The stage, as they say, was set.
Georgino D’Russiman, the greatest of the modern era of magicians stood to attention with his back towards the audience, utterly still, with his face looking slightly upwards. His eyes remained closed for a few seconds then he opened them to look at his manager, agent, and wife. The music was raging towards its zenith, the audience anticipating a great ending to their evening’s entertainment.
The show so far had been –
“…amazing..” “…just incredible really,” “It’s shocking just how good this man is..” according to the interval chatter in the bar, recorded by the independent journalist Arty Jenson who was working for two daily newspapers and his own online ‘zine, ‘The AJ live reviews blog’.
He spoke to as many people as he could, showing them a brief wave of his NUJ Press card and firing quick questions immediately. His job was easy tonight, to get as many positive, usable quotes as possible. The review he would publish was paid for and already 90% written. It just needed some human interest and a veneer of first hand news to finish it off. Georgi was not only the best at what he did, but he was good enough of a showman to be able to elevate even the most mundane of tricks to – “MAGIC!” The Illusionist never failed, never missed, never didn’t keep his word and most importantly, always paid on time. As he took his spot in the stalls of the famous old theatre, Arty looked around and took in the atmosphere, these people loved this entertainer, it was clear to see.
Georgino listened as the last few notes of the music crashed against each other. He had written it himself, using an app on Cath’s laptop. But hadn’t told that last bit to his publisher, who enjoyed the steady payments that came in from Georgi’s Spotify account. On the last cacophonous beat, He slowly turn on his heel to face the audience, his arms spread wide to accept their applause and a smile on his face that told them that they were being just too kind. He loved this few seconds on stage. The first part of the show was good, full of excitement and anticipation. But this, the opener of the finale, was when he felt happiest. The audience had seen most of the show by now, knew he was on top form and had already far outdone their hopes and expectations.
“What could he possibly do now?”
“Ladies and Gentlemen, if I may I would like to thank you for your indulgence tonight. You have been such a joy to show my little tricks to and seemed to have enjoyed them, yes?”
Massive applause, and whistles and shouts.
“Then, would you like to help me try out a new trick tonight. Never before seen. Anywhere!”
They. Went. Insane.
“Well thank you very much. It will help us with our shows in the future if you tell as many people as you can about what follows, we have been working on it for a long time. It is my version of the old vanishing man in a cabinet trick. I thank you for your patience as we set up, your time tonight and your willingness to believe that the impossible – is possible!”
And with that Georgino Turned once again, nodded to the stage hands and stepped back a few feet. A flurry of activity suddenly hit the stage, as two men in brown overalls brought on first a large wooden cabinet, then a single classic loopback bistro wooded chair. It was placed about a metre in front of the cabinet, facing toward the audience. Georgi watched the stagehands as they moved around the stage. He loved this part, where other people silently did his bidding, without question. Just, did as they had been told. It was a thrill. Some more of his own composition was wafting around the theatre, immersing the whole huge room in music that he had created with his index finger, and a bottle of whisky. It sounded like there was a mini orchestra hidden below the stage, reading his notes and playing their instruments. God he was going to miss this!
As the music quietened, the lights dimmed slightly, a trick he had learned early that made the viewers lean forward and squint a bit, emphasising their concentration on him and narrowing their field of view at the same time. His two walking assistants were about to appear, so he marched to the cabinet and with relish, pulled open the two doors.
“TA DAA!”
He spoke the sounds and welcomed first one then the second of the women as they exited the cabinet. Both wore the stage bikini’s that were stage de rigueur nowadays, glittering and shining in the spotlights. Their big hair styles, made up eyes and fixed smiles showing seemingly no end of shining white teeth. They pirouetted into opposite side stances with their arms pointing toward the cabinet, and up to the roof. The music stopped. The audience applauded the appearance of the women, and continued until Georgi held up his right hand, and instantly there was silence. More silence than it seemed possible for five-hundred people to make. He waited, looking out into the crowd, and the spotlights swiftly picked up his gaze, sweeping into the density of bodies, blinding, highlighting, choosing.
