David Copperfield's flying illusion

David Copperfield performs a flying levitation trick created by John Gaughan,^[1][2][3][4] which is notable for its graceful motion and unencumbered appearance. During the trick, Copperfield flies acrobatically about the stage, and then appears to have spinning hoops passed around him to prove that he is not suspended from wires. He then floats down into an acrylic glass box, and continues to float inside after the box is covered. He selects a female volunteer (or possibly a "stooge") from his audience and flies with her in a fashion similar to Superman carrying Lois Lane. The illusion sometimes ends with a falcon named "Icarus" grasping Copperfield by the wrist and flying off stage with him.

The performance is accompanied by an orchestration called "East of Eden Suite" by film composer Lee Holdridge, originally written as the theme music for the 1981 miniseries East of Eden.

Method

John Gaughan described how the trick works in US Patent #5,354,238.^[1][4] According to the patent, the performer is supported by a pair of arrays of fine wires that remain invisible to the viewing audience.^[5] The wires are less than 1 mm thick, but can support 100 kg each. The wire arrays are mounted at the hips, near the human center of mass, to a harness worn under the clothing. This creates a balance point facilitating a wide range of movements while suspended. The wires are attached to a complex computer-controlled rig above the stage that maintains the tension in each, and keeps each array of wires perpendicular to the viewing audience. During the later phases of the performance, two hoops are used simultaneously, which aids the deception as the hoops do not come into contact with the wires. Instead, each ring is brought flush to the wires before being twisted under Copperfield. In the glass box demonstration, the top of the box is threaded between the two sets of wires in a vertical position, before being rotated ninety degrees and lowered into place. The wires remain in place while the performer is in the glass box, passing through crevices between the lid and the sides. Since the box limits movement and he is only able to rotate on one axis, he stays side-on to the front of the audience while in the box. When flying with a volunteer, he holds her in front of him, and she does not come into contact with the set-up.

See also

• Vanishing the Statue of Liberty

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Loshin, Jacob (2010). "Secrets revealed: Protecting magicians' intellectual property without law". In Christine A. Corcos. Law and Magic: A Collection of Essays. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-59460-355-6. "...see, e.g., John Gaughan, Levitation Apparatus, U.S. Patent No. 5,354,238, Oct. 11, 1994 (patenting a levitation illusion designed by John Gaughan but famously performed by David Copperfield). Gaughan reportedly filed the patent against Copperfield’s wishes." 
2. ^ "David Copperfield Bio". yuddy.com. http://www.yuddy.com/celebrity/david-copperfield/bio. Retrieved July 4, 2009. 
3. ^ "John Gaughan Filmography". inbaseline. http://www.inbaseline.com/person.aspx?person_id=430868. Retrieved July 4, 2009. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Loy, J.J. "Fly like David Copperfield!". Make 13: 76. http://www.make-digital.com/make/vol13/?pg=78. Retrieved Sept. 15, 2009. 
5. ^ US patent 5354238, John Gaughan, "Levitation Apparatus", issued 1994-10-11 

External links

• David Copperfield's flying illusion (Video)