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EFFECTIVE FOCUSES AND THEIR CLUES Sleep on the edge of a sword. Focus Secret
Directory / Spectacular tricks and their clues Focus Description: Two assistants carry out and place on the stage a small oblong platform with three large nickel-plated swords placed on top and a wide cloth ribbon that lies between the first (left) sword and the second (Fig. 133).
The performer takes the left sword and places it vertically at the left end of the platform, while the assistants place the other two swords (Fig. 134).
An assistant, dressed in a long dress, comes out from behind the scenes and, approaching the performer, stops in front of his raised hand (Fig. 135).
The performer, upon getting closer, begins to “hypnotize” her, performing “magic” passes in front of her face. The assistant gradually “falls asleep,” closes her eyes and leans back. The assistant grabs the assistant by the waist with his left hand, and by the shoulders with his right hand. The assistant lifts the assistant and carries her to the platform into which three swords are inserted point up. With the help of the performer, he carefully places the woman on top of all three swords, and the performer himself carefully lowers her head onto the tip of the first sword. The assistant's head lies on the left sword, and her legs on the right, the middle sword lies under the waist (Fig. 136).
Now the assistant lies on top of all three swords, and the performer continues to make passes over her. The assistant, approaching the middle sword, slightly lifts the woman above the middle sword, and the performer at this time takes the middle sword from under her waist. Now the assistant lies on two swords, leaning on one with her head and on the other with her legs (Fig. 137).
The performer moves away, continuing to make passes, and the assistant “sleeps.” The performer approaches the assistant’s feet and, while the assistant slightly lifts her legs, the illusionist takes out the sword from under her feet and, showing it, just like the middle one, places it on the floor near the platform. Now the audience sees how the assistant “sleeps”, leaning her head on one sword, her whole body is stretched out in the air, without any support under her (Fig. 138).
The performer passes his hand over her head and body, steps aside, then, together with an assistant, approaches the platform. Taking the ends of a wide ribbon lying on the platform, he passes it over the lying assistant, as well as from below, thereby proving that the woman lies entirely in the air and only rests her head on the sword. The tape is again placed on the platform. The performer approaches the assistant's head, and the assistant grabs her with his hands by the shoulders and waist and, taking her off the sword, places her on the floor, supporting her, since she is still “sleeping.” The performer, having taken out the left (head) sword, shows it to the audience and places it on the platform, approaches the assistant and, making passes, “removes hypnosis.” The assistant, opening her eyes, looks around her in surprise, then, crouching, bows to the audience and goes backstage. The assistants, placing the swords on the platform, take all the other devices backstage. This act was first shown in the USSR in Moscow by the foreign illusionist Linga-Sing in 1926. Then, after improvements made in 1930, “Dream on the Edge of a Sword” was demonstrated by me with constant success in Soviet circuses for twenty-five years. We give a description and exact construction of the illusion as we demonstrated it. The props are very portable when transported and convenient in that they can be instantly ready for display anywhere. I showed “Dream on the Edge of a Sword” in circuses, and on stages, and on the square during demonstrations, and among the soldiers of Stalingrad, and at Magnitogorsk factories, and at the construction sites of the Kuibyshev hydroelectric station, and in hospitals in front of the wounded, and in a television studio. Props: Platform-stand for swords with a tire hanging on the sides. Three nickel plated swords. One of them with a secret device for “lying in the air.” Corset - a mechanical device for "lying in the air". Wide silk ribbon - it is passed over and under the lying assistant. The platform-stand for swords is shown schematically in Fig. 175,1. Side view of the platform - 2. It is made of boards 4-5 cm thick and consists of two panels fastened with very strong door hinges - hinges. The platform can be folded in half. Its middle edges have a cut in the form of a simple spike so that the stand does not sag. If you are not going to transport the device, then it is advisable to make the platform whole and attach permanent legs to it. Three-millimeter iron flanges are screwed to the folding platform at the four corners from below. Five-millimeter holes are drilled at the corners of the flanges, and eight-millimeter holes are drilled in the middle, to which threaded nuts are welded. The pins are screwed into the nuts. The other end of the pin is forged into a rectangular nail with spikes for fastening in the legs. A round flange with holes for screws with which the legs are screwed is welded to the pin. The height of the legs is 16 cm, the upper diameter of each is 10 cm. A ball roller is inserted at the bottom for rolling out the platform.
