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Not sure I'll get any takers on this one but since this is TM I'll give it a shot!

I can't sleep. I mean I literally can't sleep because of this brick in a bag effect.

A spectator sits at a table and two bags are in front of him. The performer is very specific and states, 'pick a bag, and to be clear, whichever bag you choose will be the one I open, turn upside down and let the contents drop on your hand.' The spec picks the one on the right, it's turned upside down and a feather comes out. The other is turned upside down and a brick comes out.

Now, I have woken up in the middle of the night twice now dreaming about this effect, or I should say, having nightmares about it. It can't be equivoque since the performer is so specific. It must (I have convinced myself) be a mxxxxxe oxt. But what possible oxt could it be. I have thought of several oxts but they are all total c*** (not the best) and for the life of me I cannot think of a natural ending that would look clean. I'm findng it difficult to focus on anything else at the minute.

I'm not asking for anyone to tip any commercial methods since the oxt is never revealed. I'm not aware of it being commercially available? (If it is, please tell me and I'll buy it!). So, if you have an active imagination and you genuiely want to prevent me going on a killing spree, would you be kind enough to PM me if you have any ideas for a decent mxxxxxxe oxt for this effect. I can tell you all my many ideas, but I can assure you, they aren't any good!

k

For some reason my post has appeared twice. That's a technical glitch and not an indication of my desperation BTW!!!

No worries, I've deleted the other one!

For some reason, it makes me think about a rabbit production from a hat, starting from an empty bag. The method is in Mark Wilson's. Not sure if you could do it from a bag, but maybe from a cardboard box?

Or a load of something smaller but heavy like a steel ball (e.g. petanque) which you could get / make a foam replica of and switch. In that case, if the bags were not examined, you could load both and display empty with an egg bag type of contraption?

All good ideas. I was considering a load/steal of some sort. I've considered having brick/feathers in both bags but it's difficult stop a brick 'talking' when you turn the bag over. Besides, I know from seeing a performance that there definitely wasn't a brick in both bags. I thought of instant stooging or some sort of dual reality. I've considered different items but the image of the brick is so powerful. I've considered equivoque but it makes the performance less direct? I'll have to keep searching I guess. I'm trying to think outside the box (no pun intended) so hopefully I'll hit upon an idea soon enough!

I have just spent the last hour watching this over and over and over. Something just hit me like a slap in the face, no not my wife wondering why I haven't done anything all day, but something else. I think I have the technique being used, but not the method. I know that doesn't make sense but I can't go into anymore detail without revealing something. PM me if you're at all interested in the fruits of my labour! I think I'm close to cracking it, really close!!!!!

K

I appreciate that I am effectively engaged in a perpetual soliloquy here but Google being what is, I might at some future point save someone from the torment that this effect has caused me. Hence my post.

I now have a solution to Max Maven's Handout routine. I've tried it on three people and it worked each time. I think it can be improved upon but in essence, I think I've got it nailed and can finally get some sleep. Even my wife said to me today that I must never talk to her again about that [insert swear word] brick in a bag routine. And I never will!

K

kevmundo wrote:Even my wife said to me today that I must never talk to her again about that [insert swear word] brick in a bag routine.

The first rule of magic club* is don't talk about magic club to the missus.

* Or pretty much any club.

Ted wrote:

kevmundo wrote:Even my wife said to me today that I must never talk to her again about that [insert swear word] brick in a bag routine.

The first rule of magic club* is don't talk about magic club to the missus.

* Or pretty much any club.

Hahahahaha! A lesson I have learnt too late!

There was Malini's Brick from a hat. I think it is in the Malini Book by Lewis Ganson & Dai Vernon.. Alas the book is now in Portugal.

I did my own version,once with a paper ball vanishing and kept re-appearing under the hat.
It involved at one point dropping the hat on the floor right by the front row of spectators.
Lastly: the paper ball vanished--I lifted the hat off the table-- Cor blimey--it is not there. I seemed to have dropped a brick'
And then I did -- from the hat!

Andrew Mayne has a DVD with all kinds of things coming from a paper bag.Everything from a large Ball to a cup of hot coffee. NOT for working at tables though.

Allen Tipton

I've Pm'd you my solution! Let me know what you think??

K

4 years after posting and I was for out for a jog when a solution to the confounded brick in a bag routine came to me in a moment of divine inspiration. My last solution was awful. I think this is much better - not perfect, but better. This is my gift to the world but if the mods think it would be better in a secret location then feel free!

Performer places two bags on a table. One with a feather in (the back is blank) and one with a brick in (this has a sticker on the back that says "THIS ONE!"). The performer faces the audience and the audience CANNOT see the back of the bags. Ask a spec to choose either "this one" pointing to the brick bag, or "that one" pointing at the feather bag. If they choose "that one" then get the spec to come out and proceed as normal making sure not to expose the back of the bag. If they choose "this one" (the brick bag) then you can make an off hand comment such-like "I knew you'd pick "THIS ONE!" and reverse both bags. That provides the mxxxxxxe oxt.

Let me know what you think. I might try it out and see how it plays. I think everyone now recognises that there is no solution and max was just lucky in the selection. But it's still fun trying to work it out!!!

Kevmudo The Great

Thanks for the update Kev, sleepless nights will now be a thing of the past for many!!!

Exactly!!! If any effect has kept me awake at night it's been this one - but (by the grace of God) watching a Banachek DVD with an effect on it called "This 'n That" and having recently discussed chair tests with The Lady of Mystery, I put them all together and come up with this. I'm giving an after dinner speech about magic/mentalism at a Rotary club on 01st November. I'm going to include this (room shape permitting). I'll let you know how it plays..... good or bad!! Hopefully I can keep others from the sleepless nights I've had. But it just goes to show - inspiration comes in the strangest of places. As Einstein said:

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."

K

Many moons ago I had a very sleepless night but the end result was a cracking routine merging Carpenters Nightmare with The Xpert. I believe Neil Tobin included the idea in one if his Xpert supplements. Must go dig it out and see if it's still viable!