Ahili Das, a resident of EE Block who goes by the stage name of Magicianne Lee, takes a magic class for readers to learn from and impress others with. Like The Telegraph, she too has just turned 15

On the 15th birth anniversary of The Telegraph, I feel like sharing some magic with you. Yes, you too can do magic!

“Don’t be a wallflower in your friend’s next birthday party; learn magic for fun and entertainment,” my magic mentor Solyl Kundu used to tell me and now I say the same to you.

The type of magic I shall teach here is called close-up magic in magicians’ jargon and is normally done with everyday objects available at home without having to step out in the middle of lockdown.

However, let me first share the three golden rules of magic-

1. Never share the secret of the magic with anyone.
2. Never tell the audience in advance what you are going to do.
3. Never repeat a trick for the same audience.
Finally, a magician’s mantra is practice, practice and practice. Practice will make your moves smooth. So learn, practise and entertain your family and friends.

Magicianne Lee performs Sourced by the Telegraph

Karate straw

The magic: You will be turning an ordinary drinking straw so strong that you can pierce a big potato with it.
What the audience sees: Use a few paper straws and a big fresh potato. Ask someone in your audience to try to pierce the potato with any straw. They will find that it is not possible as the straw will bend or break.

Finally, you take another straw from the bunch and announce that you will turn it into a Karateka and pierce the potato. And then do as you say.

The secret: Carefully but casually, hold the straw with your right hand curling the fingers around the straw and the right thumb covering the top opening of the straw as shown in the figure above. Take care that no one notices your thumb covering the top hole of the straw.

At the same time hold the potato stationary in the left hand about 10 inches or so below the straw. Stab the potato as fast you can while secretly bending the end of the straw, thereby trapping the air inside and making the straw strong enough to pass through the potato.

Magic water

The magic: Turn a glass upside down and watch it stay in the glass.
What the audience sees: Use a glass tumbler and a cotton handkerchief. Spread the handkerchief covering the mouth of the tumbler.

Then with your fingers, poke a small well into the handkerchief over the mouth of the tumbler. Pour some water into the well to fill the tumbler almost to the top.

Now, stretch the handkerchief tightly over the mouth of the tumbler, holding it down at the sides over the glass and quickly turn the glass over. The water will stay in the glass. Finally after a few moments, turn the tumbler back again.

The secret: Frankly, there’s no secret in this magic which is self-working. When making the little well and pouring water in the glass, stretch the hanky as explained and the water will make a film and over the surface of the damp cloth and the water will not pass through.

Magic knot

The magic: You shall make a knot in a handkerchief without letting go of the ends.

What the audience sees: Make your presentation interactive by asking for an assistant from the audience. Ask the lucky audience member for a gent’s handkerchief and tell him/ her to tie a knot on it without letting go of the ends. He won’t be able to (unless he reads this article!) Now you take the handkerchief and put a knot in it without letting go of your hands.

The secret: A cotton gents’ handkerchief is needed. It can be any other cotton handkerchief too but it has to be big enough. Now twist it along its length so it becomes rope-like as shown above.

Now, cross your arms as shown in the picture above.

Then ask your assistant to put the two ends of the handkerchief in the fingers of yours both hands as shown in the picture above.

Now with a jerk, uncross your hands and surprise! There is a knot in the centre of the hanky as shown in the last picture.

Practice repeatedly so you can do this faster and smoothly.

Jumping rubber band

The magic: A rubber that you place on the base of two fingers will skip to two other fingers.

What the audience sees: The magician takes a rubber band and puts it at the base of his two fingers as shown in the picture right.

Then he makes a fist as shown in the picture right.

As he reopens his fist the rubber band magically jumps to his other fingers as shown in the picture right.

The secret: Get a couple of rubber bands. Make sure they are tight.

Now note the pictures below, from the magician’s point of view —

A) Put the rubber band around the base of your two fingers on your left hand towards the left side, as shown in picture.
B) Then close your hand by pulling the rubber band but secretly put all your fingers into the band. The audience will think you have just pulled the band to check the tension. While doing this movement say: “This band is tight enough” as shown in picture.
C) Now, chant your magic spell. In the meantime note your fingers’ position as shown in the next picture.
D) After chanting the magic spell, quickly open your fingers and the effect will be seen in the picture.
The secret moves should be done in a fraction of a second. Practice well and your audience will be left speechless.

Magic separation

Effect: Count off a number of cards from a deck of cards, and the rest of cards put aside. Any one of the packets is turned face up and put on the other face-down packet.

Next, shuffle the packets together, intermixing the cards face up and face-down. The cards will show a mixed group of face up and face down cards. You can even offer the cards to anyone for shuffling. After receiving the cards back, place it behind your back for a few moments and bring it forth. Place the deck on the table.

Announce that within a split second you have been able to make two packets, one face up and the other face down. Moreover, the face-up cards in each packet will be the same as in the other pack.

Now the cards are divided again into two piles, both are spread out to show that if the first pile has four face up cards, the second pile too has four face-up cards.

Knowhow: Count off 20 or 30 cards — the number does not matter as long as the numbers is even.

The audience need not know the number of cards. You can place your little finger between cards as you are counting to make the piles even.

Now divide cards in two packets, turn one of them face up and intermix the cards in any manner. You may even hand out the cards to a spectator for further shuffling.

You now take the cards and place them behind your back. All you need to do is count half the cards off the top of the deck with your right hand.

For instance, if the total number of cards was 20 count off 10 cards.

The remaining 10 cards in your left hand are turned over.

Both packets are brought in front and placed on table. The trick is done. All that remains to be done is to spread the packets and count the face up cards. The face up cards in both packets will tally.

Here is a magic that is “sure fire”, no set-ups. It can be done with any deck and is very simple to perform. Enjoy friends.