Three square flanges are fixed on top of the stand. "Head" A -13x13 cm made of five-millimeter iron. A hole with a diameter of 15 mm is drilled in its middle, to which a tube 6 cm long with an internal hole of 15 mm is welded. The diameters of both holes must very accurately correspond to the outer diameter of the end of the pin of the “head” sword, which we will discuss below. Pay special attention to the manufacture of this flange: the pin should fit into it very easily, without friction, but also without play, in order to avoid the corset swaying. Otherwise, it will interfere with the display of the illusion due to the vibration of the device (our device used a tube machined from bronze). Countersinked holes are drilled at all corners of the flange for screws securing the flange to the platform. It is much better to strengthen it with bolts. The other two flanges, each measuring 5×5 cm, with tubes 1 cm in diameter soldered to them, do not carry any load other than holding swords. They are also attached to the platform with screws. All flanges are cut into the platform flush with the top of the boards: a large flange - at the end of the stand, indented from the edge by 2-3 cm; foot - at the other end; the middle one can be placed only after the entire apparatus has been made (the middle sword with its end must fit exactly under the assistant’s waist (see Fig. 136), and this depends on her height). For the platform, a carpet is made with tassels sewn along the edges, which hide the sides of the stand and the flange tube. Three holes are cut in the tire corresponding to the flange holes. Now let's take a closer look at swords. The most complex of them is the “head” one, which has a secret device in the form of a steel rod. First of all, a rod is made, and then a sword is made from it. In our apparatus, a chromium-nickel steel rod with a diameter of 35 mm and a length of 81 cm was used. One of its ends was sharpened (Fig. 176) to a thickness of 15 mm. This end of the rod is inserted into the “head” flange. We repeat: it is very important that the pin fits exactly into the hole in the flange, stays there well and can be removed freely.
At the other end of the pin, a hole with a diameter of 15 mm and a depth of 6,5 cm is drilled. A cut is made on the side of the upper end of the rod corresponding to the reinforcing corner A (Fig. 177, A), which is welded to the “head” of the corset for greater strength and stability in the rod. The edges of the slot should be slightly rounded.
Then sword B is made. From wood according to the drawing, make a blank in the form of an ancient sword. All its main dimensions are given in millimeters in Fig. 176. The length of a wooden sword exactly matches the length of the shaft to the sharpened part at the bottom. Drill a hole in the sword for the rod (see Fig. 176, B). It is shown with a dotted line. It is much easier to saw the blank to the length where the rod should go, take out semicircular grooves in both halves, and then, gluing them together, insert the rod into the sword. After this, cut out the sides of the sword from a sheet of brass or copper 1 mm thick. Cover the blank with brass and carefully solder it with tin, but so that it does not protrude outward. This work is difficult and requires skill. Now make the top of the sword (see Fig. 176, B) from three-millimeter brass. Cut a hole in it that exactly matches the “head” of the corset. Place a hinged lid into the hole, which should fit tightly into the slot and close it carefully, masking it from the eyes of spectators. If desired and skillful, you can make a lid that will open with a spring and snap into place. Now the top of the sword is ready. Solder it in place. Then, also from three-millimeter brass, cut out the hilt according to your wishes. Bend one end up and the other down. Make a hole in it for the handle and solder the hilt to the sword at a distance of 8 cm from its lower end. To strengthen the pin in the sword, drill through holes with a diameter of 5 mm in it and, after passing the bolt, tighten the nut. Disguise the hilt of the sword with a gaiter, which we recommend making from lined velvet or fabric with a beautiful pattern. Sew the gaiter to the hilt in the holes made for this purpose. The gaiter should be solid with a full-length