Recharmed,
I'm Sure
by Lance Pierce
Photos by Michael King
This is the part where I mention that this work is copyrighted @2011, and where I also somehow convey the idea that it's not really nice to copy - and especially distribute - any part of this document by any means. However, when it comes to the ideas in this book, if you find one or more you like, please take ownership. Make them yours. Otherwise, what's the point?
Before embarking on your journey with this routine, we strongly recommend you obtain a copy of Troy Hooser's DVD, Charming Chinese Challenge, avaTlable from Bob Kohler Magic (www.bobkohlermagic.com). It's not necessary to know Troy's routine in order to learn "Recharmed, I'm Sure," but it will help give a fuller understanding of the plot, its possibilities, and offer alternate ideas. In this wdy, you can explore fuither and strike your own path, perhaps coming up with something even beffer.
Note: The [ollowing description of this routine was extracted frorn the hook, Elements: The Lectttre, The Book, and refonnatted for this booklet. The description refers to a particular style of coin purse that facilitates the acquiring of a secrct fourth coin. The original purse is made by Bosca and is available at www.bosca.corn. Because coin purses in this style are difficult to obtairl at low cost, they're not always available to sell with this routine and are sold separately when we do have them. If you prescntly do rrot have this type of coin purse, you can still do the routine as there are numerous ways to deceptively obtain a fourth coin without the spectators knowing.
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f,tECHTU.RPfED, Is
SUR ,{i Jt's something of a treat to watch Troy Hooser pertbrm his routine,.,The I Charnring chinese challenge." with three chinese coins and a length of rribbon, ease.
the coins seem to penetrate the ribbon on and otT with impossible a clrarming routine, and it's rvorth taking on as a challenge.
[t is, indeed,
When it comes to r,r,orking close-up, the plot is engagir-rg and entertaining, and are more taken with the actions of the coins than I t'rrst thought they'rnight be. Part olthis seerns to conle tiorn the tact that the situation is so undeniably clear. In this handling, coins with holes are threa
I've tbund that people
on the table.
Troy's routine is already classic and u'ell-tbrrned, and it isn't in need of nruch tinkering, but as rnagicians with the spirit to explore, tinker we nrust. The gclal, as always, is to strearnline the handling to rvhere as few, if any, adjustrnents possible are apllarent, hiding the sleights to the greatest degree rve can, arrd providine magical tnonlents along the way.
as
To this end (our effort to sclueeze everythinu \\,e can out of a handling), we've used the sirnplest of techniques rvherever appropriate, working to reduce tension
or visible effort. Eventually, we ended up substituting for rnost of the rnovcs, keeping only one phase from Troy's original rclutine. Troy,'s routine is excellent and available on DVD, and I recornrnend a stLrdy of it for as contplete an understanding as possible of the eft-ect and all its options. Rather tlran use a length of libbon, here rve use rat tail, a cold sold at all thbric supply stores. It cornes in a variety'of colors; lve used red. Also, instead olLrsing Chinese coins as tbund in rnagic stores. we use sorne coins found at a souvenir
shop. They''re rough and a;-rpalerrt[y' nranr.rallr' plessed; they have an aLrthentic appearauce. Tlrey're about the size of U.S. silver dollars, anti rro t\'vo are exactly alike (Photo l). You'll neecl tbur of these coins tbr the routine, although the audience r,vill only' be arvare of th ree.
Finally, Eric DeCanrps suggested the use of a horseshoe coin purse as tbLrnd in practically any' leather goods store (Photo 2). The purse makes it possible to easily steal the fourth coin. We both tlnd the purse Lrsefirl to procure the extra coin, although or-rr techniques are nrarkedly different.
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to w. lo 52 ve ch ma in gi am c@ ag gm ic ai .c l. om co m
Betbre beginning, there's a rnove in the routine that rnerits sorre adl'ance discussion: Michael Aururar's "Fingerrip Spel lbound Change." MichaeI first published this move in his Errcore series of books, and it was reprinted in his conrpilation, I/rc iVugic o.f' lt'liclrucl Atrtnrur. l'ye not seerl anyone other than MichaeI or ure do the move. but it's quite a magical change of a coin.
