Mindfreak

One show I'm liking a lot is Criss Angel Mindfreak. Angel is a gonzo illusionist who does these spontaneous, seamless illusions on the street, in the broad daylight with a crowd of passers-by. [1]

This walking-through-glass trick is a good example:

How did he do that? The complete season one is available on DVD.

Update: Eric Scheid breaks down the above trick:

observe the hand positions of the two people holding the paper against the window ... if you were holding paper against a window, would you simply press it against the window, or would you clinch/clutch the paper the way they do, as if they are holding it into position but without pressing against a supporting plane?

ignore the red 'open' sign, that is a deliberate misdirection, a false clue, don't imagine that it is fixed to the glass.

now imagine if the sheet of glass were to slide upwards, and that it was longer than the visible part, but the hidden part included a whopping great hole in the middle ... would you be able to see the glass move, especially if he's busy doing another misdirection (taking off his shoes)?

It's interesting how the spontaneity is part of the illusion. I'm sure this is as elaborately prepared as any stage illusion.

1. Well that's how it seems anyway. Part of the fun of the show is figuring out what combination of confederates, mirrors, wires, hypnosis, and magicians' guild secrets are involved in pulling off the trick. It's still very convincing.