Sub Trunk Solutions by Rand Woodbury

Corrective Measures Which Can Be Taken To Avoid Humiliations
from Rand Woodbury’s book ‘DIVERSIONS’
The Substitution Trunk has long since become a standard in our industry and for a good reason, it’s a great trick.

Today, years after its original conception, it is considered by many, including myself, to be one of the best effects ever contrived and audiences still love it. The effect has simply withstood the test of time and flourished over the years. It has earned its place among the other great effects we consider ‘classics’.

Even though prestidigitators through the years have improved presentations and builders have refined the operating apparatus involved, the presentation of this illusion has not gone without its ample share of catastrophic casualties.

To see ‘Metamorphosis’ or the sub trunk performed, badly can be excruciating and a really bad demonstration can border on complete humiliation. It has even, at times, appeared comical to audiences, after passing what we in the industry refer to as the ‘train wreck’ point. Yet I, along with an impressive list of others, have performed this great trick badly. Sadly and quite often, when these particularly horrible exhibitions have occurred, the performers themselves didn’t even realize it.

It’s been considered by many to be one of the easier illusions to perform. This is where most have made that fatal mistake. I would consider a half year as satisfactory practice, presuming that you did not change partners. It in at this point where some may disagree. It’s true , you can perform it after a few rehearsals and ‘getaway’ with it, but it takes a great deal of time and effort before this illusion can truly be performed in the manner it so richly deserves.
For those of you not lucky enough to have first hand knowledge, or for those who are inexperienced in the actual performance of the effect, it has proven itself to be a most worthy adversary.

I regard the box and all the trimming as a rent-a-horse at a trail ride park. Have respect for the beast or it can dump you on your ass. Like any magic trick, there is a repertoire of obstacles to avoid during presentation. Though they are as plain as the nose on your face, most don’t realize it until they have experienced ‘the wrath of trunk’. The following accounts were a learning experience for those involved. You too, can team from these experiences and I hope you do.

Solutions
The following are simple suggestions to correct the errors which seem to occur during the presentation of this particular effect. These are based on actual incidents which occurred during live performances, by various nameless performers.

KEYS TAKEN BY AN AUDIENCE MEMBER
I have had an audience member actually reach up and take a set of keys from the stage. The performer who had just emerged from the interior had no idea where the keys were, which led to a somewhat embarrassing search. To avoid having an audience member taking the key ring, hand the keys to a pre-selected audience member which both partners have agreed upon. Or I might suggest that you drop the keys far enough up stage so that any audience member can not reach them. Lastly, you could employ the ol’ gas station principle of intimidation by attaching the key to a tree trunk.

KEYS LOCKED INSIDE TRUNK WITH PARTNER
To avoid the embarrassing situation of having your partner locked in the trunk (with the only set of keys), I can only suggest more than one key. Have the presented key ring with two of the same key on it. Have it attached to a larger key ring, which in turn has a bright ribbon attached. Secondly, have an extra key completely hidden under some tape on the back of the trunk. And leave it stuck there. The tape should match the color of the surface it is adhered to. Example: regular pale yellow masking tape on a light colored wood surface; such as unstained ply wood, spruce or pine. For a darker surface, such as mahogany, I suggest the same tape with a coat of reddish brown shoe polish. Black gaffers tape on a black trunk and so forth.

SACK BACK ON INSIDE OUT (knot is left inside)
This is a common mistake which has been made by many who are just getting started and likewise, those who have done it for years. It can happen for various reasons; while training a new assistant (who might be nervous), the trunks can be very dark inside, or the sack can be knocked out of position by the
team member who is dropping or climbing in a hurried fashion.

What has worked wonderfully for me is velcro. You will actually need two different types. One style you may purchase in a fabric shop, which is the traditional sew-on type. The other you can find at hardware stores and it has an adhesive backing with a peelcoat. Both come in a variety of colors. If you can not find the adhesive back velcro, you will need some contact cement and a staple gun with half inch staples.

The best way to explain this is for me to go through my personal arrangement. Keep in mind that I don’t use a ’sack’, I use a simple tube of cloth in place of a sack. When I show the bottom of the sack it is simply held closed by my out-stretched hands and arms. I tried velcro as a bottom closure system, but soon after I attached it I realized it wasn’t worth the hassle.

