Sunday, December 4, 2011

Act #2

Same premise: what if methods don't matter, because you can do real magic, yet you do have to make it look like a magic trick. This second act would fill almost the entire time of the whole show.

2. The Box
The magician enters the stage and tells the audience of the strange way he has acquired "the box" It has been passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately you were not part of the family that it originally belonged to. And all of that wouldn't have mattered if the magician hadn't learned what the box can do. But once he did, it became an odyssey to get it. There are consequences if you mess around with the laws of nature. But no more stalling. The magician leaves and reenters with a box. Its a big box, with a lid on top and decorative patterns. The magicians addresses the spectator in the first row to the very left as he begins to speak.

"I can take out any object from the box. Anyone you think of. And I will if it fits within the five conditions. First: I can only take out objects that would naturally fit inside the box. So no real submarine, yet a toy model would be fine. Second: I can only take out objects that don't exist. I can reach in and take out a wallet, but it won't be your wallet. Third: No things that are alive. Fourth: No body parts. And finally: Whatever comes out, must go back in. So what do you want me to take out?"
The spectator is given some time to make up his mind. Finally he says "a glass of tea". The magician opens the lid, reaches inside and a glass of tea is produced. Then it is placed back.
The spectator next to the first one is asked to think of an object and then to name it. In fact, everyone in the audience is think of an object. As everyone will get a shot. The second spectator names an object, it is taken from the box, shown and then placed back inside.
That is continued until every one in the room, save one had a chance. Each time the magician is able to take out the object, as long as it fits within the five conditions.
In the end the magician wants to demonstrate what will happen if you break all of the rules at once. The last spectator is asked to join the magician on stage. She may sit down on a chair. A curtain is placed on her. Then the magicians goes to the box, opens the lid, reaches in and pulls out an arm, pulls some more and attached to the arm is the rest of a person. The spectator. At the same time the spectator is pulled out from the box the cloth falls, revealing just the outline of the chair. The spectator is finally out of the box, completely puzzled by what has happened. "There are consequences if you mess around with the laws of nature." the magician says. Attention is brought back to the box. Which just started falling apart, ending the second act.

The last act will follow.

1 comment:

Tom said...

Really enjoying these, Roland.