My old pal Johnny Achziger wrote to ask me…
I've been watching old I've Got A Secret episodes and saw a couple with French magician Michel de la Vega. In case you don't remember it, he had Garry Moore, tied (by Henry Morgan), stuffed in a large bag which was also tied (with a key chain in one of the knots), then placed in a large trunk which was locked, and tied all around with rope. He then pulled a curtain around the trunk but his head was visible at top. He jumped down out of sight and instantly Garry popped up. They then removed the curtain, untied and opened the trunk, pulled the bag out, untied and opened it, and there was Michel, tied up the way Garry had been.
Now, I'm not asking you how he did that (unless you wish to be so forthcoming), but I'd really like to know two things: Do you actually know how he did this? Is this a common trick that others have done or still do? I'm sure there must be trap doors or sliding panels or whatever involved, but this is pretty amazing however he did it. Anyway, hope to hear from you. If not, no sweat.
Yes, a lot of magicians do this trick in many variations. It's called, for reasons I've never understood but I'll bet my friend Max Maven does, "Metamorphosis." That word is defined as "a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means." As you've seen, no one actually changes into someone or something else. They just trade places, which is not the same thing.
Hold on. I just decided I'm going to call Max and ask him why it's called that. Max is not only the best mentalist working today but there ain't no one who knows as much about magic history as he does. I'll be back in the next paragraph with the answer…
Okay, I'm back. I called Max and he decided to do a little research and a half-hour later, he sent me this…
The box escape goes back centuries (e.g., a Japanese book from 1785 explains an escape from trunk tied with rope).
In 1865, John Nevil Maskelyne debuted an escape from a wooden box, with a presentation related to the Davenport Brothers' spiritualism cabinet demonstrations.
Circa 1893, Houdini bought a used trunk, modeled on the Maskelyne prop, and presented it as a switch illusion — first with partner Jack Hayman, then his younger brother Theodore, and finally with his wife, Beatrice.
Houdini was responsible for the "Metamophosis" title, which is grandiose and technically incorrect. (That said, when performed quickly, the change of people can seem like a transformation rather than an exchange, so an argument could be made that the moment is perceived as a metamorphosis.)
Among magicians, the trick is most commonly referred to by the more prosaic title of the "Substitution Trunk," frequently shortened to "Sub Trunk."
Thanks, Max.
Back to you, Johnny: Yes, I know how it'd done and of course, I'm not going to tell you. Magician's Code and all that. But I will tell you that this is one of those tricks that, when it's done well, is more impressive when you know how it's done and the physical moves and dexterity and practice that are required. Magicians are always putting new spins on it, personalizing it and making it at least appear more impossible.
The best version I've ever seen of it was done by the (then) husband/wife duo, The Pendragons — Jonathan and Charlotte. Here they are doing it at a magic awards show in 1986…
I saw them do this at the Magic Castle about a half-dozen times and it always looked to me like someone had done an edit in the tape to make the switch so instantaneous…except that I wasn't watching it there on tape. I was watching it live and it was so fast, it looked like a camera trick. (And did you notice that in the process, Charlotte changed from one skimpy outfit into another skimpy outfit? No, you didn't notice that. Go back and watch it again.)
Alas, those Pendragons don't do it anymore but I think Jonathan performs it with his new spouse. Talk about a substitution trunk.
And while we're on the topic: Here's a variation on the trick performed by one of my heroes of magic, Mark Wilson. This is from an HBO special done some time in the eighties…
Pretty impressive. And it would be, even if you knew how it was done.
