Rope Routine #2

I really don't know where to start with this one. The main starting point was the Equal Unequal Rope routine, aka Professor's Nightmare. I hate that trick. Not because it isn't great, but because it's over exposed. And tons of magicians are doing it wrong. But enough of that.

I was thinking, maybe that could be done some stuff before going into the streching part. So two ropes, strech first, then the middles of the ropes link. Then the two rings of rope link and unlink, then a knot moves, then the rope is cut in two, twice. And then finally we get into the main streching part. But then as a bonus the whole ropes fuse into one. That's how you make a routine instead of just a trick.

So let's go into the technical aspects. The first streching is a version of what I have seen years ago by Dutch magician Flip Hallema. On the DVD: "Flip's Truly Magical Rope Magic" you will find this. The linking of the middles is actually inspired by Dean Dill's box routine. Just insprired, the method is quite different. The two rings of ropes linking and unlinking is of course inspired by Pavel, the great magician from Czechoslovakia.

The jumping of the sliding knot actually came from watching Francis Tabary work. He is a great source of inspiration and a wonderful human being. The cutting sequence is also his. And I love it.

The last bit of the ropes fusing into one and the knots falling of is taken from the Daryl DVD's on rope magic. I cannot find my DVD's so I guess I have to add the credits that Daryl gives a little later.

More Simple Coins

I love the simple coins routine, the bold method of being one behind really makes this practical. This is a different beginning and a different ending. You don't take out the coins from your pocket to begin with, no you produce them from exactly the place where you pretend to put them a few seconds later. Only to pull them from those places and then one of them turns invisible, touches the other ones and they all vanish.

The ending in this version is the preferred ending when doing walk around magic. The standard ending is better suited for a stand up performance in a parlour type setting. The great addition in the beginning 2H1P phase is by the Austrian magician Daniel Philipp. By placing the coins on your arm you get rid of the table and weirdly it makes the click pass a bit more convincing.

Coin Thief

This is from the upcoming book by Jim Abrahams. There is nothing new about the phases, but the combination is. I find it quite hilarious to go from six coins to one.

The first phase is an oldie that has been lost in time. You can find it in David Pogue's book Magic for Dummies as the 7-Cent Reflex Test (that's the name in the German edition) uncredited. Tommy Wonder had a similar structure in one of his coin routines.

The second phase is just a joke, but it creates enough off beat to get away with the secret something.

The last phase is the sell.

I mentioned it before that I am somehow fascinated with the plot of stealing something from the spectator's hand. So I naturally like this one. And it is a ridiculously practical routine. You don't even need a table. The purse contains all the coins needed, it also can be used for the switch of the coin. It has an intriguing plot and seems like a genuine feat of skill in the beginning which turns into an impossibility.

Big thanks to Patrick for operating the camera and thanks to Toby for being the helping hand.

Living Room Opener

This is quite nice as a living room opener. Certainly not for stage, but the magic is decently paced and gets to the point quickly. I actually used this when I still did house parties. From a technical point of view this is pathetic, and structure wise this is horrific, as you go into your pocket unmotivated, however it gets people interested. The plot that you don't have a huge variety show to start with also sets the mood. Nice close up magic in an intimate setting.

False Knot Concept

This was made with my web cam and just for a friend of mine, showing him what I came up with. So technically we have a false knot, but with the addition of two tiny magnets stuck in the rope you can have the picture that looks pretty similar to a knot. It will not withstand scrutiny, but at a quick glance it is fine. If you are far away (stage) this would even be more deceptive.

The magnets are arranged in such a way that if the rope is folded in half they do not come in contact with one another. That means that you can use the rope for all sorts of other rope tricks as well. You can even hand out the rope. The chance of the audience finding a little bump inside the rope are minute. Try this, it's fun.