Square Circle Production

The Square Circle Production is a well used magic trick on stage and also close up in smaller versions.

Effect: The magician shows a square box with a window in front and a coloured cylinder which fits in the box. When the tube is in the box, it can be seen through the window which normally has a grille or patterned lattice on it.

She starts by lifting both items onto a table which is raised off the ground (no trap doors) and then shows them empty both separately and together by lifting them off the table in turn, and looking right through the tube/box at the audience, putting her arm through and moving it around etc. When the tube is lifted out of the box, the black empty interior of the box can be seen through the grille. When the box is lifted off the tube, nothing can be seen hidden round the tube. Yet, when the tube is placed inside the box, she reaches in and produces all manner of items.

Method

The ingenious secret relies on two principles; Black art and a gimmick.

The gimmick is a black cylinder with a bottom which fits inside the coloured cylinder. As she comes on, she presses the two cylinders together with her hand and the contents are suspended inside the inner gimmick. Placing the cylinders on the table, she puts the empty box over them. Now the coloured cylinder is lifted off and shown to be empty, and the black cylinder inside can't be seen against the black of the inside of the box. This illusion is helped by the grille which breaks up the outline of the cylinder.

Not being able to see black on black is known as the black art principle. This is why the inside of much magic apparatus is black. Black art is used to conceal depth or secret compartments.

The cylinder is put back and the box lifted off and shown to be empty like the cylinder by tipping it up to the audience.

Finally, the box is put back and the contents of the inner cylinder produced (or the apparatus can be used for a vanish).

This item is readily available from magic suppliers or you can make your own.