Bellachinis Cabinet Mystery Magic Trick. This clever trick, named “Bellachini’s Cabinet Mystery,” creates the illusion that the performer is tied and secured inside a sack, but somehow performs impossible feats within a curtained cabinet. The mystery involves sleight of hand, strategic preparation, and some deft misdirection.
Bellachinis Cabinet Mystery Magic Trick
Effect
The performer appears to be securely tied within a sack and placed inside a cabinet. Despite the seemingly restrictive setup, the performer manages to ring bells, blow horns, and even rearrange the clothing of a blindfolded audience member who joins them inside the cabinet—all without disturbing the seals and knots on the ties. The curtain opens to reveal everything as it was, mystifying the audience with how such movements could have happened.
Props Required
- Large Sack: A dark flannel sack measuring 7 feet long and 2.5 feet wide. It has two small holes at the back, two inches apart, positioned at wrist height.
- Tape:
- Two Short Pieces (1.25 feet each): These are kept secretly in your pocket.
- Two Long Pieces (1.5 feet each): Used to initially secure the performer’s wrists and are presented to the audience for examination.
- Cabinet: A curtained cabinet large enough to accommodate the performer and occasionally an audience member.
- Props for Sound and Interaction: Small bells, horns, or any other noise-making items to use within the cabinet.
Preparation
- Prepare the Sack: Cut two small holes in the back of the sack, spaced two inches apart and at wrist height, to allow for movement once tied.
- Pocket the Short Pieces of Tape: Keep these easily accessible in your pocket to use once inside the sack.
- Arrange the Cabinet Props: Place bells, horns, and other noise-makers inside the cabinet, ensuring they’re within easy reach.
Performance Steps
- Audience Participation: Invite two members of the audience on stage to inspect the sack and the longer pieces of tape.
- Wrist Securing:
- Present the two longer pieces of tape to the audience and ask them to tie each around one of your wrists. They can also seal the knots to ensure the tape appears secure.
- As you enter the sack, discreetly remove the shorter pieces of tape from your pocket and slip them through the holes at the back of the sack.
- Illusion of Tying the Sack:
- With the shorter pieces of tape sticking through the sack’s holes, ask the audience members to tie and seal these. This makes it appear that your wrists are tied and secured within the sack, even though you have full mobility.
- Cabinet Magic:
- Enter the cabinet and have the curtain closed.
- Once hidden, use your free hands to ring bells, blow horns, or create any other effects as desired.
- Open the curtain occasionally to show everything is still as it was, with the audience marveling at how the sounds are being made while you’re apparently tied up.
- Audience Interaction:
- Ask one audience member to join you in the cabinet, blindfolded. With the curtain closed, proceed to gently turn their coat inside out, remove their collar, or perform other harmless pranks. Return to your original position as they remain unaware.
- Open the curtain for a comedic reveal, showing the alterations made to the participant’s clothing without disturbing the seals.
- Final Reveal:
- For the grand finale, ask the audience members to untie the visible knots on the sack.
- Quickly retrieve the shorter pieces of tape and pocket them.
- Reveal your hands, showing the original longer tapes tied as they were at the beginning, mystifying the audience as to how you were able to perform all those actions while still “tied.”
Tips for Success
- Smooth Transitions: Practice slipping the shorter pieces of tape through the holes and pulling them back without drawing attention.
- Timing and Pacing: Maintain a rhythm between the reveal and the actions within the cabinet to build suspense.
- Audience Focus: Engage the audience by inviting their participation and making the final reveal as humorous as possible to enhance the effect.
Conclusion
“Bellachini’s Cabinet Mystery” relies on subtle deception, audience involvement, and humor. When performed skillfully, it creates a mystifying experience that leaves the audience questioning how so much movement and interaction could happen while the performer appears completely restrained.