After a few seconds, the lights all converged on a row of seats toward the back. A group of middle-aged women were excitedly shouting and waving, probably a hen-party thought Georgi, but he waved back at them, walked towards them and asked
“..If there was anybody in the audience tonight who was having a birthday, or getting married (or perhaps divorced)” a roar of cheers from the group echoed around the theatre.
“Because if there is, I would like that person to come down these steps with my assistant, climb up onto this stage with me, and help me make some MAGIC!”
The noise now was deafening as a lady with shoulder length blue/green Ombre hair, a small black tight, one-piece dress and two-inch black heels stood, waved, screamed and ran to the aisle, where she was met by Arriane, assistant No 2. To continuing applause, they made their way down to the stage front, up some tricky steps to add a sense of peril for the audience to enjoy, and ran over to Georgino. After the hugging and kissing that always happens, and her tiny, shiny shoulder bag getting caught by the cuff on Georgino’s magician’s coat, the woman was manhandled to her spot on the stage, and given the usual short interview.
“Well, well, well! What a beautiful lady we have to help us tonight Georgino!” shouted assistant No. 1 above the din, which began to lessen. Georgino took over:
“Indeed we do Cressida, Indeed we do. What is your name my dear?”
“Mary..”
“Mary?”
“Yes Mary.”
“Well welcome Mary, are you and your friends having a good time this evening?”
“It is AMAZING Georgino.”
“Well thank you Mary. Now tell me, what brings you to my little show tonight?”
“I’m getting married on Saturday, this is my hen-night. We had a meal out at that Italian place round the corner, here for your show, and then we’re going to the night-club up by the Town Hall for a dance..”
She had found her tongue, and the alcohol was making her brave.
“You should come with us Georgino, my mate fancies you like mad!”
Wolf whistles and howls sounded off around and the applause grew momentarily, so that both assistants needed to hush the crowd down so the act could continue. Georgino was laughing and made some remarks to Mary that went unheard by the others, until quiet regained a footing.
“Mary, thank you so much for the kind invitation… I may just take you up on that…” and he gave a wicked side smile to the audience, which obviously started them off again.
“Anyway, on with the show. Cressida, Arriane, please would you show Mary into the cabinet for me.” They did as asked.
“Mary, have a good feel around in there will you please” shouts of “Woof woof” and “Oi oi” resounded, to more laughter.
“Let us know if you find any secret doors Mary, or openings or trapdoors – or any way for someone to get out unseen.” She did as bid for a minute or so, until eventually coming back out rubbing her hands and saying,
“Ain’t no way anyone is coming out of that box! I’ve hurt my knuckles on them walls, they’re solid as..” She was comically cut off by Georgino, who bustled her to the side. “I was scared of what you were going to say then.” he played up to the audience, who were loving the show even more now. There was nothing like an innocent stooge to get a crown going.
“Aaand now…” At the cue, the two assistants frog marched Mary back in to the cabinet, gave her time to bravely wave to her friends, and closed the doors. Arriane produced a key from somewhere, flourished it in front of her and locked the door. She tried it. Cressida tried it too. Georgino made a show of walking up and trying the door himself, but to no avail. It was locked.
“Mary, can you hear me?” “Yes. It’s bloody dark in here!”
“Oh dear. Ladies, please…”
The assistants brought in a set of wooden steps, and Cressida climbed up to meet a hook which was being lowered from the roof. She slipped it through an eyebolt at the top of the cabinet. Once she had climbed down and moved the steps away, Cressida nodded to Georgino, who waved into the roof space, and turned to the audience. The hook started to rise, lifting the cabinet with it until it was six feet above the stage. Arriane took the steps and climbed to where she could reach the bottom of the cabinet, then slowly started to pull on the corners so that it began to turn round, slowly revealing all four sides to the audience.
“Mary, can you still hear me? Are you ok?”
“Yes, but I’m getting a bit giddy. My stomach is not happy with this at all!”
“Its alright Mary, we’ll bring you down safely. Ladies, if you please..” And at this, the assistants signalled for the cabinet to drop slowly to the floor again, catching it between them so they could stop the spin and lower it to the right spot. The key was re-found, the doors opened and then they helped the slightly queasy Mary out of the box and to the chair in front of it. A glass of water was brought to her.
