Disappearing Act: A Blanket-Based Illusion Anyone Can Learn
With nothing more than a big piece of fabric and some creative staging, you can pull off a vanishing trick that leaves onlookers baffled. This guide walks through picking the right prop, setting up your performance space, and using a planted helper to make your reemergence look like real magic.
By Rowan Adams5 steps
Want to leave your friends and relatives completely baffled by a vanishing act? A large sheet or blanket plus a bit of creative thinking is all it takes to astonish a crowd. Add a few mysterious incantations and you're well on your way to earning a reputation as a master illusionist.
Step 1
Pick out your prop. Seek out a bedsheet or blanket big enough that, when you extend your arms and lift it overhead, it completely hides your body. If you plan to perform this routine for a live crowd and want to make an impression, personalize the fabric so it appears to be the equipment of a genuine illusionist. Decorate it with craft supplies such as glitter glue, sequins, fabric paint, and iron-on letters.
Step 2
Prepare the performance area. A successful version of this trick depends on having a clear path for escaping, so keep at least 8 feet of distance between yourself and the people watching. You also need to stand beside an object you can slip behind in an instant once the fabric touches the ground — options include a bed, a pony wall, a sofa, or a large easy chair.
Step 3
Choose a helper from the crowd. Ahead of time, quietly arrange for a friend or relative to come up when called. Explain the mechanics of the trick to this person and describe the part they will play in your return. Instruct your helper to feign surprise when selected from the audience, so the choice appears spontaneous.
Step 4
Begin the illusion. Tell the audience that you will vanish into thin air and then come back with assistance from a volunteer. Stand tall on your tiptoes and lift the bedsheet or blanket above your head. Say a few magic words, then gently throw the sheet upward — adding a handful of glitter for dramatic effect — and while it is still in the air, drop quickly to your knees and roll behind the nearby sofa or easy chair before the fabric lands.
Step 5
Make your return. Your helper should lift the sheet and act astonished. After 10 to 15 seconds, have your helper raise the sheet above their own head, letting the audience see both the volunteer and the fabric. The sheet must cover whatever gap exists between itself and the sofa or easy chair. Have your helper recite some magic words and ask the crowd to count down from 10. When the count reaches 1, your helper drops the sheet. By that moment, you will have quietly moved back into a standing position behind it.
