A lawsuit has revealed how one of magician David Copperfield's most famous tricks is pulled off, ruining the illusion for all.
Details of the magician's vanishing crowd trick have been outlined in court documents, after an audience member claimed to suffer permanent brain damage from taking part.
Gavin Cox was called on stage at the MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and was one of 13 people who were recruited to play a role in the act.
The volunteers were taken down a secret passage outside the theatre, giving the impression they had vanished. Then, just like magic, they appeared at the other end of the stage.
But for Mr Cox, all wasn't as it should have been. He said they were rushed so quickly down the corridor that he tripped, dislocating his shoulder.
He claims to have undergone multiple operations as a result and has been diagnosed with permanent brain damage -- a form of Parkinson's.
"It was like a fire alarm went off," he told The Mail on Sunday.
"It was total pandemonium. You don't know where you are going. It's dark. There are hands pushing you on your back.
"As I went around a corner, my feet slipped from underneath me and I hit the ground."
Mr Cox said after the show Mr Copperfield asked him not to reveal the mechanics of the trick.
A lawyer for the magician told The Mail on Sunday Australia: "The history of the show speaks for itself. We deny all allegations. Unfortunately we cannot comment further due to ongoing litigation."
A date has been set for the case to go to trial in January 2017.
Newshub.