To do this rnove, get trvo coins of ditl-erent metals, like a copper ar-rd silver. Hold the silver at the lett tingenips as in Photo 3. The copper coin is secretly in tlre right hand. clipped between the t-irst and second tingers (Photo 4). It's going to appear as tl-rough you lightly brush the ar.rdience-side of the silver coin rvith y'our right tingertlps, and it changes.
All the tbllou'ing actions
are done as one
nlovement: Bring tlre right hand (and coin) in frout of the leti. The copper coin goes against the back ofthe lett tingers. The right hand moves up, and the silver coin is clipped against the foretinger rvith the right thurnb as it rises (Photo 5). The copper coin comes up and over the lett t-rn-eertips and is placed in tlre sanre positiou
-.t-
as
tlre siIr'er coiu n'as a lnr]nlent aeo (Photo
6) As tlris coin is placed, the right hand nlo\ es dou'n, and the copper coin coutes irrto vieg, tiorn betrveen the tlrst and second tingers (Photo 7). The right hand nroves to the right and awa),'.
It's iutpoftant to note that as the right tingers come over the silver coin and then move to the right to expose the copper one, it bobs up and dow'n slightly in nriuor rurbbing tnotlons. ln other words, rather than the action being a srnooth arc down and then to the right, it's nrore of a u'rinor oscillating up and down nrotion that moves dorvn and then away.
to w. lo 52 ve ch ma in gi am c@ ag gm ic ai .c l. om co m
Later in the routine, you will use essentially this same move (with minor adjustrnents in the handlin-q) to etrect, not a change, but a subtle switch of a coln threaded onto the string tbrone that's not. Obviously,, if Iou do the Fingertip Speltbound Change w'ith two identical coins (say, Chinese coins), the audience will not register that arrything happened. However, if one of the coins is threaded onto a strlng, then tlre ar.rdience sees, not a transtbrrnation, but a batlling and magical penetration of the string right offthe coin. When rve reach that point in the routine, rve'il add some urore t'inesse to it that completes this startling illusion.
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All right, wlth that move under your belt, let's prepare the routine. First, we must cut a piece of rat tail to the appropriate length. This willdepend in great part on yor:r body size and arm span. Most people will t-rnd a length of approximately three f'eet quite usable. You also rvant the strine, though, ofsuch a length that when you thread three coins onto it, insert the coins into the purse, and wrap the doubled string around the spine of the purse, tlre ends come to rest at approximately the middte inside the purse. ln this way, r,vhen you close the purse and snap it shut, the ends are securely inside and not hanging loose. To eft-ectively cut the rat tail, t'irst find your cutting point and apply Super Glue all around the string at that point. Atter a moment or trvo when the glue has
dried, use scissors to cut through the middle of this glued section. Then, apply another drop of glue to the very tip and let it dry. Do the same tbr the other end. You norv hale a length of string with stitTends that will not unravel.
Now thread three of 1,our coins onto the string and place the coins into the purse. Place your tburth coin under the hern of leather on the other side of the )
purse. As desclibed. take the two strands of string coming ttom the pur:se and wrap thelu around the spine olthe purse starting by going over the top ol the purse, dorvn the thr side, and wrapping under the lolver edge (Photo 8;. When the string is complete[1. wound, close tl-re purse and snap it shut, trapping the ends inside.
to w. lo 52 ve ch ma in gi am c@ ag gm ic ai .c l. om co m
When ready'to perfornr, show the purse with the string wrapped on it atrd say, "He.r', c'lteck lltis out... " Open the purse toll'ard y'ou, shielding the inside tiom the audience, the extra coin on the right side. The ends of the rat taiI wlll irrmediately drop irrto vierv. Say, ",4 piet'e ol'retl silk strirtg. I hud it shipltecl ttll the vu.t'.fi'om Cltinu. .tovn.t Cltinutorn! " The right thunrb lands on the hole of the coin and puslres it up and, by presslng slightly. the bottorn edge of the coin raises just enough that voLl can lorver the coin over the leather edge and hold it there (Photo 9).