cut so that you can comfortably grasp the handle. The other two swords are made in the same way. So that they can be held standing, pins of the same diameter as the holes in the middle and “foot” flanges are inserted into their ends (into the handle). Nickel your swords: this will give them a good look. Perhaps some amateur will be able to cast aluminum swords using wooden models and polish them. It will be much better. True, then a steel rod must also be inserted into the “head” sword. We recommend making the middle and “leg” swords only after you have the “head” sword and “corset” ready. After testing, you will accurately determine the length of the swords. Note that the end of the “leg” sword needs to be rounded and blunted: after all, the assistant’s heel or leg will rest on it (depending on her height). The corset is the most important part of the apparatus. We will describe it with a device - a “pickup”, designed by us. This greatly facilitates the assistant’s work and provides greater stability. The main part of the corset is made of strip steel for railway springs, 5,5 cm wide and 0,8 cm thick. The length of the strips is 77 cm. Look carefully at fig. 177. It shows corset 1 (bottom view); All dimensions are given in millimeters. In Fig. 177,2 shows the profile of the steel strip and its dimensions; in Fig. 3 - profile of the corset, and in Fig. 4 - detail of the “head” of the corset, where A is the corner that we have already talked about. First of all, give the spring strip a profile according to the shape of the curvature of the assistant’s back. It is clear that the strip can only be bent when it is hot. You can also perform the number on a straight stripe, but this is much more difficult for an assistant, and besides, such a stripe is less camouflaged with a dress. Having drilled a hole with a diameter of 15 mm at the end of the strip, insert a pin of the same diameter and 7 cm long into it. Weld it to the spring along the strip, having previously rounded the edges. Remember that this part of the device must fit exactly into the hole in the pin of the “head” sword. Weld angle A along the strip to the base of the “head” and to the pin. Thoroughly clean and file off excess solder so that the angle fits exactly into the cut made in the pin of the “head” sword. Pay attention to the profile of the “head” of the corset (see Fig. 177,4). This bend is very convenient for demonstrating the number. File the edges and corners (see Fig. 177,1). Cut two quadrangles from sheet iron 2 mm thick: one measuring 10×22 cm, the other 10×27 cm; round the corners and drill small holes along the edges, through which you will then sew “pillows” for your assistant. Place the smaller quadrangle on the spring strip at a distance of 19 cm from its edge and weld or rivet tightly. Then, stepping back from it at a distance of 33 cm, place the second quadrangle and also attach it to the strip. Bend the iron to the shape of the assistant's shoulders and pelvis so that she can lie comfortably on the corset. Bend the iron waist belt bracket and attach it at the waist location on the bottom of the corset. Now do the “pickup” that we talked about above (see Fig. 177). This is a square with an extension, which, when placed on an iron strip, prevents the “grip” from bending down and holds the leg in the desired position, at the same time it allows you to move forward. The “grip” is made of steel 10 mm thick, 15 mm wide and 24 cm long. An iron strip 15 mm wide and 16 cm long is attached to the end, which is bent to the shape of the leg. A bushing is attached to the end of the rail strip, in which the “pickup” can rotate with its rounded end. For convenience, trim the corset with “pads” on the side facing the assistant’s body. Also sheathe the rail strip and the “pickup” bracket. This completes the corset. A wide silk ribbon 30-50 cm wide, 1,5 m long will be quite suitable for your number. The secret lies in the "corset" we have described. It is attached to the waist with a strong waist belt, and behind the iron shoulder strips - with shoulder straps, which, crossing on the chest, are tied in front with straps to the waist belt. The position of the “corset” on the back is shown in Fig. 178. Its “head” should be at the level of the middle of the assistant’s ears.
