Magician and inventor Dan Harlan attempts to transport a human being through time and space in a wonderfully eccentric performance recorded at the P3 Magic Theater.
The routine, titled Dan Harlan’s Time Machine, features Trulie Scrumptious as the brave—and perhaps slightly concerned—participant selected to test Harlan’s mysterious invention.
The machine may also be a toaster. Even Harlan does not appear completely certain.
Dan Harlan Introduces an Untested Invention
Harlan begins by presenting a strange apparatus and asking the audience to decide whether it resembles a time machine or an oversized kitchen appliance.
He then informs Trulie that the machine has never been tested. That small detail immediately establishes the routine’s comic premise: Harlan is an overly confident inventor, while his assistant may be placing herself in considerably more danger than she realizes.
Harlan compares the planned experiment to an earlier card trick in which an object traveled from one location to another. This time, however, the subject will be a person.
Trulie is assured that she will not necessarily end up on the ceiling.
A Small Demonstration of Time Travel
Before attempting the full experiment, Harlan offers a smaller illustration of his theory.
A piece of fabric represents the structure of time and space. Harlan marks a starting point and a destination before attaching a safety pin to represent Trulie.
He briefly refers to Einstein and the familiar science-fiction concept of folding space to bring two distant points together. Harlan then rejects that approach in favor of a technology he claims to have perfected himself: suction.
With a sudden magical moment, the safety pin apparently travels between the two marked locations without tearing or damaging the fabric.
The demonstration is a clever piece of theatrical construction. It gives the audience a visual example of what Harlan intends to accomplish with his larger machine while increasing anticipation for the main illusion.
Radiation Protection—For the Magician
Harlan admits that the experiment could produce radiation. Fortunately, he has taken the necessary safety precautions.
Unfortunately for Trulie, those initial precautions appear to protect only Harlan.
The resulting exchange is a strong example of Harlan’s ability to build comedy through character. He behaves as if every absurd safety decision is completely logical while Trulie responds with growing uncertainty.
Harlan eventually provides her with protective equipment of her own: what appears to be a body bag.
When Trulie recognizes it, Harlan explains that it is intended to make the cleanup easier.
The line perfectly captures the routine’s humor. Harlan never abandons the character of the cheerful but possibly irresponsible inventor, even as the experiment becomes increasingly ominous.
Comedy Gives the Illusion a Story
Large theatrical apparatus can be visually impressive, but the equipment alone does not always give an audience a reason to care about the outcome.
Harlan solves that problem by turning the illusion into a story.
The audience understands the objective, sees a miniature demonstration of the scientific theory and watches as Trulie prepares for the dangerous test. Every joke moves the experiment closer to its conclusion while strengthening the relationship between the two performers.
The humor also makes the eventual magic more surprising. Viewers are encouraged to focus on Harlan’s jokes, mock-scientific explanations and concern for his own safety before the time machine is finally activated.
Dan Harlan’s Remarkable Creative Career
Dan Harlan has earned a reputation as one of magic’s most prolific and versatile creators.
According to his official biography, Harlan has performed in more than 20 countries, headlined at the Magic Castle and appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us. He has also worked as a magic consultant for performers including David Copperfield, Kevin James, Jeff McBride and Keith Barry.
One of Harlan’s most ambitious projects involved revisiting the entire Tarbell Course in Magic. Over five years, he performed and updated more than 1,200 tricks while redesigning props, writing scripts and developing his own presentations.
That combination of creativity and practical experience is visible throughout the Time Machine routine. Harlan does not merely present an apparatus. He surrounds it with an original character, an understandable premise and a complete comic narrative.
The Role of P3 Magic Theater
The performance was recorded at the P3 Magic Theater in Columbus, Ohio. The venue serves as both a live theater and the production studio connected to Penguin Magic.
The current P3 Magic Theater continues to feature magicians from around the world, including performers seen on Fool Us, Masters of Illusion and America’s Got Talent.
Harlan played an important role in developing P3’s live programming, including its weekly performances and the enormous undertaking of presenting the Tarbell Course material for modern audiences.
An Inventive Piece of Comedy Magic
Dan Harlan’s Time Machine succeeds because every element supports the same delightfully ridiculous premise.
The safety-pin demonstration establishes the theory. The radiation jokes create comic danger. Trulie Scrumptious gives the audience someone to root for, and Harlan’s eccentric-inventor character holds everything together.
The result is an entertaining example of how theatrical illusion can become much more memorable when the performer gives the apparatus a story, a purpose and a personality.
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