Magic trick reverso: putting the tablecloth back on the table!

Magician Mat Ricardo writes in regarding this morning's post showing a motorcycle (seemingly) pulling the tablecloth out from beneath a very long table's-worth of place settings: "Here's what I do - for 20 years-ish I've been finishing nmy cabaret act by putting the tablecloth back on the table, underneath all the stuff. Took me years to invent, and I'm the only person in the world performing this trick. Maybe I need to get out more, but what can I say - it's a living!"

You can see the gag around 2:15 in the video, but it's well worth watching the whole thing. I was gutted to learn that I missed Mat last weekend when I took the kid down to Covent Garden in London to see the performers, but I'm looking forward to catching his act next time we head down.

Mat Ricardo showreel (Thanks, Mat!)

Previously:

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: Entertainment • magic

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The Lizardman

Fantastic! The only thing more amazing than that perfect finish is that no one else has lifted it from you.
Anonymous

Very entertaining, but the masters all worked Vaudeville

W.C. Fields

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MZWq14uD-A
Anonymous

This is pretty awesome, and definitely a worthy “Wonderful Thing” for the blog, thanks!
Boondocker

If you look closely, you can see the motorcycle offstage (in reverse gear).
Joanne

cool trick, but he’s not the only one

I saw an old guy doing the reverse table cloth thing on German TV a while ago

apparently he’s some sort of famous German TV personality with a sideline in magic tricks?
Anonymous

Chuffed to the point of girlish glee at being posted on BB, I’d be remiss if I didn’t pendantically point out that I’m not a magician, I’m a juggler. Magic is all about secrets and hidden techniques – what I do is the opposite – there’s no secrets – it’s all exactly as you see it – just object manipulation, dexterity and nice suits.

Anyway, hope you all like the video

Mat Ricardo
- Anonymous
  
  Totally unrelated, but:
  The bit in the park, is that in Hanover, Germany?
  Because I think I saw your show there at the ‘Kleines Fest im GroÃŸen Garten’.