Focus secret: The girl puts on a dress over the “corset”, which well camouflages the “head” and makes it possible to easily and unnoticeably put it on the pin of the “head” sword. The “head” of the corset, inserted into the sword, holds the corset with the assistant lying on it in a horizontal position. This is the whole secret of our illusion. The cut of the dress depends on your taste. We think the best is a black dress with a train and a fluffy high collar. At the back of the collar there is a wide stripe, caught at the waist and turning into a train at the bottom. Decorate it with sparkles. A beautiful tiara made of artificial stones and sparkles is placed on the head. This dress is very convenient for immediate dressing: it has a slit and only two fasteners. The train and skirt drape well around the legs and hold up well when the assistant lies on one sword. You can come up with other dresses that hide the corset and mainly the head. Practical Guidelines for Performing the Illusion Backstage, before being brought onto the stage, the platform is covered with a tire and three swords are placed on top of it. It is best to cover the “head” sword with tape, as if “carelessly”. If you made the lid of the sword well, then you don’t have to cover it: the audience won’t notice the very thin outline of the cutout. The tape is placed in a fold in the middle, its ends hanging in different directions, so it is easier to pick them up. The assistant is put on a corset, all the belts are tightened tightly, and the whole thing is covered with a dress on top. The “head” of the corset is threaded through the neckline of the collar outward and carefully draped with the collar. At the right moment, the assistant walks onto the stage with a light, free gait and stands in front of the performer’s raised hand (see Fig. 135). “Falling asleep,” the assistant falls back. The assistant standing on the left is watching her. As soon as the girl sways, she immediately grabs her with her right hand under her right shoulder (in the place where the upper iron strip is located), and with her left hand under her pelvis (in the place where the lower iron strip is located). Now he lifts her, keeping his elbows closer to his sides, and brings her to the platform so that the middle of the assistant’s ears is exactly above the center of the “head” sword. The illusionist approaches the platform from the audience's side, hiding his assistant's head. With his left hand he instantly feels for the pin of the “head”, and with his right hand he opens the hole in the sword and directs the pin exactly into the hole. Immediately, with his left hand, brought under his head, he sends the pin, helping him get inside. Once the pin is in the sword, the assistant slowly lowers his hands, making sure there is no push, and straightens the girl's dress, tucking it between her ankles. It should be noted that the assistant, when “falling,” should imperceptibly place her left leg on top of her right: after all, the right leg will be supported by a “catch.” The description of how the pin is inserted took up a lot of space, but in reality it happens in just 3-4 seconds. Precisely rehearse the tilts of your assistant's body, as well as the moments when you raise or lower her legs. It is necessary to achieve such a position that the pin fits exactly into the sword without the help of the performer. It is understandably difficult to achieve this right away; you will have to practice more. We only advise you not to overtire your assistants. After every 5-6 performances of the number, you need to give them a rest for at least 10-15 minutes. At this time, the assistant should remove the corset. At first, it is better to rehearse without a dress, in overalls: this will make it easier to navigate the position of the body. As soon as the girl is placed on the “head” sword, the assistant moves aside, and the performer, slowly moving his hand over the lying assistant, moves away from her head to her feet, then again approaches the head, but from behind (see Fig. 136). The audience is given the complete illusion that the girl is actually lying on three swords. Then everything goes according to the description, right up to the moment when you remove the girl from the swords. To do this, the assistant approaches the platform, takes the assistant in the same way as he placed her, that is, with his right hand under the right shoulder, and with his left under the pelvis, and slightly raises his legs - this makes it easier to remove the pin. At this time, the magician, also standing by the head and covering it from the audience, takes hold of the “head” with his left hand, and with his right hand, slipping it under the strip of the corset from below, helps to remove the pin from the sword. He immediately closes the hole, takes out the “head” sword with both hands and, showing it to the audience, places it on the platform. At this time, the assistant takes the assistant two steps to the side and puts her on her feet. Note that “removing” the sword should take less time than “inserting” the pin into it. For us, this was done in no more than one second and almost without my participation - with one assistant. With the correct angle of lifting the legs, all this is done by itself and very quickly: you just need to slightly raise your right hand, and the pin will easily come out. As soon as the assistant begins to remove the assistant from the sword, when lowering her to the floor, she should quietly and quickly remove her left leg from her right, while the assistant holds it slightly under her back. Having placed the girl, the assistant quickly approaches the platform, places the remaining two swords on it and rolls it backstage. The performer, approaching the assistant, makes “mysterious” movements with his hands, “unhypnotizing” her. When the girl “wakes up,” she makes a deep bow to the audience and quickly goes backstage. Despite the fact that the assistant lies freely on the corset, and the “pickup” securely supports her right leg, she must squeeze her knees tightly and keep her legs very extended and tense. At the same time, the abdominal muscles also tense. Only then will your legs not waver. At the moment when she is lowered onto the swords, the girl must raise her head above the corset: this will make it easier for the performer to get to the “head” of the corset. She must do the same when “removing from the sword.” Despite the apparent simplicity of execution, this illusion is especially difficult for the assistant, who, of course, must have dexterity and physical strength. It is also not easy for the assistant, as it requires a lot of tension from her when she lies on the corset, and the ability to walk freely in it. All this is achieved through rehearsals. When the assistant exits and leaves, the assistant should not cover the “head” with his hand, hiding it from the audience. This illusion is very effective and, when performed skillfully, always makes a great impression on the audience. Author: Vadimov A.A.
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