in which a performer appears to be impaled on or by a sword or pole. The name is most commonly associated with an illusion that was created by designer Ken Whitaker in the 1970s and which is sometimes also referred to as "Beyond Belief" or "Impaled Beyond Belief". This version has become part of the stage magic repertoire and has been performed by many of the world's most famous magic acts.

Stage illusions are large-scale magic tricks. As the name implies, stage illusions are distinct from all other types of magic in that they are performed a considerable distance away from the audience, usually on a stage, in order to maintain the illusion. Stage illusions usually use large props and may involve the use of assistants or large animals. Examples of stage illusions include sawing a woman in half and Lady-to-Tiger.

Clearly Impossible is a variation of the illusion of sawing a woman in half devised by Jonathan Pendragon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic (illusion)</span> Performing art involving the use of illusion

Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of illusion, stage magic, and close up magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural means. It is to be distinguished from paranormal magic which are effects claimed to be created through supernatural means. It is one of the oldest performing arts in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zdeněk Bradáč</span>

Zdeněk Bradáč is a Czech illusionist, magician, escapologist and juggler. He has been recognized for breaking multiple records for straitjacket and handcuff escapes as well as juggling and illusions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Pendragons</span>

Jonathan and Charlotte Pendragon were a husband-and-wife team of American illusionists who called their work "physical grand illusion". They are widely known due to numerous national and international television appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cosentino (illusionist)</span> Australian magician

Paul Cosentino known mononymously by his stage name Cosentino, is an Australian illusionist and escapologist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Merlini</span>

David Merlini is a Hungarian-Italian escape artist, and World Record holder, described by Expo 2015 as the world's most famous escapologist, currently serving as Director of The House of Houdini, the only Houdini museum in Europe.

Norman Murray Carrington Walters, who used the mononym Murray, was an Australian escapologist and illusionist, who found international success between the 1920s and 1950s and settled in Britain.

References

  1. ↑ In the UK Safire Illusionists are very well known for performing a very fast variation of this illusion using a glass Substitution Trunk.
  2. ↑ Mark Wilson Magic - Magic Circus with Guest Magicians Dai Vernon and Shimada Archived 2012-11-14 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "John Taylor's Suspended Animation Official Website" . Retrieved 2011-04-19.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.