On The Other Hand
Quite a few years ago,
the Abbott Magic Co. of Colon, Michigan, marketed
a trick called Abbotts' Daring Spring Trap.
Matter of fact, they still do.
In my opinion, it's an
excellent prop. It has novelty, mystery and
an air of danger. (Practically all stage illusions
are based on this last premise. Stop and think
about it, magicians are always figuring out
ways to mutilate their beautiful girl assistants
by slicing, cutting, chopping or shredding,
etc.)
In the effect, a steel
animal trap is shown. The trap is placed on
the floor, and by stepping on it, the trap is
set. You then place a wooden pencil into the
trap. The force of the trap closing will snap
the wooden pencil in half. You then reset the
trap and shove your hand into its jaws. Sounds
dangerous doesn't it? Well, it isn't, in fact
it doesn't hurt you one little bit.
I've added a couple of
presentation points to it, and proven funny
premise that has always played well for me.
I use a lady assistant from the audience to
hold the trap for me. Gals are normally afraid
of things like traps, so she will be a little
nervous, which helps the fun along.
I set the trap and hand
it to her. Then I place the pencil inside and
when it snaps it in half, the girl's reactions
will again garner more laughs for you. I tell
the gal that I am going to shove my hand into
the trap and that she must hold it perfectly
still, otherwise it will pull the fingers right
off the hand.
I further explain that
in order to keep the jaws of the trap from breaking
my skin that I will wrap a small hand towel
and around my fingers. I then wrap the towel
around the fingers of my RIGHT hand. I start
to shove my right, towel-covered hand into the
trap, but then I stop. This starting and stopping
bit is used several times.
Finally, I say, "Don't
worry, I won't hurt myself, all I'm going to
do is just put my hand in like this." As I say
this, I shove my LEFT (unwrapped) hand into
the trap and LET OUT A "YELL" AT THE SAME TIME.
The gal will be "bananas".
I ask her to remove the
trap from my hand. She can't, so I say "Wait,
just a second". I then walk offstage, remove
the trap, place a fake rubber hand into it and
pull my left hand up into my sleeve. I make
as much offstage noise as I can, and then walk
back onstage swinging the trap with the fake
hand in it, in my RIGHT hand. I ask for applause
for the gal and dismiss her.
This last bit is old I
know, but it's also a very funny and commercial
laugh finish to the routine.
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