How to Perform Magic Tricks -- A Guide to Traditional Magic Show Performances

Author: Wan Zixin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Performance Description of the Wine Listening to Orders On the table, a wine and a glass are placed. After the performer explains the glass, they pick up the wine and pour wine into the glass. However, the wine is empty, with not a drop of wine inside. The performer then holds the wine to their ear and shakes it a few times to listen, but there is still no wine. They pick up the wine again, turn the spout upside down, and pour, but not a single drop of wine comes out. The performer looks quite frustrated. The performer says to the audience, "You see, I wanted to drink but had no wine—what bad luck! But I can create wine—however much you want, just watch!" After saying this, the performer picks up the glass with their left hand and the wine with their right. With a word of "Here!", they pour a full glass and drink it down in one gulp. After the trick is performed, they say, "Who wants some more? I can create more for you." A spectator says, "Give me a glass." The performer pours another glass for them. This way, they pour several glasses for the audience, summoning the wine whenever they please and stopping whenever they wish. Later, they pour a few glasses of wine onto the ground, and the audience can smell the aroma of fine wine.
Analysis of the Trick The glass has no secret—anyone can see it's a transparent glass. The secret lies in the wine. It's made of thin sheet metal, coated with silver paint. The neck of the wine has a cork, with a thin iron tube inserted through the center of the cork. The tube has a diameter of about 1 millimeter, and its lower end is soldered with a flat hole. A small hole is also drilled into the side of the wine. Wine is poured into the wine through the hole in the side. During the performance, the performer presses their thumb over the small hole. Since no air can enter the wine, the wine cannot be poured out. When it's time to pour, the performer removes their thumb from the hole, allowing air to enter the wine, and the wine can then be poured. Of course, if there's no real wine, water can be used as a substitute, but it should not be given to the audience to drink.
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