Photo © Can Stock Photo / stokkete
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” – Arthur C.Clarke’s Third Law, 1973
Many shows have special props or sequences that demand the highly specialised services of an illusion designer.
My intention is not to reveal secrets, but to share some of the incredible technologies that make use of magic techniques. Further down the page, the Notable Illusions section contains demonstrations of some illusions and techniques along with an in-depth exploration into some more specific illusions.
Aladdin has a number of transformations and a stunning flying magic carpet effect.
Beauty and the Beast has an enchantress who shoots a fireball, a rose that drops petals on cue, a tea trolley carrying a small boy playing ‘Chip’ who appears to have no body, and a final transformation sequence where the Beast levitates and transforms in mid-air into a Prince.
Ghost The Musical has a number of illusions, including a character walking through a door.
Matilda has a blackboard where chalk writing appears magically.
The Lord of the Rings had a number of vanishes.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is so packed with illusions and effects, it’s incredible.
In & Of Itself was a new show taking magic to a new level
Notable Illusions and Routines
In Depth
More coming soon
Video
- Barclay House - David Copperfield
- Black Art - Omar Pasha
- Blast Off! (Penn & Teller)
- Chop Cup (Paul Daniels)
- Clearly Impossible (The Twins)
- Cocoon (David Copperfield)
- Cups and Balls (Penn & Teller)
- Cups and Balls (Yann Frisch)
- Death Saw (David Copperfield)
- Dove Act (Lance Burton)
- Flying (David Copperfield)
- Heaven on the 7th Floor (David Copperfield)
- Hospital Scene - The Secret Cabaret (Simon Drake)
- Impossible Magic Show
- Levitation Magic (Lance Burton)
- Light / Heavy Chest (Superman)
- Linking Rings (Richard Ross)
- Losander Anti Gravity Box
- Metamorphosis / Substitution Trunk (The Pendragons)
- Orange Tree Automata - Original Mechanism of Robert-Houdin (Paul Daniels)
- Proteus Cabinet - Magic Unlimited
- Quick Change Costumes (David and Dania)
- Ribbon Routine (Eric Chien)
- Rio Ferdinand (Dynamo)
- Rope Trick (Mac King)
- Rubiks Cube Magic (Steven Brundage)
- Salt (Mario Lopez)
- Sawing a Woman In Half (Mark Wilson)
- Sawing a Woman In Half Illusion with Heidi Klum (Xakary)
- Shadow Box - The Ehrlich Brothers
- Spirit Cabinet (Falkenstein and Willard)
- Think of a Movie (Dynamo)
- Tomer Dudai on Israels Got Talent
- Tony & Jordan
- Vanishing Elephant (Lance Burton)
- Vanishing Elephant (Paul Daniels)
Amazon Shop
The Mechanical Turk: The True Story of the Chess-playing Machine That Fooled the World
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Magic: Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography
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Amazon US
Associations |
| Academy of Magical Arts Magic Castle [Hollywood, CA, USA] |
| British Society of Mystery Entertainers Mentalists, psychic entertainers, bizarre magicians, allied mystics [UK] |
| Society of American Magicians (SAM) [USA] |
| The Magic Circle [UK] |
Illusion Designers |
| Jim Steinmeyer [USA] |
| John Gaughan Illusion Design & Construction [Los Angeles, USA] |
| Paul Kieve - Illusions for Theatre [UK] |
| Scott Penrose Magician and Illusion Consultant [UK] |
| The Twins FX Illusions and Animatronics [UK] |
| The Twins FX Special Effects Hire Large scale illusions [UK] |
Makers |
| Artem Props, Special Effects, Illusions, Set, Practicals, Pyrotechnics [UK] |
| Creating the Impossible Props, Scenery & Magical Illusions [UK] |
| PropDog Professional Props for Magicians [UK] |
| ShowFX / David Mendoza Props, Staging, Effects [CA, USA] |
| Stolz Productions Set Design, Special Effects & Magic Consulting [Ontario, Canada] |
| The Magic Wand Shop Hand-made magic / fantasy-related props and costume [Sheffield, UK] |
| Tilford Illusions |
Performers |
| Alan Hudson |
| Alex Cadabra Close-up and Childrens Entertainer [UK] |
| Chris Peskett Close-Up Magic [UK] |
| Criss Angel |
| David Blaine |
| David Copperfield |
| Derren Brown |
| Duncan William Close-up magician & mind-reader [UK] |
| Dynamo [UK] |
| Ed Sumner Close-up Magic [UK] |
| Harry Houdini |
| Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin |
| Kovari Magic |
| Lance Burton |
| Looch Mind Reader & Mentalist [Nottingham, UK] |
| Norvil & Josephine Christopher Howell [London, UK] |
| Paul Daniels |
| Penn & Teller |
| Richard Pinner [UK] |
Publications |
| Genii The Conjurors Magazine [USA] |
| Magic Magazine [USA] |
| Magic Week [UK] |
| The Magicians Podcast |
Resources |
| All Magic Guide |
| Christopher Howell Magician Blog [London, UK] |
Research |
| Guardian - Paul Kieve - Matilda the Musical & Hugo |
Suppliers |
| Aaron Smith Magic Depot [USA] |
| Alakazam Sales [UK] |
| Arjans Show-Biz Centre [The Netherlands] |
| Ellusionist Training and Supplies [USA] |
| International Magic [London, UK] |
| Murphys Magic [CA, USA] |
| Practical Magic [UK] |
| The Magic Company [UK] |
| Theory11 [USA] |
| Top Secret Magic Sales [UK] |