Penn & Teller's Gorilla Trick: How Do They Do It?

In their Las Vegas show, Penn and Teller performed a trick called 'Give You a Story to Tell Yourself', in which they made a chicken disappear from a box. The trick involved Teller removing the chicken from the box while a showgirl in a gorilla costume hid inside the box behind a false backdrop. The gorilla then emerged from the box, distracting the audience, while Teller handed the chicken to Penn. The trick was a lesson in misdirection, with Penn and Teller demonstrating how magicians use storytelling and promise-making to manipulate their audience's attention.

The chicken coop has a false backdrop

Penn and Teller's magic trick involving a chicken coop and a gorilla is a clever illusion that utilizes misdirection and clever staging to create a captivating performance. One of the key elements of this trick is the use of a false backdrop within the chicken coop.

The chicken coop is designed with a false back or backdrop that can be manipulated during the performance. This false backdrop is initially used to conceal the presence of a person in a gorilla costume, who is hidden within the coop. The backdrop helps to create the illusion of a deeper coop and provides cover for the hidden performer.

During the trick, as the audience's attention is directed elsewhere, the person inside the coop, often referred to as Georgie, begins to manipulate the false backdrop. By lowering the backdrop towards the front of the coop, it transforms into a false floor, covering the chicken and creating a concealed space for Georgie to move within. This clever use of the backdrop allows Georgie to change their position and prepare for the next part of the trick.

The false backdrop plays a crucial role in maintaining the illusion and misleading the audience. Its presence suggests that the coop is deeper than it actually is, confusing those trying to determine the coop's dimensions. Additionally, the backdrop helps to block the view of the person inside, ensuring they remain hidden until the right moment.

The use of a false backdrop in the chicken coop is a testament to Penn and Teller's ingenuity and attention to detail. By creating a multi-functional prop, they are able to seamlessly integrate the illusion into their performance, leaving the audience questioning how the trick was accomplished.

The gorilla is in the box from the start

The trick performed by Penn and Teller involves a vanishing chicken and a gorilla with cymbals. The chicken is covered by a blanket, and the gorilla with cymbals appears to emerge from the box. The trick is performed through misdirection, with the audience's attention focused on Penn and Teller, and away from the box.

The gorilla is a small person in a costume, and the chicken is covered by the false floor, which is then disguised by a blanket. The false backdrop and floor are purple, and the depth of the box is disguised by Penn's positioning, and the angle of the camera. The cymbals create noise to distract the audience and cover any sounds made by the movement in the box.

The trick relies on the audience's expectations and attention being directed towards Penn and Teller. The audience expects the chicken to be removed, and their attention is drawn to Penn and Teller's movements and interactions. The gorilla is not expected, and the audience's attention is misdirected, allowing the chicken to be covered by the false floor, and the gorilla to move forward and emerge from the box.

The gorilla in the box from the start of the trick is a key element of the illusion. The audience's attention is focused on the chicken and Penn and Teller, while the gorilla is disguised by the false backdrop and floor, and Penn's positioning. The movement of the gorilla is masked, and the noise of the cymbals covers any sounds, allowing the gorilla to emerge from the box unexpectedly, surprising the audience.

Teller distracts the audience

Teller plays a crucial role in distracting the audience during Penn and Teller's famous vanishing chicken magic trick. While Penn captures the audience's attention with his charismatic stage presence and comedic timing, Teller employs subtler techniques to divert their focus.

Teller's slow and deliberate movements serve as a subtle distraction, as noted by an observant audience member who attributed it to his back surgery. This subtle movement captures the audience's attention, drawing their focus away from the main action and creating a momentary lapse in their concentration.

Teller's role as a distraction is further enhanced by his interaction with other props, such as a table or a scroll. In one variation of the trick, Teller brings a small table onstage, which contributes to the illusion. The table, with a false top, allows Teller or an assistant to reach through and retrieve an object, such as a scroll with lyrics, without the audience's knowledge.

In another instance, Teller's role as a distraction is more direct. He approaches the chicken coop and pretends to remove the chicken, creating a diversion while the actual trick takes place. During this time, the audience's attention is solely on Teller, believing that he is performing the magic, when in reality, he is merely a decoy.

Teller's ability to divert attention is a testament to his mastery of misdirection, a fundamental principle in magic. By focusing the audience's attention on himself or specific props, he creates the perfect opportunity for the trick to unfold without detection.

The chicken is hidden under a panel

Penn and Teller's vanishing chicken trick is a clever illusion that involves a chicken, a cage, and a gorilla. While the trick may appear straightforward, it involves careful choreography and clever use of misdirection to create a captivating performance. Here's how they might have done it:

The presence of the gorilla is a critical element of misdirection in this trick. While the audience's attention is focused on the gorilla with cymbals, Georgie is able to discreetly lower the panel and conceal the chicken. The gorilla's energetic movements and loud cymbals create a distraction, preventing the audience from noticing the subtle actions of Georgie inside the cage. Additionally, the gorilla's erratic behavior makes it challenging for viewers to accurately gauge the height of the performer inside the costume.

Penn's role in this trick is also significant. In some variations of the trick, Penn leans against the cage, potentially to disguise any movements or shaking caused by Georgie's actions. By obstructing the view of the cage and blocking certain angles, Penn may have helped conceal the mechanism of the illusion.

The vanishing chicken trick showcases Penn and Teller's mastery of misdirection and audience manipulation. Through strategic use of props, clever staging, and well-timed distractions, they create a captivating illusion that leaves audiences questioning their perceptions.

The gorilla is revealed to be a showgirl

Penn and Teller are renowned magicians known for their Las Vegas show, which features a vanishing chicken trick. In this trick, a chicken is placed in a box, and when the box is opened, the chicken has disappeared, and a gorilla is in the box instead. The gorilla then exits the box, crashing cymbals together. The trick involves misdirection, with Teller acting as a distraction while the chicken is covered by a panel, which becomes the floor of the box. The gorilla that exits the box is not the same person as the one hidden inside, who is revealed to be a showgirl.

The trick is made possible by a false backdrop and a telescopic cage. The showgirl, who is in the gorilla costume, is hidden behind a purple cloth in the back of the box. Penn leans on the box to mask any movement, and the gorilla in the box remains still to avoid revealing their height. When the cloth is lifted, the showgirl folds the chicken into the false floor and emerges as a gorilla, crashing cymbals to cover any noise.

The audience's attention is focused on Teller, who acts as a distraction, while the chicken is covered and the showgirl prepares to exit the box. The gorilla inside remains still and bends their knees to appear shorter, as the cymbals they are holding cover any noise made by movement. Penn's position and shadow also help to disguise the movement of the showgirl inside the box.

The trick relies on the audience's expectation that the box is too small to contain both the chicken and the gorilla. However, the box is deeper than it appears, and the camera angles are carefully chosen to conceal this. The absence of a backdrop behind the gorilla gives a hint to the trick, as it would have helped to disguise the depth of the box.

The reveal of the showgirl inside the box adds an element of surprise to the trick, as the audience expects a magician or assistant, not a showgirl, to be behind the gorilla mask. This twist showcases Penn and Teller's creativity and skill in misdirection and illusion, keeping the audience guessing until the very end.

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