The Coil, the Cocoanut and the Carnival Cadies.
A Concoction for Comedy Conjurers.
By Woodhouse Pitman, M.I.M.C.

The fault, in my opinion, with many effects which come under the classification of Magical Transpositions, lies in the fact that too many articles are transposed. This causes confusion in the minds of the spectators, who are apt in such cases, to lose track of the disposal, or apparent disposal of the objects used, and, since they cannot remember where this or that object was put, they cannot be expected to show any surprise when the various articles are produced from some other quarter.

In the effect bearing the above title, the objects transposed are of widely differing kinds, and are limited to two in number, viz.: the paper ribbon and the cocoanut. As intimated in the sub-title, the effect is intended to be a comic item,--and, if presented by a performer blessed with a bright, brisk, and breezy style, it will be found a certain compound of mirth and mystery.

Effect--
Two hats, such as are worn by merry-makers at carnivals, are shown empty in turn. One is of the top hat shape and the other a clown's conical hat. From the former a cocoanut is produced, and from the latter is developed a large quantity of coloured paper ribbon. After this production, the conical hat (or cone, as I will refer to it in future) is placed down over the cocoanut, which, after its production, from the top hat (as I will call it), was placed on a tray. The paper ribbon is crammed into the top, hat. On taking up the cone the paper ribbon is found to have travelled to it from the topper, and in; the latter, the cocanut is again found.

Requirements--
A coloured cardboard top hat, not full sized, but: one in the crown of which the conjurer is just able to conceal a cocoanut. This hat requires reinforcement if it is to stand wear and tear and the weight of the cocoanut, One method is to cover the whole affair; inside and out, with strong fancy material (the more lurid the colours the better). The hat may be further strengthened by the addition of an extra brim secured with strong adhesive before the cloth covering is fixed.

The second hat, conical in shape, is approximately fifteen inches high. This may consist of a tin cone suitably decorated, as being more likely to bear the brunt of hurried, and it is to be hoped, frequent packing. The diameter of the mouth of cone and the size of crown of top hat depend on the size of coils and cocoanuts used, and must be determined by experiment.

The coils are of the thin coloured type wound hard, of such diameter that when the mouth of the the cone is pressed down over a coil, the latter may be picked up safely and secretly by raising the cone. The centres of most coils are loose, so the loose end is secured with a dab of adhesive (leaving the smallest possible tab projecting to facilitate production). If this centre is not secured the coil is apt to begin to flow immediately the cone is lifted.

The cocoanuts--for, as you will see, two are needed--are about four inches on the minor axis (if elongated in shape), but, if possible two practically spherical ones should be found, of about that / diameter. In any case they must be selected with care, so as to be duplicates as near as possible. One of them is prepared, a hole being made in the shell (on the "cud") one and a half inches in diameter. The kernel may now, with a knife or scoop, and some perseverance, be entirely removed. The other nut is left intact.

A special tray is required, and may readily be made as follows. A piece of thin three-ply twelve inches by eight inches forms the base. A piece of deal, of the same thickness as the coils it is proposed to use, has two circular holes cut in it, the diameters of the holes being one eighth of an inch greater than the external diameter of the mouth of the cone. This piece of wood is glued to the threeply base and an edge about one inch deep is mitred round and bradded on to the deal base.

One now has a tray having two circular depressions or recesses each of which will accommodate a coil, the top of which is flush with the surface of the tray. Between the coil and the side of the recess it is possible to push down the cone in order to secretly pick up the coil. The inside of the tray is lined with dark cloth of an "all over" pattern, care being taken to fit the cloth lining neatly into the sides and bottom of the recesses. A coat of paint or stain on the remainder of the tray finishes it.

When the coils are in position in the two recesses they are concealed by circular pieces of cloth of the same pattern as tray lining; these pieces are left quite loose, but when neatly in position the tray looks quite ordinary at close quarters.

The various properties are arranged as follows. The tray, set with its two concealed coils, is on the table to right of stage. The conical hat, with the unprepared cocoanut beneath it, stands upright on centre table. The hollow cocoanut reposes on the servante of centre table--this sounds ancient--or it may be concealed in any other suitable position that the ingenuity of the performer suggests.

If the performer begins his series with this item the coloured top hat can be worn at a jaunty angle at his entrance--in any case it may be momentarily placed on the head, for the fun of the thing. If the effect is introduced later in the show, this hat can stand on the table in front of the other one.

