The decision to work on a two-person sawing was based on two motives, one idealistic and one more practical. Jonathan had never cared for the misogyny in so many sawings and, especially after the accusations that had so recently been made against him, he wanted to remove the violence and create a sawing that was much more lyrical and almost intimate.
He talked about this in one of his Genie columns if you'd like to search out more about his thought process. But, admittedly, the mundane reality was also that we could only afford to hire Liberty. We just didn't have the resources to support a bevy of assistants. At first we weren't sure it could be done while maintaining the flawless illusion Jonathan insists on. After a great deal of frustration, I threw out a suggestion that was initially dismissed, but when I tried to backpedal Jonathan stopped, thought a moment more, and decided it might work after all.
It was actually a technique he'd used before too deal with a completely different problem, but sure enough, we were able to adapt it to something we thought might work for this. We spent the next several hours perfecting the micro-moves necessary. Liberty always looks so serene and still, but she's doing an enormous amount of work, and she never forgets the tiny details necessary to maintain the illusion of stillness throughout.
It also helps a lot that Jonathan is so blindingly fast on the key switch that even people very familiar with the technique have been known to miss it it helped that he was now doing it at a completely different moment than he had before.
For anyone who wants to try it themselves, I strongly recommend practicing until you can do it almost as fast as he does. The debut of the new method was a huge hit, and we've never looked back. Some people miss the drama of the swords, but most seem to love the almost serene beauty and intimacy of the new presentation.
An extra assistant would just intrude on the scene. If we are working a small stage, Jonathan is able to dispose of the leg box himself, by the simple expedient of putting it behind a curtain leg.
On a larger stage, such as the one used for Masters of Illusion what that clip is from , he does prefer to hand it off to a stagehand, just so he doesn't have to travel so far from the prop. It's mostly an issue of timing — too much walking will run you out of music awfully quickly. But that's not at all the sort of assistance required by the original method.
As to which is "better" — well, that depends on your presentation. For Jonathan's spare, almost mystical version, we wouldn't ever want to go back to more than two people. If you prefer a more dramatic and flashy style, you may prefer the hustle and bustle of more. We have discussed the possibility of doing a DVD elaborating the techniques and details of the two-person method, to be made available only to owners of of the authorized props past as well as new.
Let me throw out a question of my own: is there enough interest in the method to justify such a thing? Hi West, Many thanks for you posting here. I posted a simple question at the beginning as I am considering purchasing this illusion from Tilford later this year.
A nice discussion is born around that original question which proves there is some obscurity on this question but people are interested to know, think and understand better. This is great and one of the best feature of this forum. Let me thank you for the valuable information you bring. Personally I prefer the 2 people presentation. After buying Clearly impossible from Tilford It is now an authorised prop if I am not mistaken?
I would purchase the DVD for the 2 persons workings if it is available from you for sure. Take care,. Hi West, Great insights. Hope you will be here and able to share more in the future.
Thank-you again for stopping by. Blair Marshall "ShaZzam! Posted: May 9, am. Thanks for the welcome. And yes, Tilford is authorized to sell the prop. I will add one more big difference between the two methods, which I realize I neglected to mention: the 2-person method is more difficult.
The bevy of assistants in the original version were not just there for show — each had a purpose. This one misdirected while that one happened to block something else. The biggest difficulty we had working out the new routining was the fact that that one person is now responsible for hiding everything actually 2, since the assistant does her fair share, even while appearing to just lie still.
It's why things like the fast switch become so crucial. You have much more cover for much more time in the original; in the new version you only have about one second, or 2 if you really need it.
It's not as easy as it looks But, in my opinion, it's worth the work, because it's stunning. Posted: Oct 13, am. I don't want people buying this prop and expecting mine. I gave up my Origami, Fire Cage and Broom Harness the last two being my own design when they were sold, against court orders, without my knowledge.
I didn't want anyone getting ripped off and accepted the pain of losing something I created the bare mid-drift broom harness really hurt as it was my first major innovation.
Thank you for your concern, my health could be better, but I have West and she is all I need. Re: False Clearly Impossible for sale on Amazon Post by Chris Randal2 » Tue Apr 07, am Jon as you you know I never worked harder on any effect in my life trying to attempt your fire basket I bought from Ayala and you subtrunk.
Unauthorized copies of illusions like yourself, Ayala, Kalin, Steinmeyer, and Kole are disrespectful and unethical but at this point your Picasso and it comes with the territory.
Also been playing with linking finger rings which you originally inspired as well. Hope your well brother. They can buy you props and people will try but there is only one Jonathan Pendragon. I am blessed to have been on tour with you and share the stage and good times with you. Make some cool videos for us to watch you have way more than enough material to pick from.
Thank you for being supportive when I lived in LA. Some performances hint at this and show it when The Twins perform it. If one looks carefully, false feet can be seen being pushed up or down. While she was in a relationship with David Copperfield, and not otherwise occupied with modelling work, Claudia Schiffer often assisted Copperfield in his stage shows as a "special guest assistant".
Part of these shows was a performance of Clearly Impossible, with Schiffer as the assistant being sawed in half by Copperfield. In November , singer Shania Twain appeared on the BBC charity telethon Children in Need as a celebrity assistant in a magic act, being sawed in half in a performance of Clearly Impossible.
Italian singer Sabrina Salerno assisted illusionist Martin in a televised performance of Clearly Impossible. During a promotional visit to Europe, Jessica Simpson participated in a performance of the illusion where she was sawed in half by illusionist Hans Klok , who used a large circular saw to divide her in two.
When she appeared on a Mexican talk show, Penelope Cruz took part in a performance of this illusion. Wikimedia Foundation. Sawing a woman in half — is a generic name for a number of different stage magic tricks in which a person traditionally a female assistant is apparently sawn or divided into two or more pieces.
Contents 1 History 2 Effects and variations 2. The exegete does not inquire which books constitute Sacred… … Catholic encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. Ethics … Catholic encyclopedia. The word is used in Hebrew to denote indifferently either a divine or human messenger. The Septuagint… … Catholic encyclopedia.
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