Aquarian Illusion
Encyclopedia
The Aquarian Illusion is a variation of the Metamorphosis
or Substitution Trunk magic illusion. It was created by Alan Wakeling for Mark Wilson
, who performed it in The Magic Circus series and a HBO special Mumbo Jumbo! It's Magic, and in closing his Las Vegas shows.
The illusion begins with a large, lidded tank made of acrylic glass
. The tank is filled with water and a swimsuit-clad
female assistant
climbs inside, takes a deep breath, and submerges herself. The tank's lid is closed and secured with padlocks and chains wrapped around the tank. The assistant is now trapped underwater, with no apparent source of air. This adds an element of peril; if something were to go wrong, the assistant (or magician) could possibly drown.
A curtain is lowered over the tank, concealing it from the audience. The magician ducks inside the curtain, then begins to count to three, showing his head from behind the curtain on "one" and "two". On "three", the assistant, not the magician, emerges from the curtain to call out the number. The curtain is then parted, revealing the magician now locked inside the tank.
Metamorphosis (illusion)
Metamorphosis is the name of a stage illusion invented by John Nevil Maskelyne, but most often associated with famous escape artist Harry Houdini and performed to some renown by The Pendragons, among others...
or Substitution Trunk magic illusion. It was created by Alan Wakeling for Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson (magician)
James "Mark" Wilson is an American magician and author. He is widely credited as becoming the first major "television magician" and in the process establishing the viability of illusion shows as a television format.-Early years:...
, who performed it in The Magic Circus series and a HBO special Mumbo Jumbo! It's Magic, and in closing his Las Vegas shows.
The illusion begins with a large, lidded tank made of acrylic glass
Acrylic glass
Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
. The tank is filled with water and a swimsuit-clad
Swimsuit
A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
female assistant
Magician's assistant
A magician's assistant is a performer in a magic act who is not billed as the magician or principal name in the act. The role of an assistant can include holding the props that are used by a magician, shifting props onto and off the stage, and serving as a living prop in illusions that involve...
climbs inside, takes a deep breath, and submerges herself. The tank's lid is closed and secured with padlocks and chains wrapped around the tank. The assistant is now trapped underwater, with no apparent source of air. This adds an element of peril; if something were to go wrong, the assistant (or magician) could possibly drown.
A curtain is lowered over the tank, concealing it from the audience. The magician ducks inside the curtain, then begins to count to three, showing his head from behind the curtain on "one" and "two". On "three", the assistant, not the magician, emerges from the curtain to call out the number. The curtain is then parted, revealing the magician now locked inside the tank.