ARM TWIST ILLUSION

THE EFFECT: This mind boggling illusion created a sensation on a
recent national TV special. This totally impromptu routine is easy to do
and uses no props. You ask a spectator to copy your actions. Both of you
place your hands palm down on the table and begin to turn them in an
anticlockwise direction. The spectator is unable to turn his hand more
than part way, but you continue turning your hand in a full circle! One
and a half times! This routine must be seen to be believed. On many
occasions, people have been so shocked - they have actually screamed!
REQUIREMENTS: A top with long-sleeves.
PREPARATION: Put the sweater on!
THE SECRET AND PRESENTATION:
Ask a spectator to do the same thing you do by placing your
1 hand on the ground just like picture 1. (Note: the pictures were
taken showing the arm, but with the real trick YOU DO NOT show the
1
spectators your arm, it is covered by the sweater). Ok, They should put
their hand like the picture opposite.
4 5
2 3
While the spectator is Now turn you arm in a
2 3
putting their arm on the clockwise direction, basically
floor following your directions you are winding your arm up ready
you can use this as great to be unwound. See pictures 3, 4,
MISDIRECTION so you can quickly 5, 6 and 7. Because your arm is
do the SECRET MOVE as follows: covered by the sweater the
Place the palm of your right hand spectator believes their arm is in
face down on the floor with your the same position as yours, but in
6 7
fingers pointing away from your fact yours is would up. This move
body. Picture 2. will need a little practice to master.
With the secret move complete and your arm covered by the
8 sweater (picture 8) it looks exactly like your spectators arm as in
picture 1. Now all that is left to do is a lot of showmanship ie. acting
to pretend that it takes great skill and/or power to perform!
PERFORMANCE: With the spectators hand and yours on the ground
(looking like they are in the same position) ask the spectator to
follow you and start to turn your hand towards your body. The
spectator will stop very shortly as they can not move their hand
further than past their body - this is where you shine as your hand
keeps going past you body and all the way round. You can keep
going until you reach where the spectators stopped. One and a half
turns later!
TIPS: When the spectators hand can’t go any further get them to pull
your hand round with theirs this adds to the effect greatly. That way
they can feel a real hand so can’t say it was fake at the end of the
trick. You can also hide a piece of plastic (ie from a bottle of Coke or
Pepsi) up the sleeve of you arm which you can squeeze with the
8 other hand to to create a real nice bone crunching sound! Do not
forget to act as though you are in great pain to heighten the realism!
DON’T FORGET: If you are right handed like me, then just reverse the instructions given for the opposite hand!

Cup Through Table

Effect: A cup or glass vanishes when wrapped in a sheet of paper.
Secret: A piece of paper wrapped around the cup or glass will retain the shape of the cup – even after the
magician has secretly dropped the cup into his lap.
Props: A cup or glass, any small object and a sheet of newspaper or tissue paper.
Preparation: Select a piece of newspaper slightly larger than the cup so that it will cover it completely with
some overlap.
Presentation: Place the cup over any small object and wrap the paper around it. Ask the audience what is
under the cup. Everyone will, of course, suspect that you are about to vanish the object. Lift the paper and
cup to reassure everyone that the object is still on the table. Moving the wrapped cup slightly towards you,
just clear of the table relax your hold so that the cup is allowed to quietly drop into your lap, out of sight of
the audience, of course, whose attention is still focused on the object.The paper will retain the shape of the
cup. When you again place the paper over the object, you must maintain the illusion that you are replacing
both paper and cup. Wave your hand mysteriously over the "cup" and claim that you will make the object
vanish. When you lift the "cup" the object is still there. Remove the object but replace the "cup". Tell the
audience that something must have gone wrong and you are unable to vanish the object, so you have decided
to vanish the cup instead! At that moment dramatically smash your hand down onto the paper which will
flatten, giving the appearance that the "cup" has penetrated the table. Bring the cup from under the table
(removing it from your lap, in one smooth movement) and replace it on the table.