Presentation--
This portion of my article I shall confine to a description of the sequence of moves. No amount of writing will convey the mode or manner of presentation. Almost the whole of the success depends on the "atmosphere" which the performer creates; the happy manner, confident bearing, merry twinkle and infectious gaiety which carry so many experiments to a Successful conclusion, are more than ever needed in this one. What could be more melancholy than to see these few properties, simple as they are, handled in a mirthless manner? The objects have been specially selected because they are all associated with events of a jolly character. The hats are the head-gear of the hilarious, the coloured coils are the rainbow ribbons of revelry, and the cocoanut suggests all the fun of the fair.

This effect is not for those who wish to be set a profound problem, or to watch a worried wizard racing round the room having an envelope initialled here, pieces of paper folded up there, and planting playing cards everywhere! It is rather for those who would echo the bard:--

"With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come!
I'd rather let my liver heat with wine, than my heart cool with mortifying groans."*

*At it again! (Compiler.)

Begin then with the comical topper. It is not difficult to perform one or two tricks of the juggling order with this. At any rate your attempts should prove amusing, and, at the same time demonstrate the emptiness of the hat. After this preliminary the hat is taken in the left hand and brought close to conical hat, keeping the brim touching the table, crown toward the audience. The right hand takes the point of the cone, which is turned over, away from audience, and as it is withdrawn, the top hat is dropped simultaneously over the cocoanut.

The conical hat--or cone--is now "tried on" or juggled with, and its emptiness demonstrated. It is then placed mouth downward on the prepared tray, being pushed down in fact, over the nearer of the two hidden coils, some care of course having been taken in the setting of the tray to ensure the coils being central in the recesses, so that there is no hitch in pressing the cone down when the time comes. The top hat is again picked up, the thumb of right hand on the rear portion of brim and the fingers being pushed underneath. The hat is now turned over, crown toward audience, the fingers assisting the cocoanut into the crown, or, rather, keeping it there.

The magician now simulates surprise on discovering something in the hat, and presently produces the cocoanut; placing the hat crown downward on the centre table, he allows his audience to satisfy themselves as to the genuineness of the nut. This done, it is placed on the tray, or to be exact, on the centre of the second concealed coil. As you are aware, a coil has a vacant space in the centre, about an inch across, and this "vacancy," through the loose piece of cloth which hides the coil, provides a slight concavity which allows the cocoanut to "stay put" ' and prevents any rolling about on the tray. As the cocoanut is deposited on the tray, the left hand raises the cone; the point is turned over toward the audience, keeping the coil concealed and snugly and safely accommodated in the mouth of the cone.

"Something" is now found in the cone and proves to be an apparently interminable length of paper ribbon. This is heaped up on the centre table behind the top hat, and when the coil is exhausted the empty cone is replaced on the tray, this time being put down over the cocoanut and therefore over coil number two. It is imperative that this coil should be a tight fit--in fact both should be--but it has to be remembered that the next time the cone is lifted, the weight of the cocoanut has to be raised too, and the more tightly the coil is wedged into the cone, the safer things will be.

In passing, let me say that there is no need to fear it will be noticed that the cone enters the recesses on the tray. If the recesses which hold the coils are put close to the front edge of the tray, the edge itself, which stands up some five eighths of an inch or more from the surface of the tray, is ample masking in the case of a drawing room performance, and in the case of a platform show there is no risk at all, as the tray is much above eye level.

Going to the centre table, the conjurer proposes to push the pile of paper into the top hat, and, in gathering up the few loose loops which have beer} allowed to hang down behind the table, brings up the concealed hollow nut, which is kept hidden by the mass of paper ribbon on the table. The whole lot is raised above the hat, and, still under cover of the paper, the nut is allowed to slide into the hat, hole uppermost.

The conjurer now crams as much of the paper as possible into the hat, i.e., into the hollow nut. It will be found that by pressing it down with the wand as each "bunch" is pushed in, a great deal more can be accommodated than one would think.

While doing this the performer stands at left side of table, keeping a few remnants of paper in his left hand level with the hat brim, thus masking his handiwork. When no more paper can be pushed in, the hat is exhibited with the last few strands of paper bunched up in opening of crown of hat, hiding the nut. Then, turning crown toward audience these last few strands are torn off and the hat laid on the table. The pieces may be screwed up into a tight ball and a few sleights made, finally dropping it into profonde or otherwise disposing of it.

The conical hat is now raised and the second coil developed--presumably the paper just pushed into the hat. This lot of paper is allowed to heap up on the tray, ready for removal. As the production nears its end, the cone is gradually brought nearer and nearer to the new heap of paper, and ultimately the cocoanut is allowed to slide out to be hidden in the heap; if the underside of the circular piece of cloth which covered the coil has been coated with a few criss-crossed strands of coil paper, that too can be allowed to fall out on the heap, leaving the cone really empty, enabling it to be put down mouth toward the audience. As a climax the top hat is now inverted on the hand and lifted by the crown to reveal the cocoanut which has returned to its original home.