Quick-change

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Quick-change is a performance style where a performer or magician changes quickly within seconds from one costume into another costume in front of the audience.

Origins of this form of entertainment can be found in a book dated 1600 describing the performance of Giovanni Gabrielli, an Italian actor performing different change of costumes and characters in the public square of Bologna. There are several types of quick change gags in the Commedia dell'arte. Various magicians in the 1800 used quick change effects in their repertory. Castor Sfax was one of them, performing the Podium Act. A related type of performance is exhibited in the Chinese dramatic art form Bian Lian.

The Italian actor and mime Leopoldo Fregoli, (1867-1936) used quick-changes on stage and in front of the camera from 1895 to 1922. There still exist several minutes of these films. He was the first artist to transform this surprising skill into a full evening show. At the top of his career he was performing 60 characters in the same show.

Another great quick change magician was The Great LaFayette (1872-1911). His excellent quick-change routine as well as dramatic illusions such as his own Lion's Bride (lady to lion) made him very popular.

There are few internationally acclaimed quick-change artists, all of whom use different styles and techniques. One of the most unusual quick-change artists is the Venetian Ennio Marchetto, who uses only cardboard and paper for his costumes and wigs and can change into over 50 characters in one hour. Also called "The Living Cartoon", Ennio has has enjoyed a worldwide success since his first appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1989. He has been nominated in New York for a Drama Desk Award and for a Laurence Olivier award in London. His bi-dimensional cardboard costumes fold like origami. He has over 300 characters in his repertoire, from works of art like the Mona Lisa to modern popstars like Eminem or Shakira.

One of the classic exponents of quick change artistry is the Italian actor and performer Arturo Brachetti.The Guinness Book of Records of 2006 lists him as the fastest in the world. In 2000 he was awarded the Prix Molière, the highest accolade in French theatre for "The man with 1000 faces" where he performs 80 different characters in the two hours show. The show sold-out in Paris for several months in an 1800 seat theatre. Brachetti has created and performed about 20 different acts for television and about 10 plays, produced by the National Theatre of Turin. His wardrobe consists of more than 350 costumes. His performances are often a series of characters one after the other or a spoken sketch in which he plays all the roles interacting with each others.

Another traditional style of quick change was the Muscovite duo The Sudarchikovi's, with a circus show they created in the 1950s. In this act the partners would change costumes (colour and shapes) several times covered by a sandwich screen, a piece of cloth or a ring with ribbons. For the finale silver confetti was thrown by one of the two artist on his partner and her costume would change to a similar but white version.

Another popular quick-change duo is David and Dania, whose act is very similar in style to The Sudarchikovi's. They appeared recently on NBC's America's Got Talent. Some observers believe that the duo use a system of wires that hold the various costumes together and when the wire is pulled, the costume falls revealing the next outfit. The trick is patented under the US Patent Number 6308334.

Sos & Victoria Petrosyan from Germany, did a lot of changes in Quick Change Transformation Janre. They began from 1991 in USSR, Moscow. All tricks and transformation costumes used in the performance have been developed by Sos exclusively for their totaly original ast. Duo Petrosyan innovated a completely new style in Quick Change Illusion.