Before you begin ripping tablecloths off fully set dinner tables, begin with a smaller set up and make sure you have the appropriate materials, according to SteveSpanglerScience.com.
Choose a small piece of tablecloth material in a three-foot square to begin practicing. Use a tablecloth that has no hem around the edge (a flat edge) and is made from a somewhat slippery material. Choose a practice tabletop that is also completely flat.
Choose dishes that are heavy and have a smooth, flat surface on the bottom, according to SteveSpanglerScience.com. Light dishes will easily fly off the table with the slightest motion and they tend to hang on the edges of the cloth if they have numerous grooves or designs on the underside.
Performing the trick, once you have proper materials to use, is not a difficult process. Spread your tablecloth out on the table and smooth it out to make sure there are no visible wrinkles. Place the cups, plates and utensils on top of the tablecloth. Start with a single plate for your first attempt and work your way up to a full place setting.
Grab the ends of the tablecloth nearest you. The ends should be draped over the edge of the table. Use both hands and make a quick, downward motion with your hands to pull the tablecloth off the table. Pull it straight down toward the floor from the edge for the best results.
A far more complex trick involving a tablecloth will leave spectators wondering how you did it. However, there is a lot of preparation to set up the trick, according to ClassicMagic.Net.
A trap door is cut into a raised stage and into a rug that sits under a table. The table also has a trap door in the middle of the tabletop. Unless you are a carpenter, you should find someone to manufacture these props for you. Mount pulleys under the table that controls the floor trap door with wires that run through the floor and to a crank and platform below the stage.
A female assistant waits below the stage on a platform that will rise through the trap doors in the floor, rug and table at the appropriate time.
To begin the trick, throw a tablecloth over the table and allow it to touch the floor in front of the table to block the view of the trap door from the audience. The assistant will quickly raise the platform through the trap door in the floor and rug, positioning herself just below the tabletop door. The floor trap is then shut quickly as you walk around behind the table and adjust the tablecloth evenly so the area at the feet of the table is visible to the audience. The lady then “appears” by coming up through the trap door under the tablecloth. Once she is on top of the table, she closes the trap with her feet and the cloth is pulled away to reveal her.