The human fascination with things magically disappearing and then reappearing has been going on for millennia. This article is a quick romp exploring the concept of ‘disappearing’ through historical research and correspondence with contemporary magicians.
The performance of magic as we know it today began in the 1800s with thanks to innovative creative practitioners like the French clockmaker Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin.
Robert-Houdin known as ‘The Father of Modern Magic’ opened a Parisian magic theatre in 1845, making the art of illusion an entertaining spectacle, something worth paying for.
A growing hunger for all things magic spread like wildfire. Across the Channel, London performers included John Henry Anderson who opened the New Strand Theatre in 1840. In the latter part of the 1800s, partners John Nevil Maskelyne and Cooke performed mind boggling tricks at the Egyptian Hall for decades. Take note of the disappearing man in the poster.
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| Mahatmas Outdone! Maskelyne and Cooke (Poster courtesy of the British Library - EVAN331) |
Heading west, over the Atlantic and into the 20th century, the trend for Illusionary entertainment continued. One of the most well known practitioners at that time was American-Hungarian illusionist and escape artist Erik Weisz (1874- 1926), better known as Harry Houdini; and yes, he did pinch his stage name from the French legend Robert-Houdin (as mentioned above), paying homage to his hero.
On the 7th January 1918 Houdini famously performed the ‘Vanishing Elephant’ trick in New York’s Hippodrome Theatre which involved a huge cabinet, a ‘disappearing’ elephant and twelve hefty men.
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| Harry Houdini, 1910 (Photograph courtesy of the British Library - 080404) |
A hundred years later another American magician Ricky Jay (Richard Jay Potash) was interviewed by Tom Zito and asked what he thought about the 2006 film The Prestige, based on Christopher Priest’s novel focussing on two Victorian competitive magicians battling it out in the public arena.
Ricky Jay responded in part discussing the three acts of a magic trick:
1) The magician shows you something ordinary, like a dove.2) The magician takes the dove and makes it do something extraordinary, like disappear.
3) The magician tops that disappearance and makes the dove reappear.
He went on to explain that "magic is all about structure…you’ve got to take the observer from the ordinary, to the extraordinary, to the astounding".
Jumping forward into the present, I recently contacted magicians actively performing. I found it enlightening to receive thoughtful insights from Martin Price (MP) and Scoop Magic (SM). Both have over 50 years-experience as illusionists and work in the North West of England. Here are highlights:
1) What and/or who inspired you to become a magician?
(MP) My parents gave me a box of magic, [a] Peter Pan set and I was hooked.
(SM) It was a combination of my dad making a coin disappear and reappear behind my ear and Paul Daniels being one of the biggest TV stars in the country when I was growing up. I was also painfully shy as a child so learning a few magic tricks helped make up for my lack of social skills, something which is common among magicians.
2) What do you think the fascination is with making things disappear, then reappear?
(MP) A magical experience.
(SM) Makes people question what is real and what is possible. If something tangible and undeniable can cease to exist in the blink of an eye, that's a real shock and it's almost a relief when it reappears. Maybe it also speaks to the knowledge we all have deep down that existence is fleeting and we are all going to disappear one day.
3) What do you think are your audience’s top favourite ‘Disappearing Acts’ that you perform?
(MP) The vanishing rabbit.
(SM) I make a dove disappear from a cage and reappear in a sweet tin held by a spectator (that always gets gasps).
4) What are your top favourite ‘Disappearing Acts’ that other magicians perform?
(MP) Lions and elephants disappear as seen in Vegas.
(SM) Paul Daniels' disappearing TV camera and his disappearing elephant are great!
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| Houdini's (original) vanishing elephant (Magazine courtesy of New York Public Library - b15181992 |
5) Any other thoughts about being a magician magic and or the concept of ‘Disappearing’ in your profession?
(MP) Sadly many pros in the business have died or too old to perform hence they disappear only to be replaced by mainly one night wonders or Britain’s got talent folk but they don’t have the wealth of experience.
The answers to the questions speak volumes.
In researching the performance of magic, its history past and present, it is apparent that we are forever watching in wonder and baffled when something disappears - when something then reappears it has the ‘Wow!’ factor and surely that's what keeps an audience on the edge of their seats and coming back for more. Long may it continue.
"A writer’s brain is like a magician’s hat. If you are going to get anything out of it, you have to put something in it first." Louis L’Amour
To wrap it up, a random fun fact: 926 words can be made out of the word ‘Disappearing’. And now my brain has been filled, my heart is full and my eyes remain wide open. Enjoy the approaching magical festive season.
In the Magic Hat
Now you see it
Now you don’t
Now you see it
Now you don’t
Now you see it
Thank you for reading!
Kate J
Sources
Alta, 2018. The Pledge. The Turn. The Prestige. https://www.altaonline.com/dispatches/a4688/the-pledge-the-turn-the-prestige/ Accessed 6 December.
American Museum of Magic, 2024. The Birth of Modern Magic. https://americanmuseumofmagic.com/history-of-magic/ Accessed 7 December.
Bookroo, 2024. Disappear Quotes. https://bookroo.com/quotes/disappear Accessed 6 December.
British Library, 2024. Poster Image. https://imagesonline.bl.uk/asset/11637/ Accessed 7 December.
Goodreads, 2013. Louis L’Amour >Quotes> Quotable Quote. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/794880-a-writer-s-brain-is-like-a-magician-s-hat-if-you-re
Accessed 6 December
Price, M., 2024. Email to Kate Eggleston-Wirtz 8 November.
Scoop Magic, 2024. Email to Kate Eggleston-Wirtz 19 November.
Wordmaker, 2024. Disappearing. https://wordmaker.info/how-many/disappearing.html Accessed 9 December.
Price, M., 2024. Email to Kate Eggleston-Wirtz 8 November.
Scoop Magic, 2024. Email to Kate Eggleston-Wirtz 19 November.
Wordmaker, 2024. Disappearing. https://wordmaker.info/how-many/disappearing.html Accessed 9 December.
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