I'm an indiscriminate junky when it comes to buying old magic books. It's an addiction. Sometimes, I need a quick, affordable fix to get the monkey off my back.
My latest dopamine hit is 33 Rope Escapes and Chain Releases by Burling Hull. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the workable material within the average person's reach.
When I was five, I saw the movie Houdini with Tony Curtis. Like many other kids, I became a Houdini fanatic. I forget how many hours I spent playing escape artist with my toy handcuffs in my room.
That Christmas, I received a cheap, plastic Adams Co. magic set. It came with classic tricks like the cups and balls, two-card monte, and, to my excitement, the Siberian chain escape.
If you'll only learn one escape trick in your lifetime, make it the Siberian chain escape. It's fast, easy, flashy, and a proven hit amongst audiences for over 100 years.
In Burling Hull's 33 Rope Escapes and Chain Releases, he shares the secret behind that and other escape classics.
First published in 1915, it remains a reliable source for the methods behind simple, workable escapes like the Ten-Ichi thumb tie, the Excelsior tie, and scams used by bogus spirit mediums.
In his book Wiseguy, the late Harry Anderson lists it as the source material for his comedy escape act. Henry Hay also mentions it in the Amateur Magician's Handbook as essential reading for any budding escapologist.
Hull (the self-styled Thomas Edison of magic) also gives practical advice on the staging and showmanship needed to pull off an effective escapology stunt.
After reading this, anyone (even clumsy old me) could create a 10-to-15-minute escape act. Remember: Escapology is like WWE wrestling: 75% hype and 25% spectacle.
This book proves once again that when it comes to performing magic or any of the allied arts, it's not what you do that counts but how you do it.
