Has anyone seen or heard tell of a routine of effect that implements the terra cotta warriors (of Shaanxi) transforming into real people for a sword battle/ magic battle...

Had that thought watching Lance Burton in Las Vegas. He has a sword duel scene in his act-- derived from a French salon / Renaissance era style. I thought of the large flow of Asian visitors (so many that MGM repositioned its Lion in response to cultural needs) and how relevant such a piece could be...

Ok, if you haven't heard of such a thing, what do you think of the idea?

The only terra cottawarrior trick I have run across was made by Amazing Factory, I believe.

There was an illusionist featured on YouTube in the not too distant past, who began as a statue and then came to life. I believe he was French, but his name escapes me (as do a lot of things these days).

I could envision a terra cotta statue made in three parts, feet, torso, head. You show the individual parts to be hollow, stack them up and when you unstack them, they contain a living person dressed in the manner of the statue. Wouldn't be too hard, and all you would need is a good base and a good potter.

The image in my head is of a pagoda set, similar to the Beijing palace, with a row of about 6 terra cotta warriors like the ones in Shaanxi. I imagine them being carried into place, then coming to life (shards falling from them) as an Indiana Jones-like magician tries to enter the temple... this would culminate in the illusionist getting the sacred object and all of the warriors falling rigidly to the misty floor and shattering like pottery.
Either this or dancing girls.
Just kidding.

The French illusionist was Marat. I saw him live in London in 2005. It was pure magic.