Portal (magic trick)

"Portal" is a magic trick performed by the illusionist David Copperfield, in which he takes a member of the audience and transports both of them to a pre-selected location (Hawaii, The Hoover Dam, Australia), before reappearing on stage. This effect was introduced to David Copperfield's show in 2001.

Effect

The effect of the illusion is a disappearance of the magician and an audience member, and their reappearance in the pre-selected location via video feed. A picture of the magician with the audience member is taken, and then showed by the two man on video after the disappearance. After the reunion of the audience member with a loved relative Copperfield appears back in the audience on the other side of the stage, then it starts raining in the theater.

The disappearance is considered the most effective part of the trick, as it involves two adults apparently vanishing into thin air from a raised platform above the audience's heads.