Mark Leveridge Magic

A Wrinkle On - Key-Volution

IAN ADAIR and MARK LEVERIDGE

Ian wrote to me with a completely different effect using the keys from Key-Volution. His handling required you to get hold of an extra matching key, but I realised that his idea could also be achieved without the necessity for any additional keys, and so what I will be detailing here is my handling for Ian's plot!

To do this you will need the two brass keys supplied and the gimmick. The gimmick starts off held separately in your right hand between your right thumb and first finger with the broader end of the gimmick facing towards the fingertips and the open side of the gimmick pointing to the left. Place the two brass keys, one cut, the other blank, on the table. 

With the left hand pick up the cut key and hand it out for examination. When you receive it back, take it in the left hand and hold it by the round end making sure that the long cut edge of the key faces to the right. Bring it over to the right hand and as you place it into the right fingers, slide the key smoothly into the gimmick. The right hand then holds the key with the round end still protruding.

This leaves the left hand free to pick up the uncut key from the table and hand that out for examination. On taking it back place it in the right hand with the other key and then place both into your closed left fist so that the round ends protrude by the left thumb. With the right hand reach into the fist and withdraw the key with the gimmick on. It will appear to be the blank key, of course. Show it around so that everyone is clear that you have apparently taken out the blank key and then hold it in the right fingers so that the long part of the key is held by the index finger and thumb and the round key head is visible.

Make a magic motion and then ask a spectator to take hold of the round head of the key in your right hand and pull it out. As he does so your right index finger and thumb retain hold of the gimmick which slides off the key and remains hidden in the right hand, and the spectator finds that the cut key is where he thought the blank key was. Another spectator slides the key out of the left hand to confirm that the blank key is indeed now there. Both keys can be left for examination again if required.

Since KEY-VOLUTION came out I have had more versions of the key switch at the beginning shown to me than almost anything else! I thought you might be interested in one way which I have used.

From a department store I bought a good quality leather key case. Inside, coming down from the key clasps at the top, was a piece of extra leather, a sort of flap or tongue. This flap was only attached to the case at the top edge under the clasps. Its purpose is to prevent the keys from causing excessive wear on the inside of the case.

Lifting the flap, I pushed the fake key up underneath it where it was gripped slightly at the top edge. The flap, of course, hid the key completely from view.

The other two keys I hung on the clasps in the normal way and I also linked the separate key ring supplied with the trick through a clasp so that everything was contained in the one wallet.

To perform, I open the case and openly remove the two visible keys and the key ring. The key case is closed and held in the right hand. As the first key is being examined, I squeeze the sides of the key case, causing the fake key to be released from under the flap and drop out into my right hand.

I then perform the switch as normal and get rid of the extra key as I put the key case away.

DINESH JACOB

Dinesh e-mailed me an interesting idea for Key-Volution. He suggests that instead of placing the two keys into a spectator's hand in order to make the blank key cut itself, that you could do it out in the open and in a more spectacular way. To do this, you need a small piece of flash paper. 

When the gimmick key and regular silver key have been shown on the keyring, you bring out the flash paper and wrap it round the lower halves of the two keys so that they are bound together (in fact you can tuck the end of the paper in between the two keys to stop it from unwrapping). 

While you are doing this you have ample opportunity to steal away the gimmick. The hand with the gimmick in it then goes to a pocket to fetch a lighter, leaving the the gimmick behind. You are now clean. Hold up the wrapped keys by the keyring at fingertips and use the lighter to set fire to the flash paper. There is a burst of flame, the paper vanishes, and the brass key is now seen to be cut the same as the silver key! Very pretty!

MYLES POLLOCK

Here is a patter story for KEY-VOLUTION which Myles has kindly given me to pass on. In the right hands this could elevate the trick to a very entertaining little cameo. 

"Thirty five centuries ago in the sun seared valleys of the ancient kingdom of upper Egypt - just a few miles south of the valley of Kings, there lived an honest grave robber called Haji the Ugly. He spent his long life amassing great wealth and would spend many idle hours lovingly fondling his treasure (a comely maiden called Graffiti).

It was during such an escapade that Haji the Ugly was struck down dead. Around his neck there hung - by a thin gold chain - two keys. The keys to the treasure. Forged by the ancient necromancer the keys were cursed with a spell for as you observe both keys are blank. Or rather, one key is blank for after seven years study, after all I am the seventh son of a seventh son, the curse has been lifted from the silver key.

I seek now a maiden pure in mind and soul. To lift the curse on the golden key. Certain portents in the heavens have lead me to you. Hold each key firmly - whilst I mumble the appropriate incantation to Osiris the God of the underworld. If the curse be lifted we have two kindred keys - the treasure is mine, ours, shall I take you away from all this? I had better have custody of the keys, for such power is dangerous."