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THE GREAT ESCAPE T-263

The magician places a solid metal sheet into a frame. A piece of cloth fabric is attached to this frame. He then places a die on top of the metal sheet, covering the die with the cloth. Although the die is completely trapped in place — with nowhere to go — it magically penetrates the metal sheet, falling into a cup below.This powerfully visual illusion is striking to audiences, because they can actually see the die through the cloth fabric as it sinks through the metal.

PROPS INCLUDED

Die Clip

Metal sheet

Frame

In addition, you will need to provide a short cup with a wide (approximately 3”) mouth opening.

THE FRAME’S SECRET

Look at the three screws located on the base of the frame. The middle screw is a secret switch. Turn this screw so that the groove is oriented vertically to unlock the frame’s gimmick.

Turn the groove to a vertical

position

Gimmick panel opens downward

Side view

* Caution! The gimmick panel stops at a fixed angle. Do not attempt to force it open any further as this will damage the frame.

After closing the gimmick panel, rotate the screw so its groove is oriented horizontally. This locks the gimmick in the closed position.

The cloth attached to the frame is made from a stretchable fabric. After repeated use, the fabric may bunch up, or acquire creases in the areas where the cloth is connected to the frame. This can cause the cloth to be pinched by the gimmick panel when it opens and closes. In this condition, the gimmick will not operate properly. If this occurs, apply small squares of double-stick tape to the cloth in the four locations indicated in the illustration below. The tape will prevent the cloth from further interference with the gimmick, and enables the secret panel to operate properly.

Secure with double-stick tape

At the start of your performance, set the middle screw with its groove in the vertical position. The secret panel must start in the unlocked condition. Turn the entire frame upside down and hold it horizontal to the table. The cloth hangs down from the edge closest to your body. Be sure to hold the frame firmly with your fingers so that the gimmick panel does not open prematurely.

Be careful not to let the gimmick panel open

Place the metal sheet, the die, the clip and your own cup on the table, and you are ready to start.

PERFORMANCE

1 Hold the frame with your left hand, and pick up the metal sheet with your right hand. Hand the metal sheet to your spectator and ask him to confirm that it is solid, and that there are no openings. Throughout the entire performance, keep your left hand in its current position, always holding the frame horizontally.

Side view

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2 Retrieve the metal sheet from your spectator, and insert it into the recess located at the center of the frame.

3 Next pick up the die and hand it to a spectator for examination. As before, ask him to confirm that it is solid.

4 Retrieve the die from your spectator, and place it onto the center of the metal sheet.

5 With your right fingers, lift the end of the cloth that is hanging on the near side of the frame. Pull the cloth as you lift it, stretching it slightly longer. Move the end of the cloth up and away from you, covering the die and the frame.

6 Tuck the end of the cloth under the frame on the side closer to the audience, and use the clip to secure the cloth against the frame.During this entire procedure, be sure to firmly grip the frame with your left hand so that the gimmick panel does not accidentally open.

7 Grip the frame with the fingertips of both hands, and rotate your wrists so that the bottom side of the frame is visible to your audience. They will see the lower side of the metal sheet. Explain that the die is completely trapped in position between the cloth and the metal sheet.

Audience view

8 Return the frame to the horizontal position, and position the cup so that it is tabled directly in front of you.

9 Grip the frame with the fingertips of both hands, and position the base of both thumbs flush along the ends of the frame. In this grip, keep your thumbs and first fingers together, so that no gaps are ap-parent between them. Be careful not to contact the metal sheet from below with your remaining fingertips. If the metal sheet is tipped out of position, it may fall free when the gimmick panel is later opened.

10 Hold the frame about one inch above the cup, but not directly cen-tered. Move the frame slightly away from you, and slightly closer to the audience.

11 Tell your audience that they should pay close attention to the die that is visible through the cloth. By focusing the audience’s attention to the die, they will not notice the slight movement of both hands when you secretly open and close the gimmick panel in the next step.

12 Continue to hold the frame horizontally. Now slowly loosen your fingertips’ grip on the gimmick panel, gradually allowing the panel to open downward. The die will eventually slide off of the metal sheet and into the cup on the table below. Your audience will be able to see the die through the cloth until the last moment, and it will appear exactly as if the die has sunk through the metal sheet and fallen out below.

Side view with right hand removed

ɶ important pointThe die falls at a diagonal angle. However, since the cup has a wide mouth open-ing, it will appear to your audience that the die has dropped straight down into the center of the cup.

13 Slowly close the gimmick panel with the fingertips of both hands.

ɶ important pointBy closing the gimmick panel slowly, your audience will not be able to recognize that the metal sheet has been opened and closed. The frame has always been in view through the fabric cloth, and this creates an illusion that the metal sheet has also always been in view.

14 Continue to hold the frame between both hands, and move the frame away from the cup. Your audience will see the die inside of the cup.

15 Remove the clip with your right hand, and undrape the cloth from the top of the frame. Show your audience that the metal sheet is pres-ent, and intact. Remove the metal sheet from the frame, and place it onto the table.

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OPTIONAL CLEAN-UP

The following handling enables you to imperceptively rotate the middle screw, secretly locking the gimmick switch in front of your audience.

Hold the outer right corner of the frame with your right hand. Position your left hand with thumb on top and fingertips below. Clip the middle screw with your left fingertips, applying pressure to the screw from above and below. With your right hand, rotate the entire frame ninety degrees clockwise while holding the screw in place with your left fingertips. This action locks the gimmick panel, and prevents it from opening again.

Clip the middle screw with left fingertips

Rotate frame clockwise while applying pressure to screw with left fingers

PRESENTATION

“I want to show you an illusion I call The Great Escape, using this ordinary die.”

“First please examine this metal sheet and be sure that it is solid.”

Retrieve the metal sheet from your spectator and insert it into the frame. Place the die on top of the metal sheet.

“Next I’ll cover the die with this cloth.”

Clip the fabric cloth in place.

“The die is trapped between the metal sheet and the fabric covering. As you can clearly see, there is no place for it to go.”

Show the under side of the frame to your audience.

“You can see the die through the cloth at all times. Pay close attention to the die — do not take your eyes off of it. You will see the die penetrate slowly downward, sinking through the metal.”

Allow the die to penetrate the metal sheet and fall into the cup below.

“The die has penetrated the metal and landed in the cup. You’ve just experienced an impossible demonstration of solid through solid.”

FINAL NOTES

This trick was originally created by British magician Ali Bongo, and later released by Magic Land, a magic shop located in Tokyo, Japan. We at Tenyo have further developed this brilliant creation by attaching a cloth to the frame, enabling the audience to see both the die and the frame through the semi-transparent cloth. This new construction adds to the powerful illusion that the metal sheet is visible at all times.

Be sure to practice the opening and closing of the gimmick panel until you can perform it smoothly. Then go out and perform this stunning effect for your friends and other audiences.

©2014 Tokyo, Japan

CAUTION

Be certain to read the following warnings.

• Small parts are contained in this product. Be careful not to accidentally swallow these parts as they may create a risk of choking.

• Keep all parts away from small children to avoid accidental choking risk.

Created by: Ali Bongo

New construction and Japanese instructions by: Kenichi Komiya

English instructions by: Steve Cohen

Illustrations by: Nariyuki Yoshihara