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This is actually a very slight urovenrent, and as you do this, 1,our lett hand grasps the string and unwinds it. Wherr the string is tiee of the purse, 1'our lefi hand takes hold of the lett end of the purse, and y'our right hand slicles to the left to grasll both strands, and the coin comes with it. Say, "Attcl re ulso ltuve... " Lower y'our hands, brin-qing the inside of the purse to'"vard the audience, the pocket lowerurost, and pull the string up, dragging the threaded coins into view (Photo l0). Say, "...sotne ntone.r'. Mt' purenls' w'enl lo Chintt, untl ull I
gol't'ere lhese lous.t'coius."
Set tlre purse
aside or pocket it.
Remove the coins fronr the string and l-rand them to a spectator (since you're lrolding out a coin in your right hand, hold the string with this hand as rvell). As you do this, you've adjusted the extra coin into right-hand finger patrn. Have her place the coins back on your left tingers. Now hand the string to another spectator. After he takes it to look at it, turn to a spectator on your right as you do the Utiliry Switch (Bobo s Moclern Coin Magic.) apparently tossing three coins ttom your letl hand to your right. ln reality, the bottorlrnost coin is kept in leti-lrand tinger palnr, and only two are tossed onto the coin alread.v in the right hand. Open this hand t'lat and show a spectator the coins or.r your right. Say, "Hc,rl trtutl.t'clo.t'ou sce.)" He,uvill say three. Say', "Oh. good. l've got these hifu
Shuttle Passes and Han Ping Chiens and all t[-reir ingeniotls applications, there mav not be a stronger n.love to hide one object than tlre Utilir-r* Srvitch. It's st-l fair, casual, and open that spectators tlever seetr to qtlestion the situation: yotr have three coins, two harrds, ar-rd nothing else). Do the Utitity Srvitch agaln, apparentll' tossing the coins into vour [ett lrand, br-rt really only'tossing two. Show therr-r brietl;to someone on your tett. Stack the coins and hold thern at the leti thurnb and tingertips as in Photo ll. Take the strins back from the spectator and thread it dorvn through the stack of coins, pulling it through the bottom and centering the coins on the strlng. Take the ends oltlre string rvith the right hand and allorv the coins to dangle. Say, "The coins stctrl ON the string. Thut's ull lhere is to il. Ibu ('un s(e ther're ott tltert'. Thete's no den.r'ing tlte siluutittn . " Place the palnr-up lett hand between y'our body and the string and putl the coins r-rp and onto the base of the left t-rngers (Photo 12). Sal, ". .so 4s long us tltese c'oirts don't coilte iledr the encls..." Hold up the ends with the right hand, giving a classic Rarnsay' Subtlety'display (Photo
l3).
Sal',
"...lltev L'un'l cont( off." (Man1'rnagicians rvill give tl-re Rantsay' Subtlety when holding no object, just in a hand gesture, but the display is alw'ays much stronger ilyou're showiug sometlring else and the subtlery works peripheratty, as in this case, by holding the ends of the strlng. This not only puts the hand to use -- instead of oft-ering an empf,v qesture and actually calling attention to the subtlety - not so sLrbtle, really -- it also gives the audience somettrlng to think about rvhile drivittg home the impresslon you want - that the hands are otheru'ise empty. ) Lower your right hand and drop the encls of the string, allow'ing them to hang freely ttorn the tett lrand. Norv do the Utility' Switcl-r again, apparently tossing a1[ three coins into yourright hand, but really keeping one in lett tir-rger pahu.
and takes sonle of the slack between the trro hancls.
Toss loctk. conti hand
the rigl
ot coi ttle bit. ltttlcl
does.
the
right tlr the
clther tu'o with each tbr-n'ard nrotion of the harrd.
Atter the tlrst bounce, wlren the bottoul coin has rnoved tbnvard a bit, the hand can open t1at. lt appears as though the bottorn coin sirnply rnelts off the string and nroves tbrrvard with the hand. when tlre coin is well tbrward of the other two. thunrb it otf onto the spectator's hand. Say., ,.Zoo,( ..thctt\ one,.,,
Take hold of the two remaining coins at the right fingertips and raise this hancl (don't let these coins go out of view), as the tett hand drops. The hidden coin there willconre tiee of the strin_q. Brirrg the coins inside the right hand as this hand opens and cornes flat, the coins resting at the base of the right tingers (At erery available opporluniry, the postr.rre of the lrands and the situatiorrs shown are open ancl thir-lookin_e. Handlin,ss like this are just as much intpression as actualitl'rvherr it corlles to makirr_q things look above board and honest). Say', "c'rrr it reull.t'be done rtite'.) " Do the Utility Switch once o1ore, keeping one threaded coin in right t-rnger pahn, tossing the other one onto the coin already in the left hand.
