I was recently reading a review of a magic instructional video tape. The reviewer remarked that the performer on the tape even showed a use for the "lowly" crystal silk cylinder. This struck a nerve with me, because I happen to think highly of the silk cylinder.

In the field of magic, easy-to-do props are often given a bad rap. Usually, this bad rap comes from the "finger flickers," who only perform close-up magic. What these sleight of handers lose sight of is the fact that the main point of doing magic is to entertain. And the entertainment comes from the performer, not from the prop or the difficult sleight of hand move.

There are many advantages to using an easy to do effect. First of all, if the actual mechanics of the routine are easy to execute, you can devote most of your attention to your presentation, or entertainment value of the routine. Also, many times, a mechanical, easy to do prop will make an effect look more magical, instead of doing the same effect with a convoluted sleight of hand move.

Before we continue, I don’t want to give anyone the idea that I don’t enjoy good sleight of hand magic. I perform at least one skillful sleight of hand routine in every show. Adults give you much respect if you can perform something obviously requiring lots of skill and practice. But I also feel that easy-to-do prop magic has a place in every show, as well.

The Crystal Silk Cylinder is a wonderful prop, capable of many uses. In fact, my company manufactures a model of this effect, and we have sold it to many full time professional performers. It is definitely not a "lowly" piece of equipment.

If you’re not familiar with the prop, the crystal silk cylinder is designed to change silks into some other object. The equipment consists of a clear tube standing upright, mounted into a base. There is a decorated cover which goes over the clear tube.

The original routine involved placing three orange silk handkerchiefs into the clear tube. They were covered with the decorated tube, and when uncovered, the three orange silks had become three oranges. But there are many more routines that can be performed with this prop.

This easy to use prop has been sold to many pros who specialize in corporate and trade show work. One corporate performer wanted to teach it to a company executive. He showed three separate silks, representing three separate divisions in his company. The three separate silks became three joined silks, to illustrate the idea that the separate divisions needed to work together.

A world-champion magician was recently working a trade show. He had several silks, and written upon the silks were several different attributes of a new product. The silks were placed in the tube, and when uncovered, they had changed into a large silk with the name of the company. This presentation helped to generate record sales, and win the "best presentation of the show" award for the company. To think, a world champion magician using a "lowly" prop!

The professional performer, using magic to make his or her living, quickly realizes that the end result is more important than the means used to accomplish the effect. Any prop, no matter how "lowly," can be an effective, entertaining piece with the right presentation.

We put our imagination to use, and came up with over a dozen other ways to use the crystal silk cylinder. Here are just a few:

1. Show an egg (rubber egg), and wrap it in the center of a silk. Place into the main tube and cover. When the tube is uncovered, apparently nothing has happened. However, when the silk is removed and opened, the egg has changed into a live dove.

2. Use this prop for an easy blendo effect. Place 3 or 4 different colored silks into the tube, and they change to a multicolor silk. Better yet, change the silks into long silk streamers. Kids especially love this effect.

3. Think about the effects you do with a change bag, and try using the cylinder instead. At a birthday party a few years ago, a parent asked if I could make a "Beanie Baby" appear. I poured beans into the center of a multicolored silk, gathered up the corners (like a bag), and placed the silk and beans into the tube. When I uncovered the tube, the beans and silk had been transformed into a multicolored "Beanie Baby." The kids went nuts!

4. Water and goldfish can be produced. Place 3 small orange silks into the tube, pour in a little water, and live goldfish appear swimming in the tube.

5. Use with the many popular picture silks, or the happy birthday silk set. Place the black and white happy birthday silk into the tube, along with several colored silks. Use the birthday child as your assistant. After lots of comedy and fun (with breakaway wand, etc.) the tube is uncovered, and the happy birthday silk is now brightly colored.

Hopefully these ideas will get you started, and you’ll come up with a few more on your own. If one of your routines plays especially well, let me know! I’d love to try it!

Remember, it’s not the prop, it’s the presentation. The props are merely the instruments we use to make our "music." And the presentation comes from within us. Make the presentation uniquely you, and you will have something no other entertainer can offer.

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