скачать книгу бесплатно
“Trying to make the shed disappear.”
“Exactly!” said Monty. “Why don’t you make something from the museum disappear?”
“Great idea! Maybe a statue or something like that,” suggested Esmé.
Potty stopped to think.
“Or should we be more ambitious?” mused the Potty Magician. “Anyone can make a statue disappear.”
“We could bring the shed?” suggested Monty.
Potty was having a brainwave. “The Queen has seen the greatest performers the world has ever known. She will expect something incredible, out of the realms of possibility – a simple shed might not do the trick. Her Royal Highness saw Timothy Cooper rip a tablecloth from a dining table, under the nose of a giant bear that was just sitting down to enjoy a substantial meal. The plates and cutlery remained exactly where they had been set; the bear was happy and the crowd went wild. Anyway, we need a true spectacle that breaks new ground on a global scale – but without any bears, for safety reasons.”
Monty thought for a moment. “Could we make the Queen disappear?”
“I think that may be against the law,” responded Esmé.
“One moment, Esmé and Monty,” said Potty. “Maybe we could make the museum disappear. What do you think? It’s going to be a tough one to pull off, but if Nigel Copperfield can make the Egyptian pyramids vanish for a few seconds, then I can certainly dispose of this so-called Mega-Million Super Museum.”
“Even though the museum is vast and heavy and real?” asked Esmé.
“Oh yes.”
Esmé truly hoped that Potty could make the museum disappear. He hadn’t done very well with the shed, but they had just over a week to rehearse the grand trick, so there was a chance it might actually work.
Potty looked closely at the invitation that he was still clutching in his hand.
“We need to RSVP in person the day after tomorrow. That gives us one whole day to sort out the nuts and bolts of our act.”
“It also means I can spend tomorrow at the library researching,” said Esmé happily. “The museum has been standing for decades. It’s only in the past few weeks that it’s been reinvented as the Mega-Million Super Museum. I might be able to find some details about the building and the floor plan so that you can work out your trick in advance, Potty.”
“Sounds splendid! We are set – nothing can go wrong with a little preparation! We will make the museum disappear.”
An excerpt from
TRICK: Möbius Magic (#ulink_5194cc1a-8b6a-5a38-8590-d7974d5213f2)
You will need paper, Sellotape and scissors for this trick. Tell your audience you have made a loop out of paper to put round your wrist, but it won’t fit. “Stone me,” you’ll say, “I’ll just cut the loop bigger!” Your clever audience will laugh as they know you cannot make a loop bigger just by cutting it.
However, if you cut the loop in half up the middle, instead of into two loops, you will now have one larger loop.
The secret is that your original loop is actually a Möbius Strip – a mathematical marvel – made from a strip of paper that has been twisted once and then taped together {see fig. 1}.
(#ulink_edc779b0-8bc6-56de-81cd-af6d649682dc)
Health and Safety is not something to be frowned upon. Please do not try to work with fire, big cats or swords. You are still a beginner and you can never be too careful – some ambitious tricks can cause an accident unless handled by an experienced professional. Construct your own props with Sellotape and scissors rather than hammer and nails. Cotton wool, also, is rather soft and forgiving. The great Pat Daniels always liked to construct his own props, but one day he managed to slice off his own pinky finger with a circular saw. Ouch!
In all totality,
(#ulink_63ad779c-e4e9-5cec-9432-b825360a3f1a)
t’s gigantic. How on earth are we going to make it disappear?”
Monty Pepper was taken aback at how vast the museum seemed as he, Esmé and Potty walked through the tall, iron entrance gates. Monty wore a new red cape over his velvet magician’s suit; Potty was in a yellow satin number worn over a tweed suit. Esmé wore her light summer cagoule (ready for all weathers), which had a large pocket. In it she carried a penknife, a small torch and a packet of strawberry chews, just in case anyone got hungry. Everyone was prepared to meet Henry J. Henry and see inside this inspiring Mega-Million Super Museum.
The building was impressive – enormous stone pillars supported the Greek-style triangular roof. The museum was at least the size of a football pitch plus a department store on the side. It stood, a triumph of traditional, imposing, stone-clad building-ness.
