I like Origami very much and think it is a great illusion that packs small and plays big. But if you are after a real show grabber that plays HUGE, I don't think you can go past Suspended Animation designed by John Taylor. It's a real showstopper, goose bump moment!

I have seen it several times, live and on TV, but I still don't have a real love for it. I agree it probably looks impossible for the lay audience, but in a situation of that level of "impossibility", people may want to find out the method all the more, thus ruining the b**e principle altogether.

I absolutely agree that Steinmeyer is a genius in a lack of better terms, but I just don't see the attachment of this illusion to so many magi's out there. Maybe it's just me. I love many of his creations and concepts.

Oh well. Go for what sells tickets and more importantly, what makes you happy!

When the box was reduced to the smallest size you could imagine incorporating a thin-base and a thin jumper...

Then to put three swords through the only place she could possibly be...

And then to rotate the platform, 360 degrees.

Then to have her reappear...total magic on a grand scale.

Suspended Animation
Things That Go Bump In The Night
Nathan Burtons Showgirl Box
Pendragons Clearly Impossible

Just asked a non-magic friend where the four women come from in "Nathan Burtons Showgirl Box". He had no idea. Great trick.

OP ART by Jim Steinmeyer. I actually prefer this to Origami as it has multiple phases...favourite performance, Kalin & Ginger.

SLICER by Franz Harrary (I think). Very deceptive grand illusion. Favourite performance, Richard De Vere.

IMPROVED CUBE ZAG by Paul Daniels, another great multiphase illusion.

AZTEC LADY by Robert Harbin. A play anywhere angle proof classic with audience participation...what more do you want?

Bryce's Screen with front to rear orientation

Magellan levitation

Bump

Moretti cardboard box

1. Things That Go Bump in the Night
2. Walter Blaney's Ladder Levitation
3. Sword Basket/Box w/ costume change (esp. elevated sucker variation)
4. Shadow Box

Richardi Jr.'s Sawing a Woman in Half.
Buzz saw, no covering, lots of blood and gore. And he didn't wake up the girl as the curtain came down.
Shooz

I've just uploaded my new act. Features my family with original twists on classic plots.
www.geneticsmagic.co.uk and go to the video reel tab. Best wishes

1. Suspended animation
2. Death drop by Daniel Summer
3. IZag by Jamie Allan

I fricken LOVE this concept!

Personal opinion: Looking at it strictly as a spectator and ignoring everything I know about magic, my favorite illusions would be anything that doesn't use a box. Asrah or Aga come to mind, and there are others. Boxes, no matter how well done, just make me feel like the performer is demonstrating a gadget.

George, David Bamberg said the same thing in his essay on illusions... It was written in the late 50's!

I have a couple of his articles in The Sphinx, but haven't seen one specifically on illusions. Will have to look for it. Thx.

My favourites are:

Statue of Liberty, huge and unbelievable
Quantum Mechanics, slow and beautifully clear
Jarett Pedestal, fast and impossible

As a stage illusions performer it's a hard question for me...

From among the ones that I perform:
- Suspended Animation,
- Clearly Impossible
- Op Art
- Tae-chi
- Artist dream
- Eclipse
- many more favorite ones, each for their own reasons...

But if I really need to mention JUST ONE I'd choose Jim Steinmeyer’s "Origami". The reasons are because of its huge magic effect, reduced size and weight (I own a J. Gaughan's) and versatility to perform it almost anywhere with almost no angles restriction

Paul Daniels -Oh!
Things That Go Bump
Kalin & Jinger-Thin Sawing.
The Blue Room.

1.Dekolta Chair
2.Asrah
3.when David Copperfield walked through the great wall of China
4.Statue of liberty

Owens Magic rice, checking and grapefruit. that’s my favorite . I have performed it at magics theater & Museum in Austin..for 10 years

Piece by piece