How does zig zag illusion work

Since its invention in by magician Robert Harbin,[1] it has been hailed as one of the greatest illusions ever invented due to both the apparent impossibility of the trick and the fact that, unlike many illusions, it can be performed while surrounded by spectators and withstand the scrutiny of audience members. Harbin was frustrated by his illusions being pirated by other magicians, and this inspired him to publish the method in his book The Magic of Robert Harbin The book was limited to copies,[2] and owners of the book were granted permission to build or have built the Zig Zag Girl or indeed any other of the items in the book.

The concept of dividing a lady assistant into two or three parts was something that Harbin experimented with throughout his career before creating his ultimate divide, the Zig Zag Girl. Text Source: en. Found something wrong? Help us improve things by clicking here! Andy Martin — December 27, Cool stuff. Categories Best Pages. Explore Wikis Community Central. Register Don't have an account? Zig Zag Girl. View source.

History Talk 0. The effect The assistant usually a woman is placed in an upright cabinet, her face, hands, and left foot visible through openings in the front of the cabinet. Further developments In recent years, following exposure of the basic illusion by the Masked Magician , a number of magicians have begun performing variations on the basic illusion. The black strips down the sides make the box appear narrow. In reality, all that black space is usable. The box accommodates the woman though it's a very tight fit.

The blades are inserted into the right side of the box. The assistant usually a woman is placed in an upright cabinet, her face, hands, and left foot visible through openings in the cabinet's front.

Large, metallic blades are inserted horizontally in the cabinet's mid-section, dividing it, and the assistant inside, into thirds. The magician then slides the cabinet's mid-section apart from the cabinet's top and bottom thirds, moving the assistant's mid-section away from the rest of her and giving her a "zig-zag" shape. While divided, a small door on the cabinet's mid-section can be opened to examine, and even touch, the assistant's body inside, a duty frequently performed by an audience member brought up on stage to help perform the illusion.

This helps to prove to the audience that the assistant has indeed been divided into three pieces. At the completion of the illusion, the assistant's mid-section is slid back into place, the two blades removed, and she steps out of the cabinet unscathed. In recent years, a number of magicians have begun performing variations on the basic illusion.

In some, rather than the assistant's face being visible through a hole in the front of the cabinet, their entire head projects out of the cabinet through a hole in its upper surface.