MEMBER ARTICLE: Escapology and Illusions
from
Recon News
11 February 2019
By Houdini
I was about 7 when I first saw an escapologist. He was on TV, escaping from handcuffs and chains whilst on the end of a burning rope. I didn't know anything about sexuality at all in those days, and although the fire terrified me, I did like the idea of seeing the man take his shirt off and get chained up (As a teenager I began to understand why that was!)
Despite the usual "Don't try this at home" there was something about it that appealed to me, and I was determined that I would have a go. That didn't happen until my teens, but one day I bought a length of chain and a couple of padlocks from a hardware shop and began to see if I could get out if they were tied around me.
That was the start of a fascination with escapology and illusion. I can now escape from handcuffs and straitjackets as well as chains and locks, and I still like seeing a guy take his shirt off and get chained up! Of course, these days, part of the interest in that is bondage as well as escapology. It's not just the excitement of the escape which gets to me, it's the idea of chains round a man's bare chest. One of the escapes I do involves water, and there is something particularly exciting in more ways than one on seeing a shirtless guy chained in water. It's like seeing a guy in bondage, with all the feelings that can evoke, with an extra layer of risk and danger as well. I should explain that when I talk about risk and danger, I do not wish to see anyone drown. Whilst there is some risk to the escapes, there are also safety factors in play, and because of this, all the escapes have been successful.
The same goes for illusions. My interest in escapology led to an interest in magic. Here again, it seems as if there is a risk of peril, if a guy is about to be sawn in half, or guillotined, or locked in a box before swords are pushed through, but whilst it might look dangerous, the guy is not going to be hurt.
Is escapology the same as bondage? Well no in the sense that the person being tied will try – and usually succeed – to get free. That said, someone has to be tied up in the first place, and so there is an obvious overlap there, and the same feelings can come into play, either when being tied up, or when being the person doing the tying.
I've been both illusionist and assistant. I know what it is to step into a box and be sliced into three pieces, or to be chained to a bench under a guillotine's blade. Even though I have checked and re-checked the safety several times, there is still that split-second after the blade begins to fall when you do wonder! It is also nice being the magician and having a hunky guy in that position. Every time I've been sawn or guillotined, in tribute to the escapologist I saw way back when, I've had my shirt off, and I like my assistants to be dressed – or undressed! - the same way! With the illusions and the bondage, shedding the clothing also seems to add an extra layer of vulnerability. And yes, when a hunky, shirtless guy is in position before an escape or illusion begins, of course I'm admiring the view. What's not to like?
Any form of bondage is about trust. If you are tied up, you have to trust that someone will release you after a certain amount of time. It's the same with escapes and illusions – you have to trust that if you can't get out, someone will release you, and you have to trust that the illusions really aren't as dangerous as they look, that the blades will not really cut you into two or three pieces, and that the guillotine will not really decapitate you! Why would anyone willingly put their neck in a guillotine? In the case of the illusion, because of trust.
Yet for all the talk of risk, there's also been a lot of fun. Most of the guys who've trusted themselves to the illusions eventually say they enjoyed it – though they might only say that when the illusion is complete! Helping a guy into position for the illusion can involve some body contact, it's a good way of getting to know someone. Indeed, at times, I've got to know them better when the illusion is complete if the excitement has not diminished!
This isn't being written so that I can find some new assistants but do get in touch if any of this appeal. It might look risky, but your safety is my first priority. There can be a lot of fun in this form of bondage play. It might not be the usual type of fetish, but it's appealed to me for many years now.
If you'd like to share your fetish and kink tastes on Recon, send your ideas to: social@recon.com
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