I also agree with Bob. Those routines won't mske nervous mothers (or principals) squirm in their seat.

Well I don't use it because I don't own one. But if I did I would use it in every adult show I could. But then again I am causing waves because I still use the Visible Sawing for kids and also the Murder Inc. Of course not for the first grade and below. I think it is time that we as performers take a stand and tell people, "It is only magic". But I am probably going to catch bad reviews but just my opinion.


Steven True

After much consideration and thoughts and watching videos and talking to people, tomorrow night, I will be performing my George Richbark's Simplex Head Chopper.

I will let you know how it goes.

I've just done several library and school assembly's.
No one had a problem with either a hand chopper or sword- neck

I have performed this in four shows now. And every show went well. It was really fun to perform. Getting the right person on stage is the key to this act. This is great. I wanted to sell my George Richbark's Simplex Head Chopper a year ago and had a few inquiries. I am glad I did not sell it. And I know I won't be selling it anymore.

I recently performed Jimmy Fingers' Choppo (hand chopper) at a family roadshow, and it was received very well. I have a comedic performance style and I think one of the important things about performing such an effect in today's conditions really depends on how you present it. I'm casual about it and a little playful, not mr serious-cue-dramatic-music-dum-dum-dum.

We're performing at a company Christmas party tonight. When they hired us they requested the guillotine. About a month ago we did a show at a elementry school and they also requested it, but we are a comedy show and we perform it in a fun goofy way.
Bob.

Just did a community event with 800 people. In the past, 7 or 8 kids would gather around for slights and colorful tricks. This year I took a finger chopper.
This year 15 kids of all ages gathered around but just on the chopper.

It's all how you do it. Next year I'm taking a sword through neck.

Now this was for an adult show and they wanted a "big trick" with limited budget so we decided to field the head guillotine. This is the first illusion that I purchased and I hence it is very special for me. Then my assistant told me about the beheadings and we decided not to use it. After the site visit we had to reconsider putting it back in the show as the stage possibilities were limited. And the final solution, as always, laid in the presentation. My assistant was made the baddie who dressed in a gorilla outfit holds a journalist (spectator) captive. She orders him to be decapitated. And I am ordered to be the executioner. We put in a comedy bit here actually lifted for a Berlanga movie against death punishment. So the one to be executed was approaching the guillotine fearlessly and the executioner is running away and is forcefully being bought to execute the captive by two additional spectators also working as baddie.
We also put in a bit of patriotism as the spectator was made to say, “I would happily lay my life for the country”. Finally the executioner resorts to magic and though he pushes the blade down and the vegetable pieces are sliced the journalist is saved. Continuing his comic presentation the executioners/magician then kneels down and with his arms spread yells, “This is a miracle! God is great, Buddha is great and Allah is great. He pardoned the innocent.” In this byplay the spectator is made to run away to his seat. The assistant then opens and checks the blade and “hurts” herself with the sharp blade and starts crying as a coward. Finally the magician takes off his gorilla outfit jacket and underneath is a t-shirts which said, SECRET SERVICE – We want you Safe. People really enjoyed it.

Wow Maharajademagia, THAT is one very BOLD presentation. I am glad it worked for you and people loved it.

We never thought it was bold, just fun. But perhaps in Europe we are not so pressed.

I'll be doing this on Sunday, I have 2 shows with 500 teenagers at each show. I present this in both a comical yet serious way. Example: This is a very dangerous illusion. The good news is that it is 90% safe.
The bad news is that I have already done this safely 8 times. After picking my volunteer, I tell them that I want to practice it one more time. Of course, it cuts a large cucumber in half. I act baffled.

I been doing my game show themed comedy head chopper for almost 40 years as a staple of my act. I never got any bad vibes or negative comments about the act even after the terrorists be-headings. Some of you may think it may be not "politicaly correct" but as a magician, when I perform, I and my audience is in a make-believe world separate from the real world. I still do my Chinese character when I do Chinese sticks. That is more likely to get some flack than the head chopper.

Leigh Hotz: The Wizard of Fun

I still have it requested, specifically. It feels great every time I bring out the beautiful prop. Puzzles magicians, thrills audiences. Collectible craftsmanship.

JF
www.jimmyfingers.com

I still use the arm chopper. I introduce the participant as "__________ the Invincible." Then, we prove it. No troubles yet!

I remember using an electric sawing illusion at a Bar Mitzvah many years ago. We planned to use it on the young man of the celebration but after producing the sabre saw he freaked out, and, thinking on my feet I said he could nominate someone to take his place; he chose his uncle who stepped in and saved the day. Since then we only do this type of prop for adult audiences.

I have never been a big fan of guillotines mainly due to the fact that the actual effect is over in a couple of seconds. I would like to pass on a cautionary story though regarding this prop which if memory serves was told to me by Irish magician Pat Fallon; a talented performer and inventor and a really nice guy. Anyway Pat is doing the guillotine illusion on stage with a volunteer from the audience, things are going well, the gags are getting laughs when Pat realises a magician friend in the front row is desperately trying to get his attention just as he is about to pull the blade release cord. Pat looks down at his victim and discovers that the idiot has removed the carrots from the small holes (which really do cut) and shoved his fingers through for a joke. If there had not been a savvy magician in attendance...Please pass this story on to anyone with a volunteer blade illusion.

Doing it for over 40 years for all my shows, family shows or adult. It is the 3rd trick on the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO8EZsvCHKM&t=421s

This conversation is still going wow!

well I just dusted my head chopper off and performed it at a lock in for a high school and the kids loved it!

it felt great to have it back in the show.

i plan to keep it in and use it more often.
woo hoo

I quite agree!

Fascinating to see this topic still going strong. I have considered a variant where I am the one imperiled by an imminent beheading, with an assistant using a sword and wearing the unfortunately quite familiar black garb. While it's been gnawing away at my mind, I have not done it yet. My desired goal would be to seemingly take the teeth out of those who behead the innocent. However, I know enough to know that any audience I perform that for will likely not take it the way I intend.

Such is life...

I heard it was off-limits at the Magic Castle I perform one but I usually put the girls leg in and I never put their head in it