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Has anyone ever done one where the middle part is actually removed?
Stage version.

Robert Harbin's 'standard' stage version just slides the girl's middle bit sideways but the better version is where the sections are all taken out of the frame, placed on the floor, and then put back again ion the wrong order. Of course, the 'mistake' is corrected and the girl is assembled in the right order. This was on one of the Greatest Secrets Revealed Shows so is bound to be on again soon!

Mandrake, your talking about a completly different ilusion, The mismade girl, which was invented by Chuck Jones in the states. Its an entertaining effect, but not a patch on Zig zag.

I'm with you 100% on that - Robert Harbin certainly invented the Zig Zag illusion and the Mismade Girl is a totally different idea. It's the only one I know of where the middle bit is removed although I have no doubt there will be many others exactly as MoM mentioned.

Although both have been exposed on the Secrets Revealed programs, I still reckon Zig Zag is the better of the two - it's many years old now and may not be a staggeringingly wondererful as when first performed but it's still good stage magic. Mismaid Girl always suffers from the fact that the assistants are inevitably seen to be carrying and moving obviously empty boxes - they could at least stagger and sweat a bit to make it look real!

Along with the fact that the BOTTOM box never gets picked up!!!

Mike

There are several versions of the ZZ in which the mid-section is completely removed, the easiest to find plans to is the Rand Woodbury version that incorporates his Z-Table so that the hand can still be seen moving along with interaction with the silk.

There was a UK based comedy team that did a full middle removal years ago, I haven't a clue as to their name but the gist of it all is that one played the abused assistant... long story short the mage takes out the middle and walks off stage with it... suddenly the top section drops down onto the leg section... you her a toilet flush as the whole thing turns about to show the painting of an Out-House and the assistant (now a midget) comes walking out, tucking in his shirt... it was one of the funniest pieces I've ever seen.

The MISMADE LADY was invented by Chuck Jones... though there are some timing issues on it, Chuck is credited for an "up-grade" to the effect that actually belonged to another magician who basically came up with the method out of ignorance... he didn't know how the trick "really worked" so he built it based on something he knew -- the Disembodied Princess... somehow, given the politics of things in our wonderful magic world, the originator of this method is never mentioned... I still forgive Chuck however in that he's a great guy and I don't believe it was entirely his fault.