The audience looked on, ‘was that it?’, ‘what would happen now?’
“Mary, take a second please, gather yourself, was there anyway you could have got out or saved yourself? Were you, in fact, captive in that cabinet?” Georgino was pacing, facing the audience and turning briefly turning every few steps to look directly at Mary.
“I couldn’t get out or do anything Georgino. It was ‘orrible!” the crown cheered and clapped.
“Thank you Mary, you have demonstrated for us that the cabinet is secure, with no way out, and at that height – did you realise how high off the ground you were Mary? Six feet!”
“Six bloody feet – Oh My God!” the audience were loving this, he could see their eyes staring at him and Mary, and he could feel the anticipation building even more. The false start using Mary was a brilliant way of building excitement.
“Well once again Mary, thank you for your help. If you could stand up and take a bow…? Ladies and Gentlemen, a big round of applause for the wonderful Mary, who on Saturday enters into the state of matrimony with…?”
“Dave.”
“The very lucky Dave!”
Once again the crowd went wild, with whoops, screams and clapping, accompanied by a lone electric guitar shredding ‘I’m Getting Married in the Morning’ over the top of the applause. Cressida helped Mary to turn her chair round and sit down, back to the audience and looking at the cabinet. As the noise died down, Georgino walked slowly to the cabinet, stood in the door and faced Mary, and the Audience beyond. A hush overcame the building and all eyes looked towards Him. He took a very deep breath and exhaled slowly, extending the wait. There was no sound now.
“Mary, and your friends, I thank you for your help and your attendance here tonight. And you, Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for your cheer, your welcome and your participation. It makes our job easier and much more fun when we can feel such love and joy in the audience, doesn’t it girls,” he stage waved to where Cressida and Arriane were stood. Who in turn did a small curtsey, a wave and blew kisses in all directions. The audience responded similarly.
“We have reached the climax of the evening…” wolf whistles again.
“…and I am about to try something which, I hope, will be talked about for a long time after tonight. I have named this trick, ‘Into the Abyss’, please, enjoy!”
And with that, Georgino turned and entered the cabinet. Arriane walked up with her key, locked the doors and invited both Cressida and then Mary to try to open them. Neither could. The audience were still. Mary was led back to her seat, waved again to her friends and sat. Cressida then curtsied to Mary and the cabinet started to rise, and rise. It stopped at eight feet off the stage. the theatre was deadly quiet. Arriane approached Mary, whispered an instruction to her, then stood to the side. Mary stood and shouted
“Georgino! Can you hear me? Are you ok?”
“Yes Mary I am fine, you were right dear, it is dark in hear!” the audience laughed, the suspense slightly broken.
The doors suddenly swung open, and Georgino waved through at the crowd. Cressida then walked up with a long pole and started to spin the cabinet slowly round and round. Two. Three times Georgino waved and mouthed “help” and “hello”. The fourth spin came – and there was no Georgino waving. There was no Georgino.
The house lights came on, then off. Applause started, then grew to a roar. The stage lights rose a little so that the audience could watch easily as the two assistants brought the cabinet back down to the ground, unhooked it and started to unlock clips that allowed the roof and walls to break away from each other, until the six pieces of the box were lay in a line on the stage. The crowd were hooting and heckling and shouting and clapping. Mary still sat.
The two male stagehands wheeled on an old fashioned travel trunk, and placed it centre stage. It had a large comically shiny lock on it. Cressida walked up and made a show of looking for a key, no, she didn’t have one.
Arriane followed, no, she didn’t have one, but then walked up to Mary and asked her to look in her bag. Mary did, and (shock horror!) pulled out a big shiny key. Mock surprise all around, the audience in stiches with laughter. Everyone building the expectation of the obvious denouement. The three women walked together to the trunk where Mary was chivvied into trying the lock with the key.
It fit.
Whoops of encouragement. The lock came off, the hasp was raised and between them the three women slowly opened the lid. The lights were raised, the music started and …
Nothing happened.
Mary looked in the trunk. It was empty. Cressida looked in the trunk. It was still empty. Arriane looked worried, and turned to the side of the stage. She beckoned to the stagehands, who ambled on, looked into the trunk, and declared it empty. The audience were beside themselves. This was fantastic. The trick was going on and on. Applause came in waves, for minutes, until the audience caught up with those on stage that something was amiss.
