Ringaround
We are dealing here with another classic of magic,
"The Thumb Tie". Seldom does a trick pack so small
and yet is SO capable of entertaining an audience
of any size. The masters of magic that have featured
this trick are many. One thinks of FRANK DUCROT,
LES LEVANTE, TEN ICHI, PAUL ROSINI and many others.
This is not a method of doing the thumb tie that
I'm going to tell you about. It's rather a strong
COMMERCIAL piece of business that I use with it.
TARBELL devoted a full chapter on thumb tie methods
in his course of magic (Vol. 4). Years ago, MAX
ANDREWS of England wrote an excellent manuscript
of thumb tie methods. Among my favorite methods
are, the "MASONI THUMB TIE", marketed by SUPREME
MAGIC of England, Jay Marshall's "JASPERNESE"
method, using pipe cleaners and Irv Wiener's clever,
"RED TAPE" method. Take your pick, they are all
good.
After your thumbs are tied and inspected by the
assisting spectator, you pick up a large, solid
steel ring, (mine is 18" diameter). I stand about
five or six feet from the spectator and say, "At
the count of three I am going to toss this ring
to you, please catch it." You count, toss the
ring and he catches it.
Then say, "I'll count to three again and you
toss the ring back to me the same way. Do you
understand?" You count, he tosses the ring and
you catch it. "That's perfect, now, do it again."
As you walk towards him, you separate your thumbs,
allowing the ring to enter; however, don't allow
the audience to become aware of this. Hand him
the ring (stage whisper for him to hold it tightly)
and turn to walk away from him.
As you walk away, stop suddenly (as if you were
caught on a hook). It is at this point that he,
the audience and YOU first realize that the ring
has penetrated your tied thumbs. Look at the ring,
then at him and ask quizzically, "How did YOU
do that?"
Study the ring as though you're trying to figure
a way to get it off. Shake the ring from arm to
arm. Notice that the spectator is observing you
and say to him, "Don't just stand there: You got
it on, now figure out a way to get it off."
The spectator is to your right, give him a whisper
cue to scratch his head and then to move the ring
all the way up your right arm to your right shoulder.
Another whispered cue tells him to slip the ring
right on up past your shoulder and over your head
and around your neck.
The next cue has him slip the ring down over
your shoulders and to your waist. He then moves
the ring down to your "fanny". Bend your body
a little at this time and the ring will apparently
be stuck. Turn your back to the audience and wiggle
your "fanny" a little, apparently trying to help
him get the ring unstuck. When you straighten
your body the ring will continue moving down to
the floor.
At this point, step out of the ring and have
him raise ring back up to your arm. This entire
moving of the ring over your body is a study in
futility. Because after all, the trouble of moving
the ring up the arm, over your head, down to your
waist, all the way to the floor and back up again,
THE RING IS RIGHT BACK WHERE IT STARTED, still
locked onto your right arm.
"Never mind" says the magi. "Here, you hold this",
he hands them the ring, releasing it from between
his hands at the same time. "I'll get the scissors,
and you can cut me loose." He reaches to his breast
pocket, thumbs still tied and removes a pair of
scissors. The assistant cuts the thumbs apart,
is thanked and you're finished.
One more thought. Take a wire coat hanger ad
bend it into a circle and experiment with it to
find out the proper size to have your big ring
made. You'll be amazed at how small the ring looks,
yet it will still be big enough to pass over your
complete body.
I have found this routine to be a winning combination
of laughs and mystery. Hope you agree. If you
don't, may the ring "stick" for real, when it's
half-way over your body!
"The Joy household in peaceful rural Ohio was
recently thrown into a state of strife!! It all
started with the arrival of a Bundle from Britain.
The 'bundle' contained a copy of 'Clever Like
a Fox'. "C" thought that Bill believed in the
old axiom 'Ladies first.' Bill believed that as
the head of the house he had first choice. They
argued, they fought, then happily they compromised
. . . they read the book together. And their opinion,
- IT'S REALLY FIRST-CLASS. "Sincerest congratulations
to Karrell Fox for a MASTERLY publication and
to the publishers for a WONDERFUL book."
--'C' and Bill Joy, Brookfield,
Ohio
To MULTIPLY your fun in magic,
DIVIDE it with others.
|
