PFM

I'm a sucker for magic shows, whether it be simple, quick sleight of hand, or more complex and fancy stage illusions.  My facination probably stems from the fact that, well, I'm somewhat lacking in the fine manual dexterity required to be really good at sleight of hand, and so...I dig watching it done right. 

Even more so with your big, complex illusions...people and things disappearing and reappearing, cutting women in half...that kind of thing.  I know it is all about distraction and lines of sight, but there is still something that impresses me mightily about watching a troupe of highly trained professionals do their job.  Case in point is this video, which one of my co-workers showed me today...Hans Klok and the Divas of Magic, doing 10 illusions in 5 minutes.



I think the one that impresses me most is #5, the one that involves the red container.  I'm sure that part of the trick involves the lid of that box being all kinds of hinged...but the speed with which the trade places is amazing...even if there was no lid at all in the way.  He throughs the hoop of material over his head, and in less than a 2nd, he is off the platform, and hidden in the container, while she is standing there in his place.  Even if we assume she is standing next to him as soon as that hoop comes up to his shoulder, I am blown away by his smoothness at disappearing. 

I am also going to start hitting yard sales here in a few weeks to find a chair like he uses in the 6th illusion...just throw a red sheet over the chair, and it starts cranking out pretty blondes. 

Heck...I'd probably be willing to pay an extra 5 bucks for the version that cranks our brunettes, and 10 for one that does red-heads.