Reality Twister by Paul Harris, Lubor Fiedler

Effect: Paul’s newest mindbender is “Reality Twister,” a close-up illusion that uses a ballpoint pen and a small, rectangular plastic “lens” (about the size of a credit card). The spectator examines the lens as you remove the pen from your pocket and uncap it. The spectator holds out her hand palm up, with her fingers spread apart. The pen is placed across the spectator’s fingers and you hold the lens over the pen. The spectator looks down and can see the body of the pen through the lens. The lens is now turned 90 degrees. As the spectator looks through the lens she sees the middle of the pen disappear. The ends of the pen extend beyond the lens and the spectator’s fingers are visible, but the middle of the pen is gone. The lens is turned back to its original position and the middle of the pen becomes visible again. You now make small twisting motions with the lens as you move it closer to the pen. As you do this, the spectator sees that the center of the pen has distorted, twisting itself into a corkscrew shape. Everything can be examined.

“Reality Twister” is an amazing little illusion that makes use of a lens principle developed by Lubor Fiedler. Remarkably, the lens does all the work, causing the middle of the pen to disappear, while hiding the fact that the pen has a twist in it. Having the pen twisted at the finale is Paul’s idea, and it’s a good one, because it turns what would otherwise be a scientific experiment into real magic trick.

“Reality Twister” requires no sleight-of-hand, just a bit of audience management. While it can be performed for a small group, it is really designed to be a one-on-one effect. The packaging of the trick (designed by Ben Harris) is very clever, and allows the would-be purchaser to experience the illusion without actually being able to touch the props.

This is not the type of thing that really suits my performance style, but I did demonstrate it to several of my co-workers and it got a good response. Cloak this in a meaningful presentation and you’ve got yourself an offbeat and memorable little trick. I think magicians are going to love this. “Reality Twister” is easy to do, is fun to play with, looks really weird, and will give your spectators a jolt.

(Michael Close – Magic Magazine, December 2002)
Text Source: michaelclose.com – click for details

Found something wrong? Help us improve things by clicking here!