Perverse Magic Quickies

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Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Perverse Magic Quickies

Postby Gerald Deutsch » December 3rd, 2020, 10:52 am

Introduction

Most of the Perverse Magic that I have been posting takes place during the course of a magic performance.

My Egg Bag routine (which was posted many years ago in Genii) was all Perverse Magic. Roy Benson used it in his billiard ball effect when, in the course of producing 2-inch white billiard balls a red ball appears causing him to look in a book, confused.

But we are not always doing a magic performance.

I use Perverse Magic at an appropriate time even when not performing magic as shown below.


I Need A Pen

Effect

We had finished our meal and the waiter left a check. I picked up the check, then put it down as I said, “I need a pen.”

I picked up a roll, my hands were clearly otherwise empty, broke open the roll and everyone saw a pen inside. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, I took the pen, put the roll down, signed the check and then looked at the pen with a confused look and then put the pen in my pocket as I up to the smiles of everyone.

Discussion

Finding stuff in food is not new. I noted some of this on this thread – See Coin In Roll December 1, 2008. See Dai Vernon’s “Unlimited Coinage of Silver”, George Schindler’s “Easy Come, Easy Dough” and “Once In A Knifetime” and Martin Gardner’s “Bread”.

The problem here is that few pens will fit in most rolls. I always carry a pen that is five inches long that will fit into a long roll and I now carry another small pen that is only 4 ½ inches long that will fit onto most rolls.

As I said when I posted Coin In Roll on this thread on December 1, 2008:


1 If I feel I’m going to do this I take a roll out of the bread basket and bring it to my lap. I do this when no one’s attention is on me and no one expects me to be doing anything so even if they see me taking the roll it’s no big deal.

2 I push the pen through the side of the roll.

3 I return to roll to the bread basket. What I may have to do here is, as I drop the roll I pick up another and take that to my bread plate. Again, nothing suspicious.

4 When the check comes I look at it and say “I need a pen” and I reach for the roll and break it and take the pen. As noted above, I do this as if it’s the most natural thing but then I look confused as I put the pen in my pocket. (I just making sure no one takes my loaded roll).

5 I do break the roll so no one will see the hole in the side.

This is another example of the 6th classification of Perverse Magic – the performer
does something but doesn’t really understand why it’s so.


Rocks In Shoe

Effect

I was walking with a friend when I felt a pain in my foot. I stopped, pulled off my left shoe with my left hand, turned it over and a rock fell out.

I then reached in with my right hand and pulled out a very large rock and threw that on the ground.

I put my shoe back on, smiled and my friend and we continued our walk.

Discussion

A large rock is in my right-hand pocket and I smaller rock is placed in my shoe.

When “ready to perform” I palm the rock that is in my pocked and proceed as noted above.

Coin To Rock

Effect

During dinner a companion hands you a quarter and asks you to do a trick.

“I’m really not prepared,” you say, “But I’ll try. Watch, I’ll change the quarter to a half dollar.”

You toss the quarter from your right hand to your left, snap you fingers but when you open your left hand, instead of a half dollar, there’s a small rock.

“Darn! I did something wrong!”

You put the rock in your pocket, take out a quarter (the one you were given) and give censored to the companion.

Discussion

I find rocks to be a great prop and usually carry a small one in my pocket.

When I feel I might be doing magic at dinner I put the rock on my lap.

When handed the quarter I perform the Bobo Switch and lap the quarter.


Quarter From Pen

Effect

You are signing some papers and notice s problem with your pen. You look at it then shake it and a quarter falls to the table.

You look confused, pick up the quarter, look at it and you put it in your pocket and continue doing what your were doing with the pen.

Discussion

The quarter is Classic Palmed in the right hand.


To be continued----------

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