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.
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
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
Buy at
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Magic: Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography
Buy at
Amazon UK
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] |
| The Grey Man - Phillip Escoffey [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] |