Trap both coins with the letl thumb and carry thenr up and over the right hand. The
right hand grasps the strands olthe string
as
1'ou do this (Photo l4). The left hand lays the coins over the right tbretinger and lets
go. The loose coin is held in place b1'the weight of the threaded coin above as in Photo 15 (this is Thomas Wayne's wonderful display, and it's par-t of the originaI Troy Hooser routine).
Bring the right hand over the coin on the spectator's hand, saying, "Ytnr c.ctn see it!, on lltera.. but yt'uil...ttuil. .ttrnr " Gil.e the rieht hand one up-ar.rd-dorvn shake, dislodging the loose coin, lvhiclr talls onto
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the one in the spectator's hand uittr a clink. lt appears as though ttre coin jumped otf the string on courntand.
Wittr the left hand. take the coin tl'orrr tlre right. The right hand lo'rvers, runthreading the coin hidden in tinger palnr, and then it goes to the spectator's hand to renlove the trvo coins there, holding them at your tingertips. Say, "fir'o tlclrn... " Raise the leti hand, sal'ing, "...und otk to go " Table the trvo coirls irt y'oLrr ri-eht hand and tlten, if necessary, everl out the ends of the string as it hangs from the coin in vour letl. Say, "l'oa cun se( thul s reull)'on there. right," With the right l-rarld, grasp the strands of the string and pull dow'n a coup[e of tin.res, shorving it firntly on the coin. Extend your leti hancl to the spectator, saying, " Het'e, .t'ott pull...ntuke sll'e,. " The sp€ctator pulls t'rrr tlte string. As your lett hand travels tbnvard and your right hand lorvers, adjust the coin in finger palm to a clipped position between the t-rrst and second t-tngers, in preparation for Atnmar's move. Say', "Goocl'.' So us long us the c'oin's on llrere, we slruultln't be ctble to dtt lltis
Now do this variation on Michael's change: The lett hand holds the coin at the 9 o'clock position, the stling [ranging free. The right hand approaches the coin tiom belorv, the second and third tingers opening slightly, and they move around the strand of string closest to the audience At this point, the clipped coir.t it-t the right hand is rrearly horizontal (Photo l6). Now brlng your right hand over the coin and do the Fingertip Spellbound Change. When y'ou do the nrove, you'il tind that the string ends between your right first and second fingers, and the portion ofstring that rvas clipped between your riglrt second and third fingers becotnes caught on the leti side of the coin placed at your lett fin-qertips (Photo l7). Pull on the loop of string a bit with the coin, and then extract tlre coin tiorn it. lt appears as thou,gh )'ou've sirnply pulled the string otf the coin, leaving an emptl'loop coming out of the right hand (Photo 18). Say', "OIcourst'. il'it contes of/. il ccttt ulso go ctn, right ht're. rigltt in tlte middle .. " Holdiug the coin betrveeu [ett thutnb and
tirst tinger, clip the loop of strine benveen the Iett tlrst ancl secrrncl t-rlger ald sr-r it han-qs straight dorvn in tl-ont olthe right hancl. As the letl hand travels iu fiont of the riglrt. it gives enough cover tbr the rieht hand to adjust its coin to clip position betrveen the t'irst and secotrd tln_gers, reacly for the change acljust it
aga in.
with the left hand, use its coin to point to the center of the loop, sayins, "...trttcl
whert il goes on...il nigltt look something...like...this. " Move the left hand to the lett and repeat the Fingertip Speltbound change, almost visibly putring the string right back onto the coin. Just as the threacled coin cornes into view. the
right hand grasps both strands olthe string and raises them to the ri,eht, tugging slightly. Let go of the ends, holding only,the coins, as you Iean forwaril and hold the strirrg out toward the spectator again, saying, "rag on rhctt. ltlctke sure it's reully on tltere." As y'ou lean forward, move the coin in your right hancl to thumb palm and then place this hand on the table right on top of the two coins there, spread, as you support yoursellon this arm. Hold out your left hand to the spectator so he can pull on the string. When you stand stralght again, boldly leave the coin on the table with the other trvo. Your right hand cornes up betw'een the strands of the string, and you place the coir.r ln the right hand in French Drop position (Photo l9). The string runs through the coin and over your hand. Say, "Des:pite the /irt thut te ktto:r.' thut it cttu'l come oft'the stt'ing. eren though it dicl, ctll ve hoye lr-t tkt is give, it o s(luee:e. ."
