Li Chang’s Boxes (Animal Daredevils) by Alan Warner, Martin’s Magic

I’ve always liked the look of these beautiful teak boxes. They are compact and strong and with the red and blue Chinese symbols look very striking. What is even better about these boxes is that they are a general switching device, anything that fits in one box can be transported into the other box: cards, billets, letters, colors, etc. You could use them in forces, do as I do effects, mind reading effects – the list is long!

There are no switches, flaps or external devices – the boxes are totally self contained and the method is just so very clever and very convincing. You will love how they look and how they operate – very different from any other card boxes I have seen.

Below is an effect that I’ve been doing for a few years which I really like and it resonates well with the audience because of the animals.  Click here for the original routine.

Includes:

• Li Chang’s Boxes.
• Original instructions and cards for standard routine.
• Eight small Animal Daredevil’s stickers.
• Die with red/blue colors.
• Clicker to train the animals.

Effect: Here is my Animal Daredevils routine. You introduce a red and blue shelter (box) and inside each shelter are four Animal Daredevils (of course you can choose any names you fancy):

Red Shelter:

• Percy the Pig
• Henry the Horse
• Reggie the Rabbit
• Buttercup the Cow

Blue Shelter:

• Derek the Dog
• Roger the Rooster
• Gregory the Goat
• Dickie the Duck

The shelters are otherwise empty and shown quite freely.

The spectator freely chooses any one of these Daredevils … e.g. Percy the Pig.  The performer says “Percy the Pig is a great choice.  Between you and me Percy has been practicing extra hard to perform this amazing feat for you.  Before Percy can continue please roll this die a few times to make sure it is fair and when you are happy roll it and we will choose the Red or Blue shelter.”  The spectator rolls the die and Blue is fairly chosen (there is no force for the animal or color of shelter).

Percy is placed clearly inside the Blue shelter and both shelters are closed and hoisted high up into the air. Before the final leap the Red shelter is placed on the ground. The Blue shelter is hoisted higher in the air and the training clicker is introduced.  The performer explains that Percy cannot hear his voice through the shelter walls, but the clicker can be heard very clearly.  On the first click Percy will psych himself and prepare for the death defying leap to the Red shelter.  He will not use a safety net or parachute for this leap.

All of the other Daredevils are waiting with bated breath for Percy to leap.  They know they will give him a huge roar of approval if he is successful.  The Blue shelter is rattled one last time and Percy can be heard bracing themselves inside.

Then the performer does the double click and the other Daredevils are deathly quiet. The Blue Shelter is placed down on the ground next to the Red shelter, and the Blue is opened and shown to be empty.  Percy was half way there.  The big question is did he make it safely to the Red shelter so many feet below?

The Red shelter is finally opened and there is Percy, proud as punch having successfully made the leap, and the crowd goes crazy 🙂

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