QUICK CHANGE BIBLIOTHEK

“Exclusive Magical Secrets”
by Will Goldston. Remember Page 38? In this book in chapter nine the Quick Change methods of the turn of the century are described in detail over fourteen pages. The main principle is very similar to those used today, sometimes identical. Indeed he describes his fastenings very thoroughly with text and pictures, but a few chapters earlier he had already described a better fastening.

The Magician's Annual
1910/11 by Will Goldston describes on page 97 a lady's dress based on a pull/tear-away systsem. This dress was used at the time extensively by famous female magician of the time Lee Laurie, who was Goldston's wife.

Lightning Changes and Illusion Transformations by George La Follette (Rush Ling Toy) no date of publication. The copy of the book that Jim Steinmeyer kindly shared is signed by the author 1936, so it is assumed that the date of publication was around this time. In this book is described the many acts of LaFollette including one worthy of special note "Thro' the Pages of History - A Novel Presentation of Great Men Past & Present". This may be compared with the plot of the short silent film of 1921 "Character Studies" by Carter DeHaven. Carter DeHaven announces that he will perform a series of "impressions." For each impression we see him applying makeup, then he ducks down below the makeup table and pops up, in order, as Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Rudolph Valentino, Fatty Arbuckle, Douglas Fairbanks, and Jackie Coogan, all played by themselves.

Home Fun - Conjuring Ventriloquism etc.
BULLIVANT, Cecil H,first edition 1910, second edition 1942. Contains an early treatment of the Quick-Change artist.

The Comedy Act of and by Tom Palmer
Magic Inc. published 1969, republished 1982.“The Breakaway Cocktail Dress”. This is not a Quick Change in the sense of a transformation, but is rather a quick “undressing” of the assistant, whereby the performer accidentally rips off the dress and handles this mistakenly for a silk. The assistant is revealed in her underwear.

The Costume Trunk Illusion
Martin Scott Price (published in the UK by David Hemingway circa 1982). This is virtually a one man (or woman) substitution trunk illusion. A dress is laid into a low lying trunk. The girl assistant stands on the lid of the closed trunk, a curtain is pulled up and within seconds the curtain is lowered to reveal the girl now dressed in the costume that was in the trunk. The trunk is opened to reveal the costume that the girl was wearing previously. Martin claims to have found this method himself, the dresses being tailored by his mother. A clever front piece is used on the outer dress to disguise the bulk of the dress underneath.

The Great Stage Illusions
of James Hodges (Volume 2, publisher Georges Proust). English version printed 1999. The “Costume Changes” described in James Hodges' book are not the quick costume changes that we are used to. The book describes a sequence of changes beginning with a full length dress, complete with a head-dress, wide sleeves, a ruffle and other accessories. The changes occur during a performance of stage illusions, and finally the assistant remains dressed in fancy under garments. Everything from the costume to the accessories to the hair of the assistant change during these transformations. The transformation is more for visual purposes as opposed to the normal rapid costume change performed under cover.

The Magic of Alan Wakeling
(Jim Steinmeyer, 1993, published by Hahne) Alan Wakeling's "Color Changing Gloves" is described on page 69. This was used as part of his nightclub opening act during the 40's and was in turn inspired from the 1904 publication "Later Magic" by Hoffmann. (In this book a single glove color change is described, whereby a single finger remains uncolored).The method described by Hoffmann is different from the handling developed by Wakeling, since Wakeling's color changes were multiple, on both hands and very visual. The only element that remains the same to the original is the idea of a single finger being colored/ remaining uncolored whilst the rest of the glove is a different color. In total the routine performed by Wakeling required that the gloves change from white, and then two more color changes, followed by the color change of the single fingers.

Later Magic
The color change glove described by Hoffmann in "Later Magic" is a single color change achieved by a different method. A single finger remains the original color of the glove and this in turn is made to match the rest of the glove - "A white glove changed to a black one". Hoffmann in turn credits this effect to magician Francis King.

Das Kabuki Theater
Liana Richter, University Leipzig 1999, Archiv No: K4541. Synopsis of three books

The Kabuki Theatre
Earl Ernst. The University Press of Hawaii. Honolulu: 1974.

The Kabuki Guide
Masakatsu Gunji. Kodansha International Ltd. Tokyo: 1987.

Kabuki Das klassische japanische Volkstheater
Thomas Leims, Quadriga, Berlin 1987.

Dotty dress
magazine of the Magic Circle of Germany (MZvD) "Magie" in issue 12 / 1997 by FISM World Champion of Illusion Frank Musilinski ("Der Hexer").

Meta morphing - Visual Transformation and the Culture of Quick-Change
by Vivian Sobchack, published 2000. In this book the tradition between Quick Change is compared with morphing in movies. As a sideline there are interesting historical discourses about artists such as Fregoli and Trewey. Especially Shadowgraphy is brought into context with the beginning of cinema. (scientific book)

Instant magic Costume Changes
Monica "Monique" Monros recommendable book and DVD set, published 2001. In her book-dvd combination Monica Monros presents a very interesting tear-away seam based on Velcro. Among other things she clearly explains her fold -down dress and gives many types of presentation.

general principles of Quick Change
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine Magie April 2001, basics, real speed-training, colour change jacket, Transformation from a announcer into the artist your own announcement

The Shadow Panel
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine July 2002

Ventriloquist changes himself into his own dummy
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine July 2002

Quickchange - blitzschnelle Kostümwechel für Herren
by Lex Schoppi, German Language: The user is trained in 22 sequences to accomplish costume changes. The combination of individual sequences results in very fast complete costume changes. In theory there are several hundred combination possibilities for Quick Change methods. The second half of the book concerns itself with special preparations, aids and multiple costume changes. Finally a multiple costume change with six costumes from preparation and through the handling is presented with a series of 48 photos.

Color Change Shirt
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine Magie March 2004

QUICK CHANGE - rapid costume changes for men
by Lex Schoppi, Not only the translation - a complete new book. The German book "Quickchange" (published in 2003) was the most intensive publication to date and contained on 80 pages 5 different tried and tested methods of fastenings – methods for holding the materials closed, and ways to open them, the so-called "tear-away“ seams. In the new english book "Quick Change" 15 different methods of fastening are described, the so-called "Top Secret High Tech" hardcores.

Technical Costume Design (1)
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine May 2006 Series

Technical Costume Design (2)
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine Magie Dec. 2006 Series

Technical Costume Design (3)
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine Magie May 2007 Series

Technical Costume Design (4)
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine Magie June 2007 Series

Technical Costume Design (5)
by Lex Schoppi, Specialist magazine Magie July 2007 Series