More people from behind the scenes were coming to stare down into the trunk. There was head scratching. there was talking. The stage manager ran onto the stage. He called for the house lights to go on, asked for the curtain to fall, and asked what the hell was going on. After a minute he called for the curtain to be raised again and addressed the audience.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, my apologies for the last few minutes. As you were no doubt aware, the trick should have ended with the appearance of Georgino D’Russiman in the trunk. Unfortunately, he has not appeared in the trunk. And, at the moment, we do not know where he is. We are searching for him. Please stay seated a while longer and we will return when we have found him.”
The curtain re-dropped and some music started to play through the sound system. The audience were dumbstruck. There were heckles from disgruntled people. There was applause from a section who still thought this was all part of the trick. There was growing chatter in the theatre.
An announcement was made explaining that the bars had re-opened, and that they would remain open for thirty minutes. Another round of applause rang out and people slowly drifted bar-wards and to the toilets.
After half an hour, the curtain rose and a lone stage manager stood, looking anxiously out into the theatre.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, the bars are now closing. I am very sorry and upset to have to report to you that Mr D’Russiman has not been located. There is no sign of an accident, no sign of foul play and sadly, no sign of him. His things are still in his dressing room, his car is still outside and his personal phone is with his co-workers. No-one seems to know anything. This is not part of the show, and we are going to have to ask you all to remain seated until the police arrive. I’m sure that everything is going to be ok, but after speaking with the police, I have been advised to hold you all here please to await further instruction. I have ordered tea and coffee and snacks to be made available for you. Please, please can I ask that everyone remains calm, and goes along with this request. The ushers will stay on hand to help with any emergency, but please at this time, no one knows any more than I have told you, so I would urge you all to wait and we will find answers soon. Thank you!”
The curtains dropped.
The room exploded with shouts, laughs, screams and more shouts. Voices were rising in temper as people demanded information; to be allowed to leave; more alcohol.
Behind the scenes, the staff were starting to get really worried. What was going on. Where was Georgi? What was he up to? Had he been kidnapped? They all knew how the trick should have run, how he should have exited the box, and when, and where he should have arrived. But evidently none of that had happened. He had not left the cabinet, because he had not gone through the trapdoor under the stage. He had not climbed through the slit in the false side of the trunk. None of that had happened. So, what had happened?
Three hours later, and it was twelve-thirty in the morning. The police had arrived, detected and not found anything. They had begrudgingly let the audience leave at eleven o’clock, and had faced much angry shouting for a while, but that had soon quietened down. All the staff of the show and the theatre were about to be told to go home, and only the manager, the show staff and a couple of detectives, along with a handful of constables, were staying longer.
Georgino’s hotel had confirmed that he had not been seen. No taxi cab firm had picked him up, and he had not been seen in any of the bars, late-night shops or restaurants in the vicinity. It was officially a mystery. Arty had handed over his camera and sound-recorder for them to trawl through and see if anything suspicious or helpful had been caught. Cressida and Arriane (real names Shirley and Beth) were being taken back to their hotel with an escort and were being told to get some sleep
“Fat chance of that!”
Georgino’s manager was on his way after a phone-call, but would not arrive until later in the morning. The same with Eddie, his brother, only relative, and only real friend that anyone could think of.
One month later, the story was still live, but had obviously been pushed off the front pages of the newspapers by a sex-scandal involving yet another minor Royal and a South American President’s Wife. The detectives running the case had long suspected that he would turn up somewhere abroad, drugged out of his mind and chuckling at his biggest ever trick.
He hadn’t, yet.
They still looked.
Arty had sold his photos and the story multiple times, giving interviews and articles to anyone who requested them. His chats with Georgino throughout the tour had become a compiled record of the last known months of the Illusionist, and made a very fine hard back book which had been fought over by three of the biggest publishers, earning Arty millions. He was very happy, and very sad, because as he told everyone, Georgi had been a really nice guy to work with, a real gentleman…
He finished the book the same way as every interview:
“I hope he is ok, wherever he is, and that he turns up soon….”