“It must be very old,” Monty said.
“Construction work was finished in eighteen fifty-three and took over two decades,” said Esmé. “I read about it at the library.”
The Peppers and Potty walked alongside the flourishing garden at the front – even the outside was part of the new museum. Here were Plants from Really Really Ancient Times – a display that included Welwitschia from the Namibia desert, a shrub that can live for up to two thousand years.
Potty raised his eyebrow. “Better not make that disappear,” he said.
They walked to the entrance, up a flight of grand stone steps that were being scrubbed furiously by around twenty cleaners in white coats.
“That’s a lot of cleaning,” remarked Monty.
At once, a beam of bright white light hit the central column, followed by a pulsating strobe of purple to the right-hand side of the building. The visitors stopped in their tracks. Loud music pumped from large speakers at each side of the museum, with deep bass notes and some toppy hi-hats.
“Technical rehearsal, light show number one,” shouted a man, who wore a safety helmet and had an orange vest over his clothes. “Cue the lasers.”
Esmé, Monty and Potty gasped as the words MEGA-MILLION ROYAL OPENING appeared in mid-air before them. The laser display then changed to the words HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, then formed into an image of a crown, which slowly morphed into the outline of a corgi.
“OK, that’s enough for now,” said the man in the hard hat, and the lasers stopped at once.
“Impressive,” said Monty. “Do you think they’ll put your name in lasers for the opening, Potty?”
Uncle Potty furrowed his brow, not used to the notion of celebrity. “Maybe.”
“As the light show suggests,” said Esmé seriously, “this is more than a normal museum; this truly is a Mega-Million Super museum.”
The grand opening was clearly a big operation. By the main entrance was a poster of the Queen wearing her ceremonial robes and a huge crown. She was not smiling in the picture. Star Attraction! read the poster.
THE MUSEUM’S GRAND OPENING WILL SHOWCASE…
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN’S REGAL JEWEL COLLECTION.
CAST YOUR EYES UPON A SELECTION OF THE MOST EXQUISITE JEWELS AND HIGHLY PRIZED TRINKETS FROM HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN’S OWN PERSONAL TREASURE TROVE.
“Ooh,” said Monty.
The Peppers and Potty stepped inside. There was a slow smoosh!, and a puff of dry ice enveloped them all as if they were on a film set.
“I want to live here,” cooed Monty. “It’s amazing.”
Someone passed by, pushing a small trolley filled with USB sticks and mouse mats. Each had a picture of a transparent skull on it.
“What are they for?” asked Monty.
“For sale, maybe,” said Esmé. “Does the museum have a shop?”
“Of course it does, old sport,” came a voice from the midst of the dry ice. A hand appeared through the fug of smoke, then an arm, then a man.
“Henry J. Henry,” the man introduced himself to Uncle Potty. He was tall and wore a light grey suit. “Pleased to make your acquaintance. I guess you are the Potty Magician.”
Henry smiled at them all – he seemed almost like an angel, thought Esmé, appearing from a celestial cloud.
Henry looked at Esmé and Monty. “And you must be...?”
“My niece and nephew,” said Potty, “Esmé and Monty Pepper.”
Monty sniffed the air. “What’s that nice smell?”
“Must be my aftershave, Toujours, Matey.”
Henry gazed down at the children. “I do hope you like our little museum here. We have made use of technology to create a sensational experience. And we want the experience to be experiential, if you see what I mean.” Henry smiled again and his teeth sent out a gleam that Esmé thought could have blinded a small animal such as a shrew or a weasel. The clothes Henry wore were expensive and his hair was smoothed back and sleek. He was one of those people who looked as if he was successful at everything – that all he touched turned to gold. Esmé imagined that Henry J. Henry lived in a mansion that was filled every day with fresh-cut flowers, that he drank champagne from small golden flutes and bathed in goat’s milk when he fancied it.
The dry ice dispersed.
“Welcome to our world, Potty Magician and young relatives,” said Henry. “The Mega-Million Super Museum is at your disposal.”
