In magic industry lingo , magician ’s assistants are called " corner jumper , " because to the hearing , that ’s all the " endearing assistant " appears to do . She ’s there to seem pretty , smile big , wave her hands around unnecessarily , and pop out from the padlocked box exactly when the conjurer says , " Ta - daa ! "
But magical insiders bed the substantial floor . When the trunk lid closes , the sheet is raise , or the saw is lowered to the boxful , it ’s often the assistant who does the actual " illusion " of the deception — release the door latch on the false bottom and wad herself into a 10 - inch place while execute her 9th costume change of the evening . All before the dude in the top hat tell , " Ta - daa ! "
Although magic is undeniably a male person - dominated profession if you only count at the name on the marquee , those who know the most about the stagecraft behind the magician - assistant kinship say that the industry is not as sexist as it come out .
Blaire Baron , who co - produce the 2008 documentary " Women in Boxes " about the unsung magician ’s supporter , explicate that on stage , both the magician and the assistant are playing purpose , roles that artfully play off the hearing ’s gendered first moment .
" The bounteous misconception is that magician ’s supporter are marginalise , objectified ' bimbos , ' if you will , who are set back to some guy , " read Baron , " When actually , in my experience , they are the brains behind a lot of the deception . "
Baron would cognise . She married into one of the royal syndicate of magic . Her hubby , Dante Larsen , is the son of Irene and Bill Larsen , Jr. , two of the co - founders ofThe Magic Castlein Hollywood , the earthly concern ’s leading witching club . And Irene , who conk away in 2016 , was herself an accomplished prestidigitator ’s helper in her day .
What Magician’s Assistants Do
Baron says that Irene and her generation of assistants doubled as the business brains of the surgery , keeping racecourse of finances and booking appearance . And although they played entire role in both the preparation and carrying out of illusions , the " old school " assistants never wanted to slip the spotlight from the wizard ( often their hubby ) by bill themselves as adequate partners .
modernistic magician ’s assistants see their role a little differently . Hannah Lynne Wagster is one-half of the South Carolina - based duoThe Wagsters Magic & Illusion , who performa weekly showat the Carolina Opry Theatre in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina .
Hannah is still principally the one that gets locked in the boxes , but say that she and her husband Brandon are very much adequate partners on and off stage . Hannah considers herself a magician , not " just " an supporter , and even does a few solo tricks in the deed . She also runs the show wing , give expert and illumine cues to stage managers , and making sure the next trick is describe up and squared aside .
But Hannah admits that at the end of the sidereal day , her primary function on stage is " to check that the prestidigitator depend good , " which often intend deform herself into tight spaces or dangling from in high spirits wires without dedicate the consultation a clue about how incredibly hard it all is — or how many contusion , scrape and rick ankle joint she ’s endured along the mode .
And despite Brandon ’s efforts to give Hannah equal billing and equal credit on degree , the hearing often ca n’t see beyond the traditional magician - help water parting .
" After shows , phratry always want to spill the beans to Brandon and congratulate him on ' his thaumaturgy , ' " Hannah says . " They ’ll literally push me away . "
The first magician ’s assistants were the product of a newfangled school of magic that emerged in the mid 19th - century called " the illusionist , " explainsDean Carnegie , a old-timer stage magician and magic historiographer behind the blogThe Magic Detective .
In the 1850s , pioneering French conjuror Jean - Eugene Robert - Houdin ( inspiration for Houdini ’s microscope stage name ) and Buatier De Kolta created startling illusion that involved the levitation or disappearance of a 2d mortal , an assistant , Carnegie says . Robert - Houdin ’s first assistant was his new son , but as more illusionists enter the game , the helper were always female .
‘Woman in Jeopardy’
Women , it turned out , were much more effective " victims " in the mind of the consultation . When a adult female was in peril , it put forward the emotional wager . And that still seems to be unfeigned , says Baron .
" They ’ve endeavor to turn back it and have the female be the magician in the alpha role and the man as the supporter , and it does n’t solve . No one cares . " suppose Baron , adding in mock dismay , " ' It ’s a white guy cable in a corner ! Oh no , what ’s going to come about ? ' "
charming trends come in and go , and for the moment the bad names in magic are focalise on close - up card tricks and mind - recitation , which do n’t require assistants , or at least not seeable single . But there are plenty of acts like the Wagsters who still wow with situated - piece illusions executed with precision choreography .
Baron , who now run theLos Angeles Drama Club , a Shakespeare computer program for kids , reminds us that what the audience sees on stage is itself " a play within a turn . "
" The helper are winking at you , " says Baron . " It ’s all very lingua in boldness , because it ’s trickery and illusion . "
Magician Assistant FAQ
Please copy / paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com clause :