Bring tl-re lett hand up to the coin, opening the first and second fingers so that the strand nearest the audience goes in between thenr (Photo 20). Norv do the French Drop as normal, the left [rand apparently taking hotd of the coin, whlch really drops onto the right fin-9ers and ends in finger palm.
As soorr as the left hand has supposedly taken the coin, the rieht hand moves down and grasps both strands olthe string, then both hands reverse positions, the right hand moving up, and the lett hand closing and moving down (Photo 2l). - t0
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Thc coin is in right-hand fingcrpahn position and is still thrcadcd on thc string. Pausc, aucl thcn pull up on thc string, cxtracting it tionr the lclt [rand (This tcchnicluc is original, bLrt I'nr told Gregory Wilson has dcvised sotncthing sirnilar). Say, ".. ond it comes right o//. 'Yot onlv does it conte off, it ulso gocs.. 0\'0.t'. " Raise thc lclt hand, moving the fingers in a crumblirrg motiorl, aud thetr opcn the hand, showing it empty. Thc lelt hand thcn takcs hold of one of the strands and you pull thc right hand arvay, stripping the hidden coin
have...ttt'o hund.s'..a piece of'string. . " The ri-tlht hand drops its end olthe string and thcn slowly'points to the coins on the table as yott szty, "...cmtl those three crtins." At this 1'loint, you can drop the string on the table, and everything is exarninirble. Say', "Antl thcrt's ctll
vn'e
To clcan up, take the three coins and stack thenr in the lelt fingers as betilre. Pick up the string and thread it through thc coins, tnovitlg thetn to celrtcr. Hold the coins ',vith thc right hand as the left picks up the purse and opctrs it. SIide the coins inl.o the 1'locket ancl thcn raise tlrc hands and purse so its inside is torvarcl y.ou. The right hantl lnovcs to thc strands of string hanging liorn thc purse alrd gives thcm a dolvnward strokc as if sntoothing them out. Thcrr the right hand takcs hold of its end olthc pursc. In the process, the right thunrb moves onto tlre
oltlre finger palmed coin atld levers the coin away tiom the fingers just a bit. This allows thc purse to slide bctween the coins and fiugers (Photo 22), and the thunrb presses the coin against the inside olthe purse. The left hand wirrds the string around the purse as betirre. At any' oppottune moment, thc right hand slidcs its coin up above thc leather hern and thcn down behind, securing it therc. When the ends of the string are insidc tlre pursc, closc thc purse atld srrap it shtlt. You are packagcd neat and resct.
edge
There arc other wa,vs to end tlre routine, of course, the nrost obvious option being to end rvith the flnal coin appearing in a spectator's lrand. We're aware oI tlre gencral understancling that magic that happens in a spectirtor's hand is stronger than nrost othcr kinds, but rny cxpct'ience has sltown this to be circurnstantial. If you're rvorking fbr a table oleight people, lor instirncc, ending with the coill appcaring irr hcr hand is dctinitcly stlollg - tbr her. What happcns, thoLrgh, is that the other spcctators imrnediately start polling her: "Did
you t'eel the coin go in your hand'l" "Did you only have fwo'/" ..When did that other coin appear'}" and so on.
what this means is that they didn't have the experience she did and are forced to question her about it to gain some insight into it. This changes the mood from one of possible mutual astonishment to a sometimes lengthy interview process which, while affirming the mystery that took place, is different from the mystery we'd like them to experience. Protracted moments like this can also wreck the rhythm ofyour set. Ending with the coin appearing on the table, then, was our preferred approach, as everyone in the group experiences the effect at the same time and in the same way, leading to a mutual appreciation of the coin's sudden appearance. Overall, this has proven more powerful and effective.
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