CORKSCREW MAGIC
By Ian Adair
Hereís
a rather interesting type of effect. It
came to me one evening when I was watching
someone opening a bottle of red wine. The
actual metal screw section of the corkscrew
came away from the wooden T-shaped handle.
EFFECT:
The
performer displays a bottle of wine complete
with a tightly fitted cork. He also drapes
a white stiff napkin over his arm and pretends
to be a waiter. A slender tube, which fits
over the bottle, is nearby and is made to
cover the unit. Next, a corkscrew of the
T-shaped variety is shown, metal screw type
section - wooden handle on top, as illustrated.
As this is shown unfortunately the metal
sections falls off onto the table. The performer
is left only holding the wooden handle and
apologizes to his audience. He drops the
wooden handle into the empty folds of the
napkin, holding the four corners together
thus to form a bag. This is handed to a
spectator to hold. A snap of the fingers
and when the napkin is undraped, there is
the corkscrew complete again with itís metal
section again attached to the handle. Upon
lifting away the tube, the cork is no longer
in the bottleneck and parts of the contents
are poured into a nearby glass.
APPARATUS
REQUIRED:
- A
set of two nesting bottles, the inner
one being able to hold a certain amount
of wine, or liquid which resembles the
real stuff. A cork which fits into the
neck of the outer bottle. A plastic
or cardboard tube to fit over the nesting
bottles. You may already have this from
your set of Passe Passe Bottles, or
from your Multiplying Bottles outfit.
- A
wineglass nearby.
- A
white napkin of the cloth variety.
- A
special corkscrew made from two of similar
shape and size. To fake it, use one
as the genuine one, and from the other,
remove the screw metal sections, discarding
the wooden handle. Bore a hold on the
top of the wooden handle, approximately
central position, as illustrated. Screw
it lightly into this hole. Now you have
a corkscrew with two metal sections,
both protruding from the central parts
of the wooden handle. You will find
that it is any easy matter for you to
display the corkscrew looking genuine
by hiding the second screw section with
the fingers of your right hand.
You
are ready to commence the effect. Have the
corkscrew inside your jacket pocket or within
the fold of the cloth napkin.
WORKING
AND PRESENTATION
Display the bottles (nested together).
Point
to the tightly fitted cork.
Cover
the bottle(s) with the tube. Normally, there
is a hole cut toward the back of the tube
for easy access using the index finger.
This in turn will take away the outer bottle
when required. Alternatively, the fingers
on the right hand can enter via the top
of the tube and steal away the bottle.
Explain
to your audience that you will show them
how to open a bottle of wine by magic. Once
the bottle is covered, remove the corkscrew
from the napkin or from your pocket and
display it within your right hand, concealing
the duplicate metal section. It looks genuine.
Throw
the cloth napkin up into the air and drape
it over your left hand. Drop the corkscrew
into the folds, making sure no one sees
the duplicate metal section. In doing so,
allow the loose section to fall off onto
the table, with a "clang!" Apologize and
display just the handle held between your
fingers. Drop this inside the napkin. Gather
the four corners of the napkin together
and hand these to a spectator to hold for
all to see. Stand back and snap your fingers.
Let the spectator undrape the napkin and
then ask him or her to display the corkscrew.
Itís complete again. You may wish to vanish
the section which has accidentally(?) fallen
off, but this is entirely up to the individual.
Take the corkscrew and wave it over the
covered bottle within the tube. Remove the
tube either inserting your finger through
the hole at the rear or by lifting away
the outer bottle, containing the cork so
that when taken away, there is the inner
bottle WITHOUT A CORK! Whereís the cork?
Thatís the question and how did the bottle
magically open itself? Lift up the bottle
and pour the wine into a glass. Sample the
wine and nod your head in approval.
Itís
certainly a different type of effect, one
I hope GeMiNi members will enjoy.
Ian
Adair.
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