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OAR ★
Effect: Take any three items from your box of tricks (for example the wand, the die,
and a ball) and put them on a table or the floor. Leave the room. The audience
chooses one of the three items and calls you back in. Waving your hands over the
three items, you select the same one that they chose! This is one trick you can
repeat, changing the “rule” each time. For example, the next time someone can go
out with you to make sure you cannot see, another time the audience can change
the position of the objects before or after choosing one.
Performance: The secret to this trick is that the person who calls you back is your
secret assistant. He or she knows a secret code called OAR. If the object on the left
is chosen, the “assistant” calls you back shouting
“
OK.” The O in O.K. means it’s
the object on the left. Use a word that begins with A to signify the middle object.
So if the assistant says, “Alright,” first when calling you back, then it’s the middle
object. “Ready” can be used to signal the right hand object because it begins with
an R.
Tip: Make sure you agree which is left when facing in a particular direction and
always add words like “OK,you can come back” or “Come back in - we are ready”
to disguise the code.
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The Appearing Wand ★★
Cut a small slit in the bottom of an old purse and have the wand hidden up your
right sleeve, but have one end against the palm of your right hand. Show the purse
to your audience and place it into your right hand so that the tip of the wand gets
pushed into the small slit. Now open the purse, reach in with your left hand, and
produce the wand. (Note: Instead of a purse, you can use an empty playing card
box or an opaque pencil case.)
Who Has the Ball? ★★★
While you leave the room, one of the spectators must take a ball from the magic
tricks box and hold it against his/her forehead for 30 seconds. Then all the spectators
must put their fists on the table pretending to hold the ball. When you come back
into the room, you’ll know exactly who has the ball and in which hand! Here is
the reason: the fist of the spectator who held the ball against his/her forehead
during the 30 seconds is a little whiter than the fists of the others due to decreased
blood circulation.
It’s “Knot” a Problem ★
Bet your friends that they can’t tie a knot in the rope without letting go of the ends!
They won’t be able to do it. Then announce, “It’s not a problem.” Lay the rope on a
table and cross your arms. With your arms still folded, pick up the rope and without
letting go of the ends, unfold your arms and…a knot will appear!
The Balancing Ball ★★★
You will need an assistant to perform this trick. Take a piece of black thread and
attach it to one end of the magic wand. Put this end of the wand in your left hand.
With your right hand, hold the other end of the wand and pull the thread taut with
your right middle finger. Let your assistant put a ball on the magic wand: the ball
can roll from one end to the other on the wand while it is supported by the thread
from behind. The audience can’t see the thread so they think you are magically
balancing the ball on your wand.