Then Potty spoke. “We’ve met before, Mr Henry. Weren’t you once a member of the International Magic Guys Club?”
“My, yes, I was,” said Henry, looking back intently at Potty. “But I don’t seem to recall...”
“Not to worry, I was just a whipper-snapper,” Potty said. “Wasn’t Harry Starfeathers your stage name?”
Henry J. Henry looked a little put out that Potty had such a good memory.
“Um, yes. But I got out of the magic business a while ago. There was too much pressure,” he muttered.
“Well, that’s a shame,” said Potty, deciding not to mention Henry’s nickname – Butterfingers.
“I never really had the talent,” continued Henry, “to charm with magic, to entertain. It’s a gift, I tell you, old sport. A gift.”
“There’s always something to improve on, or something new to try,” explained Potty humbly. “You can’t be left behind. Each trick must be better than the last.”
Henry sighed deeply. “It’s so nice to catch up. Anyway, we must talk turkey.”
Potty nodded. “The trick?”
“Yes, the trick,” replied Henry. “The Queen has personally invited you to perform at the Mega-Million Super Museum opening. Apparently she saw you on television and loved your act. She contacted me especially to put you on the bill for next week’s grand event.”
Esmé could see that Henry was stressing the fact that it was the Queen’s idea to invite Potty to perform.
“I am certainly a lucky magician,” said Potty.
“So, what sort of thing have you got in mind for the show?” Henry asked.
“Well, as you know a little bit about magic, I think you’ll understand when I say that I want to create an epic performance,” replied Potty. “Something truly memorable. So... I’d like to make the museum disappear, if that’s all right with you.”
“I see,” said Henry thoughtfully. “Yes, yes, that should be fine.”
Esmé and Monty glanced at each other. They had expected Mr Henry to react with a little more enthusiasm – or at least surprise. Uncle Potty was suggesting that he make the building vanish – not make a rabbit leap out from a top hat.
“The trick is based on those performed by Nigel Copperfield,” explained Potty, thinking that Henry’s slow reaction was just one of caution. “Nigel made the Statue of Liberty vanish once, if you recall. I’d like to use his methods.”
Henry was silent for a little longer, but soon he started beaming. “Mr Potty, I think it’s a superb idea. It certainly would attract a lot of attention… but you will be able to bring the museum back, won’t you, old sport?”
“Of course,” said a delighted Potty.
“Let me think,” said Henry. “You’ll have to perform the trick outside – create a bit of atmosphere, wave a wand around, then – whoosh! – the museum vanishes, at least to the naked eye.”
Potty nodded.
Henry paused again. Esmé could see that he was thinking through each detail in his mind.
“What I suggest,” said Henry at last, “is that making the museum disappear is all well and good, but we could add a little something extra.”
Potty looked intrigued.
“How about,” continued Henry, “a taster version of the trick, to whet the audience’s appetite for the main event? I suggest you make a small object disappear first – pretending that this is the sole performance – until you suddenly and unexpectedly make the museum disappear. Catching the audience off guard like that will give the whole trick the wow factor.”
Potty raised his one furry eyebrow. “Wow factor. I hadn’t thought of that,” he said. “It’s a wonderful idea.”
“We would just have to choose the first object,” said Henry, as someone with another trolley holding skull-shaped pencil sharpeners passed by.
Here, Esmé piped up. “We could use something from the museum – something ancient and special and magical... if that’s all right, Mr Henry.”
Monty agreed. “Good plan – it would give it a theme.”
“Yes,” answered Henry. “Ancient, special and magical; that would be excellent.”
“A pencil sharpener?” Monty suggested.
“Would that be magical?” asked Esmé. “Or even ancient?”
“I was thinking we could find a really old one.”
“I’ve an idea,” said Esmé, remembering the laser display outside the museum. “How about the crown?”
“Or maybe a mummified head?”
“Didn’t I just see a crystal skull on a mouse mat?” asked Potty.
“You can’t make a mouse mat disappear; that wouldn’t be very exciting,” said Monty.