Attach, by sewing, two or three two inch pieces of sew-on style velcro to the bottom outside rim or hem of the sack. Space them evenly apart. Two to three inches of space between each should be sufficient. Next, attach a fourteen inch long piece of adhesive back to the inside end of your trunk. This horizontal strip should be placed pretty high up on the inside wall; six inches down, from the top edge of the box should be about right. Even if you have the self adhesive style of velcro, staple it to the wall. You don’t want it to come off during a performance and this practice just makes sure that doesn’t happen. If the staples are sticking up, pound them in with a hammer.

As the person who is locked in the trunk pulls the sack off over their head, they feel for the three tabs and simply stick them to the strip and press. It makes no difference what happens to the rest of the sack now. When the second person enters the trunk, they reach for the strip on the wall and pull the sack off. Instantly they know which is the outside, by feel alone. The mouth or opening is facing them. They just pull it over their head and the knot will always be on the outside.

FALLING OUT THE BACK OF THE TRUNK
Unfortunately, velcro won’t help here. The secret is practice. And lots of it! A good rehearsal tactic is to rehearse your switch in slow motion. The trick is knowing what your partner is going to do and how he or she is going to move, I have had success with this configuration. The person who is on top of the trunk first stands in the rear and the person coming up climbs up in front of him.
Someone had placed a drink on my trunk backstage and as the ice melted in the glass the water made the lid slick. I hit the top of that trunk and went flying. We now have skid tape on every place our feet go during a performance. Skid tape can be found at some well stocked hardware stores, but most boat supply stores carry a good amount in minimal colors.

THE SWITCH
Though many of us would like to try and match the speed of the Pendragons, most of us will fail.
The truth is a fast switch is all in the theatrics. It is one person doing all the work while it looks like two. The key is allowing the person coming up to get into solid position (crouching), then with outstretched hands pointed upward, snatch the curtain as he quickly stands up. Remembering always that his hands must be higher than his head. Once erect, he can drop the curtain to his waist immediately and wait momentarily before continuing the drop of the tube curtain. Meanwhile, once the curtain has been lifted out of the first person’s hands he can dive for cover.
Once the curtain is out of the first party’s hands, the speed is all with the second person.

CUFFS TWISTED
While fumbling in the dark and kicking about inside a confined space, it is simple to get one or two chains of a set of ‘quick release’ chain-cuffs tangled. They can get mangled to the point where it is impossible to get them back on.
There are three options I would consider as answers. The first would be to either get rid of the cuffs all together or to move on to a set of quick release handcuffs. There is no chain to get mangled. Second, if you cannot get the cuffs on, just abort that process and let your assistant know you’re coming out without cuffs on. Lastly, to keep quick release chain cuffs organized is really not that difficult. The secret is to hang them on a screw, nail or bolt. As the first party removes them, he simply hangs them up from one lock on one end. Odds are if you don’t kick them off the hook, they will be ready to go.


CLOTHING CAUGHT IN THE TRAP
This mainly applies to those who might use elaborate costuming or those who like to wear tails. If you should happen to fall into that category, try to cut down on the number of loose fitting garments incorporated in the costumes. If you use a do-it-yourself trunk, please make sure there are no sharp pieces of metal, including; nails, screws, wire, aluminum sheeting, etc. sticking out from the box and/or especially around the trap opening or from the trap doors themselves. That is where any costuming will certainly (sooner or later) catch.

EACH PAD LOCK HAS A DIFFERENT KEY
You don’t need six pad locks with different keys. You can go to any hardware store or lock shop and ask for six locks that are keyed the same. You have a wonderful illusion in metamorphosis and nothing can bring this briskly paced illusion to a screeching halt faster, than six color coded keys and six color coded padlocks. Learn, from the pros; Henning used a length of chain and one (l) padlock. Timing is everything in this wonderful effect.
Learn from the mistakes of others and hopefully these tips can make your performance life a little leas worrisome.


All text and images are copyright Rand Woodbury