escape act
Magician's bound departure
An escape act is a performance in which someone frees themselves from restraints—handcuffs, chains, straitjackets, locked containers, or other confinements.
Houdini popularized the form.
Figuratively, an escape act is any dramatic or improbable evasion of trouble: His explanation for missing the deadline was quite the escape act.
- HoudiniFamous escape artist
- straitjacketGarment restricting arm movement
- chainsLinked metal restraints
- handcuffsLocking wrist restraints
- padlocksPortable keyed fasteners
illusion · magician · trunk · water tank · underwater · holding breath · death trap · death-defying · wriggle · contortion · break free · locked · bound · suspense · race against time · audience · gasping · reveal
- performancestalent show, dance routine, ballet, variety show, musical
- Stuntsstunt, stuntman, stunt double, daredevil, stunt performer
- variety actsacrobat, juggling, aerialist, magic, clown
- tricksmagic trick, card trick, card tricks, coin trick, rope trick
- vaudevillevaudeville, variety show, music hall, headliner, music halls
- magicwizard, wand, sorcerer, witchcraft, mage
escape actdisappearing act
Sudden, unexplained departure
dematerialization · materialization · mentalism · close-up magic · card trick
escape actimprisonment
Legal detention in jail
capture · incarceration · entrapment · confinement · detention
escape actbreak-in
Unlawful entry to premises
infiltration · intrusion · entry · incursion · penetration
escape, act, escapes, escaped, escaping, escapee, escapees, escapism, escapist