Escapology

Escapology is the art of putting yourself in a situation where you are restrained in some way and then escape from it without an audience knowing how you did it. This is generally practised by magicians and illusionists as part of a broader act although some escapologists solely concentrate on doing this for a living.

The most famous escapologist is probably Harry Houdini who gave his name to a phrase used to describe people who get out of a difficult tight spot or who disappear without a trace.

Escapologists can escape from all kinds of things and situations. Popular props and situations to escape from here include:

Handcuffs and leg irons
Ropes and chains
Strait jackets
Boxes, crates and cabinets

Over the years escapologists have had to up the ante on their act to make it more exciting. The easiest way to do this is to add an element of drama or danger to the escapology mix to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. So, for example, an escapologist may have himself bound into a strait jacket and chained up. He may then be lowered into a tank of water from which he has to escape after freeing himself from his restraints.