Re-engineered Vanishing Coat Bottle Routine by Mark Travison

Effect

The Re-engineered Vanishing Coat Bottle Routine is a classic children's magic trick where a bottle of cola visibly vanishes under impossible conditions. The magician presents a bottle of cola, covers it with a cloth, and uses a "vanishing tube" to make it disappear. After playful misdirection—where the bottle seemingly refuses to vanish—the magician involves an audience member (often a child) to help. With their participation, the bottle finally vanishes completely, leaving no trace.

Full Details

This routine is an updated version of the traditional vanishing bottle trick, refined for greater deception and audience interaction. The magician starts by displaying a real bottle of cola, engaging the audience with humor ("It's not very good for you!"). The bottle is covered with a cloth and placed inside a tube, but the initial attempts to vanish it fail comically. The magician then invites a spectator to assist, and with their "magic touch," the bottle disappears entirely.

The re-engineered method improves upon older versions by eliminating common tells and making the vanish more convincing. Unlike simpler routines where the bottle is merely covered and pushed down, this version includes multiple phases of buildup and surprise.

Who Should Consider the Trick

This routine is ideal for:

• Children's entertainers looking for a strong, interactive opener.
• Magicians who perform for family audiences.
• Performers who enjoy incorporating humor and audience participation.

Mark from Saturn Magic notes that while he plans to retire from kids' magic, this routine has been a staple in his show for over 20 years due to its reliability and strong reactions.

Difficulty

The method is straightforward, but the routine relies on engaging presentation and timing. The re-engineered gimmick is designed to be more deceptive than older versions, reducing the risk of exposure. The trick requires basic sleight-of-hand skills but is manageable for beginners with practice.

What Magicians Say

Mark from Saturn Magic describes it as a "great, great opener" and emphasizes its interactive nature:

• "The routine is worth it just alone for the actual routine itself... it's great, great interactive routine."
• "When they do the little bit of magic that I asked them to... the bottle has completely disappeared."

He also mentions that the re-engineered version is more deceptive, though he has limited stock due to the labor-intensive construction process.

This trick is a proven crowd-pleaser, especially for children's shows, and the updated method makes it a worthwhile investment for performers seeking a reliable, entertaining opener.