"Origami - Telekinesis"
(Ted Lesley)
I dedicate this routine to my friend EUGENE
BURGER, from whom I learned a lot during
the past ten years!
My "Teleport Envelope" is a most versatile
gimmick, as you will agree after you have constructed
one and tried it out before an audience. The
"magic" seems to happen in the spectator's own
hands, and that makes impossible effects possible
and so easy to do.
The gimmicked envelope is usable for routines,
cabaret, and even close-up conditions. In fact,
one of my favorite presentaions for close-up
is the one which follows. As with all tricks
of the "bizarre" kind, you will have to be a
good storyteller and create the right atmosphere
to present the trick convincingly.
The patter I use is tailored for me, since
it has been developed slowly through arduous
work. Therefore I have ommited my patter from
this description, as I am of the opinion that
borrowed presentations fit a performer as badly
as a borrowed suit.
EFFECT:
A small envelope is shown to the audience for
examination and they find it absolutely empty.
Next a banknote is borrowed from a member of
the audience. The performer reads the number
off, which is in turn written by a spectator
on the back of the performer's business card
for later verification. The bill is folded twice
(this depends on the size of the envelope);
and the spectator, who has the envelope, puts
the folded banknote in it and seals the flap.
The envelope is never again touched by the performer.
The bizzarist spreads a Japanese silk handkerchief
on the tabe and the envelope is put on top of
at approximately its center. The four corners
of the hanky are folded to the middle, covering
the envelope. As the performer talks, the envelope
starts to move slowly under the silk. After
a while, the contortions stop, and the performer
blows on the silk, uncovering the envelope.
A spectator removes the envelope from the silk
and opens it with a pair of scissors. He finds
that the dollar bill has folded itself into
an origami figure. The performer later unfolds
the bill and checks the number, finding to his/her
consternation that the number matches the one
which was earlier recorded.
PREPARATION:
The secret compartment of the envelope is loaded
with a simple origami figure, made out of a
banknote of high value. It should be at least
a $10 bill, but is better if a $20 or $50 bill
is used. I suggest that you make origami figures
out of bills of different denominations, which
you insert into the secret compartments of your
"Teleport-Envelopes". Take care, to record the
numbers of the different bills with pencil on
thumbtips before you fold them! Insert the thumbtips
into the gimmicked envelopes in such a way that
the pencilled number matches the one on the
origami figure in the secret compartment. It's
obvious, that you must know also, which denomination
of each bill is in which envelope. For this
reason put a secret mark on the envelopes and
put them in descending order into the pockets
of your jacket. It is essential, that you can
take the envelopes out of the appropriate pocket
with your right hand!
Pencilling the numbers of the bankknotes on
thumbtips saves you a lot of memory work. The
idea, as far as I can remember, was invented
by Mike Caveney.
I use a beautiful silk handkerchief for this
trick that I bought during my last stay in Japan.
I then converted it into a "Glorphy" - gimmick.
In Japan's stationary stores stencils and water
colors are available to decorate your own postcards.
I bought a few and decorated my "Teleport Envelopes".
The decoration shows me immediately which bill
is in which envelope, so they are my "secret
marks"!
The origami figures I use for the routine are
very simple ones and they link with the story
I tell during the presentation. Magic Inc.,
in Chigago, publi-shed Cerceda's "Folding Money"-books,
which contain a lot of easy-to-make origami-models;
these work well for this trick.
When I hand out a business card, I usually
place it into a small envelope specially made
for such purposes. For this reason, I had my
bookbinder make a beautiful business card wallet
with two compartments. I keep my cards in the
top compartment, backs showing, and envelopes
in the bottom compartment. One side of the pad
has a built-in holder for a pen attached to
a chain. This pad is used by the spectator to
write the serial number of the bill during the
routine.
I suggest, that you perform this routine under
"candlelight conditions".
PRESENTATION:
You have to invent a convincing "Japanese Ghost
Story". For example, perhaps you tell about
an old Japanese professor who was an origami
expert.You explain that after he died some strange
things were found in his house....and so on.
Show the "Glorpy" silk and spread it on the
table in such a way that the gimmick is at the
right place to activate it later.
Ask for the loan of a banknote of high value.
As soon as you see, which kind of bill the spectator
takes out of his wallet, reach with your right
hand into the appropriate pocket and insert
your thumb into the proper envelope, slipping
the thumb tip on at the same time. Simultaneously
take the envelope out, open it, and allow the
audience to look inside.
Immediately place the envelope in front of
the spectator who loaned you the money and take
the banknote from that person, holding it at
a corner with your rigth thumb and forefinger.
Turn it towards yourself and (seemingly) read
off its serial number. Take care that the number
on the bill is facing you; if not, rotate the
bill to the proper position wit your left hand.
Read off the serial number from the thumbtip
and instruct the assisting spectator to write
it on top of the first card in the pad. Fold
the note once or twice in such a way that the
serial number is hidden and hand it back to
the spectator. Have the spectator insert it
deep into the "empty" envelope. After this has
been done, tell the spectator to seal the flap
of the envelope. Next instruct the spectator
to set the envelope on top of the middle of
the silk. Fold the corners of the silk towards
the middle in the time-honored manner to cover
the envelope.
According to your patter, activate the gimmick
of the silk to cause the envelope to seemingly
perform strange contortions under the silk.
This has to be done in a subtle way! Remember,
you're performing a spook effect, not a magic
trick!
Finally, blow on the silk to uncover the envelope.
The spectator takes the envelope and opens it
at the designated area with a pair of scissors.
Inside he will find that the "ghost of the professor"
has folded the bank note into an origami model.
Don't tell the spectator to unfold the origami
figure! Take one of your visiting card envelopes
and slip the card that has the number written
on it inside. Let the spectator insert the origami
bill into the same envelope and to take it "as
a souvenir." Later, at home (when he needs the
money), he will surely compare his written number
with the one on the bill. They are the same,
of course, and he will remember YOU for future
engagements.....which is what time has proven
since I began performing this routine.
Do NOT forget to take the used "Teleport Envelope"
back, or you will lose money!
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