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	and Aga are more dramatic illusions, but they'll sit in your garage; the Broom will go to almost every show. I even put this effect into some recent elaborate full stage shows in Hawaii and in Florida. It held up very well, performed "in one" on the stage apron. Is there a drawback to the Broom Suspension? Yes. Price. You absolutely must obtain the most expensive one you can afford. Don't even think of building this as your metal shop project. Save up for this and you'll never regret it. Trust me. The second feature is the Substitution Trunk. You might be able to save money here to make up for the expense of the Broom. I bought an Abbotts Canvas Covered Box in 1967 and was taught the effect by the great Duke Stern. I stiil use the same box. It's twenty years old and looks it. The cabinet arrangement has been discarded for the more customary cloth curtains. I'm on my third interior cloth bag. I've had three sets of Chain Handcuffs and who knows how many locks and keys. The box should be replaced but it looks great. It remains assembled and used for packing except when we ship it via air freight. Then I dismantle it to save space (and pack it into an ATA case). People do not tire of seeing this act again and again. Do it fast and close your show with it. It isn't necessarily better than the Broom, but it is more elaborate - more of a finale. I prefer the packing case look of an Abbotts Canvas Covered Box to the steamer trunk look of other models. The lid is removable. I like the gimmick arrangement and the prop itself looks less suspicious. Can you make this one up yourself? I don't know. I couldn't, but my	woodworking nephew sure could duplicate my existing Abbott model. If you - or your designated carpenter - have never done one before and you don't have an existing prop to serve as an example, watch out! I firmly believe that the difference between your cost for the first time self-construction and Abbotts cost for a completed illusion will not be significantly different (unless you feel your time has no value; a supposition I never make!). If you, like most others, decide on the rectangular or circular-shaped curtain to cover the exchange, do not skimp financially here. The circular shape will mean that version will be larger across than the rectangular shape. You may have no trouble holding it, but your more diminutive assistant might find it very hard. The fabric selected must be theatrical and opaque. It may require lining for the 100 percent opaqueness. Pick a flashy fabric and expect to spend about $200 for just its cost. Sure, you can save by stepping down to plaid cretonne, but just think how that will look. Now matter how fast you do the illusion, you must create the effect that this act really moves. Doug Henning, Siegfried & Roy, The Pendragons and Brett Daniels all present astonishingly fast versions of this act. (Modesty prevents me from guessing my own speed; after 20 years, though, I move pretty quick.) You may know that those other performers are faster than you, but unless you're embarrassingly slow, the audience won't realize you missed Jonathan Pendragon's best time by over 21\2 seconds! Is there a drawback to the Substitution Trunk? Yes. Angle and stage height. A modern two level mall would allow the audience to look

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